The Bohemian Chick

Gray Skies

2011-06-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

It's been foooorever since I posted anything on this blog, but I've been very busy with work, and also I've started a new blog! It's a personal style (aka fashion) blog called Gray Skies - named, of course, after my hometown of Portland. I'll try to post here every once in a while, but I think the majority of my posts from now on will be over there. I'll post my outfits mostly, but also about fun things that Josh and I do in the Portland area. I hope you'll stop by and say hi!

How to dye your hair brown: A simple 14-step process

2011-05-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

1. Buy a copy of In Style magazine with Kate Hudson on the cover. Realize you would look just as awesome as she does with blond hair.

2. Tell everyone you’re going to dye your hair blond.

3. After a month or so of building up the hype, buy some hair color remover (which you keep calling “hair remover”) and blond dye.

4. Let the hair color remover sit in your hair for 25 of the 50 required minutes. Get up to look in the mirror. Realize that it’s turning your hair orange. Scream, panic, and rinse it out.

5. Apply the blond dye and hope that it’s forgiving.

6. It isn’t. You now have orange hair.

7. Stare at your husband’s electric shaver, and for the first time in your life seriously consider just shaving it all off.

8. Then you remember what happened when Marshall did that before his wedding in How I Met Your Mother, and change your mind.

9. Spend an hour at lunch watching your husband try to cover up a smile every time he looks at you. Call a salon to book a consultation.

10. At the salon, you learn that it will cost $150 and take three hours to fix what you’ve done, and they don’t even have a free appointment for two weeks.

11. Remember that when you were cataloguing all the hair colors you’ve ever had for your husband (red, black, black and white, brown, blond), he said he thought you would look good with brown hair.

12. Walk to the grocery store, and buy a box of brown hair dye and three Twix bars.

13. Eat the Twix bars compulsively while the dye sets.

14. Rinse the dye. Sigh with relief that you no longer look like a manga character. Vow that you will never try to go from red hair to blond again.

Bliss

2011-05-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

Spring makes me giddy

2011-05-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

New photos in my shop...

Sticker shock

2011-05-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

This past week I've had a bit of sticker shock when it comes to being an adult. Josh and I have been married and fending for ourselves for almost three years now, so I'm used to bills and handling finances and all that jazz, but sometimes I still find myself surprised at how much things cost. I know I never talk about money on this blog, but I just need to vent right now...

-As of yesterday, our rent increased by $50 a month

-Our car insurance just increased by $300 a year

-Josh's student loan payments just increased by $100 a month

-I filled up my car with gas the other day, and it cost SEVENTY-THREE FREAKING DOLLARS!

Being an adult kind of sucks sometimes, you know? When I was a kid I really had no idea how much effort it took to be an adult. Not only do you have to do all the things you did when you were a kid - eating, sleeping, socializing, hobbies, chores, sometimes school - but you also have to work, and pay the bills, and make sure you have enough money in your checking account to buy groceries, and change the oil in your car, and cook your own food, and clean it up when the dog pukes six times in a row (yes, that happened yesterday). Don't get me wrong - I love being an adult much more than being a kid. It's more satisfying in so many ways. But I'll admit it - sometimes I just wish someone else could cook my dinner and do my laundry.

A walk in the West Hills

2011-05-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

I've lived in my neighborhood for three years now, so it's rare that I walk down a street I've never been down before, or see a view I've never seen. But last week on a gorgeous spring day (those are starting to get more frequent around here!) I climbed up into the West Hills and went into an area I'd never visited, full of lovely homes with the most spectacular views of the city and the mountains. I spent a happy hour roaming through the hillside streets in the warm sun, enjoying the views and the lovely little spring flowers blossoming all around...

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm

2011-04-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Josh and I went to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn on Saturday. I'd been saving the trip for a nice day, and Portland finally had the nicest day of the year (sunny and 70 degrees!) on Saturday. The fields were beautiful, and I got some amazing photos. I do like to touch up a lot of my pictures in Photoshop, but none of these photos are edited at all; that's how ridiculously photogenic these tulips were...

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T09:24:00.001-07:00

A feature and a sale

2011-04-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

I'm featured on Cherry Blossom Tattoo today - please come visit!

Also, don't forget that everything in my Etsy shop is 40% off in honor of Earth Day! The sale goes through this Sunday.

The world is blossoming

2011-04-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Etsy Photography Love: Andrea Despot Photography

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

The Etsy photography shop I'm loving this week is Andrea Despot Photography. Andrea's photography is stunning; her pictures have a wonderful variety of color and light. Some are bright and cheerful, others are sweet and wistful, and others are dark and enchanting. I'm captivated by all of these...

Please support Andrea by visiting her lovely shop, and don't forget to support other Etsy photography entrepreneurs featured in previous posts...

Abby Try Again Photography

Nineteen Six Four

Françoise Rachez Photographie

Magalerie

Earth Day Sale in my photography shop!

2011-04-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let all of you wonderful readers know that I'm having a 40% off Earth Day sale on everything in my Etsy shop this week! I figured it was only appropriate, since most of my photos are nature-themed :)

The 40% discount has already been applied, so you don't even need to enter a coupon code. (Although if you want one of those, too, just head on over to my Facebook page!)

Decadence

2011-04-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

My new favorite snack is s'mores. I've been craving them for years - that's how long it's been since I've had one. Then I realized the other day that I could broil marshmallows in my oven, so I went out and bought s'mores supplies, and have been eating bajillions of them ever since. It's a bad habit. I finished up the last of the supplies today (and won't be buying more, for the sake of my health), but before I did I had an inspired idea: spreading peanut butter on the graham crackers. It made the s'mores about a million times better. I highly recommend it. Also, use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

Speaking of peanut butter, you need to make this recipe. It's a sweet potato stew with peanut butter mixed in. It may sound kind of disgusting, but it's the best stew I've ever eaten.

Oh, Spring

2011-04-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Pink tulips

2011-04-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

For the rare few minutes that the sun has actually shone in Portland this spring, this is how pretty it makes things...

But most of the time it doesn't shine, and it's all overcast and rainy. Blah. I think I'm in serious need of one of those lamps that mimic sunshine, or maybe just a trip to California. At least I'll get the California trip in about a month!

Soaking up spring

2011-04-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Last Friday the weather was amazing. It was a true spring day, with sunshine, blue sky, and warm breezes - only the second real spring day we've had this year. As soon as I got home from work in the afternoon, I rushed out with my camera to capture the beauty.

Sunshine and daffodils

2011-04-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Is there anything better than a mason jar full of daffodils?

