Lemon Picking and the Perfect Print

Hi there!

I somehow completely spaced blogging some of my very favorite pictures from my Palm Springs trip last month. What. The. Heck! #oops

As you know, I went to visit my grandparents.  We had the best time.  Nana showed me around their property and we spent time playing cards and picking fruit from the trees surrounding their house.  My grandmother is almost 89 and one of the best bridge players in Colorado.  That is amazing in and of itself, but her love for cards keeps her young and she is one of the whitiest people I know.  

I had a quick photo shoot with a local photographer Erica (if you are ever in need of a photographer in Palm Springs - she is a doll!) and my nana asked if Erica could ever use any of my grandmothers printed pictures in her photography and on my blog, so we said she should hold her photo (above) so I could be sure to include it in the post :).

I have more of these Jackie cardigan sets than is probably ok to admit, but I think they get the more use than almost anything in my closet.  I wear them mismatched like I did here or as a set for luncheons and meetings.  This cardigan comes in an adorable set and has just been restocked in all sizes!  I also love this original plain cardigan that comes in 13 colors and on sale ($29-$49).  One of my other favorites is also on sale with limited sizes available - I wore it (here and am wearing an xs).

My skirt is old and one of my go-to summer pieces.  I found similar options here, here, and here that would be perfect for casual brunch or date nights. My tank is from local boutique Inspyre - (they have great graphic tees!).  And you can still get my wicker and leather crossbody here - it is the perfect size if you have a summer vacation planned!  You know who got a hold of mine (seriously nothing is safe with Sir Stan around!), will be getting another one for our upcoming trips.

Snow Day in Keystone

Hi Friends,

I hope your new year is off to a wonderful start!! We had such a wonderful time with our family in the mountains over New Years.  The house was full with Jonny's three brothers and their wives, two babies, Jonny's parents, and one puppy which made for a lot of love and laughter.

We were so lucky to get quite a bit of skiing in last week, but one day was just bitter cold and there was no way I was going to attempt to get on the mountain.  I stayed in a coffee shop at the base and waited patiently for Jonny to finish so I could partake in Apres (since that is often the best part of skiing anyway).

I doubled up on layers because it was so chilly.  I wore my new coat that I got for Christmas (thanks Mom!), I also love this one and this one and wore my warmest puffy coat on top (also wore it here) btw its on sale!  I layered this metallic pink blouse under my dress for another added layer.  Both my dress and top are H&M - I always love stopping in and finding such great affordable pieces (this dress was $15!).  I got a few questions about my hat when I wore it last week - it is old, but I found a very similar one here!

Have a great day!

Ode to Charlie Brown - My Doggy Soulmate

Hi  Friends,

I hope you had a nice 4th with your loved ones and friends.  

I started writing this post early last week, but I just couldn't find the words so I spent this last week gathering my thoughts, spending quality time with Jonny and our families, and sharing countless stories about our Charlie Brown.  He truly was my best friend, furry soul mate, and sidekick.  

I never thought about writing this post and really never imagined it would be so soon. As many of you may know through social media, Charlie Brown passed away very unexpectedly last week.  I want to thank you all for the kind words, memories, and love that you have shared with Jonny and me.  It warms my heart to know how many lives Mr. Brown touched.  The joy he brought to our lives over the past 10 years is indescribable.  If you have been following along for a little while now, you know that Mr. Brown was a big part of this blog and I wanted to share some of our favorite memories of him.

I got Charlie the summer before my sophomore year in college.  He helped me make every adult decision I ever made and was by my side for every major event in my life.  It sounds silly, but I believe he really shaped the person I am today.  He moved into my first place with me in college, attended my last day of school (I know, I took him everywhere), was there when Jonny and I met, bought our first home, present at our wedding and with a smile at the top of the stairs every day since.  He made me smile and laugh each day, even in the worst of moods.  Our boy will be truly missed.

I am so thankful for the timing of this blog.  I started Denver Darling a little over a year ago and Charlie Brown, the ham that he was - loved posing for pictures, and I am so glad we were able to document countless memories of the last year of his life that Jonny and I will absolutely cherish forever.

