I Swan

wings

2011-12-22T09:19:00.000-08:00

A few peeks from a cigar and candy box insect collection found in the attic-we are guessing they are about 70 years old. We felt like we needed to hold our breath every time we lifted a lid, partly from pure excitement and partly for fear that we would inhale the dusty wings. Lots of emotion tied to these little boxes, as if the excited hands that pinched these paper wings was just there, placing the prize in it's box tomb.

making way

2011-12-14T23:27:00.000-08:00

A lot of instagramming going on lately-mostly around the house as we have been working on organizing, cleaning, and making room for a better workspace. We are feeling some growing pains with our business, mostly in the form of having to decide what to give away in order to bring in more work equipment (which naturally goes against my thrifting and collecting nature). In an ideal world we would just up and move somewhere bigger and keep all our goods, but honestly, aren't ideal worlds for wimps who can't find the willpower to give away their extensive collection of thrifted t-shirts from college? I thought so.

natural history

2011-11-21T00:24:00.000-08:00

We have a new Natural History museum here, and as much as I thought the old one could not be beat, the new one did a fantastic job of changing our minds. We marveled over dinosaur bones that made watercolor-like shadows, and minerals with textures and colors that are still swimming around in my mind.

birthday, part ll

2011-11-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

I am convinced that Matt should wrap presents professionally-I always seem to have the hardest time opening them. Yet somehow, I still find the will-power to find out what is inside...

A few other things that made this birthday of mine tops-a surprise dinner with my family (words cannot describe the joy of seeing all those familiar faces in an unexpected place), a surprise dance party (again, overflowing joy at getting to cut a rug with said familiar faces), an apple pie from my sister (kids, you ain't never tasted pie till you have sunk your fork into one of these beauties), and the most nostalgic lion cake with dainty licorice legs and the tastiest toasted coconut mane.

I felt so loved.

birthday

2011-11-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

When I was little I thought thirty sounded old. Now I am not sure what sounds old anymore, or maybe it is that old is starting to sound better and better. Nevertheless, I am thirty now, and we have already done some fantastic celebrating in the form of eating fresh bread, taking a nap, and opening presents that look like clouds.

color finds

2011-10-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

I have stumbled upon some of my favorite colors lately-all of them hiding away in thrift stores just waiting for me to find them. I am enamored with the colors outside my window, and now the colors of my little trinkets inside. They remind me of the splashes of color in these beautiful paintings.

this song (what an amazing voice)//this post//thinking of our flight tomorrow morning

to the mountains

2011-10-10T10:44:00.001-07:00

We had intended to get up to the mountains sooner to see the fall colors, but our busy schedule kept us away until most of the reds had faded. Although the aspens were all afire-and they have my heart anyways, so the drive did me good. We wandered around an area teaming with giant boulders covered with moss, and Matt found a little clump of trees to try out his "tree-cercise". (My palms were sweaty with his tree wedging/balancing antics but of course he was fine, and my fear of becoming an overanxious mother was confirmed.)

stray

2011-10-04T01:38:00.000-07:00

Meet our little stray friend. He has already consumed 4 cans of tuna and apparently doesn't like milk. He comes back to the house every night at the same time and looks at me through the window until I let him in. Lucky for him I am never one to say no to a cat-especially a ginger tabby.

lately

2011-09-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

There are no words for how busy it has been around here lately-or I guess I should say there are no brain cells left to think of words to explain how busy it has been lately. Lets just say our poor cars are crying for an oil change and getting dressed in the morning has now started to take up waaay too much time. As is goes though-a few random niceties came my way which I would like to dub my "brakes", as they slowed this crazy train life of mine down considerably, even if for just a second (which is about how long it took me to eat the delicious macaron above).

-(illegally?) picking sunflowers off the side of the road.

-the most refreshing strawberry soup (necessary to cool down on these still very warm fall days.)

-Heirloom tomatoes grown by an older couple, not just any older couple either, a completely adorable plaid-wearing, beat-up truck driving older couple. As you can see they took the time to write out each variety of tomato and tape it on so as to avoid any uneducated consumption of these beauties.

-being twinners with a most delicious grasshopper macaron.

i spy

2011-09-19T00:08:00.000-07:00

What our Sunday walk looked like.

changes

2011-09-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

I like the way September settles on me. I like the way music sounds in September and the way my clothes feel, welcome warmth instead of hot confines. I like the idea that with this cold brings change. Change of the sun, the trees, and how leaves are now beneath me instead of above.

findings

2011-09-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

A few recent finds. The first is a scrap of newspaper found underneath the carpet of the house I grew up in. We are guessing it is about forty years old based on the fact that green beans were 28 cents and Gladys Knight was 29. (Two very trustworthy things to base dates on mind you.) The second was a hidden stairway we spied with a neglected statue.

For some reason both of these things remind me of fall. Fall feels old, even though it is newly upon us.

a time to read

2011-09-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

Books and September are a match made in heaven. I have been reading quite a bit lately during the cool evenings with the windows open and the crickets chirping at full capacity. I haven't read about the Campfire Girls yet or the Motor Maids, but with these lovely book covers I might have my next few books already lined up.

weekend

2011-09-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

Happy long weekend!

