ox and rabbit

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a few weekends ago, my mom and brother came for a little romp around durham. we took a walk down ninth street and hit up ox and rabbit which is the cutest little gift boutique you ever did see. they also have a real working soda fountain so you can get your sugar fix and your shopping fix with one single swoop. 

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i want every single thing in this shop. 

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this rack of paper is beautiful. so perfect for framing-cheap art for your walls!

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in stores like this, it's hard for me to differentiate between my needs and my wants. 

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my birthday is one week from today. just saying...

letter from mom

hi, sweetheart.

just wanted to share some precious time with you today. 

when your heart is a bit heavy, mine is, too. 

life is a kaleidoscope of emotions, many crossing thru even in the course of a day. 

hold on the the absolute truth that He loves you 

and is always wonderfully working in your life and heart. 

seasons are necessary. 

dale and i love you and are always here. 

you are a champion, honey. so delightful and utterly awesome. 

xxxoooxx, mumsy


moms know just what to say don't they?

coffee on a monday morning

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mornings are hard. especially monday mornings. but then i remember coffee exists. it helps a little. 

the one about taylor swift

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last friday evening, my roommate amy and our good friend liz had a very romantic friendship dinner together. we celebrated valentine's day with red balloons and streamers, rosy candles, and fake flowers.  

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i played chef for the night and treated my lovely ladies to a hearty dinner of rosemary bread with seasoned olive oil, beef filets wrapped in bacon, caprese salad, heart shaped roasted potatoes, and fondue for dessert. say what. i think i crossed the threshold from lazy young professional to domestic goddess with those tricks. 

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the highlight of the evening, though, was surprising my roommate with tickets to see taylor swift in september. yes, september. as in eight months away. i've never planned that far ahead for anything in my life. 

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my roommate is a huge taylor swift fan, and swifty is coming to raleigh in september, the day after my roommate's birthday. fate? yup. my friend liz and i had the genius idea to buy tickets for the three of us the second they went on sale. our original plan was to keep it a secret until the day of the concert when we would just stick her in the car and drive her to the arena!

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our plans changed slightly when, about a month ago, my roommate decided she was moving to england in the fall (sort of long story for another post), so we had to reveal the surprise a little sooner than we wanted. the reveal was perfect, and she literally jumped around the apartment screaming and thrashing about. i love this girl to pieces and she deserved a big, fun present like this. 

so, tay swift, here we come! we'll be the girls with bright red lips towering above all of the tweens in the audience. i doubt we'll be the oldest? but even if we are, all three of us were blessed with killer genes and could easily pass for 16. or, like 22. because, i don't know about you, but i'm feeling twenty twoooooo. 

the lovely list. part sixteen.

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guglhupf. hard to say, easy to love. i can't say enough good things about this place mainly because my mouth is full from all of the delicious things they make to eat and drink. even if i tried to talk with my mouth full of one of their apple streusel tartlets, it would probably come out as "guglhupf" anyways.

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saturday morning writing in mismatched christmas pajamas. i am such a catch.

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my roommate bought a juicer a couple of weeks ago, and we have used it. 

once. 

here's proof. 

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hiking at eno river state park with some friends from my small group. the day was so gorgeous!

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cheap (but delicious) mexican food followed homemade by milkshakes with my friend ryan. our friendship is based largely on our shared love of food. it's what works. 

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slingshot coffee. pretty tasty, but i only bought it because the lady was handing out free samples, and i felt compelled to support her. i couldn't afford to make a habit of this. i have other things on my weekly shopping list that are a little more important. like the bag of cookies that was in my other hand at checkout. 

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my new warby parker glasses! too bad i'm so blind that i can't see out of them properly. blind as a flippin bat. off they go, back to the land of cute glasses. buh-bye. 

ok, your turn! what's lovely ya'll?

virginia is for lovers

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who is whose lover?

who does the barista go home to at night,

and what does he say to make her smile?

does the man in the grey coat

have someone to adore?

and if he does,

does he kiss her and hold her tightly?

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has the old couple lost that loving feeling?

or do they still cuddle in the dark

and watch black and white movies

with cereal bowls of popcorn?

does that thin teenage girl
have a boyfriend to call
when she gets home from the mall?
will they spend hours on the phone,
talking about skittles and homeroom?

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and the librarian.

when was the last time she had a date?

i guess we’ll never know

by her stone-faced expression,

the tale of two cities

three-fourths of the way open

in her lap.


you're welcome for that silly poem i wrote in college. you like how it doesn't rhyme? yeah, i'm edgy like that. seriously, folks. whether or not you have a significant other in your life, valentine's day is a day to show all of your loved ones that you do, in fact, love them.  how will you be doing this? i'll be bringing candy valentines to work to hand out to my co-workers. i will also be dressing in pink and red because a lot of people hate that color combination, and i like to push their buttons. tomorrow night, my roommate and our friend liz are planning a valentine's themed dinner. think steaks, roasted potatoes, caprese salad, fondue, wine for toasting. cheers and cheers!

happy valentine's day!
xoxo, lacey

beautiful things

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i've always been attracted to the beauty in simplicity: pretty paintings, soft shades of pink, grey, blue, green, the giddy feeling when i hold a piece of real mail addressed to me, dishes with gold flecks that catch the sunlight.

