i don't have anything too interesting going on this week. i'm kind of just floating by waiting for the weekend. i've been into my wedding workout routine pretty avidly for the past 3 weeks, and i've already lost 5 pounds! pretty exciting, now to keep the motivation going. another 10-15 pounds and i'll be set! i mentioned i was just waiting for the weekend and that's because josh and i are going up north for labor day weekend to see our parents. plus we have an extra day off work, and i just really need that, especially since peak season is coming up and we'll be expected to work 6 days a week, bleh. but i honestly i feel like i haven't seen my parents in ages, though it's not been that long at all, i just miss them! they're doing SO much to help with our wedding and being so great about it all, i'm so lucky to have them for parents. they'd seriously do absolutely anything for me and my older sisters. of course, knowing me, i like to be cheap, so i'm trying to keep everything simple and nice, but they just have no worries at all. my mom keeps making sure i think about what i want and not what anyone else wants or expects, which is just great. because i have heard so many bridal stories that go the other way around.
my mom and i have some great plans to go wedding dress shopping! eeek! followed by a mother - daughter starbucks date, of course! here is a sneak peek of some of my favorite dresses, thus far!

tea length is just my style. i love everything about these three dresses and i just don't know how i'm going to choose. heck, i might not even pick any of these three! there may be something else so beautiful and captivating that will catch my eye. we shall see....

well, we went to the balloon fest, but when we got there we were informed that because of weather (wind, and it wasn't even THAT windy), the balloons would not take flight, meaning, no one would be able to take a balloon ride, but all other events would still be going on. the band was really cool up from cleveland. they played motown and classic rock. we waited around for a while watching people fly kites, and we all had a funnel cake. so good yet so bad for you! eventually we saw all of the balloon owners come out to the field. we were so excited, i may have been showing it a lot more than anyone else (ha!) but they were just letting off the fire and didn't seem to be putting up the actual balloon part. we were all so confused. we found out that because of wind (again it wasn't that windy at all, but i guess hot air balloons are really sensitive to weather conditions) that there would be no balloon glow. so that was a bummer. all we saw all night were the baskets of hot air balloons letting off fire, which they were calling a candle light glow. it was kind of lame. but, the real fun was just getting to be with our great friends, so that made up for it. we got a few pics.. nothing too great, enjoy!

 

best buddds

cute couple!

me and joshie!

i'm so incredibly ecstatic! today is the grove city balloon festival. josh and i will be accompanied by our great friends, clayton and danielle. i will have photos up by tomorrow, so here are some teasers i found online of past G.C. balloon & tunes fest's!

we like to hike!

autumn wardrobe inspiration!

i'm having an end of summer sale! enter in the coupon code: 15OFF to receive 15 percent off your purchase on anything in my shop! i'd like to clear out a few summery clothes to fit in a new fall collection!

i have major fall fever! i created a treasury on etsy which i had thoroughly searched through pages and pages to find the 'perfect' items that matched my mood. i even found a woman who is from my home town area selling beautiful photography! [CountryDreaming] then i was featured in an treasury by the lovely, margarita! very neat shop! (some of my favorite items are pictured below!)

 [click photo to go to my recent treasury! enjoy and comment if you please!]

[click to go to margaritas treasury! my lovely Vintage Knit Sweater was featured! :)]




favorite of margarita's items:

 

 

what i've been dreaming of....

such a random assortment, i know.

i'm so ready to fall! the smell of the leaves, late-night bonfires, pumpkin spice sprinkled into my coffee, the layers of pretty clothes and scarves, taking photos of the pretty trees.... speaking of which, i really need to dust my camera off, i haven't taken her on a good adventure as of late because of the stress of the heat. it's finally cooling off in the evenings!

i really can't help but dream about puppies either, since josh and i decided that we're going to get one! we're still doing our research, but it looks like we've narrowed it down to shepherds, shetland sheepdogs, collies, and the australian cattle dogs. all are very intelligent and would make great companions! we're up to adoption or finding someone out there who has puppies they need to sell/give away. but we're strongly against puppy mills, so that is not an option.  pictured above is a border collie puppy, probably my favorite of the bunch and josh is a big fan too! :)

(click on photo to view store)

I recently stumbled across BexVintage, where i found what i've been looking for since i was fourteen. a long while ago my mom and i were in indianapolis visiting my sister. we decided to pass some time and visit an antique shop while my sister was working. this was actually my first experience in an antique atmosphere. there were aisles, and shelves, and glass cases that went on for what felt like miles. i was so enthralled and overly anxious about this new world i had just met. then, on the floor to my right tuckered behind a wooden table was the cutest most adorable paintings i'd ever seen. these were the actual paintings to be exact:

i just fell instantly in love, because it was such a good representation of what josh and i looked like as small children. (yes we're been together since we were 14)  they were about thirty dollars and if i had realized at the time how these paintings would change my life forever i wouldn't have passed them up so easily. my family knows of my enormous love of Lee's; Big Eyed Children, and i think they sort of understand how my love of the oddities that most people my age don't appreciate has shaped me into who i am today.

Bex Vintage provided me with an excellent deal. She was selling two paintings of the little girl for only ten dollars. So i bring to you, hanging ever-so cutely on my wall:

now i just need to find this cute little girls companion to make my wall complete
:)

my local (and) favorite thrift store had a huge blow out sale yesterday, everything was fifty percent off, and with already super, crazy, low prices how could we not go? i browse through the clothing, always looking for new items for my shop, but it was a 'me' day. i went all out, it was great! (though i did find a super cute shirt i might go back to get for the shop. hoping it's still there!) josh usually browses the books and electronics. i think everything we bought yesterday came to about seven dollars! we're keeping ourselves away until the next blow out sale on the last day of august, so excited!

scarf 1: 50 cents (i bought 2 scarves, but only pictured one)

Jacket: $1.50(i feel like i stole it, it was so cheap!)

express sweater: $1.00(i'm so excited about this sweater, i'd probably wear it every day if i could get away with it! )

shoes on left: $2.00
(i've had the pair on the right for some time, but thought they looked cute together)