this list called lucky

new blog.

2009-09-13T08:28:00.002-06:00

I've moved blog locations. It you follow this one, please update your bookmarks and references to this one: http://kellieanne.wordpress.com/.

Thanks everyone!!! XOXO

san francisco trip

2009-09-02T05:52:00.003-06:00

Heading to San Francisco today! It will be a quick trip- arrive there around noon today, head for home Saturday afternoon.

On the agenda:

Ferry ride
Semi-aimless walking around Chinatown, pier, Ghiradelli Square, flea markets, etc
SF MoMA
Aquarium
Shopping
Ciopinno
65 degree temps= boots/skirts
Union Square
Wine tasting
Fish Eye camera fun
Stationary stores

happy weekend & some inspiring things on the web

2009-08-08T07:46:00.010-06:00

A great way to start a Saturday is spending an hour drinking coffee while lurking around new {to me} blogs for fun inspiration. It gets me in the mood to tidy up the house, put on some blush and brush my hair, make my to-do list {to include something random like "dye white skirt purple"}. Creative people inspire me to do just a few more things I wouldn't think of on my own and I love that.

Here are some particularly inspiring things I found while following a breadcrumb trail of pretty things on blogs I had never seen before. {It always amazes me how many great things are out there on the Web.}.

1. The most perfect living room {via Simplygrove}:

2. One broke but stylish gal's daily outfits for our viewing pleasure {Darling Dexter}:

3. Sewing room in a closet {olivetti studio}:

4. Another pretty gal's style {shoes, especially}, posted often {Some Girls Wander}:

5. Fantastic photographer series {Simply Hue}:

fall wishlist

2009-08-05T20:43:00.002-06:00

The buying hiatus ends September 1, which means fall will be right around the corner. I love fall fashion. And maybe because it used to mean back-to-school season... that time of the year still signifies looking for new boots and hoodies. It also means piling on lots of funky layers, wearing just some smokey eye makeup, and drinking lots of lattes.

I typically only buy a few new things each season. Here's what's on my {MK Olsen-inspired??} wishlist for fall. I can't buy it all but I'm certainly considering many of these, especially that plaid shirt (and it's a bargain!) and those sweet boots (which will take some budgeting...)

Plaid tunic, Owl Face ring, Belt, Skinny jeans, Necklace, Grey slouchy tee, Boots, Dress, Bomber jacket

dining room re-do

2009-08-01T09:18:00.007-06:00

Almost a year ago I posted about how I plan to incorporate a more neutral palette into my house; tone down all that color I initially thought I wanted. I put together a design board for my dining area, that was, at the time, sporting some lime-green chairs and orange pendant lights {see?}.

I switched the orange pendant light covers for white a while ago, but the lime green chairs have been there until I found the perfect replacement chairs. I was leaning toward the natural woven ones, or something black and metal like on my design board, but hesitant to spend the dough. Yesterday I decided to keep up with my "use what I've got" spirit and re-do the dining area on a tiny budget.

Here's what it looked like before I got started, for reference:

I spray painted the chairs an ivory color. I didn't want everything to be super white, and black just seems to need to be dusted every single day. I do enough of that. I switched out some accessories, too.

Now with a more blank canvas, it seemed a bit naked. I rearranged and added mostly* things I already had around the house to the table top and shelf.

*I ended up breaking my buying hiatus with more than a few cans of spray paint. I bought this bell jar at Pier 1 for a screaming deal. I've always wanted one so I broke down and splurged to complete my dining room makeover. I think it's the best thing since Elvis.

Finally, I needed some height and white up on that black shelf, so I added a framed piece of scrapbook paper. I used a frame and sheet of paper I already had on hand. I would have chosen something completely different had I bought something brand new, but working with what I had brought out something more creative and unexpected.

Here's the final result. I actually love how it turned out.

Total cost: $40.

sucks.

2009-07-26T20:09:00.007-06:00

Late last week my desktop computer crashed. EFF EFF EFFitty EFF!

Saturday I took it to the geeks down the road to restore and *hopefully* recover some hard drive contents. Particularly my something like 10,000 mp3s. Over a year ago I went digital with all my music and sold every CD I owned. Luckily I backed up everything on an external hard drive the same day. But since? I've only downloaded my music, and (shamefully) never got around to backing up my music collection or photos. I suck.

Thank goodness for Flickr, and the fact that I actually have been pretty consistent about backing up all my photos. It'd be devastating to have lost all those pictures of jell-o shots.

Guess what I DIDN'T lose? Homework for my Econ class... this is the LAST WEEK of class and I've been working from my laptop since I got it in June. PURCHASE: VINDICATED! ♥ ♥ ♥ you, new laptop. But I am backing up my school shiz to a thumb drive right now just in case.

san francisco trip

2009-07-26T07:45:00.002-06:00

I am itching to go somewhere, so... I am planning a short {budget-friendly} trip to San Francisco for September {and kidnapping my husband if I have to}.

{source}

I love planning trips!!!

First, I am planning to get the $59 city pass, which includes tickets to:

Unlimited cable car 7 day pass
California Academy of Sciences
Blue and Gold Fleet Bay Cruise {a one-hour cruise along historic waterfront}
Aquarium of the Bay
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Exploratorium

I also want to:

Visit Alameda Flea Market
Walk around Fisherman's Warf, Union Square & Chinatown
Shop at the cute little boutiques & eat at the cute bakeries

SFGirlByBay's "If you're going to San Francisco" tagged posts are giving me lots of ideas!

Anyone have any other good suggestions?

bright eyes - lua

2009-07-25T20:13:00.002-06:00

I love this song. It reminds me of a great friend and coffee chats.

more boho

2009-07-25T15:27:00.006-06:00

Man, I dig some of these shots.

what i'm wearing this week, too-much-black edition

2009-07-19T13:29:00.014-06:00

I took a break from this last week, and could tell the difference each morning when I was standing in my closet in my pajamas... I am definitely someone who benefits from some prior planning. I was literally late for work every single day.

Nothing notable this week except Friday, hopefully a shirt from tonight's TOOL show at the ESA. Stoked!

I was inspired to do all black this week by The Uniform Project. This girl has committed to wearing the SAME DRESS every day for a year, or at least 7 of the same dress, just accessorized differently each day. Amazing, seriously, I am totally in awe. Donations through her website funds a project that gives kids living in the slums of India school uniforms and supplies. Read about it here.

She posts a picture of every outfit and is well in her 3rd month. Here are a few of my favorites:

{I kind of have a girl crush on her.}

"no retail" update

2009-07-19T09:56:00.005-06:00

My "no retail" challenge is going pretty well so far, 19 days in. That's almost 1/3 of the way!

I haven't been perfect. I've made a few spending justifications, like:

A thrifted pair of jeans, but they were a swanky name-brand pair for $11. Had to do it, right? They are this exact pair ($187 retail)- HA!!! This is the best thrift find I've ever had.
A pretty fern for my house for $2 at a nursery
New bag for my laptop... I got a good deal on Amazon.com and bought it the night before my no-retail challenge but it didn't show up on my debit card for a couple days... Grrrrrrrrrr

This whole thing really has me thinking about money, however. Like, those few things I did buy don't make me feel guilty because they weren't impulsive. This makes me really think through my purchases, which has stopped me from picking up a shirt here, sandals there.

Another thing I've noticed is, I don't put entertainment costs in the same category in the least. A few frames of bowling with friends, a movie with the hubby, having people over for dinner and a few pitchers of mojitos... I don't give it much thought, but I also don't feel much guilt over it. I think experience costs are worth it, in moderation. But I do need to put a bit more effort into slashing this bill, too.

Today I'm working on an official budget I'm going to try to stick to in August........

image via fffound

///cajun dinner club, plus more me on the internet...

2009-07-18T11:23:00.012-06:00

Last night was cooking club, Cajun-style, at Steph's house. It was awesome! Seriously, people down south know how to eat, YUM. We had crawdad po' boy sandwiches, etouffe, jambalaya, candied sweet potatoes, grilled kabobs, red beans and rice, bread pudding... oh man.

Today I'm setting up a blog for the cooking club so we can swap recipes and photos. Check it out- Appetites Anonymous. Still rough, but it will be totally awesome.

I made mint juleps {posted the recipe here} and red beans and rice. I'm not a fan of the mint julep. It was too sugary for my liking. Apparently it's a Kentucky Derby staple beverage, so maybe I was just missing the giant hat.

{Photo source}

bohemian bedrooms

2009-07-11T08:33:00.012-06:00

I am trying to pay better attention to what decor style suits me best. I am always drawn to interiors with a bohemian/global/eclectic vibe to them, even though in my own home I have a tendency to remove clutter constantly and keep things simple.

Still... some manage to get it perfectly right- just the right amount of color and pattern to be interesting but not chaotic, with lots of pretty old things mixed in. I am totally loving these bedrooms {and I'm inspired to play around in my own today and see what I come up with....}.

LoVe the pallets and old door as a bed! {via Design*Sponge}

Interesting patterns, and still really calm and zen-like. {via i Suwannee}

Lots of decades represented here, but it totally works. {via Remodelista}

Really colorful and pattern-y and makes me want to sew. {via Made By Girl}

Why don't I use more yellow? {Country Living via Made By Girl}

I like the black elements here and there. {Canadian House and Home via Made By Girl}

Low beds have an instant boho vibe. I like the neutrals. {via Apartment Therapy}

I could soooo live here. Perfect amount of color. {via Apartment Therapy}

And with that, I'm headed to the swap meet. {HAPPY WEEKEND!}

happy birthday, bro

2009-07-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday, Kev! You're the best brother in the history of brothers.

a quote. just because.

2009-07-06T22:00:00.000-06:00

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion
rather than boredom."

Angus Grossart

//what i'm wearing this week + new bag

2009-07-05T20:00:00.003-06:00

Monday: black pants {Charlotte}, black blazer {Charlotte}, tank, chain belt {thrifted}, heeled sandals {Payless}, hoop earrings.

Tuesday: black cropped pants {Charlotte}, vest {Mossimo}, white tank, black sandals {Mossimo}, filigree earrings {Target}.

Wednesday: black dress {Old Navy}, brown belt {Xhileration}, gladiator sandals {Kimchi Blue}, doctor bag {Twisted Hardware}.

Thursday: skirt {Mossimo}, black tank, heeled sandals, necklace {made by me}.

Friday: jeans {Big Star}, striped tank {Old Navy}, yellow cardigan, book bag {Barnes and Noble}.