We are going to be celebrating this little ladies 1st birthday, as well as enjoying the warm evenings before fall is upon us.

kodak moments

2011-08-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

Two "kodak moments" of the day. My uncles not so happily selling their pup, and my mom as the pied piper of kitties.

(I am working on a family history book right now and I am looking at pictures like this all day. Aren't they great?)

stone and metal

2011-08-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

I have been itching to do a bit of jewelry making lately, so I pulled out all my goods the other day and made a mess. A good mess-the kind that ends up looking better the messier it gets. Unfortunately it looks so good at this point that I can't bring myself to clean it up-so instead I just keep making more.

cabin in the woods

2011-08-24T09:54:00.001-07:00

We are still up to our weekend getaway antics. (hooray!) This time we cozied up with all of my family in my brother-in-laws cabin in Island Park. We get really giddy being together as a family which tends to lead to crazy behavior-like midnight lucky charm feasts, group chicken cackles, and some late night ghost stories around the campfire. We also spent some time in Yellowstone. The last time I was there I had permed hair, a disposable camera and a fanny pack. It has been a while.

All in all it was a fine weekend which Matt and I wrapped up with a drive home during the most jaw dropping sunrise. We were just dying over it and then realized that it happens every morning-EVERY morning. Pretty fantastic if you ask me.

home

2011-08-16T10:21:00.000-07:00

A peek around the place. We have been out and about quite a bit lately, so today it feels nice to just be working from home. We have pre-mediated a delicious lunch for ourselves and we are going to get some frozen yogurt later. We really do spoil ourselves sometimes.

Loving this video today. The old fashioned vibe and perfectly parted hair are just fantastic. (thanks becca)

camp out

2011-08-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

We are doing a backyard camp-out tonight in the very same spot where this adorable group of kiddos are sitting. I am looking forward to swooping bats and campfire stories.

The little gal in the cowboy hat is my mom. Please note the most amazing horse sweater worn by my uncle. I would love one just like it in my size.

skip

2011-08-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

We are yet again sneaking up north to skip rocks with one golden haired miss.

A song that has me teetering on the edge of missing summer and welcoming fall.

2011-08-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

My niece takes swim lessons at one of the most fantastic pools, which I am pretty sure will live forever in the minds of these mini swimmers. It boasts of a giant face that in a friendly I-just-escaped-from-Pee-Wee's-Playhouse kind of way watches their kicks and strokes. Stairs to the slide that share space with factory towers and the fact that this pool is nestled in a small town. Matt and I have vowed to come back and take a dip here.

2011-08-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

These are from a trip I took with my mom and sisters a few weeks ago to Bryce Canyon. Little weekend trips are what endears summer to me.

gardening

2011-07-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

The fate of these fruits is to either be eaten with garden soil still sticking to the shoes, standing in the kitchen with salt shaker in hand. Or, to be handled, heated and canned; a process that turns these garden gods into something that smacks of immortal. (Until of course, one gets a hankering for bottled summer and pops the seal.)

But for now we garden. Coaxing water, tugging weeds, and in general marveling at this fleet of little friends that find life in dirt, sun and water.

---------

By the by-thanks to Emma for the lovely feature on me today-flattered to be included with a such a lovely group of ladies.

2011-07-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

Hats off to Utah for having not one, but two patriotic holidays in July. Pioneer day is celebrated with as much befireworked enthusiasm as the Fourth, combined with copious amounts of pioneer garb and pinafore wearing. We spent our day at This is the Place Park acting out the pioneer lifestyle, made a bit easier with sips of cold soda and the merciful breath of air conditioning.

two

2011-07-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

It was our 2nd anniversary last night. Everyday I feel incredibly pleased to have married Matt-but there is something about an anniversary that makes me feel especially pleased about it. To celebrate we ate at Em's-where we had our wedding luncheon. I just can't say enough about how good that place is, even the butter is better. (I kid you not!) This was followed by some late night Harry Potter, which looking back, makes me feel like not a lot has changed.

(Our polaroid has started spitting out two pictures instead of one-so we just try to incorporate it to be more of an accent than an accident.)

the end

2011-07-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful end to the day. I had not been outside for most of it, but this sunset drew me out the door and back into our overgrown garden. I like taking in moments like this-when I am alone and ready to be amazed.

2011-07-12T22:44:00.000-07:00

I have been quite absent from the internet as of late. We spent our weekend happily disconnected from the computer, enjoying a relaxing family reunion. When we returned home we unhappily spent a few days not hooked up to the internet. As anyone who runs an at-home business knows, that is the pits.

During my online break I taught a lesson on how to thrift shop to some ladies from my church. I did a personal assignment where I found elements of particular pieces of clothing that I liked (thanks Anthro) and then thrifted something similar. I added up the cost for my entire outfit, which, not surprisingly, was much less than the items I was inspired by. It was a good exercise for me, and even better, an excuse to get myself some new clothes.

Words of thrift shopping wisdom I passed on:

Don't be deterred by the smell that greets you at the door.

