you are beautiful.

if you haven't yet seen the you are beautiful project, please, please go visit the site today. i promise it will make your day better.

here are some words from the project's statement:

the intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization. we're just attempting to make the world a little better.

intention is the most important aspect of the you are beautiful project in its idea of purity. nothing is sacred. everything that has a perceived value becomes commodified. we work extremely hard that this message is received as a simple act of kindness, and nothing more.

basically, the idea behind the project is a group of anonymous people who go around putting up installations with the message "you are beautiful" in public places. and i have to say, this is one of the most beautiful things i've seen in a long time. here are some of my favorite images of the you are beautiful project in action...

click here to see more beautiful photos.

xoxo,

lesley

pay it forward philadelphia

xoxo,

lesley

shopping season

it's that time of year, folks... the time when the idea of setting foot in a shopping mall gives you a migraine.

braving the crowds to hunt for the perfect gift or a festive party dress can be super stressful... so the other day i decided to leave some encouragement for frazzled shoppers.

hopefully my notes helped make someone's holiday shopping experience just a little more bearable :)

xoxo,

lesley

found encouragement... don't worry.

found on olly moss's flickr stream.

xoxo,

lesley

the most wonderful time of the year...

we put our little tinsel christmas tree up last weekend... i love the holidays :)

xoxo,

lesley

a note from my hubby

check out this note my hubby left me on the inside of my car window the other day... isn't he sweet?

xoxo,

lesley

thanksgiving.

happy thanksgiving everyone!

today, take a moment to remember what this day is really all about. it's not about turkey or pumpkin pie or football... it's about giving thanks. let your thanksgiving dinner be a symbol for the abundance in your life, and be thankful for all that you have!

xoxo,

lesley

a note from steph

a while back, my good friend steph sent me a couple cell phone photos of a post-it she left on a train in new york. before tell you about her note, i want to tell you a little bit about my friend.

steph is honestly one of the most amazing people i know. she has had a lot of struggles with her health in the past, but she has managed to turn her life around by committing to a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude. last year, she was chosen as a national spokesperson for the american heart association's go red for women campaign. you may have seen her face on a billboard, or heard her speaking out about the dangers of heart disease on tv! click here to read her inspiring story.

in addition to being an inspiration for women all over the country, steph also happens to be one of the most hilarious people i know. now on to her post-it...

it reads... "2 men walk into a bar. the 3rd one ducks. hahahaha. smile! and have a great day!"

steph - your positivity and sense of humor have brightened many of my days, and i'm sure this little pink post-it helped brighten a stranger's day! thanks for being awesome.

xoxo,

lesley

found encouragement... a love letter for you

according to the city of philadelphia's mural arts project's mission statement, the program aims to "unite artists and communities through a collaborative process... to create art that transforms public spaces and individual lives."

i recently discovered their latest public art project, called love letter, and i am head over heels. the project features a series of murals by stephen powers, which "collectively express a love letter from a guy to a girl, from an artist to his hometown, and from local residents to their west philadelphia neighborhood."

how perfect is that? i can really feel the love that was put into each one of these works of art. the murals are best viewed from the market-frankford elevated transit line... surely they provide a huge dose of encouragement for weary commuters every day!

and of course i couldn't resist this post-it mural...

click here to see more of the love letters murals.

xoxo,

lesley

a note from sara

i recently received an email from sara, who was nice enough to send me a photo of this lovely pink post-it she left at her local library...

it reads, "we are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that death will tremble to take us." - charles bukowski

i love this quote... it makes me want to try to really live each day to the fullest, and seek out the best life possible.  the placement below the shelf of old books is just perfect... it makes me think they are surely filled with thousands more words of wisdom :)

thanks sara!

xoxo,

lesley