Every girl dreams of her perfect dress – the one she slips on that makes her smile, makes her cry, makes her whole heart glow. I’m a believer that every bride deserves to indulge the boutique dress shop experience. It’s so much sweeter and intimate, a far cry from the loud hustle and bustle of a huge bridal shop.

If you’re a bride looking for that perfect gown or just really dig fashion – you should totally make time to swing by the Carol Hannah trunk show this Saturday at The Sentimentalist in Atlanta. Meet Project Runway’s very own Carol Hannah, try on beautiful gowns with Gabi and munch on homemade blueberry scones made by Gabi’s mom, Krista.

Hope to see you there!

So, it’s 2:45 in the morning and as much as I try to write a blog post about fascinating things going on with Blue Eyed Yonder, my mind keeps wandering back to this lovely house I found today.

I’ve always been a sucker for old houses. I love driving by swooning over their curious little details, I wait until the light hits just right to see if the windows have leaded glass, I wonder about the families that may have lived there.

As I do with most old neighborhoods, I smiled as I drove up the beautiful oak-lined street, their massive roots grasping and crawling over the old sidewalks. The first thing I saw was the “for sale” sign. I slowed the truck down to take in the house and the massive magnolia trees in the front yard. Dottie was in the backseat with her head out the window. We both just sat there and stared. As the sun danced through the trees my eyes stung with tears and I had to take a deep breath to keep myself from losing it right there in the middle of the road.

I looked at the little broken sidewalk in front of the house – so old, so worn. The path leading to the front door was paved with old stone tiles, a hexagon pattern. My eyes darted from the comfort of the front porch to the tiny attic window – I felt something odd in my chest, my heart was actually aching. I sat there so befuddled. I had gazed at my fair share of old houses, why was this one making me so emotional? Why did I see myself kneeling in the flower bed planting pansies in the fall? Why did I see Dottie sprawled out on the front porch taking a nap in the sun? Why was Mr. BEY hanging Christmas garland on all the beautiful railings?

I truly can’t explain it. The heart is so mysterious.I do believe things happen for a reason; everything experience has a purpose. I’m just sitting here trying to make sense of this one.

Each year as school draws to an end, you can feel a buzz in the air. When the days are longer, the nights are warmer and the sweet smell of jasmine fills the air – it’s time for CAMP!

Leaving home and hitting the road to adventure — shacking up in cabins, soaking in all the fresh air — learning something new and meeting friends that’ll last a lifetime.

CAMP – Creating Art Meaning Purpose, was started in 2012 by Ginny Branch, Erica Loesing, Amy Osaba, Max LeBlanc, and Maria Taylor with the dream of building a creative community and nurturing the talents of artists and innovators, particularly those in the realm of stylists, photographers, floral designers, calligraphers, designers, artists and bloggers. This year I am happy to join the team as we create CAMP Classes and Workshops. We’ve got a schedule in the works that will blow your socks off!

So grab your canteen and bug spray, it’s going to be one unforgettable summer!

//

Logo Design: Erica Loesing/Photos: Amber Fouts

You know why I love Instaweek here on the blog? It’s always so fun to go back through the week’s Instagram photos and have a little glimpse at what your life looked like that week. I usually say things to myself like, “Whoa, that was this week?” Sometimes it’s amazing at just how much you can cram into one week.

You see, I’ve always been a fan of journals, well the idea of journals at least. I’ve never been disciplined enough to keep a journal. I kick myself all the time for not taking just a few minutes out of the day to jot down a thought or two. For me, Instagram is the next best thing – it’s a pictorial journal. Seeing the images jogs my memory and always brings a smile to my face.

// follow Blue Eyed Yonder on Instagram

We’re back with more awesome pieces to add to our inventory!

I instantly fell in love with these tulip bulb trays from Holland. Once used to transport tulip bulbs, their stacking design paired with wire mesh bottoms allowed air to circulate around the bulbs during travel. My head is full of beautiful ways to use these trays, how would you use them?

Our Ginny Farm Table was handcrafted by Mr. Blue Eyed Yonder and given to me as a Christmas present. (He’s such a keeper!) It’s constructed of reclaimed wood and has a distressed white-washed finish. It’s named after the oh-so-talented stylist, Ginny Branch and has been her go-to table for many shoots.

Our Belvedere Ottomans are as cute as they come. Constructed and upholstered in-house, they’re large enough for sitting and also work great as a coffee table.

Believe it or not, we still have more new inventory coming your way! Stay tuned!