U.K. Tour | Week One

I'm baaaack! I went to the U.K. for three weeks. Are you jealous? If so, feel free to live vicariously through this three part series on my trip!

I went to England with my school, so we were accompanied by two expert professors. Our group was comprised of about 20 students of different ages and majors. The trip was for credit and focused on the history and literature of England. I saw so many amazing things and learned a lot. I have chosen some of my favorite moments from the first week of the tour to share with you!

The first week was spent in Bath, England. It is such a nice city. It was predominately built in the 18th century, so it lacks the medieval feel you encounter in other parts of England. It was very clean and open. It also, of course, has many points of interest for the Jane Austen lover, which I enjoyed immensely. We had tea at the Pump Rooms (darjeeling, of course) and pretended to be Catherine from Northanger Abbey as we "took the waters." I even found myself taking "a turn about the room" Pride and Prejudice style.

We took a few day trips as well. My favorites were Wales, Stonehenge, Salisbury, and, of course, London. Tintern Abbey in Wales was one of my top three places I visited. It was so gorgeous and full of history. I still can't get over it! Stonehenge was amazing simply because I have learned about it in school, etc. for most of my life. It felt like my whole existence was culminating at that point. Salisbury Cathedral had amazing stain glass windows. They were intricate and beautiful and I loved them. London was perfect. I didn't get a chance to wander like I wanted (next time!!!), but I did see some great things. I loved the British Museum and the National Gallery. We also went on the London Eye and, despite the rain, enjoyed a gorgeous view.

View of Bath from the top of Prior Park Garden.

The River Avon, with the Covered Bridge on the left. 

The Roman Baths

The Royal Crescent

The Pump Rooms. 

Stonehenge.

Stonehenge selfie!

The beautiful English countryside. 

Salisbury Cathedral.

Stained glass at Salisbury.

Devil's Pulpit, where Wordsworth wrote "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey"

The view of Tintern Abbey from the Devil's Pulpit. 

The ruins of Tintern Abbey in Wales.

Chepstow Castle in Wales.

Buckingham Palace!

Changing of the guard. 

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

The London Eye. 

View of Big Ben from the London Eye. 

 England, you're amazing.

White Interiors

I am loving stark white interiors lately. White walls, white floors, white furniture. White everything. I am attracted to how clean and airy it looks. It has a calming effect on me. Here are some of my favorite interiors:

Here

Oh. My. Goodness. So clean and crisp. I would love to wake up in this bed every morning. Any color in this room really pops. I love the use of texture -- the wood headboard (which, btw, you can make yourself here), the quilt, the furry throw. 

Here

Even though this little corner is cluttered, it feels clean and fresh. 

Here

This room feels very open. I love how mismatched it is -- different chairs and different sized pictures. It's so individual. This dining area definitely has a personality. 

Here

Another perfect dining room. The chairs are to die for. Both styles are some of my favorites. I love the contrast of the super modern Eames chair remake with the more traditional looking wishbone chairs. The sideboard almost disappears into the wall, but it has a sheen which reflects back into the room. The black pendant draws focus to the table. 

Here

I love the huge pop of color the chairs bring. The room is still so white and airy, but the chairs add some quirk. The table is amazing. The great thing about a white interior is that you can get away with more chunky furniture without weighing down the room. And, I can't not mention the chandelier. How amazing is the geometric frame?

Here

This kitchen has a more rustic feel than some of the other rooms. The brick adds so much dimension and texture. The many uses of greenery make the room so approachable. I love the barstools. I'm a sucker for a pop of yellow. Also, they're similar to the iconic Tolix chairs that I love. 

Here

While a little darker, this kitchen is based in white. The black adds dimension, the tile backsplash adds texture, and the bronze pendant adds some glam. The Lucite chairs and stainless steel table keep the room fresh and light. 

Bright Floral Letter

I recently embarked on a total room makeover. For a long time I have wanted a large letter "M" (for Madison, of course) incorporated into my decor. I think they are so classy and are a great way to portray your style. So, I decided to couple that desire with my love for Lana Del Rey and the flower crown. The product is a super bright and springy floral M that is a new focal point in my space.

