I wanna win!

I wanna win these 2 new books from Ashley English (there's a contest going on at Design*Sponge):



Even if I don't win, I'm definitely going to get these two for my urban-homesteading book collection!

Etsy finds

I'm in LOVE with this garland made from recycled wool sweaters (found in lovefromchloe's etsy shop). I think I could make this myself!

Operation Hide the Speakers

Check out this creative tutorial from Needlebook on how to hide ugly stereo speakers! I will definitely try this one out - at our house, there's a constant battle over where to put the speakers. I prefer them on the bottom of our bookshelf (they blend in better down there), while Paul likes them on the top ("they sound better that way"). I can't really stand the sight of them, even though they are black. Perhaps a trip to the fabric store for some stereo fabric is in order...

Happy Easter!

We're heading up to my parents this weekend for some Groveland/Easter fun. I had the inspiration to make Cadence a little Easter present last night while watching The Office reruns. I think the chickie turned out pretty cute!


Wish I had more time to make some cute cookies like these ones. Happy Easter everyone!

from Prudent Baby

The seeds are in

In the "greenhouse", that is. I planted the following on Sunday, and some are already sprouting!

- Cosmos
- Lupine
- Sweetpeas
- Basil
- Mesclun Mix
- Cilantro
- Cucumbers
- Roma tomatoes


There's more to be planted (snowpeas, squash, peppers), but the labels suggest that they go directly into the garden (versus seeding them). We're waiting to see where are garden will be (hopefully on the side of our almost house). Fingers still crossed!

Living room inspiration

I've been telling myself *not* to start decorating our "almost" house in my head, but I just can't help it! Here's a little something I put together - unfortunately it looks kinda small on here, but if you click on the image, you'll see a bigger version. What do you think? I went with the subtle blues/grays/yellows - our "almost" living room has a lot of natural light, which I think would look great against soft, natural colors.

DIY Garland

I saw this garland on Creature Comforts (courtesy of Project Wedding), and thought it would be perfect for my soon-to-be-sister-in-law's garden themed bridal shower that my moms and I are throwing next week:

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Here's a few shots of the process...(Sorry for the dark pics....)



And the final result!

Holy marmalade!

I've found another great use for the lemons that we keep getting from our friend's tree: Lemon Ginger Marmalade. Doesn't that sound fantastic? The thought of it makes me wanna toast up an English muffin and drink some Earl Grey. Come to think of it, that might be a nice Easter treat for our visit with my parents this weekend.

Anyway, you can find the recipe on wendolonia's blog (which I just found, and love!) Right now she has some great posts on bento box lunches - just like the one I use (my favorite Christmas present this year!)

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Wallpaper

I have very distinct memories of helping my parents hang wallpaper as a kid. We would help prep the walls, dip the paper in the goo, and slowly seal it onto the wall. Who cares that it was the 80's, that the goo was probably way toxic, and that the wallpaper was hideous? (sorry mom!) Anyway, it seems as though there's been a wallpaper revival, and I'm actually all for it! Here are some of the favorites I've been eyeballing. Let's hope I can afford enough for a wall or two in the "almost" house!

Ferm - Retro Leaves
Ferm - Tree Bomb Blue


Kreme - Sundials A

Romo - Mirabel Wasabi

Home update

I'm sure some of you may be anxiously awaiting photos of our "almost" home. "Almost" is the term we've been using around here - Paul doesn't want me to get too attached just yet, in case something doesn't work out and the deal falls through. Unfortunately, that's just not my personality, so I'll continue to daydream about new fixtures, curtains, and couch placement until those keys are in our hands. A girl can dream, right?

Anyway, we didn't get a change to take photos this weekend of the place (too busy with the home inspection...which went well and solidified our decision), though this weekend I might be able to get up there to take a few "real" ones. Here's a somewhat crappy one I took on my phone:


Isn't it so suburban and sweet?

Appliance shopping

What am I doing on this lovely, Friday night?? Appliance shopping. Why, you ask? Because WE GOT THE HOUSE! Yes, my friends, the unbelievable is true - they accepted our offer, we are in escrow, and are 45ish days away from becoming homeowners! Yeah, it all happened a little fast, but in a good way. And now, I'm perusing Craigslist for used stoves. Yes, the previous tenant took all of the appliances. Kind of a pain, but we can make due with used, Craigslist versions for now (that is, until we win the lottery and can remodel the whole place). To be honest, (and knock on wood), the place doesn't need too much work. Which is one of the reasons why we love it. Along with the fact that it's across the street from Paul's best friend (i.e. "husband). Really, we're terribly excited....

