Love Comes Free

valentine's advent calendar

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that it's already February? January flew by, but I am pretty excited about February.

I'm typically not a big Valentine's fan. It just seems so forced. Shouldn't one celebrate love everyday?

Anyway, this year I have hopped on the Valentine's wagon. Big time. While I don't have the money to pull out the stops, I am pulling them out in the thriftiest of ways. Instead of bought gifts, it's all about some homemade cookies with a sweet message.

So I decided that the best way to spread out the celebration of love to more than just one day is to make an advent calendar. There are thousands of ways to make an advent, but I wanted to share my super simple, but really cute one with you.

I cut out 14 3 x 3 squares of scrapbooking paper. I choose the more masculine red papers, since this is for the enjoyment of a member of the male species. And he really wouldn't enjoy pink frilly hearts ;]

I folded the corners in to make a sort of envelope. It doesn't have to be perfect.

Then I unfolded the paper and this is where I wrote my message. In some of them I simply wrote a quote and in others I wrote simple activities for us to do that day, such as have a pillow fight!

Once I had them all done, I numbered them from one to fourteen on the opposite side of the folds. I used some double sided tape to tape them to our closet door for a cute display and easy access.

Now every morning there will be a new adventure waiting for him!

If you want to make one, there is still time! I put this one together in less than 2 hours. It took me longer to think of things to write in them than it did to do the rest.

:]

inspiration monday

2012-01-30T09:00:00.001-08:00

this week's inspiration comes from feathers.
there is no question that they are beautiful and inspiring in their own way.

inspiration monday

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

this week's inspiration comes from dream catchers.

i used to have one above my bed growing up, so that i wouldn't have to be afraid of nightmares. and if i happened to have a nightmare, they would be held inside of the dream catcher and not return the next night. they are really beautiful and one day i would love to make one myself.

inspiration monday

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

this week's inspiration comes from flowers.

i love everything floral.

i could surround myself with flowers everyday.

whoo, whoo, whoo

2012-01-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

ryder's nursery is going to be forest themed featuring owls, because i love them.

i also love stuffed animals and while making my friend some stuffies for her little girl, i discovered my love for making stuffed animals.

they are pretty simple, but completely adorable.

these are ryder's first pair of hooters. ha! ;]

inspiration monday

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

this week's inspiration is tea.

i love it. there is something so comforting in a hot cup of tea before bed, and something so refreshing about iced tea on a sunny day.

{all images via weheartit}

ryder nathan

2012-01-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

this picture was taken on the fourth day that we were in the hospital when he was born and it's my favorite picture that has ever been taken.

we went in on to be induced at midnight on friday and i had never been so scared in my entire life. i had never been in the hospital before. i had never had an IV before. i have never had surgery before. that day i kept busy with sewing and watching christmas movies. anytime that i wasn't doing something i would start to cry. i knew that things weren't going to go smoothly. i knew that i was going to have a c-section. i knew that this was going to be quite the event. call it intuition.

after things got underway, i went 8 hours before getting the epidural. i put in an effort and i was exhausted and done with the whole experience. getting the epidural was easy. way easier than getting an IV, surprisingly. however, i wasn't a fan of the total numbness that the epidural caused. it was quite annoying to need people to move me around in bed.

after the epidural, i don't remember much. i remember it seeming like an eternity for anything to happen. i remember being exhausted. i slightly remember the intense pain when baby got lower and caused so much lower back pain. at one point his heart beat dropped and that was terribly scary.

then after 21 hours of labor, they made the decision to do a c-section and that's when the real tears started. i was completely terrified. thankfully i had a great anesthesiologist who talked me through everything. i remember being scared that the nurses who put me onto all of the different beds were going to drop me. i remember when they strapped my arms down and how uncomfortable i felt from that. i remember how it took a while for Ryder to cry and how terrified i was. everyone was rushing around. i remember how many people where in that OR. there seemed like hundreds. i remember seeing baby for the first time and feeling like he was a complete stranger. i remember when tyler left to follow baby and i was alone. i remember when they pulled down the curtain and i could see myself laying on the table and some blood. i wish that i could forget that sight.

ryder nathan was born on october 28th. i don't really remember when he was born, but it was somewhere between 8 and 9...i think. i remember looking at the clock to see what time it was, but i can't remember the time that it said.

while in the recovery room i shook from the medicine wearing off for a good hour. someone brought baby to me and i could barely hold him from being so weak. i was relieved to see that he was the cutest thing in the whole world.

i had a fever by this time and a nasty infection, which meant tons of antibiotics. the next day i was out of it. they are supposed to get you up 3 hours after surgery to walk, but i couldn't get up until 12 hours, because my fever made me so dizzy. i didn't see him at all that first day.

the second day i walked down to see him alone, because nothing was going to keep my from my baby. i remember seeing a girl walking and thinking that she was lucky to be walking so easily, without pain. i looked forward to the day that i could walk like that once again.

Ryder was in the NICU for four days due to my infection. he got antibiotics for two days. in those two days he didn't want to eat, so they kept him another day. then he had a breathing issue, so they kept him longer. it was rough, but i am thankful that he was in there for only that. he was an easy case for those nurses, since they deal with babies that stay in there for months fighting for their lives each day and only weigh 4 pounds.

the third and forth days i was in there all day. my nurses would have to come get me to get my antibiotics and to eat meals. that's one thing about nurses is they want you to eat all of the time. i was on so many pain meds that i wasn't hungry and was really annoyed by their insistence.

i was the only one on the floor without her baby. other moms would walk around with them and i would hear the babies cry. i would walk around with no baby and felt like everyone pitied me.

on the fifth night, we went home. it was time. i was done with nurses. i felt like i was in prison by the fourth day.

it wasn't a pleasant birth experience, but it gave me my lovely baby boy whom i love so much. i would go through it all over again for him.

having a kid really is a life altering experience and i couldn't imagine my life without him now. it's hard work all of the time, but it's totally worth the late nights and the early mornings. anytime that i feel discouraged by the whole mom experience all i have to do is see him smile and it renews my strength.

garlands

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

i have a soft spot for garlands and this year definitely showed it.

they are easy to make, inexpensive and fun to change out with the seasons/holidays.

this thanksgiving one is made with construction paper, glue and yarn. the leaves are felt sewn together with yarn. super simple stuff, but i think that they make cute garlands.

inspiration monday

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

this weeks inspiration is birds.

i have always loved birds, but i could never have one for a pet.

i think that they would smell and i think that there is something really unnatural about a caged bird. they are meant to be in the air and trees.

{all images via weheartit}

happy new year!

2012-01-01T22:01:00.000-08:00

I have been absent for awhile now due to the birth of our baby boy, Ryder. He is now 9 weeks old and he is the greatest thing to ever happen to us.

I am going to put an effort to be back on here again. I need to find some inspiration and get moving on crafts again.

I hope that everyone had a great new year's and may this year hold many blessings!

one year ago today...

2011-10-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

tyler and i went on our first date. we never called it a date at the time, but by the time we parted ways we agreed that we both wanted it to be considered one.

he took me miniature golfing, and i showed off my supreme putting skills. i even impressed myself when i called how my golf ball would arrive to the hole to get a hole in one, down to the single brick that my ball would ricochet off. that's called talent, folks.

somewhere around hole 9 i lost my game and tyler picked it up. he ended up winning by 2 points. it was a hard loss to swallow, but he made it up to me by taking me to oregano's for dinner. i ate maybe 4 bites of my pasta due to the nerves going off in my belly. we got to know each other better and talked for an ungodly amount of time. after dessert we continued our conversation out in the parking lot of the restaurant and stayed there for at least 3 more hours.

after deciding that we still wanted to hang out, he took me to his favorite spot in the whole world where i met all of his friends. {like seriously, every. single. one.} this is the point in the date where i questioned whether or not i would be going out with him again. meeting his friends on the first date? it was a bit much, but luckily for me {or unluckily} alcohol was provided, so that prevented me from running the other way.

what i endured that first night from his friends was something a bit like insanity. they decided that they needed to test me to see if i would stick around after dealing with them on their worst behavior. sort of like "let's air out the laundry right then and there, so there would be no surprises later". also, i was the only girl whom he had brought around there, so i got the royal treatment.

after that crazy ride, we sat outside for 4 more hours. not only because we were enjoying the company, but also because i may or may not have had one too many gin and tonics. while sitting there on the curb, talking, at some point, he kissed me.

somewhere around 6 in the morning we finally left our spots on that curb.

by the time that i got home that night, i knew i was in trouble. {little did i know how much big big trouble i was in for.} i knew that i actually liked this guy and i knew that my little heart hadn't felt that way about someone in a long time.

if i could go back and do it all over again, i would have to warn my little, naive self of the months of turmoil and heartbreak that were to come. tyler and i had a good first month, then after that all hell broke lose. it was really hard. i made it that much more difficult on myself by sticking around and putting up with stuff that i never thought that i would have. i wasn't that girl, but i had no idea why i could never really leave.

now looking back on the last 11 months, i know why i never really left. this is how it was supposed to be. if i had left, my life would look very different right now, but it wouldn't be this beautiful. yes, it's been a long and rocky road, but as of right now, i couldn't have asked for a better turn out.

if i had left, we wouldn't be expecting our baby boy any day now. the thought of not having him in this world breaks my heart into a million pieces. he changed both of our lives in huge and drastic ways for the better. it's really crazy how much we both have changed in such a short amount of time. i think that he saved us from ourselves.

it feels like tyler and i have known each other for years. in the last year we have dealt with hundreds of things that some people never deal with in their lifetimes. we have seen the good, the bad and the downright terrible side of each other. it's really a miracle that we still can stand to be in the same room together, let alone happily live together and love each other.

in many ways, we grew up together. last year we were just crazy kids and now we stand here as responsible adults.

sometimes i think that if this is what our first year was like, i wonder what will the second one bring? hopefully loads and loads of happiness and wonderful memories.

we will just have to wait and see. time tells her secrets to no one.

