“I just wanna make a home with this woman.” — Tyler Stockton

There could never be enough words for the pictures or pictures for the stories, but here’s an attempt.

From opening a studio to moving my home, to finding home in another – 2011 was a year for stretching and hope and excitement like none other. Hard decisions and lessons learned and long talks at our tree by the river with thanks and goodness in it all.

I left Virginia 15 times for trips around the world and still can’t believe I’m this fortunate. Mexico, Scotland, England, Puerto Rico, British Virgin Islands, Tennessee, Florida, California, and a few states in between.

This is the work I’d hoped to do, and now it’s somehow real.

Narrowing down a year of stories for this post was so much more difficult than I expected, like being forced to choose a favorite child. I tried to see it less as favorites and more as a focused collection. Focused on what I’m most proud of, and what I hope to do more of.

I’m forever grateful to the dear-hearts who trusted my work and opened their beautiful lives with kindness, and I hope you enjoy!

Look slowly, share if you like, and know that I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you.

Much love.

]]> http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/lights-a-power-line/feed/ 6 http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/4724/ http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/4724/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:02:20 +0000 Rebekah http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/4724/

Well, it’s happened.

The realities of responsible adulthood have stepped in and decided things with / without the consent of my irrational optimism.

Largest and most significant – giving up my studio.

( next week. )

I’ve had it for exactly a year, and its purpose has changed a lot since we began. My darling friend Carrie and I originally opened it together as a shared workspace for our businesses and client meetings, (you can see our in-progress here, and the finished post here!) and it was the proudest and happiest venture I could imagine. I loved getting to plan and decorate our little work-home together; collecting furniture from local antique stores and winning all sorts of frequent buyer club awards at the paint store.

Then sad things happened, and Carrie and her husband moved to California for his work. They are loved by so many here and the Wedgewood quite misses its Collective.

In the spring I had a happy girl named Beth start working for me, and then over summer I moved in with my two brothers. It’s a pretty homeplace where there’s always an xbox controller in the kitchen and a soccer ball in the bathroom and I love what close friends we are. Last month I started noticing we have a bright office-sized room that’s going to waste, which brings me to now.

Knowing that Old Town Leesburg is too difficult a drive for most of my DC/MD clients, plus the fact that I’ve already booked all my weddings for next year, (and not to mention office rent hurts after a while) it just makes sense to move my office back to my home. I’m refusing to consider this a failure, more a smart decision for the next step of my life and work.

Even though I know all the reasons why, it’s of course difficult to leave. I’ve loved getting to walk around these creaky wood floors and see people enjoy the hard work put into making it beautiful.

It was a place of my own made possible by people in love believing in something I did.

I guess that’s changing, but not really. A Collective is more than a building, and accomplishments don’t need an address.

Huge thanks to everyone who helped and visited and loved it as much as I have…now you can just stop by my house instead!

(thanks Beth!)

Beth is just the greatest. And then I splatter painted new note cards today, which always makes me happy. I’m reallyreallyreally loving this set!

Anyways, so that’s a little update on my life. It’s been the busiest year of travels and changes and I’m so excited for a few slower months to catch up and catch my breath. Some other (happier!) changes are coming soon and I can’t wait to show you all. xo!

]]> http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/the-end-of-loudoun-street/feed/ 10 http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/lauren-aaron-annapolis-eastern-shore-wedding/ http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/lauren-aaron-annapolis-eastern-shore-wedding/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:27:07 +0000 Rebekah http://www.rebekahjmurrayblog.com/?p=4593

Ah!

On a rainy gray-ish day like today, getting to look at this wedding again is just the happy I needed.

It was full of brights and bests; the day’s perfect summer light split between the classic formality of the Naval Academy and the casual elegance of a vacation home in the country. Carrie at Fleurish Events and Lauren put their genius creativity to its best use, and I can’t imagine guests appreciating their efforts more for that splendid night under the stars and tree-strung lights.

Ever since Lauren and Aaron’s engagement session last year I’d been especially looking forward to their wedding. They’re just the kind of fun people everyone likes to know, and HEYYY YAAAAA, now finally married, they’re even cooler than bein’ cool.

Here’s proof!

How sweet are their invitations? They were designed by Jen Olmstead (even the illustration!) and looked amazing.

favorite.

thanks to Sarah for exploring the Academy with the men!

the Academy Chapel!

PS!

This wedding was also just happily published on Elizabeth Anne Designs, so go check it out there too.

Finding love is finding home.

I do love a good exit : )

I don’t even know where to start with these two.

They’re the stylish kind of people who proudly arrive at a photo shoot with a flask, my new nickname, a habit of collecting stumps from the side of the road and enough stories and love letters to turn the evening into the dearest sort of beautiful.

Despite our planned locations being closed we still such a marvelous time, because that’s what they do. They’re make-the-best-of-it kind of people, no matter the years (and years) or oceans between.

I’m thrilled they’re finally home together, and Joe and I can’t wait for their wedding next summer and all our double dates in between.

xo!