To DU: New Duvet Cover

Spotted on Design Sponge Today:


I am SO inspired to make our own duvet cover - and this tutorial makes it look so easy! When I was growing up, my mom would make our own duvet covers with flat sheets. I know it's so easy, but I just haven't found any sheets that are inexpensive and cute enough for a huge duvet cover. After seeing so many inspiring (and cheap) bolts at my favorite fabric shop Stone Mountain & Daughter yesterday, I'm determined to make one soon!

Mmmm...lemons!

Paul's best friend Ever has a HUGE Meyer lemon tree in his backyard. Their family makes sweet lemonade like there's no tomorrow! Every time we visit, we're always going home with armfuls of the sweet things - and I'm always trying to find new ways to use them. Today I found this recipe for Meyer lemon panna cotta in the SF Chronicle. I think I might try making it this weekend (since we're heading up there for a birthday party, I'm sure I'll be bringing a few home!)

From the archives....here's Cadence last year, eating a Meyer lemon right off the tree...

I want this bedroom!

I love this bedroom by Kathryn Ireland Textiles and Design. It's so fun and funky!


Look at this fabric! So many possibilities! I bet it's super expensive, but I can dream...

Almost St. Patty's Day project

I'm loving this arrangement made by Melissa at Bolt. Check out her tutorial here. I might even be able to pull this off before Wednesday!

For my loves...

My cats, that is. Readymade posted a pretty awesome tutorial on how to create your own kitty hammock here. They also sell them online at A Cat Above. The following style goes for $79....definitely more than we can afford, but I think I'm going to try my hand at making my own version!


Can't you just see my 2 fat cats lazying the day away in this?

Rant of the Week: Apartment Therapy

Damn you Apartment Therapy! I get your alluring emails every day. You tempt me with your great ideas on redecorating. You have me drooling over my computer with your "house tour" series. I am green with envy over everyone else's amazing places...


You can find this post here...

p.s. did I mention that we're putting an offer on a house?

Another Must-Have

Golden Gate Gardening: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California

Hrmmm....I do have a birthday coming up...2 months away, but that's okay, right?

Saturday Decor8 Round up

I get sooooo much inspiration from Decor8. Really, every time something new is posted I get all giddy. It's a sad thing, I know!

These 2 things caught my eye this week:

The Owls are Hunting

The Gilded Bee

Fresh ideas

I'm loving this living room designed by Summer Thornton Designs...the ornate chandelier, the mash up of colorful pillows, the covered coffee table, and the useful (but stylish) silver filing cabinet. If only I had hardwood floors about a couple thousand dollars....

It may be raining out....

...but I'm daydreaming about all of the seeds that I'm going to buy from Hometown Seeds. Some jalapeno peppers? Salad Bush Cucumbers? Sugar Snap Peas? Yeah buddy!

I've been inspired to get my garden goin' by Alys Fowler's Garden Anywhere. It's a great book for the urban gardener in us all - ideas for how to use the space you have to create an awesome garden. She has so many useful ideas for planting in containers like old wooden drawers and wine boxes. She even grows potatoes in plastic tubs! I know, I'm getting so excited about this it's scary. If only the sun would come out to play again....

More wall art

I'm trying out new templates for my blog. There are so many that I like, I just can't decide on one right now. So, I'm changing it up a bit. It's fun, though I wish I knew more html so I could change some of the elements. Oh well...

Here's what I'm liking on this dreary day...

from OliveVintage's etsy shop

Good Soup. Bad photo.

I've gotten a bit of a stomach bug. Yesterday, we spent the day at the Napa River in American Canyon with my brother and Dana, his friends, and the Hughes family. Aaron and his friends fished while the rest of us watched. We all drank beer and basked in the sun. We barbequed and ate lots. And, I think we ate something bad. Paul and I both were sick last night, had the spins, and hot flashes. Gross. I couldn't hang at work all day today, so I came home to sleep it off and be closer to the bathroom.

Anyway, even though my tummy is hurting, I'm kinda hungry. I couldn't even get out to get groceries, so I made a soup with what I had in the cupboard. It came out pretty well, if I say so myself. Perfect for a gloomy day and a sick tummy.

Potato Soup
1 sliced onion
3 cloves minced garlic
2 skinned potatoes, cubed
1 tbl fresh chopped rosemary
2 can of chicken broth (or the equivalent of. I used a combo of homemade/canned)
1 tbl olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
optional: dollop of sour cream

Saute the onions, garlic, & rosemary in the olive oil. Once the onions get carmelly and soft, add the chicken stock and potatoes. Cook on high until the potatoes start to come apart. At this point, you can leave the soup as is, or use an immersion blender to make smooth (that's what I did). Then, I added a dollop of sour cream and mixed it in to make the soup creamy. This part is optional - it just makes the soup a little more creamy without all of the dairy.

