Inspiration overload!

4.20.15- 

Whew!  What a couple crazy weeks it's been for this honeybee.  Ever since The Hive, last month, I have been here, there & just about EVERYWHERE! The best thing about traveling, & one thing I know to be true, is that you can be inspired all the time in unexpected ways. When you start looking for inspiration, you for sure find it just about everywhere you look. Thought I would share some things that I snapped with my iphone along the way & tell you what's up next for me & how all this inspiration is going to come in handy, I'm sure. 

So when you travel to the Nation's Capitol there are the "traditional" things to see & be inspired by obviously.  But the surprising thing is what I wasn't expecting to find while traveling through the city.  My 2 youngest were with us on this trip & they discovered a new favorite spot, so much so that we went back 3 times.  They just had to soak it all in, look around & of coarse want everything they saw. 

-These 2 were in heaven with all the clothes in this store.  I loved all the cement, wood, patterns, textures & ideas I saw!-

 Funny that we have a store here but for some reason this Urban Outfitters in Chinatown was uber cool! As I was walking around waiting for them to try on clothes & browse the store.  I couldn't help but be totally inspired for "a project" the hubby & I are undertaking the next couple of months  

{I'll be sharing more about this under a secret code name in the future}

-Geo shapes & pegboards- simple as it gets but really, really neat to look at!-

 Was really drawn to all the wood features, modern industrial feel of the store. Loved the white back ground to all the wood, metal & glass that was around.  Gave me LoTS of ideas for our "secret project" Getting excited just thinking about it.  

 

 Ok, another unexpected gem in DC was going to lunch & couldn't focus on the food.  There was so much eye candy, everywhere!  Wish I could have taken more pictures but I think people would have started talking & wondering what in the world I was doing.  Again,  another very cool industrial space {just something about it that just gets me I guess} Lots of huge glass windows, metal, wood accents & the coolest vintage light fixtures you ever did see!  Loved getting to eat here & if you're traveling back to DC I would highly recommend it.  Yummy comfort food & an amazing atmosphere to dine at.

 One of the first thing I noticed were these ginormous muslin & cotton billowy clouds hanging from the ceiling.  They were actually lite from behind & were simply dreamy to look at.  Our table was right underneath them & I was just smitten by them. 

 Where you sat to wait to be seated they had a library of books to thumb through & look at.  This one immediately caught my eye but again was drawn to the cool shelves it sat on.  Such a great idea.  My daughters & I enjoyed reading the books while we waited during the lunch rush hour for our table.

-Really liked this cute picture book.  Makes you think & appreciate where are food comes from-

Be still my heart!  Oh, if I could have this kind of shelving all through my kitchen I'd love it!  The openness of it, pretty glass jars to display food in. Loved looking at this display.  This wasn't the only one they had, they were everywhere through out the resteraunt.

Loved are time in DC & so much I could show you but I won't bore you, I think you get the idea.  From the cool, dark shades of the East Coast we came home, hopped on a plane & headed to to sunny, bright & hot Phoenix for Spring Break. WoW!  Such a contrast between what we had just seen but being completely inspired in a whole different kind of way.

 We completely lucked out with stumbling upon this great place to eat with amazingly, beautiful bright murals painted all around.  A teenagers playground!  So fun watching these 3 get out there phones, pose here & there, angle their cameras to get just the perfect pic.  Such a fun afternoon that we weren't expecting to happen at all. Thought we were just stopping to grab a bite to eat.  If you're traveling to Phoenix check out the Barrio Cafe.  You won't regret it. Amazing food & terrific local atmosphere, fun to walk around.  Here are just a few pics that I snapped of pretty things that caught my eye.

-I always like to find a 5.-

 I guess we were hungry this trip because I'm sharing so much of the places we ate at.  Funny how things happen like that.  I reached out to my friends on IG & asked for places to go, try, eat & explore while we were here & we got recommended to go eat here.  So glad I asked! 

 Again another really great place with a unique vibe about it.  So fun to look around & see so many things that were inspiring.  Ok, first off this huge palm tree was right above us as we ate, amazing!  I don't know what it was about this particular palm tree but it was just massive & pretty. Such a beautiful canopy to sit underneath.  

Loved the color combo of our booth.  First of all, I grew up in the 70's so the olive green material, hello..... LoVE! Paired with the cement brick & wood simply groovy!

 My girls walked around & discovered an entire wall of cassette tapes!  How cool & artsy is that?  We even had a little history lesson to make sure they knew what they were. {Haha} Another idea that's going to be put to use in the "secret project" coming up. 

Bonus for eating at Windsor is that there is the most adorable little sweet shop connected to it called, Churn.  There is ice cream, cookies & other sweets.  As soon as I walked in, saw cookies displayed on a vintage green cake stand, I knew I would like this place! 

 Just had to try the Salted Chocolate Chunk cookie because it looked so pretty on the cake stand & happy to report that it was gooooooood!  

 All the beautiful things in nature in Arizona inspired me.  Miss Mace & I toured the resorts herb garden & got to see some artichokes growing.  I've never seen the plant before, it's very big.  Fun to see them in their natural element. 

 Even walking down the street was fun to snap pictures off.  I think every city should have the name of where you're at on the side walk or on street covers, you'll always know where you're at. Good thinking, Gilbert!

 Oh, Cactus I think I love you.  These beautiful plants are really amazing!  How they thrive & survive in the elements they do is really remarkable. The things we can learn & apply in our lives from these incredible plants. 

{If you want to know what I'm talking about my cute friend, @Stef_littlefield posted about it on IG, you should head over & read for yourself}

  & well, just because it's never too early to start thinking about decorating for Halloween I snapped this picture at an antique store.  Thought "I'm going to do that, so cute!"  Where I saw this skeleton on display by the counter.  Something to mark, put away & store until October rolls around. 

Thanks for letting me share a bit of my travels with you.  Fun to have a desire to sit down & blog again.  Excited to reveal more about my "secret project"  & more inspiration behind it with all of you.  Now, I've got to get to work so I can update the H&H Shop over on IG.  

{@shophollyhocksandhoneybees}

Have a terrific Monday!

{M}