Rooftop style: Jumpered

2011-04-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

1. This is another new pair of shoes. Splurge money does not last long in this house.

2. My crazy platforms from last week are more comfortable than these new shoes.

3. I can't believe I had to wear a turtleneck in April.

4. I've decided that "turtleneck" is the least flattering name ever for a piece of clothing.

5. The wind did some crazy awesome things to my bangs (and apparently my facial expressions) on our rooftop.

Turtleneck: Kohl's

Jumper dress: Sweet Jayne

Tights: Forever 21

Shoes: Macy's

Why can't I win the lottery?

2011-04-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

I keep seeing this Proenza Schouler dress all over the internet, and every time I do I think, "Wow! I'd gladly pay a few hundred dollars for that dress." Then there comes the moment where I realize it costs more than a month's rent, and I die a little inside.

Awesome product photography

2011-04-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I'm browsing Etsy, an item catches my eye purely because of the wonderful product photography. The item itself might be lovely, but what I'm drawn to is the way it was photographed. Great product photography, in my opinion, involves making me want something that I don't need and wouldn't normally buy, just from the way it's displayed. Here are some of my favorite examples...

I don't wear blush, but shaping it into the form of trees and leaves for photos? I'm sold...

Top / Bottom

(Willow Tree Minerals)

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It looks like a regular old beaker, until you realize it's being held between two fingers. That's when it instantly becomes interesting...

Kivaford

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I feel like buying this just so I can leave a glass sitting on the counter at all times with a butterfly perched on the edge...

Mamatita

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They're gift tags. One alone wouldn't have caught my eye, but any time I see a collection of similar items, I'm interested...

LBCpaper

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Can you believe it - they're peppermint candy buttons! But I feel like the photo is so pretty that I'd buy it as art...

andiespecialtysweets

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Collections again. Plus, it looks delightfully rustic. Plus, it turns out that they're single-serving soaps. Cutest idea ever...

RootsSoapCo

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I have no idea what I would do with a tiny collection of houses, but I want them very badly now. They're so charming and precious sitting atop that book...

TheOakLeaves

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Adding the branch is the best thing they could have done for this photo of a vase - it gives it a rustic, windswept look...

Hindsvik

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I love that they actually scattered coffee beans around the cup...

natalya1905

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I love the whimsy in this...birds alighting on a bed rail instead of a fence...

lovemaestore

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Again, this is so pretty that I would buy it as a photograph, but it's really a tiny letter in a bottle....

MiniatureRhino

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The best way to display a vintage vase is with actual flowers. I like to see how it will look when it's serving its purpose...

vintagebiffann

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The idea is cute enough; necklaces made from Legos. It's even more adorable when you see it surrounded by actual Legos...

rubygirl

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It's not hard to get me to want to buy macarons, but this photo goes above and beyond...the soft light, the doily, the tiny spoon, and the flowers make for such a charming scene...

sparkleskitchen

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I even made a treasury on Etsy featuring most of these items, so if you want to see them all next to each other and be able to click on them easier, you can go here.

I'm famous!

2011-04-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, not really. But I'm featured on City of Blackbirds today, and that's kind of like fame :)

Please stop by and say hi!

Etsy Photography Love: Magalerie

2011-04-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

This week the Etsy photography shop I'm loving is magalerie (which means "my gallery" in French). Anne's photography draws me in because of its simplicity. Her pieces are minimalist and soothing, full of a limited number of colors. They're the kind of pictures that instantly make me breathe slower, and cause my tension and stress to melt away. Not to mention they're incredibly, wonderfully French...

Please visit Magalerie on Etsy, and don't forget to support other Etsy photography entrepreneurs from previous posts...

Jennifer Squires Productions

Abby Try Again Photography

Nineteen Six Four

Françoise Rachez Photographie

Pizza schmizza

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

So this post isn't really about the pizza from Pizza Schmizza. I just thought "Pizza schmizza" made for a slightly cleverer (if possibly dorkier) title than "Homemade pizza." I made pizza from scratch last night. It was deeee-licious. And it wasn't that difficult, so I thought my readers might like to know how to do it, too! It's a really simple recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook...

Homemade pizza

Ingredients:

2 1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour or bread flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1 cup very warm water (120-130 degrees Fahrenheit)

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Add oil and warm water. [I don't check the temperature of my water - I just hold my finger under the tap until it's so hot that I have to remove it, then fill up my measuring cup.] Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of bowl. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead 5 to 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 cookie sheets or 12-inch pizza pans with oil. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into 12-inch circle on cookie sheets. [Here's a great tip: to spread the dough easier, get your hands wet first, then it won't stick to your hands.] Partially bake 7 to 8 minutes or until crust just begins to brown. Add sauce and toppings and bake 8-10 minutes more.

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I normally don't make 2 pizzas at a time. Instead, I divide the dough in half after it has risen for 30 minutes, and wrap one half in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze it. When you want to use it, let it thaw in the fridge for a day before picking up at the step where you pat the dough into a 12-inch circle.

For sauce, I used this recipe that I canned last summer, and for toppings I used an orange bell pepper, a tomato on my half (Josh hates tomatoes, but interestingly enough doesn't mind tomato sauce), cheddar and mozzarella cheese, and some fresh basil that I grew in the windowsill. With a couple beers and some episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, it was a great way to start out the week!

Rooftop style: That 70's Vibe

2011-04-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

Today is my first outfit post. It may also be my last. Fashion bloggers make it look so effortless, but what they don't tell you is how utterly stupid and vain you'll feel when you have someone else take pictures of...not pretty flowers, or cute dogs, or cool buildings...but you.

Still, I felt compelled to do it because 1) Everyone seems to post their outfits on their blogs these days, 2) I felt like a hippie today, and I like hippies, and 3) I got these hecka awesome shoes from my lust list last week...

They're six inches heels, and would you believe it...they're incredibly comfortable! I was willing to put up with a lot of pain to wear these shoes, but they're not too bad. I just have to walk slower than usual in them, and not stand for more than five minutes at a time. There was only one pair left online, and they were in my size in the color I wanted. I took it as a sign, and ordered them instantly. (And yes, I normally only have a $25 monthly budget for clothes, but I had just earned some major moolah at a family garage sale, and decided to spend it all on one pair of shoes.)

Here's the rest of my outfit. Apparently this billowy blouse, despite its extreme comfort, makes me look pregnant unless I'm wearing a belt across it. So enjoy this hippified, slightly pregnant-looking version of me (and the incredibly stupid look on my face in the first picture - it's my "I feel awkward that my husband is taking dozens of pictures of me while other people are watching" look)...