So... I ended up getting the brown version of the Twisted Hardware doctor bag, not the gray. I actually ordered it, and it should arrive tomorrow. And... by the way... I used a gift card on this purchase so, doesn't count on my "no retail" challenge, right? And I had to get it while it was on sale!!! I hope I love it as much in person. I didn't want to hit the Gateway mall while I'm trying to not spend money. ;)

"no retail" inspiration

2009-07-03T19:00:00.001-06:00

Here's some really good inspiration from the Web on smashing the retail habit/using what you have:

Monitor Your Impulse Spending {Zen Habits}
The Spending Hiatus - all related posts {Simple Lovely}. This was my original inspiration for doing this- only she did it for 90 days!
Use What I Have {Simple Sparrow}
Ultimate Guide for Thrift Store Shopping
Wardrobe Remix Flickr pool - inspiring ideas for wearing what you've got in creative ways
CraftyStylish "Restyle" tagged posts - thanks Steph, for this link. Lots of great projects to re-purpose things you've already got.
Junk Market Style - more re-purposing inspiration.
The AT Cure Flickr pool: great inspiration for fixing it up on a shoestring.
Host a Naked Lady Party {clothing swap} at Get Crafty - I plan to throw one this summer.

{Image source}

"no retail" revelations - day 1

2009-07-02T06:14:00.003-06:00

I am feeling a little giddy right now, because I just unlocked the secret to the Universe. I know, this is kind of a big deal.

My "no retail" challenge has already taught me something, on day numero uno. My biggest pitfall with budgeting is not planning ahead. I always knew that was the case on my food budget {not packing a lunch because I slept in leads to the salad bar down the street, not setting up the coffee pot leads to Starbucks.

But there I was yesterday, after work, faced with a completely free evening and I decided to go running around the track on base instead of hitting the gym, since it was like 100 degrees outside and I don't know... I'M INSANE??? Half-way around the loop I am realizing my least-favorite, only-wear-it-because-everything-else-is-dirty "dri-weave" tank is NOT dry and NOT made for running outside on a hot day, and I am sweaty and gross. And already temporarily forgetting that I'm on a buying hiatus, I plan to stop at Target on the way home for new workout gear so I can attempt the run again the following day in more appropriate clothing. But wait... but why? I have oodles of workout clothes... most are just buried under mounds of other dirty clothing. Here was my revelation: I should do laundry more frequently rather than buy new stuff!!!

I know, you are totally thinking, this is what EVERYONE DOES, ARE YOU HIGH??? And ok, I don't do this all this constantly (I'm taking about avoiding laundry here, not getting high). Except. I've totally been known to go buy something because it's the more convenient option. Sometimes it's been easier to go buy another pair of yoga pants before class than drive home and get some I already own. I have 700 tubes of lipgloss because I don't remember to bring one with me and I have like... LIPGLOSS EMERGENCIES. Same with headphones for my iPod... why I can remember my iPod but forget the freaking headphones at home is beyond me, but I've got something like 8 pairs of those, too. 7 of which are lost.

So, there I was on day 1 of my challenge and I've already learned something may-juh about myself and my consumption problems. As many ways as I find to pinch pennies, I have these ridiculous moments of spending that are adding up. It's not my well-planned purchases that are getting me in the long-run. It's the $20 here, $6 here that I forget about immediately because they don't bring me any joy. And those purchases are a result of my lack of planning.

So. Here are some mini-goals I'll be trying to meet to keep me going here. They all involve planning ahead more effectively.

Plan for my activities better: Plan ahead at the start of the week for all my after-work activities... kickboxing/softball/grocery shopping or whatever, so I never have to run home for gear or reusable bags, or buy new. And... HELLO, throw some flip flops in my car so I don't end up buying another pair when I can't bear to run my after-work errands in heels.
Pack a better gym bag: I already do this, but rather than throwing in whatever's clean I will have a couple options {workout and yoga clothes; running shoes and flipflops}...& pack a grab-and-go makeup bag while I'm at it. I don't wear a lot but you know those days when you just feel ugly? Those are the worst ever because I decide I need lipstick LIKE IMMEDIATELY and run out on my lunch break to buy some.
Plan a better menu. I know, I know... I blogged about being awesome at this. And I am... when I set aside the time to do it. Weeks that I don't I'm left to my own bad habits and end up eating gummy bears so I'm too full for dinner when Jonathan gets home or I grab takeout. Not good alternatives.
Always keep a book in the car. So when I have time to kill here and there I can go park in some shade and read rather than kill time at the mall.

Let's hear it- anyone want to share how they plan ahead effectively, or ways they think they can save money through better planning?

{Image: Multi-Task notebook from See Jane Work}.

what i'm wearing this week + new hair-do

2009-06-28T20:50:00.004-06:00

This week's plan is mostly recycled from a few weeks ago with the exception of Friday's outfit {and quite honestly I don't know what I'll be wearing Friday... I just know that it doesn't have to be office-appropriate because I have the day off for the holiday!}

Perhaps this week I will put some effort into my makeup to offset my new haircut. I'm not quite sure about it yet:

It's kind of... boring. If it's styled perfectly {by a professional}, it's kind of Russian spy/assassin {ie, it's good}. But left up to me I will leave the house at the last minute, as disheveled as always, only now I won't be able to shove it into a ponytail. And I feel like I need more eye makeup or something.

By the way, I am totally hooked on looking at what other people wear on a daily basis. On the weekends I check up on people who do it way better than me... here are some other bloggers who document their daily outfits for our voyeuristic pleasure:

What I Wore {love her closet!}
What I Wore Today
The Coveted {not daily outfits, but AWESOME ones when she does... this blog is dangerous for the wallet.}
Sea of Shoes {this girl is only 17 and has the BEST style and apparently an unlimited budget... and she's designed her own line of shoes for Urban Outfitters!!! Sigh. }

60-day "no retail" challenge

2009-06-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

Alright. Who's with me? After "Meatless May" I have been itching for another challenge. Proving to myself I can do it just feels so good. And not only that, but it makes a difference for the long-term. Really! Sometimes a detox from your daily habits is exactly what I need to shift my view and make positive changes. After the veg-pledge, I might not be vegetarian, but I've cut back on the bad stuff drastically, and I'm more creative with my meals than before. I eat more veggies, and I think about where my food came from instead of chowing down mindlessly. Just 30 days made a difference.

I've taken June off because I simply didn't prepare for another challenge (it does take some planning). Life got busy, things got crazy.

July 1 begins a new challenge. This one's going to require some creativity, which I think is exactly what I need. NO RETAIL. No buying new. No books, no clothes, no house do-dads, unless I buy them used, swap with people for them, or make them myself. And since I could easily do 30 days by saying, "I'll just wait til Day 31 and buy what I want"... I'm going to extend this to a 60-day challenge. This means if I end up buying that thing I covet on day 61, it's meant to be.

Purchases on the approved list- obviously my monthly bills, groceries, toiletries & cleaning items.

Here's what I'm hoping will happen after 60 days of retail-detox:

I will save a good chunk of money I'd normally spend on semi-disposable objects.
I will save money buying used items over new.
I will re-discover stuff I already own.
I will be jonesin' for new things to wear so maybe I'll finally finish the wardrobe reconstruction projects I'm planning/slowly working on.
I will seriously consider things I buy after the challenge is up- either they will be well-thought-out beforehand, or I will recognize I don't need to buy everything I want.
I will be creative, maybe try my hand at making things I would have bought new, or re-image what I've got in new ways.

If anyone wants to join me, please comment here, or send me an email to kbuelo{at}gmail{dot}com. Also, please share tips for breaking out of the retail habit. :) I will try to post weekly inspiration!

Wish me luck!

change is due...

2009-06-27T17:11:00.009-06:00

...and I am sorta considering a big one...

{diy here}

lovely gray bags @ Urban Outfitters

2009-06-24T21:45:00.000-06:00

I KNOW I said I was boycotting Urban Outfitters. But, that doesn't mean that if a certain awesome brother and his adorable girlfriend get me a gift card for some Urban goodness, I can't be SUPER stoked about it.

I found two equally perfect bags. Crippled by indecision!

I'm totally digging that gray color. They are the same price and roughly the same dimensions. The one on the left looks a bit more distressed and casual and effortless, kind of. The other more shiny and polished, but still big and slouchy, and I love the hardware. Anyone have an opinion?

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-06-21T10:13:00.002-06:00

Preppy Monday: denim skirt {thrifted}, blue tank over white tank, yellow tote {Barnes & Noble book bag}, silver ballet flats {Merona}

Safari Tuesday: Black crops {Charlotte}, black tank, crazy scarf {Lucky brand}, yellow flats, gold hoops

No-effort Wednesday: Khaki pants {Hollister}, black tank, gladiator sandals {Merona}, leopard headband {Charlotte}

Experimental Thursday: Black pants {Charlotte}, b&w striped tank {Old Navy}, vest {remember this one? I fixed her up.}, black heels, drop earings {Claires}

Sloppy Friday: boyfriend jeans, white tank, knit vest {Merona}, black flip flops, probably bed-head-turned-ponytail

{rainy} celebrations

2009-06-21T09:00:00.003-06:00

Happy birthday to me! I just ordered myself swanky new laptop for my birthday. :)

ALSO:
Happy Father's Day to my wonderful, crazy, goofy dad. And happy Father's Day to Dave, my great Father-in-law. AND, holy cow... happy birthday to my wacky mother-in-law, Marilyn! I get to share my day with some great company today.

And I love love love this incessant rainy weather- even though it's also the first day of summer.

Here's what's on the agenda today:

Finish homework for the week.
Assemble new cheval mirror {thanks, J! Love it}.
Stretch myself out with some easy yoga {I'm sore from softball practice}
Drink coffee and read a bit on my book for book club. Reading Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. Totally entertaining. I want to quit my job and just spend my life researching weird things and writing about it. Seriously.
Straighten up the craft room.
Plan the weekly wardrobe :). Thinking of a theme...
Visit some family!!!

Have a happy day!

what i'm wearing this week

2009-06-14T14:33:00.000-06:00

I wanted some color this week. Tie-dyed tank, yellow cardigan, Big Star jeans, orange and yellow feather t-shirt are all recent purchases I let myself splurge on to celebrate my raise. Back to behaving.

Monday: Black cropped pants (Charlotte), tie-dyed tank (Licorice), white cardigan (Old Navy), heels (Payless), earings (Claires).

Tuesday: Plaid gauchos (thrifted), tank (Merona), blazer (Charlotte), sandals (Merona), gold hoops.

Wednesday: Denim skirt (thrifted), striped t-shirt (Daytrip), yellow cardigan (Glimmer), silver flats (Merona), silver hoops.

Thursday: Brown cropped pants (Maurices), peach tank (Maurices), safari jacket (Charlotte), sandals (gifted), wooden earings ( Claires).

Friday: jeans (Big Star), t-shirt (H.I.P.), black flip flops.

because sometimes we just need to look at pretty things

2009-06-13T14:25:00.005-06:00

here,
here,
& here.

what i'm wearing this week

2009-06-07T11:45:00.000-06:00

Monday: crocheted vest {thrifted}, orange halter, brown gauchos {Maurices}, gold sandals, layers of orange beads {made by me}.

Tuesday: white cardigan {Old Navy}, berry-colored tank {Merona}, grey ruffley skirt {Merona}, black sandals, lots of bracelets.

Wednesday: grey cardigan {Merona}, cream sleeveless shirt {thrifted}, khakis {Hollister}, gladiator sandals, silk flower/ribbon belt {made by me}, pearl earrings.

