Spring Forward | Easter Bonnets.

Easter is always special to me around these parts because 4 (!) years ago on Easter weekend, I hit publish on my first a spot of whimsy post.  But Easter is special in general - obviously from a religious perspective, but also as a bright line in the sand between winter and spring.  I am so looking forward to celebrating it this year with a quiet yet productive weekend in the city formerly-known-as Chiberia (never again!).  

I wish you happy Easter wishes, and have a wonderful weekend.

xo. di.

*images property of Diane Crary

Grateful | March 31, 2014.

I am Grateful.  

That Louisville is such a fantastic city.  C and I can't wait to visit again!

Pictures of the Week.

{We met the Doctor at Wizard World! And Amy Pond! This is very exciting, I promise.  And I'm over smiling, of course.}

{TARDIS things}

{Avengers Assemble!}

{Bourbon bar!}

{I actually don't like bourbon, but I tried!}

{More than once}

 {Breakfast at Please & Thank You on Market Street}

{Favorite house on our "Old Louisville" drive}

 {Trying bourbon once more at Maker Mark's Bourbon House}

{Remember this project?  Here's our Kentucky entry!}

Links Worth Sharing.

Liked This Book? Read this Book.  Thanks to Go Book Yourself.

A Clean-Eating Guide for Brides to Be? Yes, Please!  via Style Me Pretty.

Similarly, here's 15 Ways to Help Detox this Spring, also from Style Me Pretty.

The Everygirl has the Facts on Gluten-Free Eating.

How are we feeling about coconut oil?  Here's 10 Ways to Use It from Henry Happened.

Have a wonderful week.

xo. di.    

*images property of Diane Crary

Spring Forward | The Sun!

I'm a busy bee this weekend, with visits from far-away friends and mini engagement celebrations and birthday parties and a day at C2E2, Chicago's Comic Con :)  Plus: sunshine!  60-70 degree weather!  OH am I excited.

Have a wonderful weekend.

xo. di.

*image via

may day.

this vintage wedding dress shoot is the perfect way to welcome may with open arms.

xo. di.

*images via stockroom vintage

spring colors.

let's get some color on this blog and in our closets!  some favorite looks for spring below.

xo. di.

*image 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

she, nine.

where's she been?

she understands that april showers 

bring may flowers.

(even if that means suffering a few bad hair days in the process)

xo. di.

*image via

spring bloom.

on one of our 80 degree days last week (!), i took an evening stroll through the neighborhood streets of lincoln park, camera in tow.  i could not believe how much was already in bloom.  i mean, does the earth even know it's march in chicago?!

xo. di.

*images by diane crary

summer sandals + a shopbop giveaway.

i have been spending a lot of time perusing online shoe collections lately in the hunt for bridesmaid shoes for my sister's wedding.  we can't seem to find the right ones, but don't worry (i know you were!), we still have til august to figure it out.  in the meantime, let's look at the summer sandals i'm lusting over on shopbop, especially in light of the 80 degree chicago weather (whattt) we're enjoying this week. 

{dvf, giuseppe zanotti, jil sander}

gimme gimme.   and now to the exciting part: shopbop is offering one a spot of whimsy reader a $100 giftcard to the site.  sound good?!

how to enter:

become a google friend connect follower of a spot of whimsy and tell me what you'd 
most like to add to your closet this spring/summer
 (include your email address or make sure it's in your profile so i can notify the winner)
  if you are already a follower, then just leave your comment!

  for extra entries:

1.  tweet about the giveaway
include my twitter - @aspotofwhimsy- and @shopbop's- in the tweet!
then leave another comment right here telling me you did.

2.  "like" shopbop's facebook page then comment again to tell me that.

{shopbop's blog}

entries close on monday, april 2 at 5 p.m. central time.  winner will be selected through a random number generator and will be notified on tuesday, april 3!

good luck! 

xo. di.  

spring fling.

we must celebrate the first official day of spring!

pink dresses and pink flowers for all (at least virtually).  happy spring!

xo. di.

*image 1,2

irish.

happy st. patrick's day!

xo. di.

*image via

puddles.

is it raining where you are?  did it rain the day before that?  and the day before that?  how about tomorrow - is it supposed to rain then too?  (if you answered yes to the above questions, would you happen to live in chicago as well?!)

in an effort to make ourselves feel better about these gloomy april days, shall we just go ahead and romanticize the hell out of the rain?!  let's give it a whirl... 

 {1, 2}

{1, 2}

 {1}

 {1, 2}

 {1, 2, 3}

{1, 2}

"if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain."

-dolly parton

hope that helped a little.

xo. di. 

*images as noted above

breakfast + family.

"what do we always say is the most important thing?"

"breakfast?"

"family."

"oh, i thought you meant of the things you eat."

-arrested development

so this post isn't so much a "how to" as it is a "look what we made on easter morning!"  and the answer would be...

we combined breakfast + family in the best of ways.  my sister and her fiance brought back the above deliciousness from their january trip to nawleans, so we tried our hand at them on sunday.  and by "we" i mean my sister did most of the work while i took pictures.  and then ate what was likely more than my fair share.  i have found that i am very good at that.   

nom nom nom. 

xo. di.

*all images via my personal collection