postscripted

Front page {seiben}

2011-08-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

Last night's front page feature on Etsy of my {Ember} earrings was extra special, because it also featured my mom's stunning dish that she made in a clay class back in her jr. high years! Isn't it, and that, just perfect?

Huge thanks to both my mom and to the lovely currator, Ayse from Turkey, owner of violasboutique

Fragrant Lake Friday

2011-05-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful kick off to the weekend! We took advantage of this lovely Friday with a hike to "Fragrant Lake," though we all thought the waterfall on the way was the highlight of the trip.

I tested out a new pair of earrings that will be in the shop soon, my hubby offered to take some photos of it for me.

I love the intricate detailing & unique shape! A new favorite pair for sure.

Wishing you...

2011-05-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." {Elizabeth Stone}

Happy Mother's day to all you lovely, hard working, super moms! I hope you're able to find relaxation & joy in your celebrations today.

Big, little man

2011-04-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

This little love turned 2 yesterday.
He further proclaimed his "two-ness" by mixing tackle hugs & slobbery kisses with all kinds of mayhem & madness.

{birthday #1}

{birthday #2}

Despite it all, he & big sister are still best friends.

Octopus says:

2011-02-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

{Octopus to do list}

Now that is what I'm talking about. This is my to-do list today, in preparation of a Valentine weekend cabin getaway with a dear couple friends of ours.

Don't I wish every day's list was as fun as this one! At least they always look this cute thanks to boygirlparty.

Maiya's 3rd birthday

2011-02-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

Although my little Maiya Belle turned 3 at the end of Decemeber, I had yet to share the photos!

Maiya has always been one with a strong voice & opinions, this party was no exception. She had been telling me for months that she wanted "vanilla, vanilla" cupcakes for her party, and that she wanted 3- fitting!

We made these little mini's from scratch together, which may have just been her favorite part of the day! I topped them with brightly colored toothpick & Japanese masking tape flags.

I still can't believe my little peanut is three! And yet, it also seems as though her old little soul couldn't possibly only be 3.

And we have a winner!

2011-02-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

I'll admit, February snuck up on me. I missed the memo that the month turned yesterday!

So, without further than a day late's ado, drum roll please...

Congratulations Kanani!
I'm thrilled to be sending a
{All you need is LOVE} necklace to you!

Thank you all for participating, much love to you all!
xo,
m

{win me}

2011-01-26T00:16:00.000-08:00

{all you need is LOVE necklace}

Each January order earns you an entry into my drawing to celebrate the {love} I have for you, dear ones, and also the 1st year of {postscripted}! I couldn't ask for better fans, thank you for your {love} and support!

I'll be drawing a random name on Feburary 1st, the contest will end midnight, January 31st. I will contact & announce the winner-you'll just need to let me know if you'd your lovely in silver or gold.

Much {love},
m

A must read

2010-11-12T14:42:00.000-08:00

I've been on a reading craze..something about having access again to my tiny little hometown library, and of course the cold fall weather. I've been making less new pieces, but I count it into the natural ebb and flow of the creative process. It's so good to get lost in a beautiful story..and keep my mind open to inspiration as well.

My favorite book this season? The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott. Please forgive me if you've already heard my rants about it in person, but seriously, read this. Find a good fire and a cup of tea and tell me when you have because I'll come join you.

I got goosebumps when Kelly announced the new cover today, isn't it lovely? I'll take that dress, and that hair please and thank you.

Any more book recommendations I can add to my ever growing list? I'd love to hear yours!

Home sweet serenity

2010-09-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry to leave you all hanging with the spider imagery. Here's a bug that is far more my style. He landed right in front of me just as I took of my lens cap, and lingered very briefly, so I felt fortunate to have captured this moment.

We're settled in now in our home in Arlington, and truly feel like we're home {again}. It's such bliss to be surrounded by family, and reconnecting with my west side friends. I'm often cold, but the rain runs in my veins and I will adjust back to it. At least I keep telling myself this.

I've been spending a great deal of time wandering through my mother's garden, as you can see from all the outdoor listings I've been adding to the shop lately! I'm constantly inspired by the shapes, colors, textures, and even the serenity.

Happy Labor Day weekend, my dears!

Relaxation, fail.

2010-08-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

{laurageorge}

I woke up this morning with a massive headache {which sadly, has been a regular occurrence during this week of packing & moving}. Today is our official moving day, and I wanted to start the day off with some quiet thoughts and relaxation. I put up the baby gate on the bathroom door so that I could hear & see the kids without needing to wrestle them out of the cupboards and pull T.P. out of Maxton's grubby little hands, and ran myself a morning bath.