A belt can make any size your size. (Also, look in other sizes besides your usual. Lots of brands fit differently.)

Always check for imperfections. Even if it is the holy grail of thrift finds, don't buy it if it has a big obvious stain. (Guilty as sin on this one.)

Does anyone else have a good tip to add to the list?

2011-07-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Happy to be in July now. We have lots of things to look forward to this month-reunions, getaways, parades! We also have some fun projects ahead of us-it really is great to go to bed Sunday night looking forward to the work week ahead.

Speaking of work, Matt and I have noticed this phenomenon when we talk to others about our work. (More-so the fact that both of us quit our day jobs to make films.) They often use the word "brave", and for some reason that never sits well with me. After thinking this over for a while I realized why. What we have done feels less like a brave choice, and more like the only choice. It was what we wanted enough that the word "choice" became nonexistent. I'd like to imagine that's what happens when one makes a good choice, which in the end feels like there was no choice at all.

metal and stone

2011-06-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

I have a thing with jewelry. It is similar to how I feel about sleeping with a heavy blanket-not because it keeps me warm-but more-so because the weight of it is comforting. When I put a ring or necklace on it tends to sit just so that I feel a constant comfortable weight of metal and stone on me. On the flip side when I come home from being out the first thing I do is take off all of my jewelry, after a while I feel too weighed down. The next morning I usually find pretty little piles of it next to my keyboard or on my bedside table.

(by the by my little chain bracelet has a quote etched on it that I love. "My location would change, but I would always have memory." Haynes)

2011-06-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

We had a relaxing weekend that happily did not include one ounce of work. What it did include was buying a basil plant, walking at the park, impromptu sleepovers with family and lots of sun. Matt and I need to get better about walking away from work when the weekend hits. There is something to taking a break that makes coming back to work so much more enjoyable.

notecards

2011-06-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

If I added up all the time I spend scrounging for notecards to use when writing letters, I could probably walk myself over to the recipients house and deliver the message in person. (Although that would be nice, snail mail can't be beat.) To fix this problem I whipped up a few cards today using random items and some gold embossing powder. (I admit, I fantasize about all the things I could cover in gold embossing.) Now I have a cheery bunch of cards right at my fingertips to use whenever the urge to write hits. Hooray!

2011-06-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

I have no choice but to use the word "magical" when describing my grandparents yard. It has stayed the same since I was young, and after watching old home movies I see that it has been the same long before that. This weekend we spent a good amount of time there, and as we started to pack up I panicked. Visions of our flowerless apartment drove me to scurrying around the yard gathering one (or two) of every flower in sight. Every time I walk past my little mason jar of flowers now I just want to pat their pretty little heads and tell them thank you for cheering the place up.

happy trails

2011-06-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

I went on a hike with a good friend and her little lady. It was so windy we felt like all of our words were getting blown back into our mouths-which made us laugh really hard. Thank heavens for little legs that need breaks-that gave me a chance to take pictures and realize how good it felt to be outside.

2011-06-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

I have stumbled upon words lately that won't leave me alone, much like a buzzing porch light feels when dusty moth wings keep tapping its glass. These winged words all point to the idea of meaning, and this simple word points me where I need to go.

Other happenings that have brought the idea of meaning to light:

reading this book.

burying seeds in fresh dirt.

eating lunch with new-found friends who are surrounded by their own fleet of moths.

my people

2011-06-10T00:42:00.000-07:00

I stayed up waaay too late tonight (ahem, this morning) watching old family movies of my granddad's. We just had them converted from 8mm film and we are pretty sure no one has seen them for at least 30 years. I watched young aunts, young uncles, and young grandparents, probably about the age I am at now. Aren't they all so adorable? My heart just melts seeing my granddad snuggling his little baby.

(from top to bottom: granddad, grandmother, uncle burk, uncle neil, uncle alan, uncle neil, aunt leah, my mom)

walk the walk

2011-06-08T23:49:00.000-07:00

I just found these photos from a walk Matt and I went on last year about this time. It was so warm and we were enjoying our close proximity to campus, and even explored a few open buildings. It has been so much colder this year and we are eagerly (note: I did not say patiently) looking forward to going on warm summer walks again.

(of course when I got home I had to set up the feathers I gathered from my walk. I have a thing with setting up my goods.)

my sole

2011-06-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

The other day we were sorting through boxes and stumbled upon some old letters and this leather shoe postcard. Oh my stars! A little part of me died from sheer happiness when I saw it. I wonder if such a postcard as this would make it through the mail nowadays, cause I have a real hankering to send out a few leather goodies.

2011-06-06T03:32:00.001-07:00

I am guilty as sin for buying records purely for their pretty covers.

breathe

2011-06-01T22:31:00.000-07:00

There is a phenomenon that happens when I see something that really inspires me. I instantaneously lose my breath while also feeling like I have gulped lungs full of fresh air. It is the same when I hear a really good song-the kind that stops you in your tracks and causes your head to tilt upwards in what appears to be the most absent-minded concentration.

Consider my head tilted over this fantastic collection of images.

