Weekend Warriors

When I realized Christmas was a mere two weeks away, I knew Chris and I had to get our butts in gear and accomplish a list of tasks we wanted done before the holidays. And so, we were definitely weekend warriors these past few days! We got the house to a spot that makes it feel good, even if not yet complete. It was necessary, both for our sanity and the number of friends and family who want to see the new place over the holidays!

We now have two rooms that are so close to being complete-for now anyway! May I present to you:

The Dining room! My husband is so handy-he was able to fix an electrical problem we were having that prevented our new pendant light from actually turning on. But look at that baby now:)

And the "cozy" room , as I like to call it because it's such a snugly, warm room, especially with a fire going! This room had been lacking window coverings because I just could not make a decision. At last I found these roman shades that pull in all the colors I wanted! Aren't they pretty?! There are a few unfinished details we need to get to, but it's definitely looking less and less like we just moved in:)


Sunday afternoon I made these aprons for my little siblings, in hopes they might inspire their little minds with culinary genius;) Little kitchen helpers are the best!

Hope your weekend was fabulous! Merry Monday!

My Very First Apron!

So I just finished my very first apron! And it's inspired me to continue mastering the art of sewing. I'm amazed at how much I learned just making this one, and I am proud to admit I didn't even use a pattern! I was inspired by one of my great grandmother's aprons that was given to me. Pretty nifty, right?

While I love and own many different varieties of aprons, I am partial to the half apron. I am drawn to it's functionality and no-fuss factor, which is probably why I loved my grandmothers so much. It is simple while still remaining feminine and sweet. And how cute is that red gingham?!

This was my inspiration.


And THIS is my finished product! While far from perfect, I love it just the same. This picture makes it difficult to see the cute pleats, but they give it a girly flair.

Happy Friday!

Hello lovelies! What are you up to this weekend?

Chris and I are going to see the new Alice in Wonderland tonight! I'm looking forward to the weird and cooky Tim Burton version of the childhood classic. And a plus, I heard good things about it from people who saw a sneak peek.

And while Chris spends Saturday helping his parents paint his Mom's spa, I think I'll get to work on my first apron! I've been quite busy and haven't had a chance to pull out my sewing machine in a few weeks and what better time than a rainy Saturday afternoon? I'm hoping to have a finished product to show you next week!

Oh, and I'm excited to pick up a dessert tea I recently read about from Tea Forte called Coco Truffle. Have any of you heard of/tried it? I'm on a temporary hiatus from sweets/desserts and it's been suprisingly manageable for the most part, but when Chris busted out a box of my favorite Girl Scout cookies last week I almost melted! So I'm looking for a calorie-free treat and this seems to fit the bill!

Doesn't it look delightful?!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Delightfully Inspired

Current mood: Beyond giddy!

A few hours of my Saturday afternoon were spent galore fabrics for my future endeavor to make aprons! I purchased enough to make five and I only wish I actually had a sewing machine to get started:) It has, however, encouraged me to continue my search for the machine suited perfectly for me! Now, inspired by the many patterns I rummaged through today, I have a million ideas floating around my head!

These two retro fruit designs are by Alexander Henry (thanks, Kristin!). Don't you love them?!


This Christmas "angel cakes" print is also by Alexander Henry.


I love the birds, it's so very Fall-ish!


And of course, a girlie floral :)

Some Favorites From The Week

I've got some good eats, reads and finds to share with you on this beautiful Friday!

Grilled flank steak tacos with avocado-lime salsa ~ Sometimes when I make our weekly meal plan, I get so excited about a certain dinner that the anticipation lingers all week. This was definitely one of those weeks! Chris has been asking for steak, so I went browsing through some past issues of Cooking Light in search of the perfect recipe. Alas, I found these grilled flank steak tacos! I splurged a bit on a beautiful $17 piece of flank steak (but he's so worth it!). Last night I was feeling tired and unmotivated to cook, but I simply could not let this meal get put off! As soon as I started grilling the meat my enthusiasm was renewed as it began to sizzle and the spicy aroma of lime and chipotle filled the apartment! The results: wonderfully fresh and authentic tasting! Chris and I agreed these tacos will be making another appearance on our weekly menu!




