fairy tales are true

Valentine's Day Shoot by ENNA | ANNE

2012-02-14T16:09:00.000+01:00

How sweet is this shoot that my friends ENNA | ANNE put together?

The talented duo behind ENNA | ANNE did all of the design, make-up, photography, and florals.

Sweet Flour made the sweet treats! i am drooooling after looking at those lavender heart cookies!

Check out all of the DIY goodness here.

and for more photos of the shoot head over here.

Hope you all have an amazing Valentine's Day!!

I had a pretty incredible GAL-entine's day last night. and today is already shaping up to be suhh-weet.

xo xo xo

2012-02-13T19:22:00.003+01:00

{via}

i'm sure most have read this already, but it bears repeating.

there are a few things i've been doing for STE that may help you

whether you just opened up your own business or need the push or just need some good reads/organization tools.

- i bought a laurel denise planner. this is easily the most genius planner out there.

it helps me set and then break up my goals - daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.

- i've been a voracious reader. offline. this week i'm reading creative, inc.

- i've been reading design sponge biz ladies

-i know that getting outside inspires me. whenever i hit a wall, i know it is time to take a walk.

i'd love to know how you keep inspired, organized, and moving forward.

book rec's? strategies? online reads?

let us all know in the comments!

JB's Surprise 30th || A Beer Tasting Party

2012-02-12T23:18:00.000+01:00

so i've been a sneaky mom as of late.

I've been planning JB's 30th Birthday Surprise party!

it is nice to finally have the cat out of the bag! JB was caught totally off guard, and had the "best birthday ever". so i'm happy (: Everyone was instructed to bring a chilled six pack of a certain variety of beer, as JB looooves to try different beers.

JB had friends and family in from all over and we were so blessed by all who were able to be there.

{heather made these! email me sgmtucker {at } gmail {dot} com if you'd like to buy your own}

{shannon made these different beer quotes for the tables! JB looooves them!}

a few details: My dad grilled hamburgers, bratwurst, and veggie burgers. For app's my mom made homemade hummus, veggies tossed in olive oil and vinegar, homemade salsa, and different kinds of bread and oil for dipping. We had publix make a "30" cake! The big 30 was a martha stewart project - which took a while, but was worth it. Plus, it was fun looking back at his photos.

He was and is so so precious! i hit the jackpot.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

xo xo xo

barefoot in a cotton dress

2012-02-09T15:19:00.001+01:00

{h&m mens chambray shirt, nordstrom dress, anthropologie necklace, diamond stud earrings c/o anjolee - seriously only ever take these babies off when i'm headed to sleep!}

We've had house guests all week and i have been loving spending time with them, cooking, and catching up. Lots of giggles in there too, as is always the case with haley and i.

oh and ...

Last weekends wedding was so gorgeous- every single detail! here's a sneak via instagram.

x o x o

girl crush

2012-02-08T23:21:00.000+01:00

i'm so happy to be doing a Q & A over on Sophie's Blog - The Littlest Things . I've posted about Sophie before but cannot resist another chance at spreading her all over the internet. She loves life with an enormity we should all strive toward, she's a stunner, a world traveler, a true sweetheart, and one heck of a stylish young lady. totally girl crush worthy.

what a super babe.

Valentine's Day, one week from today!

2012-02-07T17:09:00.001+01:00

i know valentine's day can be a little in your face at times, but i gotta say- there's something really nice about a day dedicated to LOVE. i love, love. of all kinds. it is just nice to have a reason, a little push, to tell your dear ones you love them. you can call me old fashioned but i even sent out valentine's this year!

Here are a few ideas for making your valentine's day extra sweet, without breaking the bank.

{heart shaped eggs, pancakes, mug- $16}

send out your love notes!

