simply freckles

tilt shifted van gogh

2012-02-01T21:40:00.002-05:00

Saw these here and they gave me goosebumps. You see, I've had a relationship with Vincent for years...when I experience his pieces in museums it's like spending time with an old friend. While I was in NYC this weekend the dinner conversation turned to my Vincent, and my mood instantly lightened...and made me long for a museum adventure asap. I need to spend some time with his work soon...it's been an awfully long time. Alas...no museum adventure could be squeezed in. But these images are delightful!!

what are you doing new years eve?

2011-12-30T16:10:00.000-05:00

christmas (wall) tree

2011-11-30T20:44:00.001-05:00

There are no words for how rad I think this is. Phenom. Found at Apartment Therapy.

scarf weather

2011-11-15T14:16:00.000-05:00

I've been wearing my scarf for a couple weeks already. I only know how to wear it a couple ways...until now. Found at Design Mom.

PS: in exactly one month my little family will be on an airplane headed for the desert to spend holiday merriment with my fam!

dear journal

2011-11-12T21:40:00.001-05:00

I have never been one to keep a hand written journal. I'm fairly confident that I never will (I do keep a blog...obviously...and not even very well!). These are simply gorgeous personalized journals...and a steal at $16 a piece! From Minted.com.

christmas gifts

2011-10-09T21:01:00.000-04:00

here

Rest assured...my Christmas gifts are finished. Thank goodness. I'm in such a holly jolly mood! Aren't these handmade ornaments so pretty!! Maybe I will try to make those someday.

the graphics fairy

2011-09-29T17:27:00.002-04:00

The Graphics Fairy is a great blog, with hundreds of vintage graphics available for FREE download. Amazing selection...now to just narrow it down to the ones I love the most...that's the tricky part. Thanks Hindsight Bride!

not yet!

2011-09-23T06:40:00.003-04:00

here

How can it be autumn already? Everyone is all jazzed about their pumpkin spice lattes and sweater weather...and so am I (autumn is my favorite)...but I blinked and summer was gone. I didn't even make it through my sundresses. It's so weird to move from a state like Arizina, where it's perpetual summer, to an area where summer is a blimp on the radar.

I am excited about the leaves though...they are already starting to explode around here. I'm not sure I am ready to be cold again.

missoni must haves

2011-09-11T22:50:00.001-04:00

love the cardi...love the jumper...love the tights...ugh...love.

I tried to resist the urge to become obsessed with the Missoni for Target line....I tried REALLY hard. Especially since I have to work that day and by the time I am free, everything will probably be sold out. But I just had to take a hot minute to compile a "wish list" of my fave things...just in case the universe is listening (or my husband??)

beautiful beautiful blanket. beautiful.

who can resist a fab umbrella?? not me.

Clara needs Missoni. (Clara is my sweet baby girl...if you didn't know that.)

I happen to be in need of a new make-up bag. Lucky me!

what can I even say? Be mine.

Again...love the cardi...love the dress...love the tights. But I SUPER love the cardi.

bright n purdy

2011-07-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

my pinterest

Just when I thought the quilting bug was out of my system for awhile...I see this...and my heart pitter patters for those bright fabrics in funky shapes once again.

Soooo mesmerizing!

QT

2011-07-17T23:39:00.000-04:00

It was a WARM weekend here in upstate New York...but I know it was nothing compared to the summer oven that is my home back in Arizona. On hot days back home we would beat the heat with big refreshing 44 ounce cold drinks. My favorite was the fresh brewed iced tea from QT (Quik Trip). Their ice...it's actually perfect.

I would kill for a QT right now. And their wall of amazing fountain beverages. Best gas station ever.

People here don't drink fountain beverages purchased at gas stations. I never see it.

Boy are they missing out.

gorgeous gorges

2011-07-11T20:27:00.004-04:00

I only want to live where it is beautiful. I hope it works out that way.

We fell in love with Ithaca. Soooo in love.

*note - Ithaca is famous for its gorges...I didn't misspell gorgeous. I admit I am a horrific speller...but I didn't get that wrong!

photography

2011-07-06T07:26:00.000-04:00

We bought a fancy camera when our daughter was born...along with one of those "Dummies" books to help us learn how to take sweet shots with the camera (soooo many buttons!!???) We haven't even cracked the book yet - no time to read about taking pictures while we are actually taking pictures. This looks helpful (and so visually stunning).
Found at August And After

congrats grad

2011-05-20T08:36:00.000-04:00

These are the sparkly glittery CONGRATS cards I bought last week. I had to buy two because both of my little sisters graduated from college last week and they both deserved sparkly glittery cards. One graduated from medical school and is now an official MD and the other graduated from ASU with her bachelors. I'm so proud of them.

*they are actually HERE visiting us this weekend! I hadn't seen them in nearly a year!!!

hand made baby mobile

2011-05-17T22:28:00.000-04:00

LovelyFriend - $78

Our baby is REALLY into playing with the hanging toys on her baby gym. Made us realize that we want to put some cute hanging animals over her crib. I currently have some beautiful yellow poms hanging over her crib...but they just aren't as stimulating as we'd like. These little critters are wicked cute...and animals are all over her crib sheets - could be stinkin' cute!

*note: we have 0 dollars to do this, so I think I want to try to make one. Hummm...why do I get these ideas in my head?? Why do I long to craft things!??

i heart travel

2011-05-01T16:31:00.000-04:00

Found this little lovely at We Ski Slow and I think it's fabulous! We could so easily fill it with the brightly colored maps of the dearest places to our hearts - one would be Flagstaff...one would be our current home...one would be Rhode Island...ohhhhh so fun.

daffodils

2011-04-23T20:38:00.000-04:00

via PipiPhotography - pretty pretty print!

I've decided that daffodils are the happiest flower. I used to think it was sunflowers - with their big fancy faces and brilliantly outstretched petals. Yet - after a winter of gray skies and snow covered landscapes, once these little yellow daffodils started showing their brilliance my heart started soaring. SPRING IS SO CLOSE! Even though the grass hasn't sprouted yet, and the trees are still cold and brown, the daffodils have fought their way through the soil to bring some sunshine to my walk to work.

Oh I do love them.

Happy Easter - hope you have a bouquet of these somewhere in your house today.

raw art letter press

2011-04-14T22:06:00.000-04:00

There is still a blank wall in the baby's room. It's killing me.

I'm currently fantasizing about the possibility of one of these prints by Raw Art Letter Press. They are so simple and divine. Of course, if I got one for Clara's room, it would have to be yellow. It would just have to be.