Thursday: lack capris and blazer {Charlotte Russe}, pink tank, layers of pearls, heeled sandals {Payless}.

Friday: navy button-down, boyfriend jeans, white tank, layers of necklaces, flip flops.

This week's plan is inspired by the June 2009 JCrew catalog, specifically the images below. Lots of necklaces, layers, orange/pink/peach/cream. Love the bed head, too... ♥ ♥

30-day veg pledge re-cap

2009-06-06T08:59:00.004-06:00

In May I took the 30-day Veg Pledge, and I made it! Here's the quick re-cap.

What happened?

I lost about 2lbs; too little to tell if my diet made a difference or other factors (like yard work season!)
I felt exactly the same; no changes to my energy level, no digestion problems.
At least for now, how I feel about meat has changed a bit. I didn't eat a lot of it before, so I didn't miss it. It's a convenience thing for me. My 30 days was up 6 days ago and I've only had chicken breast twice.

What I learned:

It takes planning. No more throwing some chicken on the BBQ for a fast, healthy meal. Real food takes creativity and I'm sure it's something I'd adapt to eventually as I built up an arsenal of easy, tasty recipes.
Eating at other peoples' homes is challenging. People do not accommodate vegetarianism (not that I expect them to). Meat is the main event, so I would have to either eat at home then just go to be social and not eat there, or snack on side-dishes. Either way, I felt like a total diva.
Eating at restaurants is just as challenging. Fast food options are limited to sub sandwich places and Mexican chains (bean burritos). A few places have garden burgers or pasta with veggies, but it's harder than you'd think to find a meatless option if you want more than a side salad.
The biggest challenge was having a veggie-hater husband. It wasn't really as simple as having him eat what I made, and maybe cooking meat on the side for him. I had to cook two separate meals. It was such a hassle to plan that I ended up eating a LOT of garden burgers.
Convenience vegetarian food isn't healthy. It's full of sodium and not a good staple; it should be more of a last resort, like any convenience food. I was trying to watch my sodium intake a little closer because of it. Also, it's super easy to make up for meatless dishes with eating too many carbs. Veggies and soy products just aren't as filling. If I snacked a bit and wasn't ravenous at meals I was ok. But when I was starving it was tempting to eat a plate of pasta. And I did that a few times. :/

What I'm planning for the 30 days:

Cook a new entirely vegetarian meal once a week.
Limit eating meat to a couple times a week (and red meat to maybe once a week, if that.)
Cut out processed meat. Buh-bye chicken nuggets and deli turkey.

{Image source.}

///what i'm wearing this week. sorta.

2009-05-31T07:30:00.009-06:00

Monday: Black capris (Charlotte), grey tee, yellow flats (Merona), green bangle (Forever21), gold hoops.
Tuesday: cream linen dress (thrifted/no label), black sandals, black beads.
Wednesday: Black pants (Charlotte), stripey tank (Old Navy), green cardi (Merona), strappy heels (Payless Shoes)
Thursday: White peasant skirt, black tank, purple top (Merona), black gladiator sandals (Merona), black earrings (Claires).
Friday: any jeans, any tank, vest (Decree), belt, gladiator sandals (Urban).

///i'm up to stuff

2009-05-27T17:09:00.007-06:00

Quick what-I've-been-up-to/what I've been thinking about post:

Camping for Memorial Day weekend. Fish Lake, UT with Heather and Alan (thanks again, you guys are awesome!); and a quick stop at Capitol Reef for a short hike (Hickman Bridge- that picture above? Beautiful, no? The rest of the photos are up on Flickr.)
Vegetarianism comes easy for me, it turns out. Day 27 and counting. I am committed enough to it, but still seem to be lacking the skills and time to properly PLAN meals, so I've eaten LOTS of garden burgers. I plan to post the month-long experience when the month is up!
My birthday is coming up. And I've been getting questioned about what gift I would like. There are so many little projects I'd love to have the supplies to take on but I cannot narrow it down! I'm thinking about my gallery-style wall, new dining room chairs, or some DIY headboard action. What I'd REALLY like is a trip... to an actual city...
I'm planning to host the girliest shindig ever this summer. I can't wait to have the details ironed out and host it.
Cooking club is going strong and we have an event planned for Friday night {not at my house, but at a house apparently furnished with granite countertops from Heaven}. It's gotten out-of-hand giant, as there are something like 18 people now included {not including dates/spouses that sometimes come}. I'm making strawberry daiquiris... liquor's vegetarian!
First class DONE for my MBA. I start the next one Monday.
Tomorrow's my dad's birthday! And Sadie's, too!
Heading out to yoga in 10 minutes!

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-05-17T19:35:00.000-06:00

Boring, nothing notable this week, except Thursday's outfit... I made this new necklace Friday evening [my first jewelry-making adventure}:

Since I bought all the jewelry supplies today {pliers and crimp beads and lots of different strands of beads}, this necklace ran me approximately... $62.00. Not exactly saving money with the DIY, but it's super fun.

I also am in dire need of sandals that look good with black skirts, pants and capris. My wedges are wrecked, and everything else I have is either to bad-ass {spiky/teetery and uncomfortable} or too casual for the office. I'm liking something like this from Urban {so it's too bad I'm boycotting them}:

Something similar is the next item on my want-list. Anyone have any recommendations?

a quick {and dirty} garden post

2009-05-16T13:52:00.006-06:00

I planted my vegetable garden today in the raised beds J built for me: check them out! They are awesome:

I came to the conclusion today that I'm such a form over function girl. As I was planting rows of jalapenos, cilantro, basil, and oregano, I realized my measurements should have been tailored to realistic row widths, not just what looked "balanced" in that space by the shed. So, the rows are a bit cramped. Hopefully everything grows successfully anyway... :/ Oops.

I was searching for my own cute little garden markers- the little signs that remind you what's planted when it starts growing- with no success. So I made my own {and a set for my parents' garden}. I bought some tiny metal signs from the dollar bin at Tar-jay and painted/decorated them myself:

I painted them with regular ol' acrylic paint. I used scrapbooking letter stickers for the words, then covered each sign with about 10 coats of outdoor Modge Podge {it's rad} then a few light coats of outdoor spray sealer. Hopefully they hold up through the summer. Not bad for a buck {plus some random stuff I already had}.

Finally, I'm trying my hand at composting this summer. I know, it's not really something that takes talent, but it's something I never got around to for some reason. You can see my bin in that top picture, hiding near the shed.

Here's my lazy-girl composting process:

Find a large plastic bin. Mine's a 50 gallon recyled plastic tote from Target.
Drill holes in the lid for ventilation.
Put a few inches of dirt in the bottom.
Collect vegetable peels and such while making dinner; every couple days just throw them in the bin. I collect mine in a coffee can under my sink and take it out every 2 days so it doesn't stink.
About once a week, spray the pile just til damp, then turn a couple times with a shovel.
Keep a good mix of green (wet) items and brown (dry) items.

Brown items:

Shredded newspaper
Lint from your dryer
Dry leaves
Saw dust

Green items:

Vegetable and fruit parts
Grass clippings
Egg shells
Coffee grounds {and the entire filter if you buy the biodegradable ones}
Used tea bags

But... DO NOT compost these things:

Pet waste {because, ew}
Animal fats
Bread, pasta, and cooked foods {they will stink}

Dig it?

what i'm wearing this week (kind of)

2009-05-10T12:01:00.003-06:00

The weather last week wasn't as good as predicted, so this week I'll be wearing what I planned last week. (We are getting temps in the 80s finally- yay!!!)

So, in addition to that, this week I'll be wearing lots of gym clothes! I was a slacker last week, so this week I'm getting back to it.

"veg pledge" week 2

2009-05-10T09:24:00.002-06:00

This week, here's the menu:

Sunday: Vegetarian lasagna {cooking for the fam- happy Mother's Day to the best mom EVER!}
Monday: Veggie stirfry with tofu
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Soy burger tacos
Thursday: Left-overs
Friday: Asian noodles with peanut sauce {didn't get around to making this last week}

So far it's been easy eating veg; yesterday I had a softball practice and we grilled out afterward- I brought my own Boca burger along and a couple other people wanted to try them, too. The biggest challenge is cooking two meals, as suspected. I am down 2 lbs this week which may or may not be directly related. All those veggies certainly can't hurt, though!

{image source}

10 minute t-shirt upcycle

2009-05-04T16:00:00.000-06:00

I feel so supremely, smugly awesome right about now. Admiring ridiculously expensive Urban Outfitters stuff like this:...

Inspired the smart people over at Planet Green to DIY a similar style from a big ol' unsexy t-shirt. I followed the super-easy tutorial myself {scissors only- no sewing!}, and fashioned my own.

Ch-check it:

I feel very sly and clever in my formerly fugly t-shirt-turned wicked awesome vest. See? Smirky.

I might choppy-chop the bottom at an angle like the one from Urban, but I kinda like the straight hem. It'll be super cute with a belt around it, me thinks. YEEE-AHHH, I rule.

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-05-03T22:00:00.001-06:00

Monday - plaid gauchos {thrifted}, white tank, black cropped sweater {Forever 21}, black wedges {Cherokee/ Target}, bangles {various}.

Tuesday - Black jersey knit dress {Merona/ Target}, black heeled sandals {Payless}, earrings {Claires}.

Wednesday - Khakis {Hollister}, white tank {Decree}, gold sandals {hand-me-down from friend ;)}, bamboo-shaped earrings {Charlotte Russe}.

Thursday - Black cropped pants {Charlotte Russe}, striped tee {Daytrip/ The Buckle}, silver ballet flats, silver hoops.

Friday - Jeans {Charlotte Russe}, white tank, blazer {Charlotte Russe}, gladiator sandals {Urban Outfitters}, pearl studs {Target}.

"veg pledge" week 1

2009-05-02T14:45:00.000-06:00

Here's my menu for my first all-vegetarian week. I plan to take the leftovers to work during the week and eat them for lunch. Yum yum!

{This week is a suuuuper busy week- last week of class, plus a few after-work obligations, so I'm not making anything time-intensive. The following week I have a break between classes- break out the tempeh and curry powder!}

{Weekly Dinner Menu}

Saturday: Vegetarian pizza {with spinach, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and cheese}

Sunday: Pasta with Artichokes and Tomatoes

Monday: 'Meatball' Subs

Tuesday: Asian Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Wednesday: Left-overs

Thursday: Veggie sandwiches {whole wheat bread, veganaise, tomato, avocado, cucumber and cheese}

Friday: Quesadillas with black beans, corn, peppers and cheese

i pledge to be veg for 30 days

2009-05-02T07:38:00.004-06:00

{Source}

The month of May, I will be a vegetarian. Yesterday was officially day one, but today is Serious Planning Day; coming up with a weekly menu and hit the grocery store and health food store for this weeks' meals.

