the button hole

five-sies!

2012-01-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

1 // Raspberry Chia Kombucha -- so delish! I find myself regularly craving this wonderful elixir. Chia seeds are said to give you tons of energy, they're also omega-3 rich and full of fiber. This week, I've taken to drinking about 1/4 of a bottle (16 ounces) in the morning, and I love it! What's Kombucha? Basically, it's tea that contains bacteria and active enzymes. Learn about it here and here.

2 // Whole Foods' frozen wheat grass shots. I'll be honest, they don't taste quite as good as a fresh wheat grass shot. But I love the convenience.

3 // Vitamin C Facial Serum by Avalon Organics. Vitamin C protects against sun-aging and free radicals, it also collagen production. I feel like my skin is glowing when I use this stuff regularly.

4 // Red nails! The 49ers are in the playoffs, and I've had a blast getting into the team spirit (I was even lucky enough to go to the playoff game versus the Saints -- we had halftime field passes! More on that later.). Naturally, team spirit includes red nails. I usually stick with pinks and nudes for my fingers, so the red has been a welcome change.

5 // Pinning inspiring and motivating words on Pinterest. That moment when you come across yet another pretty quote, you read it, then immediately think "YES!!!" Consider it pinned.

Have an absolutely fantastic weekend!

happy 13th

2012-01-13T12:33:00.000-08:00

In honor of the very first Friday the 13th of 2012, I've created this a "13 Happy Things" collage! I hope it inspires you and brings a smile to your face. Happy weekend, everyone!

Hey look, it's me! Jumping! In Hawaii! Now that's a happy memory.

i heart easy holiday decorations

2012-01-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

I love decorating for the holidays -- something about the change of weather combined with something new to look at is always exciting to me.

I like to keep my holiday decorations pretty simple, because I like to have fun putting them up and having enough time to enjoy them (instead of stressing and agonizing over the perfect tree or the best wreath).

Here's a look at how my house changes from October to December:

Halloween: Mama Button and I always head to Davis Ranch to stock up on gourds and pumpkins. Davis is our favorite pumpkin patch because they have a wiiiide variety, they're super affordable, and there's a farmers' market with all sorts of yummy goodies.

This year, I was also excited to find glittery, black spiders: the perfect balance of elegant and creepy. Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I can never resist putting a few decorations up in September.

Thanksgiving: In November, the skeletons and spiders head back to the attic, but I keep all my Halloween pumpkins and gourds from the Ranch out -- usually I just rearrange and move them around. See? Super easy and totally stress-free. I also love the idea of bringing the outside in.

Last year, I crafted this "gratitude" bunting sign to hang above my fireplace.

Christmas: Time to break out the red and gold! I cut paper snowflakes and hang them in window. Sparkly red ornaments are poured into fun vases. And a "Make Spirits Bright" bunting banner (yup, I made this one too!) is hung above the fire.

In December, Mama Button and I host our annual Stocking Party. We ask friends and family to bring small stocking stuffers; we use these to make stockings, which we donate to underprivileged teens through a local nonprofit. In turn, we provide our guests with food, fun, a delightful assortment of holiday tunes, and a party filled with joy and cheer. [Sadly, we were unable to throw our party this year, as we both ran into bad news recently.]

Which is your favorite holiday to decorate for?

on my holiday wish list

2011-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

// 1 chalkboard cheese plate because it's fancy yet casual and rustic

// 2 modern-ish barstools with clean, simple lines

// 3 nerdy glasses

// 4 anything almond from L'occitane, but this scrub is particularly devine

// 5 wooden iphone cover

// 6 nars blush for rosy cheeks year-round

// 7 black sparkly toms -- perfect for lazy legging outfits

// 8 these super awesome chalkboard labels, or just about anything from World Market for that matter...

// 9 a vintage-inspired engagement ring (!)

What's on your wish list this year?

sunday football party

2011-12-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I hosted a casual Sunday football get-together at my little casa. It was my very first time hosting completely 100% on my own in this home. Despite my nervousness and visions burnt pasta dancing in my mind, everything did turn out rather delightful, if I do say so myself.

I had little football decorations, tons of homemade food, a bloody mary bar, and little football brownies. The set-up, which I stressed about soooo much because -- of course -- I wanted it to be absolutely perfect and adorable, turned out even better than I imagined.

The only problem? Um... I totally forgot to take pictures of everything! Total. Blogger. Fail.

Here's the only photo that made it through:

on the menu:

// baked ziti

// turkey meatballs

// garden salad with several dressings to chose from

// fruit salad with pomegranite and coconut

// tomato palmiers

// cheese and cracker plate

// cowboy caviar with chips (always a huge hit, I highly recommend!)

// football brownies

best part of the day:

Brittany teaching Duckie how to "wave"

things I'd change next party:

// more seating -- barstools are on my list!

// set a bigger bag out for recycling

// plastic utensils

How did you spend your weekend?

awkward + awesome

2011-12-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

Sydney's Awesome and Awkward Thursday posts [on The Daybook] always crack me up. We're talking literal LOL's. While I doubt I can be as hilarious as she, I'm totally inspired. So, here's my first awe/awk attempt!

// Awesome //

// Greetings from two fur-babies every time I get home.

// The ~~boy~~manfriend gets up earlier than me every day, and makes my green tea as he makes his coffee. Now that's love.

// Target. I could happily spend hours here. Sometimes I do. I think I could live there if I had to. Survivor Target? I'm so on it.

// Looking at serving bowls at Home Goods, and noticing one is priced $2 cheaper than the exact same bowl in my hand. Sold! (Can you tell I've been attempting to Christmas shop this week? Operative word being attempting.)

// Happy hour with lovely ladies!

// That "Sh*t Girls Say" YouTube video -- and quoting it alllllllllll happy hour long. We totally were "those girls."

// Meeting a friend's new baby girl, named Marin, for the very first time. I held her for like an hour, and she was as content as can be. *baby love!*

// Sleeping in on dreary, rainy days.

// Beet chips from Whole Foods. Those little babies are addictive. (Yup, obligatory food mention.)

// Red lipstick. When your pale skin is sad and winter-ish, nothing brightens it up like a little red lip. Seriously. Try it.

// Awkward //

// Walking two fur-babies who have very different leash philosophies (one wants to run and one wants to dawdle) while trying to look calm and effortless in front of the neighbors I run into every day.

// That moment in Target when you're holding waaaay too many items, because you didn't grab a cart or a basket because you're "only running in to grab a few quick things," but don't want to walk to the doors to get a basket because you don't want it to look like you're trying to steal. -sigh- They really should have baskets throughout the store.

// Seeing someone you know in the car next to you, waving hello and smiling, driving along... A few blocks down the road, you're stopped next to each other at a train crossing while a loooooongggg train passes through town... pretends to play with radio... dig in my purse for chapstick... oh look, my phone... new e-mails? no. anything on Facebook to comment on... how about Pinterest?

// Sleeping in on a dreary, rainy day, only to wake up in a panic because I realized I was late for a doctor's appointment. Get ready in a hurry, throw the nearest clothing items on.... Got to the office, sat in the waiting room, realized I wore the exact same thing at my last appointment... two days ago...

// Those days that are very chilly but sunshine-y. The chill makes me want to bundle up in pseudo clothes: those items that are basically pajamas moonlighting as real clothes. But the sunshine and lack of rain makes me feel like I should at least attempt to look cute, because goodness knows in a month when it's rainy and gross I'll be dieing to wear a dress. What does one wear?

// Realizing Christmas is 10 days away and I have two gifts completed. Two, you guys. Curse me for wanting to go all Martha Stewart and make presents every year. Palm, forehead.

// Those "when are you going to get married?" questions. Ugh. Please direct all marriage questions to the ~~boy~~manfriend. In the meantime, my ring-less fingers are crossed for any day now...

// Going to the grocery store with ~~boy~~manfriend because he wants ice cream. He picks out the ice cream and says he'll share it with me. I remind him that I'm not particularly fond of ice cream. So, to match his 1/2 gallon of ice cream, I buy myself a box of Oreo's. Why, oh why, did this seem like a good idea at the time? No one needs a box of Oreo's all to themselves. Definitely ate Oreo's for dinner at least one night this week. Box was definitely done in 5 days flat. Someone call the Betty Crocker Clinic...!

oh, there's two of them

2011-12-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

My mama is vacationing in sunny St. Thomas. :: cough : so jealous : cough cough :: So in the meantime, the ~~boy~~manfriend and I have been watching her dog, Bella the pug. Lately I've been pondering the idea of adding a second fur-baby to my little family. After watching two little pug-sies all day long for a week, I'm beginning to rethink that idea.

Don't get me wrong -- I absolutely love them both to pieces. It's just a lot of work. And it's so different than just caring for Duckie...

Bella walks slowly and wants to sniff literally everything, while Duckie pulls on her leash because she wants to run and go for a loooong walk (as I have a patio in lieu of a yard, this conundrum cannot be avoided). Duckie barks at the mailman, Bella goes nuts too. Bella barks at the air (we think she sees ghosts...), Duckie joins in on the fun. You can't pet one without the other getting jealous and demanding attention. Mealtime is a hoot.

How do people with skin-babies DO it?!

I really can't complain though, the girls have been on their best behavior all week.

my gift for you

2011-12-12T14:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think music is the bestest gift of all. So, my holiday gift to you on this crisp December Monday is a little playlist of tunes I'm loving right now:

Givers - Up Up Up

Trevor Hall - The Mountain

The Black Keys - Lonely Boy

Phoenix - 1901

May these tunes inspire you and warm your heart!

Music has a funny way of lifting you up, uncannily reflecting your feelings when you're down, and seeping into the most mundane bits of everyday life.

Growing up in a very musical family -- my dad and brother are musicians and my parents always had tunes drifting about our home -- I feel like I both appreciate and depend on music that much more, like I subconsciously forge an emotional connection to the music. Certain songs evoke vivid memories or emotions. New songs sometimes reflect a new chapter in life or open your eyes to something new-to-you.

Amazing. What a beautiful gift.

sleepyhead

2011-12-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

The ~~boy~~manfriend occasionally talks in his sleep. I've decided that the only logical response is to respond to him -- and lucky for me, he actually answers. Yup, full-on conversations while he sleeps. It never fails to make me giggle, and I can't wait for morning to tell him what we talked about...

Like this recent gem:

him: It's two pounds.

she: What? What's two pounds?

him: Two. It's two.

she: Oh. ...Is that heavy or light?

him: It's light.

she: What is it?

him: Duckie [the dog] is moving it.

she: Well, she's little -- two pounds is probably heavy for her.

him: No. She's strong.

Alas, we still have no idea what the two pound object was!

i'm alive

2011-11-29T19:13:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving!

Contrary to what the number of posts I've made on The Button Hole lately may indicate, I'm totally still alive, guys.

Where've I been? It's a long story. But, I can tell you that I've been on Twitter more than usual, I've been pinning like mad, and I even made a pie for Turkey Day.

I've also been contemplating the fact that I need I new profile picture. It seems like such a serious undertaking. How do you perfectly capture who you are in a small thumbnail?

finally fall-ish

2011-11-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

boots // thrift

leggings // target

button-up // gifted juicy couture

scarf // american eagle kids

Born in New York, my heart will always have a special place for the east coast. Except, perhaps, in autumn, when nor'easters, blizzards and general freezingness blanket the eastern states while California is still basking in the glorious sunshine. At 75 degrees, no less.

Yes, this time of year my heart may belong to the west.

It's finally started feeling as fall-ish as California gets -- we've dropped to at least 65 degrees (giggle) -- which means it's finally the perfect time to break out the boots and scarfs.

fashion friday: aloha spirit

2011-10-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I recently spent a relaxing week (centipedes and cockroaches aside) in beautiful Hawaii. I cannot tell a lie -- I was still feelin' the island spirit by the time came to head back to work.

So, I concocted a Hawaii meets California autumn meets work outfit. The bright colors and loose top certainly did help ease the transition from vacation to reality.

skirt - DIY

shirt - vacation souvenir

jacket - Calvin Klein

nail color - Island Girl's Sea Foam

Anyone else think it's funny that Aloha means both Hello and Goodbye? It's almost taunting to vacationers... Haha.

Source: art.com via Emily on Pinterest

the big island

2011-10-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

My schedule has rearranged, and I once again have time to squeeze in a bit of blogging -- yippee!

Recently, I returned from a vacation on Hawaii's big island. It was positively whimsical.

Shopping at the Hilo Farmers' Market... Macadamia nut butter, fresh coconut, papaya jam, yum!

Beautiful island flowers.

We went to Kilauea, an active volcano. So cool! Here we're hiking around the Kilauea jungle, after walking through a lava tube.

Obligatory jumping on the beach photos.

Oh what a wonderful, relaxing trip. Nothing like going away for a week to make you appreciate home even more.

watermelon

2011-08-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

I've never been much of a watermelon fan until very recently.

Source: gourmet.updateordie.com via joanamc on Pinterest

It all began with a mission to use my juicer more and a delicious-sounding watermelon drink recipe.

Recipe: pummel fresh mint and basil with a bit of soda water, add fresh watermelon juice, a bit of lime juice, a sprinkle of sugar, and a bit of tequila if you like.

Source: panadamanda.tumblr.com via Amanda on Pinterest

But then I had leftover watermelon. So ate some. And it was pretty tasty. It sort of tastes like a warm summer evening. And I've figured out why I didn't like watermelon before: because it has to be super ripe. If it's not, it just doesn't taste the same. At all.

