monday pick-me-up: dcfc's new music video!

let me count the ways...

i love anthropologie, and after watching their newest video on color + print, i love them even more. super short & super inspiring. enjoy!

the whole picture

you may or may not know that i'm currently working on a children's book {more like pre-teen book} that's all about one's relationship with Jesus. everything that happens in the story is symbolic of our choice to follow him and the struggles and victories we encounter as we do so. the more i write, the more i see and hear God speaking to me... which is funny because as i was telling mike rozell, of potters field ministry, about the book he said: "Through the story, God will have to speak to you first, then He will use it to speak to others."
and it's true. i feel like if this book were only meant to draw me closer to Jesus then it was time well spent and i'd be happy. of course, i do pray that he would use it to help and encourage others to know that he loves them.... but if he chooses not to for some reason, i'm totally fine.
with all that said, writing this thing hasn't been easy the entire time. yesterday, i came to a major block... i'll spare the details but i decided to take a break, go to church, and pray. when i woke up this morning, i still didn't hear which direction to take...so i started journaling this morning.
i told God that it was really hard to keep writing this book when i can't see the full picture, or the full complete story in my mind. i stopped right there like on one of those cartoons where the lightbulb appears above the character's head:
{ faith! }
it was as if God interrupted my thoughts and asked me right then, "do you ever get to see the full picture of your life... or know the whole 'story' in its entirety?"
nope. i don't know what's going to happen next year, or next month, or even tomorrow... but i have faith that God is taking care of it - He has a plan and i don't have to worry about that, all i have to do is walk, day by day.
i don't need to know the entire story right now, all i need to do is be obedient in writing and he'll reveal what he wants, when he wants... it's his thing anyways. :)
so too in our lives - we don't need to see the whole picture, all we have to do is trust and follow the One who does see the whole picture and continue to walk even if we can't see right in front of us.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:1

"But without faith its impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Hebews 11:6

friday finds : type city!

ok, for all you nerds out there, this one's for you. { yes, i include myself in that category } i just found this awesome typeface gallery with awesome music. seriously if you have about 5-7 minutes to kill, take a tour, it's fun... don't judge. ;)

challenge + inspiration

design*sponge is one of the first places i look for inspiration {and it never fails!} but today i was both inspired and challenged by their feature on dana tanamachi. her interview spoke volumes to me today and for some reason just had to share it here in case you missed it. :)

monday pick-me-up: happy august!

"it's august first everybody!" i announce with excitement.
nic pauses then asks, "what does that mean?"
"it's the start of a new month!" i answer happily.

here's to the start of a new month everyone! cheers! :)
p.s. i'm waist-deep in writing a book so the above narration is second nature at this point.

oh... and here are just a couple images that pop up when you search the word "august"...

weekend discovery

two sites full of fun graphics...

it's worth it...

a couple of weeks ago, a bunch of us went to this beautifully secluded lake where i felt like i was in middle earth or something {i get that feeling a lot here}. anyways, the girls all decided to go kayaking and once we settled into the kayaks, kelli led the way under a small footbridge to an even more secluded spot on the lake. while there, we were graced by the presence of a bald eagle... it was absolutely stunning. izzi, crystal, and i paddled closer to get a better look. {totally necessary side note:: izzi and i have a fear of animals and bugs pooping on us... it's a real phobia folks!} so we get as close as possible to this incredibly majestic bird and izzi says -
"i hope it doesn't poop on me...[then to the bird] please don't poop on me!"
then i say, "yeah but it's so beautiful and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity... so if it did poop on you, it would be worth it."
she was a little unsure about it, but somehow the words that came out of my mouth made me think about my walk with Christ {hear me out} ....the gift of God, Jesus Christ, is so beautiful and we get one chance to walk this earth to know Him and make Him known... so if we get "pooped on", so to speak, or "bad things" happen to us, it would be worth it right? crap happens to everyone, it's inevitable but when we get to see the beauty of His majesty, it's all worth it... plus, He promises to work all things together for good to those who love Him - even the crappy stuff, peeps.

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands."
Psalm 138:7-8


:)

monday pick-me-up: blog redesign!

ahhh.... it's like a breath of fresh air around here. i've been wanting to update this site for awhile now and i finally made the time and just did it! i've also redesigned my twitter page to coincide with the blog... i feel so much better... it's all cohesive! yay!
hope you like the new look and feel...
happy monday y'all!

friday finds :: montana edition!

last week the girls and i went to this super cute flea market-type thing called the vintage whites market ... and it was awesome! i saw dozens of cute items that i was dying to buy but just couldn't justify purchasing stuff that we'll probably have to cram in our car later. i did, however, walk away with a unique little red lantern and some awesome old letterpress blocks... for a grand total of $7.50... i'm totally kicking myself for not buying more of those adorable blocks ($.50 a piece!)... maybe next time... :)

have a spectacular weekend!! :)

inheritance

noun
1 a : the act of inheriting property
   b : the reception of genetic qualities by transmission from parent to offspring
   c : the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations
{definition taken from merriam-webster}