Secrets to a Happy Marriage ~ Joanna Goddard, the author of one of my favorite blogs, was married last weekend and while she is on her two week honeymoon in Greece and Italy(jealous!), she has asked various bloggers, authors and friends to post about their "secrets to a happy marriage". It has been quite a sweet series that I've enjoyed reading:) Check it out at Cup of Jo! The post by Elly on Wednesday has been my favorite so far:)

Apron inspiration ~ I've shared that I am getting a sewing machine for Christmas, but what I haven't told you is my obsession with aprons! My whole inspiration for learning to sew stemmed from wanting to make my own aprons. I just love them and have recently been on the lookout for cute patterns. Last weekend while garage saleing, Chris and I found a few that he insisted I buy:) While paying for them the girls told me their grandmother made them over 30 years ago! All the more exciting for me as I love the vintage look. I've added them to my ever growing collection and now I REALLY can't wait to start learning! I've also fallen in love with the vintage inspired fabrics at The Tin Thimble. I need to start stocking up because I can tell, this is not going to be my cheapest hobby:)

This is one I got at the garage sale last weekend. Love the bright, cheery fabric!


This one was my grandma's and probably one of my favorites! It has such a feminine sweetness to it!


And this one is from Anthropologie. I love it's simple design and retro flair!



Bulerias Tank by Lululemon ~ I adore this tank! Perfect for yoga or grocery shopping...that's my kind of top:)



Have a great weekend! I know we're looking forward to a low-key 3-day break together:)

Sushi, Sewing and Friends

Happy Thursday guys!

I am so excited to tell you about the sushi making class Parris and I went to on Tuesday! I am always up for new, fun things so when I saw this class offered at Newcastle Produce, I immediately signed up and new exactly who to ask to be my sushi making buddy:) Normally Chris and I would do these things together, but Chris doesn't quite love sushi like I do and a good girls' night is always in order;) So Parris accompanied me and we had a blast! The class was great and suprisingly easier than we thought it would be. We ended up making about six rolls each! I've been in heaven eating my rolls for lunch as well as a snack the past two days!! Can't wait to throw a sushi making party:)

I'm looking forward to taking more of these classes! They are such good dates, with friends and my guy! Next I want to tackle the 7 course dinner!!

Some pics of our class and also one of Lael and Me last weekend:)

This my friends, is a green goddess roll:) Just asparugas and herbs, YUM!


Our dinner, made by us!


We rocked sushi making like it was child's play;)


This is why I love Parris! I'm so glad we're friends:)


Nice lady took our picture:)


And after the class we went to my house and had chocolate cake and coffee, because sometimes, girls just need chocolate;)


Cheers! Notice my new dress I bought last weekend;)I'll take any excuse to wear a sundress!


And finally, Lael and Me at Humphrey Slocumbe:) This photo curtousy of Lael.


On a totally different note, my grandma was so excited when she heard about my new found interest in sewing that she sent my Mom home with a ton of vintage fabric:) I went through it with my Mom last night and am quite excited about my new treasures! I am obsesed with aprons, so she also sent a few of my great grandma's aprons to use as a pattern! I'm pretty stoked about it! And BTW, I have asked for a sewing machine for Christmas, but am lost about what I really need. If you've got any suggestions, I would really appreciate them (Parris, Laurie, Aunt Betty??):)

And lastly, I skyped with Rebecca in GERMANY yesterday! Even though it was only for about a minute because apparently, 3G and skype aren't a great match:( Anyway, I'm just feeling so lucky to have spent such quality time with good friends the past few weeks! It has been exactly what I've needed:)

My Aunt C is flying in today to spend a week in California! Can't wait for some family time this weekend! On the agenda: Julie and Julia, Lake Tahoe and being poolside:) This is my aunt who did the flowers for our reception. She is amazing:)

I'm hoping I can make it through this morning...I only got 4 1/2 hours of sleep last night! But sometimes, yogurt with friends is just more important:)

Have a lovely day!