Here's why I decided to try it out:

I don't eat much meat anyway; mostly I do out of habit, and to avoid cooking two separate meals for the hubby and I.
I consider vegetarianism often {for health, ethical, and green reasons}, but it seems daunting. 30 days is a good start; then I will decide if I can do this long-term.
This will give me a reason to make healthier versions of food I already know I like- eliminating the meat and compensating with more veggies and spices is fun and healthy. I like to experiment in the kitchen, and I like trying new spices and ethnic food.
I've hit a weight-loss plateau; this might be the kick in the butt I need to really plan ahead, get more veggies, and cut out more fat.

Here are some websites I'm loving:

{Recipes}

VegCooking
AllRecipes {vegetarian recipes}
CafeVegNews
Vegan Yum Yum <--- Cutest website! I've made many recipes from this blog- love it!

{Info}

I will be posting my weekly menu plan shortly! Wish me luck! Anyone else want to join me for 30 days?

flickr favorites

2009-05-01T18:44:00.001-06:00

Here are some of my favorites from Flickr right now. I want to go somewhere...........

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-04-26T22:00:00.001-06:00

Monday: White sweater and coral skirt (Old Navy), brown boots (Payless), gold hoops.

Tuesday: Striped shirt (Daytrip; The Buckle), black pants (Charlotte), strappy heels (Payless), lots of jewelry (random).

Wednesday: White shirt with black tie (thrifted), grey draped sweater (thrifted sweater/ reconstructed by me), black pinstripe pants, low boots, big flower for hair (silk flower hot-glued to a clip).

Thursday: Purple cardigan (thrifted), red tank, denim skirt (thrifted), biker boots (M.U.D.D.), purple earrings (Claires).

Friday: Grey long-sleeve tee, draped vest (another re-con project), destroyed jeans (Hydraulic), low boots, wing earrings (Claires).

random favorite things RIGHT NOW.

2009-04-25T17:30:00.000-06:00

1. Gossip Girl Season 1 on DVD.
Scandal, fashion, and total bitchyness. This show makes me roll my eyes constantly, yet I CAN'T. STOP. WATCHING. And also, it makes me want to spend every dime I have on new clothes.

2. Yoga-Abs Class.
Went Wednesday. Still hurt. Can't wait for the next one.

3. Sprinkling cinnamon on coffee grounds before brewing.
Yum yum!

4. Book club.
Daily life started to get in the way of reading for pleasure. I feel normal again.

///what i'm wearing this week - keri russell- inspired

2009-04-19T08:28:00.001-06:00

Monday: White tank, blue knit vest (Mossimo/Target), khakis (Hollister), brown wedge sandals (MUDD), wooden earrings (Claire's).

Tuesday: White crocheted shirt *similar* (thrifted/Banana Republic), grey ruffley skirt (Mossimo/Target), black wedges, long necklace (we'll see what I come up with).

Wednesday: White tee, cargo capris (Charlotte Russe), navy scarf (Converse OneStar), brown flipflops, messenger bag (mine's not as sexy as this one but it's cute and, ahem! paid for).

Thursday: Blue tank (Vanity), white tiered skirt (ack! don't remember!), yellow flats (Mossimo/Target).

Friday: White tank, cropped vest (Decree), rolled boyfriend cropped jeans (Y.M.I.), wide leather belt (Merona/Target), gladiator sandals (Kimchi Blue/Urban Outfitters).

This week's narcissistic "what i'm wearing" post was inspired by an In Style spread on Keri Russell {January 2009 issue}. I LOVE her style in general, and this spread is perfect for spring casual. I also rarely wear blue, but I like how they mixed it with all the earthy tones and layers so it's not boring.

This first image has been pinned up on a bulletin board in my craft room since I cracked open the issue, I just love the effortless coolness of it.

i heart hello kitty

2009-04-15T17:53:00.013-06:00

Random fact: I kind of have a thing for Hello Kitty. I don't know why. I don't even particularly like cats {or cartoon animals in general}. I don't love the color pink, to an insane degree. I've never been an 8 year old Japanese girl.

But I totally love me some Hello Kitty. The over-the-top-cuteness is awesomely ridiculous.

A few days ago, my mom sent me a link to this post about the Hello Kitty Resort in Taiwan {click the link to the post for all the photos}. And um... this might be the best thing, EVER.

My husband got me a Hello Kitty toaster for Christmas, which lead to months of "what do you want with your Hello Kitty toast tonight?" I can't NOT be happy every time I pull that sucker out of the cabinet. In the Business class I'm currently taking, my textbook talks about the Sanrio company, and their brilliant {world-wide} brand-saturation. It's true, I can't imagine any other cartoon getting its own brand of pots and pans. I have no idea why, but I totally want them.

Images from Sanrio.com.

happy freakin' easter!

2009-04-12T14:30:00.001-06:00

So, I made this little sock bunny guy for my mom for an Easter gift. He turned out really cute...

Except the face... right??? I can't get it right, and now he's staring at me with those stupid beady eyes, and lack of mouth. {"Pull the thread tight to make a snout" the tutorial said. The more I pulled, the more he looked like he lost his dentures. }

Bunnies have such a creepy potential, am I right? No, seriously. This guy backs me up. *Shudder.*

Happy Easter, anyway. :p

///what i'm wearing this week

2009-04-12T10:41:00.002-06:00

week of 4.11.09 by listcalledlucky

Monday: Grey cardigan (Merona/Target), purple/navy/white graphic tank (Maurices), denim mini skirt, biker boots.

Tuesday: Jacket (Levi's), pink Jem and the Holograms tee (Hot Topic), black pants (Charlotte Russe), low boots, silver hoops.

Wednesday: Grey sweater (Merona/Target), coral skirt (Old Navy), heeled sandals (Payless). lots of bracelets (everywhere).

Thursday: Black cardigan (Kohls), green ruffle tank (Vanity), black pants (Merona/Target), silver ballet flats (Merona/Target), earrings (Claires).

Friday: Avenged Sevenfold concert tee, skinny jeans (Y.M.I.), chucks, studded belt.

**Edited to say... I don't plan on posting on this forever... until the weather warms up enough to assemble some spring and summer outfits. HURRY UP, Spring!**

spring cleaning

2009-04-11T15:03:00.003-06:00

It's spring cleaning weekend at mi casa. Here's what I'm up to {I can party}.

Today:

Take everything out of the fridge, clean the shelves, and re-stock in an organized fashion. Get rid of anything expired, and make a list of what I need to stock up on. Same with the pantry. {I do this one monthly}. DONE!
Down the outside of my kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, and baseboards throughout the house. DONE!
Sweep and mop the hard surface floors, vaccuum the carpets, wash all the rugs in the house. DONE!
Wipe down the walls in the high-traffic areas. {I'm just not ambitious enough to do this throughout the entire house}. DONE!
Wash the windows on the inside, dust the blinds, clean the sills and tracks. DONE!
Scrub the sinks, tubs, toilets, and counters in the bathrooms.

Tomorrow:

Empty the recycling and sweep out the garage.
Vacuum car, the hit the car wash {again, too lazy to do this myself in the driveway}.
Change out the bedding for summer stuff. Time to retire the electric blanket and flannel sheets for good {even if I have to pile on other blankets for a while}. Wash pillows. DONE!
Catch up on ironing {while I watch Gossip Girl Season 1}.
Treat the leather couches. DONE!

For another day:

Power wash the outside of the house and clean the windows and screens.
Round up everything for a garage sale we are helping my family out with... decide what I should just donate to Goodwill now.
Purge toiletry items and wipe out cabinets.
Wash and put away all the winter gear for the season.

{Photo source.}

///i gotta find a new place

2009-04-10T14:56:00.006-06:00

I am considering a road trip in a couple months. I narrowed it down to the following two options:

Portland/Eugene/Salem, Oregon

{Photo source}

San Francisco/L.A./San Diego

{Photo source}

We will take about 5-7 days. I'd like to hear suggestions of things to do in any of these cities, if you've been to any of them, please!

how to be totally awesome {at planning a weekly menu}

2009-04-08T20:20:00.000-06:00

Image from [the nest].

Planning meals can be so incredibly frustrating in my household. I have lots of challenges: I am trying very hard to eat healthfully; I am trying to slash my grocery bill; my husband and I both work and have different social obligations, so we often have different {and inconsistent} schedules; and J is incredibly finicky (there are few veggies he will eat, and he doesn't like seafood or pork, anything that contains the word "salad," or anything spicier than say... ketchup).

I've attempted to make detailed meal plans for the week, purchasing everything needed for 7 delicious and creative meals... then giving up in frustration because 5 out of the 7 nights my plans were foiled - I was short on time/ J had to work late and wasn't home for dinner/ our house was full of people and I wasn't prepared to cook for a crowd/ one of us had a late lunch and wasn't hungry, etc etc.

Finally I have come up with a mostly-successful way to manage my meal-planning so I stay on budget and keep calories in check. Here's my {flexible, but not perfect} process:

1. I determine, realistically, how many nights I even need to cook. Generally we eat dinner at my inlaws' house on Sunday nights, and we either go out to eat or get pizza/takeout one additional night each week. That said, I only need to be responsible for rummaging up dinner 5 nights a week.
2. I plan for leftovers. There are only two of us, so a pan of lasagna can last for a week. I only feel like eating leftovers for dinner once; I freeze the rest in small containers to take to work for lunch during later weeks. So, if I cook two big meals per week, I can usually assume I am off the hook two other nights because we will eat leftovers.
3. I plan for a quick-and-easy cooking nights. Like I posted before, we have our budget-friendly standbys. I ALWAYS have the following stuff on-hand for fast dinners:
-Pasta and jarred sauces
-Omelets (using cheese and whatever veggies we've got around at the time)
-Tofu and frozen veggies for stirfry, and brown rice or rice noodles
-Vegetarian canned chili with a baked potato or on scones (made with frozen dough)
-Canned tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches
*I know these are not earth-shattering ideas, and they are not uber healthy... but they definitely beat out the drive-thru window in terms of nutrition. And we like them enough to keep these in rotation.

Based on those considerations, my Sunday meal planning goes something like this:

1. Pick two recipes to make for the week for my big cooking nights. I like to pick two very different things, maybe one kind of Mexican food, and one soup I can make in the crock-pot, for instance. I take a look at what perishable items I already have when planning; if I have a whole lotta celery, for instance, I might make potato soup to use it up.
2. Assume I'll have left-overs from both. If not, I'll whip up one of my quick-and-easy dinners. (I don't limit myself to that list above. Sometimes I plan ahead enough to purchase the ingredients for other fast meals. I use this list of 30-minutes or less dishes from [The Nest] frequently.)
3. Shop for ingredients around those main dishes, and stock up on staple-items.

My menu will look something like this:

Monday: Main meal #1
Tuesday: Quick-and-easy meal
Wednesday: Main meal #2
Thursday: Leftovers from main meal #1
Friday: Takeout or eat out
Saturday: Leftovers from main meal #2
Sunday: Dinner with the inlaws OR something quick-and-easy

See? I only technically COOK-cook twice a week. The rest of the time I just reheat something or throw something together in 15-30 minutes. And it's flexible; if I work too late on Monday, I'll cook the main meal #1 on Tuesday instead. Or if there are no leftovers (or I decide to freeze or eat them for lunch later instead), I just make one of the quick-and-easy meals. No big deal, food doesn't spoil because the plan keeps slipping.

