SWAK Couture Giveaway >>>

Today Im excited to bring you an awesome giveaway from SWAK Couture.  One lucky lady will win a $70 gift certificate to anything in their shop!  There are so many things to choose from, including crochet scarves, jewelry accessories, hats and more.  A little something for everyone's style. 

<<< TO ENTER >>>

follow SWAK couture on facebook

visit their shop and let me know what you would pick if you won

<<< EXTRA ENTRIES >>>

follow SWAK on twitter

share this on your twitter // facebook // blog

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Girls >>>

Last night and today has just been us girls hanging out... eating lots of yummy food, chatting and just be-ing.  Soaking in our down time before we start our lookbook shooting.  Here are a few random photos from our time so far.  Isn't miss Penelope the cutest???  Leena helped me water all my plants this morning.  We watched Totoro.  And now she is making tons of art. 

Instagram Love >>>

Some of my favorite instagrams from this past week.  Yep, Im still an addict.  I love how instantly it makes pretty colored pictures without having to sit down and use photoshop.  Love.  So fun.  Makes your world just a little bit more colorful.  (my handle on instagram is lauramazurek)

After a heavy hearted day yesterday, Im ready to face a new day.  I will be turning up the volume on my record player and cleaning my heart out.  

Threads - Bird On The Buffalo >>>

Here today with a simple outfit post.  I received this tank top from Sevenly in the mail last week, and absolutely love it!  Their company is super amazing.  They come out with new exclusive designs each week, geared for specifics organizations and causes, and a part of each shirt sale goes directly towards that cause for the week.  And their designs are nothing short of awesome.  Its hard to tell here, but its a buffalo with feathers and it says 'hope is alive'.  Perfection.  And yeah, Im pretty much in love with this feathered necklace sent to me c/o My Sweet Life.  Definitely going to be a new staple in my wardrobe!  Today is the LAST day to enter her giveaway.  And (i know im not suppose to start sentences with and, but i do it all the time...AND that is not going to change)... my favorite way to make a simple tank and jeans outfit feel just a tad bit more dressy is to add a wedge, like these blowfish ones.  I love these ones so much b/c even though they have some height to them, they are still flat, so I dont feel like Im wearing heels at all.  Super comfy!

outfit details:  tank // sevenly - crochet top + jeans // thrifted - shoes // blowfish - necklaces // my sweet life + nanoutriko - bracelets // spiral drift + flourish leather

Today I will be attending a funeral for a sweet friend we lost this week.  Her and her husband were my best and favorite customers I had while waiting tables in our small town.  I became good friends with them through that time, and its a great loss.  She was such a wonderful woman, and my heart breaks for her husband who is left behind.  I know all too well what death and time can do to a man.  If you could, send loving vibrations to this beautiful man while he endures this dark period of his life.

Also, Im busy getting ready for my company coming, who will be staying a week with me!  Im super excited!  Hoping to get all of my orders and things out of the way before hand.  My brain is starting to go into full photography mode since she will be photographing the new lookbook for The Bohemian Collective.  I posted last night a post about the direction and changes that will be happening over there if you would like to read.  It explains the whole blog in very simple terms for those of you who have been a bit confused about it.

The Civil Wars // Sour Times >>>

So, Im kind of freaking out just a little bit over here, b/c I just found out that The Civil Wars covered Sour Times by Portishead.  Dummy is my favorite Portishead album.  I listened to this album as I fell asleep for about an entire year in high school.  I have so many stronggggg memories attached to this band.  And now, for one of my favorite bands of this generation to cover them.... oh my.  They brought new meaning, and a new spark to this song, that already evoked so much emotion.  Classically and beautifully shot by the amazing photographer Allister Ann.  Mmmmmmm.....

Catherine Denton Giveaway + Giveaway Winner >>>

Today Im excited to bring you another wonderful and artistic giveaway from Catherine Denton, a lovely painter and writer.  She is offering a $50 shop credit to one lucky winner!  This can include any of her painting prints, jewelry or note cards! 

<<< TO ENTER >>>

visit her shop and let me know what you would love to win

<<< EXTRA ENTRIES >>>

follow catherine via twitter

follow catherine's blog

share this on your twitter // facebook // blog

 

P A S T   G I V E A W A Y   A N N O U N E M E N T:

Please email me at violet_bella at hotmail dot com to claim your amazing loot!

Other Giveaway Announcements:

 Only a few days left to enter the bohemian necklace giveaway from My Sweet Life!

My friend Rain is giveaway one of my favorite pairs of Roots & Feathers earrings on her blog!!!

Yellow Billed Cuckoo - Spirit Animal >>>

Yesterday on the way home from the post office, we came across this beautiful bird in the middle of the road.  I instantly knew it had been hit, but didnt realize it was still alive until we drove past.  So I told James to turn around so we could get him out of the middle of the road before he got hit again.  When I went to pick him up, I saw blood, and he didnt attempt to move, so I thought it must of been pretty bad.  I scooped him up, and unknowing to James, brought him back to the car with me to take home.  I was worried if I just moved him to the side of the road, he would straggle back there, and I felt in my heart that if he did die, I wanted to be able to send him off with love.  I didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but my heart told me it was, with the best intentions. 

After we brought him home, I sat him in the grass to see if he would try to move or fly.  For a while he just sat there.  But luckily, when I went to move him, it hopped.  Then it hopped a little bit further.  Then it mustered up the courage to hop up onto a little low branch... After sitting for a moment at each step it made, it would venture a little further, until finally it flew up into the tree!!!  Here he is below up in the tree.  After sitting and recouping for a long time in the tree, it flew off!  I was sooooo happy to know that he made it, even if he was relocated.  If I had left him in the road, he would surely not be with us today.  Ive never had such an up close personal experience with a wild bird before.  I talked to it alot while it was up in the tree.  I told it to please come visit me... although, Im pretty sure I wont be seeing him in my backyard.  Cuckoos like to remain hidden in the woods.  But I would be delighted if he did!!!

Since we are currently studying animal spirit guides in the Intuitive Heart Sanctuary, I definitely saw this one as a sign.  I usually do anyway, since I feel such a connection with animals... but evermore so this time.  It was very interesting to read about this particular bird and its meanings, especially knowing the cuckoo is a close relative to the roadrunner, whom came to me preceeding my dads death. The fact that this little birdy made it out alive, and its a yellow-billed one, not a black-billed one, tells that it came to show me a new beginning, not an ending this time.  Im curious to see how this unfolds.  I feel blessed to have met him yesterday.

Threads - Red Headed Stranger >>>

Here is the one and only outfit post with my red hair!!  It is now currently back to blonde... After about 5 days of having, I realized I still just did not love it.  So I decided to strip it and go back to brown and blonde, and I instantly felt better.  Thank you for all the wonderful response to the red though, you guys are too sweet!!!

I will never get over loving this top from Lulu's.com.  Pretty much one of my favorite pieces in my closet.  And this necklace from Spiral Drift.  Her pieces to me are complete artworks in and of themselves.  I feeeeeel her love she put into them.  And yeah, you know my love for my Blowfish shoes... These are James favorites!  Everytime I wear them he smiles and tells me he loves them... its so cute!

The single earring I am wearing is one style of a new little collection in my Roots and Feathers shop.  Each one is one of a kind and eclectic.  I adore them... There are lots of other new pieces that went up yesterday as well!