All Hallow's Eve

2011-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

i have never been a fan of halloween. i always enjoyed dressing up as a princess or a bride or something equally as girly and cute, but that was the end of my enjoyment of halloween.

i hated being scared by creepy costumes and especially masks. people who wear masks must morph into what creepy creature that mask is of, right? to this day, i have never put on a mask. put one on near me, and watch me leave the premises as quickly as possible. seriously, it's a ridiculous fear.

however, this year i am living with a boy whose all-time favorite holiday is halloween. {we are complete opposites, i tell ya.} so i decided to give some decorations a shot, and to my surprise, i got really into it.

all of the decorations cost me 9 dollars {thanks to the dollar store and some creativity!} and they went a long ways.

i love my candy dish! and glittery spiders, who could resist?

it's ironic that this the door to the bathroom!

bats coming in through the window! this came out really awesome.
i cut out 300 bats out of card stalk and i only used 100 here.

our bookshelf got a remodel with baby stuff + halloween decor!
those hanging skeletons also glow-in-the-dark and i find that completely cool :]

I think some faux cobwebs would take it to the next level, but for my first year of decorating for halloween, i think that i did a pretty great job. next year it can only get better!

who doesn't love pumpkin, pumpkin?

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

every year, around this time i start seriously jonsing for all things pumpkin.

this year i am alone in my little pumpkin world. for some reason, tyler doesn't like pumpkin treats and it's a crying shame. {oorr is it fantastic, since that means that i don't have to share? i choose to think fantastic while my butt thinks that it's time for a pair of bigger jeans.}

{image source.}

anyway, as i go about in life loving pumpkin, every year i try a pumpkin spice latte, and every year i am disappointed. {gasp.}

i know, i know, everyone and their mother loves them. however, you can always depend on me to go against the grain.

what could possibly be wrong with these fantastic coffee shop made luxuries, you ask?

first of all, the sugar content. don't get me wrong, i love me lots of sugar, just not in my coffee. sugar doesn't equal flavor. pumpkin equals flavor. second, i'm not huge on the pumpkin flavored items...give me the real deal or don't even bother. lastly, you could go broke buying these things.

so, with that said, this year i have done something about my dilemma! i have created my own version, and it's mighty fantastic. {if i do say so myself.}

here is my recipe:

brewed coffee

1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree {i left it heaping, but i really love pumpkin.}

1 c. half and half

1 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tblsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning

{i would have added nutmeg as well, but it turns out that i don't have any on hand.}

Whisk the milk, half and half, pumpkin, vanilla, brown sugar and spices together until pumpkin is combined with milk. If you desire a hot drink, then heat over medium low heat in a saucepan, stirring until warm. {don't walk away from it, scorched milk is really gross!} Pour into a coffee cup, about half way and fill the rest with coffee. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

I also like it iced, but I live in Arizona where people don't find iced coffee appalling.

A couple of things to note:

- It's not sweet. The brown sugar gives it all little hint of sweetness, but it isn't even close to hitting you upside the head with sugar. It's pumpkin-y and delicious, but like I said before, I don't enjoy sweet coffee. If you like it sweet, add sugar in small amounts until desired sweetness is attained.

- It has lots of ground spices that don't completely mix or dissolve. They will settle in your cup. Some people don't enjoy that. You could strain the mixture through cheese cloth if you wish, but I happen to enjoy loose spices in my coffee. {just about the only place that I find it acceptable.}

- This recipe makes about 4 pumpkin lattes. If you're going to go through the trouble of making it, you might as well make some extra. It will keep in your refrigerator for about 3 days. I wouldn't keep it any longer, but that's probably just me and my comfort zone.

- If you aren't a coffee drinker, then the milk mixture is really good just by itself.

- Looking for something to do with that left-over pumpkin puree? Try this super good pumpkin bread recipe. The amount of pumpkin left is the perfect amount for this recipe. Plus it makes two loaves! {and I am pretty sure that you will want two loaves of this bread.}

That's it! If you give it a try, let me know what you think. And if you have any other ideas on ingredients to add {like chocolate syrup?} leave them in the comments!

{insert theme music here}

2011-10-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

this week has been quite the blur. i went to the doctors on monday and found out that baby could be here as early as next week! so tyler and i went a little crazy trying to get everything ready. we rearranged our room to accommodate a small baby bed and other essentials. we organized our closet and got rid of stuff to fit new baby stuff. i cooked, cooked and cooked some more to make frozen meals for after the baby comes. i think that i must have been a squirrel in a past life, because i have this huge need to stock up on everything before baby comes.

also a new development this week: tyler hung up his wall art. i never thought that i would have something like this up on the wall in my room, but lo and behold, it's no longer just my room and i will soon be sharing it with two other boys. that means my girly stuff gets pushed aside to make room for the more manly things, like yoda. :]

one of the things that i found to be really hard about sharing a room with a boy is my stuff gets moved, his stuff gets added and it's no longer my space, it's our space. i think that since it was only my space before and he moved in here, it added to that shock factor. if we had gotten a new place, a neutral place, it may not have been an adjustment. or maybe it would still have been since i like each room to have it's own decor, and tyler's things don't match my things, but who knows. that's a dream i have had to let go of: a perfectly decorated living space. having a kid will surely loosen me up in that department as well once he gets old enough to crawl.

so with that said, the shock of yoda has warn off and he is now a welcome addition to our walls. well, as welcome as an little, extremely old, green creature can be. ;]

affirming the unaffirmed

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have always known that I am not affirming. It doesn't come naturally to me, and it makes me awkward, and I assume that people just know how I feel about them without me ever having to say anything.

Oh, how wrong I can be.

If someone had this philosophy when dealing with me, I would always feel unloved and insecure, so why do I do this to the people that I love the most?

Well, what it comes down to is that i need to get my head out of my rump and try harder.

Last night Tyler brought this to my attention, and it broke my heart. He was right. I never tell him how proud I am of him or how much he means to me or anything really. I make him dinner and come home with his favorite ice cream, and assume that says it all, and apparently, it doesn't.

So in true Ashley fashion, I wrote a list.

I want to brag a bit about Tyler too, so I am sharing it with you.

Here are the 10 things that I love and admire most about Tyler {in no particular order}

1. He is hardworking. He works his ass off on a daily basis and it shows. There is a reason why has gotten promoted every year that he has worked with the company and why he is a young manager. I have no doubt that his hard work will pay off one day.

2. He always tries to do the right thing. It doesn't always work in his favor, but he has the best of intentions. One time when we were in Subway getting lunch, a girl has a seizure while sitting at a table. Once she got up, she ran to get on her bike and rode off. Everyone else just sat there and went on their merry way. Tyler went after this girl to help her and called the cops when he couldn't find her. He didn't want her to get hurt or end up in a ditch dead somewhere, and took the time to help. I admire that. I would have totally been with those jackasses who didn't even take the time to notice that someone was in harm.

3. He is fun. I am wound so tight and admittedly pretty boring, but Tyler knows how to unwind and have a good time. Maybe sometimes it's a weakness of his, but I am kind of jealous of his ability to party and party hard, as weird as that sounds.

4. He isn't judgmental. He doesn't care where you have been or where you are headed. He gives people the benefit of the doubt and will be your friend even when the rest of the world shuns you. I'm sure that he was that kid on the playground that befriended the outcasts.

5. His social skills. He can talk to anyone. He makes new friends easily. He is everything I am not.

6. He helps me out as much as he can. He takes the trash out, unloads the dishwasher, always offers to help with dinner, sometimes even loads the dishwasher, cleans and straightens up our bedroom, makes the bed, goes grocery shopping with me when asked, helps put the groceries away and does laundry. He serves me even after working 40 hours a week, and does it for the right reasons. Sure, sometimes he just does it because he is annoyed that things are kind of messy, but he can't be perfect all of the time. ;)

7. He respects women. Enough said.

8. He is willing to change and adapt. Changing is hard and it's not always welcome. Tyler has changed so much in this past year. It has taken time, effort and tons of patience, but he has done it and continues to do so. Not many people are willing to change like that.