The instant I laid down, classic Maiya strategic move: "mommy, I need to go potty." I knew this translated to, "I need to sit on the toilet for the entire duration of your bath because I love chatting with you." Maiya on the toilet, I tried to re-establish the quiet, peace filled moment and I closed my eyes. I literally spoke a quiet mantra outloud "relax...relax...relax..."

A quiet minute rolled by. A second quiet minute rolled by. Suddenly my eyes flew open as I felt a nasty sort of tickling on my foot. My feet were resting on the bath wall, and on my foot was a tarantula. Matt says there aren't any here in Spokane, but it was at least a tarantula's cousin.

I jumped, shrieked, and fell out of the tub. Maiya shouted from her safe position on the toliet, "get the bug out of the water mommy! get it out of the water!"

I am terrified of spiders. Ter.if.ied. I grabbed a handy plastic cup from the counter and attempted to scoop it out of the water. I gagged and recoiled. It took all my courage {which wasn't much} and channeling of all my rage for the interruption to get the nasty, hairy thing out of the tub.

I stared at the now contaminated spider water, contemplated running a new bath, laughed at myself for being unable to.

Thus ends the story of my moving morning attempt for relaxation. Time to get back to packing, because as my friend Rachel so eloquently puts it, "there is nothing in the world like you and a U-Haul. Or, as I like to call them " ME-Haul." Because let's face it, who is moving this stuff? That's right Mr. Sister, ME."

Drum roll please...

2010-08-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Heather J. of Olive & a, random.org chose your number as the winner! I'm delighted to send you your lovely {robin} necklace, please send me your mailing address at postscripted@ymail.com

Thank you all for entering the {postscripted} giveaway!
Everyone who entered is now entitled to 20% off everything in the shop for the rest of the week!
xoxo

Front page {drei}

2010-08-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you to joybirdphotography for featuring my {cohesion} earrings in this lovely moon themed treasury that landed a spot of Etsy's front page on 8/7/10.

I've been very busy with custom orders lately, all so different and for such different occasions! Looking forward to showing you what I've been up to, soon!

I also turned in my first interview via e-mail tonight, I'll be posting it once it "airs" online!

Giveaway time!

2010-08-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

The time has arrived for the 1st {postscripted} giveaway!
You must leave a comment here to enter, letting me know which item from my shop you'd love most to win!

There are 3 ways to gain additional entries:

1 entry for following my blog (you can subscribe to my RSS feed here OR follow using the google tool to the right.)
1 entry for liking {poscripted} on facebook
1 entry for posting a link to this giveaway to your facebook page

The prize? Your choice of ANY 1 item from the shop {plus free shipping}. Don't forget to let me know how many entries to give you!

Happy shopping & best wishes, my lovelies!

{Fine print}
Contest runs August 2nd through midnight PST August 16th. Winner will be chosen via a random number generator. Winner must contact me at postscripted@ymail.com with their mailing address to claim their prize by August 18th, or another random winner will be chosen- so don't forget to claim your prize!

White Bean Dip

2010-07-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

Like most moms, I'm always on the lookout for good {read: healthy}, kid friendly snack ideas.
I whipped up this white bean dip today a with a 2:1 success- Maxton and I liked it, Maiya wasn't a big fan. Then again, Max will eat nearly everything, including non-edible items, so not sure his vote quite counts at this stage.

I'm a huge garlic fan- but this recipe was still a bit on the strong side for me. Perhaps I will either chop the cloves more finely next time, or try roasting them first. It's a great base and texture, but I'd like to add more flavors to it.

Jalepenos? Fresh herbs? Bacon? {minus 10 healthy points}.
What would you add?

New perspective

2010-07-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

I'm just giddy to have my new Rebel T1i! It arrived today and I have spent every spare moment today snapping pictures, experimenting with it. I have the love, but not education, of photography- but am feeling truly inspired to learn all that I can. A few shots from today:

Neck out here

2010-07-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

My lovely model & dear friend Patricia's neck graced the front page of Etsy last weekend as the
{champagne layered} necklace made it's debut feature on Etsy.com front page! Low and behold, my neck landed on the front page three days later, as the {epitome} earrings were featured!

My Eastern Wa Team Vice President, the lovely Cherie of Studio Cherie curated this lovely multi team member collection- she rocks!

Huge thanks to Jenny of Sea Pinks for including me in this lovely collection!

Insert Twifan joke here.

2010-06-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

Have you gone? Planning to go? Keeping it real here, admitting I not only went to Eclipse, but to the trilogy showing and 12:00 a.m. premiere. Go ahead, poke fun at me...but we had a great time!

Summer has arrived!

2010-06-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

We've been loving the sunshine here in Spokane, and soaking it up by being outdoors as much as possible. This weekend we were blessed with a visit from my family- our house held an additional 6 family members!