Aren't these delightful? There is something about them that makes me smile.

samoas

2011-04-09T02:55:00.000-04:00

Bless you Jo for guiding me towards the culinary genius who figured out how to create homemade Girl Scout Samoas at Siriously Delicious. Not that I will have time/patience to attempt these for awhile...it's just blissful to know that the possibility is there.

ugly chair = love

2011-04-08T10:14:00.000-04:00

So. I had an experience in one of those hideous gliding baby chairs at the breast-feeding center of our local mall (it's a gorgeous space for mothers who want to nurse their little ones...seriously...gorgeous space!). I have hated the look of those chairs from the get-go and refused to entertain the thought of buying one for our home. (please don't be offended if you have one of these in your home!) I wanted to buy a pretty gliding chair...with slick lines...something we could use as real furniture once our baby wasn't a baby any more.

But...those ugly gliders are sooo comfortable. And nursing in it was a dream. We couldn't come close to purchasing my dream gliders (here or here). The ugly glider is somewhat of a steal in comparison.

I can't wait to get my amazingly comfy ugly chair!

the whole world on a wall

2011-03-11T11:30:00.000-05:00

Totally no recollection where I snagged this picture, but I love it. Great idea for a wall in a play room or a children's bed room. Ummmm...even a living room. I rather fancy this a lot. Maps are so exciting...they get me dreaming and scheming about adventures in far off places.

We still have a blank white wall in our baby's nursery... still no real plan on what the heck to do. As you have never been in my home, you would know that I have something against plain white walls....every wall in my home is covered. I've tried to do the minimalist thing...I fail every time. I love being surrounded by visual "pretties."

My heart it still so in love with this whimsical ( yet super pricey and significantly smaller!) world map by Julie Mercier. I think it would look smashing in our baby's room.

brilliant new york

2011-03-08T15:59:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest reasons I was psyched about moving to upstate New York was being within a couple hours of New York City...as I LOVE New York City. Who doesn't? I love the museums. The pizza. The architecture. The lights. The parks. I could go on infinitely. Too bad residency has kept me busy almost every single weekend of the last 10 months...only made it into the city once...which is actually quite a tragedy.

One year I traveled into the city over a dozen times...which is a lot for a girl who lived in Arizona (though I was living in Rhode Island at the time!). I think this is a fun print by Julie Mercier; certainly not the most sophisticated portrayal of NYC, yet it is a fun and bright and lively interpretation. I am a fan of Miss Mercier...remember here?

wood wall

2011-02-28T05:56:00.000-05:00

I think this is wonderful. Not sure if I'd love it in a home with small children (hello splinters??) but I think it adds such a quirky fun element to a room...warms it up. Woodgrain is so beautiful. via Poppytalk

missing arizona

2011-02-25T20:19:00.000-05:00

here

I will go days and days without really thinking about life in Arizona...probably one of the perks of being super busy. Yet, then there are days like today, where it's extra cold outside, a fresh layer of snow is sitting on my car, Tommy is working and I'm home alone. In these quiet moments, I miss Arizona.

The horizon just doesn't stretch out forever like it does back home. The sunsets aren't quite as wild here either. And I crave REAL tortillas like crazy (you literally cannot buy decent tortillas here...believe me...I've searched and searched.) Umm...or Mexican food at all.

I am getting along just fine in our new place, yet whenever I see an image of the Grand Canyon, or a tumbleweed, or the desert, my heart strings tug because that was once my home. And a little piece of my heart is always going to be there I suppose.

I think I need a pet cactus.

best of both

2011-02-22T17:49:00.000-05:00

Huge thanks to Laura for bringing this little beauty into my life. Gorgeous stairs....gorgeous bookcase...in one. Gotta love that! From apartment therapy.

discovery street giveaway

2011-02-21T19:52:00.000-05:00

I want this I want this I want this. In fact - I would argue that I need this.

To carry our baby around...looks so convenient. I would still have my hands available...for washing dishes, or reading books, or blogging with the baby. Or for taking in a walk at the park, a quick trip to the grocery store or for an outing to the library. Possibilities are endless.

Discovery Street is having a give-away for $40 towards something rad....this carrier is what I'd get if I win!

staircase

2011-02-18T09:23:00.001-05:00

here

I'm thinking my fascination with staircases and bookshelves stems from the fact that I grew up in a house that didn't have any stairs. Most people in my hometown live in ranch style homes...one level...no stairs. I always wanted stairs...to slide down the banister...to twirl evergreens around it at Christmas and to line the wall with interesting visual stimulation.

The bookshelf obsession I have is clearly because...well...bookshelves are so gorgeous.

Someday.

help feed my soul

2011-02-14T10:58:00.005-05:00

I just found this fab site, Feed Your Soul, that has free downloadable prints from indie artists. This might be the answer to my little prayers as I've been trying to find something lovely to hang on a patch of white wall in our nursery. Our budget is maxed out - so I was going to have to get uber creative (which, unfortunately, I just don't have the time for) or print a photo we've taken...but we aren't photogs here.

Help me pick one of these three...I'm leaning towards the print on the top...whatdoyathink? Go find your own free inspiration at Feed Your Soul!

pretty pretty steps

2011-02-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

via Exquisite Banana

Such cheerful designs. In the best color. *Sigh* Another "someday" thing to keep in my back pocket.

floating boats

2011-02-03T12:58:00.000-05:00

As much of a fan of bright colors I proclaim myself to be, I find softer pastel hues rather divine. Though, I have nothing in my own home to suggest that sentiment. These floating boats, by the ever talented Ann Wood, are so dreamy and so captivating I'm having twitching impulses to scrap our current nursery decor and instead play with the whispering colors of the softest blues and grays and creams. Wouldn't these be delicious over a crib? Or reading nook?

These ships make me think of Peter Pan's adventures, and pirates and mermaids and lost treasure and fireworks over the ocean. Anything that reminds me of Peter Pan is gold in my book. I hope our baby loves those tales of adventure too.

crib sheets

2011-01-27T19:07:00.000-05:00

Michael Miller Zoology Lagoon

I just ordered a couple pairs of custom crib sheets from a shop called Sweet Bobbins. I just wasn't liking much of what I saw in the stores...so I turned to Etsy and it didn't let me down (and the price was roughly the same as the sheets at the baby superstore...so that was fantastic.) Bought two pairs of sheets - one of each of these fun colorful graphic designs. SO excited!

Alexander Henry 2D Zoo Multi-color Fabric

childhood

2011-01-20T11:59:00.000-05:00

These pictures remind me of my childhood. My sisters and I were usually messy...disheveled hair and all. But there was lots of playing. Lots of imagination. Lots of creating. Lots and lots of awesome. Oh I am excited to watch our little girl grow, play and create. Pictures from here.

abc's of architecture

2011-01-13T21:28:00.000-05:00

How freakin' stellar is this print!? I've been looking and looking and looking at art for our baby room and then I see this...and I want it for my room. Ha! At only $25 it's such a steal!! By jikits

blue school

2011-01-09T17:58:00.000-05:00

Oh how I love that school of fish. What amazing wall art for a nursery...or a kids room. I don't even remember where I saved this from...but I thought it was so beautiful I had to post it. Isn't it so magical?

bestie visit

2011-01-05T22:02:00.000-05:00

My best friend comes to visit tomorrow - alllll the way from her home paradise of San Diego. I cannot flipping wait!!