9. He is excited about being a father. It makes me so happy that he is so happy to have a baby. Our situation was bad in the beginning, and he could have easily ran away and left me alone with a baby. But he looked at it as a positive thing from the beginning. He already has things planned that he wants to share with Ryder and wants to be the best father possible to our son. That means the world to me.

10. He always has your back. I never doubt that he wouldn't stick up for me to friends, family, the weird guy on the corner. At times it has cost him, but he wouldn't even think twice about doing it again.

11. {an extra one for the road} He is honest. Sometimes painfully honest, but honest nonetheless. He admits to things even when he knows that I won't be happy about it. He is straightforward and truthful even in the toughest of situations.

I am always very thankful for him and all of his hard work. Plus, I think he is pretty hot. What more could I ask for? ;]

Anyway, I invite you to write a list about someone you love! Leave it for them as a surprise one day in a place where they are guaranteed to see it, and make their day a little brighter. If you post yours, leave a comment with your link! I would love to see what you admire most about the people in your life!

A to Z

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have seen many people do this in the past few weeks, and it looked like a fun little activity. {perfect for a Saturday morning!} Plus you get to learn a little about me, and hopefully, if you decide to play along and leave me a comment with a link to your post, I get to learn a little about you!

A. Age: 23

B. Bed size: Full

C. Chore that you hate: Dishes

D. Dogs: Luke. You have seen him around here occasionally. He is really my parents, but I like to think that a part of him is mine as well. :]

E. Essential start to your day: Coffee and oatmeal

F. Favorite color: Seafoam green

G. Gold or Silver: Depends. Jewelry is always silver or white gold. But I have a huge love for anything gold and sparkly.

H. Height: 5’5"

I. Instruments you play: None. I took piano lessons for a short {very short} time in fourth grade. I hated it, but I can still play Row, Row, Row Your Boat, so lessons weren't completely useless. ;]

J. Job title: Um, I work as a Barista.

K. Kids: One on the way!

L. Live: Tempe, AZ

M. Mother’s name: Terrie

N. Nicknames: Arnie, Ash

O. Overnight hospital stays: None, but I do have my first experience of being a patient in a hospital coming up sooon!

P. Pet peeves: Oh geez. How much time do we have? Number one is dumb drivers.

Q. Quote from a movie: "You see, before he came down here, it never snowed. And afterwards, it did. If he weren't up there now... I don't think it would be snowing. Sometimes you can still catch me dancing in it"

R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: None. It explains a lot.

U. Underwear: Shouldn't you buy me dinner first? ;] Boy shorts are where it is.

V. Vegetable you hate: Broccoli and cauliflower

W. What makes you run late: The inability to peel myself out of bed

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Knee, finger, mouth

Y. Yummy food that you make: Everything!

Z. Zoo animal: Rhinos. I don't know why, but I always have to see them.

Have a great weekend!

not your mother's DIY

2011-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

People learn in all different ways. Some are visual. Some only need to read to understand the subject. Some need hands on.

There are definitely different ways of teaching something as well.

With that said, I'm not really a DIY type of gal. I love other people's step by step instructions and lovely pictures that allow you to follow along, but that's not my style. I am the "I'll explain you the steps on how to do it" type, so bear with me.

Anyway, back to the non-DIY.

My new obsession with glitter started last year. I made ornaments for my small tinsel Christmas tree using glitter. I stocked up on glitter that was pretty even though I had no ideas as to what to do with it. I dreamed of glittery shoes, and even bought a pair!

This year my love for glitter continues, but this time around inspiration struck as to what to do with some of this glitter that I have stock piled. I would make glitter nail polish!

Now I could wear glitter on my feet and nails! Brilliant.

It's as easy as it gets. {cheap too!}

What you will need:

- Clear nail polish
- Any fine cut{ground?} glitter of your choice
- Paper
- Scissors
- Any small container that you can sacrifice

I chose to use the cheapest clear nail polish that I could find. Sometimes I am weary of the cheap stuff, but since I was adding glitter and I figured that it would add some stiffness to the polish, I wasn't too worried.

Cut out a small piece of paper no bigger than 2 inches by 2.5 inches. {you may need to play with the size a bit depending on the size of the opening of your nail polish.}

Cut one side of your paper diagonally, so it will form a funnel when you roll the sides of the paper together.

Pour about half of the polish into your small container.

Place your paper funnel into the opening of the nail polish and fill the bottle with your glitter. {you can use less for more of a subtle glitter polish. I wanted a heavy glitter polish, so I used a lot of glitter.}

Shake the polish up well to incorporate the glitter, then carefully pour the polish that you have in your small container into the glitter polish. Shake once again.

And you're done!

Simple enough, right?

Here is a picture of my glitter polish on my little nails.

Sparkly!

I would love to know if you try this out for yourself and if you have any other ideas to add!

A couple of notes:

You could use a very small plastic funnel instead, but I found the making a paper one worked best. My plastic one got clogged up with glitter way too easily to be of any big help.

Also a note on glitter brands. I found the cheaper brands to work best. The colors stay put and the glitter tends to be a bit bigger of a grain, which worked well. I used some more expensive brands and they also worked, but the color of the glitter tends to bleed out into the polish, making the glitter itself less colorful or changing the color completely. However, feel free to use whatever you are comfortable using and perform your own experiments.

2011-09-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today is the baby shower! I am excitedly nervous.

I will be sure to post pictures in the next few days, but for now I am going to sit back and enjoy!

Happy Saturday to you!

links for a lazy friday

2011-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

happy friday! i have said it once, i will say it again: friday is my favorite day of the week.

it doesn't even signal a weekend for me, since i work retail and there is no such thing as weekends in that world. however, friday is still magical.

here are some links that i enjoyed over the past week {or three!} and i hope that you enjoy them too!

{image source.}

this recipe sounds delicious! i can't wait to give it a try.

this post made me giggle.
i had a similar conversation one night, but with a baby in tow it wasn't quite so out-of-the-blue.

i love it . i'm not photogenic at all either, so i can relate.

a very pretty post of lovely things.

the best print i have seen on etsy thus far. i think baby needs it.

love this jacket for fall. someday i will own a cool jacket like this.

enjoy your weekend and i will see you again soon! :]

***The links are in the post, but you just have to scroll over them to make them appear. I changed my links colors, but I didn't realize that it would probably make these posts a bit difficult to navigate! I will make the change back.***

a work in progress

2011-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

this week i haven't been feeling very inspired to blog, but i have been feeling inspired to cross a few things off of my crafting to-do list.

here is a peek of some of the things that i have been working on.

finished products soon to come!
have a good wednesday. it's almost friday again!

pregnancy's greatest weapon

2011-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

every lady who has ever been pregnant has a secret weapon.
a product that they swear by.
a must-have.

i am no different.

my product has been mama bee nourishing body oil by burt's bees.
it's simple.
it's natural.
it works.

it smells like citrus, which thankfully i have enjoyed. compared to other body oils, it's a bit pricey. however, compared to other burt's bees products, it's not bad. it has helped relieve so much of the terrible terrible itch, and i don't know what i would have done without it.

i can't say whether or not it has helped with the whole stretch mark debacle, because i don't have any. so perhaps this really is a miracle product, bbuuttttt it's more likely that because my mom had minimal mark-age, i inherited those genes. feel free to pick whichever theory works best for you.

so i encourage you to give it a try when{if} you experience all of the wonders and discomfort of pregnancy.