Source: tumblr.com via Bliss on Pinterest

Yesterday I took the puggle for a midday walk. It was quite hot, so when we returned, I cut myself a big slice of watermelon. The little dog was begging. So, I gave her a little piece.

And turns out, my dog likes watermelon, too.

photo challenge: sunset and a smile

2011-08-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

Day 23: Sunset

The moment I notice that the sun is setting a little bit sooner always breaks my heart a little. Summer is on it's way out.

Day 24: A Smile

I'll admit, not the most creative photo composition. But, I do love how much alike my brother and I look. Often times, people think that we're twins!

banana bread muffins

2011-08-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I made banana bread muffins. I didn't have quite enough of the ingredients for one recipe, and not quite enough for another (but I did have a bit of each). So I combined the two recipes, using what I had... And the muffins turned out super scrumptious!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C flour (I used half white and half wheat)
2/3 C brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 C oats
1/4 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 1/2 overripe bananas
nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, whatever flavors you like

Directions:

1] Preheat oven to 350

2] Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in oats and spices (I used nutmeg and cinnamon).

3] In a separate bowl, combine banana, butter, vanilla, eggs and walnuts. (I don't have a mixture, so I used a potato masher, which worked fine.) Add to flour mixture gradually. Stir until just moist. Do not over mix during this step!

4] Both recipes called for loaf pans, which I also do not have. Instead I lightly sprayed one muffin tin (12 muffins) and popped 'em into the oven for about 20 minutes. Before setting in the over, I sprinkled brown sugar on the tops of some, crushed walnuts on others.

Yum!

photo challenge: 20, 21, 22

2011-08-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Day 20: What I Read

Oh how I adore this pastime. Some of my favorite reading material: The New York Times (on Sundays), Marie Claire and Clean Eating magazines, and the book I'm currently reading: "Traveling with Pomegranates" by Sue Monk Kidd (author of "The Secret Life of Bees"). The book is set in Greece, and now I'm longing to go...

Day 21: Pattern

Mexican blanket that has been taken over by the puggle.

Day 22: Trees

This photo was actually taken a few months back at La Jolla beach. I love the memory of relaxing in the sunshine, the sound of the waves and children playing in the background... Lovely.

photo challenge: day 19 (and 16-18, too)

2011-08-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

Oops. I've been really diligent about taking my Photo Challenge pictures -- but I'm realizing I kind of suck at posting. Here we go, this week's recap:

Day 16: What I Ate

Took Mama to an early doctor's appointment. During my wait time, I ordered this craziness from Starbucks. So. Much. Sugar. I was bouncing off the walls for the rest of the day. I rarely drink coffee and even more rarely eat sugary pastries for breakfast -- this was quite the ridiculous indulgence. Note to self: stick with the green tea, like you originally intended.

Day 17: On The Shelf

Midday pit-stop at Barnes & Noble. Oh, how I adore tons of books on tons of shelves. Joy!

Day 18: In My Bag

To be honest, my purse is an embarrassing mess. So, I took a picture of my "in my bag essentials."

Clockwise from top left:

1] an old q-tip container filled with cinnamon and vitamin b

2] Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source hand cream -- omg, the best ever!!

3] mini-Diana

4] pink planner

5] random accessories always floating around

6] vintage gucci wallet

7] pens, pencils and writing utensils

8] Marc Jacobs sunnies I picked up for a cool $30

9] drawstring bag filled with chap stick, lipstick, lip gloss, balm...

This seems like a long list for "essentials." I blame the Girl Scouts: I was taught to always be prepared.

Day 19: Where I Sleep

Taken this morning. She loves to sleep under my blankets... Sheets are from Macy's (Martha Stewart brand), and my summer quilt was found on sale at Target for an insanely cheap price. In winter, the summer quilt goes into the closet, and the big, white, fluffy, down-filled comforter comes out.

Happy Friday!

13-15: distance, flowers and cowboy boots

2011-08-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed a lovely weekend camping with the fam. We hiked, played Catchphrase and Yahtzee, read in the sunshine and shade, ate amazing camping food, roasted marshmallows over an open fire, and watched the night sky for shooting stars and satellites.

We camp way out of the range of cellphone/Internet service. So, I haven't been able to post my photos -- but I did take them throughout my weekend. Time to play catch-up!

Day 13: From a Distance

Saturday morning I woke up early enough to snap photos of the sun rising over the ridge across the lake. Baby ducks swam by with their mom, fog lifted from the meadow, critters began waking up and filling with air with sounds of chirps and buzzes.

Day 14: Flowers

Flowers I spotted during a short hike. This weekend, the wildflowers were positively breathtaking; their beautiful colors spanned the entire rainbow. I'm not sure what these little guys are called, but they look like small, purple daisies...

Day 15: My Shoes

I don't like to play favorites with my shoes, but these boots rate pretty darn high. I found them at a discount store in San Francisco, and I think I paid like $5 for them. I believe that may qualify as one of the very best purchases I've made. After a long day, they can be pretty difficult to remove -- it can get pretty comical -- but I love them anyway.

day 12: close up

2011-08-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

My morning ritual: green tea, The New York Times, sunshine on the patio.

I love the assignment of taking a close-up -- so often we take a mere glimpse at the big picture, seldom taking the time to focus in on the smallest details.

I'm heading up the mountain today, and I'll be spending my weekend living among the trees. And fresh air. And that calm quietness that can only be found deep within nature.

I'm excited to take my Photo Challenge photos there, too: distance, flowers and shoes.

Don't get me wrong, I love the hussle-bussle of everyday life. But, sometimes a little break can be emotionally, physically and mentally rejuvenating. I couldn't be more thrilled.

Happy Friday! What are you doing this weekend?

day 11: something fun

2011-08-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I obliged in a long lunchbreak from my work-at-home schedule to meet my mama and brother.

We met a little bakery/café in old town where the food is always delicious and the service is generally crummy. Brother ate a Cajun chicken sandwich, Mama ordered a delightful-looking tomato puff pastry thing, and I indulged in a flatbread pizza with ooey-gooey cheese, asparagus and onion.

And we shared a blueberry scone for dessert.

I truly love my family and I’m so thankful for the small, everyday moments like this – just enjoying each other’s company as we chatted and laughed on the patio.

So how is my blueberry scone fun? Well, for the delightful lunchtime memory, of course. Not to mention, desserts are always wicked fun.

…And my brother has this amazing sense of humor that kept me cracking up in between sips of mango iced tea throughout our meal. Hilarious. Fun.

Ahhhh, dessert and laughs with good company!

day 10: something i made

2011-08-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

Yay, handmade delights! Goodness, I had a hard time picking one item to photograph. Ultimately, I decided to go with the most recent "made thing" -- because I simply don't like playing favorites with my creative musings. Ha.

This is a not-quite-finished card I'm working on (and intending to finish asap, as usual) for a beloved friend who recently moved far away from me. Hope she doesn't see this!

My second photographic option was the mess I've made in my office. I'm trying to rearrange and reorganize, but chaos has ensued. And piles of files, papers and crafting supplies strewn every where somehow didn't seem as cute...

Day 10 of the Oh So Lovely's Photo Challenge.

photo challenge: day 9

2011-08-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

A faceless self portrait. It might be super hipster-ish, but I think I'm going to try to do all of my photos with my iPhone and Instragram.

Connect to the photo challenge at: Oh So Lovely.

oh so lovely: day 8

2011-08-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

I'm long overdue for a little blogging inspiration. Thankfully, Oh So Lovely's 30 Day Photo Challenge piqued my interest, and I'm joining today (Day 8: technology).

This Sony boombox is one of my favorite items in my home. While my fancy stereo equipment collects dust in storage, this 1980's piece of fine technology sits prominently in my living room. It only plays cassettes and the radio, but I occasionally hook my iPhone up through one of those cassette-wire-connector doohickeys.

For me, it sort of serves as a reminder to keep it simple.

fillin' the blanks

2011-06-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

It's Fill in the Blank Friday! Play along at The Little Things We Do.

1. This weekend I'm going to a friend's bday party combined with his little bro's grad party and I am going to soak up as much sunshine as humanly possible now that it's finally summer .

2. My last vacation was a trip with the manfriend to San Diego to visit some wonderful friends .

3. My next vacation will be Hawaii with family in October -- I literally booked my flight today and couldn't be more excited!

4. My favorite way to relax is reading a good book or mag in the sunshine, listening to beautiful and relaxing music in the sunshine, usually with friends, family or my little dog .

5. When vacationing one should always just go with the flow -- avoid stress as much as possible because you'll be back to the daily grind sooner than you'd like!

6. When vacationing one should never over pack or under pack .

7. The best part about a vacation is I have to copy Lauren's answer: the way it rejuvenates your mind, soul and sometimes your body .

cookies in the mail

2011-06-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sent peanut butter cookies to a positively lovely lady last week. I'm quite proud of the cute packaging:

In a few short weeks she'll be moving to Southern California -- six hours away and much to far away as far as I'm concerned. We're a mere 30 minutes apart now and hardly see enough of each other as is.

I'm excited about her reason for moving, and I know that this amazing opportunity will be a fantastic chapter in her life. But moving day will be sad.

"Please don't go. I'll eat you up I love you so."

oh how i'd love to win

2011-06-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

Seriously, how amazing is this? Jordan of Oh Happy Day is giving away a trip for two to Paris. Oh, how I'd love to win.

Scoot your stripes and cheese lovin' hiney to Oh Happy Day to enter to win the Best. Contest. Ever. Good luck!!

thanks vets

2011-05-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

Source: google.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

Source: creamylife.com via Louisa on Pinterest

Source: svpply.com via Justine on Pinterest

Hope you all are having a lovely Memorial Day.

fill in the blank friday

2011-05-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

1. If I could get away somewhere for the weekend I would go Grand Cayman's 7 Mile Beach and I would bring swimsuit, good reads, camera, and good company .

[Me + Brother at 7 Mile Beach in 2007]

2. Something I often rant about is this makes me feel like a mean person, but... There's a few people in my life right now (whom I can't escape), who seriously give me anxiety and stress me out. I call my bff and complain about their overall lack of maturity .

3. One item I need to have in my fridge at all time is blueberries, Odwalla's Super Food, Sriacha.

4. My "life-saving" product is my flatiron -- without it my curly/frizzy/untamable hair would be the hottest mess ever. What a boring answer, haha!

5. A friend is someone who is the family that you choose .

6. If I could write my own blank it would be Fave app? Fave song lyric? Fave movie line? Fave clothing item? My morning routine is... I feel like these have probably all been done?!

7. My favorite kind of art is all of it? I'm always captivated by the creative process, no matter what that process is...

Play along at The Little Things We Do!

Obsessed with Pinterest? Yeah, me too -- find me here.

And I sometimes tweet at this little spot.

pink-ing of you

2011-05-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

My hunt for the perfect light pink nail polish is finally over.

Meet OPI's Pink-ing of You, the perfect shade of pale pink -- not too sheer, not too bright, just enough.

I've worn it all week, layered with Sally Hansen's Disco Ball glitter. In my opinion, the perfect combo in anticipation of spring. The operative word being "anticipation." Apparently the Northern California weather didn't get the memo...

the lost generation

2011-05-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

Almost a year ago exactly I published this long rant about all of the negative criticism our generation regularly receives (and undeservedly, I believe) -- specifically in response to one pretty nasty article in The New York Times.

Source: weheartit.com via Jana on Pinterest

Perhaps not my most eloquent work, it is something that I do feel passionately about, and it's something that I feel must be said -- defending our generation (against accusations of being "lazy," "slow to grow-up," "mooching off parents," and even "crybabies").

Shortly after, The New York Times (ever revered) published this and this (in the Magazine), two articles that essentially examine the "other" (aka: our) side... For example, the fact that many of us graduated college and stepped into a "real world" of Depression-Era unemployment rates, sometimes competing with the seasoned workers of our parents' generation for the same job.

Well played NYT.

Source: etsy.com via Arrica on Pinterest

Yesterday, one of my fellow Peter Pan Generation-ers also go fed up, and wrote this article -- author Jason Oberholtzer works at Forbes magazine. He presents another very intriguing point: we all came to age in the Osama Bin Ladin era. We were becoming young adults of the world when we witnesses one of the greatest tragedies our country has ever seen on its own soil -- certainly that tragedy helped shape us as a generation.

Jason's point is well written and articulated. "I’ve read a lot about my generation. I’ve read psychological profiles, sociological musings, journalistic pity pieces, and op-ed piles of condescension. Unfortunately, I haven’t read much written about my generation by somebody from my generation that was particularly incisive."

Agreed.

like riding a bike

2011-05-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Jentine of My Edit shared this amazing story that I felt compelled to re-share:

Her friend is selling these adorable bicycle necklaces in honor of her Uncle who passed away a year ago -- just two months before he planned to ride in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a local fundraiser.

"I know there are so many worthy charities and causes that need our financial support. I also know that cancer is disease that touches all of our lives," Jentine wrote. Well said. I wanted to share her post for that very reason. This month I ran in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with a pink "In Memory Of" paper on my back: Grandma, Heidi's Mom, Alysia's Mom, Gina's Mom. What an awful, awful disease. We all know someone who has been personally affected by cancer. And that breaks my heart.

All proceeds go to support the Go Joe Go team as they Ride to Conquer Cancer this June again.