Except, she's coming to upstate New York at a time when there isn't anything to really "do." No hiking in the magnificent parks, no outdoor festivals or games to attend. Nope. It's cold out.

I'll take her to my fave restaurant. My fave coffee house. And we'll probably just girl talk for three straight days. Sounds like the most fab weekend ever!!

I bought fresh flowers just for the occasion.

glittery cookies

2011-01-02T08:18:00.000-05:00

Next Christmas I'm making glittery cookies. Yes. Yes I am. Recipe found at The Purl Bee.

There isn't enough glitter in my life.

I used to snub my nose at sparkly things...

thanks to that to that horrible movie...and all the glitter eye-makeup the junior high girls wore in my time.

Yet, after years of not appreciating it...I find myself more and more attracted to it.

Pretty sure my little girl will own a pair of those sparkly Ruby slipper ballet flats someday...or I will.

scenes

2010-12-30T21:10:00.000-05:00

As 2010 draws to an end, I find myself wondering where the year went? It flew by so fast. I haven't even made any resolutions yet...and I haven't even fully processed this past year. I do know, however, that this upcoming year I want to slow down. Enjoy the little things around me.

My hubs and I bought ourselves a joint Christmas gift - a sweet grown-up camera. He went and played with it yesterday and I found some of the images he captured to be rather lovely.

easy as pie

2010-12-28T20:23:00.000-05:00

I was going through some of my pictures on my camera and came across these little beauties. Tommy and I made an apple pie this past fall with apples we plucked from the local orchards. Neither of us had ever made a pie before, and we couldn't BELIEVE how easy it was. It literally took us 10 minutes to put it all together. And. It. Was. Yum.

I should have made one for the holidays...but I didn't. Maybe next year.

Mom's Easy Apple Pie (from cooks.com)
7-8 baking apples, peeled and sliced
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Mix in bowl the cinnamon, flour and nutmeg. Place crust in pan, add apples and sugar mixture. Dot with butter. Cover with top pie crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until done.

german pancakes

2010-12-19T15:11:00.000-05:00

I'm embarrassed...I couldn't even contain myself and took a bite BEFORE I snapped the picture. I'm ridiculous. Oh, and you are suppose to eat this in a civilized manor...with a knife and fork and such...not like piece of pizza like I did.

When the weather would turn a little chilly, my mom would start making oven baked German pancakes at our house. They always made the start to a Sunday a little more special. Now, I associate these yummy dessert-like breakfasts with winter, with the holidays, and with my family.

I had never made them before, but was excited to try out my special German pancake pan (my baby sister gave it to me for a bridal shower gift!) Trying new recipes intimidates me a little bit - I've suffered many a "fail" - so I tend to hesitate a tad more than is necessary.

Needless to say...my German pancakes rocked. Well, the edges might have been a little tooooo brown...perhaps charred in places...but I just ate around that *smile*

German Pancakes

1/2 c. sifted flour
3 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. salt

Gradually add flour to eggs while beating. Stir in milk, melted butter and salt. Throughly grease a 9 or 10 inche oven proof skillet. Pour batter into cold skillet; bake in a very hot oven (450 degrees) for about 20 minutes. Loosen pancake from skilled with a wide spatula; cut into wedges with a sharp knife. As it bakes, the pancake rises into golden bubbles. Makes 3-4 servings.

Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, lemon wedges or syrup.

high chairs

2010-12-15T08:11:00.003-05:00

Little Bug Lounge - $530 - a lil wild for us...but super fun for baby, right?!

We've been browsing baby gear a LOT lately. Mostly to see what's out there - and to see what would work in our world....ummm....and what we can afford. We want to be minimal in baby stuff - we live in such a small space that baby gear has the ability to take over...we want to avoid that. Or try.

So...I found a few fab high chairs...who knew there was such a thing as a fab looking high chair? Well there are. We have a pub size kitchen table...where counter height stools are appropriate height...but typical high chairs aren't quite high enough. Regardless, here are some fun designs I found at CSN.com.... that mega-shopping experience of over 200 specialty shops online.

(This is probably the one we will get - even though it's not so "stylish" - it's super functional and affordable..so it's a win win)

bloom - $499

Oxo - $249

Joovy Nook - $109

Valco - $159

baby blanky

2010-12-13T19:13:00.000-05:00

Sunshine day crochet pattern - Posie Gets Cozy

I had a soft yellow baby blanket that I affectionately called, "blanky" - I took it everywhere, and HAD to sleep with it. Did I mention it was so super soft? Did you have one too?

If I had any extra time...umm...or energy for that matter...I'd love to make my little girl a pretty baby blanket. They are so many fantastic (and simple!) designs out there! Maybe I will...someday.

check out these baby blanket kits from Purl Soho - they are BEAUTIFUL and remind me of Rotho.

or squiggles!! free knitting directions for this blanket at Pickles

Sugar Hill Baby Throw knit kit - Lion Brand

I'm thinking about renaming my blog "Someday" - I feel like I'm always blogging about the things that are just out of my reach...a wish list of things I want to do. Hopefully.

prettiest recipes

2010-12-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

Well, not an actual RECIPE...but how lovely are these letterpress recipe cards?! My goodness. So charming! I want to win them - you can try to win them too - over at A Glimpse of the Girl Next Door.

bright triangles

2010-12-10T20:39:00.000-05:00

via here

Ooooooo, I change my mind.

I'm smitten with these triangles.

Yes. The triangles are amazing.

This will be my next project.

I will have to wait and start it in 2035.

When I retire.

row of squares

2010-12-05T10:34:00.001-05:00

via here

I want this to be my next project.... the quilt. A quilt of squares.
I have to finish my crazy quilt first.
Ugh - am I ever going to finish it!??

a whole bunch of worlds

2010-12-01T13:16:00.000-05:00

via unruly things

This. Is. Amazing.

food coma

2010-11-26T19:22:00.000-05:00

Tommy's twice baked potatoes. ohmygod.

I was oncall the night before Thanksgiving and was up allllllllllllllllllllllllllll night - stumbled in around 4am-ish. My husband let me sleep as long as I wanted on Thanksgiving Day and he did all the cooking. He made us a mini feast...everything from scratch...everything delicious. Since it's only the two of us, we have loads of left-overs...we will be in food comas for the next few days.

Lil magnificent pumpkin pie idea: we made our pumpkin pie this year - it was the first time either of us ever made a pumpkin pie (I helped!) Tommy suggested we sprinkle the top of the pie with chopped honey roasted pecans. I tend to be a pumpkin pie purest, but decided to go with his fun idea...and it ROCKED. We just sprinkled them on with 15 minutes left of baking time and it was a glorious addition.

