Celebrating Wedding Week with The Everygirl

Last night, The Everygirl celebrated Wedding Week with a little soiree at Chicago's BHLDN. It was my first time in the store, and I was instantly dazzled by the gowns, decor and lovely bridal accessories. Cocktails by Femme du Coupe, flowers by Hello Darling, sweets by Sprinkles and Celestial Kitchens and a fun photo booth by Smilebooth added to the celebration. Here are a few photos I snapped during the festivities:

Thanks for a blissful evening, The Everygirl & BHLDN!

Catching Up

I feel like life always gets busier this time of the year. People are out and about, and the city feels more energized -- I love it! The quiet and cozy winter gave way to spring summer temperatures this week, with the high reaching 82 the last two days! The sliding doors were open all week long to let the fresh air in, and I was able to enjoy some time in the sun on our deck. Since Darling Notes has been a little quiet, I figured a little catch-up post was in order.

1. Did you know that I'm a paper person? I'm head over heels for nice papers, pretty stationery and invitation design. I've been working on my husband's cousin's wedding invitation ensemble. The bride selected a pretty shimmering pink and green palette with starfish and shell motifs. We're in the design process right now, but I have no doubt they'll be beautiful!

2. The warmer temps have me thinking about flip-flops and being barefoot. I need a new polish color for the spring, and I'm thinking about this strawberry pink color from Essie. I'll definitely need a pedicure before our Hawaii trip.

3. I could not resist posting this photo of a pug in a bowtie in front of a ship. I mean, is he cute or what? Sweet Paul is hosting a giveaway for your choice of the bowtie or flower collar from Etsy shop Rover. I'm hoping to win the flowered collar for Bean.

4. Have you been keeping up with The Everygirl? I'm loving all of their daily features, and today's post is no exception. Click over to see two pretty and delicious drinks for St. Patrick's Day. Since this is our first St. Patrick's Day in Chicago, the husband and I are going to head downtown tomorrow morning to watch the river be dyed green. Apparently it gets VERY green, and I think I need to see that (maybe with an Irish coffee in hand?)

5. Last Friday, my old iPhone 3GS jumped right out of my hand onto the sidewalk (imagine!) and the screen sadly shattered. Although the phone was sort-of working for a few days, it took a turn for the worse and cracked a little more on Wednesday night. . Since it was over 3 years old and I was eligible for an upgrade, I headed to AT&T on Thursday morning and selected the 4S. IT'S AMAZING. I should tell you that it's currently being held in a massive Otterbox case that is probably bomb-proof. Knowing how clumsy I am, I'm willing to carry around the phone in a bulky case to keep it safe.

Have a great weekend and a very happy (and lucky!) St. Patrick's Day!

Chicago Bloggers & Creative Girls

Last night, I had the pleasure of toasting to the launch of the The Everygirl with a group of Chicago bloggers and other creative gals. Can I just say that this city is FULL of amazingly talented young women? There, I said it (and it's true!) Until moving to Chicago, I had no idea that "blogging friends" actually met in real life. To be fair, I was living in Delaware, where there seemed to be very few bloggers. Perhaps you need to live in a large city to realize that bloggers really do gather together to hang out. Anyway -- I walked in to Old Town Social to meet a group of girls who had all come together to celebrate the success of two friends. Some of them were girls I had previously met, but I was meeting a good handful of them for the first time. This might sound weird, but I felt like I already knew them, since I read their blogs daily. I immediately recognized them from their photos, and they recognized me, too. So, after a couple of hours of meeting and chatting with other bloggers, it is clear to me that Chicago has such an amazing population of creative and driven young women. I love the sense of community and the fact that blogging has allowed me to meet so many like-mined people here in Chicago.

So, I'm curious -- have you found that other big cities have a nice blogging community? Have you met the people who write the blogs you love? I encourage you to reach out to any local bloggers and plan a get-together -- it can be so inspiring!

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A Site for YOU

I am sure that you have heard the buzz about The Everygirl -- an amazing resource for all young women who want a place to turn to for lifestyle features/tips, fashion, career advice and more! The wait is finally over, as The Everygirl was launched TODAY! I made sure to wake up a bit earlier than usual so that I could sit down at my computer with a full cup of coffee and explore The Everygirl before getting to work. The gorgeously designed (and easy to navigate) site definitely did not disappoint -- from expertly styled photos to well written and comprehensive posts, The Everygirl is sure to be a continued success for co-founders Danielle and Alaina.

I first met Danielle shortly after moving to Chicago. As another Chicago-transplant, we connected immediately and I was immediately drawn to her upbeat attitude and clean, creative style. This past holiday season, I had the pleasure of meeting Alaina at Danielle's holiday gathering. Her wit and friendly nature (not to mention her style) won me over, too. These two girls have got it going on -- they know exactly what they want out of life, and are going after it at full speed! What an inspiration! I can't wait to toast their success tonight at a casual launch celebration. Cheers!

If you haven't checked it out yet, you should immediately click over to The Everygirl. Make sure to explore each section of the site, and check back frequently for updates and new content! Are you excited?