This saves ridiculous amounts of time and money, and best of all keeps my frustration-level low.

I plan to type up a handy little list of FAST & HEALTHY dinner ideas based around stuff I usually already have on hand, and possibly throw in a couple new things to try, and tape it inside my pantry for those nights I simply cannot bring myself to THINK OF SOMETHING.

P.S. This post made me realize something. I think I need a day for "husband cooks while I paint my toenails."

P.P.S. Maybe these printable menu planning cards {aprintaday via design crush} will inspire me to be just a little more cheerful about this weekly duty:

Anyone have any other ideas for planning ahead, fast dinner ideas, etc?

///what i'm wearing this week*

2009-04-05T20:03:00.003-06:00

what i'm wearing this week // april 6 by listcalledlucky featuring BKE bracelets

*Feeling glum tonight. So, I'm wearing black/white/tan/grey this week.

Monday: Black cropped pants (Charlotte), ties shirt (thrifted/ Old Navy), shoes (Payless)
Tuesday: Linen dress (thrifted), grey tights, biker boots, black beads (Claire's)
Wednesday: Khaki pants (Hollister), grey tee, metallic platform sandals (MUDD)
Thursday: Black pants (Charlotte), grey vest (Charlotte), white tee, low boots
Friday: Skinny jeans (YMI), grey tunic (Wet Seal), silver ballet flats (Mossimo- Target)

near-future project --- gallery-style picture wall

2009-04-04T15:12:00.007-06:00

Jennifer Ramos {Made By Girl, one of my favorite blogs}, has a great post on hanging a gallery-style picture wall. This is her dining room wall. You can see her whole house here {it's rad}. She's got some awesome style.

I have been wanting to do this since seeing this crazy-awesome wall in domino back in 2007:

I also love this simpler, colorful one {also domino}:

And this one, more planned-feeling with similar tones {Jonathan Adler, via Habitually Chic}:

Time to start collecting frames and art! I am thinking about purchasing this print from Made By Girl, and this print from another talented Etsy seller.

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-03-29T17:17:00.003-06:00

what i'm wearing week of 3.29.2009 - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

This week looks like a dull sentence surrounded by purple quotation marks. I am NOT inspired by this weather. This winter is wearing out it's welcome. At least I can wear boots for one more week.

Beetlejuice Monday: Purple cardi, black and white tee (Forever 21), black pants (Charlotte), loafers.
Peas and Carrots Tuesday: Green army jacket, grey tee, charcoal pants (Charlotte), low boots, orange purse.
Office Camo Wednesday: Grey sweater (Merona- Target), black skirt (thrifted), suede boots (Charlotte), bracelet (Buckle).
Cater-Waiter Thursday: White hoodie, black pinstripe pants (Kohls), silver ballet flats (Target), pretty amber earrings.
Purple Pirate Friday: Stripey purple and grey shirt (Daytrip), skinny jeans, biker boots, giant bangle (Target).

how to be totally awesome {at saving money}

2009-03-26T19:32:00.008-06:00

I know we've been EXTREMELY lucky that we've not felt a huge blow from the economic turn. I still have my job because it's a contract position with the government. Jonathan's company is still stable and the spring/summer months look good {knock on wood}. We even took advantage of the lower interest rates and refinanced our house.

We have a nice home and don't want for much (but hey! We are a two-income household with no kids!). Our only debt as of right this second is our mortgage and a modest student loan balance. We have a good savings. And even though I have a case of the wants, as illustrated on this blog, I don't really BUY a whole lot (I'm *mostly* a window shopper). And when I do buy, it's typically well-thought-out and hunted down at a bargain.

It might sound painful, but I think of it like a game. Our savings goes Up-Up-Up just a little each month, and I don't feel like I make that many sacrifices to do it.

We are an anomaly among our age bracket; Generation Debt, anyone? But really, we are just frugal in the areas that cause us the least pain to do so. It's easy. Here are some of the ways we save that I wanted to share (and to help reinforce them for myself!):

General stuff:

I take advantage of all my employee benefits. Of course I use my company's health benefits. But I also take full advantage of their 401(k) match, tuition reimbursement program, and health & wellness incentive. My company is matching my 7% 401(k) contribution, paying for me to get my MBA, and giving me a $75 incentive each quarter for tracking and committing to my health and fitness goals.
I take advantage of services I already pay for. For example, I already pay a gym membership. So in addition to working out there, I also use the sauna once a week to relax and detox; use, not lose, the free smoothie passes I get sent periodically; and catch up on celebrity gossip by reading all the magazines while I'm on the elliptical machine. They also have cable on their TVs; since I don't have cable, I get a HGTV fix for free while I work out on Sunday afternoon.
I try to borrow first, before purchasing something. With kitchen gadgets (and in last week's case, a kitchen table) I ask my mom to borrow hers first. If I decide I can't live without one, then I can buy it. Jonathan does this with tools; he's got brothers, cousins, and a dad who all love them some power tools. Someone probably has one, and they won't miss it for a day or two. And we are happy to reciprocate!
This is a new one for me, but it's so easy. I picked one day a week I can't spend a nickle. No coffee, no newspaper, no granola bar from the vending machine. On Tuesdays I do not run errands, I don't stop for coffee, I make sure I bring lunch and snacks to work, etc. This means one less day of potential impulse buying, and it forces me to plan ahead; definitely a habit I want to reinforce. If it's easy, I'll bump it to two (or maybe three) days a week.
We rounded up on our car payments. We paid $300/month on my car payment that was only $220 and paid it off 18 months early. The $300 we were used to paying now gets put immediately in savings. We are considering applying half to our student loan debt (which means our student loans will get paid off earlier, too).

Household stuff:

We refinanced our mortgage. We now save $180 a month on our house payment, which goes into a vacation fund.
We DIY our home improvement projects. My husband is super-handy and we haven't hired out anything. From installing a new water heater to building a shed, he's done it all (with help from family).
We don't have a land line. We pay enough for our cell phone service as it is.
I clean the cheap/earth-friendly way as much as possible. I clean my sinks with baking soda and vinegar. I use Mrs. Meyers concentrated cleaner to clean most everything else, from counters to cabinets to floors. It's incredibly affordable, environmentally friendly, and smells amazing.

Entertainment stuff:

We don't have cable. Our channel surfing is limited to the 5 major networks and PBS. This saves about $60/month, and I save hours each week by not vegging on the couch every night. Instead I read, study, blog, or work on craft projects when I'm home.
We rarely go to movies, and we rent movies at the Redbox. Jonathan won't watch the old movies, but when he's out of town I stock up on free rentals at the library.
I do check out books at the library, but I like to own books I know I'll want to refer to again and again. I buy nearly all of my books on decorating, cooking, gardening, etc used from Amazon.com or elsewhere. Even with shipping, I'll pay about $5-$7/book, compared to $30 new.
I use Pandora.com (free Internet radio that lets you pick the genre). I'd never pay for Lil' Wayne iTunes tracks, but I'll totally throw on "Lil' Wayne Radio" for free while I clean house, if the mood hits {and it totally does}.

Food stuff:

We eat at least 3 meat-free, inexpensive dinners per week (and often more like 4-5) such as pasta and marina sauce, veggie stirfry with brown rice, veggie and cheese omelets, etc. These are fast, relatively healthy, and only cost a couple dollars for the two of us. This saves about $80-120/month.
Pack a lunch (and snacks). I bring lunch to work with me 4 days a week; leftovers from the night before, a sandwich, or a salad. I keep a bottle of salad dressing in the fridge at work so all I have to do is toss lettuce and veggies in a tupperware container in the morning. I save about $100/month doing this.
My weakness is a giant vanilla latte. I allow myself to indulge occasionally WITH A FRIEND, so it doubles as a social outing. $4 is a lot for a cup of coffee, but it's a BARGAIN for a good chat with a good friend. To not feel deprived the rest of the time, I keep a box of chai in my desk drawer at work to make a tasty ("fancy") beverage when I need an afternoon pick-me-up.
We eat left-overs. Sometimes I'm creative with them and disguise them as a new meal (extra rotisserie chicken gets thrown into quesadillas, for example...).
We also avoid throwing away food as much as possible. The easiest solution is grocery shop/meal plan around what I already have at home that needs to be used. I make a loose meal plan for the week every Sunday around the things I don't want to spoil, and shop for the few additional things I need in one trip.

Beauty stuff:

I use Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap to refill hand soap pumps, as body wash in the shower, on my face every morning and night, and in the bathtub to make my skin soft. It's AMAZINGLY concentrated and smells awesome, it's Fair Trade and organic, el cheapo, and the label is jam-packed with crazy religious rantings to entertain you in the tub. LUV.
As a moisturizer at night time, I use a tiny bit of olive oil. {I learned this from a gorgeous, clear-skinned, tree-hugging friend.} I have very dry skin, and this helps like no layers and layers of expensive lotions can.
I don't wear foundation, concealer, powder, etc, and I don't buy eye makeup or lipsticks in experimental colors anymore. I've pared my makeup down to bronzing powder, eyebrow pencil, charcoal eyeliner, and mascara.
I perform my own manicures, pedicures, facials, etc. I also color my own hair. To me this is normal and doesn't seem like a money-saver, but then I'm reminded when friends or family tell me how much they spend on these services!
I only wash my hair once every two-three days. Like my skin, I have SUPER dry hair, so this is actually a necessity. If I do wash more often, I let it air dry periodically, and embrace the waviness once in a while. This saves on hair products, water, AND time (the blow-drying/straightening ritual takes about 40 minutes).
Jonathan's even better. He gives himself haircuts, and he totally rocks the David Beckham look.

Clothing stuff:

I love buying new clothing, but I limit myself to affordable shops like Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Target and the Old Navy clearance rack for most of my new wardrobe.
Skirts and dresses are SO EASILY thrifted because the sizes are more forgiving than with jeans for example, and the styles on simple skirts are timeless. Tailoring a skirt or dress length is also super-easy. I own about 12 skirts, 8 of which were thrifted for around an average of $3 each.
If I lose buttons, rip a belt loop, or stain something, I don't throw it out and replace it without trying to fix it first. I have a couple items pending me working up the courage to over-dye them because I either spilled something that left a stain, or I don't like the color much. I'll post results when I get around to trying this!
I hang up pants/skirts/jeans/hoodies/jackets and wear them 1 or 2 more times before washing. Less washing makes clothing last longer, and saves water and energy.

I'm not a perfect money manager, however. I have plenty of spending pitfalls and weaknesses I plan to work on. Here are the biggest money mistakes I make over and over:

I often purchase all the supplies for a craft project I want to try, then never get around to it. I generally put the stuff away for a later time and forget all about it. I come across stuff in my craft room all the time that makes me think... hmmm... what was this for, again?
I'm not an organized gift-giver. So I'm often left to last-minute and full-priced gifts, gift cards, etc. When I do remember to plan ahead, I can think of something more meaningful rather than trying to make up for the lack of meaning with a heftier price tag.
I'm addicted to junk jewelry. I can't hit Target for groceries without stopping by and being tempted to grab a pair of giant peacock feather earrings or a gaudy rhinestone cocktail ring.