Tommy's famous mac 'n cheese

Our cute lil turkey with a orange cranberry glaze Tommy whipped up. delish.

I grew up eating the cranberry sauce out of the can (and I love it!) but Tommy makes it from real cranberries...and it's way better :-)

Can you tell I'm wicked thankful for my husband?

shutterfly christmas cards

2010-11-23T19:29:00.001-05:00

Bright Merry Cheer Christmas 5x7 folded card

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

I made these Christmas cards for my mom to send out this Christmas. Collectively my sisters and I had to select a picture that we approved up (that's hard with three girls...so last year my mom ended up selecting one that only a mother could love - my sisters and I all looked like garbage.) I LOVE this picture...all of our smiles are genuine...this is how I think of my family...big bright smiles :-)

I miss them this time of year.

seeing stars

2010-11-21T12:55:00.000-05:00

Saw these somewhere on a blog - but I keep looking at them because they are sooooo lovely! Handcrafted glass star ornaments...pretty for a Christmas tree or perfect for a windowsill... by Kurt Knudsun.

tall tall boots

2010-11-21T12:40:00.000-05:00

I love boots in the fall and winter. I think these knee high boots are super sexy!! Go enter to win $100 towards sweet shoewear at Chic 'n Cheap Living!

alphabet art

2010-11-19T08:12:00.001-05:00

The Alphabet Garden - sugarfresh

I posted a couple days ago about a world map print that I was nutso over...but at roughly $200, it's a serious no-go for us. Found these sweet lil finds on Etsy and now I'm thinking maybe something celebrating letters would be nice too! Like alphabet art. Oh...and nothing is over $30. Sa-weet.

Letterpress ABC poster - starshapedpress

sugarfresh

Ode to Helvetica - ModernPop

tree toppers

2010-11-17T09:52:00.001-05:00

Mosaic Star of Lights Christmas Tree Topper - Glass Gallery Girls

Would you believe me if I told you that we started decorating for Christmas? I'm not kidding. Not crazy decorating yet...no ornaments are hung, no stockings, no twinkle lights....yet. But we busted out some of my little Christmas trees and placed them next to some of our autumn decorations...all while sipping hot cocoa and watching our fave Christmas flicks.

While sifting through my lil box of Christmas cheer, it has become clear that there are holiday items we will eventually need - this comes from being a newlywed and never having a "real" Christmas tree before!

1. Christmas tree topper
2. Christmas tree skirt
3. holiday linens (like a table runner or placemats or napkins or something!)
4. holiday dishes (though I think I may be inheriting a set!!)
5. advent calender
6. ornaments!! (yes I have a few from my travels and adventures...but we need some more actually decorate a tree!!)

I'll explore these over the next couple of weeks...see what I can find :-) Obviously, this search isn't about finding one right now... this year we will certainly make due with sparkly cheap dollar store finds.

lovin' on this Frank Lloyd Wright Luxfur Plated topper

yea - if money wasn't an object, I'm pretty sure I would snatch this up right now.

Moravian Star - Old Salem Museum & Gardens

Red Paper Christmas Tree Topper - kissadesign
this is so uber cool...(however...what happens if a red star doesn't "work" with the decor that year?)

thought this one was classic and beautiful...even though rather fancy...

and then I saw the $118 price tag... and I didn't like it anymore.
by Baldwin

Decor to Adore

what about this pretty bird/nesting/wreath topper? Very pretty, and unusual...but not quite the classic look I'd want for our family tree topper.

cutest world map

2010-11-14T20:25:00.000-05:00

I saw this posted on DesignMom last week and found it entirely charming. What a great addition to a baby nursery...it would transition so beautifully to a toddler, and a growing child...it could be used and adored for so long!! I can just imagine looking at it with our little girl - pointing out the different places, animals, and adventures that our glorious planet contains.

The price was kinda steep so I did some additional searches for charming world map art and didn't come up with anything quite so lovely. Is 99 pounds (how much IS that in American money!?) too much for child-room art?? I don't know these things yet.

baby bedding

2010-11-11T23:45:00.000-05:00

Now that we are nearly all settled and moved into our new apartment, we've realized that our furniture choices aren't exactly baby friendly....kinda like the hip and cool extra tall bar stools at our kitchen table. That's what high chairs are for I suppose.

But now we can have some real fun. Nesting. Decorating and preparing a space for our baby. I've been browsing around on CSN.com, the online shopping source of over 200 stores - which has an enormous baby bedding selection.

Tommy and I have already decided that a hyper pink motif isn't in the cards for our little girl - as her room will clearly be a space that we will be spending lots of time in too and neither of us are big pink fans. Thankfully there are a few sweet sweet choices that aren't Barbie inspired! Now. How do we pick!!??

Well - and then I saw the pink ruffles and I melted a little bit inside. This is probably the definition of Barbie-esque bedding. It's so pretty for a little baby girl. Oh man. This is going to be harder than I thought.

raddest rolex

2010-11-08T13:34:00.002-05:00

Tommy is a "watch" guy. He's also a practical man, thankfully, and doesn't spend loads of money on lavish watches. He's got great taste...and has a couple classy watches at home that he can switch out. But I see him spying time pieces when we go shopping and I always wish we could afford to buy a frivolous luxury every now and then.

It would be so fun to surprise him with badass boy bling someday. I doubt I could ever handle spending over 2 grand on a watch, it sounds so ridiculous. But if I won a gazillion dollars in the lottery I would buy my love one of these amazing vintage Rolex watches. I like the orange one the most.

toy portraits

2010-11-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

With a little one on the way in our household, my thoughts revolve around babies and kiddos and my own childhood. (I can't help it!) So you can imagine the size of my smile when I saw these precious commissioned custom toy portraits. Oh how I love this. The artist, Jennifer Maher, paints these little treasures for as low as $60 for a 5x7!! Hello amazing Christmas gift!! Check out her website here.

I actually didn't grow up with a stuffed animal that comforted me when I went to bed - I had a soft yellow "blanky" that I was rather smitten with. My husband had a little stuffed dog - PupPup. I've met little PupPup - I think he was either missing an eye or missing an ear, and has been hugged within an inch of his life as he longer has any "stuffing" to help keep his shape. But PupPup is just perfect. I love that Tommy's mother kept him all these years.

Did you have a favorite childhood toy?

the table is set

2010-11-01T23:05:00.000-04:00

My life has been consumed with residency lately...CONSUMED. I barely get to snuggle with my love - I get home and collapse. Seriously. If he doesn't make me a healthy dinner, I down a bowl of cereal and fall asleep before I'm done. On top of my insane schedule (I'm doing General Surgery right now), we have been moving into our new apartment. Obviously, Tommy has done 90% of the moving - thank goodness!