2011-05-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

Lately Matt and I have been swimming in beet cake! We had to bake four different cakes to make this video, fortunately for us we are rather fond of it. Thanks to poppytalk for posting this video-hopefully a few batches were whipped up this weekend and enjoyed over the holiday!

2011-05-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

Flowers for my grandmother picked from her own garden.

I love this day set aside especially for remembering.

2011-05-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

I love memorial weekend. My family always goes down to Spring City to see all the historic homes, and I always try to add a piece of pottery to my collection. This year I am hoping to get a pitcher, but I am afraid I won't be able to resist getting another pie pan. You always need to bake more than one pie at a time, right?

Two years ago this weekend we took these pictures as a trial run for our engagements. We didn't end up using them, but we like to look at them from time to time and remember how darn giddy we were. Being engaged will do that to a person.

sparks

2011-05-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

I am eternally grateful for sketchbooks.

On days like today, when creative thoughts are avoiding me like the Malfoys avoid muggles, I can search their pages. Usually I find something that sparks the part of my brain that needed sparking, and just like that all is right with the world again.

beet cake

2011-05-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

Beet cake batter is so pretty-don't you think?

rainy days

2011-05-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

There has been so much rain here lately. Matt and I have just stayed indoors (and in pajamas) all week long. The highlight of our rain-riddled week was getting a package from a lovely lady we are doing a wedding video for. Along with some seriously great photos she sent along some maple butter-we can't wait to try it on toast!

black and white

2011-05-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

We have been going through serious cooking withdrawals, so last night we cracked open our favorite Baked cookbook and whipped up some black and white cookies. I have been wanting them ever since this lovely lady sang their praises. Of course after making a few of the traditional frosted cookies we couldn't resist trying some variations of our own.

carhenge

2011-05-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

There are times when, as I am waking up, I can stay in a place that is even parts unconscious and conscious. I find in this state that my most absurd thoughts seem as normals as butter on toast.

For someone, building Carhenge was just as normal as spreading a pat of butter on homemade bread.

We were on the lookout for pressed pennies when we discovered this gem. It is in Alliance, Nebraska-a town that boasts of a Dairy Queen with the most exquisitely deep fried cauliflower. (I was unaware of the deep fried state of these veggies when I ordered them, but found myself perfectly delighted by my mistake.)

travels

2011-05-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

It is surprisingly refreshing to drive roads that look out on nothing. Of course the nothing is really quite something-what with the rolling hills, flat lands and dappled landscapes. The giant windmills are silent and stately in such a place.

Chimney rock is a welcome point of interest in this expanse of nothing.

The same cannot be said of our drive through Rocky Mountain National Park. The fog obscured the mountains above us-but we knew they were there all the same. So instead of seeing mountains we nibbled on mountains and reveled in our freshly stamped passports.

golden girls

2011-05-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend I am heading out on a road trip with two of my old roommates. We three have gone on trips before, ones where we start calling curtains "nightshades" and end up seeing terribly disturbing foreign films. So of course, like me, they like to scout out pressed penny machines and map out routes to get the most stamps in their National Parks passport.

This will be a good weekend indeed.

2011-05-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

Flowers of encouragement greeted us this morning.

Kind words are such a nice form of courage.

sun spots

2011-05-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

Next week I officially start working from home every day. (enthusiastic cheer!) Of course I am over the moon excited about this, but there is one thing that keeps plaguing me. We have very little natural light coming into our apartment. When I say very little I mean if sunlight were money, our apartment would be a pauper with it's empty pockets turned inside out.

I was actually fully prepared to watch my mint plant die a slow sun deprived death, but just today I noticed a few new hearty shoots reaching for the window. In the spirit of my mint plant I am convinced I can survive.

(sun drenched rooms that I lust over found here)

collecting

2011-05-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

Our fear is that one day we will wake up in a house of piles; heaping, hoarded piles. Piles of old paper, old jars, old fabric-the common denominator here being "old". Case and point: my heart-racing excitement upon finding an old paper bag full of vintage lids.

We are doomed.

a shift

2011-04-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

Meet my new coworkers.

The skull, the mint, and my bottle soldier. Together, with the tilting sun, we will walk through, beside, around, and underneath. In the places where my thoughts have not been given much thought, and where my scribbles can become tasty cakes and painted feathers.

In other words, or shall I say, less words, I quit my job.

by the by-I suggest giving this a listen-life changing stuff I tell you. (thanks Nate)

take a bite

2011-04-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

"Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone else's life."

my people

2011-04-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

there is not much more that I love than spending time with my people. Especially if we are following the sun and worshipping it in the form of synchronized swimming and the realization that indeed, yes, I can swim.

kitty kat

2011-04-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have had reason to look through my old pictures as of late, and I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming amounts of kitty pics that I have. Growing up with cats has a lot to do with the fact that I want to snuggle a kitties face off whenever I see one. Do you see in the last pic that the kitty is holding onto the bottle. Are you dying yet over how cute that is?

patient as a glacier

2011-04-12T21:07:00.000-07:00

I sure do love this face.

