Ouch

So yesterday I whacked my finger with the axe {accidentally, of course!} and it hurt like hell. I got blood all over everything and almost fainted at the sight of it. Super. What is up with me lately?

Anyway, am now all bandaged up and realizing just how tricky it is to type without the use of one of my fingers! {really. bloody. difficult! no pun intended...} In fact, it has taken me about three times as long to type this as it should because my big bandaged finger keeps hitting all the wrong buttons! So, instead of the glowing book review I'd planned to write about The Help {oh! so good!}, I'll leave you with some pretty pictures from my tumblr archive instead, and the promise to be back soon with book reviews, resolutions and other good stuff, okay? Okay.

Don't they make you smile, each and every one? Happy 1st day of March!

Tumblr Tuesday {wise words}

Oh sure, my tumblr is mostly all about the pretty pictures, but it's also home to some fabulous quotes. Here are a few that I've especially enjoyed lately. 

via etsy

I need this print. Now.

via oh dee doh

How fabulous is that headboard? Love it.

via flickr

Note to self: remember this as birthday rapidly approaches.

via pink&green owl

Good idea. I could use a bit of adventure. And a really great pink striped handbag.

via lucky number 13

Wow. Marcus Aurelius said that?  Wise {and still very relevant} words from way back in Roman times!

via mary kate mcdevitt

J'adore Mary Kate McDevitt. {Remember when Brandi sent me her fab notepad? J'adore Brandi too!} I'm making up my mind to be happy, no matter how mundane or exhausting my day. There is too much to be grateful for to waste time feeling sorry for myself because my kitchen's a mess or I've got yet another load of laundry to do, right? Right.

 *  *  *

Wise words all, wouldn't you say?
Happy Tuesday!

Tumblr Tuesday {love is in the air}

With Valentine's Day less than a week away, it seems only fitting that today's tumblr photo extravaganza be dedicated to the sweetest of holidays.

 Love this homemade banner, all the kiddie artwork and those two festive chairs!

 Antique books and a big cup of tea? Yes, please. {don't you just love an old book? I like to think about who has held it, what shelves it has sat on, who read it first...}

Cookies too pretty to eat. We're making heart-shaped sugar cookies on Thursday afternoon. Pretty sure they won't look like these!

 Aaah! I want all of this! Those boots {but in my size, of course}, that mail bag, that festive tea party!

 J'adore the button pillow. And those funky reading glasses.

 Garlands of paper hearts in the sunshine. Pretty much perfect!

I am so far behind in my Valentine making and writing this year. I hope I can get a few things in the mail by tomorrow and then fingers crossed that they fly just as fast as they can to their destinations! Are you making Valentine cards this year?

*All the photos above were taken from my tumblr archive. From there, click on each to find the original source.

Tumblr Tuesday {just one favourite}

via amy butler design

Happy First Day of February! I've just picked one photo from the j'adore archives for Tumblr Tuesday this week. It has a wonderful, springtime feeling to it, don't you think? The boots, the flowers, the basket, and the sun & raindrops on the windowpane... perfect now that January is over and spring will soon be on its way. Pop over to Em's lovely French blog, and read her good-bye letter to January. It's short but sweet {which is nicer than I might have been in bidding that long, cold, miserable month farewell!} Oh, and while you're there, be sure to leave her a comment and let her know I can't wait to see her next weekend!!!

Well, I'd best be going. I've got lots to do in the library today, a million errands to run at lunch, and my running clinic this evening. It's going to be a busy day. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and having a day off already {oh and speaking of tomorrow... Groundhog, don't let us down!}

Enjoy your Tuesday, my friends. I'll be back tomorrow with those book reviews I keep promising. For real this time!

Until then,

E xo

Tumblr Tuesday {cottagey}

I decided to base this week's Tumblr Tuesday post on a fabulous quote of Jane Austen's:

"I am excessively fond of a cottage; there is always so much comfort, so much elegance about them. And I protest, if I had any money to spare, I should buy a little land and build one myself within a short distance of London, where I might drive myself down at any time, and collect a few friends about me and be happy. I advise everybody who is going to build, to build a cottage."

~ Jane Austen

Oh, Jane! I couldn't agree more. Here are a few lovely cottages {okay, some are more like large houses, but they definitely have a cottagey feel about them} from my tumblr archives...



via here

 A stone cottage, in a meadow, surrounded by wildflowers. Sigh...

via meadowbrook

Wouldn't the light be amazing in this one with all those windows?

via here

I love this stone cottage with its green door and all those tulips. How lovely to see that each day when you step outside...

via flickr

I love this one. It's tiny, but so pretty, and I'm really fond of flagstone paths like that...

via the inspired room

Ooh, and finally, how about a cottage overlooking the ocean?  Now that would be fantastic!

Turns out my tumblr is full of cottages. They're my dream home, I think. When I'm not imagining my fab city flat, that is! Tell me a bit about your dream home?

Tumblr Tuesday {tea-time}

Yay! It's Tumblr Tuesday, time to share some of my favourite images from my tumblr archives. The photos I've picked this week were inspired by this fabulous quote, which I came across while browsing my tumblr dashboard {seriously, who knew I could love C.S. Lewis even more than I already did?}

"You can't get a cup of tea big enough, or a book long enough, to suit me." ~ C.S. Lewis

via etsy

I love that these cups are different, but matching just the same. Perfect for sipping tea with a friend.

via flickr

Outdoor tea party with pretty white cups and matching tea pot? Yes, please!

via girl seeking grace

I love warming my hands on a steaming hot mug of tea. Aaaah...

via design sponge

Love how these teacups are displayed. And those colourful books on the counter? A little bit of kitchen perfection if you ask me.

via what nikki made

Well, maybe not everything. But most things. And how awesome is it that this print was actually made with tea?

via we heart it

Tea + books + London = happiness.

via flickr

Totally in keeping with my new year goal of finding happiness in the simple pleasures, and in bettering myself. And there's a cup of tea and some biscuits, too! Doesn't get much better than that. {note to self: look that book up on Amazon}

Have you tried tumbling yet? It's so much fun. Just ask Cassie and Jessica, who have both played along with tumblr Tuesday today. Take a look at their pretty picks... And then tell me you don't want to sign up!

