Month: January 2016

garland challenge part one.

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This year, I’m embarking on a craft challenge – my Feed the Fish co garland-a-day project. Follow along on Instagram with #ftfgarland366. Not only does this set aside time for something I love doing – crafting! – but it allows me to exercise my craft muscles on a regular basis, learn new techniques, and build my crafty portfolio. Check out what January had in store. And since January isn’t over yet, here’s a sneak peak at tomorrow’s garland supplies. Can you guess what it might be? Want to see a particular garland project? Comment below!

anniversary adventures.

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My fiancé and I celebrated our 8th love anniversary a few weekends ago by adventuring to the Sutro District and Land’s End in San Francisco. It was our first time, and it was spectacular. We felt like big kids playing in a (somewhat dangerous) playground.  Our first stop was the Sutro Baths which used to be an indoor saltwater swimming pool complex pre-1967, but is now an historic site, popular amongst both locals and tourists. I for one, was extremely stressed out climbing on the ruins for fear of falling and hitting my head on something hard. But it was a must! The views are lovely. We continued our adventures through the cave and heart spotting. Can you spot the hearts below? And then it was onwards towards Land’s End. This is a wonderful place to hike, explore, and spend time outdoors. Best part – you can’t get lost because most of the trails are loops, and there are plenty of signs and maps around. There are many places to stop for photos and enjoy the crashing …

sEATtle.

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There were many a yummy dish to be had in Seattle, but what really stood out was their iced chai with almond milk. I think I have a new addiction now. They have their blends spot on, the almond milk makes the drink a little lighter, and even in the cool weather, the ice is refreshing. But I know you want to see food, so here we go! Thursday: Korean Bamboo We arrived into Seattle just in time for dinner. I had tofu soup like no other. It was a little on the sweeter side and it was the first time I was ok with just eating the soup (sans rice). It was spicy and robust in flavors. Also, their potato banchan (gamja jorim) was on point! Get here on time though, when they say they close at nine; they close at nine. Friday: Top Pot Doughnuts, The Bean Cafe, Wasabi, plus PB Sammies from home On Friday we woke up early for a whale watching excursion. We grabbed a quick AM snack – donuts! – and …

shop feature: heritage mercantile co.

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Welcome to Heritage Mercantile Co. It’s super fabulous in here. On my visit I met the owner – Jennifer. She’s incredibly sweet and loves all of her featured makers. Jennifer puts together a lovely collection of meaningful, quality wares. I really enjoyed all the displays, too; such great merchandising! You can find something for everyone on your shopping list, including pup. Heritage is a great place to shop for soaps, candles and other housewares. They screen print in store, too, (check out their art prints and cute onesie collection) and hold classes. Heritage is off the main road in a quaint corner lot. Visit them! And if you’re buying a gift, you can get it gift wrapped in a classy wooden box. Oh, and if you’re purchasing lots, you can get a free Heritage tote with $100 purchase. Winning on all levels! Thanks for sharing your shop with me Jennifer! What fun gift shops have you explored recently? Share below!

bird watching. 

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Whilst in Seattle we intended to go whale watching, but the whales never came out to play! Despite this huge disappointment, the rest of our “bird watching” experience was unlike any other we’ve experienced. We woke up bright and early to catch a seaplane at Lake Union. There were eight of us on board including the pilot. It was basically a private plane. And the folks at Kenmore Air are most darling. The views from above were amazing. Look at all those trees! We landed at Friday Harbor and wandered the town a little before boarding our tour boat. It’s quiet, has cute shops and eateries, and the air is so refreshing. It seems like a lovely place to spend a weekend away. Aboard the ship our naturalist taught us everything we wanted to know about the animals we saw, why the water moved the way it did, and so much more. We saw a stellar sea lion (the biggest of sea lions!), deer, and a bald eagle. A bald eagle! They are so majestic. I love being on …

tis better to give!

