the simple things

It's been a long while since I've done a loving lately list. A few of the simple things:

• skype and the convenient way Uganda/Utah time line up so I can say good morning to my parents as they are starting their day as I'm getting ready for bed.
• spray paint - all kinds of great projects in the works
• space heater- with the above mentioned projects airing out in the laundry room with windows cracked down the hall and frigid weather outside {14 degree!!} I have at least one corner of warmth to snuggle up in.
• Despicable Me - funny stuff, watching, or mostly listening, to it right now as I paint seagulls and blog about my loving lately list {pictures later, and who said multi-tasking was for the compulsive?}
• ginger snaps
• the happy cat wrapped up around my foot snoring
  

Want to make a painted card like the above?  Supplies/directions: watercolor paper and paints, or in my case, the sky of a failed city scape tipped upside down.  Glue gun, twine, and have at it. 

happy friday

 My pretty amaryllis perched on my desk is starting to bloom and it is oh so pretty.  I don't know if  traditionally it was supposed to bloom closer to the holidays?  If so, I'm happy for the late bloomer because it is the not pretty kind of grey outside today and the translucent red is gorgeous spot of color.

getting in the mood

I know it is still January, but I'm excited for the upcoming holiday.  I'm a geek for this holiday, decorating a box for cards every year in grade school was so much fun.  The doorbell ditching, the flowers when I was teenager head over heels with puppy love... I still love it today, just for other reasons.  Decorating and excuses to make pretty things.

{love magnet from tannerglass}

 I'm going to be attempting a wreath similar to the one above, minus the hearts.  I'm going for a more organic look that I can enjoy all year.  Also love the heart chain by paperpoloroid.

{sweet bracelet is by vintagerepurposed}

"I love you like a fat kid loves cake."

Now that's true love.  I want this!

{etsy shop}

shameless product plug: Arteriors

 It's market time again and as I've been dreaming about the possibilities for new inventory, I've been browsing some of my favorite sources for inspiration.  Arteriors never lets me down.  I love this line!

 Gorgeous lamps.  I can't pick a favorite, although the one made out of mussel shells is pretty great.

 Super fun and unique accessories.  I can think of lots of places for these, {and some of them would actually make it to a client's home too}.

friendly greetings

a happy mat I love from here.

found this wall down the street driving around in the rain Saturday afternoon and loved the gray and red together.

a happy weekend to you

My views on the way to work yesterday.
{above Memory Grove}

The only thing that could have made the moment better would have been to have Dave Matthews singing my favorite song of his.  Oh wait.  He was.
{Satellite, the live at Luther College version}

I woke up this morning with frost on my boots after a completely snug night spent in a sleeping bag up a canyon somewhere.

I was getting used to the reality of a cold morning when I became the pancake pan holder {very important position} and instead enjoyed the warmth coming off the griddle and the pan warming my hands.

Happy rest of the weekend to you my dear friends.

loving lately: changing seasons

once again my favorite time of year.  The end of summer when anticipation of fall is at the peak but it is still warm enough to spend as much time outside as possible.

on my loving lately list: if only I could keep a wreath out of succulents alive!  I couldn't keep them alive in a pot so my guess a wreath would be out of the question.  Go here if you want to learn how to make one.

This necklace made by Natraj found on Etsy.  Love the colors.

And the boots.  Oh my goodness, the boots.  Heaven help me, I would like a pair in every color.

What is it about changing season that gets me in the mood to load up on sweaters and boots?!

practicing this...

to go here in a few weeks.

My Korean is patchy and terrible but I love the language and I love Rosetta Stone for making a game out of learning it.  Now if only 'Jumping boy' and 'Running elephant' came up in conversation more.  I'd be all over it.

My brother and his wife switch to 'Hangul Secure' mid conversation sometimes and I'd love it if one day I could jump in and say 'I'm onto you guys, I understand you!' the way I did carpooling to school when Jeff {the cute older boy} was smugly speaking his secret language but wouldn't teach me.  Then, all of a sudden I could understand him and I told him so in his secret language!!  That shocked us both!  If only that could happen now.

loving lately: fresh summer stuff

There was a time when I thought I needed a lot more things than I actually do.  

I can't stand standing in front of the mirror or burrowing through my closet 'pulling it' together for the day.  I want to be doing other things, not getting ready to do those things.  

I've happily pared down on products and now stick to the essentials I love.  These are at the top of my {short} list.