Click here to purchase a necklace (a token reminder to be thankful for your health, your ability to just ride a bike, the use of your strong legs, the ability to be physically active... to be appreciative of the little things we all take for granted all too often, to sport a cute necklace in honor of a worthy cause when you're out and about or simply doing the boring routine things: running errands, heading to work...).

A worthy cause and a cute necklace.

10 things

2011-05-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

Amy Tangerine posted this beautiful "10 Things I Love Right Now" scrapbook template last week. (Love that girl's creative style -- her blog is always super inspiring for me.)

Here are my current obsessions, in pretty little scrapbook page to boot :

11. A pretty little reason to make a "10 Things" list

fill in the blank friday

2011-05-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

Bonjour! And happy Friday to all!

Source: aprilandmaystudio.blogspot.com via Alex on Pinterest

1. People always tell me I look like I don't get this a lot -- actually, I rarely get this ever! A few people have said "a red-headed Gwyneth Paltrow," so we'll go with that .

2. Friends don't let friends drink & drive. Seriously.

3. A sunny day is perfect for EVERYTHING.

4. My favorite accessory is oh, it's so hard to choose favorites... I'm going to go with my utterly obnoxious turquoise and gold ring I bought in NYC for a little street vendor man.

5. If I could afford it I would travel the world, have an insane closet, volunteer my time and money more, and stop lusting after all those silly things I don't really "need" (yeah, I'm looking at you, Anthropologie).

6. The cure for boredom is a change of scenery.

7. I am currently "in like" with coconut water and almond butter, MAC matte bronzer, and FINALLY having a little sunshine to enjoy while reading "Just Kids."

Fill in the blank Friday by Lauren @ the little things we do.

ode to yo' motha

2011-05-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day I took my beloved mama to see Cirque du Soleil's Quidam. It was dark, it was mysterious, it was truly the stuff of the most beautiful nightmares -- or as Mama so whimsically put it: the circus you'd see an insane asylum.

Each year for as long as I can remember, I always make a card for Mother's Day. I cannot have it any other way. I don't know why. Maybe because my own mom inspired so much of my craftiness that it feel shamefully lazy to do anything but creating at least a little something for her...?

This year I kept it as simple as I humanly could. I cut letters from an Anthropologie catalog and wrote a simple note on the backside.

It's been so fun reading how everyone spent their Mother's Day. We are all a pretty sweet bunch, if I do say so myself. Yay for mama's!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

2011-05-19T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hello lovelies, I'm still so excited to be blogging again! Today I decided to copy Paige, who copied Melissa, who copied a friend...

4 things I'm passionate about:

1. my little dog -- she's my baby

2. reading + writing -- my livelihood and hobby

3. food -- the cheesier, the better

4. amazingly beautiful music

4 phrases I use a lot:

1. well, the thing is...

2. totes!

3. okay, perf!

4. soooo nice!

4 things I love to eat:

1. chicken tacos

2. veggie burritos

3. rice + beans

4. chips w/guac + salsa

Source: foodgawker.com via Ali on Pinterest

4 ways I love to fill my time:

1. crafting and scrapbooking

2. yoga, crossfit, and jogs to the lake

3. with friends, family and the ~~boy~~manfriend

4. anything in the warm sunshine
4 1/2. dreaming of outfits to wear and lusting after ridiculous wardrobe items

4 books I love:

1.The Year of Magical Thinking

2. The Red Tent

3. Middlesex

4. The Belljar

Source: hausinterior.com via sfgirlbybay on Pinterest

4 bands/artists I never get sick of:

1. Elton John

2. Lykke Li

3. She & Him

4. Aretha Franklin

4 places I'd love to visit:

1. a Harriet the spy quote comes to mind:

"I wanna see the whole world, and I wanna write down everything!"
that should suffice.

4 things I'm looking forward to:

1. dancing again!!!

2. friends' wedding this Saturday

3. friends' baby showers throughout the upcoming months

4. finding a second job so that I can begin some much-needed vacay funds

Source: onebrowncow.co.uk via Malorie on Pinterest

Want to copy me? All the cool kids are copying. Haha.

go figure...

2011-05-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

The day I have the time and the urge to get back to blogging is the day(s) that Blogger is down. I apologize for the MIA as of late, and I have a whole laundry list of excuses to give: work, life, busy, etc.

Doesn't it seem like every blogger gives a list of reasons to excuse their hiatus? Why do we do this to ourselves? Let's all give ourselves a break -- whether we're willing to admit it or not, we all have obligations, families, events, and (dare I say it?!) a life outside of the blogosphere.

Go ahead, take a break. No reason or excuse necessary.

It seems as though for many of us, the blogosphere is a break from "real life." Maybe sometimes we need an occasional break from our escape to get back to life. Go figure.

[ instagram shadow ]

immaculate circa 1982

2011-03-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Confession: I totally heart Madonna circa the 80s. Still. Some of my most fond childhood memories are of dancing around my room with bffs, singing our hearts out to The Immaculate Collection.

When I saw Jezebel's post about these previously unpublished pictures of Madonna circa 1982, I just about fell out of my chair. Not only did I constantly sing lyrics like "you must be my lucky staaaaar" on virtually constant repeat, I totally jocked her style. I wore a ba-zillion crazy bracelets on my wrists, loved anything a little less mainstream and a little more Madonna-style, and fantasized about blond hair with dark brown roots.

I think it's so remarkable how her style walks an infinitely fine line: yes, in some way these pictures scream "80's!!!" But, they also seem sorta timeless too, no? (I think the timeless factor is thanks to both her style and the photographer's pure skill.) I'm fascinated and captivated by this.

The photography is by Richard Corman. The photos took place near and around her East Village residence. Essentially, the pictures were taken when Madge was a mere girl-trying-to-make-it; within a year her debut album was in the top 10.

See all 41 of the photos in Out magazine's original exclusive.

scrapping center

2011-03-14T09:52:00.001-07:00

After quite a long crafting hiatus, I started scrapbooking last night. I'm finally working on the Portland weekend vacay that the manboyfriend and I took way back in September.

I love the feeling of cutting the paper, contemplating about placement or color of the smallest embellishments... Somehow scrapping always centers me. I think it's something that everyone needs -- an enjoyable activity that forces them to slow down and focus and re-center your thoughts and energy.

I've been bugging the boymanfriend about spending a weekend in San Diego for as long as I can remember. And even more so now that a few of my girls have moved to sunny SD.

He finally agreed and gave me two weekend options in April to make the trip happen. So exciting in so many ways!!

So, my goal is to finish this Portland book before our SD trip! I always feel so behind in my scrapping -- how do people stay so on top of it?! They amaze me.

Ps, I'm beginning to realize that is app may not be all the blogging tools I need... I'm going to gave to hop on my computer to format parts of the text and to un-do that weird stretching-the-photo-width thing that happens... Hm. Does this completely defeat the point of mobile blogging or is it merely a part of it now? Hm.

Happy Monday!!

Hope your week is filled with sunshine and warm thoughts.

fillin' it friday

2011-03-11T11:51:00.000-08:00

1. My biggest accomplishment in life thus far is really trying to fill my life with things and people and activities that I truly love and enjoy.

2. My favorite place to sit in my house is anywhere with my little dog in my lap. Like right here, right now, at my desk -- dog sleeping in lap.

3. My fashion philosophy is mix it up! I'm a dress-for-occasion kind of girl, so you can see me dolled-up with full makeup, hair and heels one day, and looking like Sporty Spice in my gym clothes the next day. I like variety. It's all relative .

4. Something every girl should have is an honest best friend .

5. If you looked in my purse right now you'd find.... way too much stuff! It's in need of a serious cleaning. A baggie filled with lip gloss/stick/chapstick/etc, a container with Vitamin B/Vitamin E/cinnamon/Ibuprofen, tons of old receipts, keys, gym card, ear buds, iphone, hand sanitizer, wallet, loose change, planner, sticky notes, and the list goes on.. .

6. My favorite music right now is latest Lykke Li album when I want to chillax', Black Eyed Peas' The Beginning when I want to work out and hustle, and of course I've been really into 96.9 lately -- it's the classic rock radio station. Amazing .

7. My favorite part of my body is probably my hair. It's unique and fun and I can't imagine not being a ginger!.

Fill in your own answers and link back to the little things we do!

japan in our prayers

2011-03-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

My heart is breaking for Japan. Nothing but good thoughts for everyone overseas. Hoping that all my California coastal friends stay safe, too.

It looks like you can donate disaster relief funds for Japan via the America Red Cross.

go go gadget

2011-03-08T22:58:00.001-08:00

My all-time favorite kitchen gadgets is also one of the most simple (yet ingenious!).

Meet: my apple slicer/corer tool.

It's so easy, so quick, and makes creating an apples-with-almond-butter snack a delight.

Go go gadget apple slicer! Ps, have you tried almond butter? So delish! I think I may be addicted. We're talking serious love affair. So really, my kitchen is home to a love triangle... Me, my love of my apple slicer gadget and my obsession with almond butter. Pretty awesome triangle.

Okay, dish! What's your fave kitchen gadget?

you can dance if you want to

2011-02-28T09:15:00.001-08:00

A few weekends ago I made a stop at the local dance store. I haven't danced in quite some time (dance eventually gave way to cheer, which eventually gave way to coaching), but I've been considering a comeback (haha) and was in need of a pair of convertible tights (the only way to go in my opinion).

Walking in immediately filled me with a sense of nostalgia, memories from girlhood long forgotten.

As a girl, I grew up dancing jazz, tap and ballet. I loved dance with all my heart -- I was known to spend the afternoon dancing in my bedroom instead of working on homework. In my younger years, I always considered my biggest accomplishment convincing my mom to let me take three classes a week (all three styles) while I was in the third grade. I felt pretty grown up. I would have spent every single evening in classes if I was allowed.

I absolutely adored going to the studio, getting a new leotard or needing a new pair of tap shoes. For any dancer, its always an exciting moment, because there's usually an exciting reason: trying a new style, moving up a level, outgrowing your trashed but dearly loved shoes...

And for anyone who has ever "lived" in a dance studio, that weird leather-and-feet-and-leotards smell becomes familiar and almost comforting. The dance smell fills your nostrils and you know you're in a place where you can let your passion for dance run wild, a place where that's actually encouraged, a place that grounds you and makes you feel at home.

Walking into Capezio the other day, that weird familiar smell instantly hit me upon merely opening the door. A flood of memories hit me -- and I sort of felt at home once again.

finally, it has happened to me

2011-02-27T11:23:00.001-08:00

"Right in front of my face and I just cannot hide it!"

Let's hear it for awesome dance songs -- and for finally finding a decent app that soothes my iPhone blogging urges! Thanks, BlogSpace app.

Life has been gleefully busy lately. It seems as though I'm running of to San Francisco almost every weekend. I love this city. It always feels cool. So cool. The locals, the scenery, the goings-on, the offerings -- all so amazingly cool.

My weekdays of the past month have been filled with obsessively committing to daily power yoga and crossfit sessions, and carefully watching what I eat for the first time in my life, I feel (and hopefully look!!) great. All this in anticipation of what happened yesterday: I auditioned for a local professional dance team. And my hard work paid off -- I'm on to finals! Woot Woot!

Candid moment: I really hope this app is all that I hope it to be, because I have truly missed blogging this month. My laptop got some crazy virus, which has limited my blogging abilities.

Hello, delightful little blogosphere! I'm so excited to be back!!

my fondue, my man

2011-01-23T22:38:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend the ~~boy~~manfriend and I celebrated 5 years together by indulging in some ridiculously amazing melted cheesy and chocolaty deliciousness. This was a first time at a fondue restaurant for both of us, and I'm going to highly recommend it as an anniversary spot!

[ at the melting pot ]

The food was amazing, it was romantical (~~boy~~man and I aren't particularly the romantic types, so this was stomachable for us, yet just enough for a big anniversary), and it was a fun DIY adventure.

As an almost-vegetarian and cook who has decided not to cook meat (I don't like seeing or touching any variety of meat raw -- it tends to look like a sad, dead animal to me), I was super hesitant about actually having to cook our own main course. But I must confess: had a blast! It was only mildly intimidating (luckily I had the practically-professional meat cooker by my side to guide me), yet it was super yummy. We indulged in the spinach/artichoke cheese appetizer, split a spinach salad, and ordered a main dish called "The Signature Selection," which had a sampling of shrimp, salmon, filet mignon, etc.

And then... Then there was dessert. Enter: "Chocolate Smores." Dark chocolate topped with flambeed marshmallow, garnished with graham cracker crumbles. Holy. Moly. Toooo good. [My mouth is literally watering as I reminisce about it!]

If you haven't done the fondue yet, find an excuse to go -- and go!

In other news, I've decided to be more of a Twit -- if you're a twitter too, find me on Twitter here! Let me know if you follow me, so I can be sure to follow you back.

Happy melted cheese eating!

6 things on 1-11-11

2011-01-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

Did you know there's 160 days until summer? Not that I'm counting down each day until the sunshine bursts through my windows, I can feel the warmth of brightness on my skin and bright blue skies fill each day until at least 7pm...

Anyway. In honor of 1-11-11, I'm... Well, I'm making a "6 Things on my Radar" list. Haha. If I wrote 11 things, no doubt they'd all be about bright sunshine, warm evenings, late sunsets...

1] Occasionally, I find myself sucked into the vortex of an amazing photographer's website, drooling over each gorgeous image, spending way too much time altogether on something so non-productive (yet, ever so inspiring). Stephanie Rausser's insanely captivating images did just that today. Amazing.