I smiled so big when I came home and saw that he had moved our table and chairs and set the table all pretty with our wedding gifts. We've actually never fully set the table with our wedding dishes before...and he had to go hunting to find our pretty linens. He really is the sweetest.

halloween costume

2010-10-29T16:00:00.000-04:00

We were off exploring New England last weekend and missed all the big Halloween parties here in town - some of these parties sounded quite legendary and I was excited to really get partied up for it!

My original intention was to be a disco-ball...because...well...I'm pregnant and it sounded way fun for a preggo costume! Except, there are no parties this weekend...and I'm oncall at the hospital (boo!)...and so we'll probably dress up in last year's costumes to pass out candy to the 6 kids who live in the building.

Are you dressing up?

vermont

2010-10-26T22:02:00.000-04:00

Tommy and I spent the weekend in New Hampshire. It was great fun! But I have to say, driving through Vermont was the real gem of the weekend. I couldn't believe my eyes. THE COLORS! THE VIEWS! THE TREES! THE CHARM! Tommy and I have been to Vermont together...we spent a couple nights at a quaint bed and breakfast a few years ago - toured the Ben & Jerry's Factory - took in a winery - had a lovely time. But it was in the spring...not the fall. And the fall is divine. Like - the stuff dreams are made of.

We decided if we can't live in Flagstaff, or Seattle, or Portland, we will try to Vermont. We loved it that much.

one hubby's food art

2010-10-22T13:25:00.000-04:00

Via here

Now that I'm pregnant, I am clearly more aware of "pregnant" conversations, stories, blogs, etc. Unfortunately, I am bombarded with horrible pregnancy stories at the hospital all the time...I won't even go there...makes my heart hurt too much.

But I fell in love with this sweet story of the husband who created delightful food art when his wife was put on bed rest while pregnant. The poor woman was battling a blaze of gestational issues and she had to endure an incredibly strict diet....which sounds dreadful to be quite honest.

I love hearing stories of the thoughtful things husbands do for their pregnant wives!! Tommy moves mountains for me these days...I just love him to pieces.

owl family

2010-10-20T15:16:00.000-04:00

via Apartment Therapy

Ohhh!!! I want to do this. MAYBE I'll go buy some black construction paper and do it...isn't it fun? A perfect Halloween-ish window decoration!! (I'm not into decorating with goblins and headstones and scary things...I'm more of a "fall harvest" type)

Except the thought of having to buy construction paper makes me sick...

...when we moved from Phoenix I had containers full of paper. Scrapbooking paper, textured handmade papers, construction papers, etc. A collection that had taken years of savvy browsing and buying. I referred so often to those containers...pulling out pretty foiled papers for making cards, or backing pictures, or whatever my crafty heart desired. Yet, they didn't fit in the car. My sisters inherited my prized paper collection.

I hope they freaking appreciate it.

cuddly cuties

2010-10-18T13:37:00.002-04:00

I'm just in stitches over these ADORABLE CUDDLY baby costumes!! Seriously. Have you ever seen such cute costumes in all your life? Next Halloween, perhaps our lil tike will be an elephant!!! (These are the things I think about these days....our baby...). I think that elephant is my favorite.

See the whole collection of Tom Arma's costumes here....found via Exquisite Banana.

moving...again

2010-10-15T17:24:00.000-04:00

via here

When Tommy and I moved here, we decided to live in a one bedroom apartment. We knew it would be a snug fit - but doing so would save us roughly 900 bucks over 12 months (in comparison to a 2 bedroom.) We patted ourselves on the back for being so frugal and brilliant.

And then we got pregnant. (yippee!!) But we are space-less. The two of us share one itty bitty closet and we literally have no room for a crib in this place. Yet, we were going to try to make due. Though I had no idea how we were going to do it...

Then I got a random email from our building's manager...congratulating us on our baby...and letting us know that there is a two bedroom apt down the hall that just opened up. We were still pretty intent on trying to save some extra bucks and to continue to stuff ourselves into our lil space here...yet we gave the 2 bedroom a look, just in case.

IT WAS GIGANTIC. We will be moving promptly. It has a proper kitchen space (better than proper - it's a big BIG kitchen!) and dining room space...it's not just one gigantic dorm-like room like our current "home sweet home." Couldn't be more excited!!!

Now...we pack.

Damn it.

to knit

2010-10-11T22:19:00.000-04:00

via the ArtfulYarn

I don't know if I mentioned that while my mom was here visiting, not only did we pick apples, visit the glass museum, and learn how to use my sewing machine...but she TAUGHT ME HOW TO KNIT! I've been wanting to know this rad skill for a loooooooooooong time now...and I've become quite a knitting machine. Well - that's not entirely true...I think about knitting a lot...but I'm so busy these days I haven't been able to get a whole lot accomplished (you know how it goes.) I did, however, make a dishcloth...and I'm uber proud. Even if my stitches aren't perfectly spaced or quite as lovely as the dishcloths shown above...I just need some practice.

At least I learned a new skill!! Wahoo!

mums and pumpkins

2010-10-08T15:34:00.001-04:00

Nothing screams October more than pumpkins and mums...am I right? Went to a nearby local landmark, home of the "best" doughnuts and the "very best" fresh apple cider in all the land (per the opinion of many I've met!) Not to disapoint...we gobbled up warm doughnuts and bought loads of cider (it's already gone, and it's only been 2 days...unreal goodness was inside that jug.)

We proceeded to walk up and down the dozens and dozens of rows of pretty pumpkins...all the different varieties of pumpkins were indicated with little signs...I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a blue pumpkin...did you?

I love autumn.

me and mom and mums

see those bright reddish/orange pumpkins in the second row? those are called Cinderella pumpkins! Cute right?

freaking BLUE PUMPKINS!?! For reals!

more mums!!!

corning

2010-10-06T15:25:00.001-04:00

Spent the weekend with my mom - did I already mention that? I just love her...she's my fave. We are REALLY into exploring art museums...so I clearly had to take her to the Corning Glass Museum. AMAZING. I so totally HIGHLY HUGELY recommend experiencing that place - phenomenal collection. And surprisingly - there was a ton of kiddo-s there...with lots of activities geared for them (it's always fun to watch kids at museums when they are totally engaged in what they are doing, isn't it?)

They also have a superior gift shop - with gigantic displays of locally blown glass pumpkins and apples for the fall. My mom and I went nuts (though I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of that!!!) I bought a brilliant lil pumpkin friend...a momento of the day.

Have you ever watched glass being blown? It is such a magical moment. We just dig it. We "ooooo" and "ahhhhh" and squeal and clap (we have a hard time restraining ourselves sometimes when we get excited.) I bet someday we dabble in glass art...I like the idea of working with stained glass.

