Yaaaaay!!

Life Goal.

Today is one of those Fridays when I feel super excited that it's Friday. Not because this week was particularly trying or bad, just because weekends (especially 3-day weekends!) will always be preferable to work days (no matter how much I love my work, I've recently discovered. Doh!) To send you into the weekend I thought I'd share a few things that have been making me smile recently. Here's to smiles, Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays. xox!

I recently started following the instagram account BABYANMLS, the self-proclaimed "only baby animals page on instagram". It is so adorable I could squeal out loud every time one of their pictures comes up in my feed (and I often do). And of course because my Insta feed is quickly becoming a stream of dog and cute animal images anyway, I am now also following DailyAnmls, their other account.

People's creativity and talents never cease to amaze me and these hand carved Crayola "sculptures", available for sale on Etsy from Hoang Tran of "Wax Nostalgic" are no exception. These guys come in all sorts of characters (they'll even do a custom carving of your dog!) and would make an absolutely adorable gift, framed in a shadow box, or as art work hung perhaps in your kiddos' bedroom!? Check out the store and all Tran's amazing carvings HERE.

Started by one of my favorite bloggers/interiors designers Justina Blakeney, #FacetheFoliage is a collection of amazing collages of flowers and leaves made into faces with expressiveness beyond belief. Search the #FacetheFoliage on Instagram or Twitter for Justina's work and to see the movement she's created. Also check out the time Vogue got in on the trend..!

My new App-session!

I pretty much never pay for Apps for my iPhone, but when I spotted THIS post on Justina Blakeney's blog (loooove Justina's eye for design, her blog and Instagram feed are two personal favorites!) I knew my no-pay principle was about to go out the window! Introducing, Waterlogue, an app which transforms your photos into beautiful water color "paintings" with just a tap of your screen!!

 

Once you open the Waterlogue App you can select from any of the images you have saved to your telephone and then you actually get to watch the app "paint" starting with a sketch, "wetting brushes" and finally filling in colors. There are also about a dozen different types of painting styles to choose from.

Though I'm not going to pretend that this app makes me a master painter (just like Instagram hasn't turned me into a professional photographer!) it is a lot of fun to "paint" your photos and I can definitely see myself printing a few and figuring out a cool way to display them in my home. Plus, it's really cool to watch the app convert your images and interesting to see which photos work well as "paintings". The verdict: $2.99 very well spent! To purchase Waterlogue, click HERE.

For other SeektobeMerry app recommendations (free ones!), click HERE.

Turning the corner...

Good moods are blooming...

What's that feeling in the air you ask?! It's sunshine and energy and the lightness of spring.  21 days until winter is officially behind us and don't even get me started on the gloriousness that is daylight savings... we've made it over the hump MONTH (seriously, December has the holidays, January you can endure, but by February you're like "F this shizz, gimme some spring") and now we say au revoir to our winter blues. In celebration of the end of February, here are some light-hearted, light-tasting and smile worthy biddies from around the web.

Veggie Quesadilla

Veggie Quesadillas are usually tough for me because I don't like bell peppers, but this unique recipe is filled with yummy spinach, goat cheese, caramelized onions and tomato. Sounds delicious (and easy!) Craving a bit more protein? I think grilled chicken or shrimp could be an excellent addition to the meal. Click HERE for the full recipe.

The gorgeous Justina...

One of the best things about reading blogs is how easily you can stumble upon something awesome that you'd never have discovered on your own. For example - 31bits, a totally amazing jewelry company making some totally amazing jewels. Featured on Justina's blog, 31Bits is currently providing 108 women in Gulu, Uganda with English lessons, finance  and vocational training, community groups and health education via their gorgeous bauble business. So when I add THIS stunning piece to my collection I can look and feel great.

So simple and so sweet. Help usher the brightness of spring into your home with THIS adorable craft or THIS "why didn't I think of that!?" use for those little spice shakers you can pick up cheap at Container Store or that you already have sitting empty at the bottom of your spice rack (am I the only one who has these!?)

Spring is coming. Yippee :)

F.I.T.S. of merriment

Lisbon is for Lovers.

Merry Meri is on vacation this week so she's left you with something Funny, something Interesting, something Tasty and a Site she loves (F.I.T.S.!!) to hold you over until her triumphant return. Enjoy!

Funny: What if the Disney villians had won? (thanks sis!)

Interesting: As the weather gets colder, I self-diagnose my "seasonal effective disorder". Beat the winter blues with these creative tips.

Tasty: 'tis the season for all things pumpkin. Bring fall into your kitchen with one of these tasty recipes (and thanks to loyal reader Laur for the link!!)

SiteILove: My love and admiration for all things Justina Blakeney started by following her on Pinterest and blossomed into daily reading of her blog (oh social media you're so savvy!) Focused on interior decorating, fashion and a bit about her "boomba" (adorable Ida was born just over a month ago) Justina's blogis a colorful, cheerful, thoughtful expression of all that makes her unique and interesting. I can only hope to curate my knicknacks as thoughtfully as she has in her "Jungalow".