[okay, one more summer thing:
This is my favorite way to sit in the backyard during summer...
With my feet where my head should be and a magazine in hand...
I don't know why, but it just feels so right, ya know?]

2] What a beautiful, remarkable thing to have: I stumbled across this family portrait on Pinterest, which I am so into right now. (Find me on Pinterest here.) I'm only sorry that every family doesn't have one of these.

[spotted here]

3] Apparently my love for vintage photography (aka film) is piqued even when the images are faux-film. These handy magnets look like Polaroid frames. And, you can write on the bottoms with dry erase marker. So nifty! And clever. And cute. And faux-vintage...

[available at the photojojo store]

4] Normally I don't like to toot my own horn, but, uhm, Beep-Beep! I made a delish Broccoli soup yesterday! I winged the recipe -- no easy feat for an amateur cook such as myself. I even burnt my first batch of quinoa, yet forged onward. That's right! I didn't awkwardly shun my oven again; I kept cooking like the brave little homemaker I like to pretend that I might be. ~~Shockingly,~~ It turned out rather tasty and I'll share the recipe soon! Which reminds me, there's a few posts that I've been meaning to post, but haven't posted. Perhaps my New Year's resolution should be to get posting...!

5] Omg, you guys. I have totally turned into one of those obsessed-with-their-iPhone-people. I tried not to. But I can't resist. It's just so awesome. Seriously. I even named my iPhone. It's name is "Toy!" With an explanation mark. Because, well, it's so much more than just a phone, obvi. Thank goodness I waited so long to hop on this bandwagon, because I'm committing some hefty hours to Toy!. I've been on the hunt for a good Blogger app (for some reason I'm obsessed with the idea of blogging from Toy!...), but none have really seemed to be fabulous. Any suggestions out there?

6] Did I mention... 160 days until summer? 160... -sigh-

in with the 11

2011-01-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

Two signs 2011 is going to be super fun and fabulous:

1] On NYE I took Mama Button to Trader Joe's (she has been feeling under the weather and couldn't go on her own). I didn't have a list, but picked up a few things while we were there. My bill totaled $28 exactly, which means: I won a free wine tote! I never win anything -- it was so exciting. And a wonderful sign of wonderful things to come.

2] ~~Boy~~manfriend and I spent NYE night sleeping at The Citizen, a positively gorgeous and slightly swanky hotel in downtown Sacramento (a much lovelier option than making the 3am trek back to suburbia). While getting ready for our night on the town, ~~boy~~manfriend popped a bottle a champagne. The cork flew toward the door, off the ceiling, and hit another wall before hitting the desk, then landing directly into the trash can. A hole in one!

"Did you see that?"

"Did that just happen?"

"Oh my gosh, a hole in one!"

"It's a sign. It's a good sign!"

Yay for mirror pics taken with my new iPhone! I'm still trying to figure out how to use it, but I do know I'm downright obsessed with the Instagram app. What are your app obsessions? I'm so open to suggestions!

Now that the stockings are put away, the champagne has been imbibed and the holidays are over and done with, I've had (we've all had) a little time to relax and decompress. I'm ready to tackle 2011! But, I haven't made New Year's resolutions. I've never really been one for the yearly resolution thing -- even in elementary school when writing resolutions down was homework, I always just made a few up. It's my cynical Miranda (satc) side.

The lovely view I woke to on 1-1-11:

Walking to the car on 1-1-11 morning, I came across this beautiful sight:

Wishing each and everyone of you a
beautiful and healthy Twenty-Eleven!

xmas burnout

2010-12-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

I had this big plan to do a big post today with holiday party outfits, Christmas decorations around my home, pictures of my Elf Workshop (aka: the insanely messy kitchen I've been slaving in), etc. But I woke up today feeling a bit blah.

You know what I mean? Just... blah. A little overwhelmed, a little sad. Overall I'm not quite sure why. So for now, I'll chalk it up to holiday burnout. I think everyone gets a little stressed around the holidays, no?

I must confess... I've been thinking a lot today of a sick friend... One of my besties is recently engaged and her fiance's mom was recently diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. She's in the hospital for at least 30 days to do four rounds of chemo. The bestie/fiance duo have been visiting her every day. In an effort to keep Mama's (...and, I think, their own...) spirits up, they're asking friends and family to send pictures, magazines, articles, jokes, basically anything uplifting her way. I'd really really like to send something, but I've only met Mama once and don't know her well. Any gift suggestions?

In the meantime, I'm back to the ~~kitchen~~ Elf Workshop to finish cooking the 850285890453 million orangettes I'm making this year. Perhaps I'll get my super-adorbs xmas-ie post going tonight or tomorrow.

I hope you're all having a lovely and stress-free holiday!

fill in the blank friday

2010-12-17T23:27:00.000-08:00

It's a gift-alicious FITBF, thanks to Lauren at the little things we do... Happy Friday to all!

1. Giving is an amazing privilege. And so much fun -- I love the moment you catch sight of something and the first thought in your head is "Oh, this would be perfect for so-and-so!"

2. Receiving is ...sometimes delightful, sometimes awkward.

3. The best gift I ever received was time spent together. Making memories is always the most fun and exciting.

4. The best gift I ever gave was hm, I guess it would be a scrapbook for my aunt and uncle of their wedding. My aunt cried. It was very sweet.

5. Something intangible that I wish I could receive is bravery.

6. Something intangible that I wish I could give is an amazing sense of self-worth, poise, pride, genuinely kind etiquette and being completely happy with oneself to a certain 50-year-old I know.

7. The one gift I always wanted as a child, but never got was a tree house! I was always dreaming of an amazing tree house... Still am! I'll probably be that psycho parent who gets it for their kids and forces them to play in it and love it because I wanted one so badly....!

ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-12-15T13:31:00.000-08:00

"Oh, you pretty things." Did you know that the first day of winter is December 21st? Technically, we're still in autumn, so my pictures are so seasonal-appropriate.

As promised, here are a few images of the beautiful leafs around my neighborhood. Lovin' California in December. Well any month I suppose, but December is awfully nice, comparatively speaking.

Hope you're staying warm, dry, happy, and full of joy this December

psychedelic holiday cupcakes

2010-12-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I donated cupcakes to the local food bank's Christmas Dinner, an event hosted for families in need. Mama-Button and I made six pies for their Thanksgiving Dinner, so I signed up to participate in the Christmas event, too.

I made psychedelic cupcakes, which I have also made for Stocking Parties past. These are always fun when you have a color palette to reflect, and the kiddos never cease to be impressed.

Instructions:

1] Prepare boxed mix as directed. Once batter is totally combined, separate into two or three bowls.

2] Add different food coloring colors to each bowl. For these cupcakes, I left one plain and dyed the second bowl green.

3] Begin with one color, adding a small scoop of batter to cupcake trays. Followed by the next color, and so on. In my experience, the colored batter seems to get smaller (it literally does not take up as much room at the non-dyed batter. What do you call that? Gets more dense? Shrinks?), but it bakes totally normal.

4] Keep in mind, the way the batter is poured is the way the cupcakes will bake. So, you can pour green on the left, red on the right and top with white, for example. Or, take a toothpick and swirl the batter (just a little -- not too much!) for a fun marbled look. If you really want to get taste-creative, you can add a drop of flavoring to the different colors (for example, I added a drop of mint to the green batter).

5] Bake and frost as usual. Serve and prepare for sounds of "ooh" and "ahh."

At the risk of sounding like an overemotional crybaby, I have a confession to make...

When I dropped the cupcakes off, I had to walk through the big multipurpose room, where the dinner was held, to get to the kitchen, where they were organizing the food. I walked in to a room filled with 76 beautifully decorated tables -- with at least nine chairs each -- and my eyes immediately began to well up. It uncontrollably hurts my heart to know that many people are in need of food.

Food.

Such a basic essential.

The room was festive, the entertainment (a live folksy band) was warming up and they sounded great, and the energy radiating from all of the bustling volunteers was certainly one of joy. ...But I couldn't help feel a tinge of sadness in that room.

I made it all the way back to my car without shedding a single tear ~~and looking like a silly idiot~~. But I did have to take several deep breaths before starting my car.

making spirits bright

2010-12-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

Our annual Stocking Party:

Each year we invite friends, family and neighbors to join us for a holiday soiree that's main purpose isn't simply getting everyone a little boozy (although, we have found it helps with the decorating...). Our kind-hearted guests are asked to bring stocking stuffers (ranging from toothbrushes and deodorant to pencils and gum) that will be donated to local teens in need. For most, this will be the only gift they receive during the holidays.

[this adorbs stocking was made by this creatively-talented little lady]

For as long as I can remember, my mom and I have always done the "Adopt a Family" thing for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. Four years ago, we learned that stuffed-stocking donations are also collected at the organization we had been working through. They supply the stockings, you buy the stuffers, they take care of delivery. That year, we decorated, stuffed and donated 10 stockings for teens. The stockings range by age-group. Teens typically receive the least attention, which is why we like to direct our effects toward that population.

Then, we got to thinking: if we could make 10, imagine how many we could donate with the help of our friends...

[decoration accoutrements]

And so, the Stocking Party has become an annual tradition at the Button Hole house. Guests supply stuffers, and we stuff our guests with scrumptious food and drink while they decorate the stockings (generous helpings of silly December-ish tunes, like this one, also provided).

[chocolate cupcakes, vanilla frosting, crumbled candy cane sprinkles, plus one cheesy label by moi]

So, yes, the purpose of the party is an opportunity for merry-making, to catch-up with those friends you always wished you saw more of, and a chance to be slightly gluttonous, chowing down on some of the year's finer fare (spinach dip, crab dip, crostinis, meatballs, cherry tartlets, ginger tress and a festively delicious holiday punch were some of the items on our menu this year). And yes, the purpose is also to amplify our stocking efforts (donating 10 stockings felt great, but donating 50 is an indescribable feeling).

But, Mama Button and I have always found giving a little back to be both easy (I know sometimes people can get intimidated by the time or money aspects) and fun (it certainly never has to be a chore). So, each year we hope that our guests will take a little of that do-gooder spirit home with them for the holiday -- and maybe even for the next year.

[favors -- Christmas candycorn and Kisses]

And we hope that spirits of both stocking-receivers and stocking-makers are made merry and bright.

{ fashion friday } the color purple

2010-12-10T18:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, lovelies! This certainly has been one of those weeks, and I'm ever-so-glad the weekend is finally here. No extravagant plans, but here's what I'm excited about:

Saturday:
-Donate cupcakes to local food bank's Christmas Dinner event
-Held mama prepare for annual Stocking Stuffer Party
-Attend mama's annual Stocking Stuffer Party

Sunday:
-Clean home
-Cook something delicious
-Get started on Christmas gifts
-Woke up with a cold on Friday morning, so spending a superfluous amount of time sleeping in may also be on the menu

In the mean time, due to my rotten week (repeat to self: "this too shall pass") I decided to at least dress cute and cozy.

sweater - vintage

tee - target

jeans - guess

belt - h&m

shoes - can't remember...

That is a dog toy in the background. And green tea in my hand. And my hair happened to perfectly cover my brooches:

The top one belonged to my grandma and I found the golden one at a vintage store in New Paltz.

So, this outfit was kind of a challenge for me. First, because I never wear purple. Second, because I love this sweater but hardly wear it. I think the belt just solved my I-love-it-but-don't-know-how-best-to-wear-it dilemma. Expect to see me in this a lot.

I was walking the dog on Purple Sweater Day, and I giggled and giggled when I came across this sign, posted on a front door:

I don't know if it's passible for you to tell, but it's written in purple crayon.

I wish you luck, Bernard. I wish you luck.

california dreamin' on a winter's day

2010-12-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

While you eastern folks were braving snow storms, I spent my weekend walking the puggle and taking photos of the vivid autumnal leafs.

As much as I miss the East Coast and find myself longing to call "New York" my home again, California has one big, huge draw: the weather. A winter filled with snow is fun and all, but it's also cold. Really cold. And I definitely don't miss the freezing pipes, black ice, or the bone-chillingly frosty winds that all come with it.

Decembers in California are filled with warm(-ish) sunshine (and, yes, some rain -- but I don't take pictures of that gray stuff) and vibrant, beautiful leafs. Err, at least that's true in Sacramento. I'll post more of my December in California pics later this week.

Duckie and I aksi orchestrated an impromptu photoshoot at a nearby park. I think I may have captured our X-mas card photo! I have this vision of Photoshopping it, applying a vintage effect and adding text overlayed directly on the photo.

I started experiment with the vintage-ifying and fonts yesterday. There's a few changes I already know I'll make next time I mess with it a bit. (Like, the faux vignetting needs to be feathered a bit more, making it look a little more exposed, etc.) This isn't THE X-mas card picture, but it is one of the outtakes. I love that mossy rock. So pretty.

In the meantime, I hope your Tuesday is filled with warm hands and warm hearts.

{ monday morsels } crock pot mushroom soup

2010-12-06T22:03:00.000-08:00

I received lovely pioppini mushrooms as a unique hostess gift (opposed to the usual bottle of vino) when a cleverly attentive friend visited. He so kindly remembered my long-winded monologue, which I am retrospectively titling "Ode to Fungi," I professed during his previous visit.

Eager to use my new crock pot and excited to eat these babies up promptly, I decided to make Mushroom Soup over the weekend.

