link love - 10.5.12

allie October 5, 2012

Hi everyone, and happy Friday! I don't know if it's because the days are shorter now or we've been so busy, but the weeks seem to be flying by lately. I'm off to my cousin's wedding this weekend, and we'll be taking Emma on her first trip to the pumpkin patch. Hopefully Emma loves it as much as we hope she will. She's a gal who likes to get her hands dirty, so we're optimistic that acres of dirt, hay, and pumpkins will be right up her alley.

My free time has been spent immersed in all things photography this week, so I don't have my usual links ready for you. Sorry! But I do want to share some of my favorite photographer discoveries so far... As I try to figure out what my "style" is, I find myself drawn toward lifestyle (as opposed to posed) photographers whose photos capture the simple, every day moments with their kids. After all, that's my personal goal as I work to get better at taking photos of my family life. I hope my children will be able to look back on the photos I took of them growing up and see the story of their childhood... not just the milestones, but the little mundane things, too - the favorite toy, the way their room was, how their hair looked when they woke up from a long nap. These are the things I hope to capture, and these are some people who I think do an exceptional job at it...

Stacey Haslem - http://www.staceyhaslem.com/
Meredith Novario - http://www.meredithnovario.com/
Ashley Spaulding - http://www.ashleyspaulding.com/
April Neinhuis - http://www.aprilnienhuis.com/
Lacey Meyers - http://www.laceymeyersphotography.com/blog/

I hope you all are as inspired by their photos as I am. Have a great weekend! :)

link love - 9.28.12

allie September 28, 2012

Happy Friday, everyone. I've been so busy this week that Friday kind of snuck up on me! What do you have planned for the weekend? My in laws are coming up for the day tomorrow, I'm meeting up with an old friend for dinner tomorrow night, and meeting up with another old friend on Sunday to take our girls to the National Zoo. Whew! Another jam packed weekend but I'm really looking forward to it.

Anywho... here's what I've loved from the Interwebs this week:

{LIFE} This really got my attention... We always try to be respectful and understanding with Emma, but this is a really good thing to keep in the back of your mind.

{FOOD} My friend Leslie posted this yesterday and it kind of blew my mind. I mean, there's no way this could be bad. It's unfortunately filled with lots of stuff Jared doesn't like, so I'll have to make it on a night when he's out of town. But it will be mine, oh yes... it will be mine.

{DIY} Hello first Christmas crafts of the 2012 season...

{SEWING} I love the Flashback Tee pattern from Made by Rae, and I especially love this girly update.

{SHOPPING} I purchased my dream boots last year as a 30th birthday present to myself, so I'm definitely not in the market for new ones. BUT, if I was - these would definitely be the ones I'd get.

{LAUGHTER} This made me LOL.

Have a great weekend!! :)

link love - 9.7.12

allie September 7, 2012

Happy Friday! It's been a crazy busy week for me work-wise... why is it that short weeks always feel the longest? I'm looking forward to a couple of days off to hang with my family while I stay firmly in denial that football season has officially started. (Why can't the NFL be more like FNL? I could totally get into that.)

Anyway, here's what I'm loving this week...

{LIFE} Regardless of your political opinions, it's hard not to be moved by the relationship between Joe and Jill Biden. 30+ years together and they still act like giddy high schoolers. It's a rare example of a great (famous) marriage, and I can only hope Jared and I are still this in love 30 years from now...

{FOOD} I don't know what it is about this pasta, but I feel like it's the perfect transition into fall dinner and I can't wait to make it.

: Ricotta Gnocchi with Eggplant Tomato Mozzarella Sauce courtesy of The Naptime Chef

{DIY} Emma has been obsessed with clips and buckles lately, so when I saw this I thought, "brilliant!" I'll probably do a combination of buckles and zippers because she's been loving those lately, too. And maybe some snaps for good measure. Because why do something simple when you can make it complicated? (Pretty sure that sums up my entire approach to crafting.)

{SEWING} I've been enamored with the Oliver + S patterns since before I even got pregnant, so I get pretty darn excited with each new pattern release. This latest set did not disappoint! Say hello to the pattern I'll be using to make Emma's Christmas dress this year...