It is such a beautiful medium.

searching for a rocker

2010-10-05T21:00:00.000-04:00

While my mom was here I quickly realized that the seating capacity in our home is minimal - too minimal even for 3 people. So I clearly headed over to my go-to site for internet product browsing, CSN.com - a site with 200 online stores - with a variety of seating options...like bar stools, love seats, and office chairs.

Specifically, I'm interested in a rocking chair. It seems so appropriate to cuddle with our little baby in a cozy lil rocking chair...doesn't it? I am on the look out. Any suggestions? Classic wood? Or would something comfy and pillow-like be dreamy? Options options.

you're one of THOSE

2010-09-30T21:37:00.000-04:00

pretty polaroid of things to come...via 52 weeks of polaroid

Four or five weeks ago, when the first crispness filled the air it FELT like Christmas....well, an Arizona Christmas anyhow.

It made me EVER so excited for the holiday season - as it was clearly just around the corner!!! I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! Like many of you I assume. It's just my favorite. My internal calander is set up like a rollarcoaster with Christmas being the VERY BIGGEST peak...complete with a decorated tree on top. There are numerous peaks throughout the year, but nothing comes as close.

I all but hugged the boys on my medicine team that morning - I couldn't stop smiling and being, well, jolly. At one point I just blurted out, "oh I just can't WAIT for Christmas!!!! Can you!??"

Silence.

"Oh. You're one of those" was the response...followed by a little laughter from the group. Apparently, everyone on my entire Medicine team (of 7 people!) was either Jewish or Muslim. Doy to me.

arachnophobia

2010-09-29T08:16:00.000-04:00

a lovely image by Abby Blaine - spiderwebs are quite fascinating

We haven't quite decided if the spider problem here is endemic to the area, or if perhaps just our apartment building. We kill spiders in our home daily. DAILY. How freaking creepy is that?

We find them swooping down at us on their silk threads from the ceiling, scurrying across our feet while we watch TV or study at the kitchen table, scampering across the floor, hiding in corners, weaving their webs in every crevice they can find...we even found a couple in our bed...our BED!? And friends, these aren't teeny tiny microscopic spiders...these are large, quarter size to half dollar size creatures...with hair...and spindly legs...you know... the stuff nightmares are made of.

Uncool.

We can't open our windows...despite the deliciously refreshing breezes outside...big honkers with 8 legs are on the other side...begging to be let in. Oh sure, they will find their way in some way or another, it's inevitable...but we'd hate to make their journey easier.

I hate them.

apple pie...without the pie

2010-09-24T12:22:00.002-04:00

I'm lazy. Well...not exactly LAZY....it's just that I'm busy. So when I have a hankering for something like apple pie... I'm not going to just whip one up like Miss Martha Stewart. Maybe I'd consider making a pie...if it was a weekend and I had all day to do whatever I desired or something. But projects like do not get done during the week. Nope.

So. I chop up local apples into bite sized bits...sprinkle 'em with cinnamon...and heat it up in the microwave for a minute or so.

Delish.

oh emma

2010-09-22T13:23:00.001-04:00

I've been attempting to read Emma....for about a month now. I bought this beautiful old hardback copy at my favorite used bookstore in Phoenix before we moved. It's red and turquoise...with gold foil lettering on the binding. It's a very pretty lil book.

Being the Austin fan that I think I am...I'm surprised I can't get into it. I think Emma's a snotty nit wit. I tend to want to love the main characters I read about...and she annoys the hell outta me.

To make this a little more ridiculous...I've seen the movie staring Gwenyth Paltrow. Umm...I own the movie in fact. But I haven't seen it in so long, I can't quite recall anything.

Does it get better? Or should I just keep it on the bookshelf to admire the pretty colors?

how not to cook for two

2010-09-20T13:04:00.001-04:00

Tommy and I lived with my little sister and her boyfriend for a couple years...with my other little sister and her boyfriend just a skip across town. Needless to say, lots of people to feed. When I would make pasta, I'd cook using the entire box of whatever noodle I had, I'd use the entire jar of sauce, lots of ground turkey and we'd go through an entire loaf of french bread. Not to mention the salad...and maybe half a jug of milk...or more.

So now that it's just me and Tommy - I'm constantly making too much grub. I still use the whole box of pasta...thinking that this is smart and we'll have leftovers for tomorrow. Well - turns out those leftovers could indeed last roughly 5 or 6 days. And we just can't eat the same thing every night for 5 days straight. Well, we could, but we'd rather not.

So. I need to get a handle on this.

i'm done with healthy

2010-09-17T20:31:00.000-04:00

don't let this pretty loaf fool you - it was sick...and went straight into the trash.

Recall the recent ginger carrot muffin fail? Well, then I had a healthy zucchini bread fail.

I'm done. I'm done with freaking healthy recipes. From now on, I'll use butter...sugar...white flour...and more butter. I'll live with my cellulite...and I'll be so stinkin' happy because yummy food is pure joy.

Don't fret - I will try my hardest to eat healthy foods too - you know - for Baby :-)

to be a sloth

2010-09-13T19:50:00.000-04:00

Meet the sloths from Amphibian Avenger on Vimeo.

Lived in Costa Rica for a little bit a few years back. The sloths in the rainforest were soooooooooooo adorable!!

on the brink

2010-09-10T12:49:00.000-04:00

The leaves last fall in Philadelphia...I can't WAIT to see the explosion of color here in New York!

Can you feel it where you are?

I can. I can feel it, and smell it, and see it all around me.

Autumn is beginning. I am more excited that I could ever try to articulate!

This is my favorite time of year - the warm colors, the rich textures, the aromas of warm treats...zucchini bread and pumpkin bread and apple pies...hearty soups in sourdough bread bowls...hot tea...sweaters! scarves! The LEAVES!! Oh my goodness...the leaves....

I've fallen in love with fall already...and it's barely just begun.

reading your own blog

2010-09-08T13:42:00.001-04:00

Instead of hitting the hay like I SHOULD have on Monday night, I spent a good two hours re-reading my own blog. Have you ever done that? It made me sooo happy. I have this record of my life, my wishes, my adventures over the past year - and whereas I never write novels on here, it's still such a special treat to "read" the memory.

It's like the greatest diary ever.

*note: I re-read this blog - my other blog is entirely too big to even attempt to read in one sitting. I like that this one is smaller...shorter...a lil more spontaneous.

10 loads

2010-09-05T19:59:00.000-04:00

via here

Someday, I imagine, Tommy and I will have our own laundry space...with our own washer n' dryer...with coordinating baskets and storage nooks and pretty paint. Maybe.

Until then, we'll share a laundry facilities with allllll the other peeps in our apartment building. It's a lot like college dorm life, with the community basement laundry room...complete with random socks scattered on tabletops. It's not bad - it's free - which is clearly rad. But, with four washers and four dryers, and 7 floors of inhabitants, you can assume it's reallly realllllly tricky to get your laundry done.

