Week in review

Here are some of my favorite random photo moments that couldn't each make up the subject of a blog post, but are great things about this week.

1.  Husband and I went for a long walk last night and these beautiful flowers were all over the place!  I just had to pick a few up and put them in a bowl full of water for the coffee table.  

2.  This was probably my favorite outfit of the week, but I had a hard time getting any good pictures.  I'm trying to work with outside, but the lighting.... it's an issue, to say the least.  But now you can see my backyard!

What I'm wearing:

Dress: Shabby Apple

Top: Urban Outfitters

Belt: Ruche

Shoes: Payless

3.  My cucumber plants (from seed, mind you) are what I'm most proud of growing right now.  It's totally doing what it's supposed to do!  I've never had something from seed grow so well before.  I cannot wait for some fresh cucumbers.. Mmmm.

4.  Best lunch.  A little bosc pear, sheep brie, rosemary baguette slices and (of course) a bit o' coffee.  No, I'm most certainly not eating off a yogurt lid..  Again.

5.  Even though this tomato plant already had some baby tomatoes on it when I purchased it, I'm pretty proud to see I haven't killed them yet.  And there are even more buds all over!  Tomatoes are probably the best thing in the "vegetable" section (I won't call them fruit today) and taste better when fresh from the garden instead of from the supermarket.

Happy Friday!

Just a tiny bit of assistance

           Amazon

Considering my current position is Domestic Engineer (we're a household full of engineers here), I've been trying to figure out how to do this job the best I can and one thing I love to do when trying to do something better is find lovely books on the topic.  One book I found helpful is "Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping Home" by Cheryl Mendelson.

I appreciate Cheryl's detailed approach with all things home related.  Cleaning isn't just what this book is about, but also home safety, cooking and one of my favorites--caring for books (a lost art, no?).  

My favorite chapter is the first one, all about getting into a routine.  If there is one thing I enjoy, it's some sort of routine even if it is a little scattered.  I'm not a strict schedule setter but having semblance of similarity to my daily doings makes my brain (and soul) just a tiny bit calmer.

Now, why must I spend so much time learning about the homely arts?

Because I enjoy it!  I don't know if I'll be in this full-time position forever, but considering the fact I have yet to find a job in the area, I may as well work with what I've got.

What books of instruction do you enjoy?

Lace and dots

Today is one of those overcast, I'm-going-to-lay-in-bed-all-day-and-read days.  Maybe throw in a little coffee or hot chocolate in there.  It may be Hawaii, but we still get those cool, overcast days.

And I love them.

Blouse: Ruche

Skirt: Vanity

Belt: Thrift store

In an attempt to mix things up, I decided to see what this blouse would look like with this skirt.  The blouse is so billowy that I wasn't sure I could really wear it with anything without looking pregnant.  But I tried this out and took to it pretty well.  I love lace, so anything interesting I can find in lace gets purchased.

What is your absolute must-have?

Beach time

Here's a quick little picture of our weekend.  We've been trying to hit the beach at least once a week.  It was a tad chilly for beach weather but we still had fun!

This weekend we finally got a hold of some furniture.  It's been something that kept getting put off since finding a Uhaul store was becoming difficult.  But we buckled down and got it done since I was tired of sitting on the floor.  A lot of it will need to be repainted but I'm totally up for the challenge.  I love painting and I'll do anything to make my house look beautiful :).  Pictures to come!

Blouse: Ruche

Skirt: GAP

Shoes: American Eagle

Purse: Target

This skirt has seen a lot of action since we moved.  It goes with almost everything and since most of my clothes are on a plane somewhere in the United States, I've needed pieces that go well with lots of other pieces.

Once thing about taking pictures of myself all the time--I'm looking so tired!  I guess I need more sleep. 

Meet Me on Monday

I decided this week to get back into Meet Me on Monday (hosted by Acting Balanced) and answer a few questions about myself.  It's always fun and I love reading other bloggers' posts as well.

