I am in California...

Thus the silence. :)

I am currently on the west coast with my aunt (who also was part of my London adventure) hanging and helping out with extended family as they go through some medical stuff. I'll probably be returning next week and can't wait to share some of the photos and fun moments from the trip. Your prayers for everyone involved are appreciated and, as always, thank you so much for stopping by... :)

-Amanda

Image: Dustjacket Attic

Read More

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

I met a lady in the meads

Full beautiful, a faery's child;

Her hair was long, her foot was light,

And her eyes were wild.

The poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats is rather dark and tragic in its entirety, but this one stanza has always painted an enchanting picture in my head. It's full of the unexpected; a delightful surprise that hints of magic.

I spent many hours of my childhood (probably from the time I was eight up through my mid teens) roaming the untamed acres of woods behind our house. Those same years were full of reading fairy stories, romantic pre-raphaelite poetry, and the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Was it any wonder that I kept my eyes wide open every time I ventured into the woods?

Although I had my fair share of a-lone-knight-riding-up-on-a-white-horse fantasies (how can you read Arthurian Legends and come out unscathed?) the most appealing daydreams centered around meeting a "faery child" in the forest. Every unexpected glimmer of light, every whisper of the leaves seemed to be a clue; a glimpse of something more, just waiting to be discovered.

There were a few episodes that seemed heartbreakingly close to a brush with one of those ethereal beings. Some of them I twisted and turned so much in my own mind that they became eerily realistic, and others made eye-popping tales to tell my unsuspecting sisters and cousin. (The latter was seriously traumatized by a story involving an evil witch and the spell that cast around one of our favorite play spots. Not such a brilliant idea. :P)

In the end, I must admit that I never really met that faery child (and seeing how the poem turns out, I should perhaps be thankful). Nor was I taken from the "dull" life of  mortals to live among the fairies, as I once wished. On the contrary, I've even come to the conclusion that being human is quite a nice thing, really. ;)

But I still treasure a solitary walk in the woods. And I always keep my eyes open...

-Amanda :)

Poem: La Belle Dame Sans Merci
Image: Dustjacket Attic

Read More

This dress, I love.

While today's post would normally focus on the fashion of the latest Academy Awards, I found myself surprising underwhelmed by the fashions showcased at that event. Not that there weren't some lovely gowns, but I found the well of inspiration for a full-blown Oscar report had run a bit dry. And since I'm trying to keep the blog a bit more spur-of-the-moment and "inspired," I decided to skip forward to something that I've been really wanting to share. (I've got a load of unpublished ideas that I need to move through. They're piling up! :)

I love when you find something unexpected (a nice something, of course)... and this dress is just one of the prettiest things I've stumbled across lately. Maybe not suited for the red carpet, but perfect for pretty much any other occasion. 

It first jumped out at me while I was browsing the TALBOTS web site, and I marked it as something I had to share. Then it got buried in my list of things to publish (I have too many lists! :) and was completely forgotten until I saw it posted on a few other web sites.



This dress is called "Bardot" - an obvious nod to the style icon (who was cute, but always terribly underdressed) - and it brings back the glamour of the 1950s, with a modern, casual update.

Linen is a beautiful fabric, perfect for summer (although rather inclined to wrinkle) and this dress evokes the feeling of simple, easy beauty and comfort. The sort of piece that you can throw over your head and go (with the addition of great shoes, of course). It's so timeless, and so appropriate for any summery adventure.

I used to have a dress similar to this one and I think it's still saved somewhere. When the warmer weather hits, I think I'm going to dig it out... :)

-Amanda

P.S. What sorts of pretty things have you discovered lately?

Read More

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.

There's something about these words by Robert Herrick that strikes a chord with me. Of course, I've always seen them coupled with a stunning painting by my favorite Pre-Raphaelite artist, John William Waterhouse, but even alone they are eerily poignant.

Lately I've been doing a lot of thinking about life, where I am now, and what adventures and opportunities I should seek out while I am young, single, and have the freedom and the chance. While I disagree with this poem about "that age is best which is the first" and intend to have adventures until the day I die... I never want to hold regrets from when I was young.

Probably the second greatest fear I've ever experienced - the first was that I would be forgotten after my  death - was that I would wake up as an old woman and feel intense sorrow because I had not lived my life to its fullest potential. (And that doesn't mean chasing every opportunity that presents itself, doing crazy and dangerous things, and "following my heart," which I've learned is a decidedly poor leader.) But I do want to have treasured every moment, reveled in the beauty of life, walked with the faith of a child, taken the opportunities God has given me, and maybe done one or two wacky, adventurous things in my time. (I'll let you know what those turn out to be. ;)

The last verse of this poem would be more powerful if it said, instead of "go marry," something to the extent of "go and pursue whatever adventure God has called you to." Because, although we've got the same Author, everyone has a different story. And each one is beautiful and unique.

But seriously, let's not waste the potential of our youth in despair, laziness, or dreaming of the future. Let it be said of us that we gathered every rosebud of life with tenderness, awe, and much excitement.

Carpe diem. Seize the day. :)

-Amanda

P.S. This photo is from a really lovely shoot by Mario Testino back in 04. You can see the rest of the images here.

Read More

And the winner's are...

Elven Maiden and Farmgirl! :)

Both winners were selected by Random.org. Elven Maiden (#176) will get the Chainmaille Earrings and Farmgirl (#50) will receive the "Olde Tale" set.

Congratulations, girls! I'll be contacting both of you through your blogs - be sure to get back to me by the end of the week! I do hope you enjoy your prizes. :D

Thanks to everyone who entered! I'm hoping to have some more super giveaways over the next few weeks. Should be fun!

God bless. xo

-Amanda

Read More

Be My Valentine

I usually don't post three times over the course of the morning, but I just wanted to share this little video that brightened my heart. I hope it does the same for you. :)

P.S. You can download this lovely song for FREE by clicking the link in the video description. I think I'm going to be playing it all day. :)

-Amanda

Read More

Romantic Inspirations

Some things I like today...

Roses (even though they are definitely overrated ;)...

Little reminders...

A getaway vehicle...

God is...

Red. Especially on clothing...

Memorable quotes and yummy treats...

Little accents...

These two...

Spying on the "Twitterpated" and words that make you think...

A private, high fashion tea party...

Sugar, icing and beautiful place settings...

Sharing the little things in life with someone special...

The wisest bear in history...

For more inspiration and things I like, visit my Tumblr page. Be sure to browse the archives!

What inspires you today? Please share! :)

-Amanda

Images: Most are from my Tumblr. Others will open to the source page when clicked.

Read More