Meg Fee's Heart.

hi lovies! i just got back from wichita falls on Saturday and then had to go back to work Sunday. While i'm spending my day off unpacking and cleaning, i thought i'd give my readers an extra treat with one more "heart." I think you're going to like this heart, it's a good heart. xo Micaela

micaela was one of the first ladies i was attracted to in the crazy and wonderful world of blogging. we began around the same time--you can find me at the wild and wily ways of a brunette bombshell--and it has been such a joy to watch her flourish and grow--to marry the love of her life and honor that commitment each day in such a joyous and bold way.

i was so honored when she asked me to participate in this series and i only hope that what offer lives up to the all the wonderful women who have shared their hearts before me.

so here goes nothing...


a picture: 

this picture was taken this last summer by one of my oldest friends and good lord was he making me laugh!

i've struggled a lot over the years with having my photo taken, but this has to be one of my favorites. because it's so not about vanity. i look at that photo and think, yeah, i'm happy there. and because i look at it and see that i'm happy, i then look and fall in love with my veiny forehead, my mole-peppered arms, and the way my nose crinkles when i snort.


a poem:

a song:

(so hard to choose, but this go round, let's go with this one)

a quote:

I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once. 

John Green

an item of clothing:

i got this rain coat when i was fifteen and about to head out on a two week tour of munich, salzburg, and then lucerne. over the years it has weathered quite a bit with me. i almost threw it out just a few years ago-- it was looking a little worn, but i couldn't bring myself to do it. there's too much history there. and thing is, end of the day, when it's raining, it still does the job.

a place: 

i don't have a picture for this one, so bear with me. a place? well, i'm in park city, utah right now. slowly, over time this place has begun to feel like home. it is a respite. a haven. the place i came as a child with my family and fell in love with the mountains. where i learned to ski and learned the power of the sport. now as my parents toy with idea of one day settling here, i find myself rooting for this, because it already feels like home. there are roots to this place. but really, the end of the day, home--a place--is with people. and family, well, that's all there is.

but when all else fails and i'm feeling a little blue...i'll take a bathtub any day of the week!

tub image

Bethany's Heart.

Hello, Micaela-lovers! I'm Bethany, and I write about my daily life over at Rinse. Repeat.. I'm so happy that our girl Micaela is off enjoying herself...she's one of the loveliest girls around and certainly deserves it! Selfishly, I'm even more elated to be doing a bit of filling in here at Dolce Vita. :) Without further ado, let me show you my heart:


My heart in a photo:

(photo by Flory Photo)

My husband and I on our wedding day...December 31, 2011. We had a teeny, tiny surprise wedding that was planned in eight weeks, from two different countries. It was insane and beautiful...nothing I ever thought my wedding day would be, and yet so much more.

...in a poem:

I must confess: I am not a lover of poetry. (Please don't hate me forever.) That said, I have to go with this Irish blessing. I met my husband on a trip to Ireland, so it's close to my heart:

You are the star of each night,
You are the brightness of every morning,
You are the story of each guest,
You are the report of every land

....
You are the kernel of my heart,
You are the face of my sun,
You are the harp of my music,
You are the crown of my company

...in a song:



...in a quote:

"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." Oscar Wilde.

I truly believe that discovering who you really are...and accepting it...is one of life's greatest joys and struggles! Perhaps you never fully achieve it...but I like to think it's possible.

...in an item of clothing:

Glitter + ballet flats. Does a better combo exist? Perhaps peanut butter and jelly. That aside, both glitter and ballet flats are a part of my day-to-day life. So when the two came together? Well, it was me to a tee. :)


...in a place:

Paris, Paris, Paris. I took this photo from the top of the Arc de Triomphe...I walked down that road just minutes before getting engaged, and I was completely clueless. Paris will always been ingrained in my heart!

Courtney's Heart.

Bonjour, everyone!

