Art :: Overgrowth

Overgrowth is an ongoing artistic collaboration between photographer Parker Fitzgerald and floral designer Riley Messina.  Aren't the anonymous portraits just beautiful?  They remind me of Kari Herer's work, one of my favorite Etsy artists.  Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Fashion :: Fragrant Florals

Milly Sateen Top and Skirt // Liberty Baseball Hat // Bond No. 9 'High Line' Parfum // JCrew Sequined Floral Capri // Liberty Ballet Flats // BaubleBar Crystal Sunflower Studs // Blurred Floral Scuba Top // JCrew Floral Shorts // Kate Spade Travel Umbrella // Zimmermann Bikini // Nine West 'Lola' Bootie // JCrew Liberty Topcoat // Library of Flowers Shower Gel // Club Monaco Silk Scarf // Kate Spade Pump // Kotur Floral Applique Clutch

It's officially March which means 1) spring is less than a month away and 2) we are heading to the beach in just a few weeks!  My trip to North Carolina last weekend made it official...I am ready for warm weather, green grass, sunshine, and flowers.  I nearly went into cardiac arrest at the sight of a flowering tree - it has just been one of those kind of winters.  Although while I write this post there is a white blanket of snow covering everything outside my window, I can't help buy daydream about all things fragrant, colorful, and flowery.  From tiny feminine Liberty of London floral prints to dark dramatic florals reminiscent of Emily's gorgeous bathroom wallpaper to whimsical floral appliqués, there is something for everyone!

Guest Blogger :: Fresh Flowers from Happiness Is...

Today is a very special day here on Dreams in HD.  First, of all it's Valentine's Day.  I'm not sure what we are up to {Ryan likes to keep it a surprise} but personally I am just happy to be able to spend the day with him and Yoda, and hopefully eat a little chocolate :) Secondly, I am thrilled to tell you that today's post will feature the first official guest blog post in Dreams in HD's history.  And you guys, it's a good one.  

I "met" Shannon of Happiness Is... about eight months ago and since then have developed what you might call a *total* girl crush on her.  Shannon's blog, dedicated to all things happy, has become a source of creative and personal inspiration for me since first visiting it last year.  She is an incredibly talented songwriter, singer, ukulele player, illustrator, reiki healer, painter, and all-around amazing person.  Her nostalgic movie-inspired wedding {which you can read all about here...please take five minutes watch their video, it will melt your heart} was featured by none other than MARTHA STEWART herself!  If I ever get out to Seattle Shannon is the first person I will call.  Oh, and did I mention that instead of just providing me a photo to include in this post she sent me this watercolor that she painted herself?  Yup, I told you she is amazing!  If you like her work, be sure to follow her here because she will be starting an Etsy shop later this year :) So without further adieu...

Hello lovely Dreams in HD readers! I'm Shannon of Happiness Is and I'm extremely honored to guest post on Molly's delightful blog today. Especially since it's Valentine's Day. A day you either love or hate. I'm one of those girls who milks it for what it's worth. I'm an unapologetic romantic, so bring me a dozen red roses and I'll be yours for the taking. Any extra reason to celebrate LOVE is good in my book.

I have a regular series on my blog called Get Happy, where I share some tips and tricks to boost your mood, create a positive thoughts and raise your vibration. For today's installment, I have a fun fact about those cliche dozen red roses. Flowers are beautiful, sure. But did you know they've been scientifically proven to make you happy? 

A recent study at Rutgers University found evidence that flowers induce long-term powerful positive emotion. Half of the participants were given flowers and half were given other gifts. When the two groups were compared, here's what they found...

1. Women given a mixed floral bouquet reported more positive moods 3 days later.
2. Daisies offered to both men and women in an elevator elicited greater social interaction.
3. Flowers presented to elderly individuals showed improved memory.
4. And my favorite discovery has to do with smell: Students who were asked to write an essay in a floral-scneted room, compared with those in a  neutral-scented room, wrote happier stories.

The researchers speculate it may have something to do with the co-evolution of plants and people, which can happen when two species evolve in response to changes in the other. Fascinating, right?

So if you didn't get flowers for Valentine's Day, stop by the florist on your way home from work and treat yourself to some sweet-smelling blooms. Or gift them to someone you live with and reap the benefits. I'm making a promise to myself, starting now, to swing by the local farmer's market once a week for a fresh $5 bouquet. I owe it to myself and my happiness.

Do you keep flowers in the home? Do you find that they elevate your mood?

Art :: Florals by Thomas Darnell

I know winter is upon us, but personally I think fresh flowers are a necessity year-round to brighten up your life.  I would gladly give up a bouquet or two {or a thousand} to get my hands on Thomas Darnell's absolutely out of this world still-life floral paintings.  The colors, shadows, and details are stunning...but the scope is what makes them so special to me.  They are huge!

The artist explains, "the illusion of spatial dimension and light is achieved through a technique involving multiple layers of transparent oil paint and alkyd resin. Starting with blurry images I refine detail and contrast with each pass and often ‘erase’ some of the image with a thin wash of paint and go back to refining the details until the right balance is achieved."