Blouse: Anthropologie

Jeans: Macy's (for $10!!!)

Platform heels: Jessica Simpson Collection via Macy's

Lovely links

2011-04-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

I spend absurd amounts of time browsing the web during the week :) Here are some of the lovely links I found that you might enjoy...

A beautiful loft in Buenos Aires (check out the hot pink vintage bed in the third picture - I have never wanted anything as badly as I want that bed)...

A guide to creating the perfect cheese plate...

Awesome advice on how to have success on Etsy (see part one here)...

There's a double-decker dress shop in a bus in North Portland! I'm so going...

Homemade thin mints! (Also, links to recipes for other Girl Scout cookies...)

Search for "cherry blossoms" on Flickr and soak in the beauty...

Decorative umbrella tape on Etsy (and whale tape, too!)...

Have a happy weekend!

Happy birthday to Onyx!

2011-03-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

My puppy Onyx turns two today! We've had him for a year and two months now, and I can say without a doubt that he was the best purchase I've ever made! He's the funniest, friendliest dog I've ever known, and he makes life happy...

Etsy Photography Love: Françoise Rachez Photographie

2011-03-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

This week I'd like to introduce you to the beautiful Etsy shop Françoise Rachez Photographie, which is full of blissfully beautiful French photography. Personally, I could never tire of photos of France, especially if they're full of the dreamy colors and soft hazy light that Françoise uses in her pictures. Her work reminds me of the movie Amelie - it's sweet, wistful, and makes me long to pack up and move to Paris. I know you'll enjoy it too...

Please support Françoise by visiting her shop! And don't forget to support other Etsy photography entrepreneurs from previous posts...

Maria Kallin Photography

Jennifer Squires Productions

Abby Try Again Photography

Nineteen Six Four

Laundry day (Onyx's favorite)

2011-03-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

Today was laundry day. Onyx loves it way more than I do, because it means he gets to snuggle with the warm clothes afterwards. He even laid his head down on the towels when I told him to pose for the camera. I love my puppy :)

Springtime

2011-03-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

Springtime weather is very fickle. This past week it's shifted between pouring rain and gorgeous blue sky every hour or so. It makes picture-taking difficult. I'll look outside, see the sunshine, and rush out with my camera, only to discover that the sun has hidden behind a cloud and ruined my photo op. But I managed to get some pretty pictures anyway...

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

2011-03-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to remind you guys (okay, mostly gals, right? But I call everyone "guys") to enter the Female Photographers of Etsy giveaways! Giveaway #1 (pictured above) is here, and giveaway #2 (pictured below, including my "Dewdrops" photo!) is here. The winners will be announced on Monday, March 28th, so you still have until tomorrow to enter!

Fill in the Blank Friday!

2011-03-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't participated in Fill in the Blank Friday in ages! (If you want to join in the fun, just head on over to Lauren's blog to link up.)

1. My most prized possession is Onyx. But I feel like that's cheating :) So I'll say my great-grandmother's wedding ring. My grandma had it made into a necklace for a high school graduation gift for me. It's so special that I'm afraid to wear it - the one time I did was at my wedding.

2. If I could be one age for the rest of my life, I would want to be this age, I suppose. (26) I'm young, healthy, and relatively wrinkle-free :) Plus, I've developed a maturity and self-confidence that I didn't have in college.

3. The best way to spend a weekend is chillaxing. (My new favorite word.) Visiting the farmer's market, making pancakes, watching TV, reading, sleeping in, snuggling with the puppy or the husband...weekends are just grand.

4. My outlook on life is expect the worst and prepare for the best. I'm a pessimoptimist.

5. If you want to annoy me, just talk about your baby constantly. I enjoy holding babies now and then, and I even enjoy it when bloggers share funny or sweet stories about their babies sometimes (these two lovely birth stories come to mind - I broke down in tears reading them), but most of the time I have zero interest in hearing about a day in the life of a baby.

6. I am completely defenseless when it comes to puppies, pretty dresses, and chocolate chip cookies. If you want to win my affection, just give me any one of those. Just kidding. Don't give me a puppy. One dog is enough.

7. When dressing for the day one should wear whatever makes you feel good. This is why some days I stay in my PJ's all day, other days I put on slacks and a blazer, and other days I wear something flamboyant like my hot pink ruffly blouse. It's completely dependent on my mood, but I always put on clothes that I feel happy in. (And this means that I wear my outfits with pride even if Josh gives me a mildly horrified look and says, "What are you wearing?")

Lusting after beautiful things...

2011-03-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

Don't worry people, I'm keeping it clean! I don't lust after anything inappropriate - just clothes :)

Sometimes I think I love clothes more than I should. And sometimes I wish I was the kind of person who could just throw on whatever, and then put all my time and money into charity, or travel, or even my savings account - but I'm not. I love clothes, and fashion magazines, and style bloggers (especially the fabulous Jessica and the funny Kendi). But I have a very limited monthly budget for splurges ($25 a month, unless I manage to scrounge up some odd jobs around town), so I normally can't buy much of what I want. Still, a girl can dream! I have a folder on my browser called "Lust list." You may laugh at what's in it, because it mostly contains items that cost about $100 (which is very reasonable!), but I just never have enough willpower to save my splurge money for four months. Here are some of the clothes that are currently in my "lust list" folder...

J.Crew

Queen's Wardrobe

Coach

Jessica Simpson Collection (via Macy's)

Anthropologie

Modcloth

J.Crew

Emersonmade

Looking back over these items, I realized I included three things with stripes! That seems a bit excessive. I heart stripes, though. I have a striped skirt, a striped dress, and three striped shirts at home - but I still want more!

Oh, Google

2011-03-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I laugh at the options Google gives me when I'm searching for things. Today I was searching for "when will Cougar Town return?" (don't judge - it's a funny show), and two words into my search it gave me these wonderful options...

Oh, Google. Now you make me want to type in "when will the world end?" just so I can see what happens.

A walk on a spring morning

2011-03-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

I've been sick this week. It does not inspire great blog posts. Mostly it just inspires lying on the couch and drinking tea while watching unreasonable amounts of Ugly Betty. However, I did drag myself outside yesterday, because it was actually sunny and I wanted to enjoy the spring flowers in the sun, not in the 40-degree overcast weather like we've been having lately. (And what do you know - it's 40 degrees and overcast today. So it's a good thing I seized my opportunity yesterday when it was nice out. Carpe diem and all that.) Here are some pictures from my walk. I may have played with Photoshop in a few of them...

Ready Paint Fire!