Many of you have asked what happened to our sweet Charlie so suddenly, and we learned that his breed specifically is prone to a fast moving cancer that likely grew in weeks then caused internal bleeding.  We were away earlier in the week when he stopped eating and drinking.  Zoe was watching him and took him to the vet after he ignored chicken and ice cream and the vet explained to Jonny and me over the phone that he likely wouldn't make it through the day.  Jonny was a groomsmen to his good friend so he had to stay, but I knew I needed to be with Mr. Brown as soon as possible.  I got on the next possible flight and 13 hours later got to be with him to say goodbye.  I am so grateful for our final time together and the tremendous love he brought to our lives.  We will miss you forever Mr. Brown.

The Joys of Summer

Good Morning, Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend filled with BBQ's, brunches, friends and family.  I stayed close to home and spent some quality time with my momma and girlfriends, while Jonny finished his series of spring bachelor parties before all of the summer wedding fun starts.  

Today I am am jumping for joy for several reasons:

1) Summer is finally here: Memorial Day weekend is always the unofficial launch to summer - I love that it kicks off the season of tan skin, tired pups, colorful flowers, and smiley neighbors.  On our walk yesterday, I noticed that everyone smiles and greets each other so much more when the sun is out.

2) MY SISTER MOVES HOME! Zoe, (meet her here, here, and here) has spent the last two years conquering the Big Apple and will finally be back in the 303 - I just can't wait.  I am so proud of her and what she has accomplished, but as a selfish big sister, I am beyond excited that she will be living close again. 

3) My dress is $25.99 and and an additional 40% off if it is your first time shopping on SheIn.

This dress is incredibly comfortable and the perfect dress for all kinds of summer fun.  I wore it to an afternoon baby shower and it was great to have a little extra coverage since afternoons and evenings are still a little breezy.  I am 5'3 so have to wear heels (or would need to get it hemmed), but it would even be great with sandals for a casual picnic.  Also, wearing my favorite summer heel again because they just go with EVERYTHING (also like these if you like a shorter heel)!

My sunnies are from Ditto: I love that I can change them as often as I'd like.  You can use code: DenverDarling to get your first month free when signing up ($24 a month after).  

Have a fantastic, short week!!

xo

Denver Darling turns 1 (and a few things I've learned along the way)

Happy Monday, Friends

I hope you had wonderful weekend!  Yesterday Denver Darling turned a year old - I started the day with a delicious brunch with some of my favorites at Postino (super excited they have brunch now!), then celebrated one of my favorite mommas to be, Jourdan (here) at one of the most beautiful showers I have ever seen.  It was such a wonderful day full of friends and love and I just felt so refreshed.

As a little kid, you know how you think about your birthday 9 months a year?  That is kind of how I thought about this day.  Starting something that was my very own was so important to me, and even more important that I saw it through, so this was a big milestone.  I never thought I would be a "blogger" I just wanted to create a place to share my favorite things with my girlfriends (and their friends) and fell into blogging along the way.

This whole year has been a wonderful time of self discovery and learning.  I really feel like I learn something new every day!  Before starting Denver Darling the only forms of social media I occasionally participated in were Facebook and Pinterest (a lot of Pinterest actually... my poor husband).  I accidentally stumbled on blogs through Pinterest, but didn't actively read any on a regular basis.  I joined Instagram about a month prior to our wedding (fall of 2014) just to ensure that I could see photos that people had hashtagged (also had no clue what that really meant).  

After our wedding, friends and family started coming to me for advice and suggestions for wedding dresses, boutiques, hair and nail salons, restaurants and photographers and I realized that I wanted to start "a girls guide to Denver".  I started using Instagram (not sure what I did each morning before this) on a regular basis and reading blogs to get ideas of how I wanted my blog to look and not look and sound and not sound.  This blog started as a place for my girlfriends to visit for ideas on where to go in Denver, but it has become so much more to me.  I come here to share my feelings, get inspired, hopefully share inspiration and have met some incredible people along the way.

I am so  thankful for this last year.  Denver Darling has taken me to some amazing places (here, here, here, and most recently here).  However, my favorite thing so far about blogging is the community and support system built within it.  I have met so many wonderful girls (and a couple of guys) and it is so refreshing to see the way everyone encourages each other.  I have met some of the sweetest people through blogging that I never in a million years would have connected with otherwise, and I am so glad that I have.

