pretty little things

♥

a little peek at something i've been working on

birds and stars

love these gourd lamps !

can't figure out how to order one though

i think their cart is broken or something

might have to figure out how to make something similar

although they kind of remind me of these

curry carrot & apple soup

i make this soup almost every week. it's my absolute favorite.

you can tweak the recipe to suit your taste.

and sub vegetable stock to make it vegetarian

and eliminate honey to make it vegan.

it's sweet and spicy and delicious and can be served over rice or couscous.

i have used it as a starter for holiday dinners and also as a main dish

poured over couscous or rice with a hunk of baguette for dipping. YUM!

WHAT YOU NEED

sea salt
olive oil
1 med white or yellow onion
1 1/2 granny smith apples
5 good size carrots
3-4 cloves of garlic 
ginger root (a few slices)
1 carton of chicken stock
palmful of curry powder
honey

...you can play around with the amounts...

it tastes a little different every time i make it

PREP

peel carrots and apples. 

cut carrots into small slices

cut apple into quarters and then half the quarters

dice onion and press garlic

peel ginger and cut into thin slices

COOK

add onion carrots garlic and ginger to a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil.

cook until the onions start to become translucent

add the full carton of stock throw in your apples, curry and sea salt.

simmer and stir until soft enough for the blender.(about 30 minutes)

i always add another a cup or so of water as it simmers


BLEND

once everything is soft, add it to the blender and blend until smooth.

pour back in the pot over low heat and flavor with sea salt, honey

cayenne and more curry to taste ... and that's it. 

i eat mine over couscous. SO yummy and addicting!

it keeps in the fridge for a few days and you can also freeze it.

this recipe makes about 5 good sized servings

i've made it with and without the garlic, honey and ginger

and don't notice too much of a difference. it's just a matter of taste.

let me know if you have any questions :) 

...and let me know how it turns out!

what happened in vegas

we packed as much as we possibly could into our 24 hour stay

and came home yesterday afternoon positively pooped!!

we stayed at the Bellagio and had a killer view from the room.

front row seats to the eiffel tower

and the fountain show that took place every half hour.

the lobby is dressed with a dale chihuly art installation 

and a giant shimmering horse statue

the hotel was across the street from the Miracle Mile Mall

i'm not usually a big fan of malls, but this one was really nice

there was a super cool section with a night sky and hourly rainstorms

complete with thunder and lightning. i imagine this is one of the best spots

in the dead of summer with 100+ degree weather outside.

anyways, the highlight of the trip was the wedding

at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel.

the bride and groom made their grand entrance in a pink cadillac

and the ceremony was performed by Elvis. it was FABULOUS!

here's a little peak of how it started out.

SO much fun!!!

the cermony was followed by cake and toasts in the reception room

and then a quiet dinner with the mister in nighttime land at the mall.

i had the best salmon EVER with garlic mashed potatoes,

steamed vegetables and a nice big glass of Rosenblum Zinfandel 

the perfect ending to a fantastic day.

...

we came home to a very excited bulldoggie

who had a sleepover at the neighbor's house.

she was so happy to see us and after a quick bath

she cuddled up on the couch and snored her little face off.

...

back to normal today.

looking forward to working on my new designs

and spending time in the tiny house.

hope you had a great weekend.

xx

happy

this colorful vignette is just that: happy

i am too. i had a splendid bday. way mellow.

brunch with mom and a little bit of shopping.

found a new lipstick in the perfect shade of pink.

and got a pair of lashes for our trip to vegas.

hope i can put them on well. i've never done it before.

we are going for a friend's wedding. a quick turnaround.

we're only there for one night.less than 24 hours, i think.

i'll take some pics to share when i get back.

xx

 

lucky stars

today is my birthday

and i am thanking my lucky stars

for such a wonderful life

1  2  3

☆

subtleties

...love this soft palette...

like a silver mist lifted to reveal subtle faded hues 

with carefully placed prints and patterns

...

same kind of vibe i want in my tiny house 

the muted palette and delicate prints remind me a little of this 

(click on images for source)

Bling

with a capital B

you have to check out this etsy shop!!

so much color and sparkle

MAJOR eye candy

x

just be...

a lovely image and beautiful words to live by

artwork by julia rothman via design sponge 

cascade

i have a strip of cork that runs under my fabric shelves so i can tack things up.

you know that contact paper cork board with the sticky back? 

i just cut it into strips and used a couple layers so it'll hold the pins secure

i've had it up for a few years now and it's still holding pretty well.

i painted it the same color as the walls to help it disappear.

it's a really great way to keep and display things i'm working on.

studio love

i've been hunting down some fabulous studios this morning

to help motivate me to finish mine

i stumbled across this amazing space from Shshh-shop on etsy

and now i can't wait to get out to the tiny house

and start styling for a couple of photos.

♡

two by two

thought this would be a cute post for valentines day.

love this noah's ark wall hanging.

and this lovebird woven blanket

...

planning to spend the day working as usual

and looking forward to dinner tonight at the fat lady

➸ happy valentine's day ♥

sparklers

make a sparkling heart pin from a recycled egg carton

here's what you'll need:

cardboard egg carton - paint - glue - glitter - pin

CUT heart shapes from the lid of your egg carton.

PAINT hearts with the same color glitter you plan to use and let dry.

COAT your painted heart with glue and sprinkle with glitter

(i didn't glitter the back cuz i feel like the pin holds better if it's just painted)

GLUE pin in place with either a glue gun... or i used fabritac.

that's it! you're done.

now pin it to your lapel for a little extra bling on valentine's day

attach a pair of hearts to gator clips and embellish your shoes.

or a hair pin to tuck in your curls

or a headband to keep your lovely locks in place.

or a magnet to keep on your fridge

or poke a hole in the top to wear as a pendant

or make a whole bunch to create a garland or mobile

i could go on and on and on

let it shine, let it shine, let it ...♡

➸ valentina ♥

i would like you to meet Valentina.

she is a custom order for a special little lady.

complete with a pretty pair of cupid wings

and shiny glittered heart pin

(i'll be posting a DIY for the pin later today)

rosy pony bands

just added a brand new batch to the shop