(He will tell you that I love his face too much-to the point of squishing it mercilessly into funny faces. I just can't help myself! Thus the patient title-this man is a gem.)

pretty pages

2011-04-10T21:22:00.000-07:00

"The world needs happiness makers."

A quote from Matt's great-aunt Julina, and a darn good one at that.

We had a quiet weekend with only a short list of to-do's. We filled the rest of our time with record listening, movie watching, thrift shopping and plenty of sleeping. It was rather snowy outside so we also did some indoor exploring and found these pretty books. Oodles of inspiration in these pages.

dry as dirt

2011-04-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

I need some therapy, the kind that can only be found in the desert. I want to feel my over-saturated self dry out, crack, and reveal something new. The sun is honest, and honesty is what my soggy self needs.

(image found here)

quotes

2011-04-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

Two quotes that I heard today from a good friend:

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. --John A. Shedd

Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress. --Thomas Edison

The soundtrack for my morning:

here, here and here

(more images from my grandparent's home)

by the pricking

2011-04-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

After eating our weight in clam chowder we visited the Musee Mecanique down at Fisherman's Wharf. For a quarter each we saw dancing ballerinas, a french execution, and a father trying to console a crying baby. The whole place has a nostalgic, "Something Wicked This Way Comes" feeling. It also has a gaggle of penny pressing machines and as luck would have it, my love for pressed pennies knows no bounds.

family matters

2011-03-30T21:16:00.000-07:00

These past few days Matt and I, along with his parents, have been in San Francisco to stay with his grandparents and visit family. I had not met most of Matt's family yet and I was anxious to get to know them-and what better way to do that than over a delicious meal or two.

Spenger's // Salmon, Halibut and Mushroom Saute. Freakishly good.

Catelli's // The lasagna had ten layers of pasta-y goodness. Again freakish in the good department.

Ghiradelli's // Nothing bonds family more than sharing an earthquake.

o sole mio

2011-03-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

I love grandparents. I love my grandparents, other people's grandparents, and the thought that someday I will be grandparent. A few weeks ago we lost Matt's grandma and being in her house just isn't the same. When we would go to bed we could hear her shuffling around in her room above us. She would walk home from church with us every Sunday and we would joke that we should stop at a cafe we passed and grab a burger. She never caved.

Matt had been filming her about a month previous to her passing and we are so grateful for what he got. We also looked through some old family films and couldn't believe how much history this house has-and how much it hasn't changed.

the passing

2011-03-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

For my last birthday Matt got me a shiny new camera-I jumped up and down like a contestant on the Price is RIght I was so excited! Alas, this also meant that I had to sell my old camera of which I had become quite attached to.

Once upon another lifetime (or so it feels) I had a vintage shop, and I took all the clothing shots with this camera. Truthfully, I hated these photo shoots and realized I am not too keen on showing my face, but the camera was a champ. Also, a friend and I took photos weekly for a year, we called it 52 weeks and it is possibly the best documented year of my life. Then there was the honeymoon, trips, and family gatherings all documented via that little camera of mine.

Last night we passed it off to a girl named Crystal who had on pink shoes and winged eyeliner. We had a quiet moment with the camera before she arrived, thinking of all we had been through. Then we passed it off, and as she was walking away she jumped up and down in true Price is Right fashion.

a sunny space

2011-03-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

The other night as we were watching "Vertigo" (a very good Hitchcock, although not my favorite) I couldn't help but notice how utterly fantastic this apartment is. Are you seeing that black antler festooned with a lacy whatnot? Heaven help me. I also died a little over the lamp, the yellow director's chair, and the art hanging above the couch.

This is just the kind of room where I can easily imagine myself sketching up a storm. The sunlight, space, and punches of color would leave me feeling more than inspired.

p.s. Be sure to check out our giveaway!

something blue

2011-03-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

Isn't this skirt stunning? This photo is from Blueprint magazine a few years back and when I turned to this page it was love at first sight. I loved it so much in fact, that when I was planning my wedding I decided that this is how I wanted my wedding dress to look. It took me forever to find the right fabric and my mom was so good to sew it up for me-but then I could never find a top to go with it. I really looked everywhere and to no avail. Talk about drama.

A few weeks before my bridals I had to face the facts that I needed a plan B, and fast. Lo and behold, I found this blue dress at a vintage shop, and despite it being very different from my beloved skirt I fell in love all over again. It reminded me of a summer picnic-and that was how we wanted our wedding to feel. You can still spy my yellow skirt in the outfit though....

tasty cakes

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

I can't think of a more appropriate post to follow the maple treats than pancakes! Today is International Pancake Day and I have been torturing myself with photos of the celebrated cakes. Some of these are so fancy (chocolate, cake batter and rainbow) but by far my favorite is the two shades too dark cakes, with a nice pat of butter on top. Since I didn't find out about this until after I ate my breakfast-I think it is only right to serve these up for dinner tonight. Bonus, breakfast for dinner is my one weakness.

(images found here, here, here, and here)

lumberjack lollipop

2011-03-07T22:16:00.000-08:00

My itch for spring has gotten serious, ridiculously serious. That being said, I have a few more winter activities I would love to do. For instance, rolling cold maple syrup on a stick. What a fun activity-resulting in a tasty little treat!

