Weekend DIY: Personalized Doormat

Materials:

• Plain doormat (I bought this particular one from Target)
• Chalk
• Paint brush
• Acrylic Paint

1. The Greeting: Pick a word to paint on your mat. What do you want to say to the friends & family who arrive on your door step? I wanted to keep it simple with just a “hello” but you could spice it up a bit with a “ciao” or “bonjour.”

2. The Outline: Use the piece of chalk to sketch out the size and placement of your greeting.

3. The Paint: Dip the brush fully in the paint, you’ll be using quite a bit of paint. Apply the acrylic over the chalk outline, you might have to do a few coats depending on how much the mat soaks in.

4. The Fruits of Your Labor: After it has dried completely, throw it out front and enjoy the cuteness!

An Abundance of Appreciation!

To those of you who joined us back in March, thank you for making our big day so magical. We still randomly look at each other and say, “Wow, we had an awesome wedding! Best wedding EVER!” It wouldn’t have been nearly as awesome without all of you cheering us on as we tied the knot.

So please take a minute to raise your Mason jars… Mom, dad, Mike, Lori, brothers & sisters, family & friends, you mean the world to us! We are so thankful for your love and support, and have faith it will continue to guide us through our life as husband and wife. To each and every single one of you, cheers!

 

Productivity is productivity, period.

While this weekend started off with a hundred and one things on my “What I’d like to do this weekend” list, I come to rest this evening with only a few of those checked off. I would usually get a little antsy at this thought, but I’ve replaced that urge with an attempt to repeat this affirmation: “Productivity is productivity.”

Our kitchen remodel took leaps and bounds this weekend — flooring installed yesterday, baseboards installed today, wall pieces hung today. Plans for backsplash tile and pantry doors completion by the end of next week.

I also took a bit of time to pay attention to the details. Replaced the burnt out bulbs in our porch light, installed mobile trash rack under the kitchen sink, organized our filing cabinet, planned our dinner menu for the week, and removed a ton of clovers from the front planting box to make room for the blossoming Dahlias.

And the most important part of it all… spent time with Shane and Leila. We sometimes get so caught up in the chaos of remodeling that we forget to set time aside for ourselves. I’m learning it’s extremely beneficial to spend some time with each other, growing in love and learning more and more about the intricacies of one another.

So, yes, I didn’t get everything on my list checked off. There’s no new batch of granola in the mason jar, there’s no homemade face moisturizer in my skin regimen, but there is, however, a low humming of love throughout the house and a corresponding smile on my mind.

Paying attention to the little things is just as productive as checking off tasks on a list. The remaining ventures can wait until a later date.

And a little goodnight insight… Have a beautiful week!

You are beautiful.

A few days ago I saw a video posted on Mashable titled “Dove Real Beauty Sketches.” It perked my interest so I put my earbuds in, pressed play, and proceeded to have an intense emotional reaction.

 

(insert chills, racing heart, and tear-filled eyes here)

I love the layers of meaning in this short video, in fact, it’s too short. I want to see it in documentary form.

First of all, the editing of this video… bravo! The music, the close-ups, the environment, they all collide in perfect harmony. I feel as though I’m watching a rose blossom in slow motion, the meaning unfolding with direction and grace. The waves of emotion weaved through the slight dialogue that encourages us to beg for another sliver of the story.

Second, the open-ended “AHA!” of it all. A slightly different message for each and every one of us based on our prior knowledge and judgement of beauty. Just remember we are all beautiful, and any time is a good time to reflect on what you love about yourself and your life… it just might put a big smile on that gorgeous face! : )

Mr. & Mrs. Lash!

Well… We did it!

Shane and I got married March 8th at the Hogan Barn, and we are seriously overjoyed with the outcome. We had SO much fun, and are so thankful to everyone who helped make our big day absolutely perfect! And I am so thankful to the universe for blessing me with this wonderful man.

A few of my favorite snapshots by Liam Turner…

And our great friend Alex Bridgman created this amazing wedding video for us… Enjoy!

An Ode to 2012

Note: This post has been a draft for… a month and a half, so I think it’s time to clear the dust and actually publish it.

I can hardly believe 2013 is here.

Last year was such a wonderful one, I feel so blessed and would love to share the biggest triumphs with you.

In 2012:

- Shane proposed! He started the year off with a bang and asked for my hand in marriage. Of course I said YES and we are now less than two weeks away from the Big Day. It’s crazy how fast the year flew by, I remember laying in bed telling Shane it seemed like forever until our wedding. Now my dress is at the cleaners, the flower arrangements have been finalized, and we are making our way out to Butte Superior Court to redeem the marriage license within the week. I’m thankful we had over a year to sift through each and every detail that goes into planning a wedding. We’re less than two weeks out and I am feeling surprisingly confident in our level of preparedness.