{SHOPPING} I'm in desperate need of a new winter coat, but I tend to be really indecisive when it comes to big ticket purchases, so I'm starting my search early - like when it's still 80+ degrees out. This one from J Crew is a very strong contender:

{LAUGHTER} We've been plowing through past seasons of How I Met Your Mother this summer, so this one made me chuckle. I love the show, but seriously, who would tell their kids every detail of every relationship they had before their mom? It's a little silly. But if it means we get to hear all about Uncle Barney's hijinx then it's kind of totally worth it, right?

link love - 8.17.12

allie August 17, 2012

I can't believe it's been almost 4 months since my last link love post! Ack! Well I'm happy to be getting back into my blogging groove a bit, and to share with you some of the things I've loved this week...

{Life} I've been obsessed with the photography series, Humans of New York. NYC is so energizing, if for no reason more than its people... the fashion, the personalities - you can't help but get caught up in it, and Brandon's portraits capture that energy so perfectly.

{Food} You know those food tips that are so simple and brilliant you can't imagine how you ever got along without them? This strawberry trick is one of those, courtesy of my friend Susan (I like to call her the nicest person I've never met, because - well - that's what she is!) I'm sure it's been all over Pinterest and I've managed to miss it, but I'm going to give Susan all the credit anyway.

{DIY} Okay, so this is more beauty than DIY but I just had to share it. The lovely gals at The Beauty Department are my go to resource for all things pretty, and they just may change some lives with this latest tip. Apparently, swiping your mascara wand on a tissue before each coat is the key to clump-free, soft looking lashes. Who knew? Well, they did obviously, but now we do too! And I'm here to say it works like a charm.

{Sewing} Even though I haven't touched my sewing machine in months (tear!) I still accumulate post after post of stuff I want to make - this top especially! The cut, the fabric... just perfect.

{Shopping} I added this ring to my Wish List the moment I saw it. It's a wee bit pricey (okay, a lot pricey) but that's why it's called a wish list, right?

{Laughter} This made my whole day. I love this kid. I love any kid who has a Madonna themed Bar Mitzvah, especially one who does the whole Vogue dance in front of all of his friends, wearing what might be the most amazing white button down shirt that has ever existed. No way was I even remotely this brave or self-confident at 13. I'm not that brave or self-confident now. Job well done, Shaun's parents!

http://youtu.be/I8XDo4lsa10

link love - 4.27.12

allie April 27, 2012

Hello! Long time no see. I decided it was time to come up for air to share some of the things that caught my eye this week. Life has continued to be completely crazy, but I'm only 6 days away from vacation and I can. not. wait. By this time next week, I'll be in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania with no phone, no laptop - just my family, great friends, good tunes, and plenty of Yuengling. I can't think of anything better. :-)

{life} I <3 Portland, and this amazing stop-motion video...

link love - 4.13.12

allie April 13, 2012

Not much doing this weekend, but it's supposed to be gorgeous so I'm hoping we'll get lots of outdoor time. We're usually well into our 7th straight month of rain this time of year, so nice weather - especially on the weekend - feels like you're cheating time. And I love it. Wow, I'm talking about the weather. I guess life was pretty boring this week! Here are some not so boring things from my rather boring week...

{life and family} If you haven't seen this video yet, stop what you're doing and watch it immediately. It made my whole week.

{food} This month's Food Network Magazine took the guess work out of food coloring with this super handy guide to get any color you want...

{DIY} DIY Anthropologie flats? Yes please. So perfect for spring.

{sewing} i just love these little play tea bags on Little Blue Boo.

{shopping} What's that you say? You want to take me to Palm Springs for the weekend, making the purchase of this tote of summer perfection totally justifiable? Okay!

{laughter} Because sometimes you just need to see Bill Murray in an ascot...

Have a great weekend, everyone! :-)

link love - 4.6.12

allie April 6, 2012

Happy weekend! We are deep in the throes of ear infections and Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease (thanks, daycare!) so my crafty ambitions for this weekend might not take flight. Thankfully I got all the stuff for Emma's Easter basket earlier in the week. Cross your fingers that today is the worst of it and I can still make the cutest cupcakes ever for Sunday (seriously, if I can pull them off they're going to be epic. Epic!) I hope you guys have a happy (and healthy!) Easter!!

