taza shop.

i have a small new batch of headbands going into my shop next week.

there will be some old favorites + some new headbands too!

here is just a small preview of what will be there.

sorry it's been many many months since i've updated the shop...

between moving to DC, teaching, & working on some styling projects

the shop has been on the back burner.

photos by the talented photographer rebecca reed.

xo

rockstar winner!

charlotte is the winner of this week's giveaway!

congrats charlotte! please email me your shipping info...

thanks for playing, everyone.

xo

today.

despite the muggy weather, big zit on my face & long list of things to do,

today is going to be a beautiful day.

i can feel it.

*image via some magazine which i tore up a few months ago.

this scrap piece stays pinned up beside my work space. and i love it.

the good wife.

(once upon a time, i cooked a lot for my husband.... once upon a time.)

would you like to know something?

sometimes, if i close my eyes and think hard enough, i actually believe i'm a good wife.

then, i open my eyes.

we've had clean clothes sitting in the dryer for over a week now. missing socks or underwear? just go get a pair out of the dryer. this is my way of saying i hate folding clothes.

i've also made an empty tube of toothpaste last wayyyyyy longer than it should (think, many many days) because sometimes i'm lazy and think i'll remember to buy some without writing it down on our shopping list. it's almost like that tube is magic... the way it has lasted.

but i finally dusted our shelves. so maybe i am part good wife.

just thought you should know.

i'll do better next year.

*also, i know things like loving your husband, supporting him, being kind, encouraging, strengthening your marriage, etc are perhaps more important ways of being a "good wife." but i still believe i could do better at making our home a tidy and comfortable place to live. and, i should tell you now that josh is the biggest help around our house. thanks, josh.

class of '08.

i have to tell you, i miss juilliard.

i miss the people. i miss the faculty.

...i miss my class.

{all 18 of them.}

i miss risa's inspiring words.

i miss larry's ballet class.

i miss joe's jazz warm up.

i miss mr. price's creative writing class.

i miss hanging out in the dance hall with everyone.

i miss hearing musicians practicing 24/7. even in the elevator.

i miss the improv jams with the musicians and actors.

i miss the butterflies before casting is posted.

i miss getting ready backstage.

i miss waiting in the wings to perform.

i miss irene dowd's anatomy quizzes.

i miss falling asleep in dance history.

i miss robert battle + doug varone rehearsals.

i miss the feelings of inadequacy that pushed me to work harder.

i miss being surrounded by creative and artistic people all day long.

but i especially just miss my class of '08.

they continue to be a huge source of where i gain my inspiration from.

i'm so proud of what everyone is up to and accomplishing.

as time passes and i look back,

i realize just how much those 4 years at school shaped me

as a dancer and as a person.

i also realize how much my class of '08 has contributed to

the way i look at my life and what i want from it.

i'm really thankful for that...

'08.

*photo of my class at juilliard. dancing on the street in brooklyn.

photo credit: matt karas.

to see more photos from this shoot, click here.

what's cookin, good lookin!

first, i cannot believe Thanksgiving is already next week!

how did that happen so fast?

{but i'm not complaining! i love thanksgiving.}

for those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving,

what is everybody doing for the special holiday?

we are staying in DC and having the boo boo's

{aka my little twin sisters} up from college for the weekend.

as you can see from these photos of them above,

they proved to be very domestic when we had them over in august.

they cooked josh and me dinner!

we can't wait to see what they whip up for us next week!

(just kidding. we'll cook too...)

as i'm prepping for our big turkey dinner next week,

i'm trying to gather some new recipes.

anyone have a killer

apple pie,

stuffing,

gravy,

or rolls recipe

they'd love to share with everyone?

or any recipe for that matter!

let's get cookin!

i'd love your help....

thanks in advance. i love you.

xo

rockstar giveaway! (closed)

our sponsor Muntedkowhai is offering a beautiful necklace

to one of our readers this week!

the handmade necklace, named corporal, is military inspired--

featuring a unique raw brass mesh chain flanked

with a navy blue crochet lace motif.

measures 23 inches in length.

i think it's perfect for the upcoming holiday season!

to enter, please visit Muntedkowhai

and leave a comment below before friday, 20th!

good luck!

a beautiful girl named daile.

my dear old friend daile was in DC this past weekend

visiting from huntington beach!

we hit up the portrait gallery and had lunch in georgetown.

it was so great catching up.

i ADORE this girl.

currently trying to convince her to move to DC.

it's this close to happening. someone please back me.

p.s. stupid sunglasses are ruining this pic. forgot i had them on.

unicycle.

we spent most of the day yesterday up in maryland

with one of our favorite families.

{four adorable kids under the age of eleven...

and 3 of them can ride unicylces! love!}

we ate lots of crepes & jumped roped outside until it got dark.

i wish i was better at catching action shots with my camera.

maybe in a few years when we have our own kids, i'll get it down.

in the meantime, we'd like unicycles for Christmas... dear santa.