**this is not an advertisement. i am just simply stating my honest opinion of a product that i use and love.**

a sunday secret

2011-09-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

this is my favorite secret that was posted this week.

wishing you all a happy sunday!

little friends called air plants

2011-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

plants and i have a long, hard past. i can't keep them alive no matter what i do. light. water. nothing i do is good enough for them. eventually i cause them to just give up and die.

i should probably give up my dream of having a house full of plants due to my black thumb, but i decided to get a cactus instead. my thought was that cacti are invincible and surely even i could care for one. he has been with me for a while now, and he is still alive and well. he has poked me a few times, but we are still friends.

carl {my cactus} has raised my confidence level on my ability to take care of a plant. now i want to take the next step. own an air plant.

i have always loved the look of air plants. they are so beautiful and crazy easy to take care of. lately my desire to own one has been very big, and i feel that i am soon creeping up on the day where i just order one {or three!} already.

here are a few different types that i have my eye on. i love them all.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

hopefully someday soon a few of these beauties will be mine.

little tour of a little room

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

i always say that i am going to post some picture of my little space, but i either never get around to it, or my space is never put together enough. i am horrible at hanging up pictures and getting things unpacked, and at the rate that i have been moving in and out of places these last few years, some times my little space is never complete.

even this one has pictures that still need to be hung, but it's the most put together a room has been in a while. it feels nice to have things out and arranged just so. it's a much more inspiring and pretty place to be these days.

i love my bookcase. and i love that tyler contributed his yoda.

our initials.

i made some silhouettes to make a collage on the wall, but they are on my book case patiently awaiting a place on the wall.

drawings of mine.

tyler's shelf.

i love my embroidered mustache.

eventually we will have a nursery for the little one, and i will definitely share that one as it gets put together. so for now, that's our little space.

hasta la vista summer

2011-09-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

i made a summery wreath a while ago that i never got around to sharing. the idea came from a post from ballpoint+pen. i liked her idea so much, that i didn't do much to make it my own, besides use a different color palette. it's super cute, cheap and easy to do.

i had some scrap fabric and felt lying around, so i just bought a wreath and holder, which came to around 7 bucks. i loved the idea of pinning the fabric, so that you could change it up when the desire strikes.

i hung mine on our bedroom door, since i am certain that it would get stolen out on the front door, and it's just too pretty to risk losing.

i am thinking of starting a halloween one using all felt, since summer is on it's way out the door.

{woohoo!}

books, books, books

2011-09-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

today i am trying something new. i signed up for gussy sews inspiration workshop, which is a wonderful idea to say the least. each week she gives out a new topic and bloggers every where post about the given topic in their own creative ways. brilliant.

this week is my first week, and it's a topic that i am very excited about: books.

i love books.

i will never not buy books in printed form. there is something about smelling the new paper, holding it in your hand and turning the pages that is magical.

i thought that i would do an ode to some of my favorites.

just kids by patti smith - patti is an amazing writer. she paints you pictures and describes things beautifully. her creative spirit definitely soars in this bittersweet biography.

woman: an intimate geography by natalie angier - don't let the title turn you off. it's a science book that talks about the natural processes during different stages of life that a woman's body takes. it's an easy read that takes some time to digest.

the bell jar by sylvia plath - this book is my all time favorite. in high school, my creative writing compared my writing style to hers. that both scared the you-know-what out of me, but it was also the best compliment that i could have gotten. i feel like sylvia and i are friends. if i am ever in need of a friend, i pick her up and i don't feel quite so alone in the world.

into the wild by jon krakauer - this book is heartbreaking, but i can connect with the idea of going out into the wild and trying to survive. it's always been something that i long to do, but this book keeps me safely in civilization.

catcher in the rye by j.d. salinger - i hated this book until i finished it. it makes no sense while you are reading it, but after you make it through, you can see the beauty of it.

please kill me: the uncensored oral history of punk by legs mcneil and gillian mccain - i love rock biographies, but this book offers something different to the table. it's written in manuscript form and it's all of the people that were there during the punk movement sitting down to talk about the events that took place. it's engaging and interesting to read.

the edge of the sea by rachel carson - it's a beautifully written book. it's an environmental book. it takes some time to read, but it's worth it.

you better not cry by augusten burroughs - i am a big fan of books based around holidays. every year i feel the need to read a scary book around halloween and a christmas-y book. this book is the best christmas book one could read. augusten burroughs offers up his own christmas experiences that comes together to make one hilarious book.

the elegant universe by brian greene - this science book is so good, but it is difficult to get through. it takes time. it needs space to breathe and soak in. however, if you want to read a book about the cosmos and have it be beautifully written, he is your guy.

wicked plants by amy stewart - if you're interested in botany at all, then this book is a must. it's super quick and easy. plus very entertaining.

sacred hearts by sarah dunant - if you like a tale of love, heartbreak and growth, then pick up this book. i am a big fan of her books that are set during the renaissance, and all of them are equally as good in my opinion.

that's my slightly long list. i could go on all day about good books and books that are on my to read list, but i think i have gone on long enough. for now.

summer is still alive and well

2011-09-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

it may be September, but it is still blazing hot outside around these parts. that's what happens when you live in a desert folks.

this time of year I always yearn for crisp air, sweaters, and all things spice, but i will have to be a little more patient.

this summer has been super super hot, and it's been pretty miserable. i am yearning for a break from the record breaking heat.

however, the only break that i have been getting is a daily freezing cold shower and ice water.

the other day when catching up on some blogs, i noticed a trend in a few posts: naturally flavored water. sounds refreshing a delicious, yes?

try some out for yourself!

one. two. three.

{i am quite fond of the mint and raspberry one}

food diary #1

2011-09-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

these days food has been more important to me than ever. i crave it. i eat tons of it.
if i don't get it, watch out world.

i thought it would be fun to document the food that i consume and see what patterns there are. apparently stir fry, eggs and anything smoothie/slushie related are the most popular.

yum!
now i must go eat!

it's the little things

2011-09-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

today i woke up to a boy who said that he missed me last night, since i had a girl's night with friends, and he was sound asleep when i came waltzing in early this morning.

it was lovely and made my heart swell.

{image source.}

links for the weekend

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

i hope everyone's week has treated them well! have a good weekend and i will see you back here on Monday!

in the meantime, here are a few sweet links from some blogs i read religiously that i think you will enjoy.

this post from a daddy melted my heart.

a review of what sounds like an interesting book, and now of course, i want to read it.

some adorable ties for the man in your life. tyler's tie collection is going to be very impressive one day.

what a sweet little nursery.

i love this poem and double love that it has a free printable!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

a secret

2011-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

i don't work for this company, but i do serve it to people who think that i do.

it's pretty true.

luke, the bed hog.

2011-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

the past few weekends, i had been dog sitting for my parents while they went off and enjoyed their weekend. i always enjoy some good ole' alone time with Luke. he is silly and fun. some times he is a pain in the you-know-what, but who isn't?

i snapped this picture after one night of not sleeping due to a bed hog. i was sleeping on the side with no room, but who has the heart to kick this lovable creature off of the bed? i certainly don't. i slept on the couch for the rest of the night and when i woke up a few hours later, he hadn't moved. i guess he was just a little too comfy.

2011-08-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

i have finally caught up on a lot of the blogs that i read the other day. i missed a few months worth of posts, so there was a lot of reading to do! i came across this recipe on Food Coma. {i love gathering food inspiration from her blog. especially now being a starving pregnant lady}

Of course I have eaten no bake cookies before {and loved them}, but i had never made no bake cookies. the fact that i could have a chocolate-y sweet cookie and not turn on the oven was one thought that i couldn't pass up. so i gathered my ingredients and started "not baking".

in her re-vamped no bake cookies, she uses some Biscoff spread instead of peanut butter. i would give my left arm to be able to find some of that spread in a store near me, but maybe one day the fates will be on my side and i will see it while perusing the grocery. so needless to say, i used peanut butter, like the original recipe. they turned out so good! indeed the perfect summer cookie. i would make these again in the winter, but i would add a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon to give them that spicy winter flair that i love so much.

here are the ones that i made

they don't look too pretty, but they taste pretty darn good. :]

my daddy and i

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

the other day as i was going through everything and cleaning, i found this picture of my dad and i. it makes my heart smile. i don't think i could have imagined a better father and i am forever thankful for what he has done for me.

happy weekend!

2011-08-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

today i must work for a bit, but tomorrow i have plans of getting things situated at the apartment. things are almost there, but it still needs a bit more work. i hope your day is full of fun!

obi-wan has taught you well

2011-08-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

last year for a Christmas present i screen printed some ties for Tyler. it was the coolest gift i have ever given and probably the coolest one he is gotten as an adult. {because nothing can top the coolest gift of your childhood. barbie dream house remains the best gift i have ever gotten!} they turned out badass, if i do say so myself.

once we found out baby was a boy, i knew that i wanted to print some onesies to match.

i changed up c3po and gave him more detail the second time around. i love the way that they turned out and i can't wait to put baby in them. this Christmas i will be doing round two of Star Wars characters for both boys. it's a lot of fun.

2011-08-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

{don't mind the polar bear in the corner. he gets supreme treatment around here.}

things aren't always pretty. this picture proves that. i call it exhibit A. in effort to organize and de-clutter before baby makes his arrival, i have made quite the mess and this isn't even all of it. nesting is a powerful instinct. i find it to be really crazy. i am so unorganized and i really have never cared to be an organized person...until now.

so far, i have all of my art supplies neat and tidy. my bathroom is rid of everything that i don't use. my cleaning products are fully stocked. the shoes and clothes that i never wear {or that are unwearable, but i kept for a sentimental reason} are gone. oh this one is big: all of my college textbooks {except 4} are gone! i kept them all, even the communications one that i hated so much, for some strange reason. {i never claimed to have good reasons for my mad pack rat habits.}

so much done, so far to go! i can't wait to get settled in and get baby things all situated. it will be awhile, since we will be moving again when baby is 3 months old and we don't see the point in getting too settled here. not ideal, but it's what's best for us all for now.

vegas, baby!

