and the winner is...

it's time to announce the winner of my very first giveaway!

congratulations to jacqueline of creative outpour, comment 10, which read: "Real Simple! So practical."  jacqueline's 1 year subscription to real simple is on its way!

i also want to thank all who entered for making this giveaway a success.  i wasn't sure what the response would be and it was above and beyond my expectations!  you guys rock.

happy monday!  

xo. di.

grateful: week 41

inspired by my reading of the happiness project by gretchen rubin, i am instituting monday "gratitude" posts (read here for more detail), where i will list "3 things i'm grateful for" from the previous week.

the 3 things i'm grateful for this week are:

1)  january is almost over!  no offense, january, but you are much too long and much too cold.

2)  had a few different dinner dates throughout the week that allowed me to catch-up with some of my favorite people in chicago! 

3)  a weekend that left me feeling content and with a smile on my face!

*giveaway winner will be announced later today!

 {my current read}

 {some sunday knitting}

 {valentine's for a few friends and family}

this week's blog love:

• a glimpse of glamour discusses an unfortunate side of surrounding yourself with creativity: jealousy.  
• florals and stripes reminds us how fabulous lauren hutton is.
• alaina of live creating yourself discusses french kitchens.
• coco +kelley featured a fabulous interview with nate berkus's right-hand ladies.
• look at all the fabulous images of drawers put together by oh, hello friend.
• ashley nicole catherine gushes over elie saab's spring 2011 couture collection.  and i am in love.  hope to see some of these on the oscars red carpet!  ashley also rounded up some of the spring 2011 ad campaigns for our review!
• i am so very jealous of the fabulous black swan night park & cube got to experience, which i found via dress, design & decor.

here's to another grateful week.

xo. di.

*images from my personal collection

legends: january.

the book legends by john miller catalogs "women who have changed the world."  given to me as a gift 8 years ago, it inspired me to dedicate the last friday of every month's post to a different legend (in my humble opinion).

well i am embarrassed to admit that i missed not 1 but 2 whole months of legends posts.  blah blah the holidays excuses excuses.  well, no more i say!  this month i bring you the incomparable jane austen.

  {via}

she has inspired countless women with her written words.      

{via 100 layer cake}

her works have been interpreted in dozens of movie and television adaptations (hello colin firth as mr. darcy!).

 {1 via tumblr, 2 via brookish}

her themes have influenced feminism, love, and society.

{1 via penguin classics, 2 via anovelamore}

she is just as much a part of our culture today as she was in the 1800s, if not more so.

 {1 via yardia, 2 via penguin classics, 3 via}

 jane austen is the epitome of a legend.  and that status isn't going away any time soon.

  {1 via yardia, 2 via style me pretty}

xo. di.

*all images as noted above

the IT list.

Happy Friday and welcome back to another endlessly inspiring IT list... there is truly something for everyone here, so get clicking!

• rose a la mode is on vacation at the beach... and of course looking ever so stylish while there!  I love this outfit... what I wouldn't give to be walking on the beach! (get more of rose a la mode on twitter!)
• a spot of whimsy is having a little celebration over on her blog and is giving away a one-year subscription to either martha stewart living or real simple... head on over to enter.  These are definitely two of my most favorite glossies! (get more of a spot of whimsy on twitter!)
• much to my delight reorganized her pantry using ball jars. Swoon!  Vintage inspired organization at it's best!
• merci blah blah looks fabulous (as always, but especially) in this breton strip top... hello gorgeous long skirt!
• capital barbie is embracing scalloping in fashion... it's so fun and feminine, it's hard not to be drawn to it. I love these red scalloped pumps! (get more of capital barbie on twitter!)
• sweetie pie style always brings the best inspiration on a monday morning... this jade-like chain necklace had me at hello.  (get more of sweetie pie style on twitter!)
• good life for less launched a fabulous e-book... "50 things every woman must own..." They are selling like hot-cakes, get your copy now! (get more of good life for less on twitter!)
• a delightful design just started a fun new series called "ask abby" - check out this week's question or submit a question about interior design yourself! (get more of a delightful design on twitter!)
• rosy + tart is giving away a $25 giftcard to modcloth.  Hello spring shopping!  Enter the giveaway and check out her spring picks right away! (get more of rosy + tart on twitter!)
• undeniable style is paying homage to style icon jane birkin.  It's no wonder this lovely lady has one of the most coveted handbags named after her! (get more of undeniable style on twitter!)
• good tots starts a weekly series featuring etsy sellers that carry fun goods for kids... this week's featured seller sells the most adorable Valentine's heart confetti. Must have!
• the hillside home is pulling together inspiration for her great room. I am loving the sophisticated yet cozy blue color she has chosen for her wall.  Check out the whole inspiration on her blog!
• a fashion fixation pulls together a very simple but very stylish outfit for a road-trip. I love the use of a belt here! (get more of a fashion fixation on twitter!)
• yams designs delivers big time inspiration this week... all in black and white (remember last week it was technicolor?).  You have just got to see what she has pulled together! (get more of yams designs on twitter!)
• one hundred inspirations is definitely thinking spring this week... they recreate this fun whitney port look for less than $85!  What a deal!

the IT list is published weekly by jill of the good life for less... for more information on how you can be involved... click here!

happy friday!  

xo. di.

p.s. stay tuned for my monthly legends post later today!  it's a good one!

thoughtful thursdays.

i'd like to write these thoughtful posts when i'm feeling, um, thoughtful.  like today. 