Ingredients:
1/4 C butter
Splash of white wine
2 C thinly sliced mushrooms
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 C water
1 C half-and-half
1 C sour cream
1 can (about 5 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 C chopped thyme

Instructions:

1] Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and splash of white cooking wine. Saute until tender (about 5-7 minutes).

2] Sprinkle in flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to blend well.

3] Place in crock pot/slow cooker.

4] Using a whisk, beat in water, half-and-half, sour cream and chicken broth.

5] Cook covered on low for 4 hours.

6] Turn setting to high, cook for 1 hour longer. Stir occasionally.

7] Stir in thyme and serve.

Notes:

1] The original recipe does not call for wine -- I added a little because I adore the taste of mushrooms that have simply been sauteed in butter and wine.

2] I was cautious with the spices while cooking. It's always easy to add a little more, but if you over-spice, it's ruined. Prior to eating, I did add more of all spices to my serving.

3] The original also calls for parsley instead of thyme. I loathe parsley entirely, and thyme added a nice, rich dimension.

4] As my crock pot is just a little 2-quarter, I halved the original recipe. I added more mushrooms and used a bit less sour cream.

Scrumptious and -- my personal favorite adjective about a recipe -- easy! I am really loving this slow cooker idea. It just sat their cooking away for 5 hours, filling my little home with aromatic delightfulness, while I cleaned and ran errands. And, at the end of the day, a lovely meal was ready to munch. I could get used to this.

have a handmade holiday

2010-12-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

5 for friday

2010-12-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

On my radar today:

1] Bonnie Tsang is an amazing photographer. Her professional blog and her personal blog are equally as beautiful. Her images have me imagining all day long of quitting my job, running (okay, maybe driving -- I'm not so much a fan of the cardio) away from suburbia, and spending my days traveling the world and taking pictures of all that I experience. I'm pretty sure that's a good thing.

2] Am I a total late comer to Anthology mag? It is perfection. It is sooo the type/style of magazine that I am hoping of working for one day. The current issue is short, sweet and delightful to look at.

3] The ~~boy~~manfriend and I have discussed not exchanging Christmas gifts this year, and taking a weekend getaway together instead. That's my kind of present! I've nominated Ace Hotel in Palm Springs as a potential spot. It looks rather divine. In a trendy, retro, hipster kind of way.

[via]

4] These digital scrapbooking elements sort of make me want to be a digital scrapbooker.

5] Kind of obsessed with this luscious scarf. It looks warm, and thick, and oh-so funky. But at $65, I think I might try making one instead...

Have a wonderful weekend, lovelies!

pinkalicious

2010-12-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

Loving the typography and color combos of these.

[ alex steinweiss album covers via design love fest ]

[ martha stewart recipe glasses via macy's ]

[ always print by therese senneholt ]

[ holiday photo cards via minted]

h 2 uh-oh

2010-12-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

Well kids, today I really outdid myself in the kitchen. I, uhm, well, I burnt water.

And just when I was feeling more comfortable in the kitchen, too. Now I again have the urge to ignore the stove when we're in the same room -- like one of those awkward ex-boyfriends you really don't want to talk to. Drat.

How, exactly, does one burn water, you ask? Yes, I too thought it was impossible -- until today. Here's the trick: if you leave water on the stove (on high) for long enough, it will burn.

At least I had the good sense to wash the pot and and try to boil water again -- this cup of chai is fantastic. Perseverance is life virtue, I'm told.

[Sees stove and curtly glances in opposite direction]

5 golden blings

2010-12-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

How did December 1st arrive so swiftly? BAM! -- welcome to the holidays.

Some things that will always seem to be ubiquitous to the holidays/winter to me. One of those is Kate Spade. Every year I seem to stumble across their cute holiday offerings -- colorful, whimsical items that seem to be the epitome of a cheery holiday bash.

5 golden little Kate Spade holiday items that will get you into the spirit of the season in a jiffy:

1] Jingle Bell Headband
Essential for any Ugly Sweater soiree.

2] Hi 5 Mittens
Cheeky and warm.

3] Candy Darling Coin Purse
Cute + chic = perfect for December-time events.

4] Trouser Socks
I'm pretty sure a grown Cindy Lou Who would rock these socks (especially with those fantastic sparkly shoes).

5] Resolution Pencils
Because, who doesn't need a "Conquer the Souffle" reminder every now and then?

To me, crafting is also ubiquitous to the holiday season. I can thinking on absolutely nothing better to do on a cold, rainy/snowy, or dreary day than to sit by a warm fireplace and craft. I'm so currently in love with all the fun wintertime crafts that so many of you savvy bloggers have been posting. Makes me want to get my craft on.

Happy December -- may all your days be merry and bright ones.

confessions of a footwear drama queen

2010-11-30T16:51:00.000-08:00

1] Guys, I have a strong affinity for fuzzy socks. They are soooo cozy -- I don't even care how dorky they look (bonus: if you wear them under boots, no one will ever know about your zany sockwear anyway!). Let's just say I have more than one pair.

Confession within this confession: each and every time I put them on, I can't help but think of the unfortunate Muppet who was skinned just so my feet could stay warm.

2] Not only did I buy boots-with-the-fur, I think they're absolutely amazing. I never thought I'd be a boots-with-the-fur kind of girl (yes, I've never owned a pair), but when I spotted these at Costco for $30, I thought they'd be perfect for morning walks with Duckie when the air is extra chilly.

But as soon as I slipped them on to my feet, it was all over -- it was love at first foot-in-boot. I'm pretty certain I've only taken them off to shower and sleep since them. They're like these amazingly warm blankets around my feet. And I'm definitely a girl who loves warm blankets.

Confession within this confession: I now walk around all day singing "boots with the fuuuuur" (but none of the other lyrics to that Apple Bottom Jeans song). Sometimes I don't know how my ~~boy~~manfriend puts up with me...

Note: No Muppets were harmed in the making of this post.

gratitude

2010-11-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

In case anyone ever doubted my procrastination skills, I finally finished my autumn decoration project last week. Sorta.* I intended on finishing this by the end of September, by the way.

I had this idea in my head for a long time, to make an easy Thanksgiving-themed bunting sign out of scrapbooking materials. I love the way it turned out, and I'm thinking of making one for Christmas. Although, at this rate, the green and red version may be done by Easter...

Instructions:

1] Purchased a 4x6 scrapbook paper pad of autumnal colors.

2] Cut 9 of the 4x6 papers into bunting-shaped triangles.

3] Punch circles out of an additional 9 papers from the stack.

(Procrastinate a little here.)

4] Print out the word "Gratitude" in Circus font. Cut out letters individually.

(Procrastinate a little here.)

5] Adhere circles to triangles.

6] Adhere letters to circles

(Procrastinate.)

7] Cut off excess paper.

8] Adhere completed triangles to ribbon/string/fabric/whatev.

9] Display on wall juuuuust in time for Thanksgiving week.

My "ribbon" is actually left over fabric from my Halloween costume, which I tried making into this cool necklace. But, this fabric is too thick, so it didn't curl in the right way and it just looked really... Well, it looked kind of craft-gone-wrong. So, I've repurposed it into "ribbon."

*I want to cut out 9 more bunting triangles, adhere them to the back and then stitch the papers on to the fabric, which is why this project is done (as in on display) but not finished (as in, uh, completed).

[yay for my little duraflame fire!]

Oh, my poor little fireplace. Adding a mantle is our next house project. Is it just me, or do sans-mantle fireplaces always look a little sad and naked? Is it just me, or do I say "Is it just me," like, a lot?

I'm kind of surprised that the previous owners didn't add a mantle... Then again, these are people who hung a light fixture in the dining room that's better suited for a train station than a home, so...

case of the medium-ie t-day tee

2010-11-29T15:57:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a fantabulous holiday weekend. I believe Miss Amy Tangerine said it best: "The word 'full' describes both my stomach and my heart."

My Turkey Day began with my fave holiday tradition: the Run to Feed the Hungry, a 5K (or 10K, but I'm not that brave) that supports the Sacramento Food Bank. I'm told this is actually the largest T-Day run in the nation!

Three years ago I conned my brother and my ~~boy~~manfriend into running with me, and now we have a big ol' group of friends who run, too. I love the ambiance and energy of the morning -- it just feels so good. I always go home feeling grateful and upbeat.

(PS, I'm also feeling great about this year's time: 32 minutes, 20 seconds! I'll never be a 7-minute-mile kind of girl -- I actually really loathe running and most forms of cardio -- so a little over 10 minutes per mile feels great to me.)

[post race]

One funny story about the race: We picked up our race shirts on race morning. I asked for a small, my brother a medium. We back to my warm car to change (it was crazy-chilly at 8am!). I turned to Brother to ask him to pin my race number on my back, only to find him struggling halfway inside his race shirt, pulling and prodding to get the sucker on.

After managing to get it over his head, the sleeves end halfway up his forearm and the bottom doesn't even reach his bellybutton. He looks at me with a very confused expression and says, "I always wear a medium." I reply, "there's no way this is a medium." I check the tag. It's a medium.

Perplexed, we walk back to the tee-shirt table, Brother's shoulders hunched-up in the teeny-tiny-tee. We get to the table, and grumpy, cold Brother takes the shirt off and hands it to me (apparently I must solve the Case of the Medium Race Tee). I hold up the tee, and for lack of better words I ask the lady behind the table: "Um, this medium isn't very medium-ie?"

She starts cracking up and finally manages to say, "it's a child's medium." Well. Good thing we exchanged it for an adult-sized medium. Brother wouldn't let me, but I was really wanting to take a picture of him in that non-medium-ie medium.

Afterward, we went to Mama's house where family gathered for our traditional fare: hand-stuffed garlic olives (made by Cousin), pickled jalapenos with cheese (made by Uncle), home-brewed beer (Brother is the culinary mastermind behind this), cosmopolitans (shaken by Father), an array of artisans cheeses -- and these are just the appetizers.

I made pumpkin pie. Desserts are my specialty. Mama pretty much dominates all of the dinner foods (denying my many offers of help), which is probably a good thing, because dinner, as always, was ridiculously amazing.

And, here's the only picture I took that night (silly me -- too much enjoyment of the moments, I suppose). Meet Littlest Cousin:

She wore that apron all night, and sang Row-Row-Row Your Boat a minimum of 10 bazillion times, and kept handing me a small basket of wooden acorns to hold, no matter how sneakily I tried to set it down. Two-years-old = too cute. Mostly I love her because she's still bald-ish (I had peach fuzz until the age of, like, 5), and her little peach fuzz has a reddish tint -- maybe she'll be my fellow female ginger!

How was your T-day? What are your family's traditions?

advice on my conundrums

2010-11-24T10:16:00.000-08:00

Don't hate me but... I find cold weather so uninspiring. The food (bleh), the clothing (how many layers can I load up today?!), the way my skin and hair constantly feel dry and icky (not matter how much I moisturize), the sun sets at like 3pm, the clothing... and the clothing... Oh, how I long for sundresses with cute sandals!

This week, it seems as though this chilly weather has set a series of conundrums in my midst. Help!

Conundrum 1]
It was rainy and cold over the weekend, which had me in a clothing rut. Leggings + sweatshirt + boots = rut (for, like, four days in a row!). So, I challenged myself to wear a blog-worthy outfit on Tuesday, hopefully breaking this lounge-wear habit I've seemed to develop.

I woke up Tuesday to find fog and bone-chilling crispy coldness filling the air. My visions of skirt-with-tights-and-boots paired with cute, layered sweaters went right out the frosty window. Oops.

Jeans it is. How do you force yourself out of the lounge-wear and into cute clothing when it's so dang cold out?

scarf - american apparel

wrap - f21

tee - target

belt - h&m

jeans - guess

boots - thrift

Conundrum 2]

I was planning on wearing this red tee with a light gray sweater with 3/4 length sleeves, wrapped with this belt. Getting dress on Tuesday morning, I realized that I owned no such sweater. Hm. I've got a case of the winter-crazies. I think I'm due for a few winter wardrobe updates, but I'm kind of at a loss as to what I need. What are your fave winter go-tos?

PS - My red lipstick almost matches this tee perfectly, but you can barely tell in this dang picture. And sorry about the tired eyes -- this is what happens at the end of a long work day...

Conundrum 3]

I love my glasses but I so seldom wear them because I find them a little cumbersome. I have to constantly switch between sunglasses and regular glasses when it's bright out. I can't wear them to the gym because they slip down my nose or fall off. They get foggy when it's cold.

But most of all, I have no idea how to accessorize with my glasses! I feel like they're such a prominent accessory as-is, that I always have a minor what-to-pair-with-my-glasses freak out. Yesterday I went with a boring ol' ring-and-bracelet combo. Earrings and necklaces with glasses feel like too many around-the-face accessories to me. But maybe I'm crazy. Suggestions?

(On the glasses or the craziness -- apparently I need help with both?)

Conundrum 4]

These jeans are about four years old. I love 'em but they're stretching out a little too much (their bagginess looks so ridiculous in that picture!), they're wearing at the knees and they're quite faded. I'm in the market for a new pair of dark skinnies!

I tried on those $10 Mossimo jeans at Target. To my surprise, they pretty-much fit (pretty-much is usually about as good as it gets these days). But, the back pockets? They were sooo small. Teeny. And awkwardly placed. I couldn't do it. They remain at Target and I remain sans dark skinnies.

Remember when the economy was good and splurging on a great pair of denim with awesome back pockets was the thing to do? I kinda miss those days.