- Our precious pup turned a year old in February! As many of you know, our golden is our world. We love her so much and mamma loves spoiling her to high heaven. With that being said, I think it’s a requirement to fill you in on the delicious doggy cupcakes I made for her birthday. Shredded carrots, apple sauce, cream cheese frosting, topped with chunks of molasses treats — she literally peed her non-existent pants because she was so excited.

- In May, I graduated from California State University, Chico with a degree in photography. After a few semesters of partying, four semesters of Dean’s List, and a semester abroad in Italy, I finished my degree and started applying for ‘big girl’ jobs.

- I couldn’t have asked for better timing with the job situation. I was working in Public Affairs and Publications as the social media and photography intern, loved the experience and am so thankful I was able to touch on so many aspects of the industry including copy editing, magazine design and layout, publication photography, and much more. It was the breadth of my internship experience that helped me land a full-time position at Build.com, a leading online home improvement retailer. I had two weeks of freedom in between my internship and my first day at Build, a much-needed break before starting up my 8 to 5.

- Shane and I remodeled our living room and dining room during the summer and started the kitchen remodel in the fall. (Both of these home improvement projects will have blog posts of their own soon so I don’t want to reveal too much yet.)

- I had been looking for a car for months and felt financially secure enough to purchase one in the fall. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for so I started the process by reading Consumer Guide Reports on sedans, American-made and imports. After months of research and oogling at cars on the road, I decided I wanted a Volkswagon Passat. Shane did a bit of engine research and gave me his suggestions on engine size and fuel type. We took a day trip to the bay area to look at a dealership which did not end well, the manager pitched a price higher than we saw on their website, lied about and refused to show us the additional fee breakdown, and wouldn’t budge a dollar when I gave an offer. Needless to say they were out of a customer, I won’t let anyone try to strong arm me like that. I then heard from a co-worker about a local place called New Autos, Inc. They are basically the hagglers of the auto buying process. You inform them of the car you are looking for, any additional luxuries you are hoping to find, and a price range you are willing to pay and they contact partner dealerships, find the car you’re  looking for, AND haggle with the dealership on price to get it within your budget. It took a total of 5 days including a weekend to finalize the purchase, and I am so pleased with my experience. I am now the proud owner of a 2008 Volkswagen Passat, V-Dub-Love Unite!

- We ended the year with our first real Christmas tree set up in the front room window. Oh what a lovely sight to come home to, especially when presents started appearing under the tree! And the fresh pine smell, nothing makes me feel more at home. I ended up buying a wall Scentsy for our room, and I keep pine-scented wax on hand for those days when I need some extra comfort.

Those are of course the BIG things that happened in 2012… We also had a ton of fun in the garden during the spring and summer, and I got my wisdom teeth removed in February (I still have a numb spot on my chin because the doctor nicked a nerve and it hasn’t healed correctly yet). There were numerous breakfasts in bed, too many Taco Tuesdays to count, and the sweetest hugs and kisses a girl could ask for. I have to say 2012 was the best year so far, and I’m excited for the plenty of amazing ones ahead!

Simple, Beautiful, Tasty

On Sunday afternoon, I made my first attempt at baking bread without a bread machine. And it was very successful. This batch of dough made two loaves, and I think I might need to double up this weekend. Shane and I ate most of the first one that night (we couldn’t stop ourselves, it was so delicious nice and warm right out of the oven) and we’re almost through with the second one.

So here, lovelies… Give it a try because it is so ridiculously easy and the outcome is mind-blowing.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons rapid-rise yeast
1 tablespoon salt
6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting dough

In a large bowl, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water. Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel, don’t seal the bowl airtight. Let the dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

Cut the dough in half with serrated knife. Turn the dough in your hands to lightly stretch the surface, create a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Dust a cookie sheet with flour and place the loaves on top. Let the dough rest for about 40 minutes.

Place a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

When the dough is ready to bake, slash the top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide the cookie sheet into the oven and pour one cup of hot water into the broiler pan/baking sheet.

Bake the bread until well browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Pull the beautiful loaves out of the oven and let cool for a bit. Then cut off a warm slice and enjoy!

A Slew of Photographs

My motivation was dwindling and the light had disappeared by the time I sat down to write my quick update on Thursday evening so I did not include any images. But my lovely friend Maggie prompted me to post photos, so here are a few snapshots I took during a stroll around our yard this afternoon– an abundance of green makes me a happy girl.

