2.18.2013

around here.

around here, things are busy.  and wonderful.
around here, we're eating out way more than normal.  there's so much to celebrate these outings are totally justified.
around here the weather is warming up.  we're so very happy about this.
around here my sister's motivating me to wake up early and walk.  so early in fact, we're watching the sun rise.
around here our project life is finally coming together.  i'm loving the process.
around here i'm working on a few very cool projects with my mom.  we have a long way to go, & i'm certain the final outcome will be so rad.
around here the hubs and i are exploring our new neighborhood.  walks on the bay and beach make life's problems seem worlds away.
around here valentine's day surprises are still being enjoyed.
around here birthdays are being planned.
around here i'm sorting through my stash of goodies from this weeks adventure to the la fabric district.
around here we're preparing for the long awaited arrival of our stuff!
around here i'm crossing my fingers and preparing for a very hopeful meeting tomorrow.

2.14.2013

love day.

happy valentine's day friends! i hope you have plans to spend time with your loves: friends, family, significant other or even yourself. either way, i hope it's very special & enjoyable.

i got such a kick out of this little movie; it was so sweet, i just had to share. you never know when love might find you...

2.13.2013

favorite things: valentine's edition.

1. the perfect accessory for a date night for one.
2. a snarky card to send to the lover(s) in your life.
3. a perfectly feminine diy wreath.
4. chilly or romantic nights, everyone needs a the perfect soy candle.
5. who doesn't love puppies- especially life size?  now here's a book that will warm your heart.
6. fill your house with love.  not just on valentine's day.
7. knit cowls: both fashionable & functional on cold february days.
8. a perfect little reminder during those late night bathroom breaks.
9. enjoy a festive cocktail surrounded by those you love.
10. my favorite love-themed string art to date.  best part: you can make it also!

2.12.2013

contemplating blogging.

sometimes blogging is a little like having to put a project together every single day.  the projects can be super fun or ridiculously arduous.  right now, for some reason unbeknownst to me, blogging has recently felt like a chore.  so much so that i'm finding myself wondering if i should keep this up.  i hate quitting in anything and i fear that giving up this space would make me feel like nothing less.

but i'm laking motivation and interesting information- and how is that fair to you as a loyal and faithful reader?  so instead of calling it quits, for the rest of the month i'm going to continue blogging but only a few times a week.  this way i don't have the pressure of having amazing content & can figure out what i truly want this space to be.

i figured i'd let you know what's going on in my head so you don't think i've suddenly fallen off the face of the earth.  as i mentioned here, sometimes you have to take a few steps backward to move forward.  and right now, that's what i'm doing with this blog.  thanks for understanding.

image via

2.06.2013

succulent wreath diy

back in november, my mom came home from the farmers market with a ton of succulents & an awesome idea...diy succulent wreaths.  i was sold instantly.  we soaked the moss and each of us having a metal wreath form, unpotted the succulents and began making our own creation.  i absolutely loved the way these wreaths turned out & couldn't wait to make one for our home.
so, true to her form, i found some succulent plants that would bloom in the spring, had a variety of colors and in the summer, when things warmed up, would turn unbelievably bright colors.  once i had my selection, i read here that succulent trimmings should be cut a few days before assembling the wreath so the ends can dry and callus.  apparently, this helps with their growth process.
once the clipping were dry enough (to be honest, i could barely wait), i soaked the moss in a large bucket for about 20 minutes and as i wrung out each handful, i thickly placed it on the wire wreath form.  then, with a floral wire, i tightly wrapped the wreath leaving enough space to put multiple plants between each wrapped section & to ensure the moss would stay put as i planted the succulents.

with no pattern or intent, i began placing the succulent pieces around the wreath.  as i placed them i made sure no two plants were directly next to one another and that the larger plants were spread out and relatively balanced.  at first i thought i was short on succulents.  the wreath looked so much bigger than i recalled and i was afraid the succulent trimmings might have to go toward another project, but as it turned out, about 8 succulent plants ended up being the perfect amount.  once all the plants were in place, i wrapped the wreath one more time (this time much closer together and tightly) taking care to hide with wire among the plants and moss all the while, securing each plant in place.
although succulents are slow growing plants, i didn't want to over crowd them on the wreath.  actually, i prefer the look of the moss showing through the various succulents.  now i'm debating now if i should add ribbons or something during the holidays or keep it simple.  i tend to keep things simple, so at the moment that's the way i'm leaning. 

all said and done, this project cost me about $40.00.  $30 for the succulents (though if you have access to succulent trimmings in your backyard, nature, or elsewhere, you could save a lot of beans. $4 for the wire frame (with 40% off coupon) and floral pins from michaels and $5 for the peat moss.  to me, it was well worth the time and money.  it's hands down one of my favorite projects to date.

2.05.2013

our january via instagram.

as i'm sure i've said it a thousand times, one of the things i love most about instagram, is the collection of everyday photos i accumulate over the course of a day, week, month & year.  the ease of this fabulous social media outlet has promised a very cool way to capture all the little moments that tend to sneak by with little notice.
as mentioned, yesterday, january for us was the last 500 meters of our 2k sprint (crew reference anyone?).  it was a month of new firsts, a month of frustration and a month of celebrating life.  we started the year in big bear, spent a ton of family time together, found a place to call home, explored san diego via plane, boat and on foot.  we both spent the better part of the month getting things figured out job-wise.  soon, we had our careers lined up ready to take the next steps.  much to my dismay, my job fell through so i picked up a part-time gig until i could find something a bit more permanent.
as exhausting as a month might seem, these photo recaps are the perfect insight as too how good life is.  when i'm overwhelmed, frustrated or otherwise feeling down, i look at these pictures.  they remind me that despite what i might think at that moment, the culmination of our daily events and everyday moments create magic.  and that, is what makes life so very beautiful.

2.04.2013

february: grow strong.

with great relief, i'm happy to announce we are on the back end of our transitional time here in san diego!  it's certainly been nothing short of a roller coaster ride & while we're still waiting on a few major components (ehem, our household goods for example), things are finally beginning to settle.  & that feels so good.

january brought with it a ton of changes; new jobs and a new home being the biggest of these.  a. & i sensed a storm was brewing so we prepped & planned and once the winds arrived, held on as tight as we could.  the winds have since subsided & we're still picking up the pieces, but things are now sunny and bright.

taking on this one little word has done wonders for me.  i'm much more focused in my goal-setting, and certainly this is because i'm focusing on one word and making sure i grow into it.  staying focused throughout january was tough, but by creating consistency in my life, i was much more adaptable and able to take on the change.

now, in february, my focus is to grow strong.  strong in our marriage, strong mentally & physically, obtain a strong understanding of my future career ambitions and our family as a whole.  strength is a virtue i constantly strive for, so this month i'm excited to not only focus on growing strong, but on these secondary goals as well:

  1. learn something new
  2. focus on quality time with a.
  3. move toward self-employment
  4. core workouts every day
  5. volunteer
again, i'm focusing on simple tasks.  little things that when i bring them to my life consistently, will help me grow strong.  i'm excited to find my strength in unexpected ways & truly believe february is ready to bring some amazing gifts our little family.

ps. interested to know more about one little word?  start here.  want to know how to get involved with this community?  join us here.  follow my voyage here.