{rifle postcards -$10, letter- $4, oh my deer handmades -$2.75}

{maps, our adventures together, first dance song lyrics}

One week till VDAY, can't wait (:

on passion

2012-02-03T15:31:00.002+01:00

seeing my husband work so hard for the last couple of months has made my heart swell. he is such a natural - so confident in what he does ... and he's also really passionate about serving others in this way. His positive attitude - well, I completely admire it. he worked 12 + hour days last week for six days straight at a conference. everyday when i would ask him about how it was going, i'd say, "you must be beat!" ... and everyday it was the same response ... "nope, honestly this is actually fun"... fun? I couldn't fathom. but then i got to thinking that if i was at a wedding conference, ok then, it would be fun. it got me thinking about this quote.... DO EVERYTHING WITH PASSION OR NOT AT ALL. {side note: this does not get me off the hook for cleaning toilets and doing laundry... as much as i'd like that to be true...}

You know when you've met someone who is really passionate about what they do. They could be selling tractors but ohmygosh it's thee best tractor in the world, and their excitement is contagious. They get you excited about a tractor for a second. and it is flat out inspiring to see anyone do what they love. to live life passionately in all you do ... well, i aspire.

so this post is sort of a post it note to myself if you will (but am hoping somebody, somewhere needs to read this as well) ... it's just a reminder to go all in. don't just dangle my feet off the bow of the boat. jump. in. life is too short to half-ass anything.

and last but not least i figured i'd throw in my fave quote:

ps: the winner is: heather #181. Thanks to everyone who entered, and thanks to Blossom Lounge for the great giveaway!

xoxo

oh and PPS: my first wedding of 2012 is TOMORROW! i cannot wait!

Blossom Lounge || Giveaway

2012-02-01T15:08:00.004+01:00

oh do i have a treat for you today!

how does a giveaway from one of my favorite stores sound?

Blossom Lounge, the prettiest boutique out of Toronto is graciously giving one of my readers the

Lollia In Love Collection!

Lollia is basically like heaven inside a candle, bath, lotion... that's what it smells like.

plus they are really pretty. i like pretty things, betting you do too.

really the perfect gift for a girlfriend (or yourself!).

Its value is over $100USD!

To win: leave a comment with your email if it isn't already linked to your account!

Extra Entries:

+ follow Blossom Lounge on Twitter.

+become a follower of Blossom Everyday - their blog, which is one of my faves!

+follow Blossom Lounge on Facebook

+tweet about this giveaway, be sure to include @blossomlounge, @steph_ster @sgmtucker

{feel free to use this tweet: Amazing @blossomlounge Lollia giveaway http://bit.ly/dKyAH0 @steph_ster @sgmtucker}

+visit Blossom Lounge online and let us know what your favorite item is!

+pin one of the pictures above, a photo from their website, or from their blog

Good Luck!

a beginners tutorial

2012-01-31T16:02:00.001+01:00

it would appear i have something to teach you.

unless it is just one formspringer asking the same question. in this case, this whole post is for you.

Here's my how-to on putting watercolor images on your blog ... or really any image.

this is something I did not understand how to do but then it dawned on me one afternoon.

soooo what will you need?

watercolor

watercolor paper

a scanner

photoshop elements (cheap photoshop- good for beginners like me)

First things first, get your watercolor on girl.

I'd also say you need to do it a little thicker than you normally would - so it shows well when it scans.

scan that baby into your computer.

open the image.

drop in photoshop.

...

There are a couple things to do.

you can crop your image.

so with this image, it is just cropped.

if i put it on top of an image in photoshop it will still have a white background. this can work well if it's just a collage.

but if you wanted to overlap it on top of an image you need the magic wand.

it's the tool that not surprisingly looks like a magic wand.

that'll take the white background away. after you press enter and move it off the grid.

you also have to magic wand inside the o's and e's - wherever there is white space.

i did that with this image.

so this one could be dropped over an image.

like this!

ok, did i just confuse you?

i hope not too badly.

ask questions in the comments, and i'll answer as best as i can.

or if you are a designer and would like to set me straight - tell us easier ways, by all means...

xox

oh, and i love you too ...

ps: over on simply southern today. talking about my fear of being taken...

cute overload

2012-01-30T16:58:00.002+01:00

I'm a frequenter of cuteoverload.com ... which main demographic is probably 12 year olds. I'm obsessed with animals. So it'll come to no surprise that I am completely in love with Lola. JB is always saying "how can I ever top this present!". She's a pretty good assistant over here ... when she is sleeping and after a good long walk. Other times she is getting into my ribbon collection, bringing my shoes to me (after she's chewed on them a bit), and most recently she climbed up to the first step, knocked down a little bottle of martha strewart mint paint and started chewing ... her right paw is completely mint at the moment.

but seriously, how can I ever get upset with these eyes?

girlfriend could get away with murder.

just don't tell her that.