Anyone want to share some of your money saving/managing techniques?

/// what i'm wearing this week

2009-03-22T20:19:00.002-06:00

week of 3.23.09 - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

I think I need to shop for more pants/skirts for spring and summer. Everything I have is black! I don't own a single pair of pants in khaki, brown, navy, grey, etc, since I gave away everything that no longer fits!

Monday: Olive green henley (Old; don't remember where it's from), yellow tee (Maurices), black pants (Charlotte Russe), loafers, bangle (Forever 21)

Tuesday: Brown corduroy jacket (Mossimo/ Target), black tank, plaid pants (Charlotte Russe), low boots, bamboo earrings (Claires)

Wednesday: Grey sweater (Merona/Target), black 80s wash pants (Charlotte Russe), bring pink belt (old!), black heels

Thursday: Blue tee (Hollister), grey vest (Charlotte Russe), denim jacket (Vanity), black pants (Charlotte Russe), low boots

Friday: White hoodie (Charlotte Russe), blue ruffle tank (Vanity), Destroyed jeans (Charlotte Russe), green Chucks, hoops

dinner club event #1

2009-03-21T09:42:00.005-06:00

Why oh why do I never remember to take pictures?

Our first dinner club event was lovely. Sian made delicious crab tartlets. I whipped up some tasty artichoke and sundried tomato pasta and a green salad. Becca topped it all off with some zeppole. Others brought bread, wine, and homemade biscotti. Everyone was instructed to also bring a favorite Italian recipe written out on cards to share with the group.

We crammed 8 of us in my tiny dining nook. It was the perfect number, I think. Here's what the original table configuration I settled on looked like {I wasn't really keen on having to sit in the entryway or living room}:

We ended up pushing the tables together making one big imperfect square. It had to be pretty casual in my small house, but it was a great time.

I love cooking, eating, and being with friends. We plan to do this once a month at a different house each time, and I'm totally stoked about it!

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-03-15T21:09:00.003-06:00

what i'm wearing this week 3.16.09 - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

FINALLY, some spring-like weather! Here's what I'm busting out this week {Wow, Charlotte Russe should love me}:

Monday: Black pinstripe skirt (thrifted), black cardigan, purple/black/navy print tank (Kohls), naughty suede boots (Charlotte Russe). School starts for me!

Tuesday: Black pants, black tank, green cropped sweater (Old Navy), low boots. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wednesday: Black cropped pants (Charlotte Russe), white button-down shirt, denim jacket (Vanity), yellow shoes (Target)

Thursday: Purple tie-dye dress (Kohls), black cropped sweater (Wet Seal), cork wedges (Target).

Friday: Jeans, grey blazer (Charlotte Russe), white tank, low boots, key necklace (Charlotte Russe)

Have a great week!

happy weekend!

2009-03-13T16:15:00.004-06:00

Another weekend already! Here's what I'm up to... anyone else care to share their plans?

Help a friend move into her new house! So excited for her! Also need to find a house warming gift!
Laundry... lots of it
The usual cleaning... {vacuum and dust, clean the bathrooms, sweep the floors}
Clean the bird cage {worst. job. ever.}
Shop for ingredients for the dinner party, wine, and pretty napkins/ Decide how to decorate the tables and where to put them...
Also... I've been invited to Alisha's Pi(e) Party AND Salsa dancing night Saturday night... both sound so awesome I'd hate to miss out on either...

Have a most awesome weekend!!!

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-03-08T21:05:00.006-06:00

week of 3.9.09 - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

Hot for Teacher Monday. Jumper & shirt (Express; thrifted), textured tights (Forever 21), biker boots

Blue on Black Tuesday. Levi's jacket, blue t-shirt (Target), black pants (Charlotte Russe), huge red earrings (Forever 21), low boots

Rebel Rebel Wednesday. I LOVE brown and grey together even though people tell me it clashes. I do what I want! Grey sweater (Target), white prairie skirt (Calvin Klein), brown suede boots, chunky brown belt (Target)

Book Club Thursday {no clever song title-themed outfit today}. Grey/black pants (Target), green ruffle tank (Vanity), black cardigan (Kohls), silver ballet flats (Target), glasses

Hood Figure Friday. Long sleeve grey tee, short sleeve black ruffle hoodie (Charlotte Russe), skinny jeans, new yellow shoes, big bamboo earrings

///happyyyyyy feet. =)

2009-03-07T11:15:00.003-07:00

My gladiator sandals arrived. But... booooo... they are too big. Blah. I HATE exchanging things. And I KNOW they are ridiculous, kind of, for real life. Add a GIANT bag and GIANT sunglasses and I'd feel like an Olsen twin wearing these. I heart them.

I am so spoiled. I also bought these cute yellow flats at Target {on clearance} last weekend:

weekend to-do list {the productive stuff}

2009-03-06T18:20:00.009-07:00

No planned social events or obligations. Here's my to-do list for the weekend:

Drink coffee.
Visit the fam.
For real this time, finish up the bulletin boards in my craft room.
Clean the floors. Again. For the 3rd time this week.
Clean the bathrooms. Hang new shower curtain liners, wash the rugs, and clean out drawers.
Finish the novel I'm reading for book club next week.
Go to the gym Sunday. {I was lazy and only made it 2 nights this week}.
Find new doggie dishes for Sadie.
Purchase table coverings, napkins, and recipe cards for dinner party. Potentially borrow wine glasses and additional seating from Mom.
Plan the menu for dinner party.

Anyone have fun plans or projects?

{image via FFFFOUND.}

hostess anxiety

2009-03-05T16:44:00.007-07:00

One of my super-vague New Year's resolutions was to have more fun this year. Try new things, host more parties, be more adventurous. In an effort to do that, a friend and I are starting a cooking/entertaining club with a few co-workers. The idea behind it is to get people together, learn to cook new things, try out some fun entertaining techniques, and socialize. I sent out the invite today, planned for March 18. Sian and I are cooking this time (since it's our first activity), and I am hosting at mi casa.

We have a lot of shindigs at my place as of late, but the cooking requirements have been minimal, so long as there is beer and Doritos, we are set. It's also always been a pretty different crowd... But now... I'm panicking. My kitchen is too small. My dining table is too small. I might screw up the food. I don't even OWN wine glasses. We don't have enough chairs. Etc. etc. So, this post serves a bit as a pre-party to-do list, and also, I'm soliciting any entertaining tips you might have for a slightly more formal dinner party. Feel free to send them my way! Until then, here is the list:

Plan a menu and delegate half to my co-hostess. Print out each recipe on cards to hand to guests. So far I've only planned the appetizer: these Cheese and Parsley Phyllo Triangles. YUM.
Buy some barware. Pier One has stemware for $2 per piece. I guess I need about 12 versatile glasses, but I have no storage for these... I'll work that out later.
Decide how to configure the table situation. I'm thinking of moving my dining room table to my living room, and setting up a similarly-sized folding table {luckily I own this already} and throwing matching linens/ centerpieces/ etc so hopefully it's not painfully obvious we are low-brow like that. {Though I will probably not only point it out but also apologize for it upon each guests arrival no matter how cleverly I am able to disguise it.}
Plan a color scheme and try setting the table a couple different ways. {I like this post about table setting.} My only dishes are Fiesta Ware, so I don't plan on making everything super colorful. Maybe something that unites all the colors as centerpieces and keep everything else plain.
Send a reminder one week before.
Random house-related to-dos I've been putting off. Hosting a party is GREAT for inspiring sudden motivation to tackle the random tasks. I have a few pictures to hang, surfaces to de-junk or rearrange, and if I'm lucky, Jonathan can install the stair runner I ordered today. If so, I'll definately be posting on that later.

Image via domino.

teeny, tiny family room makeover

2009-03-01T09:21:00.008-07:00

Our family room needed some pizazz, remember? It's been re-arranged many times, but it seemed to be lacking... animal print.

I re-covered the existing pillows, and voila. From now on, the answer is always going to be "add some zebra."

{Not really. But seriously, for about $15, this room no longer bores me so much. Happiness.}

Nothing looks as instantly cool as zebra print, no?

//what i'm wearing this week

2009-03-01T09:02:00.003-07:00

week of march 2 // what i'm wearing - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

Monday - Black pants from Charlotte Russe, Levi's jacket, yellow tee, mary janes

Tuesday - Denim skirt, red tee, grey cardigan, biker boots

Wednesday - Boring... brown cords, black sweater, low boots

Thursday - Black pants, stripy shirt from Forever 21, purple cardigan, black heels (mine are peep-toe)

Friday - Skinny light-wash jeans, navy tunic, blue hobo bag from Charlotte Russe, silver ballet flats from Target

I hope everyone has an excellent week!

///summer countdown!

2009-02-21T09:51:00.004-07:00

Confession: I haven't worn a bikini since I was about... 15 years old. And yesterday I bought this cute one at Target. It's currently hanging on my closet door as my healthy eating and workout inspiration to kick the last ten lbs. And I WILL be wearing this by June or July.

I want to brag for a minute.

I've become kind of a gym rat! I never thought I'd say that. But I spend about 8-10 hours a week working out, now (though I'm including yoga, stretching, cardio, weight-lifting...).

My self-motivational techniques are:

Make sure I'm always trying something new every couple of weeks. I'm ready to now try some new things like swimming and water aerobics, spinning, tennis...
Don't limit myself to the gym. Sometimes I do yoga at home, and when the weather gets warmer, I plan to work out outdoors, get people together to play sports, and walk more places.
Good music on my iPod. I make a new cardio playlist once a week or so. It gets me through the elliptical machine workouts when I can jam. I am on a weird kick right now: Papa Roach, Pantera, Motorhead. Whatever works.
Lose some weight, then wear cute clothes to show it off. It's easier to keep going when I like the way I look a bit more.
Relax what I eat on gym days. I realize I need a bit more to keep me going, so I eat accordingly. If I'm not STARVING to death at the gym, that's the difference between getting in an hour of weights or going home early to eat something and skipping the workout. And on non-workout days I eat lighter.

Anyone have any tips for making workouts more exciting, getting motivation to hit the gym, or ways to reward yourself for your hard work?

//what i'm wearing this week*

2009-02-15T19:00:00.007-07:00

what i'm wearing this week - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

*nobody cares, but I love posting this anyway. :)

Monday: President's Day= a day off for me! I'll be kicking around the house in jeans, stripy shirt from Forever 21, hoodie (Charlotte Russe), silver ballet flats (Mossimo), cabbie hat from Urban Outfitters.