My name is Courtney and I reside over at Kitten Roar! I’m a writer, student, and pastry slinger here in Chicago, IL. I’m happy in love, a mother to the cutest cat in this city, and never without a book or my journal. I was so excited when Micaela asked me to guest post and ‘show my heart’ while she’s out of town to visit her twin for their birthday. I’ve loved her blog for quite a while now, and isn’t she just the sweetest woman around?

A Photo


A Poem
Remember that you are Venus,
A smoldering bundle of birth and
baptismal embers but that sound and fury
should stay in your hip pockets and canals
until you are called for industry,
until we need your smoke stacks and machine parts
to start pumping with usefulness.
We need you in the piece by piece stage,
connecting breast to navel to legs to ankles
to feet slipping into stilettos
to click clack across floor
in the mating call of your generation.
-An excerpt from Girl: Exploded by Lauren Zuniga

A Song

“As Tall As Cliffs” by Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s. This band is my number one favorite band (I even have a tattoo in honor of them.) I saw them for the first time with one of my best friends a day before my 18th birthday, and this song is what they played for an encore. It was one of the best encores I had ever seen, and it was so fun (watching this video will give you a great taste of what this band is like) and I can’t talk enough about this band. This song will forever hold a fond memory for me.

A Quote


An Item of Clothing

This great 75 cent Mackinac Bridge sweatshirt I got in Detroit. Being from Michigan, it’s an awesome, cheesy way to remind me where I’m from.


A Place

Paris! I have never been, but I have been enamored with it for as long as I can remember. I’ve studied the French language, I’ve read about the culture, and the city, and I have made it a goal to live there for at least 6 months by the time I am 30 (I’ve got 10 years!)

Thank you all for taking a peek into my heart. Micaela, I hope you are having the best time being home with your twin! Have a great day everyone, xo.

Katie's Heart.

I'd like to say thanks to sweet Micaela for asking me to guest post! After years of following her blog, and experiencing all the real and raw moments, I'm very honored to oblige. 


A little about me: 
In the past 6 months I: moved to India for an internship, worked as a social worker in the slums of Mumbai, contracted typhoid fever, lost 30 lbs (ask me about my new typhoid fever diet plan!), saw the Taj Mahal, saw Mt. Everest at dawn, came home to my family in San Antonio, graduated with a master's degree in Social Work, got engaged to my favorite person in the world, and after 2.5 years of being long distance, moved with him to Houston for a month-long drug trial to combat a mutation in his Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Next week we're moving back to Dallas to start our future together, leukemia struggles and bridezilla moments included.


My heart in a photo... 

Austin City Limits Music Festival 2010 

This blurry, sweaty picture with my fiancé symbolizes everything in my heart - laughter, love, family, friendship, happiness, and thankfulness. I am so thankful for every single minute God gives us together. 

in a song...

The Cure - Just Like Heaven

"Spinning on that dizzy edge, I kissed her face and kissed her head, and dreamed of all the different ways I had to make her glow" This song has always just spoken to me. I love it. Lovelovelove it. 



in a quote...
“Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd be truly dead.” - Joss Whedon

The top of the world at dawn

I regretted not going abroad (I was that girl who didn't want to leave her boyfriend) as an undergraduate and promised myself if I ever got the chance again I'd do it - no matter what. That passion never left me, and last semester I was the first student in my grad program to study abroad. 

an item of clothing...

Living in super-hot Texas, my favorite item of clothing definitely has to be summer dresses! They are airy and so easy to wear:

I clearly lack nice self-portraits... Busted checking myself out at IKEA.

a place...

My little girl dream was always to live in Paris and be a red-lipped, coffee-drinking, making-out-with-my-husband, art-loving Parisienne. In 2008, I spent two weeks traveling around Paris, practicing my french, taking pictures and sketching (i.e. butchering beautiful pieces of art) at the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay. I have never felt the need to sketch before this trip, but just being in this historic place made me want to capture every single moment with my hands... these little snapshots of my dreams coming true.  

Tillie's Heart.