Until I figured it out. Wake up at 6am...yes...even though it's your one day off allll week...and you can bust out TEN LOADS by 9:30am. Yep. I'm ready to conquer the world now that I concurred the laundry.

the wool rug

2010-08-29T14:51:00.000-04:00

We moved into a linoleum floored apartment. After living with white carpet for the past three years, I was excited about easy clean flooring...but I missed the comfy cozy hug of soft substances under foot.

I ran into a HomeGoods a few weeks ago - I'd never been to one and I've heard they are kinda cool. Saw a GREAT rug - it was a lil smaller than what we wanted but it was so great. It's multicolored little nubs of wool...so it feels heavenly on naked feet. It was not expensive, but it was more than I would have wanted to spend...but rugs are pricey...and this was somewhat of a deal...so I snatched it up.

Tommy loved it :-) And we enjoyed it for a few days. Until we noticed something...dust bunnies the size of real bunnies began creeping their way into every corner of every room of our place. The freaking rug sheds. Who knew?

We are throwing it away.

Ha!

venting

2010-08-22T14:39:00.000-04:00

I pulled an overnight shift on Thursday.
Then I was oncall for four days and four nights from Friday to Sunday (I'm still oncall by the way...)
Tomorrow morning I start my new rotation, my HARDEST rotation, at 5am.
I won't have a day off for 9 straight days starting tomorrow.
(which is really 16 of working straight with no day off)

I feel like crying.

I haven't slept in 5 days...I haven't had a chance to study...or breath...or eat non-hospital food.
Or have a non-medically related conversation with a "normal" person.
I can't return emails, or check facebook, or call my mom.

Where is my life??

seating

2010-08-22T09:34:00.001-04:00

We have one sofa...it's a butter yellow leather...and we "inherited" it...thankfully. Sure it's got scratches...but I find they are character building...or something.

In the 3000 mile move, I stuffed my butterfly chair into the car. It was my dorm room chair...from 10 years ago. That makes it practically an antique in college dorm room style. A crimson chenille throw is casually throw across it...strategically of course, to hide the not so pretty beige cotton fabric cover.

To increase our living room seating, you know, if we ever have company, we busted out two of our wedding presents - our OLIVE GREEN CAMP CHAIRS! They are great! We stuck a couple of striped pillows on 'em, and called it a day. Great compromise until we can buy "real" living room furniture someday. Or until we hit up a sweet garage sale.

2010-08-21T09:28:00.001-04:00

via here

I have crap tons of medical text books. They have bizarre covers...less than pretty...and a slew of random colors. I'd love to do this to harmonize the shelf.

Then again...random colors are sorta cool too. Dunno.

alone

2010-08-20T12:25:00.000-04:00

Saw this on one of my fave blogs today...was so moved by it's simple song and lovely prose I desperately needed to share it, catalog it, and keep it where I can always find it. Here...safe in my collection of pretty lil nothings.

ikea results

2010-08-20T08:51:00.000-04:00

Remember the lil Ikea nightmare we put ourselves through? Well - the fruits of our labor were sorta worth it. Lots of storage for our boxes and book...and Tommy's TV isn't on the floor. Pretty much awesomeness. Except for that strip of bare wood in the front of the TV stand that we have to take a Sharpie to...other than that they look pretty slick. The only downfall is, they feel super wicked wobbly. So, we doubt we will ever be able to move them. Ever.

Future fire wood.

quilty dreams

2010-08-18T15:38:00.000-04:00

found here.

Ohhhhhhh - how divine. I think my desire for quilting is starting to sneak up on me again. I love suturing in the operating room - my stitches are so pretty... (and I'm quick to point out that I'm a quilter.) Except, I never mention I've never finished a quilt. I've never come even close to finishing a quilt. So....what does that make me? Oh well....whatevs. A girl can dream.

a table story

2010-08-16T11:21:00.017-04:00

We officially feel like grown ups. We bought our *first* piece of real furniture! Not from a yard sale, not inherited, not assemble-yourself. It's pub height...and square...and has a pretty dark wood finish..with 6 sturdy chairs....and is gorgeous.

We tried the whole Craigslist thing for a table (it's been a total bust in this small community.) We looked at some Ikea pieces, but have refused to indulge ourselves in another Ikea assembling catastrophe. We were also interested in buying a solid table... that didn't wobble... that we could have for years (not necessarily forever...but a dang long time!) After going to several local furniture stores, we realized that buying "new" was a serious commitment...as "new" furniture is pricey pricey. Thankfully we stumbled upon a little locally owned furniture store...honest prices... beautiful pieces. Sold.

See!? Told you it's gorgeous. Being a grown up has some advantages!

i dream of mixers

2010-08-15T11:44:00.001-04:00

The in-laws were going to come visit this weekend. I bought loads of ingredients to make a couple different types of cookies, a healthy zucchini bread, and my mom's yummy cheesecake-like cherry jubilee...I was EXCITED! I got all the ingredients together and then I realized...I can't make anything...we don't have an electric mixer.

*sad face*

We didn't end up getting a stand up mixer for our wedding...and I gave my little sister my hand-held mixer when we moved away. As silly as it may sound, I am bummed that we didn't get a mixer. It was something I blogged about wanting super bad...which makes me feel even extra silly about it. Enough sulking...I feel selfish admitting that out-loud.

look at it go!!!

I borrowed a Kitchen-Aid from a friend's wife - and let me tell you - it was amazing. Now I want one even more! We'll get one...someday!

But the inlaws didn't end up coming after all. So, we had a crazy tons of sweets in the house. I ate a dozen sugar cookies on Saturday and gave myself a damn belly ache. Idiot. (I just looooove these sugar cookies...they are divine. My Aunt gave me her family's recipe for a bridal shower gift...they are freaking delicious.) We've since given them all away. I can't be responsible enough to not eat them all. I'm weak, what can I say?

windowsill collection

2010-08-13T10:06:00.002-04:00

My mother in law has quirky little collections all over her house. A collection of brightly colored glass figurines live on the family room's windowsill. These are particularly pretty because the sun can play with their colors in such a hypnotic way.

I realized during this last trip to Rhode Island that I don't collect anything. I mean, I have a relatively nice art collection...but it's not exactly a collection. When I was little I collected all kinds of crap...kitten "stuff" and rocks and shells and American Girl "stuff" and books and postcards and baseball cards. But now, I don't collect any one type of thing.

Hummm...I wonder what I should collect. Do you collect something wonderful??

the minors

2010-08-11T09:50:00.003-04:00

New York state is really fantastic for minor league baseball (I have yet to make it to Cooperstown, but my guess is that Tommy will take me there sooner than later!) Earlier this summer we checked out the local team...super fun! I love going to sporting events with Tommy - he lights up!

