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So Pete Yorn pretty much rocked my face off last night!!! It was such a fun concert. (All the more so b/c this lady joined us for the festivities!) I don’t know what’s wrong with Grand Rapids, but there was a pretty pitiful turn out. Sad for Pete, but good for us as were were like 10 feet from him all night! I think if we could hang with any musician, from any time… I think we’d choose Pete. It would be a toss up for Brad between him and U2, but I’m with Pete all the way.
Now I’m taking a break from cleaning my house as we are preparing for a private showing today and an open house tomorrow. Crazy person am I!
Earlier this week I decided to catch up on some blog reading and here are some super fun things that caught my eye. Man, three weeks away from blog-land and you miss some really good stuff.
The Czech Republic’s got style. Check out this great blog on all things aesthetically pleasing and inspiring: Art, Design, Photography, Food, Fashion, Color, Life. Graphic Designer and quite possibly my Eastern European doppelganger, Raru, certainly does have 79 ideas running through her head…and then some. I loved her post on the Calligraphy of Russia and the rest of the world and her an eye for unique artists. I also tend to read her blog with a cool accent.
Etsy Love The most lovely prints that say fall.
The most perfect perpetual calendar by Orange Beautiful via Uppercase.
:: Wishing I was at this fun party.
:: Loving these little labels.
:: I would love a whole collection of these beauties.
:: Looking forward to seeing this movie.
:: Keeping my fingers crossed for our showing today & our open house tomorrow!
Came across this interesting article on cats while perusing The Guardian. I knew I was a cat lady, but now I can say I just can’t help but give in to these little fur balls of cuteness.
Sound effect: how cats exploit the human need to nurture | Science | The Guardian
How could you not love these guys?
where have i been? there’s an entire website out there spreading love with daily give-a-ways. how clever…and nice. check out The Bright Side Project.
When I leave Texas, I always go home with way more than what I started, but this may have been my best score yet. My visit could not have been better.
see for yourself
I’m forever in awe of the information super highway. I stumbled across the most lovely little blog that proves to be big on design. Everything posted here is up my alley; the clean aesthetic of all her posts calls to me! Go on over to Traditionally Modern Design and peruse Narineh’s sight. I can’t wait to see what else she’ll highlight. Here are a few of the things that caught my eye:
First (and most importantly) it is 65 degrees and sunny and I’m headed outside in two seconds!
Second, I just purchased a fabulous 1960’s mint condition typewriter! Yeah!!! I love the clickety-click of the keys, the bang of the bell and definitely my most favorite sound is that of ripping the paper through the roller as it ripples all the way out!
Happy Friday!
I’ve had the wonderful LAURA MARLING playing virtually non-stop this week. I originally heard hear while in this shop in Canterbury this summer. We listened to her lots post pilgrimage, but with the changing of the seasons she was put on the shelf only to be rediscovered this past week. her debut album — Alas I Cannot Swim — is so fantastic. perfect for even these lazy winter days filled with baking, crafting, and reading. I just wish that I had been able to go to an actual CD shop to pick up her music. The cover is so lovely and here is a quote from her website:
…the music is part of a ‘Song Box’, designed by Laura, which contains postcards, trinkets and stories – plus a concert ticket to her shows in March. ‘The idea came of a conversation I had with a guy who owned the studio I was recording in,’ says Marling. ‘He said he was depressed with the way music’s going, because nobody buys records any more and people are listening to MP3s on bad headphones, using music for wallpaper.’ So, she designed the chart-ineligible, beautifully printed ‘Song Box’: ‘I want people to love music,’ she says, ‘I want people to treasure it, not just my songs, but treasure music.’
I would LOVE to get my hands on those postcards!!! In the mean time, I will have to settle for her pleasing my ears instead of my eyes too. Go buy her music!
I’m such a nerd. I can’t believe that I am hooked…nope make that addicted to the Twilight series. Over the weekend my sis brought me the first book; some of the kids at church talked about them all summer, but I thought, vampires–how lame. Ok. Vampires, at least the love-struck high-school ones, are not lame. They are so cool in fact that I went to see them on the big screen last night after I found out that it was the last night it was showing in the theater. They are so cool that I am going to drive 45 minutes out of my way to go to a friends house to get books 2, 3 & 4. There is a snow storm coming for the weekend. I will be not only buried under snow, but my nose buried in a high-school teen drama. My noble intentions of reading about the women that have shaped this country — gone — put back on the shelf for a forbidden romance. Sweet.
My first award…granted to me by the always-kind OH!. This lovely little thing is an inspiration award. I am terribly flattered that anyone finds anything I might say or do inspiring. I still find myself a bit perplexed as to why I’m even doing this ‘new, hip thing’ — blogging. But for now it still tickles my fancy and I always enjoy seeing what others are doing in their lives and having a chance to learn something new. So apparently I am to nominate 7 others for whom their works stand out from the rest. Lately I can go to these places for inspiration:
For Me, For You … for all around fabulousness
Katie at doodlesprouts has always got something going on and can get me to dust off my needles. (check out her shop too.)
