Blog it Forward : Inspiration

Have you been following and enjoying the Blog it Forward series put together by Victoria from sfgirlbybay? It has been a pleasure to peruse all of the inspirational posts and today is my turn to share what inspires me most - I decided to pick ten.



I am really drawn to classic literature, and these redesigned Penguin Classics are stunning. I also love beautiful art, photography and coffee table books along with well-thought out magazines. Don't you love to curl up with a good book? I find them inspirational and uplifting. What have you been reading or perusing?

{Seeing the Everyday | Lulu | Penguin Classics designed by Coralie}



I don't think I could ever get enough of maps. I think there are three hanging in our house, two of them I picked up in a flea market in France. I remember gasping when I first saw the above map dress by Elisabeth and the Screenprints by Paula Scher -- my word, they are amazing!

{Places on earth Print |Elisabeth LeCourt Map Dress| Paula Scher Screenprint Maps |Ork City Posters}



Other artists/designers sketchbooks and inspiration boards are incredibly beautiful. It gives a peak into their creativity and window into their inner thoughts, just love.

{Chickenwire Board | Jen Causey's Inspiration Wall | James Gallagher Sketch Book}



Sometimes I feel like certain catalogs are just as good as magazines because of impeccable photography, creativity and styling. It makes me really happy when I receive a good look book or catalog in the mail.

{Anthropologie | Toast | J. Crew}



My endearment for balloons has grown after having our daughter, she adores them too the moon. My husband will often surprise her coming home with them after work, it lights up her world -- that inspires me.

{Louis V | Glass Balloons | White Balloons photographed by Pia Ulin}




Music has always been a huge and inspirational part of my life. Music has a body + soul connection that can alter a day into something even better. It is a wonderful simple pleasure in life. Oh, and bad music with awful lyrics can do the opposite effect, and sometimes you won't even know it. -- beware.

{Bach | Feist | Jeff Buckley | Art by Robert Longo}



My husband and others who have traveled with me like to tease me about a few of my travel habits. While traveling I take lots and lots of photos and will sometimes turn to complete silent mode because I am soaking the experience in. I also like to get lost -- as long as it isn't in a sketchy area. I adore travel, adventure, learning about new cultures and going somewhere I've never been before. Do you do anything nutty when you travel?

{Book - mine | Photo by Ben Watts from Self | Me in Beynac, France | Mac & I in Paris}



Nature is inspiring and uplifts my heart and soul, patterns and colors in nature compel me to be a better creative person. Of course, fresh flowers brought indoors makes me wonderfully happy too.

{Tulip Gardens in Holland | Sheep in Scotland by Jim Richardson}



I often get goosebumps when I learn about powerful new concepts, you know that really good wow and awe feeling? I am empowered by learning about motivational people who have impacted and changed the lives of others -- it is moving.

{Hellen Keller | Abraham Lincoln | Ted Talks}



Food and Cool Packaging Design by themselves make me light up, so when you put those two elements together -- watch out. I can spend hours in a gourmet grocery store perusing the shelves just to look at the pretty packaging design. I also enjoy improving my cooking skills.

{Macaroons |Lemon Curd | Coconut Cupcake |Sadaharu AOKI}

Well there you go, I hope you enjoyed. What has inspired you this week -- I would love to hear about it! To keep the Blog it Forward chain alive -- yesterday was Bits of Beauty and tomorrow is Black White Yellow!