RANDOM WEDNESDAYS ... WE GO TO AND FRO

Hi everyone, this day has really gotten away from me so I just have a couple of minutes to post, but I wanted to tell you about this inspiring blog called "We Go to and Fro".  Dennis Bovee is a homeschooling Mom and an amazing photographer who lives with her husband (who is also an extremely talented photographer) and girls' in Southern, California.  As part of their homeschool experience they go on daily adventures to the coolest places!  I love reading her blog and following her on Instagram.  They live such a simple yet beautiful life!!  I wish I had more time right now because I could go on and on, but since you have the above links now, you can take a look and follow them along on their travels yourself!  xx

BEAUTIFUL PASTEL IMAGES FROM LULA MAGAZINE

Oh wow, I couldn't resist posting this soft pastel retro images from Lula Magazine. Model, Monika Sawicka, looks great in any style or clothing era and photographer, Sophia Sanchez, creates the perfect muted tones and retro styling for these photos.

Beautiful images have a way of brightening my day.  Hope these do that for you, too!  xx

HAVE YOU HEARD OF SIMPLY CHI ON ETSY?

Simply Chi is one of my new sponsors and I'm honored to be able to promote their lovely vintage shop!  The owner of Simply Chi discovers such unique one-of-a-kind pieces and sells them at very reasonable prices.  The above are just a few of my favorites.  If you're not quite finished with your holiday shopping and want to give a truly special gift, you'll want to visit this beautiful place on the web!

Have a great new week everyone.  :)  I'll see you here tomorrow!  xo

INTRODUCING BONNIE & BELLE

Good morning!  How's your week going so far?  Hope it's been a good one for you.  I had a very busy day on Monday going to various doctor/surgeon appointments and I think I've been recovering from that day ever since!  Ever have one of those weeks where you seem to be moving in slow motion?  ha, ha.  Well, that's been my week so far.  ;)

I'm so excited to tell you about one of my new sponsors here on Simply Hue!!  Their shop is called Bonnie and Belle and I discovered them on Etsy (of course) not too long ago.  Their shop is filled with the most amazing vintage school charts and posters, large antique shop letters, and beautiful botanical art.

I love how Linda sums up the story of Bonnie and Belle:

"With parents who felt that every Sunday should be spent antique hunting, the love of vintage is in Bonnie and Bell owner Linda Bell's blood. Finding an exceptional piece of vintage glamor gives her a feeling of complete and utter joy. Bonnie and Bell selects only the finest authentic vintage maps, charts, and collectibles sourced throughout Europe with expert care. Hand-picked pieces provide an eclectic contemporary-with-retro mix to enhance your office or home space. 

It is our believe that vintage items come with a heart and a soul that simply cannot be reproduced. We look at our charts and take pride in the fact that they were in a classroom, studied by hundreds of children, each with their own interpretation, their own thoughts on life and unique characters. We find it comforting to have a piece of classroom history in our home that, at the same time, makes a gorgeous design statement."

Enjoy browsing their shop!!  Oh, and they have a Facebook page worth checking out, too. xo

A BEAUTIFUL BLOG ABOUT COLOR

Good morning! I found the most beautiful blog about color that I wanted to share with you this morning. It's called Criottes Palette Culinaire and I'm floored by the BEAUTY and COLOR I discovered there. I will definitely be adding this blog to my blog roll.  I believe it's written in French, so unless you speak/read French, you might not understand the words, but the photos speak for themselves.  I spent most of my time in my high school French class goofing off and not paying attention.  Too bad ... I could have had an enchanting time reading this lovely blog.  ;)

Have a look and let me know what you think!  xo

THE WHITE PEPPER ON ETSY

Good morning!  I've been neglecting my blog the last couple of weeks because it's been quite busy with my new Autumn session of Raining Umbrellas (I'm loving it!) and with the passing of my sweet Father-in-law last week.  Although, there's always going to be a hole in my heart where he's missing, we're getting back to some sense of normalcy.  Thus, a blog post.  ;)

I found this lovely vintage shop on Etsy a couple of days ago and thought you might like it, too.  So much vintage goodness!  The shop owner knows how to style a photo beautifully, too.

Enjoy browsing!!  xo

Beautiful Mother's Day Brunch

For Mother's Day it's been a tradition to have a nice brunch at our house and then to head to a nearby family-owned Rhodedendron garden. I'm feel some mixed emotions this year because we no longer live in our family home in a small country town, but moved to a tiny condo last October. I have some health issues that make it tough for me to hold big family events at our place anymore because I get this overwhelming fatigue after I try to do too much .... which I'm known to do. I'm thinking that this year we'll go out for brunch and, in keeping with tradition, squeeze in a visit to the Rhody gardens. :)

The photos above are of a lovely Mother's Day brunch put on by the team of Sunday Suppers. Their menu sounds delicious! They offered Arugula Salad with Mango + Panko fried Goat Cheese, Croque Monsieur French Toast, Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Butter and Parmesan AND for dessert (don't ever forget dessert!) they had Berries with Citrus and Vanilla Mascarpone. Oh yum!  

What are YOUR plans for Mother's Day this year?

Anthropologie on Pinterest

Here's someone you might want to follow on Pinterest. :) Anthropologie has set up their own Pinterest page and there's almost too much beauty to handle! Hope you enjoy browzing it like I have. xo

Good News for Picnik Users!

If you were a dedicated user of the free photo editing program, Picnik, you are probably aware that today is the last day that it will be available. I was pretty disappointed when I heard the news because I'm still a novice when it comes to Photoshop. Good news, though! In it's place is a new photo editing program called Pic Monkey. I tried it out yesterday and was really happy with the results (the Magnolia photo above). It was super easy and fun to use and I thought it was easier to maneuver than Picnik. There are many of the same options...basic edits along with textures and special effects....and even a few extras. Plus, I really like the vintage look to their website design!

If you try it, let me know what you think! Do you have other editing programs you'd like to recommend?

Diary of a Mod Housewife

This is only a taste of the beauty and interestingness (is that a word?) you'll discover when you visit the blog of Elle Moss. I love visiting her spot on the web. Her tastes are right up my alley and she finds such unique and original things to feature. Please pay Diary of a Mod Housewife a visit. I think you'll be addicted. ;)

Gatherings Spring 2012 Issue is out!

Gatherings Magazine Spring Issue is out and it looks like it's going to be a beautiful one! I think there's a $4.00 subscription that covers the cost of four issues....only a dollar an issue. It's definitely well worth it! Heather Spriggs, the editor of Gatherings magazine, has wonderful vintage tastes and jam packs her magazines with so much beauty. Definitely grab your favorite beverage and a comfy chair when you sit down to read it.

Hope you're having a great week so far, friends. I see some sun peeking out behind our clouds. Yay!!!

Changing Up Your Style

If you're creative you probably know how it feels to get yourself in a bit of a creative rut at times and to be a little fearful to try something new. For a while now I've noticed that I take more than one type of photo. I enjoy shooting whimsical and retro images (Simply Hue Designs) but I also love nature photography and photography with a nostalgic feel. For that reason, I decided to open a new shop on Society 6 where I can post photos that aren't in my usual vintage pastel vibe. In time I hope to sell some of my sketches and collages, too, but that's a ways down the road. ;)

Do you ever try switching up your creative style?