So, where do I find cute, yet not too pricey denim? Well thought out back pocket placement is essential. Help!

i can save myself

2010-11-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

Girl power, ya'll, I love it. Artist Amanda Visell created these whimsical -- yet bold -- posters touting the strength of girlhood.

[switcheroo]

Who needs a "knight in shining armor" to do all the rescueing when you are smart, brave and strong enough to do it on your own? That veritable man-to-the-rescue can instead be an amazing best friend for life, a partner in crime/saving/etc. -- and smart, brave and strong enough to be your equal.

What a great Christmas present for little girls and big girls, alike. $30 for one or $100 for all four at MySwitcheroo.com.

You are a maverick.

{ monday morsels } cinnamon-swirl sour cream coffeecake muffins

2010-11-22T14:46:00.000-08:00

Something about cold, dreary, rainy weather makes me want to bake things. And then spend the day eating them up. Cupcakes. Lasagna. Mac 'n Cheese. Muffins. If cooking and eating baked carbs to get me through the cold months is wrong, then I don't wanna be right.

I made these delicious coffeecake muffins last week -- and they're certainly no exception. Original recipe is from my dearly-loved "The Best of Cooking Light" cookbook.

Ingredients:
1/2 C packed dark brown sugar
1/4 C chopped pecans
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 C sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
1/2 C egg substitute
1 C sour cream
2 tbs water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
cooking spray
6 tbs powdered sugar
1 tbs orange juice
dash of salt
cupcake liners

Instuctions:

1] Preheat to 400 degrees.

2] Combine first 3 ingredients and set aside.

3] Beat (medium speed until well blended; about 3 minutes) granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl. Add egg substitute, beat 3 minutes. Beat in sour cream, water and vanilla.

4] Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add sour cream mixture. Stir until just combined.

5] Place 3 tbs brown sugar mixture in a small bowl, set a side. Sprinkle surface of muffin batter with remaining brown sugar mixture. Gently fold batter 4 times.

6] Place muffin/cupcake liners in muffin cups (directions call for 18, but I used slightly less) and coat liners with cooking spray. Spoon batter into cups. Sprinkle batter evenly with reserved brown sugar mixture. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately and place on a write rack to cool for 10 minutes.

7] Combine powdered sugar, juice and a dash of salt in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over muffins.

During my baking sesh, I had to stop and giggle at the mess my kitchen transformed into. Apparently I'm not the most tidy chef.

Yes, my cabinets are painted avocado green (real paint name = La Fonda Olive), and I love them. I really should get around to posting some before and after pictures.

Happy Monday! Yay for three-day work weeks and Thanksgiving!

the best way to reheat tamales

2010-11-19T14:28:00.000-08:00

A coworker was taking tamale orders for a fundraiser at her daughter's school. Due to my ~~unhealthy~~ Mexican food ~~obsession~~ love, I couldn't say no. Hey, it's for a good cause!

And while the thought of my freezer absolutely full of ready-to-eat tamales was just about the most tempting image ever, I resisted and only bought one bundle. My, what strength I had that day! But now, I'm almost wishing I had bought five bundles, because these tamales were delivered in a huuuuge brick -- we're talking a heavy, solid rectangle, five tamales wide and four tamales deep. Oh delightfulness!

But, the tamale brick came with no reheating directions. I've always reheated tamales the same way for years, so out of curiosity I hunted around online to see what other people suggest. Apparently my technique is super top secret -- no one else seems to suggest it.

[benm135]

The thing is, you can't reheat tamales the "wrong" way, or them become really dry and crumbly. And who wants a crumbled tamale? Not I. So I'm sharing my super-fantastic, works-every-time, delicious reheated tamales technique!

1] Dampen a paper towel entirely. (Like, wet the whole thing and the wring it out.)

2] Leave the corn husk on, and wrap the paper towel complete around the tamale and fold the ends over the tamale (basically you're wrapping it burrito-style).

3] Place the wrapped tamale into a plastic baggie. Do not seal the baggie.

4] Place unsealed baggie into microwave and reheat for a minute or more on a medium-ish heat. I do about a 1:15 minutes at 65 (out of 100) heat. Reheating at medium for longer (instead of higher for shorter) really helps.

5] Carefully take your tamale out of the baggie, unwrap and enjoy.

I know that I learned this technique from some one else, but I can't remember who. I wish I could give them proper credit, because this way is sooo fast and easy.

Happy eating and happy weekend!

EDIT: I guess I should mention, the best way to reheat a bunch of tamales is probably to steam them. But, it you don't have a steamer and want to heat up one or two, this is the way to go. Happy eating!

dear forever21

2010-11-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

Please make a $20 version of this shoe. I'm still obsessing over it. $15 would be nice, too.

[ann demeulemeester at saks]

Have a great weekend!
xoxo,
MJ

PS - Urban Outfitters? You wanna jump in on this? I can totally see you peddling a version of this awesomeness too. And I'd be all over it.

reason #213 I want an iPhone

2010-11-17T15:09:00.000-08:00

Mostly I want an iPhone for all the wicked awesome apps. I even have a list of to-downloads, just in case I ever get one. Sh, don't tell my Blackberry.

This app (Cartolina Holiday) looks so stinkin' cute -- it just might make the list. How fun would it be to send holiday greetings this way?

Better yet, how fun would it be to RECEIVE one of these cute little notes?

Cartolina's Holiday app is the predecessor of Cartolina's Original app, which is perfect for just about any occasion.

You can text the greeting to your friends on their bday, to your man before a big meeting, or to your mama just because (you know she'd love it). And, iPhone users, if any of your friends are unfortunate enough not to own an i (like, ahem, myself -- and I seriously the only person left without one?!), you can e-mail the greetings, too.

morning glory -- me & he

2010-11-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

He = Folgers coffee, milk, sugar.

Me = Chai tea, milk.

[three potato four]

I used to be so confused by people who couldn't start their day without their morning cup of coffee. But as I get -- ahem -- older, I find that each morning I do look forward to my little caffeine fix.

Morning cup with the Sunday edition of The New York Times = lovely.

What's in your morning cup?

it's a kind of magic

2010-11-15T15:11:00.000-08:00

Who ever would have thought that the bookish little Hermione Granger would blossom into the poised, elegant and absolutely stunning Miss Emma Watson?

And her freshly chopped locks, featured in the latest issue of Marie Claire, look so very Twiggy/Edie Sedgwick-esque.

[mc]

I've been secretly longing to chop my hair off like this for years, but I just can't seem to find the courage to do so. Emma makes it look so effortlessly chic and beautiful. When I received my mag in the mail with Emma nearly tress-less face gracing the cover, I was down right giddy. I immediately skipped right to her feature and read her interview. Is it just me or does her personality and level headedness seem just as stunning?

Had to share.

See the Marie Claire's cover shoot slideshow here.

Read the Marie Claire article here.

"Score 50 points, Gryffendor!"

her morning elegance

2010-11-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

The sound of water makes her dream
Awoken by a cloud of steam
She pours a daydream in a cup
A spoon of sugar sweetens up

A ridiculously beautiful song, accompanied by an equally beautiful video. The lyrics give me chills and the video is mesmerizing. I try not to post to many videos, and contemplated not posting this today since I posted a video yesterday as well. But it's just too pretty not to share asap. Happy Thursday!

l'hippopotame était allergique à la magie

2010-11-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

A friend shared this with me today saying "someone get me a French baby stat." This is truly an adorable kiddo, but mostly I adore her spunky-with-a-tiny-hint-of-morbid imagination.

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

In other news, I received my first rude comment left by an "anonymous." Is this some sort of weird initiating into the blogging world? I've been so blown away by the kindness and warmth of the blogging community, that I every time I read about those anonymous mean commenters, I felt a little, well, confused...

Ironically, I'm all for 100 percent honesty (I really dislike faux kindness, lies, etc.), so the thing that bothers me most isn't what this person said, but the fact that they didn't have the courage to do so in an honest manner -- they chose to spout off, but to do so behind veil of secrecy. How sad that some people don't have enough faith in themselves to give themselves credit for their own thoughts.

So, I deleted it. I figure: if they don't give themselves credit, neither should I.

5 things i dig on friday

2010-11-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

1] I know this video, in all it's diva-eque awesomeness, has been floating all over the internet for the past few weeks, but did you know this lil chick is Will Smith's daughter? Meet Willow Smith: songstress, diva, and 10-year-old bad-ass with serious kick-booty style. I'm basically in love with her amazing hair.

[source]

2] Have you been introduced to The Girls With Glasses? These adorable self-described artsy-fartsy girls are basically a joy to watch and totally hilarious. Their blog is pretty sweet too. And, yes, that's totally Brooke White circa American Idol (Omg, ya'll!).

3] These beautiful city prints by Blanca Gomez.

4] Nasty Gal's Braidy Bunch post. Makes me wanna channel my inner Pippi Longstocking.

5] These directions:
1. Go to Google maps.

2. Go to "Get Directions."

3. Type Japan as the start location.

4. Type China as the end location.

5. Read direction #43.

6. Giggle.

Have a happy weekend!!

the weekender

2010-11-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Is it just my life or does everything always seem to fall on the same weekend? You can have countless weekends with little-to-no plans, then --blam!-- 29 super important/fun things (all of which are imperative, of course) happen at once.

And it's all kicking off tonight with a dinner at my aunt and uncle's lovely above. Then, I am heading to the scrapbook expo, attending my favorite baby boy's 1st birthday party (where I promised to face paint the kiddos), going to a food bank fundraising benefit with my mama, and spending Sunday at Apple Hill (I haven't been in who-knows-how-long!). I am so excited. I love having fun things to look forward to.

It feels like I've been waiting for the expo forevvvver. Work has been so super-busy and I've been busy settling in to my cute new home, all the while I've just been itching to bust out the Thickers and scissors. Hopefully I'll be overflowing with inspiration this weekend so that next weekend -- when, naturally, I have absolutely no plans whatsoever -- I can scrap away. I'm also hoping to score some of that Japanese Washi Tape stuff. I've been holding off of ordering online, hoping that I'll save a few bucks on shipping...

In the meantime, here's a few scrappy bloggers I am constantly inspired by:

Amy Tangerine

This woman is basically a genius and I drool over all her scrappy creations. I love her energizing use of color and the way she incorporates off-beat embellishments that I would never even think to use -- and they always flow together like magic.

Jeremy

This guy always has something super unique and intriguing up his sleeve. I'm always draw to the detailing and non-scrapbook elements in his layouts -- and I'm always left reexamining the way I scrap (vs. the way I'd like to scrap -- like what I feel like I should do vs. what I want to do)... Why not use an American Apparel bag?!

Lehua

It's quite possible this lady makes the most adorable mini-books around. You can tell she's just a naturally creative person -- even her handwriting is beautiful to read.

On another note, I got called for jury duty next week. This is my fourth time. Doesn't that seem a bit steep for someone of --ahem-- my age? My ~~boy~~manfriend has never been called for jury duty -- not once. All the more reason to live it up this weekend I suppose...

What are you doing this weekend?
Does autumn inspire you to get crafty, too?

crocked pot

2010-11-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Today my mom came over for a visit with crock pot in hand. It's a gift! I think she was so inspired by the soup we made last week, that when she saw this one on sale at Walmart, she couldn't resist. How cute is she? Terribly cute, to be honest. That's my mama: full of adorable gestures of kindness.

[betseyjean79]

However... Until last week, I had never used a crock pot to cook. And honestly, I'm not even the one who had the bigger hand in making last week's squash soup -- I found the recipe and she made the goodness. Sure I've seen others do it and talk about their crock pot experiences many times, but I've never ventured into that realm of cooking on my own.

So, any good recipe recommendations?Or crock pot cooking tips and tricks? Is it easy? I'm always a little timid to try something new in the kitchen...

i know this much is true: 25 at 26: 18-25

2010-11-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

18] I love/need lists.
It's true, I can be forgetful. I like writing just about anything and everything down that I'd like to remember again in the future -- less stress about trying to actually remember later this way. Making lists and checking things off always makes me happy. I even buy cute paper specifically for list-making.

19] I'm big on loyalty.
I strongly value this quality. I'm super loyal in relationships (friendships or otherwise), and truly appreciate those who display a strong sense of loyalty (to me or others). It's difficult for me to respect a person who I've seen act disloyal.

20] I'm a night owl.
I'm pretty sure God just made me this way. Even as a lil tyke, my mom would put me to bed, and I'd lay there foreverrrr, just waiting to fall asleep. I thrive in the night time -- I feel productive, I feel creative, I feel mentally alive. Sometimes I envy those morning people who get all sorts of things accomplished before I even wake up, but then again, they're tired by 8pm, which is when I'm just getting started.

21] I collect vintage suitcases.
I love them. I use a stack of suitcases as my bedside table. My two faves actually belonged to my dad's relatives when they immigrated from Europe to the US. They have all sorts of travel stickers still. There was an old envelope in one, address to them along their journey to California. No letter inside though. I'm thinking of framing the old envelope. The handwriting is too pretty.

22] I prefer tea to coffee.
I'll drink coffee on occasion, but my regular morning cup is tea. Chai is my currert fave (especially in latte form), but I also love earl grey, green, white, black... I like the variety. Happily, I currently have more than 10 boxes of tea bags in my cabinet.

23] My mom is one of my best friends.
I used to think it was sooo corny when other people said this. But, I feel as though as I grow older, my mom and I become closer and closer. We are alike in so many ways and have such similar interests, that we hang out all the time. We make each other laugh contanstantly. I love my mama.