In a few short days we squeezed in a trip to Silverwood amusement park, a birthday lunch date with my hubby, "Things" {have you played it!? so fun!}, rounds of my new favorite card game: hand and foot, poolside & splash pad playing, and a sister shopping date, which were all good distractions for us being under the weather.

Sadly, we shared the love & the bug has gone home with my family- they say it was worth it but I'm not sure they'll still feel that way once they wake up tomorrow!

photos by Brenda Ulinski {a.k.a. Gram B}

Happy 25 sale!

2010-06-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

In Celebration of my upcoming 25th birthday, take 25% off all items in the shop!
{now-June 27th}

woodland vows & wedding dreaming

2010-06-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

I was delighted last week to see my "Woodland Vows" treasury on Etsy's front page! If I could have a wedding again, it would look something like this:

Check out the lovely blogs of the artists who inspired this treasury:
Magpie Paperworks
Zinnia Designs
Trial by Cupcakes
St Jude's Creations
Flores Del Sol
Which Goose
Those Alaskan Girls
Jessica Rose Design

And a special thank you to Laura of Trial by Cupcakes, {top right} who kindly designed the new {postscripted} logo!

What's your dream wedding like? If you've had one already, what would you do differently this time?

Finch Arboretum

2010-06-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite moments of a bliss filled memorial day weekend: a trip to Spokane's lovely Finch arboretum. We loved it so much, we did a second loop around. We even saw a gorgeous owl swoop through the trees, Maiya's shirt was very fitting for the day!

How did you celebrate this weekend?
I hope you enjoyed some bliss & relaxation!

{siamese sookie} earrings

2010-05-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you Sookie, for being true to your nature and insisting on watching me from the chair during today's photo shoot...once I paused from trying to shoot around you, I realized how striking the resemblance was between your eyes and the earrings I was photographing.

They have now officially been deemed {siamese sookie} earrings. Just added to the shop!

Inspiring imagination

2010-05-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

"Oh! I love this honey, can you tell me about it?"

"It's a bluuue flenken. With two legs."

"A flenken? What does flenken do?"

"Makes noises. Like, do-dee-do."

"Oh! What else does it do?"

"Rides on trains and says do-dee-do."

Is your fridge an art gallery as well? Don't you just love it?

Chicken oriental salad

2010-05-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

Meet my Chicken Oriental Salad, sort of. It's not traditional, but it's pretty awesome. Matt says so.

Sorry again for the not-as-appetizing-as-it-truly-is photo.
I really need to start cooking dinner when it's still daylight.

roll call:
diced grilled chicken {I don't have any tips here, this is the husband's department}
sliced tomatoes
red grapes. or green. red are more pretty.
grated mozzerella cheese.
{I'd usually grill thinly sliced onions for the top. We didn't have one last night, still good!}

dressing:
3 T. honey
1 t. vinegar
4 t. mayo
1 T. grey poupon {I prefer course ground- not pictured here but definitely better than regular.}
1/4 t. sesame oil

blend & chill 20 minutes before serving.
enjoy!

{poise}d for the spotlight

2010-05-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I made a friend on Etsy.

Her name is Trish, and she is lovely.

Also, witty, sweet, and talented.

I hope she does start a blog someday

because the world needs to read her writings.

Funny, true story:

Trish commented on the {poise}earrings my fb page.

Thus, her mom saw that she wanted them,

and she bought them as a surprise.

later,

Trish saw the {rabit hole} necklace on her mom

and recongized it!

she asked her mom where she got it

Trish would not be convinced they came from the mall

she showed her my shop.

her mom ended up having to confess-

and hand over Trish's surprise gift!

Now, {poise} has not only gained a new home,

they've gained a new spot on Etsy!

Trish has this lovely upcycled earring holder for sale,

and look who gets another round in the spotlight!

the {poise} earrings are flattered

and so am I!

update: *{Hooray! Trish now has a blog!}*

Sneak peak at summer

2010-05-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Part I. Coming to the shop soon!

How to spoil a mother.

2010-05-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Mother's Day this year, I got a MOM tattoo.
Just kidding.

I love to shop. I especially love to shop without a stroller & two kids. Thank you hubby, for driving the kids around the mall until they fell asleep, and staying in the car with them while I sent you texts like, "oops nm just found 2 more to try on."

The said driving also unfortunately lead my hubby to Krispy Kreme, where he had the misfortune of eating 4 doughnuts. Yes, misfortune because he wasn't hungry for dinner at our next stop-our favorite restaurant, Spaghetti Factory. His misfortune was my fortune-he gave me the gift of tending to the two banshees so I could focus on enjoying my Spaghetti Mizithra and raspberry lemon drop.

Sorry to all the tables who had your conversations interrupted by our 1 year old screeching his lungs out. Frequently.

I feel so blessed to know so many wonderful mommy friends, and to have two amazing moms of my own. Hope your Mother's day was blessed!

oh. my. goodness.