 

this time around, i'm using the extraordinary photographs of alicia bock as the eye candy surrounding my thoughts.  think it adds just a spot of whimsy to the post ;)

recently i've been thinking a lot about how to be the most authentic "me."  

you know how in the happiness project she always comes back around to "be gretchen?!" (what do you mean you still haven't picked this book up?!  hehe).  well, i've got to "be diane." 

the good news?  i've actually come a long way on this in the last couple of years.  so it's been more of a reflection on where i am successful in this "quest" versus where i can become a more authentic version of myself.

 

i've started to notice that there are two areas where i need to pay more attention to who i am and what i want to be.  

the first is in my career.  this isn't exactly a new revelation either, but i've brought it back to the forefront.  i'm young, i'm at the beginning of whatever lies ahead, but that shouldn't stop me from taking active steps toward a fulfilling career now.  

i don't want to get caught just going through the motions.  we spend too much of our lives in our day jobs for that to be worthwhile.

i do not necessarily want to stay in my current career path (law) for the rest of my life, but that does not mean that i shouldn't try to find the most meaningful way to spend my time while i'm in it.  i can still find the "me" in there.      

 

the second area of focus is right here on the blog.  many of the blogs i look up to and love most attended the altitude design summit last weekend, and through their tweets and their recaps (some favorites: oh, hello friend, design*sponge, creature comforts, marta writes, old sweet song, sarah jane studios blog, twig and thistle), i gleaned bits of advice i can apply right here. 

advice like knowing yourself.  knowing your readers.  knowing your sources and making sure to give them the credit they deserve.  

i plan to do all these things as i work harder to be the best "me" there is on a spot of whimsy.

 

thinking about "me"  sounds a little (ok a lot) narcissistic, but, in this case, it is in a way intended to benefit others.    

let's go back to the happiness project: "one of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself." -p. 147.  

so being happy with who i am - be diane - has the benefit of making others around me happier too.  

seems pretty worthwhile to me!  what do you think?  do you sometimes struggle at being "you" in all areas of life?  you don't have to comment, feel free to just think about it yourself.

and while we're hovering around the subject of knowing your readers, do you like thoughtful posts?  or should i keep the self-reflection to the pages of my journal?    

xo. di.

*images via alicia bock's etsy shop

giveaway!

as promised, i am hosting my very first giveaway here on the blog in honor of my reaching 100 fabulous followers!  

when i started thinking about what i wanted to give, i wanted it to reflect myself, my blog, and what my readers would want.  i finally settled on giving the winner a choice between a year subscription to either martha stewart living or real simple, two magazines i love and both of which serve up a whole lot of inspiration in my life. 

after the winner is selected, i will contact that person about which of these 2 magazines he or she would prefer to receive.  if you already have a subscription to both, don't let that stop you from entering - i'll just pay for a 1-year renewal instead!

how to enter:

1.  leave a comment on this post and tell me what magazine or book most inspires 

you in your daily life.  include your email address so i can notify the winner!

2.  tweet about the giveaway (include my twitter - @aspotofwhimsy - in the tweet, 

and then leave another comment right here telling me you did.

3.  become a follower of a spot of whimsy and tell me you did by leaving another comment.  

if you are already a follower, then just comment to tell me that too!

entries close on sunday, january 30, 2011 at 5 p.m. central time.  winner will be selected through a random number generator and will be notified on monday, january 31! 

good luck!

xo. di.  

*i'm not receiving anything for hosting this giveaway.  i chose these 2 magazines myself and will be purchasing the subscription for my winner myself. 

this & that: january.

my "this and that"  monthly series is a place for me to share all of those miscellaneous pictures i've collected over the past month, both mine and others i've found around the interwebs.

discovered. 

 {via poppytalk} 

  {via strikes our fancy 1, 2} 

 {via hip hip hooray!}

 {via pretty things}

taken.
 

 {snow fall in chicago}

{stitch 'n' bitch knitting night with a bff}

xo. di.

*all images from my personal collection unless otherwise noted

ethereal.

ignoring her most recent fashion don't, michelle williams usually has an easy grace on the red carpet (see: this).  that same quality was exquisitely captured in these photos of her by tony duran for angeleno magazine.

light and delicate.  angelic, even. 

xo. di.

*images via who what wear

grateful: week 40

inspired by my reading of the happiness project by gretchen rubin, i am instituting monday "gratitude" posts (read here for more detail), where i will list "3 things i'm grateful for" from the previous week.

the 3 things i'm grateful for this week are:

1) january's organizational projects continue to progress!

2)  a picture is worth a thousand words:

i know many blogs have a lot more than 100 followers, but i am amazed that more than just myself reads what i write here each day.  so thank you to each and every one of you!  details on my first giveaway coming later this week!

3)  i attended not one but two fabulous birthday celebrations this weekend. 

 

{me + the birthday girl}

 

 {high tea at the drake hotel for birthday celebration #1}

this week's blog love:

• a glimpse of glamour introduced me to the notebook doodles, a lovely and inspirational little blog.
• the creative place is already checking in with our 2011 resolutions and tips on an "idea journal" - i want one!
• in honor of the bf's vibrant hair color, here's wolf and willow's ginger lovely flickr post, hehe!
• my dear alaina of live creating yourself, i want to live in soft blue whispers too! 
• lanalou style introduced me to windsor smith's room-in-a-box online decorating tool.  genius.
• the rue mag blog paired golden globes fashion with rooms to match - so fun!
• such a cute little post on design*sponge on home remedies for fending off a cold or flu!

here's to another grateful week.

xo. di.

*images from my personal collection