Do you have a pup pup?

What I feel most beautiful in...

2012-01-25T19:13:00.000+01:00

What do you get when you cross Mother Theresa's heart, Gisele Bundchen's beauty, and Olivia Palermo's style?

...

A Katie.

Head over to Running on Happiness today to discover what I feel most beautiful in...

the bravest most beautiful affair ...

2012-01-24T16:00:00.007+01:00

when i first read this on on my style/make up/ lifestyle guru steph's blog I got chills, the head to toe variety. I searched out to see if it was in a book... i found the full text on a blog. it is Ann Voskamp's beautiful words.

...

In his sleep, he finds my hand.

It’s the only one I’ve ever known.

Hand in mine, that wraps around a waist, draws in close, slumbering strength always holding on.

I don’t know how another man’s skin feels.

My grandmother lived that kind of courage. The kind that made a vow and had the bravery to let it age.

The wrinkled faithfulness of monogamy, it can look pedestrian, the kind that finishes well, parades up through the Arc de Triomphe, battle scarred, and the tourists just blithely shuffle by, pigeons taking to oblivious wing. She told me about this.

I remember it, nights like these.

How she said that the bravest love is wildly faithful and it falls hard again every morning. How it puts the toilet seat down and the cap on the toothpaste and winks for those already-won eyes. It knows what we seek may be found in what we already have.And there can always be this — the allure of the vows.

I feel his skin, his hand around me in sleep. We sleep like this this night after years of nights, light of the moon stretching long across our room, the pillows, us growing old in this romanced ordinary. It’s grace and fresh gratitude that can make us strong enough to marvel in the seeming monotony of anything. And the happily married have eyes that look long enough to make the familiar new. When he comes up behind me and hugs me at the stove, I still whisper it to him: “I still can’t really believe I get to be married to you.” Grandma washed Grandpa’s underwear for fifty six years, and she said it was always so good.

Warm it falls on the nape of my neck, his sleep breath, close. I press closer. There’s this beautiful drama’s in a long faithfulness and aged love might be heroic. God knows the passion of a covenant.

His stubble rubs my shoulder.

He makes me, shape and rib, and my head’s full of how we’ve known each other and how he still is mystery and how the want is still all his. We sleep in matrimony and it is holy.

... ann voskamp...

beautiful.

what to get: the bride to be

2012-01-23T13:50:00.001+01:00

{future mrs. trophy wife notecard; $14 || sash; $23 || kate spade mrs; $78 || wedding chicks t shirt, custom return address stamp; $40}

With my line of work I'm always trying to figure a good way to thank my brides. and with the holidays behind us, we almost all know someone who got engaged! here are my picks.

though just being someone to bounce ideas off of is definitely the best gift for a bride.

xoxo

chop

2012-01-18T13:45:00.001+01:00

{j.crew necklace, h&m blouse, clutch c/o k.slademade, paige skyline jeans, warby parker sinclair eyeglasses, michael kors watch, bracelet c/o laurel denise}

my deepest thoughts for the day ... I tend to let my hair grow and grow without getting it cut. It weighs me down and gets really unhealthy. or I just snip off a bit, but the ends are still pretty split.

but i get used to it. so it is with life, huh? you get used to something being a certain way even when a simple remedy can chop it off.

so here's to chopping off whatever unhealthy habit we keep... (:

Two Years

2012-01-16T15:35:00.000+01:00

i am even more proud to call you my husband today than i was two years ago.

i thought it not possible!

xoxo

lola vlogs

2012-01-12T17:37:00.000+01:00

hi buds. its me, lola. i have been soooo busy annoying my mom and simultaneously making her heart break from my cuteness, that she is simply too busy to blog. so i vlogged for her. i am obviously really nice to be doing this for her. but i wanted to give henry a chance to see what i'm like too.

since my mom basically is for arranged marriages. hi henry!

love you guys!

lola

i need the sea, it teaches me

2012-01-11T22:32:00.000+01:00

I see a recurring theme surrounding my instagram photos.

the ocean.

where's my mermaid tail, again?

Agave Arnold Palmer

2012-01-10T21:18:00.000+01:00

each summer growing up i'd head to my grandmas (ninny as we call her) in mississippi.

i loved to visit her. i could always count on lots of hours in her little garden, southern made veggies, sweet iced tea, and lots of lemons.