2010-05-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

5 minutes with my eyes off the kids, in my studio office {2 feet away}, and I hear Maiya say "Maxtonboy's hands are dirty!" You better believe I lept over the baby gate to investigate that seemingly harmless statement.

This is what I found. I didn't even have to say a word, Maiya said it for me.
"oh. my. goodness."

Prescription strength diaper rash cream.You also better believe I took a photo before I could even fully assess the damage. It makes me feel better, in midst of crises, to know I will at least get a blog out it.

That, and I will be able to look back and laugh someday. Someday.

Maiya climbed the bookshelf, took it down, opened the lid, and handed it off. Not a single speck of ointment on her. She just stood there as I cleaned, muttering with her hands on her hips, "oh my goodness Maxtonboy, what a mess. What a huge mess Maxtonboy."

Wonder where she learned that?

boho sandals

2010-05-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

{Report & GAP}

I've been looking for a perfect pair of modern bohemian {and comfy!} sandals for.ev.er, so I was simply thrilled when I found not just one pair, but two this week!

They are so pretty, I feel as though I'll need to keep a better pedicure in order for my {often neglected} feet to grace them!

Bloomies and a full moon

2010-05-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my friend Patricia and I joined a crowd of 50,000 in the highly celebrated annual 12k, Bloomsday. It was my first and I was blown away. The energy, the feeling of community togetherness, the music, the adrenaline- I loved it all. Though we planned on walking the whole 7.46 miles, we were fueled by it all and surprised ourselves by running much of it.

We finished the race as complete fools, leaping and bounding for the cameras. We hoped to be caught by one of the cameras, but alas, the pictures just don't do our frolicking justice. I really wanted to prove to my husband that I did indeed do this.

An amazing lunch, coffees, and hours of shopping as just the two of us {not the 4 with double strollers in tow}completed a perfect day.

Next year, I will be running it. The whole 12k. I'll begin training once I can walk like a normal person again- saying I'm sore today doesn't really cover the extent of it. But, never-the-less it is a proud, accomplished, sort of sore.

An eventful day quickly turned into an eventful evening at home when we realized that our one year old son Maxton might have eaten one of my purchases from the day of shopping: a moonstone. Yes indeed, the x-rays gave him away! The nurses seemed quite amused and charmed by the whole thing {and how by how adorable Max was being at the Urgent Care office}.

It was my job to then be on diaper watch until the stone "fully mooned." Yes, you can imagine the amount of jokes & puns the whole ordeal has evoked. Sparing you the details, it was thankfully out by this morning and our little gem collector seemed none-the-wiser.

Thankful for such an amazing day, a great friend, finishing strong, and a safe "full moon" delivery.

Checking in

2010-04-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Our Aunt Teri

Dear friends, I haven't forgotten you!

Life has been even more busy than usual lately, and rather tumultuous recently as my husband's dear grandma Louise was hospitalized after suffering two strokes, and my aunt Teri's heart stopped last week due to a heart condition that was unknown at the time {she'll soon be receiving both a heart defibrillator & pacemaker}.

Thankful for your prayers, and praising God that both are now in the process of recovering. Our hearts long to be with family and we are grateful to be making the trip to the Seattle suburbs tomorrow.

In the midst of it all, we will be celebrating our littlest one Maxton's very first birthday this Sunday- an event I can barely believe because surely he's only 7 months still. He is such a little man- such a joy, and he completes our family so! He's our little King of the Wild Things.

...now back to today's job of packing our little sedan full of 4 people's stuff!

my new mantra

2010-03-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

Showcasing: orangethyme

2010-03-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

My lips are happy today.

Why?

My new black berry tinted lip balm

It's yummy,

silky,

& makes for kissable lips

{says my hubby}.

The little chick and peep flavored balm?

Sweet gifts from the designer.

Next on my wish list?

Her jasmine grapefruit perfume oil

sounds heavenly!

Her name is Rachel,

and she just opened a new shop:

orangethyme.

check it out!

tea for three

2010-03-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

I love tea.

I adore surprise gifts.

Best of both worlds: surprise nesting tea cups from Starbucks.

I may have mentioned {twice} how much I would love to buy these.

I'm so glad he was listening.

He may come home to some made-from-scratch brownies.

*I really wish I could figure out how to fix these wacky blogger spacing issues! boo.

team blue

2010-03-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

After a fabulous "pamper her" party

for my friend Carley, who is expecting in April,

I snatched up these blue gemstones next door at Spokane's Flour Mill.

It's clear that being on "team blue" influenced my choices just a little!

HI octane trip

2010-03-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

4 days.

1 spontaneous decision to leave a day early.

3 trips back home for forgotten items.

420 minutes driving.

318 miles.