Here are today's Questions:

1. What movie or movies do you have to watch when they are on TV? (submitted by@rndmcrftyGAgrl)
2. When you have out of town visitors, what fun places do you take them to in your town?  (Or where do you play tourist in your own town?)
3. What was the first album, CD, Download you ever bought?
4. Do you speak more than one language and which ones?  If not, what language would you like to know?
5. What is your dream job?

One skillet meal

Considering the fact that I'll be without decent kitchen supplies for another week, I wanted to post some "cooking a meal from one skillet and putting it into a bowl" pictures.

I usually sauté the most tough vegetable first, in this case, the potatoes.  Once I finished with that, I split those potatoes into two bowls.

Chopped up a leek and some cabbage, which were both nearing expiration dates and cooked those.

Nothing like a tablespoon or two of bleu cheese dressing to add just the tiniest bit of flavor and make it feel a little "creamy."

For dessert, a bosc pear with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of feta.  Since we don't have plates, washed yogurt lids are a great substitute.

We eat outside every day--it's where are only table is located!  Happy Friday :).

From my own home

I am happily writing this blog post in the comfort of my own uncomfortable futon at my apartment!  No more daily Starbucks trips for me :).

In other news, the movers are making things difficult and still have our stuff in L.A. for no reason other than no cargo room last weekend.  I may never see my KitchenAid again..  At least I'm in Hawaii with my husband.

Dress: Shabby Apple

Top: Forever 21

Belt: Modcloth

Shoes: American Eagle

Earrings: Etsy

I love this dress.  It was on big sale from Shabby Apple as it was in the practically perfect section and then there was a sale on those items too.  I think I got the dress for $30!  I don't know what was wrong with it, but it fits perfectly.

Happy week!

Kitchens are teachers

                          secure.lodgemfg.com

We purchased a cast iron skillet when we first got here a few weeks ago because we needed something to cook with until our kitchen stuff arrives.  I chose cast iron because I've been wanting one for a while and didn't want to purchase something we already had.

It has taught me a lot about relationships.

When dealing with cast iron, you have to treat it very well in order to assure it's long life and cooking quality.  Washing must be done almost immediately.  You cannot just let it sit in the sink or it will rust.  You cannot use harsh soaps (or really any soap at all), nor can you scrub it too much or the seasoning gets ruined.  You can't just shove it in the dishwasher and hope it gets the job done.  In essence, you really have to care for it or you'll ruin it.

Relationships work the same way.  You can't just let problems sit, you can't treat them harshly.  You can't hope that by haphazardly "dealing" with an issue that comes up that the issue will be taken care of.  Lazily attending to your relationships can cause damage and wear it out quickly.  Relationships take time, dedication and great care.

All this from a skillet.

Happy days ahead

This week is going to be a big one!  We're finally getting internet installed in our home on Thursday, which means no more trips to Starbucks in order to do anything internet related (yay money saver!).  Also all of our boxes filled with kitchen supplies, clothes, home decorations, etc. are supposed to arrive sometime this week.  Let's keep positive and hope that they keep to that estimate :).

This outfit is actually a surprise to me.  When I first got this shirt I didn't know how I felt about it, what with the ruffles on the sides.  They emphasize weird parts of my body.

Blouse: Ruche

Camisole: Mossimo (Target) brand

Skirt: Ruche  

 But after a little while, it grew on me and I realized that it would work out just fine as long as I chose the right bottom to go with it.  This proved a little difficult since a lot of my skirts have tons of pattern, already contain flowers, etc.  But I like how this grey one looks, even though the overlay has a flower pattern.

Happy Monday!

More mason jars

I know I've mentioned my obsession with keeping glass jars from absolutely everything around.  I go through lots of pickles, so we end up with tons of pickle jars.  When we moved, it was really sad to have to sort through them and keep only the best looking ones.  The rest landed in the recycling center for some other use.  I was slightly heartbroken.

I realized after that experience that I need to find more uses for my jars so I don't feel like they are just taking up much needed cupboard space (which is lacking in our apartment).  I went searching for some projects that would utilize jars and fabric scraps, when this one from FellowFellow really caught my eye.

               FellowFellow

While the original project is for votives, I was thinking to use them to hold pens, flowers, etc.  Anything to get more color and prettiness into this house, while using up scraps of fabric and all my random jars.