It's warm here in Florida - like 80 degree warm (don't hate me)... so I needed something refreshing.

agave arnold palmer to the rescue!

you just cut your unsweetened iced tea with the agave lemonade
to make the agave lemonade: juice the lemons (12), cut with 4.5 cups of water, and 3/4 cup of agave. stir!

a delicious mid day treat!

what's yours?

home office musings

2012-01-09T15:39:00.002+01:00

You've got to love where you work.

which is precisely why, i've been fixing up my office lately.

there's just something about a room of your own.

Where i can infuse all of the things that I love, and use as much soft turquoise as my heart desires.

oh and the love i have for post it notes, stationary, office supplies, and organizers is kinda ridiculous.

blank pages in a brand new notebook . . . be still my heart.

Here are a few things I would love to have in there.

and i promise to share a peek of it soon.

{mug: $20 || gold french press:$49 || map letters: $12 || chevron rug:$39-$74 || rifle notebooks:$12 || bristol collection}

Watercolor

2012-01-05T23:02:00.005+01:00

Today i was working on a little project for a client and it called for watercolor.

oh my goodness that stuff is fun.

after i finished the project, i picked up the brush for myself.

and though i am far from an artist, i still enjoyed myself. immensely.

a bit like therapy.

it's cheap therapy too.

Pakleni Islands: Croatia

2012-01-04T14:45:00.002+01:00

I would download app's when we'd go traveling in europe. One seemed to be a bust at first. It was a travel app for Croatia. It gave advice like - "hitch hike! everyone does it in Croatia!" ... but it totally redeemed its 99 cent self when we sailed the pakleni islands just off the coast of Hvar.

It was around 4pm and we were close to being back on Hvar but we decided we'd listen to our guide and see Pansion Tonci. I am so thankful we did. It is in the middle of nowhere on an island that is mostly a naturist beach - only to be reached by boat.

There is a pansion, a place to tie up your boat, and a restaurant.

I must have squealed a hundred times. I found this place perfect to the last inch. It might have been the white wine from their vineyards, the grandaughters of the owners playing in striped pink suits, the fig trees that surrounded the house, or the collection of sea urchins that were strung together, or the chandelier out of drift wood, shells, and candles... I could not stop hemming and hawwing over the place. JB sat there and ate fresh sardines as I marveled. It had a huge farm table on the porch and it felt much more like being at your grandma's than being at a restaurant. I think that's why I love environments so much, the feelings they convey. How a certain style transports you to a place of warmth and and one of feeling welcome.

That little afternoon snack at this almost undiscovered place still means so much to me.

Hope you enjoyed a little reminiscing!

Resolutions

2012-01-03T14:51:00.002+01:00

{wearing this beautiful dress c/o BCBG || Max & Cleo}

{photography by Jessica Lorren Organic}

love the start of a new year. somehow you see things a bit clearer. looking back on the past year I do feel blessed, but I also know there are some things I can be working on. I'm thankful for the soul searching that always seems to come with a new year.

Some of those things that could use work:

choosing JB over my phone

consistently exercising

work hard during the week, stop. rest. repeat each new morning.

don't sweat small things

forgive easier

do my hair more often. sounds so ridiculous, but when my hair is wrong - I feel all sorts of wrong.

and a couple that go along with nice typography (:

I'd really like to work on being kind to myself.

sounds so silly.

yes. once again mary oliver. you hit the nail on its head.

i'd like to worry less. trust God more. pray instead of worrying.

Wishing you all tons of blessings and love in 2012!

any resolutions you'd like to share?

2011 in Review

2011-12-30T15:45:00.000+01:00

January: I rang the new years in Las Tablas, Panama, Tried Panama hats on in Casco Viejo, Went to a 100 year old ex-presidents birthday party. We went on our first anniversary getaway in the Gamboa Rainforest! and I moved back to Florida to finish grad school. JB later followed.

Feburary: my best friend got engaged. we had an engagement party. i cooked some delicious treats. JB turned 29!

March: I cooked some more healthy treats. Took a trip for my cousins deb ball for Mardi Gras. Jessica Lorren hosted a bride's brunch. We surprised bff with bachelorette number one in west palm. I fell in love with my kiddos at work. went to the cutest dinner party ever.