(check it out here)

a visit

2011-03-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

For Matt's dad's birthday all he wanted was to watch old home videos, so we all sat down with our cake and got transported back in time. What a surprise it was to see Robert Walker standing in the front yard of the house we currently live in-and holding a baby to boot! He is Matt's granddad's cousin and came out to see them at one time. Doesn't he look just so darn swanky? I loved Robert Walker in Hitchcocks, "Strangers on a Train"-if you haven't seen it I suggest you change that right away!

over the moon

2011-03-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

I think our horoscope cake totally needs a man in the moon sidekick. Don't they make a fancy pair? Also, I want to look as smashing as this gal does with a pixie haircut. Isn't she the bee's knees?

(image found here)

this old house

2011-02-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I listened to this show on "This American Life" about a teenage boy who explores an old abandoned house he has stumbled upon. The house still had a full pantry, handwritten letters, and even an old white dress hanging in the closet. The boy admits to having a "crush" on the house, because he cannot stop thinking about it and what mysterious circumstances led the owners to leave.

I was so intrigued by this story, probably because I can totally relate to having a house crush-especially when the house is abandoned and that lived in feeling still lingers. Peeling sheets of wallpaper can be read like a book-floral pattern over plaid pattern over a pattern no longer recognizable. Those are my favorite kind of stories to read.

(images from this fantastic collection)

cookie parade

2011-02-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

A few friends made from our batch this weekend. How does one go about eating their friends when said one likes to make inanimate objects into their friends? Quite the conundrum.

what to eat when dissapointed

2011-02-22T16:05:00.000-08:00

We had hoped to go on a trip this weekend, but alas, a combination of bad weather and bad planning kept us home. Our only solution was to drown our sorrows in good sushi, creamed spinach, and a hearty batch of sugar cookies. (To be noted, these were not consumed at the same time.)

Are you seeing that crazy-train vein popping out of my wrist? eep!

a couple of couples

2011-02-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

I remember in my dating days I would fret about finding a boy who would go to museums with me. He needed to not only be willing, but I pictured him staring closely at paintings and then calling me over to point out particular paint strokes or color choices.

The first time I met Matt I knew he was a look-at-this-paint-stroke kind of guy. All we talked about at this first meeting (a friend's bbq) was art and how much it means to us. Fast forward to today-we were interviewed by perfect laughter for a month long feature they are doing about couples who creatively work together. Hip hip!

We are now the couple at the museum who make the security guards nervous with our eager lean, noses inches from the paintings. Nothing makes me more happy.

a valentine

2011-02-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

I give this guys points for looking so good all dolled up, complete with heart crown.

What baffles me is how this get up fits him perfectly, like it was made especially for those broad shoulders and itty bitty man hips.

(My sister found this among some of my grandparents old pictures. I like that they consorted with fellows like this.)

comfort

2011-02-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

My grandparents house is kind of magical.

It is magic in the form of Lawrence Welk shows, Rogers and Hammerstein musicals watched in the basement, and old fashioned recipes read out loud.

(Aren't recipes better when read out loud? It turns them more into an epic tale, rather than just what dinner is made of.)

take my aim

2011-02-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

Another resolution. Bake more diabetic friendly desserts.

(I had decided not to share these, but one by one the little devils keep slipping out.)

So the sweet fellow I wed has diabetes and has had it pretty much all of his life. He was diagnosed when he was three and he will tell these sad stories about birthday parties at school. All the kids would get a piece of cake passed out to them, and he always got half of an apple. (reminds me of this poor fellow) An apple does not hold a candle to cake, when you are a kid.

Sadly I have been feeding this guy cakes since the day I met him. He never put up a fuss about eating different, so I never put up a fuss that he should eat different. Aye me. Now I am deeply invested in keeping him alive and healthy for a very long time. Cue beet cake.

We tried this beet cake recipe last weekend and we are in love. I realize the sugar content is still rather high-but it was a start for us. We also picked up some agave nectar which is a great substitute for sugar. If anyone has tips, recipes, kid-eating-apple-instead-of-cake therapy, do send it my way.

from me to you

2011-02-04T10:45:00.001-08:00

One of my new years resolutions this year was to be a better giver of gifts. I tend to put off buying gifts until last minute, and being thoughtful takes more time than last minute.

My brother-in-law is a shining example of a good gift giver. Last Christmas he gave me these amazing embroidered pieces of wood. The bee knees, right?! To make it even better-he made these beauties! A few years earlier for my birthday he gave me a box of rocks. Mind you each of these rocks were hand selected to be the best skipping rock, perfectly smooth and just the right weight.

It is amazing how happy a good gift can make you. It is also amazing how sore your arm can get after skipping a whole box of rocks.

cookie comfort

2011-02-01T23:36:00.000-08:00

I needed comfort today.

I came down with a crazy cold that has left me breathing almost solely out of my mouth (gross, I know), and carrying a tissue with me where ever I go. In step my mom's famous M&M Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. These are like a hug from my mom in cookie form. Funny thing about these cookies though, my family grew up loving these little oaty bundles, but it turns out not everyone is such a fan. I can't figure it, but I thought I would include the recipe in case you want to give them a go.