{josh stayed on the unicycle a whole 3 seconds! so proud.}

the colors on capitol hill.

our little neighborhood is so alive with color right now.

it's beautiful.

i want to live on the hill forever.

giveaway winner!

congrats to chelsea conrad for winning this weeks giveaway!

please email me your shipping info!

thanks to all who entered!

little date.

last saturday,

we finally got around to seeing where the wild things are

{we think it's a beautiful film, even if it's long}

and had great burgers {and amazing apple pie} at chadwicks

in georgetown. we also read books and magazines

at barnes&noble which gave me a flashback

to summer & fall of 2006, when we'd do that a lot on little dates.

i am pretty certain i fell in love with josh davis at barnes&noble in 2006.

in fact, it was inside the barnes&noble at lincoln center that november

in between classes at juilliard that i sat with my friend carolyn

and told her i had secretly decided i was going to marry him.

and marry him, i did.

oh little dates. i love you.

sisters.

i didn't have any work today so i drove a few hours south

and spent the day with my lovely twin sisters.

now if only sister hannah would move back out to the east coast

like the old days we could have glorious sister dates

without someone missing.

i like that idea.

hannah?

...

p.s. happy veterans day!

click here to see old covers of

the saturday evening post as a salute to veterans.

*i know this polaroid is blurry. my polaroid is having trouble. sorry.

rockstar giveaway! (closed)

hooray for tea parties!

this week vintage interiors is offering one lovely reader

a beautiful one of a kind vintage collection of 5 itty-bitty tea cups!

all 5 hand painted tea cups & saucers have been collected over time

while dana, from vintage interiors, has been out & about

on little treasure hunting adventures!

each tea cup is approximately 1.5" in diameter

& each saucer 2.75" in diameter.

i first came across vintage interiors a few months ago

when i bought this darling fan from the shop for our bedroom!

{isn't she darling? i love.}

vintage interiors is filled with "a unique array of accessories

& home decor with vintage roots & modern, timeless lines."

to enter the giveaway, please visit vintage interiors

and leave a comment below before friday, november 13th!

good luck!

"count your many blessings."

the weekend was beautiful.

warm crisp weather,

colorful leaves all over DC

& people out everywhere.

we basically lived outside.

yesterday during church,

we sang count your blessings. {in the hymnal, it says to sing "brightly!"}

even if we don't share the same faith,

i think these lyrics are so beautiful, and very fitting for this time of year.

i need to sing them to myself {in my head of course} more often...

count your blessings:

"when upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

count your many blessings, name them one by one,

and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

chorus: count your blessings, name them one by one,

count your blessings, see what God hath done!

count your blessings, name them one by one,

and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

are you ever burdened with a load of care?

does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

count your many blessings, every doubt will fly;

and you will keep singing as the days go by.

when you look at others with their lands and gold,

think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

count your many blessings. wealth can never buy

your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

so, amid the conflict whether great or small,

do not be disheartened, God is over all;

count your many blessings, angels will attend,

help and comfort give you to your journey's end."

....

you know something? God is good.

enjoy your weekend!

enjoy the weekend!

...

our giveaway winner is joolee, comment number 109:

and don't forget to stop by the bijou market if you're in utah tomorrow...

*image source unknown

the anthropologist.

i was invited by anthropologie to the launch party of their new website

the anthropologist

in new york city last night.

the website is a new "online space

for inspiring works and inspiring individuals."

go check it out here. it's really wonderful.

all the artists' works featured were inspiring,

but what i loved most were david eustace's beautiful photographs

from a road trip he took this summer with his daughter.

and the letters, oh the letters. so special.

...

i brought along my lovely friend marci for the fun event.

i wish she and her husband would move to DC already.

i've been missing her.

sweet tooth fairy bake shop, provo utah.

if you're in utah (you know, say, for the bijou market saturday...

or something) go here and get some love.

i've blogged about the sweet tooth fairy shop before (here & here)

but last week nothing made my sick little tummy feel as good

as shoving one of these delicious key lime cupcakes down my face.

i love.

*brother isaac is such a stud, even holding a cupcake.

**and since many inquired, here is a full photo of my family's picture board

in our kitchen which isaac is standing in front of. i love that board.

can't wait to have our own someday filled with photos of our kiddies.

rockstar giveaway!

have you heard of bijou market?!

bijou is a handmade event held three times a year in utah

which brings the most talented vendors from all over utah,

idaho, arizona and further together for one day only.

bijou market stands apart from other events of its kind

by only featuring handmade items that they, as young mothers,

students and fashion conscious lovelies would be excited to buy....

come support local talent

and find the perfect handmade gift for everyone on your list!

{handmade clothing, accessories, decor, furniture, etc!}

i wish i was out west so i could go!

the event is taking place this saturday,

nov 7th, 10AM-4PM.

address and more info here.

and to kick off this event,

bijou market is offering this darling 18x18 "bunting pillow"

handmade by freshly picked!

check out bijou market this weekend if you're in utah

and comment below before friday, november 6th

for a chance to win the pillow!

xo

spooky dinner.

on sunday we made a festive halloween dinner

with my most favorite thing in the entire world:

acorn squash with brown sugar and butter {thanks mom}.

we also ate yummy cupcakes thanks to these friends.

i love this time of year.