2011-03-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Josh and I went with some friends to an awesome studio in the Pearl District called Ready Paint Fire. It was so fun! You paint your own pottery, and they fire it for you. We all painted a tea set for our friend Huynh. It was fun, though most of us were put to shame by the real artists among us (Josh included). They had examples on the wall for customers to be inspired by, and I loved them.

Homer was my favorite :)

The concept for my teacup was great, but apparently my hands weren't able to translate the pretty, impressionist-style idea in my head into reality. It got ugly fast...

So I wiped it off and went with a different, simpler style...

...with a little smile-inducing surprise on the inside!

Here are some of the ridiculously awesome pieces that everyone else painted. This one is an octopus, with tentacles reaching around the cup and inside it...

This is Josh's Oriental-style design...

And some of the other fine pieces...

And finally, here's everyone's favorite, painted by Huynh's fiance Addam...

Those are all different views of the creamer jar he painted. We all pretty much hated him for putting our attempts at art to shame :)

It was super fun, though, and Josh and I are thinking of going back there sometime for a date night to paint our own mugs.

Etsy Photography Love: Nineteen Six Four

2011-03-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

These Etsy Photography Love posts are my favorite part of the blogging week! I just love sharing with all of you the beautiful photography that I've found on Etsy. This week I'm featuring the shop Nineteen Six Four, which I just discovered the other day because this lovely photo was on the front page of Etsy...

Isn't it beautiful? The other photos in Nineteen Six Four's shop are just as stunning. They remind me of lazy summer days, full of warmth and sunshine and blissful hours spent out of doors. Not to mention, I thoroughly enjoy some of the titles of the photos; the one below is called "Soon You Will Be Pie"...

Please visit Nineteen Six Four's shop, and don't forget to support other Etsy photography entrepreneurs in previous posts:

A Life Through the Lens

Maria Kallin Photography

Jennifer Squires Productions

Abby Try Again Photography

Treasuries (and 2 giveaways!)

2011-03-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

Etsy has a wonderful feature called the Treasury. Members can put together collections of 16 different items, generally related to a theme that they choose. They're lovely to look at, and fun to make! I created my second one yesterday, which you can see below and visit here...

I pretty much want everything in this treasury :)

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The Female Photographers of Etsy, which is a team I'm a part of, has created 2 treasuries where you can win all the items in them! Here they are:

All you have to do is leave a comment below each treasury to be entered to win! Here are the links:

Treasury #1

Treasury #2 (my "Dewdrops" photo is in this one!)

Oh, Dad

2011-03-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is my dad. He's a funny guy. (Take the picture above, for example.) We had a birthday party for him yesterday, which was loads of fun. What I love is that he can't just open his presents; he has to decorate himself with them as well...

This happens every year for Christmas and his birthday. I'm pretty sure everyone in the family has at least a dozen pictures of his head covered in bows and ribbons :) We had delicious German Chocolate Cake, and then I had fun taking pictures of pretty things around the house...

Happy weekend!

2011-03-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

I hope you all have a happy weekend, dear readers! What are your plans? I plan on sleeping in tomorrow (yay!). Josh has been getting up at 5 a.m. every morning this week to play his new video game. That's right, he's dedicated. His alarm always wakes me up, and then I have trouble falling back asleep, but since tomorrow's Saturday, I'm going to make him sleep in.

There will also be puppy snuggles, chai tea, lunch with Josh's brother, a birthday party for my super awesome dad, and many episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond (our new favorite show).

I also plan on thoroughly enjoying the spring flowers that are popping up everywhere! (Even though it's supposed to rain this weekend. Boo.)

Heavenly cupcakes

2011-03-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

So I made these cupcakes on Tuesday (Browned butter cake with cinnamon chocolate frosting). They were amazing. Hannah, the blogger that I borrowed the recipe from, made it as a cake, but it works just as well as cupcakes. I can say without a doubt that this was one of the most enjoyable baking experiences of my life. (Despite the fact that my cupcakes turned out to be hecka ugly.) Taking in the heavenly scent of the butter browning, using decadent amounts of butter and sugar and eggs, and discovering what has to be the best chocolate frosting recipe ever - I spent a delightful hour in the kitchen.

However, making pretty food is not my strong suit. This goes for all food, not just desserts. When I bake salmon, I massacre it trying to make sure it's done in the middle. (Apparently I don't trust meat thermometers.) My pancakes look like sad splotches of ink. (This is why Josh is the one in charge of pancakes now.) Even my chocolate chip cookies end up in odd, bumpy sizes. It all tastes good, which is kind of the point, but sometimes I wish that the food I made was easier on the eyes. Case in point: my cupcakes...

Isn't that the saddest-looking cupcake you've ever seen? But it tasted amazing. In fact, the frosting was my favorite part. I've never been one for super-sweet frosting, and this recipe was so mellow. I modified it slightly from the recipe on Hannah's blog:

Chocolate frosting

4.25 ounce Hershey's dark chocolate bar
8 Tbsp butter at room temp (I chopped it up into small chunks)
2 Tbsp baking cocoa

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon (I would have preferred 1 tsp, though, because I couldn't taste the cinnamon)

1 cup powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or in my case, a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water). Set aside to cool.

Beat the butter until it's creamy, then add the cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon and stir. Add the cooled chocolate and powdered sugar, and mix together.

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Here's a tip for the cupcake recipe (which can be found here at Honey & Jam): only fill the muffin/cupcake tins 3/4 full. I filled them to the top, and I think that's why they turned out so ugly, because they spilled over the top and I had to cut them out with a knife.

Etsy Photography Love: Abby Try Again Photography

2011-03-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

After an embarrassingly long hiatus, my Etsy Photography Love posts are back! I was reminded this week of why I love featuring Etsy photographers. I was reading the discussions forums on Etsy, and someone said that Etsy is a really hard market for photographers, because there are just sooooo many photographers trying to sell their work on that site. It's also kind of overwhelming sometimes to try and find photography that you like on Etsy, because in between the wonderful gems and true pieces of art, there are some not-so-great photographers. So I do these Etsy Photography Love posts because I want to support my fellow Etsians in any way I can, and because I love to introduce people (namely you, my readers) to wonderful artists that I've discovered.

The Etsy photographer I'd like to spotlight today is Abby behind Abby Try Again Photography. She is hands down my favorite photographer on Etsy. I only discovered her work a few weeks ago, but I'm madly in love with it. If I make an Etsy purchase anytime soon, it will be from her shop. Her photos have a wonderful vintage, nostalgic, homey feel to them. What I love is that she shoots with film on vintage cameras, which gives her pieces that grainy, aged feel that I just adore. Here are some of my favorites from her shop...