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cold, crisp air in my lungs, the way a curtain flutters in the breeze, nails painted red, the ocean at daybreak, a gold bracelet on the arm, the scent of christmas trees, a folded scarf the color of mustard. 

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the sky set ablaze at sunset, a latte with swirled foam, stacks of books, sitting with a friend not saying a word, night swimming, thick cut fries, falling into a clean bed after a long day, freshly sharpened pencils. 

what are your simple beauties?

love notes

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valentine's day cards are some of my favorite to make-lots of pink, red, and swirly twirly hearts.

here are some of the cards i've been working on lately for swank. 

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look at that big pile of love right there. makes me feel a little woozy and weak in the knees. 

if you live in or near southern pines, you should totally swing by this rocking coffee shop and pick up a few of these love notes. it could be your valentine's gift to me. i'd also settle for a singing stuffed gorilla. 

warby parker

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i wear contacts every single day of my life. without them i am blind, and this is not an exaggeration in the slightest. when i take them out at night before bed, i can't even read a book before i turn the light out because i can't see the words that are 12 inches from my face. yiiiikes.

as convenient as contacts are, i've been really wanting a pair of glasses to wear. i feel like my eyes need a rest from wearing little plastic suction cups every day. {eh, that was graphic.} i've owned a pair of glasses before, but the frames were very narrow which made it hard for me to focus my vision. i kept stumbling around, bumping into stationary objects and tripping on flat carpet. i imagine wearing a fishbowl on your head would have a similar effect.

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i knew i wanted some warby parker frames. i have several friends who have purchased glasses from them in the past, all with great experiences. they have a very easy-to-navigate site, great customer service, a wide selection of trendy frames to choose from (for $95 flat), and when you purchase a pair for yourself, they give a pair away to someone in need. kind of like toms for the eyes.

the best thing about warby parker (besides giving a pair of glasses to someone in need, let's be straight) is what they call an at home try-on. you select five frames that you like and they send you samples pairs to play with completely free of charge. you get to keep them for five days while you prance about town looking nerdy chic. what a brilliant idea. i was sold.

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my box came very quickly, and i didn't waste any time seeing what was inside.

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such pretty frames! look at how they glimmer.

after my short but passionate romance with the wp frames, i finally made my decision and placed my order two days ago. i cannot wait for them to get here so i can show you guys.

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here is a little preview of a pair that i did not get. so. much. hipster. in order for these frames to not look completely bonkers on me, i would need at least two clever tattoos and a closet full of indie concert t-shirts. right now, all i have is a nose ring, and i'm barely pulling that off.

in the words of my roommate, "no one will ever take you serious in those glasses. good luck buying a car with those on." (paraphrased)

that one, she's always honest.

mixtapes are for lovers

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disclaimer: words like candygram, sugar bottom, and sloppy, mushy kisses might make an appearance at some point during this post. cynics beware. 

happy love month! if you were reading this blog last year, you'll know how i feel about february and valentine's day in general. if you weren't, let me give you my thoughts and feelings about it in a nutshell. 

it rules. 

come on, people. a day devoted to eating chocolate bon bons and handing out paper hearts with crappy poems on them? i'm in.

i have complied a few of my most favorite love jams. some are slow for making out with your honey (or your bowl of ice cream and brownies). some are fast for crazy, happy dance sessions. all are a good time. 

* february mix *

dream a little dream of me : ella fitzgerald and louis armstrong

the first time : michael castro

i'm kissing you : des'ree

yours forever : generationals

make out song : the rosebuds

that's how strong my love it : otis redding

sugar : paper route

she got the honey : mat kearney

dancing shoes : gavin degraw

snow outside : dave matthews band

falling in love : ben rector

i will not take my love away : matt wertz

working to be loved : future of forestry

happy sloppy, mushy kisses month!

the lovely list. part fifteen.

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just a smashing of lovely things happening over here the last few weeks.
for starters, how about this pile of love notes?

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celebrating the marriage of will and brittany! brittany was a stunning bride, and will looked very dapper in his suspenders. congrats to these two! 

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homemade lasagna soup and parmesan ricotta topping. domestic goddess (in training). i still eat cereal for most dinners. unless i am out of cereal, and then i eat peanut butter on crackers. 

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on a freezing cold afternoon what else would you do but sit outside at a coffee shop playing board games with your hipster friend micah? the latte helped bring feeling back into my fingers. the wolf fur just looked cool.

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three days later, and i'm dressing like it's the 4th of july. what the heck, north carolina?
you've sure been judy moody lately. 

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handmade gold nugget earrings. be a baller today. 

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a coffee and pastries date at dean and deluca. there is no day that cannot be improved by coffee and pastries. especially when with the ever enchanting taylor swift. 

what's lovely, ya'll?

*linking up here!*