1 baby shower for 2 sister-in-laws.

25 family members visited.

Innumerable hugs.

days we slept in :

all of them.

biscuits I ate:

too embarrassed to say

2 life saving trips to D&M coffee.

2 granidas for the road,

1/2 lb beans for the home.

currently sipping:

1 caramel macchiato, reminding me of it all.

win me!

2010-03-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

I made this one-of-a-kind necklace for a local raffle benefiting Spokane Mental Health's Evergreen Club, a not-for-profit organization that works with job rehabilitation for people with mental illnesses. It has a special place in my heart, and is a very worthy cause!

Looking forward to the raffle this St. Patrick's day- there are some fabulous prizes this year! If you are interesting in attending the raffle and supporting this cause {hosted in a downtown Spokane restaurant!} let me know and I'll send the info your way.

the eye of Sauron

2010-03-08T15:39:00.000-08:00

In an unfortunate moment of clumsiness, I dropped a glass candle holder on my little red teapot yesterday...and this is what I ended up with. My husband and I couldn't help but notice an uncanny resemblance...

do you see it too?

a well spent saturday

2010-03-07T00:04:00.000-08:00

First trip to the library with both kids.

I can't believe we hadn't done this sooner!

Maiya wasted no time choosing books and finding a sunny seat.

She wanted to read all by her big 2 year old self thank-you-very-much.

Max thought the library was a great new place to crawl & climb on.

He conquered it all.

thinking green

2010-03-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

It's starting to feel like spring!

These succulents now grace the corners of my office space,
the bonsai entices me into the kitchen to get some dishes done.

Oh! The effects of adding a little greenery into your space...

for me it's serenity and joy!

{tell me, what's your favorite "green" in your home?}

inspiration and ramblings

2010-02-26T23:46:00.000-08:00

{love sugar design}

I'm beaming every day from the people I have been connecting with through Etsy and various blogs! I keep stumbling across more genuinely wonderful people, with amazing talent, and feeling so inspired everyday!
I really like feeling inspired everyday. In fact, I think I may be quickly becoming addicted to inspiration.
I'd really like to vamp this blog up, and I mean pay someone to vamp this blog up. I'm pursuing options here, and very much open to suggestions! Know anyone?
I think online magazines are fantastic! Have you seen Lonny? Fabulous.
The computer is becoming a bit too large in my life. It's the source of my music, reading, business, daily contacts...looking forward to getting out of the house and outdoors! Come soon, spring.
I'm a bit shocked at the large amount of interest that my fan page and twitter request for willing models {real women models} generated. Sweet! I'm looking so forward to these upcoming shoots!
Honestly, a bit intimidated by the project though, since I am such a beginner photographer and my skills are currently limited to what I've learned works within a very light controlled photo box. This will be outside of my comfort zone.
I'm a big believer in pushing yourself out of your comfort zone- something I often have to do with more force than most perhaps-but so many good things have happened when I have allowed myself to become vulnerable, and take risks. Except ordering something other than my usual dish in any favorite restaurant- I always regret that.
I have a {getting bigger every day} list of blogs I want to read from start to finish. Maybe it's the book lover in me, but I want to know the whole story- and I can't stand not to read it all. Top of my list:
Going Home to Roost
Love, Natalie
Oh, hello friend
Our Little Haus

Have a fabulous weekend!

marsala, mushroomless.

2010-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've had a project that has been in the works for a few months, and has been waiting to meet it's wearer. It was centered around a collection of crystal beads that a friend requested that I work into a set.

Our schedules finally aligned to meet last night for dinner at our home. We had her over for a chicken Marsala dinner/ play date with the kids. We know she loves us, but really, it's all about the kids. We're good with that.

{Maiya is now the owner of a box of pink peep chicks, gummy spring animals, new pink sippy cup, and two Dr. Suess lovies. She was most excited about the big girl cup.}

I was able to make dinner with Matt, tidy up, and snap a few quick pictures of the pieces while our friend played tea party and toss the whale lovie with the kids. Bliss!

I didn't get a picture of the meal, but here is the most beloved & faithful recipe of mine {we served it with steamed broccoli drizzled in Marsala glaze}. Disclaimer: you must be an avid garlic fan. If not, perhaps you should lower the suggested garlic content.

{Chicken Marsala }

for two

2 chicken breasts

2 Tbs flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbs olive oil

small pat of butter

2 cloves of finely minced garlic

3 Tbs parsley flakes

3/4 C. Marsala cooking wine

1) Flatten each chicken breast by gently pounding between sheets of plastic wrap {or in a plastic baggie}.

2) Mix flour, salt, pepper in a bowl, coat chicken shaking off excess flour.

3) Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic & parsley for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4) Add chicken to skillet. Cook, turning once until golden brown.