Tuesday: Denim skirt (thrifted), brown hooded sweater, grey tee, brown boots... and probably some brown cable-knit tights

Wednesday: I'll actually meet the office dress code for once. black pants, grey tee, looong maroon sweater vest, office-appropriate loafers :)

Thursday: grey pants from Charlotte Russe, grey vest from Charlotte Russe, orange tee, denim jacket from Vanity I think, low boots

Friday: jeans, boots, robot tee from Charlotte Russe, military jacket

happy valentine's day

2009-02-14T10:44:00.001-07:00

be my valentine? - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

weekend inspiration

2009-02-07T09:51:00.003-07:00

It always amazes me what talented people with great taste can do with a small space on a small budget. This apartment tour at AT: San Francisco makes me want to downsize and start from scratch.

The details are perfect. I love how she's managed to mix enough thrift store finds and personality into her 450 sf apartment, that I was shocked so many pieces of furniture and all the window coverings came from IKEA. {In my house... it's kind of obvious I shop at IKEA.}

friday at home // & weekend plans

2009-02-06T14:13:00.008-07:00

I'm home today, watching over my husband, who yesterday got in a pretty ugly 4-wheeling accident. He's ok, but has a minor concussion, a scraped-up face, and some bruises. Even though he's doing fine, he's not supposed to be left alone much for a day or two. Poor schmuck!

I've spent the day cleaning, organizing photos, doing laundry, and culling the fridge while hubby camps out on the couch. Speaking of photos, I sorted pictures of our house by room here. I'm a bit OCD, I know. Now I just need to tag everything better!

{Photo above of my new cute little bird figure- it totally jumped into my hands at Tai Pan. Little guy makes me so happy!}

Here are the productive things I'm doing this weekend:

1. Making labels for the boxes/bins in my newly-organized craft room closet.
2. For real this time, cleaning my blinds (and sills).
3. Ironing!
4. Getting my transcripts and other paperwork in order to talk to my adviser on Monday... I'm getting started on an MBA in March!
5. Making something Valentines-Day themed. I don't care much for the holiday, or at least it's not in my top 5, but it's an excuse to use and pink and red together!

//here's what i'm wearing this week

2009-02-02T11:25:00.005-07:00

what i'm wearing week of Feb 2 - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

Monday: I'm home sick today. I don't plan to get out of sweats... BLAH. I'm better than yesterday, though!
Tuesday: Nothing notable. Need to wear more color, thus the orange. :)
Wednesday: That black skirt was thrifted for like, $2, and it gets tons of mileage. Textured tights are awesome. Pink-ish sweater (mine's more like a coral color). Charm bracelet from the Buckle.
Thursday: Shirt is by Daytrip from the Buckle. That panel on the front is extra fabric and just hangs there and makes me feel like a pirate. It's awesome. Pants from Charlotte Russe.
Friday: any random pair of jeans. Concert t-shirt from last weeks Avenged Sevenfold show. It was freakin awesome! Hoodie and Chucks.

Have a fabulous week everyone!

//weekend to do list

2009-01-31T08:47:00.005-07:00

Gotta:

Oil change/ alignment/ and get tire fixed on my car. And get the winter salt and grime off my car. {I am not normally such a delinquent car owner.}
Plan some meals for the week and get groceries.
Clean the blinds and floors.
Hit the gym.

Wanna:

Find a table for my entryway.
Redo bulletin boards in craft room.
Do something crafty during the Superbowl - perhaps some of these flowers I can put on some handmade cards.

{Image via fffound.}

we're floored.

2009-01-30T21:06:00.005-07:00

I finally got around to taking pictures of our new floors (new as of last summer...). You can see all the pictures here. This isn't wood or laminate. It's actually rubber. We picked it up at Home Depot. Check it out here.

I had quite literally nothing to do with installation of these (except some carpet demo). J did it all with a bit of help from his brothers I believe. I'm sooo happy with how they turned out.

I like it for many reasons, the main being it's a continuous hard surface in general on the main level of our house which makes cleaning super easy, especially with a pet and construction-working husband. But it's easier to care for than wood or laminate- standing water will not ruin this floor, and if it happens to make a seam peel up just a bit, you can replace one slat easily and no one would be the wiser.

It was also super affordable (cheaper than linoleum and looks much better) and easy to install (I hear). I dig it.

domino folds... sniff!

2009-01-30T17:49:00.002-07:00

GRRRRRRRRRRRR, my favorite decorating magazine, domino, is folding. First Blueprint (which was bad enough), and now domino, which has been my all-time favorite since the first issue.

Times are tough!

R.I.P. You'll be missed!

//here's what i'm wearing this week

2009-01-26T16:36:00.003-07:00

what i'm wearing week of jan 26 09 - by listcalledlucky on Polyvore.com

Monday: Grey sweater from Target, Black pinstripe skirt (thrifted), black boots, purple knee-highs (Gotta get mileage out of the boots!!
Tuesday: Black long-sleeve tee, dragon t-shirt (not sure where it's from- it's soooo old), brown cords, Chucks.
Wednesday: Black pants (Charlotte Russe), yellow hoodie, denim jacket, low boots.
Thursday: Grey skinny jeans, lacy tank, white henley, long necklaces, biker boots.
Friday: junky YMI jeans, grey t-shirt, brown vest from the Buckle, sneaks.

***not an incredibly imaginative week, but it's frickin freezing around these parts so I'm more worried about being WARM!

style file

2009-01-24T11:02:00.009-07:00

I heart the Internet as an idea resource for my own house, but sometimes I realize after browsing blogs, online stores, and Flickr for a few minutes, it can become total visual overload. Pile on the magazines and books I look at each week, and it's no wonder I am often completely indecisive about how to choose something for my own house.

I like EVERYTHING. There are so many great ideas out there, and I don't want to paint myself into a style corner with say "modern boho" when I also really like "funky vintage" or "rock star glam."

{Ecclectic and girly- Ruthie Sommers for Domino}

The design experts say you should stash things you like in one place- a style tray or binder or something, to help you find your style. With that in mind, I gathered up the photos I've been saving on my hard drive- stuff from blogs to Pottery Barn website- that I found particularly inspirational, and uploaded them to Flickr. I'll keep adding to it as I find things I love- you can see it here.

{Nature-inspired and classic- Pottery Barn}

Maybe one day I'll peg my style and quit making decorating mistakes I have to either live with and learn to love, or redo (unless I want to just for fun!).

{Bright and modern- Ideal Home}

rainy weekend

2009-01-24T10:53:00.002-07:00

Happy weekend! It's a rainy one {and I love it}. Here's what I've got going on:

Friday was Jonathan's birthday. We hit The Old Spaghetti Factory at Trolley Square mall with Shane and Shay, and I got him a Playstation 3. Happy 27th, babe! {You still look pretty much exactly as you did at 17.}
Today I'm hitting the gym, uploading my recent stuff to Flickr, catching up on a couple blogs, writing an article for my company newsletter, and hitting a party tonight.
Tomorrow- cleaning house, planning the menu for the week/ deciding what to wear for the week, and celebrating Jonathan's birthday weekend with the inlaws!

what a day...

2009-01-20T20:34:00.003-07:00

I am seriously optimistic and hopeful about this country ever since the election results. Watching President Obama speak at his inauguration, just streaming on my computer monitor at work, brought a tear to my eye.

Oh yeah. Peace out, Dubya.

summer tease

2009-01-19T17:24:00.005-07:00

Aren't these heeled sandals (Frye, at Urban) yummy? I seriously want to lick them. They make me want to say "What recession? $188 is a perfectly acceptable amount of money to spend on sandals from Heaven."

I am so ready for some warm weather. I never should have hit the mall today. All those cute summer things! It just made me grouchy when I returned to the parking lot and had to maneuver around gross, dirty snow banks.

Anywho. My sandal splurge will probably be more like a pair of these:

I dig them, but I probably won't lick them.

the family scrapbook project

2009-01-19T13:27:00.007-07:00

Phew- it's done! I finally finished the family scrapbook for my dad (and a duplicate album for my aunt Terri.) It was a LOT of work, and I seriously didn't realize how big of an undertaking it would end up becoming!

Here's the outside of the album:

The process went sort of like this:

1. I gathered tons of photos from my grandma's house when she passed away. Most were water-damaged, there was absolutely no order, and none of them were labeled. I pulled the ones I liked and asked my dad if he could help determine who people were or any other info about the photo if possible.

2. I scanned every photo at a high resolution and touched them up as much as possible in Photoshop. I set them all to grey scale unless they were actual printed in good color (obviously just the more recent ones were).

3. I printed a slew- 2 copies of each- a few 5x7s for variation, but mostly 4x6.

4. I tried to group them in logical ways; such as photos of my grandparents together throughout their lives, baby pictures of my dad and aunt, etc, and put them in rough chronological order. Here I should note: I should have done this in digital format first then sketched some layouts of the pages before printing- I ended up with about 100 pictures printed that I didn't end up using because they were too random.

5. My mom wrote letters to my grandma's sisters for information- stories particularly. My great Aunt Peggy pulled through and sent us some great anecdotes, including the story of how my grandparents met.

6. I didn't have many stories to use, but I wanted to include some basic info for my grandparents so it's recorded somewhere. I had to ask my dad and look at some paperwork I dug up to find things like education info, employment, siblings and parents' names, etc. I created a couple pages for my grandpa and a couple for my grandma with their basic info like that. They look like this:

7. I wanted to narrow the scope so I whittled it down to 20 pages. (But two of every layout- I made two mostly-identical albums.) I kept the layouts simple, and similar. I am not a great scrapbooker with the latest and greatest gadgets and techniques. I just use cardstock, printed paper, and velum I can run through my printer, for the most part. It was still hugely time-consuming.

(I don't have any product lines to pimp here, and I'm no loyalist... but I do want to mention the "Bohemia" line from My Mind's Eye really is awesome, and made the pages effortlessly cool in many cases.)

8. Since I'd scanned and edited so many photos I didn't use, I burned them onto a cd to include in the album. I stuck a document envelope and cd sleeve to the back inside cover of the album with double-sided tape. I first had about 9 failed attemps at making my own envelopes... I ended up using manilla ones I already had. Blah. The envelope contains copies of my grandparents' marriage certificate, birth certificates, obituaries, and other paperwork. I like that they are at least all in one place even if they aren't displayed on a fancy layout. The line had to be drawn somewhere or I could have spent my entire life scrapbooking this stuff.

**This was a lot of fun, and interesting to think about my ancestry and learn more about the lives of my grandparents. Plus my dad loved it. {{{I'm seriously glad to be done, though.}}}

craft room closet// before & after

2009-01-19T09:35:00.003-07:00

A couple weekends ago, I decided to do a massive clean-out of my closets. I got rid of tons of clothes to the thrift store, and gave away a bunch of house decor I'd been storing (my closets were looking like the clearance section of Pier One).

My craft room closet was the worst- everything I was meaning to give away/donate/recycle was stored there til i got around to it. I didn't even take a good before picture- this is after some stuff had been given away:

I know. Ew.

After those totes were emptied at Savers, I went to Lowes and got some shelving to install, and spent the rest of the day cleaning and organizing the remaining stuff. Behold:

Having everything looking all organized and pretty got me inspired to finish a few projects up, including the scrapbook I'd started last year for my dad, and throw pillows for the basement. I'll post on those projects shortly.

