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.

So long...farewell....

Tonight I'm attending a very special going-away party, for my very special bestest friend Jenny (one of my oldest college friends, Boston roommate, knower of all secrets, and co-founder(s) of LTD). She's leaving town next Tuesday on a great new adventure - Buenos Aires, Machu Pichu, and everywhere in between. I'm going to miss her a lot, but I know she's going to have a wonderful time there!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Homemade Pizza

Paul bought me the BEST cookbook a few weeks back:


Needless to say, he's been the guinea pig for my new creations. One of my favorite recipes so far was for pizza dough. The dough turned out very tasty (I used 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour). It was nice and crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. I topped it off with thinly sliced zucchini, garlic, mozzarella & parmesan cheeses, and basil. It was DEEELISH! (and even Paul thought so)...

Valentine finds

A pink KitchenAid mixer from All Things Lovely

Goodie Bag at Twig and Thistle

Wish these were around when I was a kid! (Papersource)

52 Reasons Why I Like you at Craftster.org

Hair clips (for Cadence?) at thelongthread

In Remembrance

Though my 2010 has been off to a great start, my heart has been especially heavy these past few weeks. This is because I've been thinking a lot about my friend Brooke, who suddenly passed away a year ago today.

I'm still sad, and I'm still in shock. As we all try to keep her spirit alive, it's days like these when I get sad; whether it's a dreary winter morning, or if I hear "Smile" on pandora...I see Brooke everywhere.

I hope that the Day of Remembrance for Brooke will get easier as the years pass. I do know that I will always think of her on January 21st, and have a smile on my face (as she always had on hers...)

Productive day

Today I took the day off to enjoy some post-event activities: baking, napping, cooking, laundering, and shopping.

Some of the yummy things I made:

Kalamata Olive Hummus

Butterscotch cookies (Paul's favorite)

My mom and Kevin are in town tonight (leaving for Hawaii tomorrow) and I'm making this yummy dinner from Cooking Light:

Pappardelle with Roasted Winter Squash, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

lookin' good...

These sweet potato gnocchi from The Dinner Files look amazing! Can't wait to try them when I get back home.

A few shots from the road...

Scottsdale, Arizona that is. I've been here since Thursday for NWP's New Site Leadership Institute (an event that I've been planning for about a year or so). The weather has been great, the food good, and the event, smooth! Now if only I could find time to get in the pool...

p.s. I'm actually staying at the McDowell Mountain Marriott

Must make

Found this great coat hanger idea on Prudent Baby via Ish & Chi. Yes, I subscribe to Prudent Baby, and no, I am not pregnant! They just have some great baby craft ideas. And since I have so many friends with babies, the possibilities are endless!!

I'm thinking about making this coat hanger frames for both our hallway and my craft room. I have these cute old knobs that would be perfect. Hrmmm, the wheels in my brain are turning...

Lovin' me some art

In the spirit of "updating" my craft room, I'm looking for some art inspiration for the walls. I have a few things up already, but some just ain't cuttin' it. Here are a few that I found on etsy...

Squirrel block print by anna see


Apple Green and Cherry Chickadees by karingrow


C'est La Vie II by Tessyla

The Find Part I...

These aren't my pics, but ones that I found online that resemble the awesome vintage sewing machine table I bought last weekend. For $5 it was quite a steal. Real pics to come soon, I just like to keep people in suspense :)

I also purchased a few of these organizers from Michaels at 40% off! (thanks Tish and Dad for the giftcard!) They look great right next to my new desk...

Craft room update

Craftzine is doing a great series this month, showcasing fellow craftster's craft rooms. I've been so inspired by all of the featured rooms:

Betz White

West Coast Crafty

Crafty Pod

This weekend I made a may-jaaa score at the Salvation Army - a new sewing desk! Pics of the new (and improved) craft room to follow soon!