April: JB had to go back to Switzerland a bit before me. :( That was a bummer. But I did take my comps for grad school. I got to visit my fave's in Pensacola.

May: My mom turned 60! I went to vegas for bachelorette #2. I moved back over to Basel. We visited Edinburgh. went to the vitrahaus in Germany. hung out in bern. chilled in basel a little more. Oh yes, and I finally got my graduate degree!

June: In June we floated down the Rhine to cool off. No A.C. in practically all of Basel made for a steamy summer. We went to Tuscany with our friends. We visted firenze, ate a ton, met franco, and spent a day in Sienna & San G. We went to Bern yet another time to work on getting our Russian Visa - which involved pompenallo roses and peonies galore.

July: We headed to Dubrovnik, Hvar, and Split in Croatia. We kayaked, rented a boat, hopped to different surrounding islands... it was a very good vacation. We also hopped over to Montenegro too. I posted about what it's like at baseball games in switzerland for me. We went castle hunting in Switzerland. JB bought me my bike, Mattisse.

August: I had one of my favorite days in the history of days. We spent some time up in the swiss alps. We went to RUSSIA. We went to Berlin for a night... walked the wall and dined amongst hipsters. We went on many bike rides.

September: Three of my southern mama's came to visit. JB & I were featured in Southern Weddings. JB Surprised me with a trip to Gruyeres - where we went to a cheese factory, and then a chocolate factory. heaven. Two of our closest friends were married in Lake Como, Italy! I hung out in Zurich with my dear friend Bettina. I met the sweet Liz in Paris. I returned home.

October: We had a bridal party brunch for Heath. H&B got married! We went fishing. Friends threw a swedish sendoff party for C&C.

November: I did a couple outfit posts. We surprised Jose in NC for his 30th, and were able to go to JB's alma mater. I introduced Sarah Tucker Events!

{last two photos by jessica lorren}

December: JB surprised me with LOLA. The sweetest cutest boston terrier puppy I have ever seen. I was featured in VIE magazine. I turned 28! Sarah Tucker Event's New Years Day feature went up on 100 Layer Cake. It was later posted on POP sugar. I had a nice Christmas.

This year was good.

Check out last years post if you'd like to see what 2010 was like.

Cheers to 2012 blowing the last two out of the water for all of us
... (if that is possible)... (:

where did you get ?

2011-12-28T15:34:00.000+01:00

A whole post dedicated to what I got for christmas / bought myself with christmas loot.

{sparkle & fade dress - lace trim dress}
{i went with mustard by the way for the holidays}

I also bought jeans.

i'm not much of a jean girl. I prefer to buy dresses instead.

i also don't enjoy trying on jeans. just not into it.

i buy the same ones from j.crew year after year.

which is pretty boring of me.

but with some christmas bounty i bought
paige skyline denim!
and let me tell you they are worth every penny.
I'm 5'9'' and it's hard for me to find jeans the right length. these can be worn with heels, with flats, rolled up ... and they look good every which way.
they look good.
let's just say JB been playing conway twitty's "babies got her blue jeans on"
i might be a jeans girl afterall.

I found this pretty sheer thing at forever too.

I just put the sparkle and fade dress underneath.

i think this is my NYE dress!

I can't find it online... or even a similar one. best to check your store.

{you can buy the iphone case here}

the loafers were found here
necklace is j.crew
watch is michael kors - similar one here

{cardigan is forever, shoes are urganog, necklace is h&m, jeans are j.crew}

All right Happy Wednesday!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T19:57:00.002+01:00

christmas day was spent with just us in the morning, then my fam for christmas lunch,

and then an all-nighter at JB's parents.

i love the holiday season. but sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of it all.

Christmas eve dinner we opted to stay in and cuddle up with just the two of us.

JB grilled lobster and steak, made mashed potatoes & corn dressing.

his prayer was so sweet.

they always are but you know the ones that are just extra meaningful? i love those kind.

{calligraphy: rachel carl &co}

Christmas morning JB and Lola Surprised me!

{with a bike}

{and a veggie garden}

he's pretty incredible, that man i married.

and that's when the real pictures peal off and the instagram pics take over ... oops!

Hope you all had merry everything!