The only thing left to do in this closet is make labels for all the boxes and such.

here's what i'm wearing this week

2009-01-19T09:12:00.005-07:00

week of 1.19.2009 by listcalledlucky

Monday: Really old (really worn out) Fiorucci jeans, studded tank bought in Vegas gift shop, Charlotte Russe tied cardigan, low boots. Happy Civil Rights Day!
Tuesday: Black jumper and shirt from Express (thrifted), argyle socks, mid-high biker boots (MUDD I think). Happy Inauguration Day!
Wednesday: Brown straight leg pants (thrifted), white cardigan (don't own this yet but I'm search of the perfect one), silver ballet flats from Target, peach scarf from Forever 21
Thursday: Black DKNY hooded sweater, plaid skirt (thrifted), grey tights from Urban Outfitters, biker boots
Friday: Skinny jeans from Wet Seal, belted shirt from Charlotte Russe, purple cardigan I've had forever (thrifted), brown boots from 5 seasons ago. Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

I'm going shopping today to spend the rest of my Christmas giftcards and to get a birthday gift for J. Looking for:

Skinny jeans
Long(ish) white cardigan
Red lipstick
Cute heels, MAYBE

happy new year!!! // also; sorry i've been a delinquent blogger...

2009-01-18T22:11:00.006-07:00

OMG!

It's been a minute, eh?

Happy New Year, everyone! I've missed you! I cannot believe it's two-oh-oh-nine. We hosted a shindig at Casa Buelo. Good times.

Obviously "quit making that douche-y face every time there's a camera around" was not one of my resolutions this year:

Actual resolutions:

Get thyself {back} in shape. I've been good so far hitting the gym. I love it, so why oh why do I insist on falling off the wagon for months at a time????
Dress better. I didn't suddenly inherit large sums of money or a closet full of Marc Jacobs and vintage pieces, but I can definitely make an effort to wear what I've got in more interesting ways, and be more adventurous with what I do buy. I took 4 huge garbage bags of clothing to Savers this month and I feel like I have more clothing than before now that I actually like {and fit in} what remains in my closet. Now I'm in search of the perfect pair of skinny jeans.
Save money to travel. I'm off to a great start, but J and I have differing views on where to go this year. I say Austin or NYC; he says Alaska. {I'm afraid of the Palins}.
Have more fun. I'll never regret doing things with friends, partying til the wee hours, and doing interesting things with interesting people whenever I can. There's always time to organize my junk drawers. Screw responsibility for one more year- damn the man!

Happy New Year! It's going to be a great one, I can feel it!

today...

2008-11-28T09:37:00.002-07:00

I love this.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. I have so much to be thankful for right now, especially my awesome families I got to spend time with yesterday eating and laughing.

{Image via fffound}

fast recap...

2008-11-22T18:28:00.006-07:00

I'm back from Vegas... recovering from excessive working, excessive partying, and some type of cold or something...
I'm taking some time off this week to relax around the holiday, work on some house projects, and detox.
Where is the year going? I can't believe November is nearly over! Time to think about Christmas!

i heart this bitchin' kitchen

2008-11-09T21:16:00.001-07:00

I am in love with Temo Callahan's kitchen, featured in the latest Domino. I want to paint on my cabinets, decoupage my appliances, and stack books all over my countertops now.

See the entire house tour here.

it's an important week...

2008-11-02T14:28:00.004-07:00

And I'm holding my breath.

crafty sunday

2008-10-26T11:20:00.005-06:00

Today I'm working on a cozy quilt made with recycled jeans and flannel. {I have been saving old jeans for years!}

Look at this cute owl flannel I snagged at JoAnns:

squirrel on a string

2008-10-19T12:34:00.003-06:00

I lurve this...

Pretty "Squirrel on a String" print from the black apple. I love her work so much.

happy sunday.

2008-10-19T08:46:00.008-06:00

I just feel like being a home-body today. Here's today's to-do list:

Drink lots of coffee.
Re-arrange the living room. I got some curtains, but the arrangement doesn't make me happy still... I need to sketch it out so I don't hurt myself this time.
Eat breakfast prepared by my husband. This will be something like the 3rd time he's cooked something since we got married 3 years ago...
Sew some ribbon on the pillow cases on our bed.
Catch up on some blogs and magazines.
Make another sweep through the closets for the Goodwill box so I can take it far, far away.
Empty the recycling.
Cook something delicious for dinner. I'm thinking some veggie stir fry and vegan pot stickers...
...and maybe plan some menu ideas for the week ahead.
Open the windows, stretch my arms, take some deep breaths, and enjoy being home.

Happy Sunday.

this is probably more encouraging than it should be...

2008-10-13T10:37:00.003-06:00

I should read these words daily. I need to remember this.

{via fffound.}

i'm hibernating until the snow is gone. boooo.

2008-10-12T23:55:00.005-06:00

WTF, Utah? This early winter weather is totally bumming me out. I'm trying to get in the mood to stay in and craft. I love looking at Amy Butler's website for some crafty inspiration. I love what she does with prints so much.

this song hurts so good.

2008-10-05T08:23:00.002-06:00

Rainy weather makes me want to drink coffee, listen to Ani DiFranco, and look through old photos- simultaneously. In a very good way.

halloween costumes

2008-10-05T07:44:00.003-06:00

It's been a reeeeeally chill weekend, and I'm kicking around some Halloween costume ideas... why not dress as one of my favorite stylish ladies (from film or otherwise)? I'd love to own these clothes, anyway!

Anyone have a favorite and/or other ideas? Who else is dressing up- I wanna hear!

it's only lust.

2008-09-30T16:34:00.003-06:00

Lately I've been scoring most of my clothes via thrift stores {I'll post on that soon!}. But Savers doesn't have a website I can peruse from work, so I still keep coveting some shiny new threads for fall, like these pretty grey and yellow ensembles from J.Crew:

the end of summer means...

2008-09-20T08:35:00.004-06:00

Halloween is coming! It's not too early for me to start getting excited. I am considering a party... check out this chicks-only "Ghouls Night" theme from Hostess with the Mostess:

I LOVE these glittery pumpkins:

This theme would be perfect with some little pink cupcakes and cosmopolitans.

happily ever after

2008-09-14T13:26:00.008-06:00

Such a fun weekend! I got to play Maid of Honor for my BFF, Heather. I also had to give a toast- that was nerve-racking- thank goodness that part is over. I'm so happy for those two crazy kids.

Heather looked stunning of course, and Alan cleaned up so nice. The top hat was classic!

{I'm going to upload the whole shebang of photos Jonathan took for me (thanks hun!) to Flickr soon.}

kitchen/dining area re-imagined

2008-09-07T10:44:00.006-06:00

If I were to incorporate more neutral palette in my house, I'd start with my kitchen/dining room, and save my pennies for some of these items:

1. Paxton Roller Shade- Pottery Barn
2. Rustic Glass Pendant- Pottery Barn
3. Antenna Birds poster- The Poster List
4. Pot Rack- Williams-Sonoma
5. Woven Chargers- Williams-Sonoma
6. Borje dining chairs- IKEA

i heart black & white

2008-09-06T09:04:00.012-06:00

When my husband and I moved into our first house, I had to FORCE myself to restrict the paint colors on the walls to tans and browns, but I promptly hung orange pendant lights, painted my dining room chairs lime green, and scattered the house with throw pillows in every hue.

{AT}

But lately I've noticed I'm more drawn to simple black, white, and gray spaces like above. Or this one featured in the September issue of Domino: {the corresponding article was actually about this editor's attempt at "going greige" in her apartment. De-colorification is HOT.}

{Domino}

I will always LOVE color, but I am also always so ready to change everything when I grow tired of it. I love these more neutral palettes because they are never boring; you can easily toss in a few colorful items and make them look completely new. Check out this black and white loft-style set: SEXY.

{West Elm}

half-assed crafty

2008-08-24T17:18:00.002-06:00

I have been in such a crafty mood but have had limited time and funds... so I whipped up this IPod cozy on Sunday. I sewed together a few strips of fabric and ribbon scraps, then cut the whole thing to size and made a simple pocket. Nothing too exciting, but will salvage the looks of my expensive little scratch-magnet.

august flickr favorites

2008-08-16T11:06:00.001-06:00

...guess what I'm thinking about...

{link to credits.}

2009 IKEA catalog

2008-08-10T07:57:00.003-06:00

The 2009 IKEA catalog has some great room setups, and some great stuff I would like to check out in person. Here are a few of the rooms I thought were especially interesting:

08.08.08

2008-08-09T14:44:00.003-06:00

My new niece, Ashlynn, was born last night at 11:54pm; just in time for the 08-08-08 birthday. I need to get on the baby gift situation- I'm thinking of making these {friggin awesome} baby blocks from Martha:

Congrats, Chalese and Ryan!!!

Edited to add picture: she's a keeper!

this list called lucky

new blog.

san francisco trip

happy weekend & some inspiring things on the web

fall wishlist

dining room re-do

sucks.

san francisco trip

bright eyes - lua

more boho

what i'm wearing this week, too-much-black edition

"no retail" update

///cajun dinner club, plus more me on the internet...

bohemian bedrooms

happy birthday, bro

a quote. just because.

//what i'm wearing this week + new bag

"no retail" inspiration

"no retail" revelations - day 1

what i'm wearing this week + new hair-do

60-day "no retail" challenge

change is due...

lovely gray bags @ Urban Outfitters

//what i'm wearing this week

{rainy} celebrations

what i'm wearing this week

because sometimes we just need to look at pretty things

what i'm wearing this week

30-day veg pledge re-cap

///what i'm wearing this week. sorta.

///i'm up to stuff

//what i'm wearing this week

a quick {and dirty} garden post

what i'm wearing this week (kind of)

"veg pledge" week 2

10 minute t-shirt upcycle

//what i'm wearing this week

"veg pledge" week 1

i pledge to be veg for 30 days

flickr favorites

//what i'm wearing this week

random favorite things RIGHT NOW.

///what i'm wearing this week - keri russell- inspired

i heart hello kitty

happy freakin' easter!

///what i'm wearing this week

spring cleaning

///i gotta find a new place

how to be totally awesome {at planning a weekly menu}

///what i'm wearing this week*

near-future project --- gallery-style picture wall

//what i'm wearing this week

how to be totally awesome {at saving money}

/// what i'm wearing this week

dinner club event #1

//what i'm wearing this week

happy weekend!

//what i'm wearing this week

///happyyyyyy feet. =)

weekend to-do list {the productive stuff}

hostess anxiety

teeny, tiny family room makeover

//what i'm wearing this week

///summer countdown!

//what i'm wearing this week*

happy valentine's day

weekend inspiration

friday at home // & weekend plans

//here's what i'm wearing this week

//weekend to do list

we're floored.

domino folds... *sniff!*

//here's what i'm wearing this week

style file

rainy weekend

what a day...

summer tease

the family scrapbook project

craft room closet// before & after

here's what i'm wearing this week

domino folds... sniff!

i heart this bitchin' kitchen

i heart black & white