Oh hello you lovely Dolce Vita readers! Tillie here from The Poppy Creative keeping the seat warm for the beautiful Miss Micaela while she is off celebrating her birthday with her family back home. Micaela and I have built a sweet little friendship over the last few years, sharing in our love of the sweetest things in life {Jack Daniels, Elvis Presley, Sweet Tunes and Red Lipstick} and I am so glad to call her my friend and was so honoured when she asked if I would do a wee guest post on her precious little slice of the internet. Ok ok, enough of the mush! Here is a little sneak peek into my heart...

{A photo - me and my two best friends on the way to see the best band of all time. *swoon*}

{A poem - Ok so I cheated a little bit, but I really wanted to share my favourite song lyrics. Wish you were here - Incubus. I swear this guy is one of the most incredible lyricists of our time.}

{A song - Alexisonfire - Get Fighted. I can remember the first time I heard this song. The lyrics in this song are incredible. Especially the bridge. 'My greatest gift to you, is a dance floor. Free from Insecurity."}

{A quote - Something to remember, because life is short.}

{An item of clothing - this is one of my favourite dresses to wear, its cute, its fun and it was $4!}

{A Place - My bedroom. Its my creative hub, its where I get things done, and best of all its where I sleep. Mmmm. Sleep!}



Well! That's me! Thank you sweet readers for letting me share a little piece of me with you. I can't wait to meet some of you a little better! And thank you to the sweet sweet birthday girl for having me stay. Until next time, In blogging love. Tillie xx

Jo's Heart.

Hello Dolce Vita readers!  My name is Jo, and I can be found over at jobozarth.com.

I was so excited when the lovely Micaela asked me to be a part of her "show your heart"

guest post series while she's home for her birthday! 

I live in Los Angeles with my boyfriend, Avi, and our adorable dog, Fernando.  

You could say that Avi and I work together...he's a director/writer, and I'm an actor. 

We do get the opportunity to collaborate quite often.  He says that when we're on set is

the only chance he gets to boss me around.  ;)

I also love to illustrate, and have a little etsy shop.  

Here is my heart:

A picture:  This was taken on Christmas morning, while my nephews were still in pj's.  

Warm fuzzies for sure!  I adore these guys!

A poem:  This was my valentine to Avi this year.

A song:  One of the songs my mom used to sing to me when I was a baby.  

A quote:  I love this quote so much, I put it on one of my illustration prints.  

An item of clothing:  This is one of my dad's sweaters.  He passed away some years ago, 

and any time I feel especially lonesome for him, I put on this sweater.  

It is instant comfort, warmth, and love to me.  

A place:  This is the door to the apartment I share with my love.  

It represents everything that is safe and good.

Thank you for taking the time to take a peek into my heart!

And to Micaela, safe travels and a Very Happy Birthday!!

Amanda's Heart.

Hi Dolce Vita Peeps :)

I'm Amanda from Itchin' Stitchin'. My blog is usually filled with cute little ramblings about my three children, peachy crafty bits, photos of my lively life, and little trinkets that go into my shop. I met the lovely Micaela through an Etsy swap. Both our hearts have a soft spot for those amazing thrifty vintage finds, and this is why she is my vintage soul sister. While I wish I lived just a bit closer so I could make her a cake to celebrate her birthday (mailed birthday cake just doesn't sound as yummy), I hope this little piece of my heart is just as sweet.

A Picture:

My favorite picture of my children.

A Poem:

♥ Reminds me of my own marriage (together for 11yrs)

A Song:

A Quote:

From my favorite book and one of the best movies

An Item of Clothing:

My bright yellow coat that keeps winter cheerful.