(Note that I took a picture of the recipe instead of typing it out. Sick people don't type out recipes, silly.)

(Also of note, I am very proud of the stain on my recipe. Nothing says "tasty food worth messing up a kitchen for" like a soiled recipe.)

a matter of time

2011-02-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

I won't often post the same thing we do over at TIAJ but this was just too good. First, I am completely smitten with these pictures that Matt took around our apartment, you should go check out the rest. We really do live in a house full of treasures.

But of course what comes along with all these old treasures? Well an old house, of course. We have had a few things break down lately, the most recent being the handle falling off of the bathroom door. Yesterday I went to take my morning shower and closed the door, sans door knob, which I foolishly thought would be no problem. I tried to open the door after my hot shower, which incidentally had made our tiny bathroom into a sauna of sorts. Needless to say it wouldn't open and I started to have a panic attack, complete with high whiny voice and flapping arms. Matt came to the rescue and tinkered with the door until it opened. Love that guy.

Then last night as Matt and I were sitting at our computers on our old refurbished chairs I hear a crack and instantly Matt is lying on his back. The chair had broken into quite a few pieces, with Matt laying on top of it all. We got a good laugh out of that.

We love old things and really couldn't live somewhere that didn't have some sort of history. That being the case, I will be more wary about getting locked in tiny bathrooms or sitting on rickety chairs.

how to get from here to there

2011-01-30T21:21:00.000-08:00

This weekend was full of plottings.

Matt and I plotted our future and how we are going to get where we want to be. Funny how when you really start talking about what it takes to have your ideal future, it seems a lot more difficult to obtain. Good thing we didn't let that get us down! (After a twenty minute freak out, of course.)

My sister and I plotted our Valentines family party. Bowling, sugar cookies and Valentines boxes (remember those?!) all made it on the list.

I plotted how I was going to get the gumption to start working out again. (I think it worked, this morning was a success!)

(The dolls are from a semi-successful thrift trip and the cookies from our favorite bakery.)

a thousand words

2011-01-27T12:34:00.000-08:00

Some mesmerizing photos from here.

(Is there a program of sorts to help me get over this addiction of looking at other peoples photos? eep!)

connections

2011-01-26T06:42:00.000-08:00

“Nature, then, in this its simplest acceptation, is a collective name for all facts, actual and possible,

…a collective name for everything which is.”

–John Stuart Mill

This is a small snippet from the stunning post over at Vamoose. I have never

wanted so badly to have a post printed in a magazine as I have this one.

Partly, I think, because I love to revisit it so much, and my bedside table

would be so handy. But also-the colors, saturation, and beauty of these

images would be perfectly suited for page turning discovery.

mysterio predicts

2011-01-24T21:27:00.000-08:00

This is the story of my niece and how her future was told, with the help of one "Mysterio".

(I don't even know my future plans, consider me impressed!)

These predications have been called "uncanny", or even "scary", so who were we to

dispute what the future undoubtedly had in store for her?

Dispute it we did not.

(Although by the looks of things, Ivy might have a few things to say about this.)

do you see what I sea

2011-01-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

A little while back Matt and I went to the aquarium. As we were walking around I just couldn't get over the amazing textures, color combos, and all over beauty of the underwater plants and coral. I kept thinking "so this is where all the clothing designers get their inspiration, from the sea." A week later I spot this oh-so-stunning skirt and I thought "where have I seen that before?" Oh that's right, the aquarium.

Gigs up big fashionista peeps-the sea keeps no secrets.

(skirt image found here)

fly away, fly today

2011-01-17T21:23:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have found a gold mine of new music, and as luck would have it, beautiful videos as a perfect compliment. Watchlistentell features a stellar docket of musicians doing impromptu concerts down London's grey alleys, cheery parks, and secret locations not to be disclosed.

I have this maddening habit of repeating songs that I like, I really could do it all day and then wake up the next morning excited to listen all over again. Unfortunately for Matt and his non-repeating ways, that is what many of these songs have become for me.

Here are a few of my favorites, but you don't have to take my word for it.

old is gold

2011-01-17T07:53:00.001-08:00

We are lucky enough to live right across the street from the Natural History Museum. We were unlucky enough to find out that now it is closed so that they can build a fancy new one.

New is shockingly overrated.

we read to know we are not alone

2011-01-13T23:03:00.000-08:00

Oh boy, Matt and I got a good chuckle out of this. Mind you it is midnight and we are cranking out a project that could be termed by any sane person as an "unachievable goal". (This was written when it really was midnight, but our internet went out before I could get any further. If I remember right Matt pulled an all-nighter while I slept intermittently. I am weak.)

Reading this made us feel better. It is good to know we are not alone.

(found here)

funny face

2011-01-10T10:52:00.001-08:00

I think I would like getting ready in the morning a lot more if I did my make up like this.

(images via here)

2011-01-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

After the holidays I always get heavy with wanderlust. There is a song

the road sings, much like the sound of the pied piper piping, that

calls me out of my winter places.