I found the tutorial for this project over at The Sassy Life. Kaite and I created the masterpiece last Saturday afternoon when we were feelin' crafty. We changed very little from the original tutorial, except the material for the letter. We couldn't find a paper maché letter anywhere in town, so we made our own out of two pieces of foam board (This isn't advisable if you can find a pre-made letter. Ours was difficult to cut out.). I also added some ribbon around the edges, since they were not smooth.

I bought a lot of faux flowers. A lot. 

The next thing we had to do, of course, was take a bunch of photos of ourselves with the flowers. We had to get our money's worth, right?

  

Kaite's beautiful letter design.

So many flowers! Designing the layout was the best part.

Finished product. So cute!

Placed it on my desk. A cute backdrop for when I'm studying!

I think this project turned out pretty well! It looks so good! The best part is, it wasn't too difficult. It took us a good 3 hours, but the results are amazing and totally worth it. The whole project was under $50. That's still a pretty steep price, but fake flowers are expensive! I love having something that looks so bright and alive. Even though the flowers are fake, it's like bringing the beautiful outdoors inside. The best part is, the flowers will last year round! I have fallen in love with this project. 

What Time is It? Spring Time!

The warmer months are upon us. Yesterday I put away my winter sweaters and brought out the bright, airy tank tops. If you are anything like me, you tailor your whole ensemble to the season. One of my crucial accessories is the watch. Both practical and stylish, a watch can add so much to an outfit.

Just like my clothes, I change watches with the seasons. The color or material of a watch makes it appropriate for certain seasons. For example, dark brown tortoise or black metal are fall or winter watches, while white leather or pink braided watches are indicative of spring and summer. Coordinating your watches with clothes as well as seasons makes for a more cohesive and classy look.

I am currently shopping for a new spring watch. I'm looking for something oversized and silver, but not too flashy. In my search I have found so many cute watches perfect for spring. My favorites are shared below.

Nixon Silver Kensington $235.18

I love Nixon watches. They are well made and always stylish. This watch is very plain, but the oversized face makes it stand out. The case is 37mm, so it will be fairly large on your arm. The silver color is great for spring. It's bright, shiny, and goes with every outfit. 

Kate Spade Odometer Metro in White $175

Kate Spade is one of my favorite all around brands. It is not surprising that they have fantastic watches. This watch has a very class look, but it still has the quirk and personality that Kate Spade is famous for. The watch is designed to look like an odometer, which I think is amazingly cute! The white and gold scheme is so perfect for spring. 

Fossil Electro Tick Leather Watch in Sand $295

Rose Gold is very on trend this spring, so this Fossil watch is perfect for the stylish girl. I love the juxtaposition of glitzy and electronic. The watch looks cool and modern. It might not be the perfect everyday watch, but this piece would make quite the statement. 

Kate Spade Gramercy Mini in Silver $225

I love small watches for springtime. This one from Kate Spade is incredibly cute and classy. It's perfect for the girl with a small wrist or just someone who wants something adorable. The Gramercy Mini is the perfect dainty watch that will go with any outfit. Very Betty Draper. 

Coach Teagan Stainless Steel and Silicon Rubber Strap Watch in Pink $158

If you want to make a statement for spring, try a bold colored watch. Hot pink is a great color for spring and brings a feminine flair to any outfit. The strap of this watch is rubber, which adds a cool and casual vibe. 

Oasis Mixed Metal Links Watch $84.66

For a cheaper option, this watch from Oasis is amazing. Perfect for the girl who can't choose a favorite metal, it features both silver and gold. You never have to worry about matching your jewelry to your watch again! It is a great everyday watch that matches everything. Incredibly versatile, you can wear this watch from day to night with jeans and an oxford during the day and a little black dress at night. 

April Music Favorites

April Music Favorites from madisoninoregon on 8tracks Radio.

Music I'm loving right now. 

1. Tessellate -- Alt-J
2. Grandloves -- Purity Ring
3. Look at These Hoes -- Santigold
4. Summertime Sadness -- Lana Del Rey
5. Creature Fear -- Bon Iver
6. Classic Cars -- Bright Eyes
7. Recover -- CHVRCHES
8. Are You What You Want to Be? -- Foster the People

Just a small selection of the music I've been listening to in the month of April. I have a pretty broad taste in music, and what I listen to depends on my mood. This month has been a weird mixture of cold, rainy and hot, sunny weather. The weather has been a huge influence on my music choices. Consider this the perfect playlist for those times the weather can't decide what it wants to be.