2011-08-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

one weekend baby and i ventured up to vegas with my mama and her friends. it was my first time to vegas, and all i can say about it is it's one interesting place. it's not within my comfort zone, but my favorite part was seeing all of the hotels and their decor. some of them are truly amazing. not to mention the bed! it was like a soft, puffy cloud welcoming you to fall into the best sleep you have ever had. i made fun of the fact that the hotel sold those mattresses, but after the first night, i realized why people pay for them.

my favorite hotel was the bellagio.

those seasonal decorations were so whimsical and i loved them all!

another classic phone photo. it was my first night on the town, and i felt the need to document it. :]

storm troopers?! i needed a picture with these guys, for sure.

this is my bad girl moment in vegas. i kissed an m&m, but come on, who can blame me?

he should be so glad that i didn't eat them!

all in all it was great time to get away for a weekend and see something new. my tip for doing a road trip while pregnant is don't! road trips are fun, but not when you're nauseous, hot, constantly feel the urge to pee and always ready to eat a full 8 course meal.

oh, the suspense!

2011-07-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

boy or girl?

that's the BIG question. i felt like i couldn't start preparing until i knew. i couldn't start making stuffed animals. i couldn't put together a nursery color scheme. i couldn't do anything. i felt like i was waiting and waiting. growing a human is all about patience. i think they did that on purpose.

we found out on march 23rd what our future would hold. trucks and dirt or dolls and nail polish. i so badly wanted my future to hold tea parties and barbies and all things pink. i was convinced that baby was a girl. we already had a name picked out and everything. i had to stop myself from starting to make plush flowers and little dolls. i was sure.

then the ultrasound shows this:

BBBOOOYYY!!!! {it doesn't just tell it, it screams it} boy...boy?...

i tear up a little, as i am slightly disappointed. baby is healthy and growing normally, so i am happy about that, but i am going to be a mother to a boy? i don't know anything about boys. what do i do with a boy? do i have any disney movies that boys like? do i have to get one of those rugs with the roads and buildings on it? oh, no!...not that rug!

i struggled with having a boy for a while, but now i couldn't imagine having a girl. i am so happy that tyler gets to have a son and {hopefully} enjoy watching him play sports. and i'm pretty excited about having a little one that loves his mama.

it took me a while to come up with a nursery theme that i loved. {i mean, i already had one that i loved, but it was too pink and pastel for him to enjoy.} now i have one that i am excited about. it involves almost every color of the rainbow, but it's also nice and relaxing, but more on the nursery to come. :]

2011-07-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

where have the last three months gone? i have been missing for quite some time now. baby and i have been pretty busy and been really tired. who knew how hard it was to grow a human? definitely not me.

baby is now 28 weeks baked. he is getting big! it's so strange to see your stomach move when baby kicks and rolls around. i think of the scene in Alien a lot. {you know the one where the alien comes ripping out of the guys torso.} i love feeling him move, but some times it is a bit on the weird side to think that there is a tiny person in there.

so you want to see some picture? i must brag about the high quality of these photos and the professionalism that i show in my picture taking. ;] as you can tell, i haven't put much effort into them, but they get the job done when you're puking out your guts and feel too tired to lift your head off the pillow.

a wee little 13 week bump. well, i thought it was a bump. it wasn't there before.

16 weeks. not quite there yet...

18 weeks. i desperately wanted to bump around this time.

20 weeks. my legs were putting on more weight than my belly was.

and bam! baby belly at 24 weeks. i start to actually show.

i guess it's time for a new picture, since we are now another month in. :] you are now up to date with the belly growing. stay tuned...is it a boy or a girl?! i already know, but do you? ;]

2011-05-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

I finally put an item up on etsy! I am not sure why it took me so long...

If you would like to view the posting, you can do so here. I am starting out small and seeing how things go. I would love to add more soon.

Wish me luck!

under construction!

2011-05-17T17:50:00.001-07:00

my blog is currently getting a face lift.

lots of things will be updated and changed here in the next couple of days, such as new buttons, pages, and a banner. be patient with me, as i am doing this all myself and i'm not a web designer by any means.

so with that in mind, check it out soon!

show and tell...

2011-05-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

this last week was one of the best ones i have had in a while. although i was pretty sick with baby, i still managed to keep spirits high, and get through the week with a smile on my face.

i did some art journaling. i hadn't even cracked open my journal since *ahem* last summer. i love looking at my old pages. my art journal is always really simple, usually with just paint and marker as a medium, but it's full of emotion. i love looking at other people's art journals, but i hate the thought of sharing mine. however, here is a page i did the other day. i like it enough. i was listening to mumford and sons while i was working on it, can you tell? ;]

i made a ton of cupcakes. like 5 dozen. not all of them got eaten, which is unfortunate, but they were more experimental than anything. i am going to improve upon these salted caramel ones and make them super, super easy, since this recipe was a pain and not that great. hopefully i can get that done today so it can make it's way over here this week.

i cut up a huge watermelon and ate most of it by myself. i love watermelon season!

my mom got a lot of flowers for mother's day and her birthday. they were all beautiful. she deserves every single one of them.

this is carl, my pet cactus. i love plants, but i can't keep one alive to save my life. so i have been talking about getting a cactus for a while now, because who can kill a cactus?! one day i came over to my parents house to find a cactus waiting for me to adopt it. so carl was born. i am glad to report that he is still alive and well.

i haven't had many cravings with baby thus far, but a lot of the time the only thing i want to eat are breakfast foods. i have been getting quite good at frying eggs.

my sweet mother's day card. after work, i opened up my locker to get my purse and saw it waiting for me. it was a nice surprise, and made my day. i'm not one for grand gestures, but it's the little things that get to me.

i got in the pool for the first time this year. it was still a bit cool, but worth it. i love swimming and plan to spend a lot of time in the pool this summer. the pup is very curious, but very scared of the pool. he will be getting in soon. that is a guarantee.

i hope your week was good, and this week has been treating you well thus far!

2011-05-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

just stopping by to let you all know what's coming up in the near future around here.

- a super easy, perfectly salted caramel cupcake recipe

- 16 week baby bump picture

- a post loaded with pictures of daily life

...and much more!

i hope everyone has had a good wednesday. mine was full of feeling sick and watching tv. unfortunately i had a lot to get done today, and nothing got done due to my unscheduled sick day. hopefully i will wake up feeling good tomorrow. keep your fingers crossed for me!

some encouragement...

2011-05-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

lately things have been looking a bit glim. i have needed a lot of reminders of who i am and take those small steps to become who i want to be. i have felt lost over the last few weeks and even though things are starting to look up, i still need some encouragement. i have found these words to be encouraging, and i hope you will too.

choose to have a happy monday, friends.

oh baby...

2011-05-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

wow, long time no update! these last couple of months have been completely crazy and lots of unexpected things have happened. lots. some things left me in shambles. some things caused tears of happiness. some things made me feel lucky to be alive, and others made me feel hopeless and lost. life happens.

the biggest thing that has happened...is a baby! it's been a blessing that God has entrusted this precious gift to me. while baby was not planned, things happen for a reason and some of the best things that happen in life are surprises.

baby is already very much loved by friends and family and i can't wait to meet the little one. i am about 16 weeks now and i am very happy that we made it through the first trimester. on the 23rd we find out if baby is a boy or a girl, and that is beyond exciting.

here is baby's second ultrasound picture and the first one where baby looks like a baby. it's pretty amazing that a little baby is living inside of me and my body is growing a human. it blows my mind how that works.

i really miss this blog and i want this to end my blog vacation. i want to share this journey with everyone and try to post more of my daily life. i think it's important to cherish the small things and i want this to be a place where i preserve those memories. i hope you will embark with me on this new adventure as a mom.

welcome...

2011-03-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

this is a month for making memories and documenting them.

this is a month for making desserts and giving them away.

this is a month for checking up on some reading.

it's a month for pints and cheers.

truth be told, i'm happy it's march.

some secrets...

2011-02-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

here are some of my favorite secrets from the last couple of weeks. my favorites are often ones that make me laugh or sad or that i can relate to one some strange level. i will let you decide why each of these made the cut.

happy friday!

this week in pictures...

2011-02-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

a quick hello!