Please visit Abby's lovely shop here, and don't forget to check out previous posts about other Etsy photography entrepreneurs:

Raceytay

A Life Through the Lens

Maria Kallin Photography

Jennifer Squires Productions

Mossy

2011-03-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

I'm kind of obsessed with photographing moss. I think it's Josh's fault - every time we go on a walk and I have my camera, he'll point to moss along the way and say, "Ooh, that looks cool! Take a picture!"

To grandmother's house we go

2011-03-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

I know I've been MIA on this blog for a while. The creative juices just haven't been flowing. They still aren't flowing, but I'm going to try and power through it anyway!

I forgot to post pictures last month of a family tradition that we do every year. All the women get together and make Swedish potato dumplings. They're pretty much the best food ever. The ingredients are ground up potatoes, flour, salt, and chopped up bits of salt pork. They're so easy to make, but soooo messy...

The end result is a happy one, though, when you take your first bite of a hot, salty, pork-filled dumpling.

We always gather at my grandma's house for this annual event. She has the prettiest home. I've run out of inspiration in my own apartment, since I've photographed almost everything I own multiple times, but at her house I feel inspired. It's just lovely.

I'm even selling a print that I took at my grandma's house on Etsy...

Speaking of Etsy, I now have a Facebook page for my Etsy shop! I couldn't bear to set up a Twitter account, mostly because I still snigger when I hear adults use the words "twitter" and "tweet" (no offense to those of you who do use it, though! It's a great form of social media), but I figured I could handle Facebook. I'll be posting discount codes on there every once in a while, as well as the latest items in my shop, and I would be flattered if you visited it!

Snow day

2011-02-28T14:31:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday it snowed in Portland, and since Portland rarely gets snow, Josh got a "snow day" off work! It only snowed an inch, and it melted by noon - that's how sad our snow days are. But we had fun walking through a very brief winter wonderland that morning...

Flowers and aging

2011-02-16T13:17:00.000-08:00

Look what the hubs brought me yesterday...

Yes, you read that right - yesterday. He may have forgotten to get them on Valentine's Day. I forgave him, though, because V-Day is his birthday, and because he's just so darn cute :) (And because he looked immensely pleased with himself for remembering flowers at all, even if it was a day late.)

Tucked inside the bouquet was this...

I thought maybe he was trying to buy my forgiveness with cash (which works, people!), but really it was just because he owed me ten dollars.

***

So like I said, Josh's birthday was on Monday. He's now a quarter century old. We were talking about his age the other day, about how even though he may look young, he's an old man inside. Really, we're both old people inside. (No offense meant to older people, by the way. I love you guys. I honestly can't wait to be old and wise and retired.) We even made a list:

1. We have to wear earplugs when we go to the movie theater, because the sound is too loud.

2. We're seriously considering wearing earplugs at church, because the music is too loud.

3. I'm constantly saying, "People drive faster now than they did when I started driving."

4. We don't like to drive at night, because headlights are too bright.

5. We never go out anywhere in the evenings, but instead stay at home and watch TV and knit. (The knitting's all me, though I'd love to see Josh try to knit.)

Is anyone else a secret old person like we are?

The most beautiful sandals in the world

2011-02-14T15:21:00.000-08:00

Anthropologie has ruined me for life. In college I never would have spent more than $30 on a pair of shoes. Now I look at these beauties (from Anthro's new BHLDN wedding line)....

...and think "$160 for such gorgeous sandals? What a good deal!" I've developed shockingly expensive taste in clothing over the past few years :)

Winter is boring

2011-02-11T22:22:00.000-08:00

Oh my! I've gained quite a few new followers the past few weeks, even though I haven't been posting at all. Sorry, guys, I've let you down :) I just haven't done anything exciting lately. I've thought about posting recipes, but all the recipes I've made lately have been old standbys that I've already posted here. (Like pasta with bolognese - mmmm.....)

Also, I haven't gone on any fun photo walks lately, mostly because it's been too cold. Little crocuses are starting to bloom in the neighborhood, though, so I'll have to take some pictures of them soon. (The picture above is of a lovely hyacinth at my grandma's house. Inside, where it's warm.)

And because I hate to leave you with only one picture, here's one of my puppy Onyx. He likes to sneak into the bedroom and snuggle up on the bed in the morning before I make it.

And here's a pretty one of my grandma's dresser that I took the other day. Nothing in my house looks this classy....

A beautiful (January) day for a picnic

2011-01-31T10:29:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday we had gorgeous weather in the Portland area - it got up to 58 degrees! In my family, weather this nice calls for a picnic. Yes, we had a picnic in January. After the chill of winter, 58 degrees feels balmy! We drove to Silver Creek Falls near Salem, and this is what we saw along the way:

It was unbelievably beautiful. Scenery like this makes me, a city girl, kind of want to move out to the country.

The park was just lovely. During lunch I spotted a crazy haze of a rainbow in the clouds...

We were all a bit stumped as to what exactly it was. It wasn't a real rainbow - was it caused by some sort of gas in the air? You sciencey-types out there, feel free to explain it to me.

The beautiful day continued all the way home - this is what I saw as I drove into Portland...

Yes, I took that picture while driving. Don't worry, my eyes were on the road the whole time :)

Sicky McSickerson

2011-01-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

This is what the past four days have looked like:

Laying on the couch for hours on end and blowing my nose for hours on end. Watching TV shows. Drinking potfuls of tea. Snuggling with Onyx.

Josh and I have been sick for the past several days (although I've been much sicker than him, which is unfair), so we've been hibernating and not doing much of anything. (And not eating much of anything - I am so sick of soup and toast. Although my mom brought us cupcakes on Saturday, which was delightful.)

Now I'm mostly better, except for a horrible cough and the hiccups. Every time I cough, I get the hiccups. It's ridiculous.

Hilarious yawn

2011-01-22T15:52:00.001-08:00

I know I post a lot of pictures of Onyx on here, but I couldn't resist...just one more...

I crack up every time I look at it.

I think I'm in love

2011-01-21T15:04:00.000-08:00

I finally used my Christmas gift cards to get a new camera lens today - a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8. I think I'm in love. It's a magical lens. It takes good pictures in bad lighting and makes pretty much everything look beautiful. (Even Josh, who looks kind of stoned in the picture below.)

I was getting a little bored with my camera, but not anymore! I have a feeling I'll be taking pictures like crazy for the next few weeks.

Small words

2011-01-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

Look what I found the other day!