Hope you're having an absolutely marvellous Tuesday.

Erin xo

PS: Thanks to all of you for your kind words on my resolution 2/52 post yesterday. I can always count on you to make me feel better! And guess what? I wrote in my journal last night!

Tumblr Tuesday {favourite three this week}

Now that I've got a shiny new laptop to play with, I've been tumbling like crazy. Here are three of my favourite photos from J'adore this week... Take a look at my archives and see if you'd choose the same three!

This kitchen feels like summertime to me. That window, that sink, the flowers on the counter... sigh...

Teacup lights! What's not to love?

I love the lighting in this photo. So bright and sunny and so not at all wintry! And the map in the window of the french door is brilliant, isn't it?  What a fabulous idea...

Okay, that took me forever. Choosing just three is hard, and I am the world's least decisive person. I changed my mind about twenty times! How about you? Could you choose just three?

I'm off to Book Club tonight, in a blizzard. Good thing it's close by this month, because I don't fancy ending up in a ditch in a snowstorm! I get to present the two choices for our next book tonight. I'm excited about both, and curious to see what the girls pick...
E xo

PS:  I'm just getting used to Blogger's new{ish} post editor. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't... Please bear with me as I figure it out.

Tumblr Tuesday {travel in style}

It's Tuesday again, but I have hardly any time to write anything. I am in the midst of purchasing travel insurance, banking some English pounds, washing and drying and folding laundry, cleaning my house top to bottom, and packing bags for a family of four (man, that's a lot of stuff to lug across the world!) Speaking of bags, can you guess what today's Tumblr Tuesday theme is?

postcards and pretties

mrs amber apple

mrs amber apple

hydrangeas and white daisies

a bientot mon beau

bottom of the laundry basket

For more pretty pictures of luggage and other lovelies, come visit my tumblr, J'adore.

I'd love to stick around and chat, but my (not so fabulous as these) suitcases are calling. And so is London!!! I'll try to pop back later and find a chance to visit you and your lovely blogs before I tackle the next task, okay? Until then, tell me... what does your luggage look like? And what do you wish it looked like? I'm quite partial to the fifth photo down... She's got a real Audrey Hepburn vibe going on, non?

Tumblr Tuesday {top three this week}

So, I've got big plans for next week's Tumblr Tuesday theme {hint: there are suitcases involved} but this week I seem to be lacking both the time and the energy to put together anything big. So instead I've chosen my top three favourites from the past few days to share with you. It's so difficult to decide! The whole purpose of tumblr is to collect pretty pictures, and there are so very many to choose from, but here are a few that I especially like...

First up, this gorgeous sitting area. I love the big windows, the cozy window seat and the splashes of pale blue and bright orange. Can't you imagine curling up here with tea and snacks and a few girlfriends to chat away for hours?

blueprint bliss

Next is this little blue clapboard cafe, with the bicycle out front. I love a bike with a basket. This photo just screams summertime to me.

mustang gina

Finally, this wee Eiffel Tower in a field full of daisies. I love everything about it. It's French-y, it's flowery, it's fun.

ever fall in love

And there you have it. Three pretty pictures from my tumblr archive. But now I've got to go. I'm sleepy, and in desperate need of a cup of tea.

More tomorrow, I promise. I've got some pretty great mini-golfing photos to show you! Until then...

E xo

Tumblr Tuesday {red like a watermelon}

Hello friends, and happy Tuesday! Tumblr Tuesday is back! I've been indulging in a lot of watermelon lately (it's the quintessential summer fruit, don't you think?) and loving its luscious red colour. So today's collection of Tumblr photos are all about the red. Are you ready? Here goes...

I love this little girl in her red gingham dress. And I think my mom will agree when I say that little girl looks an awful lot like I did at that age!

tiny white daisies

Ooh la la! How I long to be spending a summer afternoon on one of these red and white loungers! The pool boy can bring me cold glasses of iced tea at regular intervals...

la belle vie

Mmmm, strawberries, another summer favourite. We like to eat ours with vanilla ice cream, or to dunk them in a bowl of whipped cream. Heavenly.

simply pix

How much would I love to have a house with a window seat? So much. Especially if it's as pretty as this red and white one.

my ideal home

I love this kitchen, and the splashes of red are fantastic. Click on the photo to take a closer look. Notice the motto on the tea towel? Clearly it's meant to be!

that kitchen

I'd like to throw a summertime ice cream & lemonade party, with red and blue bunting. Who wants to come?

ellaminnowpeas

I could spend all day in bed if it looked like this, couldn't you?

brabourne farm

Love. These. Shoes.

madame cupcake

Finally, a patch of grass, some cozy cushions, and a good book. The perfect way to spend a lazy summer afternoon.

so very pretty

I hope you've enjoyed all the reds I chose today. Come on over to my tumblr blog, J'adore, to see some more, and be sure to pop over to my lovely friend Cassie's blog Hydrangeas and White Daisies to say hello and admire her pretty pictures too!

Hope your Tuesday is terrific,

E xo