Recent snaps...

Thank you all for your kind words on yesterday evening's impromptu post. What would I do without all of you?! Moving right along, here's what I've been up to the past couple weeks, according to my trusty iPhone...

- Introduced new arrivals in the boutique, including this baby topiary and this monkey candlestick (which makes me want to throw a party!)

- Wrote thank you notes (on stationery that's coming soon to the boutique)

- Organized my baubles (including this bracelet and these earrings) on my gold lacquer tray

- Rocked my new monogrammed Jack Rogers every time the temperature hit 50 degrees

- Took time for date night and admired these unseasonal tree lights

- Shipped some pretty orders, including ginger jar and leopard matches (and got a new order from a bride!)

- Ate way more Easter candy than I had previously thought possible (oops)

- "Tested" new bangles that I'll be adding to the boutique on Monday

- Speaking of Jack Rogers, got coffee with their social media guru and got to peek into their amazing studio

- Sent more pretty orders, including the ever-popular monogrammed acrylic pencil cup (great gift for Mother's Day, graduation, etc. — just sayin')

What have you been up to lately?

Thank you all for your kind words on yesterday evening's impromptu post. What would I do without all of you?! Moving right along, here's what I've been up to the past couple weeks, according to my trusty iPhone...

- Introduced new arrivals in the boutique, including this baby topiary and this monkey candlestick (which makes me want to throw a party!)

- Wrote thank you notes (on stationery that's coming soon to the boutique)

- Organized my baubles (including this bracelet and these earrings) on my gold lacquer tray

- Rocked my new monogrammed Jack Rogers every time the temperature hit 50 degrees

- Took time for date night and admired these unseasonal tree lights

- Shipped some pretty orders, including ginger jar and leopard matches (and got a new order from a bride!)

- Ate way more Easter candy than I had previously thought possible (oops)

- "Tested" new bangles that I'll be adding to the boutique on Monday

- Speaking of Jack Rogers, got coffee with their social media guru and got to peek into their amazing studio

- Sent more pretty orders, including the ever-popular monogrammed acrylic pencil cup (great gift for Mother's Day, graduation, etc. — just sayin')

What have you been up to lately?

Living in the present...

In a break from our usual topics of discussion here on Design Darling, I thought I'd share an epiphany I experienced this afternoon. Lately I've found myself feeling inadequate, wanting more, and thinking I could should be doing everything better/faster/smarter. It doesn't help that I'm 22 and following bloggers who are 3, 5, 10 years older than I am — young women I admire and who seem to have it "all figured out."


The fact that I'm lucky to do what I love is not lost on me. I am so blessed to have a successful blog and online business — and I mean successful in the sense that I am proud of both projects and excited for where I plan to take them in the future. But it's easy to look around and feel like I'm not doing well at all. I live at home to save money. I'm lousy at making time for life outside of work. My inbox is out of control and my parents' dining room is a mess of boxes, inventory, and packing supplies.


I had a mini meltdown earlier thinking about all the things I could be doing differently. It's taken me three years to get my blog to where it is now (how envious I am of all the overnight success stories!) and still I wish it were bigger. How do I become one of those young women who affords a gorgeous apartment, blogs original photos every day, cooks homemade meals every night (frozen pizza doesn't count), exercises five days a week, fills her closet with new clothes, keeps a tidy workspace, makes time for happy hour every night, and gets eight hours of sleep a night to boot?


The reality, of course, is that that woman doesn't exist. We all put our best selves out there on our blogs, but there are of course bad days (mean comments, technological difficulties, and mini meltdowns alike) behind the scenes. But when I take a moment to count the blessings I have right now — when I remind myself I'm doing the best that I can — I realize I'm actually doing just fine.


All that said, I'm going to make a bigger effort to live in the present and appreciate all the awesome things I've got going for me right now. Who's with me?

In a break from our usual topics of discussion here on Design Darling, I thought I'd share an epiphany I experienced this afternoon. Lately I've found myself feeling inadequate, wanting more, and thinking I could should be doing everything better/faster/smarter. It doesn't help that I'm 22 and following bloggers who are 3, 5, 10 years older than I am — young women I admire and who seem to have it "all figured out."


The fact that I'm lucky to do what I love is not lost on me. I am so blessed to have a successful blog and online business — and I mean successful in the sense that I am proud of both projects and excited for where I plan to take them in the future. But it's easy to look around and feel like I'm not doing well at all. I live at home to save money. I'm lousy at making time for life outside of work. My inbox is out of control and my parents' dining room is a mess of boxes, inventory, and packing supplies.


I had a mini meltdown earlier thinking about all the things I could be doing differently. It's taken me three years to get my blog to where it is now (how envious I am of all the overnight success stories!) and still I wish it were bigger. How do I become one of those young women who affords a gorgeous apartment, blogs original photos every day, cooks homemade meals every night (frozen pizza doesn't count), exercises five days a week, fills her closet with new clothes, keeps a tidy workspace, makes time for happy hour every night, and gets eight hours of sleep a night to boot?


The reality, of course, is that that woman doesn't exist. We all put our best selves out there on our blogs, but there are of course bad days (mean comments, technological difficulties, and mini meltdowns alike) behind the scenes. But when I take a moment to count the blessings I have right now — when I remind myself I'm doing the best that I can — I realize I'm actually doing just fine.


All that said, I'm going to make a bigger effort to live in the present and appreciate all the awesome things I've got going for me right now. Who's with me?

Hello, Yellow

When it comes to happy hues, I think it's a tie between bright yellow and hot pink. Just looking at them constitutes a mood boost! Here are a few yellow lovelies to brighten your day...

(1) Alice + Olivia dress (2) Aubin & Wills striped tee (3) J.Crew silk pants

(4) Anthropologie coral necklace (5) Kendra Scott earrings 

(6) Tory Burch ballet flats (7) Design Darling matches (8) Conran Shop chair 

(9) Design Darling pillow (10) Rebecca Minkoff iPhone case

While yellow isn't a color I generally gravitate to in my wardrobe, I definitely think I could pull off a pair of yellow pants (remember these?) and certainly the ballet flats. But what I'm most excited for is bringing a bit of yellow into my decor this summer. How fun would four of those chairs be grouped around a round white table? Very fun indeed.

When it comes to happy hues, I think it's a tie between bright yellow and hot pink. Just looking at them constitutes a mood boost! Here are a few yellow lovelies to brighten your day...

(1) Alice + Olivia dress (2) Aubin & Wills striped tee (3) J.Crew silk pants

(4) Anthropologie coral necklace (5) Kendra Scott earrings 

(6) Tory Burch ballet flats (7) Design Darling matches (8) Conran Shop chair 

(9) Design Darling pillow (10) Rebecca Minkoff iPhone case

While yellow isn't a color I generally gravitate to in my wardrobe, I definitely think I could pull off a pair of yellow pants (remember these?) and certainly the ballet flats. But what I'm most excited for is bringing a bit of yellow into my decor this summer. How fun would four of those chairs be grouped around a round white table? Very fun indeed.