It's a teeny tiny dictionary. It fits in my pocket. I forgot I had it. It's one of those things that serves no real purpose (I can barely read the words), but gosh I'm glad I own it.

PS - There are no swear words in there. I checked. (Because apparently I really am that juvenile.) It's a 100% family friendly dictionary.

Onyx adorableness

2011-01-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

My puppy makes my heart melt sometimes. He loves laying in the sunshine, and follows it around the house throughout the day. He starts out the morning laying on the bed, which gets the best sun at that time, and then ends up on the couch in the afternoon.

Etsy Photography Love: Jennifer Squires Productions

2011-01-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

The concept of minimalism has been intriguing me lately. It's not so much the idea of a bare, all-white home that I love, but rather the idea of simplicity in life. That's what drew me to this week's Etsy Photography Love, Jennifer Squires Productions. The byline in her shop is "inner peace through modern minimalist photography." She's managed to hit the minimalist nail (so to speak) right on the head: her photographs are simple, with no fuss, and only a few different colors in each one, but they're beautiful works of art. I feel like I'm breathing in fresh, crisp air when I look at them.

I've never seen photographs that better embody the concept of minimalism than these. I just love them. Please support Jennifer Squires Productions and visit her shop! And don't forget to support other Etsy entrepreneurs featured in previous weeks...

Creative Apples

Raceytay

A Life Through the Lens

Maria Kallin Photography

Irish Soda Bread

2011-01-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere posted a link to a recipe for Irish Soda Bread last week, and I implore all of you to make it, even if making bread scares you. (You can find the recipe here.) I made it yesterday, and Josh and I loved it so much that it's all we ate for lunch. The only kitchen equipment you need is a big bowl, an electric mixer (and if you want a good arm workout, you don't even need that), and your own two hands to do some kneading for about 30 seconds. The only ingredient I had never used before was currants, but it turns out they're right next to the raisins in the baking aisle...

I enjoyed it with a cup of blackcurrant tea, but it would be delightful with any hot beverage. I plan on trying it with coffee for breakfast tomorrow...

Sunset and moonrise

2011-01-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

I'm a city girl through and through, but sometimes it's nice to get out into nature a bit. Josh and I house-sat for my parents this past weekend, and though they live in the suburbs and not the countryside, it felt like we were as far out in nature as we could get. There was no constant noise of cars at night, and no streetlights shining in our window. Best of all, there was a lovely sunset and moonrise on Saturday evening.

To do in 2011

2011-01-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

While Josh has excellent goals for this year, including exercising four times a week, flossing more, and working on personal creative projects three times a week, here are my two little goals:

1. Go skydiving.

2. Teach Onyx to turn on our living room lights.

I almost think the second goal sounds like more fun, because it won't cost anything and I'll be able to enjoy it for years to come.

Winter photography walk

2011-01-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

In autumn, when everything was blazing with life and warmth, I was afraid there would be nothing to photograph in winter. Clearly I was wrong. The only downside to going on photography walks in the winter, though, is that it's so cold that they can only last about ten minutes.

A New Year's Day Wedding

2011-01-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

Josh and I started off the new year on Saturday by going to a wedding! Josh's former roommate Bradley got married in a cool, old, kind of run-down church. It reminded me of the demolished church in that episode of Friends where Ross and Emily get married. I always secretly wanted to get married in the midst of fashionable ruins like that.

Instead of serving traditional wedding cake, the couple had two different desserts. A candy bar...

...and a pie buffet....

I'm a huge fan of cake, but I just love it when couples break from tradition in their wedding receptions and serve fun things like candy and pie! My friend Kelsey served cupcakes instead of cake at her wedding...

...and Josh and I had banana splits at ours!

Bradley and his bride also had another cool feature at the reception - a typewriter! Everyone could type a message to the couple, and also enjoy the thrill of using a typewriter for the first time since 1985 :)

Clearly I need to work on my typewriting skills, though; I only managed to type half of our last name...

Have any of you been to weddings with super-awesome things like pie and typewriters?!

Life in 2010

2010-12-30T15:53:00.000-08:00

For someone who doesn't have a job, I've had a busy and interesting year! (Which just goes to show that your job doesn't define you.) Here's to 2010, an all-around good year...

We moved from a teeny-tiny studio apartment to our lovely 1-bedroom apartment...

...and painted it some fun colors...

We went to birthday parties (sometimes in awesome costumes)...

We adopted a dog named Onyx from the Oregon Humane Society...

I read a bunch of good books (including my brilliant hubby's Christmas gift to me below)...

...and made a bunch of good recipes (including my all-time favorite drink, chai tea)...

I got a Nikon D3000...

...and developed an obsession with the Rose Garden...

I celebrated my 26th birthday with a monstrously large ice cream sundae and some slight age-induced panic...

We had a lovely, lazy summer involving the beach, swimming in my parents' pool, and wandering around the pretty countryside...

Three new nephews were born this year (including one weighing twelve and a half pounds, which may have caused some baby-phobia)...

We celebrated our 2nd anniversary (by forgetting it), and shortly after that we watched two of our dear friends, Eric and Bethany, get married...

We said goodbye to my wonderful Grandpa, which was the hardest part of the year, but I take comfort in knowing that I'll get to see him again in heaven...

We went to another wedding for my beautiful friend Kelsey in the seaside city of Astoria...

I ran the Portland Marathon (my first!) on one of the rainiest days of the year, in 5 hours and 12 minutes (and then spent weeks trying to recover from it)...

I became a little obsessed with autumn...

Josh picked his first Halloween pumpkin ever on the beautiful Sauvie Island...

We celebrated Thanksgiving (twice)...

I went to the annual Benson Brunch with the women in my family...

Josh got his first Christmas tree ever...

And we did tons of Christmasy stuff, like a women's Christmas tea, a trip to Peacock Lane, and several family Christmas parties...

It's been a good year, and I suspect the new year will find us either snuggled up on the couch with our puppy watching a movie, or fast asleep. We're cool like that.

Etsy Photography Love: Maria Kallin Photography

2010-12-29T06:44:00.000-08:00

I am constantly amazed by the number of talented photographers on Etsy. I just discovered another one the other day, Maria Kallin Photography, and she was kind enough to allow me to feature her shop on my blog. It was this photo of hers that first caught my eye:

I literally gasped when I saw it. It's so breathtaking. What I love most about Maria's photography is her use of open space. Most of her photos have a focus point that's only a small part of the picture, and the rest is just an open space of color or light. Her photos are lovely and uncluttered.

