things I love today: instagram edition

since getting my new iPhone, I have been more of an instagram addict than ever! here are a few of my favorite shots over the past week from people I follow. many of these talented people also have blogs. those that I know, I put below each photo for you reading pleasure.


to start, I have to show you two photos from Claire, aka frenchforcupcake—

I love following her because she is always posting her amazing cupcake creations for her business, Lily Pink Bakery. you can always expect something new and delicious-looking. I only wish I lived in Belfast so I could savor a taste.

and I couldn't resist sharing this. how cute is this little sausage? it's Claire's dog, Lola. now do you see why I had to share two?

>>>Claire's blog<<<

next, an adorable photo from Elsie, aka elsiecake. how cute is her pug, Suki?

>>>Elsie & Emma's blog<<<

I recently started following alice_gao. if you love food photography, interesting landscapes, and all things beautiful, definitely give her a look.

ah, truelane. these posts wouldn't be complete without a photo from Chelsea. she sometimes posts these mirrored photos that I find so interesting! plus, she's so fashionable, it's pretty much impossible for her to take a boring shot. I have to figure out how she does it!

>>>Chelsea's blog<<<

I also really, really enjoy sandrajuto's feed. her photos often make appearances in my favorites. lots and lots of food and lovely landscapes like this one :)

>>>Sandra's blog<<<

what's not to love in this photo by stylebook? contrasting colors and patterns get me every time.

>>>Marissa's blog<<<

next is this little gem from Juliette, aka spirson. she posts lots of photos of her awesome dog, but the POV is what I love about this one.

I have always been envious of people who are able to execute the perfect self-portrait. Kinsey of sincerelykinsey is such a talented photographer, and this self-portrait she took is just perfect.

>>>Kinsey's blog<<<

I also recently started following simpleffects's feed. I think it was the simplicity of her photos that drew me in. plus, these studded CTs are pretty awesome.

the last photo comes to you from Beca, aka tumbleweedshc. how amazingly cute is this wooden spoon??? Beca and her husband Doug own a small business. they design and create amazingly beautiful wood veneer sunglasses. occasionally, Beca will post something else that Doug has created, such as this wooden spoon. isn't it the best? I'm in love with it!

>>>Beca's (former) blog<<<

and if you want, you can follow me, though I can't promise that I will be able to entertain you better than any of these ladies :)

too late?

photo © Amy Rice on etsy

 I was recently inspired by a post by Kinsey.

Kinsey's words are all of my recent worries and fears. when I think about how I'm 25, sometimes I want to cry. I feel like I haven't accomplished what I would have wanted to accomplish by this point in my life.

then, as if I was meant to, I read a post by Shabby Apple. it was about Julia Child, and how she didn't learn to cook until she was in her 30s, and how it's not too late to try something new, and change your path.

I guess since I've graduated, Ive been scared that I'm going to grow too old before I truly feel happy with what I'm doing. I hope that's not the case.

things I love today: instagram edition

I "liked" a lot of photos on Instagram over the past week or two. here are a few of my favorites:

what a cute sweatshirt emmaredvelvet is wearing! you may recognize Emma from the blog she shares with her sister Elsie, A Beautiful Mess. you may recognize the sweatshirt from Hello Apparel. it just makes me smile! I would love to have something like this :) and Emma wears it so well.

truelane, aka Chelsea, of Zipped is always putting together outfits that make me swoon. not to mention her photos of delightful coffee, baked goods, and daily life. she's the best, and so is this "grandma sweater." :)

another Chelsea. this time, it's seablanket. her photos are always lovely and interesting, and this one is just so whimsical.

I love every, every, every one of sandrajuto's photos. sandra's blog and IG account are full of the most beautiful photos. you should check her out if you love exceptional photography. especially if you love food photography!

Zoe of ladybirdlikes shares her inspiration wall for her lookbook photoshoot. posts like this always fascinate me. organization freaks (like me), eat your heart out!

I adore tattoos. I especially adore Carly's tattoo. the design, the placement; it's so perfect. plus, she is an amazing artist. visit Carly's instagram, imapuffin, for a peek into her life. you won't regret it!

I have been using Chantelle's photo-a-day prompts for months now. she has inspired me out of many a photography lull, and she continues to do so. she posts her favorite 4 photos DAILY for each prompt, as well as her own photos. plus, since studying abroad in Australia, I have a soft spot for Aussies :) visit her blog, instagram, facebook page; you can't go wrong.

I have always adored Sarah's photography and art. she always seems to be on an adventure, and the second best thing to being there alongside her is to live vicariously. both Sarah's blog and instagram are filled with lovely, breathtaking photos, and unique art. plus, her dog Boo Radley is pretty darn cute too.

last but certainly not least, an old friend of mine, enjeibee. Nick and I used to work at a pub together while going to college. I had no idea that we had so much in common until I started following his instragram and ChicagoNow feature, Hoppy Times. craft beer, big cities, good food. if only I had known sooner. Nick, you're doing an amazing job. I love your photos, and I hope you're loving life as much as it seems!

aren't all of these photos beautiful? what instragram photos are you loving lately? if you have an account, comment with your username, or follow me @sofia_maria!

blog improvements

when I'm looking for new blogs to follow, I do sort of a quick scroll through the first page of their most recent entries, and if I like what I see, I follow them.

the thing is, it got me thinking about my own blog. does it have direction? do my entries interest my readers? do I post often enough? will people who scroll through my blog subscribe to my posts?

yeah, a lot of the answers were 'no.' this year, I would like to improve this blog. I would like to take more photos, make more regular entries, and make my posts more focused on particular topics. there are a lot of good posts out there by other bloggers about how to begin to do this; I just have to find them.

I have already given my blog a little facelift, and I've been posting more regularly on my photo blog, thanks to Chantelle's photo-a-day challenges, so I'm at least headed in the right direction. right?