At the beginning of every month, I plan to write a short post covering what I accomplished in the previous month and what I hope to accomplish in the next one. I’ll also introduce you to one of my 101 in 1001 buddies (see them all in the sidebar!). Here we go!

May 2011: 6/101 goals complete, 22/101 goals in progress

Did I complete…
— No. 57: Memorize another favorite poem? Almost there! Just a few lines left to go…

Did I begin…
— No. 39: Explore two more states/regions I’ve never been to? YES! I visited Charleston for about two and a half days. It was humid!
— No. 87: Learn a new form of dance every year? Very sadly, no. John didn’t get out of work in time to make it to the shagging class :(
— No. 96: Read my thesis? Yep!

Did I continue…
— No. 98: Read the entire Chronicles of Narnia series? Nope, didn’t get to this one, but I did read Little Bee by Chris Cleave and Catching Fire by Susan Collins, and I’m currently reading The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obrecht. All great!

I was able to keep up with all of my monthly commitments (nos. 5, 7, 16, and 48). I should also note that I completed goal no. 25, which was to buy a car! Does that mean I’m a real grownup now?!

Photo by Tim Walker via Matchbook Mag’s Tumblr

June 1, 2011: 7/101 goals complete, 25/101 goals in progress

I am looking at a very busy month, so I’m going to keep it simple for June.

Plan to complete:
— No. 20: Can or pickle some sort of vegetable
— No. 30: Try an unusual type of milk (raw, almond, soy, or otherwise)
— No. 70: Consult with a calligrapher and then buy real calligraphy supplies

Plan to begin:
— No. 53. Email an Adam Hamilton sermon to someone who might be interested

June Spotlight: Ellie of Yankee Born, Southern Bred and A Wink and a Smile

You can catch up with Ellie’s progress on her goals here! My five favorites she’s undertaking…

— No. 1: Say “yes” on five occasions I would otherwise say “no.” (So far, she’s allowed herself to be set up on a date and rode on a motorcycle!)
— No. 2: Throw a surprise party.
— No. 3: Sew a dress. (A recent goal of mine, too, having just come across this post.)
— No. 4: Eliminate all clothing that hasn’t been worn in six months.
— No. 5: Find and buy the elusive navy blue prep blazer.

In the meantime, you can see the details on all of my goals right here. Here’s to a great month!

Veronica Sheaffer, the talented designer behind the eponymous line of wedding gowns, recently sent me the link to her Autumn 2011 collection, and I had to share. Anyone who remembers this post will know why…

Swiss dot! And lots of it.

I also loved Veronica’s description of her aesthetic:

“Veronica Sheaffer has built a nationwide reputation for classic, feminine gowns and sweet, old-fashioned wedding design… Veronica’s bridal gowns and accessories speak to a bygone era of true femininity and luxury. Only the finest fabrics are used and each piece is the utmost in quality and detailing.”

Check the whole collection out here! Thank you for sharing, Veronica!

My apologies for two local-based posts in a row, but I wanted to share another neat place we visited this weekend! Market Imports is located at the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh, and it’s full of treasures. Mostly too-expensive-for-Emily’s-budget treasures, but fun to browse, regardless. Here are some of the items that caught my eye…

I think this metal cabinet would be perfect in a craft room! ($395)

There were so many jars! They kind of looked like these ones from Pottery Barn, and at $26-$44 a pop depending on size, not too bad of a price. I’m sad I didn’t leave with one.

I liked the number tags on these little galvanized pails. ($9.50 each)

This would be the perfect stool for beside a bed or sofa. ($95)

The Coast Guard daughter in me loved this life preserver ring. I don’t have a great feel for what these typically go for, but I thought the price of $45 was pretty reasonable.

This bottle dryer, on the other hand, definitely seemed overpriced at $255, but I liked it anyway.

This guy would be cute next to a sofa, as well, or on a patio. ($265)

This teal lantern was missing a pane of glass and so was marked 40% off from its original price of $59. I was dissuaded from bringing it home, but one of you Carolina gals should go snatch it up!!

Favorite find of the day? These copper lanterns, $89 each.

Do you have a favorite antique shop near you?

Do y’all have somewhere near you that shows outdoor summer movies? We do, and I love them! The Koka Booth Ampitheatre in Cary, NC is such a beautiful space. The grounds are very well kept up, and it’s right by a lake, so there’s a cool breeze on even the hottest nights (a huge relief in the Carolina heat!). They show recently released movies on most Thursdays in the summer for just $3 a ticket! John and I went to see The Social Network on Thursday.

One of my favorite parts? They let you bring in food and coolers, but they also have a neat row of independent vendors selling treats if you don’t feel like packing it in. We brought cobb salad from home, effectively checking off two items on my summer to do list in one go.

Locals, check out the rest of the summer’s movie schedule here!