Party planning

I'm not sure how I'm going to use these, but I love this DIY ribbon decor template from Creature Comforts. Maybe I can paste 2 together, put on a toothpick, and stick on the top of cupcakes? The paper bag is adorable too....

I Still Love You

...is my new favorite blog. Look at all the fun things she makes!

One of my faves is this mobile for her baby girl. I wanna make one for myself!


Check out I Still Love You here.

Best Present

Paul got "us" something this Valentine's Day - he got our marriage certificate framed. Yay! It looks so good hung up on the wall....and I love walking by and seeing the names of folks who were a part of our special day. Pretty awesome, if I say so myself...

Heart You

Here are a few special deliveries that went out to friends this Valentine's Day...




The only time I get flowers from Paul is on Valentines Day. Luckily, he goes big!

Anticipation of Spring...

Paul and I had a glorious weekend adventure in Big Sur (pics to follow soon)...and being out in the spring-like weather made me think of gardening. Now that we're in a new place, what are we going to plant, and when? I'm ready right now...though it might be a little early. Here's some inspiration for the urban gardener...

fun planters from Burgon & Ball

garden-in-a-bag

...and for Harvest time...

these jars are my favorite! (also from Burgon & Ball)

Cupcakes

I've read reviews in the New Yorker multiple times about street vending cupcake trucks in New York city (like a taco truck, only with cupcakes). It would make me sad because I was unaware of any "bakeries on wheels" in the bay area. Well, I had my first experience today (thanks Natalia!) right here in downtown Berkeley. The Cupkates truck was super cute and you could smell sweet smells coming out of it. I was a little overambitious about bought 4 (at $2.75/piece, that's pretty pricey, but I figured they would be valentine's day treats). I kept it simple getting 1 chocolate, 1 vanilla, 1 lemon-raspberry, and 1 red velvet. YUM! Now, I haven't had them yet (last day of the cleanse)...but am saving these goodies for breakfast tomorrow. With a nice strong cup of coffee. And my valentine :)

Happy Valentines Day to all!

Day 5

I'm on Day 5 of my cleanse - this being the most stressful time of the year for me (aka eating and drinking alot), I thought it would be in the best interest of my liver (and colon) to have a break. So, I've been dairy, carb, and alcohol free for 5 days. The last time I did this cleanse was killer, this time it's actually not so bad. I've been filling myself with Mary's Gone Crackers (which I eat even if I'm not on a cleanse), lots of avocados, almond butter, and roasted veggies. I'm not gonna lie, I'm still having a cup of coffee per day (which really is discouraged), but I think that's what has kept me from getting the shakes.

photo by smittinkitchen.com

Anyway, when this cleanse is done, I'm going to slightly gorge myself on this simple pasta dish found on smittinkitchen.com. It's called spaghetti with cheese + black pepper, and is similar to my favorite simple pasta dish (sans balsamic vinegar). In this recipe, it seems like you kind of fry the spaghetti noodles in oil, then douse with the remaining pasta water and cheese. mmm...gooey cheese....

Another project

I'm not sure if I've announced this on my blog, but my brother and his girlfriend Dana are getting married in July in San Diego. Wahoooo, another summer of weddings! Just thinking about them is getting me all excited, mostly because I AM NOT the one planning them, I just get to help here and there with the best parts.

So, my mom, step-mom and I will be throwing Dana a bridal shower this spring, and of course I'm already beginning to plan - venue, decor, invites. And guess what, I opened my inbox and there was an email from PaperSource, highlighting their store workshops. There's one on Perfect Shower Invites that I'm hoping to attend. Any other takers??

Dirty teeth

The past few weeks (and months), my colleagues and I have been gearing up for this hugely important meeting of NWP folks in Berkeley. Site leaders come from across the country to read grant proposals, and it's a very intense, methodical process. We've gone through all of the materials, packed up 30 boxes, triple checked name tags - and now we're ready to roll. People are coming in tonight and tomorrow, with the show starting on Friday morning. I'll be working all weekend long, running errands, chatting, printing response letters, and making sure that there's enough dark chocolate on the premises. This is my third Annual Review, and I'm not gonna lie: it's the hardest event I've ever worked. Even harder than working a 5 day Desolation trip with 15 annoying kids (being dehydrated, no less!) Needless to say, I'm ready for Monday morning so I can sleep in, relax, and have a moment to myself. Believe me, the work doesn't end this weekend, but the hardest part does....

Wish me luck!

Oh, and the title of the post? I forgot to brush my teeth today my mind is so out of it. I know, gross!

New friends

A Christmas present from Paul...to add to my collection of other random animal salt & pepper shakers.