1. Pure Grace by Philosophy.  It is a clean, simple, fresh smell.  I've used the shower stuff by these guys and love the fresh clean scent so I really wasn't surprised when I fell in love with my tiny sample tube of this stuff.  

2. Miz Mooz - I have a closet {and a maybe a box or two} stuffed with shoes I hardly ever wear anymore because I prefer comfort over beauty any day.  I'll whip out my pretty heels on sundays or an occasional evening when I know I won't be on my feet much but when it comes to the every day?  Give me a pair of pretty flats over anything else.  Miz Mooz has been one of those standby brands that never hurt even on the longest day.  

3. CO Bigelow Ultra Lipshine - for the girl who can't seem to keep lip gloss on for more than a minute.  I know I have a bad habit of biting my lip, {but, sheesh!} any other lip gloss practically evaporates on contact. This is not at at all sticky and lasts longer than any other lip gloss I've tried.  There are worse things to crave in a pinch.  I have about 5 tubes of this stuff that orbit around my person {in my bag, around the apt, in my car, at work..} and seem to pop up just when I need it most.

long live perfect summer days

holiday weekend

ready for summer?  me too!  a little collage of things that came to mind when I thought of summer while I worked today.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

party hearty bamboo style

My friend Jenny is in town and we'll be bbq'n tonight {rain or shine} and so I thought it fitting to throw out some fun bamboo items that would be great additions to any party.

I love these lanterns featured in Sunset awhile back. I saw similar ones at World Mart last week.

May showers bring love in the form of an umbrella. I'd like to carry it with me even when it isn't raining.

While we're accessorizing, I think these bracelets are great. Gobs n gobs or one at a time.

dishn out the goods

pull up a stool and catch up with dear friends.

{cool fact: Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. It can reach its mature height in just one growing season. Makes this pretty, rapidly renewable plant friendly on our planet, which is another reason to party hearty don't you think? I'm such a hippie geek.}

Bamboo is considered lucky in many Asian cultures so send your guests off with a little something green.

Cheers!

sorting ideas

I knew I was getting ahead of myself when I stopped in quickly to check out some accessory possibilities for the laundry room I mentioned in my last post. Of course I found all the perfect things and had to resist loading my trunk full of treasures and taking them home to wait for their glory day. {self control comes along when I least expect it, best to grab at it when I can}

Wouldn't this be the quirkiest lamp for a laundry room? I love it!


you can't hear me, but I just sighed the biggest sigh ever. The search for the perfect dress has gone on for months. {and months.} High and low for something colorful, not too casual, not too fancy, just pretty. And this was it. Yes, I said was. It arrived, I hung it up lovingly and made plans for the way we would go out together and have wonderful times wherever we went. I won't go into the why of how it got to be that our days were cut short together. It was just not meant to be, but I will hold all future dresses up to this dress. {'why ask why?' as my brilliant big brother would say.}


This one really doesn't fit into my stream of thought at all right now, but I took it a couple weeks ago one lovely night spent on the slopes after a giant snow storm. I was pried away from 'that portfolio of yours' and was so glad for the respite.

a ps entry for my list

My friend Howard sent me this photo he took in Sierra Leone because it made him think of my container dreams. I love the colors and the fact that my dream floats around with other people. Isn't that how dreams come true? After hard work and determination your dream has to reach the imagination of others.

a lately list

it has been WAY too long since I've done a loving lately list.

first up: just got word that my friend Carter in Haiti is OK. Answered prayers are high on my loving lately list. This guy was an inspiration to me as we talked about his school and the dreams he has of educating his people so they can succeed.
Next: Missy Higgins. Her music reaches my soul. I sing like a cat, she sings what I would if I could. Sometimes her Australian accents sneaks out and I like that too. +plus+ her style is fantastic.

third: shopping for The Dress. The dress is really just a dress that I have monumentally built up in my imagination and I'm sure it doesn't actually exist in nature. I'm just looking for something cute and won't settle for anything but. This one was so, so close. {looks better without the nasty florescent lighting -why do they do that to dressing rooms?!} If only there were a few more inches to the hem to cover up my 'spidery long legs' {name that movie and get a gold star!}.

lastly: spicy hummus. I'm hooked. I stayed with a friend this weekend,it was an exotic vacation to South Jordan {half hour south from where I live} and we ate all kinds of yummy healthy stuff all weekend.

a shameless plug: Red Mango Yogurt. Real frozen yogurt with a plethora of goodies to put on top. I just got hungry thinking about it. And under 90 carbs a serving?