24] I'm a girlie-girl.
It took me a long time to admit this. I think I just associated "girlie-girl" with superfulous, glittery pink and being concerned with silly things. But the truth is, I love getting dressed up, I love wearing heals, I love playing with hair and make-up, I love a girls' night out just as much as a girls' night in. I absolutely love my guy-friends, but I'll always put my ladies first -- I feel it's SO important for us ladies to stick together and to support each other and to lift eachother up. Nothing hurts my heart more than seeing a lady who is down-and-out (especially if it's because of a catty girl or a mean guy). So, I've kind of redefined "girlie girl" for my own purposes: sure I'll wear a rockin' pair of high heels when I'm dancing the night away with my closest gal pals, but I'll also be there for them in the bleakest of moments, through thick and thin, and support them even when high heels are the last things on our minds.

25] My dog is named after Pretty in Pink. And my grandma.
Duckie Mae (my baby girl) is named after Duckie in Pretty in Pink. I'm obsessed with old movies, 80s movies in particular. When I was driving to the rescue to adopt this little doggie, I knew I wanted to give her a name with an 80s reference. So, I was thinking of things like Zelda, Tetris, Ferris and Bowie. But then I met her and none of those names fit -- she was so goofy and shy, and super-loving and terribly sweet... Just like Duckie. Annnd, Duckie has a middle name: Mae. My grandma used give everything the middle name of "Mae." Not for real, that's just how she always said it. "Mama Mae," "Charlie Mae," "Molly Mae." She was always sooo concerned about my fear of dogs. I didn't get over my fear until after her death. So, the name is in remembrance of her.

Whew! And I'm spent! It still feels kind of weird sharing all this stuff about myself. I keep thinking: "Really? Who cares?!" Haha. Here's the whole series:

1-5

6-10

11-17

fall fashion week in review

2010-11-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's November already? Feels like I was so excited for Halloween month only two days ago! Is it really time to put away all my spook-tacular decorations already?

I'm so glad I participated in Emery Jo's Fall Fashion week. I was so inspired by the outfit creativity of some beautiful ladies. And, it really challenged me to blog in a different way. Taking pictures in the morning and posting them that very day is typically not my style (I guess I'm just too lazy for that), but I had a lot of fun rising to the challenge (ahem, minus the weekend days).

My Fall Fashion week in review:

PS - I'm kind of, sort of totally obsessed with Polardoid. I can't get enough. I can't stop polaroid-ing my pictures! Anyone else so loving this as much as me?

And, I'd really like to print a few out to scrapbook. Has anyone tried this yet?

fall fashion week - day 5, day 6, day 7

2010-10-31T15:42:00.000-07:00

Oh Fall Fashion week-ers, how sad I am to see all this fun come to a close... Life got a little hectic and I'm so disappointed that this is my first Fall Fashion post of the weekend. I did at least take pictures, so I'm making up for it by this mega-fashion post. Strap on your helmets, keep your arms and legs inside the blog, and herrrrre we go!

{ day 5 - friday }

I had really good intentions on Friday... I started the day with an amazing yoga class, and followed that by working from home, running errands, and making costumes with my mama through the evening.

Please excuse the super-corny yoga pose. Yay for crescents!

leggings - target (different pair than the day 3 leggings, I swear!)

tank - bacardi promo shirt, courtesy of my bartending amiga

I know you can't see it, but my fave racer-back sports bra, also from target.

And, of course, the adorable Duckie Mae. I'm beginning to believe she thinks this blog is dedicated to her.

Post-yoga 'fit. This is pretty much my go-to generic outfit. [Yes, I tried to be like all those cool people who take those amazing mirror-pictures. Alas, I do not have a big fancy camera, so this is all we get.]

Leggings + big sweater = so cozy.

leggings - um, same ones I wore to yoga.

sweater - american eagle (from like two or three years ago)

tank - abercrombie kids (so embarrassing to admit, but it's true!)

necklace - boutique in New Paltz, NY

not pictured -- boots from day 3

My ~~boy~~manfriend informed me that's wearing the yoga leggings is dirty. But guys, I don't sweat at all during yoga, so I didn't feel smelly and gym-like afterward... What do you think?

{ day 6 - saturday }

My mom was off to a Greek/Roman themed Halloween dinner party, so I helped style her costume -- I did the make-up, helped with the wig and accessories, etc. She went as Ninkasi, the goddess of beer and brewing.

Yes, another generic go-to. I have a mild obsession with this sweater. It is by no means the most flattering thing I own, yet I find myself reaching for it time and time again. The stripes are grey/blue and I love pairing it with coral shirts, like this one.

sweater - bcbg outlet

tee - uo

leggings - abercrombie

rain boots - costco (houndstooth print)

bracelets - street vendor in Mexico, nordies, gifts

Don't get me wrong, I love my $5 Target leggings, but I'm SO glad I splurged on this pair (they're navy, not black). They're super thick and warm. I got them like 4 years ago and they're in perfect shape. Not one little hole. Best winter leggings ever.

About the hair: I'm wearing ballet bun in this picture and I wore one to yoga, as well. It's my super-sneaky trick -- whenever I want my hair up, don't want to do it now, but want to be able to do it later (without a pony-tail kink or whatever), I do the ballet bun. Basically I twist my hair around itself until it forms a bun, then I wrap a hair tie around it. No pony-tail or bobby pin creases, and it only takes, like, a minute max to do. Keeps the curly/frizzy hair in decent shape until I'm ready to wrangle it.

Saturday night, ~~boy~~manfriend and I went to our friends' Halloween party. We dressed as vampire slayers: he was Blade and I was Buffy (movie Buffy, not TV Buffy). And, I actually wore this until 3am this morning, so this totally counts as day 7's outfit, too ;]

One of my childhood heroes! I seriously thought Buffy was one of the most kick-booty girls ev-vah.

leggings - high waist from american apparel

skirt - american apparel (altered)

top - american apparel (altered)

sports bra and socks - target

shoes - old cheer shoes

bow- old cheer bow

the purple stripes are ribbon

the "H" and the megafone were made out of felt

My mom has all the good pictures of Blade and Buffy together, so I might add some this evening.

Today we're keeping it low key. I've been cleaning all morning, so I'm literally in sweat pants, that purple sports bra, and a grey tank (also from abercrombie kids, haha). Maybe I'll put on my hot pink mullet wig (from my 2008 Jem costume) when I start getting trick-or-treaters.

Happy Halloween and happy Fall Fashion week! It's been so great "meeting" all of you!

happy friday

2010-10-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

This was on the inside of a Full Sail Ale beer cap. It made me giggle. I think I might make a magnet out of it. Where do I find magnets that small and strong?

Well, the weekend is here! Happy Friday and happy Halloween weekend!! What are your plans?

these are the days - calendar template

2010-10-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

Only 57 days until Christmas. Did you heart just drop toward your stomach a little? Yeah, mine did.

Each year, I really prefer to make (or at least semi-home make, or at least purchase directly for the people who did make) the gifts I give. Last year's theme was food.

But making gifts means having to decide on what to make well in advance. And making sure you have more than enough time to complete each task (because, for some reason, these things usually take longer than expected).

The Shutter Sisters blog has shared free Photoshop files of a mini calendar template. Drop your own photos in and voila!

I know that places like Costco print calendars for pretty cheap, but these seems like a fun, even more DIY alternative.

Have you started thinking about holiday gifts yet?

fall fashion week - day 4

2010-10-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's Day 4 already? Wowzers! Can you tell I'm still totally phobic about taking pictures of myself? It's true! It's just me and the camera, and I get all nervous every time -- as soon as the self-timer starts clicking, I don't know what to do, so I just look around the room still I hear the "click," and then I breathe a sigh of relief. Haha, so silly!

sweater - old navy

tee - target

jeans - paper denim & cloth (for like $40 via ideeli!)

belt - bcbg outlet

shoes - gift (kenneth cole brand)

ring - NYC street vendor (same as yesterday)

earrings - f21

bracelets - nordstrom, Mexico street vendor, gifts

I think the sweater is actually from the men's department, but it's argyle and cost $10, so I love it.

In other news, there's a rogue chalk artists lurking in my 'hood. Yesterday on an evening walk with Duckie, we came across this evidence:

This is the third crime scene of this kind I've seen lately -- isn't it beautiful? They kind of fill me with a feeling of lovely whimsy each time I run in to one. Funny thing is, I think I saw the artist drawing this on the previous night (on a late-evening walk with the Duck) -- I saw someone stooped toward the middle of the street, but it was dark and I turned around the first corner instead of walking by... Cue mystery music here!

Join in the Fall Fashion fun at Emery Jo's blog!

say less, talk more

2010-10-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

Words to live by.

[elisejoy]

fall fashion week - day 3

2010-10-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

So today I'm totally copying Rachael, and posting links of fall fashion inspiration. I've really been loving the fall fashion of these lovely ladies:

Us Three Birds - absolutely beautiful make-up, great mix of stripes and floral, fabulous use of color, terribly chic but oh-so simple style.

Out Somis Life - this lady is killing it with the amazing accessories: a headband with a flower so big I'd totally want to wear it but totally chicken out, great hats, one fabulous scarf, unique style that's comfy yet beautifully pulled-together.

Just By Living - I honestly do not know what's more adorable: her playful outfits or her little son. 'Nuff said.

She Breathes Deeply - quite possibly the cutest little preggers chica I've ever seen, we're talking leopard print cardis, and girly headband paired with lumberjack flannel, and fantastical photos of little bump, her hubs, and beautiful autumnal scenery.

Thanks for sharing your style and for the inspiration!

{ my day 3 }

I was on a serious mission to find a tree with yellow leaves to take pictures near. No such luck -- California is still just too warm, I suppose. I somehow found a beautiful yellow leaf though. AND, you guys, a lucky little lady bug was on it (I put her on a nearby flower) when I picked it up -- lucky me!

Today is an outfit of things I love. My favorite ring (which I created a whole blog post about here), my fave vintage necklace, fave fast way to do my hair, and my fave sweater. My mama bought the sweater in Mexico when she was like 21. I look forward to wearing it each and every year.

sweater - vintage (from mom's closet)

tank - abercrombie

leggings - target

boots - thrift

scarf - coach

necklace - vintage (San Diego boutique)

ring - NYC street vendor
earrings - generic fake-diamonds, probs from f21

belt - leftover fabric from a dress I shortened
lipstick - MAC's Viva Glam in Cindy (current fave, too!)

Duckie Mae was literally sitting like this and watching me the whoooole time -- I think she wanted to be a part of the photoshoot. Here's an idea of what it looks like belted:

About the hair: When my hair is too icky to wear down or when I'm super lazy in the morning, I put it up into a high messy bun and throw a scarf over my head. I swear I get the most compliments when I wear it like this, which I find terribly hilarious because I've been know to refer to this as my "Ghetto-Chic" look. But, the thing is... My hair is naturally curly/wavy/frizz-ball, and I hate washing and styling it every day because it's kind of a time commitment. So, the bun takes care of the length and the scarf takes care of those pesky fly-aways and frizzy little front hairs that I don't always have the patience to straighten.

And, let me just say, I've been totally blown away by all of the generous and super-lovely comments I've received during Fall Fashion Week. So, thanks for the love, ya'll!

{ and -- Halloween is almost here! }

I also posted about my Halloween costumes today! I'm definitely a make-it-yourself kind of Halloweener. I'm also going to rummage through the old photo books at my mama's house and look for some of my kiddo-costumes to post!

{ and -- 18 After 18 }

Have you made an 18 After 18 list yet? Basically... Remember all of those little, simple things that you had SO much fun doing as a free-spirited child? Why don't we do that stuff now? Well, let's do it (assuming you are "of age," that is)! Here's my 18 After 18 compilation of things to do and here's Tiffany's original post. This is seriously a genius idea -- after writing my list I seriously felt less adult-worry-ish and way more ready-to-be-free-spirited again. Good for the soul, for sure.

Join in the Fall Fashion fun at Emery Jo's blog, Mom's are for Everyone!

homemade halloween holiday

2010-10-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Halloween is, quite simply, the Best. Holiday. Ever.

I love the history, I love the spooky things, I love carving pumpkins, I love the cute decorations, I love the candy, and I love... the costumes.

I've always been a make-it-yourself kind of girl -- when we were little, my mom totally spoiled us by making out costumes each year. So these days, I kinda refuse to buy one. At any costume party (Halloween or otherwise), I'm always that really annoying girl who goes ALL-out. [Note: I'm looking for some pictures of childhood Halloween costumes to post! What was your fave costume as a kiddo?]

In selecting my costume, I have a few stipulations: False eyelashes are usually essential. Crazy make-up is always good. Wigs are a definitely plus. And anything 80s (or cartoon or vintage -- combo of all three is best) is basically a shoe-in. [And cute-but-not-slutty, which apparently isn't buy-able these days, is basically the route I follow.]

{ Costumes of Halloween-Past }

Last year, I was Dora the Explorer, and the ~~boy~~manfriend dressed as Diego! We didn't take a lot of pictures with my camera (there are better pictures out there of us, I'm just not sure who has them...), so please excuse the silly party shots.

[I was trying to show off my awesome backpack,
but it kinda turned into a butt-shot. Sorry!]

The backpack was a must -- that's where it all started. I got the pink tee at, um, probably Target; the shorts were on sale in the little girl's department at Kohls. I also wore yellow socks and white tennis shoes, and those beaded bracelets (just like Dora). The wig I got at Evangeline's Costume Warehouse, but I had to take some time to style it and make it poofy like Dora's hair. Many curlers were involved.