Scott Smith, a.k.a. The Sartorialist for capturing life on the streets
Mandi for doing some cool things with paper and embracing being 23.
Ez over at Creature Comforts for always having the prettiest layouts and pointing me to things I don’t always need, but always want.
Amy at Eggs on Sunday. Food. Need I say more? (Photographed so damn well too!)
And Kate the Great for kickin’ ass and taking names. This lady has got whatever “it” is. You’ll find visual and audio inspiration where she is.
time is relative. i love my new schedule. breakfast with a friend. stop in a local shop to see what’s new. meet my priest for afternoon coffee. quick shoe shop with another friend. stop off at library. sit and read magazines. bring home a few goodies. new snow falling. i’m looking forward to tomorrow.
and new on my shelf tonight:
I have two new favorite things right now that I seem to want to wear every day. I got the necklace a few weeks back from an antique store ($5) and then just added the bead myself. And the boots were a lovely little post-Christmas sale pick me up. I must say that I saw the boots pre-holiday madness and I told myself I needed to just wait. I couldn’t afford them. And for once, I actually listened to myself so I waited. Having received a little extra holiday cheer in the form of a few greenbacks, I thought I would press my luck to see if they still any left. Wouldn’t you know it, there was one pair left and in my size! AND they were 40% off!!! So with my gift certificate they cost me $1.26. Not bad.
These little darlings may not look like they could ever come from Cooking Light, but they did. This is by far the best sugar/snickerdoodle cookie I’ve EVER had. And I of course can’t not share. Here’s the recipe:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teapsoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 oz.)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400. Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at meadium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat just until combined. Shape dough into 30 balls. Combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small shallow dish. Roll balls in sugar mixture, and place 2 inces apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 8 minutes or until tops crack. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack. yield: 30 cookies. (Only 99 calories a cookie).
This just might be our last week of summer. Next week the temperature will plummet. I want to enjoy it all while I can!
I guess I’ve been gone a while. I’ve taken the last few weeks to enjoy the rest of summer: long walks, ice cream, fishing, the beach. I love summer. I liked not checking the computer everyday. I don’t know when the last time was I perused blog-land. I’ve also been settling into my new job; my new job that I really like. Although I haven’t done anything crafty or creative in weeks, I did watch what is now one of my new favorite movies…ever. It’s called Caramel. Calling it beautiful is an understatement. It’s about female relationships, of all types. But it’s nothing like SATC. I love it.
I mean, do these eyes tell all or what?! Netflix it today!
I seem to craft in phases. I’ll be on a sewing kick for a while, then last holidays it was jewelry all around; but ever since I worked on (and finished!) my wedding scrapbook, I’ve been on paper thing. This paper thing has manifested itself into a new project I’m working on. Apparently I’ve been surfing around blog-land with my eyes closed because I had no idea that some amazingly creative people have a mini-cult creating “mini-books” or “mini-journals”. This seems to be my perfect outlet right now. I know…I’m a little slow on the bandwagon here, but I’m o.k. with that. Here’s a little sneak peek for the book in progress. I had so much fun making pages and then filling them with my thoughts I could hardly stand it…or sleep. I’m ready to take it day by day.
every time we go up north I try to swing into my favorite antique shop. Although I easily get overwhelmed because there is so much stuff and everything is old…I can usually score a few good textiles. And I was so happy to bring home these little guys. I love handkerchiefs, mostly because I use them. But I like knowing I have something pretty tucked away in my pocket or purse. I also like the idea of having something lovely to look at when I may be sad or need a little pick me up. I enjoy nicely colored ones because who wants a white one that well, isn’t going to stay white. I loved the scalloped edges of the yellow roses & besides I’m totally on a yellow kick these days. I had to have the color palate of this one, and of course it’s like a moth to a fame when it comes to turquoise & orange. But I think I’m going to use that in a different craft project I have in the works.
My amazing hubby surprised me with an appointment at the spa. I had to do some physical activity that wrecked me yesterday and he, being the smart cookie that he is, knew I would be sore and could use the refresher…especially after such a funky week. This is definitely the way to start a long weekend.
(photo by Profiles)
I can’t get enough of him.
i spent the latter half of the day searching for some inspiration. i wanted a quick go to when i need to focus my thoughts and get my creative juices flowing. this is just the beginning.
I don’t know why I am mesmerized by the top photo, but I can’t take my eyes off of it. It came my way via Pike/Pine.
I’ve been busy filling my current journal so that I can get to these beauties! I picked them up in Chicago at Urban Outfitters, 2 for $10. This was of course before the spending hiatus (thank goodness!) I also picked up these gems from Anthropologie.
I’m officially a red-head. I needed change & my hair is the easiest target. Although it may seem subtle in the photos…it doesn’t seem that way. But I’m happy with the new color. Change your hair, change your life.
Well we’re off to the Windy City this weekend. We plan to spend half the day at the Art Institute of Chicago & then some time shopping. We’ve mapped our route from the museum to anthropologie to paper source. Finally…city people! Have a great weekend!
Before and After: All By Ourselves