This song would be the perfect metronome to my escaping wheels.

(image found here)

the secrets of the sea

2011-01-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

"If you can guess the secret of my love for you

Then we both could know the secret of the sea"

-Billy Bragg and Wilco

(pictures taken at the aquarium where we celebrated another year of Matt coming to this earth, which I thank my lucky stars for every day.)

opens at the close

2011-01-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

When one year ends another one inevitably starts.

I am always encouraged by this. What didn't come to pass last year I can always hope for again in the next.

More than hope for-I can work for those things I want so badly. Because like Ms. Maldonado said, "If you want to be a painter, make sure you paint every day."

real is love

2010-12-29T23:03:00.000-08:00

We finished our first "little movie" from the "little movies, big events" sale. This lovely couple had us make one for their wedding day, even though they have been wed for a few years now. We really enjoyed doing a video like this that gave a new spin to their special day. Plus, we felt like we really got to know these two-or at least their action figure doppelgangers.

the best part

2010-12-28T20:22:00.000-08:00

Irish cream italian soda made by one brother-in-law, now my beverage of choice.

Two bell bunnies found Christmas morning-can't get over those polka dots!

Time spent with family-my favorite pastime and really the best part of Christmas.

molasses kringles

2010-12-19T20:27:00.000-08:00

I know this may be a little late in the game to share, but I have a Christmas radio station that is to die for! Please go here and download it quick-only a few days left to love up the Christmas tunes, and these are some real gems!

Also of note, I have been whipping up a constant supply of molasses cookies to share with others/consume at an unholy rate. My good friend shared the recipe with me years ago and I just reinstated it as my favorite this season. I think you should make a batch or two of these and see if you have the will power to give them away-I won't think any less of you if you don't.

Molasses Crinkles

*3/4 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2-1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Preheat oven to 375º. Cream together shortening and brown sugar. Add egg and molasses and mix well. Blend in sifted dry ingredients. Chill dough in refrigerator. Roll chilled dough into balls the size of large walnuts; roll in sugar. Place 3 inches apart on a lightly-greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or just until set (but not hard); cool on a wire rack. Makes 4 dozen cookies. *Note: Instead of using 3/4 cup shortening, I use 50% shortening and 50% butter for a better consistency.

Lastly let it be known that I have a very good husband. What you see here is a plate of fresh from the oven cookies that he patiently waited to partake of. I just knew they would look good on a bed of moss next to a white reindeer. You were thinking that too? Well, that's why we're friends.

2010-12-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

It is so sad. Matt and I don't even have a tree. We decided to do things a bit different this year and not do presents for each other. (Which is not why we don't have a tree, no good excuse for that besides being busy.) I have wavered about being committed to this-and I had to beg Matt to tell me honestly if he had gotten me anything. (We all know there is nothing worse than the no present deal and then that someone still gets you something-and you have nothing for them! eep!)

We did get our christmas decor out though and loved looking at our ornaments from last year. We really enjoyed making them-creative projects we can do together make us so darn giddy! Matt being his usual amazing self went to work making a DIY video of these ornaments-now I love them even more!

four eyes

2010-12-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

We feel blessed to be working on little movies for some fantastic people.

count your blessings instead of sheep

2010-12-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

White christmas. check.

Holiday treats from our favorite bakery. check.

The BEST hot chocolate I have ever had the pleasure of sipping. check.

All of these festivities were enjoyed with friends-which of course makes everything better.

p.s. There is a possibility that I will be able to start violin lessons in January. I am beyond excited!

a day in the life

2010-12-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

Picture this:

you are sitting in a room wallpapered with horses and fantastically colored barns. Already good, right? It gets better. You dress your beautiful blonde babies in full knit outfits and stunning hats. Ribbons to you. (I am hoping as such a wise mother you have also procured one of those hats for yourself.) To top it off you and your sweet baby get to treat yourself to a yummy yulelog cake. A cake topped with deer and mushrooms mind you.

(images found here, here and here)

thanksgiving

2010-11-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

I have never had a food assignment for Thanksgiving before, but this year I became a "responsible adult" and was asked to bring the pies. It is no secret my affinity for pie making runs quite deep-but let it be known-there is a difference between leisurely whipping up a pie vs. making pies for a dinner that orbits around the very existence of these tasty treats.

Needless to say these pies were a labor of love and a test of my temper (of which some may say I failed) but in the end they turned out as flaky and scrumptious as one could hope. Also worth noting, my family had a splits contests in the which many Thanksgiving-dinner-stuffed adults tested how low they could go. Low I tell you, surprisingly low.

Along with Thanksgiving one Father Walker celebrated his birthday and we all gathered to watch old home videos and marvel at his Bieber hair-do long before Bieber was a twinkle in his mama's eye. So good.

Oh, and don't forget the honeyboys. We get all sorts of giddy when we go to bakeries and order their signature sweet. We decided as we munched on our men (me head first and Matt feet first) that when we are old we will take our grandchildren to this very bakery and get them honeyboys. They will love us for it-because I love my grandparents for doing just that.