***

being in montana since mid-june, i've had to skip my treasured NCL women's study that is currently going through beth moore's inheritance study. HOWEVER, the Lord has faithfully guided my devo time to inheritance-themed scripture... yay!
on sunday mornings, pastor levi lusko {of fresh life church - here in whitefish & kalispell} is going through the book of joshua aka the uprising... so, i started reading that for my morning devos and the book of proverbs as well. i highly, highly recommend reading these concurrently with each other... it has been amazing! full of awesome inheritance nuggets. :)

...and i actually looked up the word inheritance today and totally geeked out about it. i thought it was kind of amazing that i could apply all three merriam-webster meanings to my spiritual inheritance through Christ ::

def. a) the act of inheriting property
when we put our faith in Jesus, we are made His sons & daughters, thus being heirs to Himself and His heavenly kingdom. { galatians 3 }

def. b) the reception of genetic qualities by transmission from parent to offspring
just like we inherited our earthly parents' qualities - brown eyes, straight hair, whatever - we will inherit His qualities too - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control - if we are truly his children. awesome! { galatians 5:19-26 }

def. c) the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations
when i read this one, i immediately thought of joshua observing moses' faith in God and all the miracles that God performed when he obeyed.......  and how joshua then steps up after moses dies and demonstrates the same faith and obedience in God as his former leader. he acquired that vital trait of faith from the past generation. i love that!! { joshua 1 }

since we are in that same spiritual family, we can read these amazing stories of faith and obedience and possess those same traits as joshua and moses... let's take hold of that faith and obey God - He will do amazing things!
:)

the treasure state

the husband and i are having a blast out here in whitefish, mt... it is absolutely gorgeous!! as i blog, i'm looking out at the greenest forest you can imagine backdropped by snowy mountain peaks... accompanied by the most mouthwatering scent coming from the kitchen, ah! i still can't believe we're here! i just wanted to share a couple photos of week 1 of our trip... hope you enjoy!

{on our way! the handsome husband looking out at the columbia river}

{almost there! flathead lake, montana}

{pescado blanco!! this place had the best beef tacos}

{hanging out with the horses!}

{the red caboose!! frozen yogurt + coffee = our new fave place!}

we heart montana.

photos to come! yay!

monday pick-me-up: coffee house cookies!

after slaving {or playing ;)} away in the kitchen all weekend, i finally have a yummy cookie that i'm excited to share with you guys!! i've always been a sucker for the coffee + treat pairing but being on a budget, those three dollar cookies just can't be justified on every tea/coffee outing........ {i'm sure you know where this is going} so it was with one of these cravings that i had the idea of coming up with a cookie that tastes like something you'd find at a local coffee house without the huge price tag or the gluten! oh and don't worry, these cookies have been tested on people other than myself. :)

the recipe:
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
1 cup of creamy almond butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of granulated sugar (use about 1/4 cup more if almond butter doesn't have any sugar added)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 cups gluten free flour (or regular flour if you like gluten)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups of gluten free quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips

step 1: preheat oven to 350 degrees, line cookie sheet with parchment paper
step 2: combine butter, almond butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla, beat on low setting until smooth.
step 3: in separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, mix then add to the butter/sugar mixture. beat until smooth.
step 4: stir in oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
step 5: drop heaping spoonfuls onto parchment paper, then pat flat with spoon.

step 6: bake for 12-15 minutes depending on your desired texture.
step 7: let cool for about 3-4 minutes, then transfer to plate and enjoy with coffee, tea, or a good ol' glass of milk!

any cookie recipes you'd like to share? feel free to post in the comment section :)
happy monday everyone!

monday pick-me-up: inspiring companies

i know we all feel like we spend wayyyy too much time browsing around the ol' worldwide web... but i thought i'd share some of my recent company obsessions - these people are so talented and their websites are sure to quench your need for some creative inspiration today. :)

first up, i'd like to introduce you to illustrator extraordinaire skinny laminx ... absolutely adore her work!

since my dad is a ceramics-jedi-master, i've been able to see firsthand how much care a potter puts into his work... and the guys at heath ceramics are no exception -  their stuff is absolutely gorgeous and is definitely neck-and-neck with dad's stuff. :) {p.s. they're local! anyone want to take a trip to their los angeles or sausalito studio? road trip!}

...and i would loooove a good excuse to take a trip to texas because i'm dying to stay at the minimalist-friendly hotel san jose. i love their site, i love their vibe, i love their bike and polaroid rentals, and i love the simplicity of the overall design.

i'm not a huge fan of online shopping but sometimes it's necessary and super convenient so i do occasionally bite the cyber bullet. the beautiful terrain website, however, pushes all those hesitations aside and makes me want to fill up every inch of my virtual shopping cart...

speaking of shopping carts, i wish i could push one down the aisles of B H L D N and bring their whole inventory home! so many dreamy dresses and accessories... wish i could get married all over again!

happy monday!