2011-02-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

i moved into my new place about a week ago, and it's really lovely. i still have so so much to do to get it ready for viewing, but hopefully it will be there soon. i have just been lazy lately, and haven't had much motivation to do much of anything besides watch movies. people are entitled to be lazy some times, right?

creatively i haven't been working on much, but i have rekindled my love for painting paint by numbers. i usually hate the subject matter, but i love how tedious they are. it keeps me busy while watching movies, and gives me a gift to give my mom at some point. she will have a collection here before too long.

i have still been watching grey's anatomy on netflix. it's a huge guilty pleasure. i'm not even sure i still like any of the characters, but i'm kind of addicted and i can't give up now.

work is still work. hopefully soon there will be good news to share in that department, but until then, it's the same ole' same ole' stuff.

anyway, i'm in the middle of dinner {vegetable noodle soup with roasted chicken and corn bread} so i better get going. i hope everyone is having a good week, and i will be back soon.

monday morning inspiration

2011-02-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

i love red. it's one of my favorite colors, and i needed some red inspiration today. i hope you enjoy. happy monday!

monday morning inspiration

2011-02-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

i'm not the biggest fan of valentine's day. most of the time i refuse to acknowledge this holiday with any real respect.

i think it's great to let those closest to you know that you appreciate them, but it's great to do on any ole' day of the year. not just on a day when it's expected of you.

one flower on some random tuesday is million times better than a dozen flowers on valentine's day. but that's just my philosophy.

however, i do like hearts. so here is some monday morning inspiration, heart style.

whatever you decide to do with your day today, i hope you have a lovely day.

this week in pictures

2011-02-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

2011-02-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

i'm a very private person. i don't like to share things about myself. you will learn about me through observation and when that isn't enough, asking good questions is. but here in the blog world, that's an issue. if i want anyone to know anything about me, i must bring forth the information. and that's exactly what i plan to do.

so here are ten random things about me:

i love acorns. they aren't very tasty {have you ever eaten one? it's quite bitter.} but i like everything else about them.

i hate mass market paperback books. those are the ones that cost like 6 dollars and only the really popular books get produced in mass markets. i only own 2, out of...a lot. i prefer the trade paperback, which are usually 15 dollars. they are still paperback, but not completely easy to damage.

i wore out my first copy of big willie style by will smith. i played it so much, that it stopped working. i recently bought a new copy for 3 dollars. i made the mistake of telling the guy at zia this fact.

i'm a big slob. despite my mom's best efforts i never learned how to use something and then put it away after you're done. my philosophy has always been, well, i'm going to need it again someday soon, so why bother.

i get sick of using one toothpaste, so i have 3 open tubes at any given time.

i love root beer. a lot. or any other root...beer...like birch.

i went to beauty school my senior year of high school. i finished and got my license, but i won't ever work in a salon. it's not for me.

i am most comfortable in tights and dresses.

i often press flowers between books and forget about them. sometimes i look through books and find flowers everywhere. i love it.

i'm quite good at scrabble. it's my secret talent. but i am awful at pool. somewhere along the way, my friends thought that i was really great at pool. i must have made some sarcastic comment about being the best, and they took it seriously. it wasn't until they saw me play, did they learn the truth.

"most people experience love, without noticing that there is anything remarkable about it."

2011-02-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

{a line from the movie, doctor zhivago}

this is my version of a love mix. it's subtle, but gets the point across. the title of this post also the name of this mix. if you haven't seen doctor zhivago, i highly recommend it. it's also a book, and if you're up for a literary challenge, pick it up as well.

i hope you will try it out, and if you do, let me know what you think. everyone's entitled to an opinion.

welcome...

2011-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

this is a month for little things. for focusing on what you have. for getting back into a routine.

this month i am going to eat well and exercise regularly.

i am going to get even more organized.

i am going to have more fun.

and i am going to challenge myself.

here's to having a great month.

a hello and some monday morning inspiration...

2011-01-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

you know that saying time flies when you're having fun? well, it's true, but time flies when you're busy too. it's been two weeks since i have posted anything, and that kind of amazes me, and kind of makes me sad. however, i am here now, and that's all that matters.

these last two weeks i have been busy at work and have been pretty distracted by one of my favorite people, which is fine by me. oh, and i have been making plans to move yet again. this will be the fifth time in two years, so i'm a pro. however, i still don't look forward to the actual process. i'm hoping this move will be quick and painless. not to mention, i hope it lasts for a couple of years. the actual move in date is in two weeks, and i'm pretty excited.

anyway, i hope to get back into a routine in february and pull out some fantastic posts. for now here is some monday morning inspiration...owl style.

enjoy your last day of january!

{all images via weheartit}

monday morning inspiration

2011-01-17T10:39:00.000-08:00

hello, monday. i'm quite happy to see you.

i hope your weekend treated you well. my weekend was challenging relationally, emotionally, and physically. so today i am taking some time to recoop by drinking coffee, doing a little reading, painting and watching my newest guilty pleasure, grey's anatomy since netflix started streaming it.

my inspiration today is teepee's. i have always loved them, and when i was little i wanted to live in one. i still would live in one, if given the opportunity. i have spent a few nights in one. my aunt robin would set hers up in the yard when i came to visit. it was always a good time.

so i leave you with some images of lovely teepee's.

{all images via weheartit.}

2011-01-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

it's been pretty quite on here this week. i have been taking advantage of my friends last week of break before school starts, and have been keeping pretty busy.

i decided to take an easy road today and list some things that i have been loving this week.

i love this post about thrifting from Lune Vintage.

i love this recipe for red velvet brownies from From Scratch.

i love love this DIY from Design Sponge. i really want an iron bed.

i love this bow ring from Kate Spade.

i love this print from Ecceprints on Etsy.

i hope you have a great weekend!

secrets...

2011-01-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

here are some of my favorite secrets that were posted this week.

{i don't have a hard time paying my bills right now, but i do secretly hope for zombies.}

{haha. this is something i would do.}

{i love a good plot for revenge.}

{why pay all that money for college when you already have the job that you want?}

{this one made me laugh out loud for several reasons. please, don't be this customer.}

{there was a time when i could have written this secret.}

a walk a day keeps the blues away...

2011-01-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

this afternoon, since i was home and haven't spent very much quality time with my little furry friend lately, i decided that we should take a walk together. he usually gets them in the evening after dinner, so this midday adventure was out of the ordinary, and made for a very excited lou. i took my camera along to entertain me while the pup sniffed around, because let me tell you, he loves to sniff, and here are some of the things i saw along the way:

who can say no to those big brown eyes?

my loot.

i'm sure my neighbor won't miss them.

"music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."

2011-01-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

- victor hugo

i made this mix a while ago when someone dear to me was going through a tough time. i knew he would appreciate a 90's mix, and it has always held a special power to cheer me up from the darkest of times. so here i am sharing those special powers with you.

the simple sleeve i made:

the mix:

the music:

if you give it try, let me know what you think. :] it's good, if i do say so myself.

have a happy wednesday!

welcome...

2011-01-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

it's a month full of new beginnings and vows to eat more vegetables.

i want to make the most out of every day of this lovely month.

i want to do lots of work on making dreams come true.

i want to start downsizing my things and upsizing my heart.

i want to drink lots of jasmine green tea and eat lots of oranges.

...and i want you to stay warm and cozy...

to those of you living in states with actual seasons.

happy 2011

2011-01-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

i spent the night playing quelf.

and just dance on wii.

'twas a good night.

goodbye 2010!

2010-12-31T12:00:00.000-08:00

my favorite movie that i saw for the first time in 2010 is doctor zhivago.

my favorite movie of 2010 is inception. i saw it 3 times in the theatre. that is a record.

my favorite drink that i discovered in 2010 is izze's sparkling birch. i love birch beer.

my favorite album of 201o is ray lamontagne's god willin' and the creek don't rise.

my favorite book that i read in 2010 is catcher in the rye by j.d. salinger.

my favorite book that came out in 2010 is mary roach's packing for mars.

my favorite past time of 2010 is embroidery.

my favorite food of 2010 is hummus. i ate so so much of it.

glitter has been a new favorite in 2010.

pine scented candles have been burning like crazy this year. i am on candle number 3.

also pine scented soap. i stocked up last christmas, and have been using it all year.

and i have another year's supply. haha!

i lived in tights and dresses all year. no jeans got worn out. that's crazy.

2010 was a year of self discovery and growth. i still have a lot more to do in 2011.

i am excited for what 2011 will bring. i think it's going to be the best year yet.

Happy New Year!

[be safe!]

goals for the new year...

2010-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

my birthday was a little over a month ago, so i made a goal list for my 23rd year. 22 was a goal free year, and i see how well that turned out. i left 22 without feeling any accomplishment, and pretty down and out about it. however 23 will be a year full of simple, but important* goals.

*well, i feel like they are important. :]

a new year is just around the corner...

2010-12-29T12:11:00.000-08:00

first of all, i hope everyone had a merry christmas and very happy holidays. mine was a nice day filled with good food and company.

i can't believe this year is already over. it's been a wild ride, and i am very happy to see a new year and a clean slate right around the corner. last year was the first year i really made any resolutions. i thought that i had nothing to lose, so let's see how this goes. i have had a whole year to make these goals come alive, and now it's time to see how i did!

1: paint more.

this one was easy, because i went from not painting anything to using more paint than i ever have. i used acrylics and gouache, and even used up a whole tube of a few colors. i say this one was a success.