               FellowFellow

I'll still make some for votives, though.  They're too beautiful not to.

 

A slightly new project.

Due to extra time spent at home and the overabundance of clothing I have in my closet, I'm going to start posting a little bit of outfit stuff.  I adore clothes and it's probably the one thing I use extra spending money on.  I also fawn over all the style blogs I follow, and want to share my own style.

It's a little weird for me to spend time standing in front of a camera and makes me feel a little narcissistic, but hey.  I'm going to do it anyway.

Blouse: Ruche

Skirt: GAP

Shoes: American Eagle

Regardless of the bit of wrinkle in the skirt, I love this outfit.  The pastels work nicely, and the lightness of the polka dots in the shirt and stripes in the skirt, it just pairs well.  Not to mention, the fabric is wonderful for hot days.  

It was interesting getting used to using a tripod and figuring out how to set the timer on my camera.  But for a first attempt I think it turned out pretty darn well!

Happy weekend and happy St. Patricks Day tomorrow!

Hair do's

Because I've since moved to a warmer climate and my hair has grown itself out again after the a trip to the chopping block over a year ago, I'm trying to figure out what to do with it all.  Leaving it down simply isn't possible most days, since the humidity gets to it and it turns into a gigantic fuzz ball.

So I went hunting for some good how-to's of different and unique hairstyles.

This first one is courtesy of Ruche, a modern vintage boutique that creates gorgeous lookbooks.  These hairstyles were a few seen in the most recent Enchantment lookbook (which you should check out if you love looking at beautiful anything).  I like how elegant they look, but are perfectly suitable for any day.

Veronika from Tick Tock Vintage, one of my very favorite blogs, put together these great tutorials.  The first one is for a messy bun which I know should be a pretty easy thing to do, but mine look so much better after her instructions.  The second is for a crown french braid, something way more difficult than a messy bun.  I love doing both hairstyles, and it's great to have a little instruction.  She's darling and you should  look over her blog if you get a chance.

Happy Wednesday!

Lamp shades for any room

We discovered that our bedrooms don't have any light fixtures.  Totally weird and something we didn't even think to look at before we took the place.

But no worries!  I'm purchasing basic lamps and lampshades and turning it into a little project :).  Only, how should I redo these little shades?

  I found this DIY tutorial for making cute doily lampshades.

                   Curbside Style

This is one of my favorites!

                   Young Wifey

And I just love the simplicity of this one.  The basic ribbon detail adds a little elegance.  Although I'm not so sure about the base.

                        Alicia B. Designs

I may end up making one of each and theme each of the rooms a little differently.  Because I simply cannot pick one that I like best.

Any ideas?

Settling in

This photo is from our lanai (back patio area).  It's so pretty here!

I have settled in as much as possible right now.  We're still waiting on our things to arrive and it will take another week before we'll have internet in our home (which is essential for someone taking online classes).


But we have gotten most of our important things done.  Found a local bank, hopefully the DMV to change our licenses over and perhaps the library today.  Located the nearest coffee shop (very important) and done a decent grocery shopping trip at Whole Foods (one of my happy places).  

Since we're waiting on our entire kitchen, I have tried to figure out how to cook with one cast iron skillet and serve it all in a bowl for each of us.  Everything has turned into a bunch of mixed up stuff.  But it's still tasty!  Above is a bit of kale, portobello mushrooms, tomatoes, feta and toasted slices of a baguette.

I received a little birthday money from my mother-in-law the day before we left the mainland, so I couldn't help myself from entering Forever 21 when we checked out one of the many malls.  I found this cute little lace top for a steal.  Clothes shopping always makes me feel more at home :).

Even though it's been a difficult transition, I'm doing my best to stay positive.  It's all just one big adventure!

Touchdown

I just wanted to let everyone know we made it!

  

After spending a long time waiting around, we finally made it to Hawaii Tuesday afternoon.  And once we got some much needed rest, we located a new apartment and a new car in just two days.

Once I can, I will post some pictures.  I'm so excited to show everyone our new adventures!

Mahalo!