Please visit Maria's shop! And don't forgot to check out other Etsy photography entrepreneurs that I've featured in previous weeks:

Yvette Inufio Photography

Creative Apples

Raceytay

A Life Through the Lens

A couch and a half

2010-12-28T15:15:00.000-08:00

I'm currently coveting this couch. I can't decide whether it's ugly, or just really modern, but I suspect that it's blissfully comfortable. Plus, I'm pretty sure my entire family could fit on it with room to spare.

This is how we do Christmas...

2010-12-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

It involves lots of alcohol, food, gabbing, laughing, presents, and general merriment. Oh, and silliness.

There was also a sing-along on Christmas Eve, featuring the only song my brother knows on the piano: Don't Stop Believing.

A visit to Peacock Lane

2010-12-23T06:19:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday evening Josh and I strolled along Peacock Lane, a street in SE Portland where every single house is decorated for Christmas. (I suspect there may actually be some kind of homeowner's association that requires everyone who lives there to decorate.)

(We really did go to Peacock Lane, despite the fact that this sign says "Pea Lane.")

Much like the animal the street is named after, the houses did indeed strut their stuff with some fabulous decorations...

We got to see Santa driving a Volkswagen...

And of course I had fun playing with the manual focus on my camera. Blurry Christmas lights are so pretty...

Etsy Photography Love: A Life Through the Lens

2010-12-22T06:20:00.000-08:00

I forgot to do an Etsy Photography Love post last week. I have no legitimate excuse - it was sheer laziness. I was snuggled up on the couch with my puppy, a cup of chai tea, and a whole season of NCIS.

This week the shop I'm loving is A Life Through the Lens, run by the lovely Kristi, who also has a charming blog that I read regularly. Her photos are sweet, dreamy, romantic, and feminine, and they tug at my heartstrings. I love them all; here are some of my favorites....

Please visit A Life Through the Lens to see more of Kristi's beautiful photographs, and don't forget to check out other Etsy photographers I've mentioned in the past...

photographybykarina

Yvette Inufio Photography

Creative Apples

Raceytay

My mom is like Martha Stewart, only cooler

2010-12-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my mom hosted a women's Christmas tea. I think everyone is hoping it's the first of many, because I know it was one of the best parties I've ever been to. Someone said my mom is like Martha Stewart, and I had an "aha!" moment, because it's so true. The house was decorated adorably and impeccably, there were craft tables set up to make ornaments, she organized a big donation of gifts for a women's shelter, she made tiny gift bags full of fudge for everyone to take home, and there were (I kid you not) 26 different kinds of Christmas cookies. See? A mini Martha.

O Anthropologie, how I love you...

2010-12-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

Even if I can't afford anything in your store that's not on sale...

Josh's first Christmas tree

2010-12-13T07:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we got our teeny-tiny Christmas tree. It's also known as "Josh's first Christmas tree ever."

Isn't it cute?! We didn't want to get a big, expensive tree in case Onyx chewed it to bits. (Or in case it scared him to death.)

Afterwards we went to my grandma's house to help decorate her tree. Hmm, that's not entirely true...my mom and aunts decorated - I hung just one ornament. This one:

(The most important one, obviously. That's baby me, two months before Josh was born. That's right, he likes older women.)

Did someone say "cocktails"?

2010-12-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

I bought a bottle of gin about a month ago, solely because I thought it was pretty. I'd never had a drink with gin before, but when I cracked open the bottle and took a whiff, it smelled delightful, all light and fresh. We decided to experiment, so Josh bought a case of ginger ale, and we made gin and ginger ales. It was hands down the best alcoholic drink I've ever tasted. (And gin is by far the best-tasting liquor I've ever had.) You should try it - we just poured our tumblers a quarter full of gin, and three-quarters full of ginger ale.

Then I decided that I wanted to try a gin and tonic, but when I went to the store, all the tonic waters had high fructose corn syrup in them, and I try to avoid that ingredient. So I did some research, and learned about a brand called Q Tonic that uses agave syrup instead of high fructose corn syrup. I went out and bought a bottle yesterday, and Josh and I shared a gin and tonic over lunch. (Don't worry - we don't normally bust out the alcohol at 1pm.) With a splash of Triple Sec, it was a tasty little drink. It's probably more suited to summer than winter, but we don't discriminate when it comes to alcohol. I do plan on making some seasonally-appropriate mixed drinks in the next few weeks, though, like hot buttered rum and clove-scented sidecars, so I'll let y'all know how they turn out!

Dogs like tea, too

2010-12-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when Onyx thinks we're not looking, he drinks out of our teacups. And when he gets caught, he looks immensely guilty.

Pride and Prejudice and tea

2010-12-09T06:01:00.000-08:00

Do any of you have books that you always pull out on a rainy day? The kind where you snuggle up under a blanket with a cup of tea, and read it for the tenth time? Pride and Prejudice is one of those books for me.

So are Jane Eyre, The Shell Seekers, The Blue Castle, and To Kill a Mockingbird. (All of which I highly recommend.) They're so enchanting that it doesn't matter how many times I read them - I never get tired of them.

What are your rainy day books?

Etsy Photography Love: Raceytay

2010-12-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

The Etsy photography shop that I'm loving this week is Raceytay. (And yes, her name is Tracey!) Her shop is wildly successful, and it's no wonder why: she takes lovely photos from unique angles, with superb lighting. That's a recipe for success, in my opinion! What I appreciate about her photographs is the fresh eye she brings to her nature photography. I personally have trouble photographing flowers and trees in a new way, but Tracey manages to do it. Her are some of my favorites from her shop...

Please visit Raceytay on Etsy, and show your support for other Etsy photography entrepreneurs from previous posts...

shannonpix

photographybykarina

Yvette Inufio Photography

Creative Apples

Giddy

2010-12-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

Eeeee! One of my photos made it to the front page on Etsy today! That means that in under an hour, about 400 people viewed it, and I made a few sales!

Tripods and treats

2010-12-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been feeling very uninspired when it comes to blogging. I can't think of anything new to write or photograph. Part of that might have to do with the fact that it's no longer pretty outside. All the colorful leaves have fallen, and are turning to mush on the ground. The sky is gray most days, and even when it's sunny it's too cold to walk around outside taking pictures. So I hole up inside, drinking tea and watching old episodes of NCIS. (Which might explain why I keep having dreams about being held at gunpoint.) And as much as I love Special Agent Gibbs and his crew, they don't exactly stimulate my brain.

I did bust out my tripod to take a few pictures of Christmas decorations yesterday afternoon, though. Onyx has hated my tripod ever since he first set eyes on it, so I've been trying to condition him by giving him treats every time I get it out. I tell him that it's time for "tripods and treats." He's still not on board with the idea, though...