A Place:

We will be moving here soon - Salem, MA

♥Warm Wishes♥

Lauren's Heart.

hi lovies!!!


while i'm home in Wichita Falls, TX enjoying family time (including celebrating my birthday with my twin), some of my favorite friends are blog-sitting my dolce vita in a guest series called, "showing our hearts."  A new one will be posted every week day until i get back in town on March 10th. I'm really excited! they're all pretty hearts and it's such a fun, simple way to get to know another blogger better. 


dear readers, i hope you enjoy each post starting with the very first one today from the ever lovely lauren nicole. love, micaela xo

A Picture : 

My best friend, Stephen, recently moved to Portland. And it's been tough not having his crazy, silly, lovely energy and personality around. He's been busy trying to find a job and getting settled in, so we haven't had the chance to chat; AKA, I miss him. But anyway, these photos is from his going away party last week and I put them together because I like how they look next to one another, don't you? He's one of my favorite people and our hearts are so similar. Not including him in this post would be just plain odd.

A Poem : 

Can you lie next to her
and give her your heart, your heart?
As well as your body
And can you lie next to her
and confess your love, your love?
As well as your folly
And can you kneel before this king
and say "I’m clean", "I’m Clean"?

- Excerpt from 'White Blank Page', by Mumford and Sons.

Even though it's not a poem, Mumford and Sons' lyrics read and sound to me just like poems. If you've ever heard their music, you know just how beautiful and poetry-like it is. Marcus Mumford is a lyrical genius and really puts all his heart into what he writes.

A Song :


Florence And The Machine and Laura Marling are two of my favorite artists/singer-songwriters. along with lovely Mumford and Sons up there. Both of these women have written songs that make my heart swell and my soul grow. I couldn't possibly choose just one of them to represent my heart. Each of these songs are up there in my favorites of Florence and Marling, because I could not possibly have just one favorite from both of them. Why I love both these songs? I can't even put words to why I love both of them, so just listen and you'll see! 


Quote:

"Unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God." - Kurt Vonnegut
 

"Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been." - Alan Alda
 

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is wasted." - Unknown
 

"I'm impossible to forget, but I'm hard to remember." - Elizabethtown

"There is nothing more artistic than to truly love people." - Van Gogh

"the world bursts at the seams with people ready to tell you you're not good enough. on occasion' some may be correct. but do not do their work for them. seek any job; ask anyone out; pursue any goal. don't take it personally when they say "no" - they may not be smart enough to say "yes"." - keith olbermann

"Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." - Franklin P. Jones
 

{Just like my soul sister Caela, I love quotes, so there's no way I could have picked just one!}

An Item of Clothing:

After I lost 60+ pounds last summer, I was able to wear a lot more of the kinds of clothing I like. Unfortunately, I don't have too many photos of myself in my favorite articles of clothing. I have a favorite yellow dress, two green dresses and several skirts. But telling you doesn't help, now does it? Well, I've fallen in love a lot more with shoes in the past 6ish months or so and these are only a couple pairs that I love. I need to take some photos of the heels I've been buying and wearing lately, they are super cute! Stop by my blog someday, I think a shoe post is in order.

A Place: 

My beau's house feels like home. Or wherever he is for that matter. He's one of my best friends and wherever he is feels like somewhere I should be too.

ready for some family time!

following Bethany's cute idea to become more travel-saavy, i labeled my toiletries with doilies, washi tape, and glitter. i realize i'm going to my parent's house so i don't really need to bring my usual hair stuff, but lately my skin has been out of control. I thought i better bring my sensitive face wash/moisturizer or i fear what my face will look like when i get back.

i can't wait for family time! i'm catching a plane in the morning {prayers for safe travels please!} and will land at DFW around 1 p.m. where my twinkie and her husband will meet me at the arrivals gate (such a happy place!). The last time i was home was in july, so i can't wait to soak up all the time i can get with my family.

Like last time, i've asked my favorite ladies (and friends) to blog-sit. Not only will you get to meet some of my very favorite reads, you'll see why i adore them so.

i decided to give them instructions from the last series of guest posts on my dolce vita: "With as much creativity as you can muster, show your heart in:a picture, a poem, a song (or piece of music), a quote, an item of clothing, and a place." 


starting tomorrow through March 10th, stay tuned each day to see beautiful hearts and please say hello to each fabulous girl visiting. xo