simply spaghetti

when i became gluten-free i thought my spaghetti days were over... which was a sad thing indeed because spaghetti (or biscetti as i used to call it) has long been one of my favorite dishes. luckily, i quickly discovered rice pasta and have been enjoying my favorite pasta dishes ever since. yay!
so after making myself spaghetti today, i thought i would share this super quick, easy, delish recipe with you... hope you enjoy! :)

what you'll need for 2:
   2 cups of organic rice pasta (i used spinach spaghetti to change it up) or desired amount
   1/2 jar of organic marinara sauce {tip: i looove trader joe's organic pasta sauces, i usually get the regular marinara or tomato basil sauce}
   freshly ground salt & pepper {we add kelp just to get in a little iodine}
   crushed red pepper
   parmesan cheese

what you'll do:
- boil pasta for about 7 minutes --- do not overcook rice pasta, it will inevitably fall apart and become just a pile of mush... trust me on this one. :)
- heat up sauce in medium saucepan while pasta is cooking
- drain pasta, serve on desired plates, add sauce, grind pepper/salt over pasta, add red pepper & parmesan cheese
- enjoy!!

.......and if you eat beef, here's an alternate recipe for a meaty marinara, which will also yield a few meals worth of sauce so you can refrigerate or freeze the remainder for an even quicker leftover dinner later on in the week!
what you'll need:
   1 & 1/2 jars of organic marinara sauce
   about 1 pound of organic ground beef {check your local farmers market for the fresh stuff, or just get the organic ground beef at trader's}
   2 cups of organic rice pasta
   1 clove of garlic
   1 tablespoon of olive oil

what you'll do:
- as you wait for the water to boil (for pasta), begin heating the sauce, and heat 1 tablespoon of org. olive oil in a pan then add ground beef and garlic - cook till the meat is 'medium', then add meat to sauce {tip: i always drain the meat before adding it to the sauce to get rid of excess fat}
- follow directions above for pasta
- stir sauce occasionally
- follow directions above for toppings :)
- enjoy!!
- and don't forget to save the remaining sauce in the fridge/freezer and reheat later this week. :)
 

friday finds : books!

i love fridays... not only is it the last day of the work week, but it's also the kick-off-the-weekend day AND i get to go estate sailing! yippee! which brings me to today's finds - old books! not just any old books... i managed to find: an awesome copy of "pride & prejudice" by the wonderful jane austen, a 1950's french course book, and {my favorite find} a first edition of "miracles" by the brilliant c.s. lewis... be still my heart!! now, i know that the gentleman at mystery pier books would tell me that all the "real" value lies in the dust jacket, but i'm still so excited that i have a first-edition-anything from my fave author. maybe it's just me, but i think there's value in that. :) oh, and did i mention it only cost me a dollar?!

p.s. mystery pier books is worth a stop if you're heading to west hollywood anytime soon or if you're looking for a unique gift for an avid reader... it's right behind book soup {another great hollywood haunt} on sunset blvd {just click on 'directions' to find the easiest route from your current location :)}.


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...heading out to an estate sale in costa mesa... wish me luck!

happy friday to all!

monday pick-me-up: color!!

color (noun): a phenomenon of light or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects; the aspect of the appearance of objects and light sources that may be described in terms of hue, lightness, and saturation for objects and hue, brightness, and saturation for light sources. (thank you merriam-webster)

i love that first phrase: "a phenomenon of light"....... color is a phenomenon and i take it for granted sometimes... so on this semi-gloomy day, i thought i would share some cool, colorful items that will hopefully pick you right up. :)

....ok, so it's actually tuesday now so i guess this could be considered a tuesday pick-me-up... either way, hope you're inspired for the week!

goodnight... and good morning. :)

a pretty journal deserves a pretty pen

since i featured those awesome journals yesterday, i thought i would follow up with a feature on my favorite pens... because every writer needs one of those. :) working at an architecture firm, i was introduced to so many amazing products which, of course, included pens... pigma micron pens to be exact. once i used them i knew i would never want to write with a boring ball-point again... they're perfect! obviously, i still use boring ball-points for bills, checks, etc. but i use these little treasures for all things creative... personally, i prefer the smaller points (01, 02) for most things but 05 is great too.
you can find them at art suppliers as well as online (they're a tad pricey but so-ho-ho worth it!!).

again, happy journaling! :)

field notes

i feel the need to apologize for not keeping you in the loop for the last two weeks but it has seriously been crazy madness over here... and where's here? currently, huntington beach. three days ago, costa mesa. six weeks from now, the north. :) i'll fill you in on our travel adventures a little later but today i wanted to feature these cute little ditties i found on our record player last night:

whenever the husband trots the globe sans his wife, he always brings back some sort of goody... and i have to say that these are among the faves! aren't they just beckoning you to document your daily adventures?! well, if these aren't, then i'm sure something on the {field notes site} will inspire you to journal. i think i might order a couple more states... california, oregon, montana.... just to name a few. :))

happy journaling!