Spring / Summer 2015 Lookbook

I am so happy to share these new styles! They are simple, pretty, and easy to wear. All the gorgeous photos were taken by Katie Beverley and you can view the styles in detail in the Acute Designs online shop.

Ireland - take eleven

I am afraid I am turning into one of those bloggers who starts every post with "Sorry....I haven't blogged in forever!" I guess I am not really "sorry" because I doubt anyone is counting on my blog posts but this blog is something I want to continue and I get annoyed with myself for not finding the time to post.

Today, I am back from a two week vacation to Ireland and Chicago. It was such a great time. This was my 11th trip to Ireland (can we go anywhere else?? ;)) and one of the best I have experienced in several years. I am thinking thinking spring is the time to go.

The weather was perfect the first half of the trip - low to mid 60s, sunny, and minimal rain. The final few days in Ireland it did get chilly (low to mid 50s) but for the most part the rain stayed away and we were able to get out and do a lot.

No one ever goes to Ireland for the weather but, I have been there in the cold, dark, rainy days and I much prefer a sunny intermittently rainy Ireland. The rain, after all, is a necessity to keep the place looking so green.

In addition to the nice weather, Spring is not peak season so everything is a little less expensive and a little less crowded.

the highest mountain peak in Ireland in the distance

a little friend we met near the beach

the gap of dunloe 

the sun fighting through the clouds

Neil - taking selfies

Neil - being a goof ;)

gorgeous Rossbeigh beach

quiet road

I will be back later this week with a few more photos + a few of my Ireland travel recommendations.

Have a great Monday!

by minted

One of these years I am going to skip Christmas cards and send New Year's cards.  Or better yet, Valentine's. 

I love all the Christmas cards I receive but the past few years, I have had absolutely no time to put together a quality Christmas card. November and December are my busy months...but January is a little bit slow.  I should just admit defeat on the Christmas card front and start sending cards in January or February.

One of these years, I might plan ahead and order New Year's cards from Minted.  They have such pretty designs.

Any of the cards and prints at Minted can be personalized with photos, text, color, or shape.

The Valentine's designs on Minted make me want to send Valentine's.  SO CUTE.

On top of holiday cards, they also carry Save the Date Cards, Custom Art Prints, and Business Cards. They have so many pretty and inspiring designs. 

LOVE.

weekly snapshots: 3

1 - Finally pulled out my moccasins this week.  Feels like Fall.

2 - Tortellini soup.  So good.

3 - My little monkey.

4 - Sweet potato donuts.  Nothing wrong with fried dough.

5 - Unmade bed, covered in clothes, and Finn makes himself comfortable.

I hope you guys all had a good week :).

ireland...once again

Ok, I think this is the last post of vacation pictures.  Are you sick of them yet?

I took these photos on one of our last days in Kerry.  We went for a three mile walk, out to a lake where there is a memorial for several members of the IRA who died about a hundred years ago. I should have better details than that but I cannot remember.  I do remember that it was a beautiful spot for a memorial and a beautiful walk.  Afterwards I had a really big lunch with a side of fries because, you know, we had just walked three miles.  It was totally deserved. 

drive to dingle

I have been to Ireland so many times and have so many pictures of the place, it's a little crazy.  Every time I am there I take photos...of the same scenery I shot the year before.  It is just so beautiful. Admittedly, I get sick of spending nearly all of our travel time and money on trips to Ireland but the beauty of the place blows me away every time.  I am always a little in awe. 

After stopping in Rome for four days, we flew to Dublin and made the 4ish hour drive down to County Kerry {where Neil is from}.  We spent our entire trip this time in Kerry.  It only really rained one of the days we we there and most of the time it was nice and sunny.  

The first day In Ireland we drove out to Dingle.  If you are ever in Ireland, Dingle is such a great little town to visit.  It's about an hour drive from Neil's hometown and I realized that I had not been there since one of my first trips to Ireland seven years ago. The day was so sunny and warm.  Ireland is a different country when the sun is shining.

In Dingle we wandered around, ate at the Chowder Cafe, drank a few of the Tom Crean's local brews from the Dingle Brewing Company, got ice cream from Murphy's {some of the best ice cream in the world}, and took photos.  It was a good day.

p.s. I know that all these pictures are basically the same shot again and again but I couldn't pick just one or two to share :).

rome in photos

We spent four days in Rome before heading to Ireland to visit my husband's fam.  While in Rome we did and saw a lot but we could have easily spent four more days touring the city.  There is just SO much to see.

The ancient ruins in Rome are all so massive and my photos don't really do them justice.   I think it's a combo of me not owning the most amazing camera and {more so} my lack of photography skills.  I tried to capture the enormity of everything but it was hard to do.  Rome is a really gorgeous, bustling city.  I hope to get back to Italy one day and when I do I really want to stay for more than four days :).