My favorite part? The $1 hot dogs and $1 cotton candy. Omg.

It's kindof hilarious that the only "baseball" hat I own is a Boston Red Sox hat... especially since I live in New York and all.

he made me a pie

2010-08-09T08:12:00.000-04:00

I came home from a looooooooooong day at the hospital the other day and Tommy was busy in the kitchen. I had been texting poor Tommy all day with all the drama I was dealing with at work (sometimes venting makes me feel better...it just does.) So when I came home I was all sorts of grumpy.

Tommy had tons of peaches all sliced up on the cutting board. When I asked him what the heck he was doing, he sweetly informed me that he was making me a pie. *awwwww*

My heart melted. A smile crept up that stayed on my face all night. My cutie pie made me a peach pie. We ate it with ice cream on the side. I fell a touch more in love with him...and I didn't know that was even possible.

The next day, we finished it off. Two people + 1 pie + 2 days = gone. Is that normal?

spiedie fest

2010-08-08T10:24:00.000-04:00

In moving to upstate New York, I was told that many of the little towns in the area had festivals and fairs throughout the year...and that they were all pretty fun, but pretty hokey at the same time. I am one that loves a lil "hokey" in my life. Tommy and I cruised down to the Spiedie Festival in Binghampton, NY this weekend and what a sight it was!! It was a huge balloon festival with literally thousands of people, hundreds of food vendors and dozens and dozens of brilliantly colored hot air balloons taking flight. I couldn't even snap pictures fast enough! When a balloon would finally achieve airborne status, the crowd would erupt with cheers! It was infectious excitement.

I need to take a balloon ride someday.

After watching the magical flight of the pretty balloons we continued to enjoy the day and ate ourselves silly and listened to the live music until dusk. I love unexpected summer fun like this.

dream land

2010-08-07T13:28:00.002-04:00

I love our comforter. It's navy and has a bold cluster of stripes in oranges, greens and blues that float down the center of it. It's thick and heavy and keeps me so snugly warm on cold evenings....well...that and my hubby of course. *grin*

I love our comfy comforter. But now I'm having a heck of a time making our bedroom FEEL like a sleep space. Don't get me wrong, I travel off to dreamland within the first few moments my head hits the pillow! My dreams are so nice. Except, the room isn't so pretty.

This is my new project. You know...if I have time.

ginger + carrot

2010-08-05T16:12:00.000-04:00

I felt crazy inspired this weekend. I wanted to make healthy muffins with big bangerange tasty organic goodness. So I found a recipe for ginger-carrot muffins....pumped full of flax seed, wheat bran, oatmeal, cups of freshly grated organic carrots and ginger....sounded delish. (I jump at any opportunity cook with our shiny new cooking items!)

The aroma that filled our little apartment was A.MAZ.ING. I was excited!!! Until I took a bite. They were gross. Like, uneatable gross. I couldn't believe it. Freaking health food.

Major baking fail.

baby's first book

2010-08-03T08:45:00.002-04:00

This is just about the most darling thing I've ever seen! I so wish I had time to make one for every single one of my friends who have a baby. I just want to know, who has time to make these things in real life!? I wish I did, I so wish I did!! Until then I'll covet all the sweet things that Posie Gets Cozy creates...like this baby book.

stairway to...

2010-07-31T20:03:00.000-04:00

via Design*Sponge

I imagine, if we had a staircase, it would be interesting...with fantastic colors and too much visual stimulation to handle in one trip...or 50 trips for that matter. Someday, maybe, we'll have a house that has stairs.

Right now, we reside on the 3rd floor in our building. It has an elevator, but I refuse to use it...makes me feel all kinds of lazy. I prefer the stairs, despite the fact it is so ugly...and spider ridden....with giant dust bunny collections in the corners...it's actually kindof gross. But I walk it anyway. Today - I'm going to sweep it out - even though the building has a cleaning person - I don't think she likes cleaning the stairs...pretty sure she hasn't done it since we moved in.

indoor tent

2010-07-28T19:11:00.000-04:00

Oh man. I will so have to remember THIS project for the days where I don't want to read a book on the sofa, or in my chair. You know, for the days when climbing into a homemade indoor tent/fort is the only way to enjoy it all.

How rad is this? Found at decor8

oufi bag

2010-07-25T10:54:00.000-04:00

I haven't purchased a new bag since last fall - I think I may be overdue. Good thing I spotted this lil beauty over at Style Obsesssion - now I know what I want! Go try to win it!

the rog

2010-07-24T14:03:00.000-04:00

As a "Welcome to Your New Town" gift, my mom sent us a year long pass to the local zoo. Tommy's a huge fan of going to the zoo...it's really cute how excited he gets! What's really awesome about this zoo pass is that it can be used at various zoos all over the northeast. While we were in Rhode Island a couple weeks ago we hit up The Rog (the Roger Williams Park & Zoo). It was fantastic! A baby giraffe was born the day before...it was so precious!

I'm so excited to see what the zoos in our backyard have to offer! What's your fave exhibit at the zoo? I'm always smitten with the elephants...they just make me laugh.

lily pond

2010-07-22T09:46:00.007-04:00

Upstate New York is breath taking. A couple weekends ago we took a morning drive through the country and happened upon a lovely state park...so we took advantage of the perfect weather and set out on a lil hike. Needless to say, I squealed at the beauty of it all...more than a couple times. It was the lily's in the pond - I've never seen anything quite like it!! They were blooming. It was beautiful.

art walk

2010-07-20T09:32:00.002-04:00

Took a little road trip to a nearby town a couple weeks ago...for their First Friday Art Walk. I started going to art walks when I was an undergrad living in Flagstaff. I spent almost every first Friday of my medical school career going to the downtown Phoenix art walks. So in a way, this feels familiar. Familiar is a good thing when you are 3000 miles away from home.

fridge love

2010-07-17T07:04:00.000-04:00

From Tommy...this one gave me goosebumps.

I bought a set of magnetic poetry for Valentine's day of 2009...but never even opened the box until we moved to NY this summer. This turned out to be the best thing EVER!

While I'm out at the hospital all day (umm...and all night), Tommy will compose sweet sweet messages and poems for me to come home to (or wake up to.) Sometimes I'll start a new one, and when I come home, he will have finished it in the most beautiful way.

I take pictures of them. They are so lovely...and make my heart pitter patter for him only.

I love being a newlywed!

the backyard

2010-07-16T07:58:00.003-04:00

This is the backyard my husband was a child in. It's lovely in every way....with pretty flowers, wild forests, lots of lawn ornament friends, and great spaces for playing tag or running around. I love the gardens my mother in law cultivates. She hides little treasures in between her flowers and shrubs...little gnomes, fairies, ducks, tea cups...a random assortment of charm. I need to spend more time back here....I'm always sad to leave.