5) Gently add the wine {this is also where you'd add in mushrooms, if you so desire. We don't.}

6) Cook 8 minutes, turning chicken once until thoroughly cooked. Whisk in a pinch of flour if you prefer to thicken the glaze.

Memorize it, cherish it, serve it to those you love. Enjoy!

white: plates & teethy grins

2010-02-18T15:43:00.000-08:00

Hello, beautiful. This sweet little parcel landed on my doorstep today, and within it: this gorgeous little milk glass plate.

I'm crazy about milk glass, and this plate didn't last long on my favorites list before I swooped it up from a great little shop, Victoria & Charlotte. One of the reasons I love the store is that you never know what you will find there. Don't you just love stores like that?

This little man was hanging off my legs while I was trying to snap these photos- without a tripod mind you. He wanted a snack-he's now sitting contentedly in his high chair next to me, eating some bread.

Just look at those teeth! He's working hard on them everyday.

color me

2010-02-17T14:51:00.000-08:00

{wikepedia}

Perhaps it is the psych nerd inside of me that loves quizzes. Or maybe I became a pysch nerd, because I loved quizzes. Either way, I thought this quiz based solely on color preferences pegged me pretty well- though I'm not super impulsive.I discovered the quiz through Young House Love, a favorite site of mine, and fellow quiz lovers.

You're a CREATOR

Keywords
Nonconforming, Impulsive, Expressive, Romantic, Intuitive, Sensitive, and Emotional

These original types place a high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self-expression. They enjoy working independently, being creative, using their imagination, and constantly learning something new. Fields of interest are art, drama, music, and writing or places where they can express, assemble, or implement creative ideas. {uh huh!}

CREATOR WORKPLACES
Consider workplaces where you can create and improve beauty and aesthetic qualities. Unstructured, flexible organizations that allow self-expression work best with your free-spirited nature. {sounds perfect}

{if you take it, note that you can skip though the personal info section. Tell me what your colors say about you! Do you agree with your results?}

love within the moments

2010-02-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

I hope your Valentine's day was full of love. Ours included:

reading cards out loud to one another {with an audience of interested kids}
beautiful tulips, a bamboo plant, and a mini rose plant for Maiya
church
salsa making
snapping a rare picture together
finding a little "love note" from Maiya on the written on our window...

I did get serenaded in the middle of it all...during a really fabulous message on sustaining the romance within your marriage, our Pastor surprised us all with a request for the husbands to stand, turn to their wives, and join him in a chorus of "you are so beautiful to me." My husband is not shy. He belted it out.

Love to you & yours!

what love would look like as a bouquet

2010-02-12T01:19:00.000-08:00

{Design* Sponge}

Oh, sweet spot of perfect Valentine's day bouquets. Or any day bouquets. Hello, succulents, I adore you.

I know, two posts in one night, living life on the wild side! Tonight I told Matt, "honey, let's make it a goal to go to bed at a deccent hour tonight!" His smug reply, "yeah, let's aim for before 2 a.m."

...look, I still have 45 minutes to make goal!

my happy {kitchen} place

2010-02-12T01:01:00.000-08:00

These pictures make me feel very, very happy. Thanks, {The Estate of Things}, I will now proceed to stare at my computer screen, pretending that I'm making ice tea in a frosted pitcher in this kitchen, that is actually mine. In my little pretend world. Guess I'll be needing a pitcher.

silver spring

2010-02-11T02:08:00.000-08:00

My penchant for gold had taken over the shop a bit...I'm excited to have brought a bit of silver to the shop tonight! They make me want to exclaim SPRING! I adore Spring, I'm so ready for it- are you as well?

I'm making myself go to bed upon this post's completion...really, truly.

{m}

pajama jeans. yes, I'm totally serious.

2010-02-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

{courtesy of Stylelist}

Confession:

I spend a great deal of my week in jammies/sweats/yoga pants. When I say great deal, I mean every day of the week unless it's the weekend or I'm traveling to/hosting a kid's play date. It's just a life phase {hopefully!} for me while I'm a stay at home mom of two little ones and I have more pressing things to do than dress up each day. Not saying that I don't get excited to actually put on normal clothes and go out- who would have thought I'd ever be so excited to slip on some skinny jeans and boots!

I had to laugh though, when I came across this new article in Style List today: pajama jeans. Look out snuggies! Or better yet, wear them with your snuggie! Check out the video if you dare.

a new nest

2010-02-01T21:07:00.000-08:00

{pottery barn}

While out on a girls' day of shopping downtown celebrating my friend Patricia's 30th birthday this weekend, I happened upon this darling little wire wrapped nest at Pottery Barn. Except, it caught my eye because it was filled with a little puff of bright green moss as part of a springy table display. You see, I have a little bit of a moss obsession right now. I thought it would be just perfect for photo staging my next collection.