We'll be getting our Christmas tree this weekend, which I'm excited about! It's Josh's first Christmas tree ever. His family never celebrated Christmas when he was growing up. My family celebrates Christmas in a big way, and the first Christmas he ever spent with us, he was giddy with excitement from all the decorations and presents. (Okay, mostly because of the presents.) So he's determined that when we get our first tree, we're going to do it the "real" way - go out into the woods and saw it down. It'll bring a festive air to our apartment that my tiny collections of decorations and fake trees just can't replicate...

(In case you're wondering why I have a picture of giggling dwarves on my bookshelf, this is a replica of an old Scandinavian Christmas card.)

Also, I've been making lots of cookies lately, because that's what you do at Christmastime. These are Honey and Cardamom Cookies...

I sent some with Josh when he went back to work after lunch yesterday (he works two blocks away from our apartment; it's the best thing ever), and he said his coworkers literally leaped out of their chairs and ran to the kitchen when he told them he brought some of my cookies. They're that good.

The annual Benson brunch

2010-12-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

The women in my family had our annual Benson Brunch yesterday, at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland. Eggs Benedict, bacon, pasta dishes, sushi, omelets, fresh berries, donuts, dozens of desserts, and free-flowing champagne...It was decadent, to say the least.

And what would life be without sweet, lovely family members...

...who also know how to be silly?

Yes, that's right: we know how to rock Star Trek hand gestures.

Latest Etsy prints...

2010-12-03T06:06:00.000-08:00

Some of the latest prints in my Etsy shop....

Onyx ponders the world

2010-12-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

Isn't my puppy handsome?

Husband quotes

2010-12-02T06:18:00.000-08:00

I realized the other day that my husband Josh says a lot of awesome things. In fact, I keep a quote book of the amusing things he says. (So do the guys at his work. Seriously.) Here are some of them that I immortalized on Facebook...

Etsy Photography Love: Creative Apples

2010-12-01T06:29:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I forgot to write about my latest Etsy photography love last Wednesday! For shame! This week the Etsy photography shop I adore is Creative Apples. Photographer April has lovely photos as well as very cheeky ones (featuring garden gnomes, robots, super heroes, and snails). What I love about her shop is the variety - not only does she sell different sized fine art prints, but she also sells greeting cards, oil paintings, and photo blocks (blocks of wood with pictures adhered to them). I also love that her photos are out of the ordinary - you won't find any of those macaron, carousel, or floaty summer dress pictures that you see everywhere else. (Not that I don't like those pictures - I love a good macaron to eat or to frame!)

Here are some of her fun greeting cards:

Please visit April at Creative Apples, and don't forget to support other Etsy photography entrepreneurs from previous posts...

Nature Mandalas

shannonpix

photographybykarina

Yvette Inufio Photography

Pretty pictures for a dreary Tuesday

2010-11-30T10:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a breath of fresh air on an otherwise dreary (and very rainy) Tuesday...

I can't believe I took these pictures last week. All the pretty leaves are gone now.

***

If you're stopping by from Wanderlust, welcome! If you're a regular reader, you should check out my guest post on Wanderlust: Things to Love About Portland.

Dollar Tree Awesomeness

2010-11-30T06:25:00.000-08:00

I got these Christmas decorations yesterday at the Dollar Tree. It took all my willpower not to buy about twenty of them. They're so cool. Well, for someone on a severe budget they're cool :)

I also hung up white lights on the walls, and busted out Relient K's Christmas CD. Ahhh, Christmas is finally here...

Thanksgivings

2010-11-29T06:46:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was excellent this year.

So was Thanksgiving Part Two, on Friday.

I'm thankful for...

2010-11-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

Josh. Also known as The Best Husband Ever. He tells me I look pretty without makeup on. When I have to pee in the middle of the night but don't because I'm afraid of the dark, he gets up and walks me to the bathroom. He'll walk to the store at any hour of the day or night to get me Cheetos when I have a crazy craving for them. He volunteers to clean it up when the dog pukes. He's just the best.

***

My family. They let me be unabashedly silly, and sometimes they're silly themselves. (See all of the above pictures.) They spoil me (yes, that will make me like you more), and laugh at my jokes (so will that). Also, they were all super-cool when I went through my bratty phase in junior high and high school (oh, alright, and college, too).

***

Onyx, my fur baby. I may never have been baby-crazy, but I've always been dog-crazy, and adopting Onyx this year was a dream come true. Does that sound corny? Maybe. But he's a sweet and crazy little bundle of love, and does a good job of keeping me company when Josh is gone at work. And he barks whenever he hears a noise in the hallway. No one is ever going to break into our apartment with him on guard.

***

My friends. They're funny, sweet, and supportive, and they've all seen me in my good moments and my bad. That they've stuck with me through all of it makes them even better friends.

***

Our apartment. We didn't really live in a hole in the wall for our first apartment, but in comparison with the current one, it sure felt like it. Our first apartment had no dishwasher, no bedroom, no carpet, no heat, and our window was about six feet off the ground; the current one has a dishwasher, heat that we barely have to pay anything for, a spacious bedroom, and is about 70 feet off the ground. We have a view, we have room to move around without bumping into each other, and we can have a dog. This apartment rocks! We won't be moving for a long time.

***

Other things I'm thankful for:

~freedom of speech

~freedom of religion

~Portland

~Reggie, my car

~living near the Rose Garden

~a cupboard full of home-canned goods

~good health for me, Josh, and the dog

~having enough money that we can splurge just a little bit after paying all the bills

~friends in different states and foreign countries

~chai tea (I'm serious. It's the best)

~having enough free time that I can accomplish life goals (run a marathon!) and work on new hobbies (photography!)

~living so close to both my family and Josh's family, and getting to see them on a weekly basis

~beautiful blogs to read and take inspiration from

~libraries

~getting to use my sister-in-law's online Netflix account for free

~Anthropologie (and if you're not thankful for Anthropologie, too, I think you might be lying to yourself)

~temporary jobs I've been able to find to earn us a little extra cash for Christmas

~two windowsills full of house plants

~my camera

Don't do drugs, kids. Also, have a happy Thanksgiving.

2010-11-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

Blerg

2010-11-23T06:09:00.000-08:00

I'm sick.

That doesn't stop me from playing with my camera around the house, though...

Happy Monday! (Part III)

2010-11-22T10:39:00.000-08:00

[No, I don't know the source for this photo either. I need to get my act together.]

Braille wallpaper. Love it. Also cool would be Morse Code wallpaper.