And best of all, I had gone to Hawaii the previous week, so I still had plenty of tropical tan left. ~~Boy~~Manfriend's costume was also super-easy to create. He had the denim shorts, we bought an aqua tee, and found a khaki work shirt at a thrift store, which we cut into an adventure-vest. We also sewed the Diego logo onto his front pocket. And he wore hiking socks and boots.

Little miss Duckie was Ariel for all of, like, 3 minutes. The costume didn't really fit her, so she shimmied right out of that sucker. She's not even wearing the seashell top in that picture...

Two years ago, I recreated the look of one of my childhood heroes: Jem. I'm not really into repeats when it comes to costumes, but I'd DEF rock Jem again if the occasion was right.

[Side note: I got ready in less than 30 minutes on this night! I was at a football game
and had to book it to the party, which was already commencing. Whew]

The shoes were a ridiculously lucky thrift store find. I (aka, mostly my mom) made the dress and the belt. Dress was from a wrap-dress pattern and the belt I just made up. [Super sneaky secret: I designed the belt as a purse/fanny pack! The top is sealed by velcro, which seriously came in handy alllll night long!] I found the wig and earrings at Prevues (costume/thrift shop). You can't really tell, but I did do the Jem make-up. I learned afterward that pink shows best when you use hot pink lipstick/base underneath the powder, so the make-up isn't quite a dramatic as I would have liked...

Annnnnd, this year I have two costumes in the works. And they BOTH involve these ridiculous shiny leggings from American Apparel:

I'll post pictures and the how-I-done-it after the "big day." I'm not really into spoiling the surprise...

Are you dressing up this year? What are you going as?
I'd love to see some costumes, so link away!

18 after 18

2010-10-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

Remember all of those fun things we did as kids? You know how sometimes you still want to do some of those really awesome things? Well, let's do it!

Tiffany at Dancing Branflakes created 18 After 18, your own list of memories that your cool adult-self ought to experience. Check out Tiffany's list, check out mine below, and then join in on the fun. Let's be kids again!

1] Eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with a string cheese and side of raisins. For dinner. While sitting on the kitchen counter. (According to my mother, this was one of my favorite past times.)

2] Be spontaneous.

3] Carve a pumpkin.

4] Take a dance class.

5] Turn the music up really loud and dance. For the entire song. All by myself. (Bonus points if the song is by Madonna, C + C Music Factory, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Jackson, or New Kids on the Block.)

6] Play dress-up.

7] Have a birthday party with a theme and presents and decorations and... And something rent-able, like a bounce house or Big Spoon fro-yo.

8] Go to Apple Hill. Drink warm cider. Take lots of pictures.

9] Laugh until my tummy hurts and my laughs become inaudible.

10] Go camping, spend the night in a tent, make dinner over the fire and roast copious amounts of marshmallows.

11] Write a short story.

12] Hand-make a card, write a note and send it to my bff by snail mail. Extra points for confetti inside the envelope. Double points for using more than one "PS."

13] Make friendship bracelets. Wear it.

14] Ride my bike to the gas station to buy a slurpee. (Back when Merlino's Freeze had a location on Folsom Blvd, we used to bike there. And to Cookie's Drive-In on H, and to the used book store and Italian market that were both just around the corner. Oh, those were the days!)

15] Scare my little brother right before he walks around the corner. (Is that mean? I used to do it to him all the time... I remember thinking that I ought to stop, but every single time he would scream so loud and jump so high that I couldn't resist. Let's see if his adult-self remembers this as fondly... Haha.)

16] Jump on one of those large backyard trampolines.

17] Go on a hike. Bring a lunch. Picnic.

18] Spend an entire evening playing board games.

Some of mine are inspired by Tiffany's original list. And, some of these things I've already done after the age of 18, but I wouldn't mind doing again at 26.

What's on your list?

vintage-ify preview

2010-10-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

I've got something in the works... Last week I diligently set to work on this craft project each evening after work. Here's a little preview:

I really had fun throughout the process and I'm so pleased with the results. I'm currently working on the post and can't wait to share the project details!

Is it just me, or does autumn really get you into the crafty mood? I mean... What else is there to do on a dreary day? What projects have you been working on lately?

fall fashion week - day 2

2010-10-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

I've been dreaming of wearing this skirt with knit tights, and today it's finally cold enough to do so.

cardi - h&m

tube top - old navy

belt - diy

skirt - anthropologie

tights - hue

shoes - steve madden

necklace - f21

Join in the Fall Fashion Week fun at Emery Jo's blog!

{ monday morsels } soup du squash

2010-10-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

[made with polardoid]

I spotted this recipe for Butternut Squash Soup in my mom's Better Homes mag over the weekend, and we made it yesterday (because yesterday was a dreadfully rainy day, which naturally called for some seriously delightful soup). You guys, it was sooo easy. Like, the easiness to tasty-ness ratio is way off balance on this one. We just plopped the ingredients into the trusty crockpot, and a few hours later, we had warm, aromatic soup ready for dinner.

I also had some today for lunch. And probably this will be my lunch again tomorrow. No shame.

Ingredients:

2 lb. butternut squash, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces

2 C chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 C finely chopped onion
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 - 1 tsp Sriracha
2 tbsp lime juice
add Thai Gremolata when serving (basically basil, peanuts & lime juice/peel)

Instructions:
1] Stir together squash, broth, coconut milk, onion, brown sugar, soy sauce and Sriracha in a slow cooker.

2] Cover; cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. (We did low.)

3] Use an immersion blender to carefully blend soup until completely smooth; or, transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender; or use a potato masher to mash mixture nearly smooth. (I used a potato masher.) Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai Gremolata.

4] Thai Gremolata: stir together 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts and 1 tablespoon finely shredded lime peel.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

I will definitely be making this recipe again! It's so perfect for squash season and for a cold, rainy day (especially when accompanied by cheesy, spooky movies like Hocus Pocus or Practical Magic).

okay, i'm in

2010-10-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to post more outfit shots lately -- after all, when I started my lil ol' blog, I intended for my love of style to be a big part of it. So, I'm taking on Emery Jo's Fall Fashion Week. I'll be posting my what-I-wore each day this week. You can too, join in the fun!

Day 1: This was one of those thought-of-it-the-night-before-while-I'm-laying-in-bed outfit ideas. Except, I imagined it with my yellow polka-dot belt, which was no where to be found this morning. I have a hunch it's still at my mom's house and never made it over here... How neglected he must feel!

The only mildly decent lighting was near the floor, so that explains why I'm at ground level...

shirt - anthropologie
skirt - american apparel
belt - h&m
boots - thrift
socks - american apparel
necklace - hand-me-down from mom
hair-tie - on my wrist. I'm fancy like that.

Had the weather been cooler in California, I would have thrown on a big, colorful scarf. But, I chose the pearls instead. I'm a sucker for a ridiculous 80s accessory.

down & out chic giveaway

2010-10-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ohlala, Down & Out Chic is giving away a $50 gift certificate to Earrings Nation. I entered, and you should too -- their merch is super-duper cute. If I won, I'd probs purchase these adorable baubles:

[whimsical owl necklace]

[the lost boat necklace]

blank it

2010-10-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

1. I am really itching to host a craft night. I've never held one... Actually, I don't even think I've been to one. But I am definitely wanting to make it happen. It would be soooo fun!

2. I wish that our society was focused more on the enjoyment of life than just surviving through it.

3. I like that feeling, when inspiration hits you and you can barely contain yourself or your excitement.

4. I can do more than I give myself credit. Sometimes it seems like I underestimate myself too much.

5. I hope my Halloween costume turns out as wicked-awesome as I'm envisioning...

6. I think too much. I like to ponder, to question, to wonder, to contemplate... But mostly I'm just an overanalyzer. I hear it's a Virgo thing.

7. I was loving the beautiful sunshine of our indian summer. And now, I miss it. Clouds kind of suck.

[Fill in the Blank Friday questions by Lauren of The Little Things We Do.]

sometimes i wonder...

2010-10-22T14:22:00.001-07:00

...If people saw the solo dance parties I throw in the car, would they ever be able to look at me the same? We're talking major karaoke contest and dance-off combo. It's really competitive. Luckily, I'm really good, so I always win.

[Autumn Girl 1 by nan lawson]

PS - I know, I know, the image has absolutely nothing to do with the post. But she's all cute and autumnal, and today is really feeling like fall, so I couldn't resist. Plus, I'm still obsessing over Nan's wonderful illustrations. Want one.

click-click-click-click-camera

2010-10-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

[josef hoflehner]

Today I discovered Photographers Gallery -- a site filled with truly amazing things -- thanks to Lonny mag (P.S. Dear Lonny, I think I'm in love. xoxo, mj).

I feel like I've been posting a lot of online finds lately, but I swear I keep running into the most inspiring things over and over -- for reals. My inspiration file may just reach max capacity soon -- somebody give me a scrapbook and some photos, stat!

[slim aarons]

I am so feelin' all these images right now. I hope my little Diani Mini (she's being repaired), comes back to me soon. I'm getting that film itch...

How dreamy it would be to have a house filled with these wondrous moments in time.

jamaica's spine

2010-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

I *really* want to make one of these!

I think I have a bona fide obsession with scrapbooking in mini-book format. I haven't found the time to scrapbook as of late, but I've been absolutely itching to bust out the paper, and adhesives, and Thickers (oh my!). Jamaica's fabulous fabric covered spine tutorial may just be the inspiration I've been needed to finally MAKE a little time for scrappin'.

It reminded me of a book project we did in the 5th grade. We wrote stories, drew illustrations, and then made a book. The spines were similar to this (fabric, but no rings). It was definitely in my top 10 fave school projects.

Thanks to Vivianna for posting this lovely tutorial link on her guest post at A Spoonful of Love this morning.

elephunk

2010-10-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

[sara jane studios]

[le art haus]

[lovely sweet william]

Elephantastic prints.

I've always found something terribly romantic about elephants. They have an air of wisdom and seem to be such patient, understanding creatures. Plus, according to Dr. Seuss, they're also incredibly loyal.

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant is faithful 100%."

baby, oh baby

2010-10-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

My coworker's old college roomie, Andy, is expecting a baby girl just about any day now. According to my officemate, Andy has always been a super crafty girl. These days, she spends her professional life as a Graphic Designer. Recently she posted pictures of her oh-so-cute baby room that I cannot stop oogling over.

Seriously the most adorably chic baby nursery ever.

Most of the furniture was found at antique or thrift stores. And many of the elements (the stuffed animals, pillows, little origami lanterns, etc.) are handmade gifts from loved ones.

Don't you want to move in? Basically, I really want this room. Like for me (not a baby). Like now. I'm filing these images under Inspiration for my Office (which happens to currently be the saddest little non-decorated, non-inspiring room I've ever laid eyes on).

home is where ever I'm with you

2010-10-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

That lyric is quite possibly the most romantical sentiment I've ever heard.

This delightful little ditty has been hanging high on my playlist lately.

autumn en route

2010-10-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento weather changed this weekend. On Saturday morning, it still felt like Indian Summer. Saturday night, it was fall. Today's was a bona fide autumnal day. Made me want to curl up with a chai tea latte and crochet scarves (because that's really the only thing I know how to crochet!) while watching movies like Paris, Je T'aime.

i know this much is true: 25 at 26: 11-17

2010-10-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

11] I love scrapbooking. Especially on a rainy day.
I've been a scrapbooker/crafter/collage-er/etc. for a verrry long time. I love physically cutting things out, putting different elements together, and creating something. It feels so zen sometimes. Ideally, I like to scrapbook during a rainy day, sitting by the warm fireplace, while watching episodes of Sex and the City (series, not movie) or an awesome 80s movie.

12] I absolutely adore sunshine and warmth.
I don't know if I believe in past lives, but... I'm pretty sure I might have been some sort of Aztec sun-worshiper person previously, because I love the sunshine more than anyone I know.

13] I totally believe in ghosts, spirits, etc.
And I LOVE watching those dumb ghost-hunter types of shows on TV. I find all of the paranormal and religious aspects of it so intriguing.

14] I heart school.
Okay, so I always hated tests and homework and all that time-consuming busy work. But, when I got close to graduating college, I started getting really sad about not being in school any more. I actually really like going to class, listening to a teacher share their knowledge (and hopefully passion), and having class discussions about captivating topics (like sociology theory, applying law, etc.). I realized that leaving school doesn't mean I'm leaving learning -- it just sort of happens in a different way. But... I kinda miss it... I guess I miss the atmosphere of... Knowledge?

15] I don't play favorites.
It's virtually impossible for me to pick a favorite song, music artists, book, movie, even a shoe. My taste is extraordinary eclectic, so usually it just depends on my mood. Plus, I never buy anything that I'm "iffy" about. my own personal rule is, "only buy it if you can't live without it." Sure, there's things that I gravitate to more often, but "favorite" always seems like such a strong word...

16] Seriously, when it comes to eating, I totally throw down.
I love food. I live for delicious food. I'm usually the one stuffing my face full of that queso dip, or nabbing that second cookie. I snack, like, a lot. I eat pretty healthy on a normal basis, so I've never felt guilty about indulging in dessert or chowing down on those buttery, garlic mashed potatoes. I'm a firm believer in "everything in moderation."

17] My all-time fave holiday is Halloween.
It's the best ever. Period.