So, $4 later I made my first ever purchase PB , and the clerk was kind enough to throw in the tuft of moss with it! And, as I told myself, if it didn't work for pictures, it would work perfectly well sitting on my work desk, bringing me cheer and thoughts of spring!

PW salsa debate & my most treasured recipe

2010-01-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Pioneer Woman {Ree/PW},

I adore you, I really do. You fit right into my life during a time where after 4.5 years of marriage, my recipes had grown boring and I was stuck in a redundant cycle of dishes that had lost their sparkle. Now an avid fan, when I'm not trying out a dish from your vast visual recipe index, I'm talking about you- and blogging about you.

Thus, it is with utmost regard that I completely & utterly disagree with your stance on vinegar with salsa. That being said, I would also never, ever, put cumin in my salsa. Or anything.

Cumin or not, you're still my favorite.
Malerie

...You see, salsa is the most requested & one of the most beloved recipes in my family. 7 years ago, when I moved away to college in Seattle and needed a salsa fix, I called my dad and begged him to give me his recipe. I should have realized, of course, that there wasn't one. Being a staunch "no measurements," sort of cook, he does everything by gut- but he gave me a rundown on the ingredients.

So my boyfriend {now husband} and I set out to make a written salsa recipe. We tweaked it until it was just right to us and it's one of the only recipes from our early years of marriage that has remained in my cooking repertoire. Even though it's amazing, it's still never quite as good as when my dad makes it- but I'm ok with that. If you ever get the chance to meet him, I highly suggest you bring tomatoes.

One last anecdote before I leave you with this gem of a recipe: my college roommates decided to try to replicate my recipe while I was out one day. Upon my return, I opened the door to our apartment and was blown away by toxic garlic fumes. As I climbed the long flight of stairs to our living room, I thought I might pass from the odor. I opened the door to a rather sheepish looking pair of roommates sitting next to a giant pile of minced garlic. "We were trying to make your salsa, but I think we did something wrong..." It was quickly figured out that they had mistaken a 'clove' of garlic to mean a 'bulb' of garlic, and had chopped & added in enough garlic for 15 bowls of salsa! I'm pretty sure our teeny little Seattle apartment reeked of garlic permanently from that day forward.

As written in our recipe book, the original recipe & title by a two silly freshman lovebirds:

M&M secret supra salsa

2 cloves of garlic {please, I beg of you, 2!}
2 cans diced tomatoes in olive oil {but not the italian spices}
6 diced roma tomatoes
1 lime
3/4 onion diced
1 bunch of cilantro
1 tsp. vinegar
1 bunch green onions sliced
1 diced jalapeno pepper {fresh}
1/2 small chili pepper
salt to taste {see dad, a non-measurement!}

I like to blend the peppers with a cup or so of the other ingredients to give it texture and also to avoid large chunks of peppers! We like it spicy, for a milder version I'd subtract the chili pepper, and remove all jalapeno seeds before adding the mix.

Heart melting

2010-01-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

The snow is falling in large flakes out our window, and our 9 month old Maxton is very excited about it. As Max, Maiya, and I stood this morning looking out the large windows of our living room, Matt was pulling down the driveway on his way to work, and Maiya murmured, "bye bye Daddy. I love you." It was the first time I'd ever heard her say it without prompting! Then she turned to her brother, his hands pressed against the window and nose against the glass. She kissed his fuzzy head, then rubbed it with her little hands and said, "I love you Max." I was watching in astonishment, and then she turned & smiled at me, and wrapped her little arms in their green fleece pajamas around my neck and said "I love you too, Mommy."

Melt. my. heart.

keen

2010-01-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hello, first etsy sale! My best friend Patricia purchased 'keen,' a personal favorite of mine. Keen: intellectually alert, having or characteristic of a quick penetrating mind. What a perfect fit for her! They are going to look amazing with her olive skin tone & brown eyes! You're the best, p.

3...2...1...

2010-01-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

Launched!

Wow, it has been such a delight to receive so many encouraging messages from friends & family today. I am truly grateful.

succulent

2010-01-21T13:51:00.000-08:00

{greenware design}

I'm crazy about succulents. Even more crazy when they are in white ceramic pots.

As of today....

2010-01-20T20:33:00.000-08:00

I'm a registered business owner.
{postscripted} is my registered trade name.
I own a post office box.

I'm 3 more product photos and 6 listings away from opening my shop. I have a huge list of inactive listings, just waiting for me to push "activate."

I had a well needed break from the biz today, my friend Patricia and her little ones hung out here for a bit. We watched her little Ashlan roll from front to back, Max working on his crawl, our girls coloring together and causing a general state of sweet mayhem.