I receive a lot of questions about starting and maintaining a blog - below are 10 things that I have learned throughout the last year, and hopefully can be helpful to you too.

10 Things I've learned About Blogging

1. If you have been thinking about starting a blog, take the leap and just do it! Chances are if you have something to say, advice you want to give, something you want to share there is someone who wants to hear it.
2. Stay true to yourself.  This is my favorite piece of advice.  I don't share anything that I don't believe in or love, it would come across as inauthentic and I believe, if someone doesn't like it they don't have to read it.
3. Write what you want to write.  There is some truth that you should write what your readers want, but readers won't want to read something that you yourself are not excited about.
4. Use your voice. You know how Dr. Suess says, "There is no one alive who is Youer than You" - your voice sets you apart from everyone else.
5. It is ok to take a break.  I always get a little separation anxiety when we go on vacation, but it is good to take little breaks to refresh and come back with new ideas even if it means not posting as often as you normally would.  I used to get really stressed about this, but realized my blog would still be here when I got back :)
6. Work with other bloggers.  I have enjoyed meeting other Denver bloggers and making new friends through social media and it is amazing to see how supportive and encouraging other women can be.  
7. You don't have to post.  I used to think I had to post a certain number of times a day or week, but if it is not something you are excited about posting... don't.
8. Photos....  I work with a wonderful photographer Corey Anthony for most of the photos on my blog, about half of the photos on my instagram are taken with my iphone and I use VSCO for editing so all of pictures have a similar tone.
9. Use hashtags.  I didn't love using hashtags for a long time.  I thought listing too many looked silly, but it really does help people find you when they are searching for something specific.
10. It is your blog, no one can tell you what is right or wrong, make it what you want and have fun with it!

I loooove this dress BTW - it is another ChicWish style.  I love their affordable, yet high quality designs.  This little number is under $70!  As i mentioned last week, sometimes their clothes can take a little bit longer to arrive so if you order, plan accordingly with expedited shipping or a few weeks before your event.  Also, I wear (and wore) these shoes with pretty much every spring and summer dress and will be getting a new pair soon because I have worn them so much and I need a new pair for this wedding season... they are just so easy and go with everything from dresses to jeans and even shorts!

Have a wonderful week - would love to hear your feedback and happy to answer any questions below or through email abby@denverdarling.com.

xo

There's Always Time for Ice Cream

Happy Friday Friends!!

I hope you had a wonderful week and are looking forward to a nice long weekend with your Valentine or have fun plans with your besties!  As I mentioned, Jonny and I are relaxing at home this this weekend (we couldn't be more thrilled about it) and giving Charlie Brown extra love since we will be out of town for a few weeks.

Most of our friends will tell you, Jonny and I are not always the most prompt people.  We just aren't.  His friends used to say he was on JST - Jonny Standard Time... and I am sure my friends have a name for me too.  For us, being a little tardy is hereditary, something that was passed down from both our grandparents.  Which doesn't make it ok, but extreme timeliness was never practiced in either of our families... so has never been much of an issue in our relationship or bothered us.

Last week however, I noticed myself falling further and further behind due to over-scheduling and unable to really enjoy what I was doing because I was already thinking about or moving on to the next part of my day (15 to 20 minutes late of course).  One evening I missed a friends event and was already worried about how behind I knew I was going to be the next day.  That moment I realized I have to start saying no, and being realistic with my time in order to enjoy the moment.  Whether that means I skip a workout so Charlie gets a longer walk or I say no to something business related so Jonny and I can go on a date, or even taking time for myself for a little ice cream break.  These things are important people 🍦😉!

I love this little gelato spot we found in Boulder, Fior di Latte.  I was instantly transported back to our trip to Italy a couple of years ago.  I also love this soft color combo from local Boulder boutique Willow.  This long sweater is so comfortable and is an easy neutral to throw on over anything - also love this one and this one (similar/and adorable/on sale!).  I can't get enough of these Clare V clutches.... they have a print for every outfit and mood, this one is available at Willow or similar online here.

Have a wonderful weekend!! Would love to hear what fun things you are up to this weekend!  Also, if you have any tips on slowing down and scheduling, I am all ears :).

xo