new things

a couple new things i've found to be uplifting & life improving.

one.  facials - tension headache?  not no more.

two.  home-mixed trail mix w/cranberries-almonds-white chocolate-various seeds

three.  martha's new home organizing products

four.  mixed media prints via etsy (nautical themed, naturally)

five.  pinterest...  i've had an account for like a year, and only now do i appreciate its amazingness.

follow me.

six. white kitchens...  & open shelving...  alright, not a new interest, but new snapshots at the very least.

 

seven.  travel books... an adventure to anywhere you'd like to go... from the comfort of your couch;)

eight.  ending on the embarrassing one....  hot in cleveland... betty white is like an 8-year-older version of my grandma & very with it.  (if you have any recommendations of what i should be watching instead, let me know...)

this winter thing

i'm actually beginning to really love winter.

well, this winter.

don't you love those snowy & sunny days?

the afternoons can be blinding, it's wonderful.

winter & lake & best friend & hunters

ahh.

kranskekake

i married a norwegian.

& have embraced my new inherited culture by baking a kransekake.

yes, this german made an 18-ringed almond cake to see if i could.

i could!

& yes, it's supposed to resemble a beehive.

i bought special pans & lots of almonds.

ok, actually i cheated.  i didn't buy a lot of almonds, i didn't grind a lot of almonds.

i bought almond paste instead.  if you're looking to make a kransekake, i highly recommend not spending laborous hours grinding almonds.  it's the traditional way, sure, but it really wears you down & makes baking not so fun.

i thought this cake was really fun to make.

not too hard with pretty cool results!

& the taste is right too.

i followed this recipe, but there are many others.

*re*color your world

colors pretty much sums us up, right?  you're an autumn, you're a spring.  you decorate with rich & warm colors or cool & serene ones.  if you're like me, half of your wardrobe is a specific color and as hard as you try to "branch out," you can't.  because it's your color.

in the line above is "my color" & the colors i like with it, oh and some bold accents too.

i'm going to have a solo painting party & change our walls from white to not so white.  i will always love white, but when every wall of your house is white you start to question whether your house is clean or just sterile.

so in an effort to rejuvenate, i'm bringing more color into my world.

am i being a little silly and overly dramatic about paint colors?

probably.

new year

i'm excited for this year.

i like even numbers, two is my favorite.

so 2012 suits me.

resolutions?

*i suppose, possibly, make something of this blog, possibly.

*start & complete (emphasis on complete) house projects.

*gosh, worry less. worry less! starting now.

*calm-ify, simplify & be inspired to create more.

(art! from the art major! yes, yes.)

*travel more than last year, odds are in my favor!

*gain a green thumb? & learn to bake bread... well.

*wear red lipstick in the daytime, confidently.

*notice & take note of the good things.

*see dear friends more.

*be more fly.  

(& bring back the word "fly.")

here's some more.

more happiness in 2012. definitely.

via