This Week // 6.19.2014

ranunculus still life photography via lupen grainne | available on etsy

Things to avoid if you want to be happy. Especially #1, #4, #10 and #16.

I'm a long time fan of volcano, but this crane flower about knocked my socks off. It's supposed to be a present but… I'm soooo tempted.

The prettiest trailer I've ever seen.

Jewelry that gives back-- This one is a beauty. And this one too.

Why doesn't my craft room look like this?

If you're a blogger (aka master of deception), these photography tips are awesome.

Have a lovely weekend!

This Week // 6.13.2014

quote by william shakespeare | sign via the house of belonging  | available on Etsy

Today is my kids' last day of school! My how quickly this year went… Next Fall I will have a 1st grader and a 3rd grader. What??!!! So this is the Summer where we slow down time. We are not going to rush through it. We are going to s-l-o-w-l-y enjoy each and every moment. We'll call it the Summer of the Tortoise… and it'll take us an hour to eat a piece of lettuce.  :)

Since the Fam and I will be in slo-mo, this here blog will be in slo-mo too. I know, I know… it's been in slo-mo for about a month now… Alas, it can't be helped. Call it burn-out or a case of casual disregard, but I think a little break will be helpful. I'm going to try my darndest to peek in here at least once a week. And maybe a little creating will happen too. We shall see…

So, here's what's up for this week--

I don't like war. I don't like conflict. And I definitely don't like loud, in-your-face explosions, or special-effects laden movies about war… but I LOVE this movie and what it represents. It's about war, it's about buddies, it's emotional, human and very, very real. It's one of those movies that really gets you thinking and may change what you think you know. Highly recommend!

Father's Day is this Sunday and I got this for my hubby. Trust me when I say… He's going to be so stoked! No sarcasm AT ALL, he's been wanting one of these babies for a while. I did my research and this one is supposed to be good.

I'm not really getting the latest trend of pineapple decor, nor the blogosphere's obsession with cute donuts or things that look like donuts, but aren't… but I can get down with this yummy goodness.

After trying on way too many swimsuits, I finally found one that works for me. It's flattering, on sale, and it doesn't go anywhere when I swim. All good qualities. I feel like it deserves some sort of award… ;)  ps. I bought mine in the sale section and paid under $50.

We're redecorating our Master Bedroom. So far it's very contemporary, charcoal gray/cream and a bit masculine, but I'm strangely attracted to these whimsical crewel curtains. But I know how my brain works, I'll probably lose courage and go with this. Gah! We'll see…

Have a nice weekend!

Our Lives // Hike Our Backyard

Okay, this is not exactly our backyard… But I'm grateful to live in a place where open space and hiking trails are just a stones throw away. Many may complain about Los Angeles and Southern California in general-- too many people! the crazy traffic!;  However many don't realize that we live amongst the largest urban national park in the world, not to mention the abundance of open space just north of the county line. The 240 square miles of open and protected space gives us easy access to nature's wonderland and is what keeps many of us native Angelenos happy and sane.

Although I appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us, I have to admit that we don't get out there and embrace the outdoors as often as we should. So last weekend we decided to remove our butts from all horizontal surfaces and get a move-on. We grabbed the kids and some friends and went on a three hour hike. It was invigorating, beautiful, sweaty and dirty.  We had a blast.

It was a warm 84 degrees, but luckily the occasional cool sea breeze made it enjoyable. We slathered on the sunscreen, packed a lot of water and snacks (gorp is my fave) to keep ourselves hydrated and energized, then headed on out.

I love how California terrain can go from dry scrub and cactuses to a lush waterfall in about 100 steps. Since we've had drought conditions for over 3 years, I was happy to see that the waterfall, while not full, had a decent flow of water.

Streams were forged, pebbles were skipped, plants and animals were observed (including a large snake… thankfully not a rattler). The kids explored and enjoyed pointing out all the interesting things that they discovered.We took our time and followed the stream from the waterfall back to its source. We walked over flatlands, under tree canopies, through steep, shaded canyons and crossed the stream a few times. There was such a variety of things to look at and places to explore that there wasn't a single complaint out of any of the hikers… Nirvana.

At the end of the 3 hour hike, the kids were still running. :)

This Week // 6.05.2014

latitude-longitude key chain via maven metals inc | available on etsy

This was a "chicken with its head cut off" kind of week for me. It's partly due to end-of-school madness, mixed with birthday and holiday planning, and topped off with miserable allergies… A not so great combination.  It was so bad that in my frenzy to get stuff done, I forgot to fill up gas. I was driving on the freeway when I realized that my fuel gauge actually read "1 Mile". Ack! My car gives no warning for low fuel… no bright light… no bing… nothing. By the time I rolled into the gas station it was actually on "0". Whoa… that's pretty bad. But, on the bright side, I'm grateful that I didn't have to push my car.  :D

Anyhow, summer is almost here and I'm determined to get my sanity back soon. Very soon. And I might even work on a project this month… Or July. 

Here are a few things that caught my attention this week--

My favorite candle in a room spray… Bliss!

Any Outlander fans out there? Well, if you are an Outlander virgin, let me tell you… there's a good reason why there are about a billion rabid Jamie & Claire fans out there. It's all about good writing, great research and A-mazing characters that are so incredibly real (and hot!).  On June 10th the Eighth book in the series will be released. I pre-ordered through Amazon and can't wait! Of course, if you're new to the series, you'll want to start with the first book which sets the whole plot and is a great read in itself. 

For some reason, fried blossoms sound good to me. One of these days I'm going to try this recipe.

I don't need any more clothes for summer, but I love this top (in blue)… and this one too.

Starting June 15th, some products of Jessica Alba's eco-friendly line, The Honest Company, will launch at Tar-Jay. One more thing to get distracted by when I go to pick up our prescriptions.

Emily Henderson's go-to paint colors. Awesome. Less trial and error for me. Love her… and love her even more for sharing.

Have a great weekend!