i ♥ IG

I have been loving instagram more and more since getting an iPhone 5 just before Christmas (thanks mom & dad!), and being able to play with a bunch of new apps.

some of my faves are AfterLight, VSCO, XnView Fx, and of course the new photo app from the lovely ladies over at A Beautiful Mess.

I also love, love love Chantelle's (aka fatmumslim) photo prompts. they are so inspiring and fun! not only do they encourage me to take photos every day, but they challenge me to interpret the prompt in a number of different ways, and maybe gain some new perspectives. AND to my absolute surprise, Chantelle has featured two of my photos on her instagram account in the past couple weeks. how amazing is that? twice I logged into instagram to find way more notifications than I'm used to (which is anything more than 5, ha!) to find that she had shared my photos. I'm being super nerdy about it, but I was just so excited! what an amazing lady!

if you have instagram, you should totes leave your username in a comment and I will check out your feed. or check mine out! my username is sofia_maria. happy gramming!

things I love today: instagram faves

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ps- did you know that Chelsea was recently featured in Verily magazine? too cool!

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things I ♥ today: instagram round-up

Sarah, aka @alostfeather, celebrated her dog, Boo's, birthday. how sweet is that?

love this photo of a snowy nyc by Sharon, aka @cacahuete_sr

stunning shot by @cadencemeeks. I love the flowers, and the creativity in the gradation.

such cute little plush puppies! photo by @elsiecake, but crafted by @sleepy_king!

our sweet friends' little girl with her grandpa. isn't she so posh? ;) photo by @keegane

MUST try this breakfast. thanks for the lovely photo and foodie inspiration, @laylalay

love the softness in this shot by @lindsaycrandall. the meaning behind it is interesting as well. part of #fmsphotoaday.

such beautiful flowers by Danni, aka @ohhellofriend. I wish I knew where I could see this many beauties.

Kaylah, aka, @thedaintysquid always has such amazing collections

and Janee, aka @yellowbirdyellowbeard, shares a beautiful photo of some pink tulips. I love the contrast with the white background

you can follow me on instagram here!

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 :)

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!