2: take more pictures.

this one was a bust. i didn't take a single picture of friend or family time. no holidays. no silly fun. when i lost my last small digital camera while at the beach 2 years ago is when i stopped taking pictures of people in my life. after i lost that camera i invested in a bulky, but good quality camera, so it doesn't live in my purse like my small, not so fantastic camera did. however, this year is going to be the year for pictures! i am taking some steps to obtaining a small camera again. once i get my hands on one, it's all downhill from there.

3: stay in touch.

umm, i was setting myself up for failure with this goal. i'm really an outta sight, outta mind type of girl, which is terribly sad. of course i think of my tons of friends and family that live many, many miles away, but i'm bad at putting the effort in to let them know i'm thinking of them. i wanted to send letters this year, but as far as i got was buying some stamps. this goal was not accomplished.

4: read the classics.

talk about setting yourself up for failure. classics are really painful for me to even attempt. i wish i was the well read person, who can enjoy such literature, but i can't be something i'm not. even reading fiction is a stretch for me, classic or modern. however, half way through the year i revised this resolution to american classics, and read 1984 by george orwell, catcher in the rye by j.d. salinger, and anthem by ayn rand. i had previously read them for school, but this time i enjoyed them, rather than looking for compare and contrast points. there are still a bunch i would love to read again, and i will. this revised goal was pretty fantastic and successful.

5: write more.

this year i wanted to write more poetry and prose. i used to love to write both, but now i think that time has passed. either i don't have it in me, or i don't have the desire. i attempted a few things, but all fell very short. this goal was attempted, but not realized.

i think i will stick to this resolution thing, only this new year's goals look very different from these, and i'm pretty excited for them. you will get to see them tomorrow. :]

spreading some christmas cheer...part two

2010-12-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

i have a special place in my heart for christmas movies. some of my favorite movies to watch during the holidays may not be conventional christmas movies, but they are still on my top 5. here are some of my absolute favorites, can you name them all?

what are your favorite christmas movies?

spreading some christmas cheer...

2010-12-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

i finally put up a few holiday decorations the other day. i love silver and red. obviously.

i also love my little tree. i made these ornaments based off katie's DIY, and i love them.

now i think it needs a cute tree skirt!

bahahaha!

2010-12-18T22:53:00.000-08:00

he only thinks this because he has never seen me dance.

you think i'm kidding, but you have no idea.

;]

umm..

2010-12-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

i am in love.

can i have just one more present?

couldn't hurt, right?

also, i know urban outfitters sells these, but you should buy it here instead.

merry christmas to me!

2010-12-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

i have been a very good girl this year!

fantasia. smiths strawberry and minted rose lip balm. owl mugs [can be found at barnes and noble.] forest friends embroidery pattern. elise's tote. over the knee socks in navy and burgandy. barcelona floral dress.

2010-12-16T22:31:00.000-08:00

practically every blog that i read has some sort of fantastic holiday series going on right now. i love reading them, especially the DIY's. it's always great to see other peoples inspiration. people think of things that i would never come up with on my own, and i love that. i also love that you can take their ideas and tweak them to fit your needs and style. anyway, i thought since i have seen so many awesome DIY's that i would share a few of my favorites.

Monday Prints actually offered up this DIY on printing with freezer paper over a year ago, but it's still a great one. i had some serious doubts about such a way of printing onto fabric, but i was pretty amazed at how well it worked. your image is only as good as your exacto knife skills, but lucky for me i have some sweet nunchuck skills...er, i meant exacto knife skills. ;]

I go by Katie did a fantastic ornament DIY that i just love. sometimes you just want need ornaments, but you don't want to shell out some big money for decorations. this is the perfect solution. i spent 6 dollars on supplies for 16 small ornaments. you really can't beat that. i made some with red sparkles, and another set with gold. i love them.

Elsie did a guest DIY on Smile and Wave and showed us how to make hair bows with crushed velvet, which i adore. i have all the supplies. now i just need to hop to it.

i also really enjoyed Lune Vintage's how to about shopping for and taking care of vinyl records. it made me want to go out and find some grand record i didn't know that i had been dying to own.

back in august The Glamourai did a great DIY on how to age rhinestones with little time and sharpies. lately i haven't been able to stop thinking about it. i may need to find some super sparkley rhinestone jewelry to age here soon. i have been craving sparkle.

there are lots of other great DIY's out there, but these are just a few of my favorites. i hope they inspire you to do something that you wouldn't do on your own.

have a happy friday!

ps. since i have done almost all of these DIY's, you can expect a post on my end results here soon. i have lost my card reader for my SD card, so uploading pictures these days take a little more effort, but i promise to do it soon.

i simply think of my favorite things and then i don't feel so bad...

2010-12-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

sometimes i think it's fun to list out some of your favorite things in life. sometimes you notice how your favorite change over time, and sometimes you realize that some things never change.

here is my current list:

my favorite movie is breakfast at tiffany's.

my favorite book is the bell jar.

my favorite children's book is goodnight moon.

my favorite guilty pleasure t.v show is the gilmore girls.

my favorite sport to watch is baseball.

my favorite flower are daisies.

my favorite favorite sport to play is tennis.

my favorite city is san fran.

my favorite band is thrice.

my favorite sound is wind blowing through the trees.

my favorite solo artist is ryan adams.

my favorite smell is pine trees or oranges.

my favorite drink is arnold palmers.

my favorite season is autumn.

my favorite color is yellow.

my favorite time of day is night time.

my favorite word is superlative.

my favorite childhood gift was barbie dream house.

my favorite song right now is you get what you give by new radicals.

my favorite cd is dead man's bones.

my favorite way to travel is by road trip.

my favorite night at the movies is an action movie.

my favorite thing to do is shop.

You did it! Congratulations!

2010-12-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

World's best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody! It's great to be here.

the last six days of my life have been really busy and crazy. this holiday season has been really busy at work, meaning i work a ton. it's been nice, but six days in a row is brutal. i could sleep for a week. unfortunately, i don't have a week just for sleeping, but i do have two days off, and in those two days i have so much to do. i have yarn that needs to be crocheted, stencils that need to be cut, laundry that needs to be washed, a car that not only needs, but deserves some t.l.c., pick out presents that need to be bought, and much more.

i am having a hard time believing it's christmas time. i'm not in the christmas spirit this year, which is a shame, because it's my favorite time of year. i don't feel like i have had the time to cultivate such a spirit. no looking at lights. no drinking of gingerbread lattes. no watching my favorite christmas movies. no parties with friends or family. it's sad really.

however, i am very excited for a new year. i think 2011 is going to be my year. i can feel it. or at least i'm hopeful since 2010 was definitely not my year. i have lots of things up my sleeve and lots of goals for myself in 2011. i also hope that 2011 will bring some exciting job related news, but we will have to wait and see.

i have some ideas for a few posts in the new couple of days, so keep an eye out.

for now, i should work on a few things on my to do list. :]

good tunes tuesday!

2010-12-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

i haven't done a good tunes tuesday in quite some time, and i decided that it needs to change.

want to know a secret? i actually had to look at my phone today for it to tell me which day it was. it told me it was tuesday.

either all my days blend together these days or i am way too dependent on technology. ;]

anyway, here i am with a good tune.

you can never go wrong with the smiths. i hope your tuesday was a good one. i can barely keep my eyes open anymore, so i'm going to go relax with a good movie.

laugh it up fuzz ball...

2010-12-12T18:50:00.000-08:00

call me a geek, but i really want this.

but really, who doesn't want an r2d2 swimsuit?!

happy friday! 'tis my favorite day.

2010-12-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

my life in a few words...

2010-12-08T23:18:00.000-08:00

how i feel:

what i'm learning:

"Cinderellie not go to the ball..."

2010-12-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

this movie will always be near and dear to my heart. i always wanted to be Cinderella with her little mice and bird friends. i still look up to her, even if she is just a character in a story.

what have i been reading?

2010-12-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

i have been going through a pretty big reading spell lately. i love to read, but i am not always the best reader. i love starting books, but i hate finishing them. i also love to read more than one book at a time. i have accepted this about my reading habits. i finish books eventually, even if i stay up and read the last chapter of five different books. that's just how i do it, and it works for me.

i actually finished this book really fast. i didn't pick up another book while reading it. it was that good, but i'm also a huge mary roach fan, not to mention a fan of science books. this book will tell you everything you never knew you wanted to know about space travel. i will warn you that the chapter on how skin flakes and dust act in space may cause slight discomfort.

i haven't finished this book in it's entirety, but trust me, it's good. the only reason why i haven't finished it is because it causes my heart to hurt for them. she writes with such clarity, but i can't imagine the crazy hurt that everything caused in that moment. patti knows how to paint a picture with her words beautifully. she invites you in to sit and stay a while, and that's exactly what you will do.

oh, yet another science book, but this one should interest everyone. it goes through all the stages of life the female brain lives through and what it is doing throughout each stage. or rather what hormones are doing to your brain through each stage. it's crazy stuff. she also has the male brain out. i think you can guess which book i am going to read next!

oh, and you can add this to that list...