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STOP. Collaborate and listen. I recently joined forces with Will of the Collective Spark to put together Happy New Year packs for their clients. Oh man, oh man. They turned out so classy. Check it out. Will wanted to put together gift packs with a handmade spin. After some planning and hunting down materials, we finally decided on black photo boxes with pops of orange. We ordered ten pounds of crinkle paper (the most I’ve ever seen!), I cut out Collective Spark logos for the toppers and made logo stickers to seal the tissue. Each gift got a handwritten note – yup, I wrote those, too! Then, it was assembly time! Want to know what was inside? All kinds of goodies from Will’s sister’s farm in Italy – soap, honey, and olive oil. I’ve tried all three and am a fan! Read more about her farm, Costa Digiano, here. Will is ready for hand/mail deliveries, but first, photos of the finished product. I’m getting good at this gift box assembly thang. Thanks to Will and the Collective Spark for …

Seattleite.

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And when I vacation, I like to be touristy like a local! Check out all these local finds I explored in Seattle. My God-sister and her hubby took us to Kerry Park. It’s perfect for panoramic views of the city and sunset if it’s clear enough. They brought us to Lake Union to check out the boat houses… And they took us to the Best of the Northwest Art & Fine Craft Show. You can bet I visited all the crafty shops I could throughout our trip, too. We stumbled upon Dry Goods Design on a rainy evening walk through Pioneer Square. Twas the cutest fabric shop. And I visited not one, but two letterpress studios. That’s just how I roll. Paper Hammer Press (above) and Pike St. Press (below). I wanted all the things. I loved exploring the best of the northwest. A big shout out to my God-sister and her hubby for driving us around town, showing us where the cool kids hang and for teaching us not to carry an umbrella around (so touristy!).

Seattle.

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I finally made my way to Seattle; it had been on my list of places to visit for a while. It was so green! I’ve never been so happy to see trees in my life. Of course we hit the touristy, iconic Seattle spots…let’s reminisce! I love me some farmers markets and Pike Place Public Market delivered. Their produce looked so good they almost looked fake, they had a handmade section with local artists selling their work, and my fiancé was excited to see the seafood guys throw fish around. I was impressed with the floral selection — it was dahlia season! You could buy a bouquet of flowers for as low as $5. And I did. I so did. We had a cute floral display in our hotel for our stay. Across the street, you can check out the first Starbucks, and all around you can find pig statues. Apparently, taking pictures next to ‘Sue‘ is a thing, so I joined in the festivities. Sue, statue? We found the gum wall. I’m glad we got to see it in …

our backyard.

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I’m throwing back to the time my feyoncé and I explored Memorial Grove (Fall 2015). The view is lovely, especially on a clear day like this one. Ok, this isn’t really our backyard but it’s so close, it’s basically our backyard. We can see our apartment complex from up here! There are patches of trees and scattered benches. Beware of poison oak and narrow pathways that look like trails – they aren’t trails! We got a good workout climbing back up a path we thought maybe led somewhere. Wherever you walk, you’re close to neighborhoods and roads. There were many people hiking around solo in this park. It’s the perfect local getaway when you need a simple nature break. We spotted a rock spiral, too, and decided it would be a good idea to walk through. It wasn’t. We both got dizzy real fast. Whoops! On the way back home we found a smiley happy bush. Now that’s crafty! Where do you explore in your neighborhood? Share below!

cooking with daddy, episode 002.

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My Dad and I were long overdue for a photo documented kitchen collaboration. This Christmas he taught me his method of making peanut brittle: using the microwave! I was surprised, too. This was just like the time I found out you could use the microwave to make cake (mugs cakes for the win!). Materials & tools: Baking sheet Brush Metal spatula + butter knife / another spatula Measuring cups and spoons Microwave safe mixing bowl Small bowl Ingredient list: 4 tspn vanilla 4 tbsn butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan 2 tspn baking soda 2 c sugar 1/4 tpsn salt 1 c corn syrup 2 c peanuts, raw How to: Grease the pan with melted butter. Heat your pan in the oven at 200F. This will prevent the brittle from solidifying too quickly when you pour the mixture onto the pan. Mix together the vanilla, butter, and baking soda in one bowl. Set aside. In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine the sugar, salt and corn syrup. Mix ingredients together so that the sugar gets …