**EVOLVE IS NOW FULL!  Thankyou!

That title makes me sound like I’m selling rugs.   We’ve had some last minute places come up in the Evolve Workshop that begins this week.  While we do normally adhere strictly to waitlists, there just isn’t the time to navigate Spam Filters and wait for email responses to one-by-one offers as I have limited weeks left in the year to fit workshops in and must get started!.  If you would like to participate and are ready to register and pay today, please email Fran asap.  As anyone who’s contacted us about workshop places in the past knows, this is a great opportunity to jump the queue.  (Evolve is the advanced course, runs for 4 weeks and is $295 USD).

Loving:

The “favorite websites” you all sent in! Wow! Sooo many amazing places I hadn’t discovered yet..I’m still going through the comments and compiling a list but I thought it might be a good thing to include them in a permanent page here?  Such a wonderful gathering of all things interesting and pretty.  I’ll add that to the “to do” list :)

That my printer and I are finally one.  We’ve had our differences this past week and today we’ve made up.

That my week guest judging at IHeartFaces has begun!  Please do say hello if you’re over that way :)

That it’s school holidays and we’re sans routine.

And not:

That my Spam Filter caught so many of the favorite website comments!  I know it makes sense that it would but I didn’t think of that, did I??  Wading through the Spam Comments Folder to rescue the legitimate ones was most umm, informative.

That I’m so far behind on email.  I’m sorry to those of you who are waiting to hear back about all manner of things.   I do hope to climb Inbox Mountain one day very soon.

That it feels like a thousand years since I visited the spa or bought a pretty frock.  Shabby Chic is not cute when it’s referring to one’s state of being.

Happy Monday :)
S x

Because it’s Friday.

Because Evolve is about to launch!

Because I have the house to myself and I’m loving it.

Because I can.

On one condition.  Can you please tell me what your most favorite website is?   I need inspiration and some new-comers to the daily line up.  Anything creative and whimsical and quirky.  With or without stuff to buy.   Great design, good reading, pretty things.  In exchange I’ll give away a set of Eye Candy Actions :)  Leave me a comment and I’ll pick a random next week (Even if you’re not in need of actions but know a pretty site, please let me know!)!

In other exciting news, next week I’m guest judging at IHeartFaces!   The lovely Angie invited me around to look at some pretty pictures and chat photography – I could hardly say no!  She’s already asked some great questions so I’m looking forward to what next week will bring :)

Can’t have a nakie post so here’s Ivy and her supercute toosh.

S x

ps. Evolve place offers go out tonight.  PROMISE.

ETA:  Because the comments have URL’s in them, a lot more are going to Spam so if you get some weird message, don’t worry..I still get it – I just need to approve.  LOVING the great links shared…keep them coming! S xx

This weekend, we will begin a tradition.

Come this Saturday, August the twenty-second, we will hold Ava’s Tea Party.

Even though our plans for this year are tiny…really just some simple tea cakes and a pretty frock for Ivy, I am excited to be doing this.  I want it to be the start of something really special..an annual tradition for our family.  A time to remember and a place to be thankful.

But I want this not just for us… My hope is that all of you reading this also take a moment on August 22 to share a cupcake, or a pink milk, or maybe just a cuddle with your own loved ones..For Ava.  If you’re able to extend to a little tea party, that would make my heart sing. To imagine people taking time out of their day to do nothing more than love and cherish and laugh with friends and family..Just to really stop and be thankful for the gift that is a normal, happy day.. This, I would love.

Sheye xx

ps. If you do decide to participate, I would dearly love to see a photo :)

Ava’s Tea Party Invitation available from Belle & Boo.

So. It’s August.

The days are ticking over just a little too quickly while I try to navigate around the wishes and the shoulds.

We have planned something simple and beautiful for Ava’s birthday, I will share in another post.  For now I wanted to show you another thing of beauty, created by the lovely and talented Kym Drury from Madilu Designs,  in honor of Ava’s birth month.  Kym has put together the sweetest 5×5 album template for the tiny  price of $10 and even more wonderful, she is so generously donating all proceeds to Paradise Kids in Ava’s memory.

I’m so touched by this gesture and struggle to put into words how much it means that Ava is remembered in different, beautiful ways by beautiful strangers..especially at this time of year.  For anyone who loves pretty templates or if you’d just like to support an amazing group of people who has made so much difference to our family, I would really appreciate it if you could stop by at Kyms and see her lovely creation.

Thankyou is not enough Kym, but thankyou.

Love Sheye xx

See the light?  Three times.  I went to that place three times and almost didn’t catch it.  The first, without a camera, the second a moment too late.  The third was a last chance attempt with little more than ten minutes before the shadows stole what we’d come for. I almost missed it.

And the tear?  The broken fabric?  I could have taken it out.  I almost did.  And then I realized I’d be altering the past.  Pretending everything was perfectly perfect.  I’m not good at that.  This vintage dress has a history.  A life.  And most of it is beautiful and sweet and worthy of celebrating.  The tear is just one small part and has a beauty all of it’s own.     I almost missed it.

And see the girl?   A stranger, once.  Then a simple email exchange.   Two years ago.  We shared a lot.  Photography, our love of pretty, a whole lot of sweet music.   But when her Dad left one day and suffocating grief took his place,  I wished we shared nothing at all.  I knew too much.  My heart hurt for hers.    The tear in her soul can’t be seen easily but it’s there, every moment of every day.  I know the pain in that flaw but I also see it’s beauty.  She is soft and amazing and real.  I almost missed her.

S x