Feeling refreshed and about to make myself & the hubby a latte, then back to work. I don't think I could have asked for a tougher boss for me than myself.

community & big pictures

2010-01-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

I'm so thrilled to be working on my first custom design order- and honored to have the request- especially in light of the fact that my Etsy store has yet to open it's online doors! Some of the various materials have begun arriving, including footage of absolutely gorgeous gold chain that I'm so impressed with and look forward to ordering again for future projects.

I like to take note of where my different elements ship from, and was amused to see that the chain came from a little town called Truth or Consequences, NM. That has to be one of the best city names I've ever heard!

There is something so strikingly marvelous to me about making pieces of jewelry with so many elements that have traveled from so many different places in the world. To know that so many people have worked in so many different ways for these elements to arrive in my little black mail box- for me to design, arrange, and transform them into pieces of jewelry that someone else that I may have never met or ever will, to wear...I guess it just makes me, in a way, feel connected to a great big picture- and community even. I like it.

$6 organization

2010-01-15T19:52:00.000-08:00

Each January I greatly anticipate choosing & purchasing a weekly planner. Did I just admit that? But you see, 2010 was the first January that I've ever had two little ones and launched a new business all at one. Or ever. Limits in time, money and one meltdown {Maiya's, not mine!} in Barnes and Nobel convinced me to go ahead with this one:

Let me just tell you, it was better than the plain too-small purple one, and the hot pink "suicidal bunnies" themed one. I had three options, and this was a clear winner. Plus, at 50% off it was about $6!

Cute color, cute graphic floral print, but I'm not really sure what this means. I think it's rather cheesy. This is definitely my least favorite of all weekly planners I've ever owned. But...it was $6. And, my life will be organized. And, as Matt put it, "who will even see what it looks like?" Well, you did.

I feel so strangely when I say "twenty-ten." It sounds so sci-fi movie. Not that I'd admit I like {some} sci-fi movies & love weekly planners in the same post.

Jackpot

2010-01-12T13:24:00.000-08:00

{willow}

{audacity}

Last night, or perhaps I should say this morning because it was 1:00 a.m, I hit the jackpot.

After weeks of really getting to know my camera for the first time through hours upon hours of photo shoots for my jewelry {and finally reading the entire cannon manual}, I hit a stride & found some new techniques that really work for me.

One technique involves a paper doile, which I have no idea where it came from- I kept it because I liked it and I'm glad I did. Another includes some stones that my awesome husband snagged for me, and they rock! Literally.

I've got my groove back and I can't wait to kill my back some more tonight as I stoop over my camera tripod! Goal: get to bed before 2 a.m.

Watercolor

2010-01-09T13:19:00.000-08:00

{Maiya's first go at water coloring...she absolutely loved it.}

Birthday calendar

2010-01-09T12:03:00.000-08:00

One of my 2010 resolutions is to send birthday cards on time... check out this beautiful {birthday calendar} pdf, free to print out for a limited time!

*update, 1/21 it's no longer free! but perhaps worth the $2

Making the connections

2010-01-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the movie "Julie & Julia" yet? I say yet, because surely you are planning to. It's fabulous & funny and uplifting. See it.

I'm a beauty seeker. I found beauty in Meryl Streep's rendition of Julia Child and I wanted to know more. A biography I didn't have the time to read but did so anyways, many video clips of the Julia Child watched via google, a new apron & restored sense of adventure in the kitchen, and even a true to recipe "French Onion Soup" dinner later and I still can't get enough. It's no wonder to me where this nearly obsessive sense of information hoarding came from- the soup was made by my own mother who is on this Julia craze right beside me. She also gave me the gorgeous apron and loaned me the biography!

Connections are beautiful to me. I'm the sort of person who pulls connections from movies, memories, smells, sights, books, music, and all that is good & bad in the world and stashes them away in a vast & seemingly eternal file cupboard in my brain. A cellar of file cabinets that is disorganizationally {made up word} organized, not unlike everything else in my life. It's within my nature to then connect my own life & memories to these things I've filed away, sometimes purposefully, sometimes not.

It should also be noted that I like to ramble about things that make sense within my personal cellar of file cabinets, but perhaps not to anyone else. I also often take too long to get to the point. Bear with me.

This all leads to the connection I tapped into the very moment I sat down to write this blog entry. I had a flashback to a scene in which Julie wondered who would actually read her blog besides her own mother. I felt connected to that somewhat fictional character. I do have a small group of blogging friends who I am encouraged to know will read this...thank you dear ones. We all need our own cheering section of people who believe in us. And, it's nice to not write to a completely empty void.

Becoming a seller on Etsy has given me a whole new sense of connections, and truly, though frequently heard across Etsy, a sense of community. I'm still a newbie Etsian, and have much to learn, but I'm optimistically looking forward to great things to come.

{what are you currently obsessing over? what have you felt connected to lately?}