This is the state of our living room/dining room remodel at the moment. Fresh texture and paint (still needed on part of the ceiling), a set of four recessed lights (absolutely no lighting in the living room before this), an unobtrusive pony wall to add subtle division to the two rooms, a pile of sofas and decor waiting to be placed, and little miss Leila May staring at mamma while laying next to her hoard of toys.

Meandering outside, the peaches are a sight to see. What seems like hundreds of tender fuzzy fruit weigh down the branches and tend to make friends with the tomato plants below.

Our Sun Gold’s are adorable and taste like heaven! These are plentiful as well, having five to eight tomatoes on each limb. Perfect snack with a bit of sea salt sprinkled on top.

I’ve had my eye on this guy for weeks now… The Better Boy’s should be turning red within the next few weeks. I can’t wait to throw some slices on the grill with mozzarella and basil, yum.

Here is an odd angle view of our planter box, chard in the front with baby basil, carrots, tomatoes, and a jalapeño plant. The heat wave has been a nuisance, burning my chard and drying out my basil. I’m going to be transplanting the basil into containers soon so that I can move them around if the heat strikes again. I just pulled out the rest of our cilantro (the bare spot in the middle), it was the best cilantro I’ve ever had and best part is we grew it from seed!

I had to include a photo of the aloe vera plant that sits on our front porch — I find its colors and patterns absolutely ravishing and inspiring. Awe, I just noticed the dried praying mantis to the left of the pot that I have yet to throw away… poor guy.

Unfortunately, our house did not come with a sprinkler system installed so I have taken on the roll of the watering wonder. Up at 6 a.m. to start watering, at that hour it’s refreshing to be outside. I was doing it begrudgingly at first, but now it is part of my routine and I look forward to sliding out of bed to step into the crisp morning air and nurture these beautiful plants of ours. The grass has been a struggle, but the hard work and dedication is paying off. Although we have a medley of four-leaf clovers, crab grass, bermuda, and bluegrass, I am just grateful we have grass that is luscious and so very, very green at the moment.

All photos were taken with my iPhone and have not been edited in the slightest.

Quick Update

Quite a bit has happened since my last post, and I’m going to attempt to cover most of it in the next few paragraphs as I nibble on salame and Romano and struggle to keep my eyes open.

First big event, I graduated college! After five and a half years of sitting through both intriguing and absolutely boring lectures, I’m finally done. It has only been a little over a month so it hasn’t quite sunken in yet, but I’m excited to be out in the ‘real world,’ as so many like to put it.

My next big step into the so called real world was to find a full-time job, and thankfully I was able to do just that. I interviewed at Build.com a couple weeks before my internship was over and was offered the job during my second to last day. I couldn’t have asked for more perfect timing or a better company to work for.

Our garden is flourishing just as our lives are–chard, peaches, carrots, basil, tomatoes galore! And so is our abode with the living room and dining room remodel almost done, freshly painted walls, new light fixtures, and kitchen renovation next in line.

Making new friends and spending quality time with others, hot summer nights, long walks with Leila girl, Sierra Nevada Summerfest and BBQ at least every other night. Lots of hard work, but noticeable payoffs here and there.

I think it’s safe to say, life is good. :)

Grain-free Granola

When my schedule is “go-go-go,” I fall into the trap of grabbing a bag of chips or some pretzels when my tummy starts to rumble. Then I deal with the guilty feeling that I’m shoveling massive quantities of MSG and sugar into by body with the lousy excuse of being ‘too’ busy.

One thing I’ve learned recently, it feels better on my mind and my body when I take an hour or two out of my weekend to prepare healthful alternative snacks for the coming week. Although this doesn’t always happen (especially when the weekend is loaded with family get togethers or home improvement projects), it always ends up so satisfying when I have a few mason jars packed with tasty granola that I can easily throw in a baggy and take to work with me.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. sliced almonds
• 1 c. sunflower seeds
• 3/4 c. Craisins
• 1/2 c. sesame seeds
• 1/2 c. ground flax meal
• 1/4 c. clover honey
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. Combine nuts, seeds, flax, & Craisins in a large bowl.

3. Melt butter & honey in a saucepan on medium-low.

4. Add vanilla & almond extract to the honey-butter mixture.

5. Pour the melted ingredients over the nuts & seeds, then mix using your hands or a spatula.

6. Spread flat on a baking sheet and stick in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Remove and let it cool for a good 30 minutes to an hour, then break it up into chunks and store in a Mason jar or some type of airtight container.

This recipe makes approximately 1.5 quarts of granola or one large mason jar full.

P.S. Experiment with it! You can replace the Craisins with any type of dried fruit–apricots, cranberries, mango. As long as it has a ‘squishy’ texture, it will go well with this recipe.