2010-12-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

this is my jam.

some things that have made me smile today...

2010-12-06T12:19:00.001-08:00

2010-12-04T01:07:00.000-08:00

dear heart,

you won't always feel this way. things will get better, and that's a promise. you just have to give it time. i know it's hard now, but you're doing great. one day the cloud above you will dry out, and on that day the sun shall shine brighter.

wish list!

2010-12-02T13:19:00.000-08:00

i know i won't get this stuff for christmas this year, but it's fun to dream. my family has decided to limit our consumerism and do a very limited christmas this year, which i have embraced. however, i can still dream [and i can still buy myself christmas gifts! mwhaha.], and here is what i am dreaming of:

burts bee's hand salve is a lifesaver. i can't imagine my life without it. my hands go through hell during the winter, mostly due to my job as a barista and washing my hands millions of times each day. but this stuff saves them and they are forever thankful. i am almost out, so i hope i get some in my stocking! along with some lip balm...or maybe not. i will get to that in a minute.

urban outfitters has always been one of my favorite places, and these oxfords are a prime example of why. they are gold and glittery and beautiful. oh how i have dreamed of these. they will be mine soon! i promise you that. :]

um, this faux leather jacket is gorgeous. i have been on the market for a leather jacket for a while now, but i haven't found one to have fallen in love with. until now. they are out of my size right now, which makes me sad, but maybe one day it shall find a home on my torso. i have my fingers crossed!

these socks are adorable. end of story.

i haven't been so excited about something, as i am excited about this, in a long time. fantastia and fantastia 2000!? it's the jackpot! i can't wait to get my hands on it. i may not watch anything else for months. :]

tins. mint and rose. lip balm. does it really need any explanation? my lips are dying for this stuff.

this print really speaks to me and where i am in life right now. i often feel very lost. i have no idea where i am headed, or what i am doing with my life, and i hate it. but this print reminds me that it's okay. sometimes you don't have any answers, and just because you're unsure now doesn't mean you will be unsure forever. i would love for it to find a place on my wall to remind me of that everyday. plus it's in my favorite color!

what are you dreaming about receiving this christmas?

welcome!

2010-12-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

i'm so excited that it's december. i haven't been in much of a holiday mood, but that's going to change asap! it's the month of baking, wearing coats, listening to christmas music, looking at lights, decorating, watching awesome christmas movies, and spending time with ones you love.

this december i vow to:

- look at the positive side of things.

- crochet something.

- eat as many cookies as i want!

- make special gifts for people dearest to me.

- send special gifts this year. i still have gifts from last year!

- laugh more and smile often. if you can't accomplish that in december, when can you?

here is something to get you in the mood. :]

i like this.

2010-12-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were

driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a
parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his
brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of
the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi
driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really
friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined
your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver
taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around
full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of
disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it
and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.
Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage
and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take
over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

...i hope you do too. :] happy thursday!

2010-11-22T19:29:00.000-08:00

"The story made us different characters than we would have been if we had skipped the story and showed up at the ending an easier way."

--- Donald Miller

this spoke to my heart. it's what it needed to hear...

2010-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

"this week i'm going to remember that i'm imperfect. and that's okay. so is not finishing my to-do list. or being the best. i am just who i am right now and that's fine for right now."

--kara

{i just might explode}

2010-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

dear myself,

whatever you do, don't give up.

sincerely,

2010-11-18T19:56:00.000-08:00

hello blog world!

2010-11-08T17:46:00.000-08:00

i owe you a million apologies. i guess i have been taking a bit of a hiatus in the recent weeks. the thought of getting on the computer overwhelms me with everything else that has been going on in these parts of the woods. work is work, and very exhausting when you're not used to working full time hours. getting to know someone special also takes quite a bit of effort, and after those two things are done, i just want to do nothing. i feel like i earn the privilege to do nothing sometimes. anyway, i hope you are all doing great, and i will be back regularly very soon.

[pinky promise!]

good tunes tuesday!...and an update

2010-10-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

i owe you an apology. i have been very distant for the last week or so, and i apologize. i have been very busy with work, getting settled in, having a social life and life has been hectic enough without using a computer. i can't imagine adding some technology into the mix. to be quite frank, i have enjoyed not getting on the computer. not checking facebook. not checking emails. there certainly is freedom in that. the only reason why i decided to get on today was for you. i know i missed good tunes tuesday last week, so i couldn't miss two weeks in a row. i'm not sure if i have used this song before, but i know i haven't used this video. i enjoy it and i hope you will as well.

and as far as updates on my life go: my hair is red, but it's fading to orange rather quickly. i hope to find my camera and take some pictures as proof really soon. i went on my first official date ever, and to my surprise, i had a really great time. i am getting trained in a new area of work, and that's exciting. i am reading the new mary roach book and it's good, as always. if you like easy to read nonfiction science books, then check it out. next up on my list to read is the new stephen hawking book. my geek glasses are starting to show. anyway, those are some of the bullet points on my life. i hope your life is full of sunshine and warmth.

2010-10-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

today i went shopping at kohl's for the first time in ages. i'm not a big fan of the store, but i had two gift cards that i have had for a couple years in my wallet that i decided to finally cash in. i found an 'ugly' orange shirt [i happen to love to wear burnt orange and other so-called 'ugly' colors. the uglier the better. continue reading for a prime example!] and a dress for 7 bucks. then i found these bad boys.

they are quite magical. i'm not sure what you call this color, but it's something like gunmetal. they can be worn with almost everything. i decided that i like them better with skirts and dresses rather than jeans. perhaps the best part is: i didn't use my money to pay for them. :] they have found a home in my closet and will much loved. loved so much, that i decided to share my find with you.

things to come.

2010-10-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

oh yes, it's happening folks.

good tunes tuesday!

2010-10-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

it's just barely after tuesday. i thought i could make it, but oh well. here is your good tune. i had to give it time to grow on me, so give it a chance. :]

just some things on my mind...

2010-10-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

this is the first night i has actually been a bit chilly outside, and it has me thinking of the new items i would like to incorporate into my existing collection of clothing. i have been very thoughtful, and haven't added everything i have seen to my list, which is easily done, so here is my small list thus far:

knee high socks. they intimidate me a bit, but only because they would be new for me. i remember in 3rd grade going through an obsession with knee high tights, but since then i haven't put much thought into them. this season i would like to see where the knee highs take me. it would be a nice break for my tights. these i found on forever 21.

flannel isn't new to me, but it's my favorite. i would love to just wear a new flannel shirt with some jeans and boots everyday of the week, but i don't own enough flannel to do that, and i may even get sick of it after a while. i would like to add a few more flannel shirts to my collection so i could have more flannel days then i'm currently able to have. this was found here.

once again, i'm a big fan of boots, but i'm not typically drawn to the ankle boot. i own one pair of suede ankle boots and find them hard to incorporate into an outfit. these riding boots look effortless enough. i would like to give them a try. you can find these on ruche.

i have shied away from oxfords because they look really uncomfortable. i can wear some really uncomfortable items, but shoes are not one of them. my feet are always doing hard work, and they deserve to my comfy. however, i love the way oxfords look. i need to give them a try simply because their adorable. this is also from ruche.

i love this jacket. i need this jacket. i don't think i have to tell you why.

last, but not least, i love neutral colored floral print for the fall. floral doesn't always have to be about spring. i actually bought this dress for myself tonight, and once again, i found it on ruche. i'm hoping to pair it with some knee high socks and oxfords, but we will see how that goes.

2010-10-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

just a quick note:

i have been really sick this week. it's been awful, but i'm on the recovery and should be totally back to normal by tomorrow {or here is to hoping!} once i'm healthy again, i really want a hamburger from in and out. it's the only thing keeping me holding on. ;]

so hold tight, and good tunes tuesday will be here soon + some other fun posts.

i hope your week has been better then mine.

happy october!

2010-10-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

oh, how i wish i could take a step outside and see the changing leaves and feel the crisp air. maybe one day, but until then, i must fake my own autumn. so i am welcoming one of my favorite months with a cup of hot chai, the baking of pumpkin bread, the burning of pumpkin spice oil, and the listening to some whiskeytown... some of my favorite things.

this october i want to:

take a day trip to flagstaff and see some color - carve a pumpkin - start crocheting granny squares - create the best halloween costume - save up some money - not take life so seriously

hope you're enjoying your friday.

[image via weheartit]

2010-09-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

my inner geek really freaked out when i ran across this on The Crafty Hedgehogs shop on Etsy. i wish i could buy it already done, but they just sell the pattern to knit. anyone want to knit this for me for my birthday? ;] you can find it here.

i think it's really cool.