Here's some stuff that wet my whistle this week...

{life & family} I hope Emma has a lot of moments like this...

{food} I've had a soft spot (savory tooth?) for empanadas since my post-college days in DC when I'd get Julia's Empanadas after a late night in Adams Morgan. Sweet sweet Julia's. I miss that place. (If you go, and you should, I recommend the turkey.) I haven't had them since but have been itching to attempt making my own. This recipe is supposed to be amazing.

{DIY} In our never-ending quest to become as cliche Portlanders as possible, we're going to dye our eggs the all natural way this weekend. I've been looking up a bunch of recipes and particularly like the ones here and here.

{sewing} If you're looking for some last-minute cuteness to throw into an Easter basket, look no further.

{shopping} I absolutely adore this little embroidered dress from Zara. It would look especially adorable with the salt water sandals I'm planning on getting Emma for the summer.

{laughter} This Tumblr made me laugh out loud. You gotta admit, Hillary looks pretty badass in those shades.

link love - 3.29.12

allie March 30, 2012

It's Friday! What do you have planned this weekend? We're making our first excursion to the Portland Children's Museum, and hoping to get some laid-back family time after what's been yet another hectic week.

Here are some of the things that caught my eye this week... have a wonderful weekend!

{life & family} This is my motto for motherhood.

{food} These are making my mouth water.

{DIY} Check out this completely amazing neon bridal shower from my gals Sarah and Selina

{sewing} Need to make these for Emma

{shopping} These stacking initial rings from Fruition Jewelry... I'd get J, A, and E :)

{laughter} Accidental Chinese Hipsters just might be my favorite Tumblr ever.

link love - 3.16.12

allie March 16, 2012

I'm alive! So sorry for the lack of blogging this week. We've been in teething hell and I've been super swamped at work. Having to take work home with me at night means blogging has to get bumped if I want to spend any time with my family (which I do, because they're awesome.) But I'll be back in full force next week with lots of new stuff, including my next Craft the Catalog feature! Until then, here's some stuff that caught my eye this week...

The Reflections Photo Series by Tom Hussey - If you only follow one of these links today, make it this one. This series struck me so deeply, I must have cycled through it 3 or 4 times. Even at 30, I often see myself in the mirror as I once was... the little girl with the mess of tangled curls, the insecure teenager, the pre-baby body. What will I see when I'm 60, 70, 80? What does my mother see now?

Chalkboard Contact Paper on Restored Style - Chalkboard paint has become so popular, but what if you have a rental or don't want to commit to painting your pricey custom cabinets? Well Kirsten's got you covered (quite literally) with this genius tutorial for using chalkboard contact paper!

How to Make Your Own Freezer Wraps on The Kitchn - My husband loooves frozen burritos. They're his default food. So when I saw this I got very excited... now Jared can make his own (preservative-free) frozen burritos. This might change his life.

Have a great weekend everyone! :-) (PS... GO STATE!!!)

link love - 3.2.12

allie March 2, 2012

Whew! What a week... I have nothing much to say about it except that I'm happy it's over. Oh, but we did get our Pickathon tickets this morning, which is very exciting. If you haven't heard of it, it's pretty much the best music festival on the planet... green, family friendly, and insanely good indie-roots music. 3 days filled with a bunch of really nice people listening to a bunch of really great bands. And it doesn't get much better than that for this girl. Anywho, here's what inspired me this week...

Big Book of Names and Faces on A Cup of Jo - These new books from Pinhole Press are too cute. All of our family and close friends live out of state, so a book like this would be perfect for helping Emma remember who's who.

Tailoring Your Trousers on Cotton & Curl - I love this tutorial for converting ill fitting pants into skinnies. I'm curious how it would work with a heavier weight pant, but the instructions sure make it seem super simple to rescue all those Gap chinos from the Goodwill pile.

Microwave Potato Chips on The Kitchn - These have me very intrigued. I'd never heard of - or even thought of - making potato chips in the microwave. It almost seems to good to be true, but I'm certainly willing to give it a try!

I hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be spending mine hanging with our newly-standing baby, and working on my next Craft the Catalog project. This one could be awesome, or a total disaster, so cross your fingers my crazy idea actually works out!

link love - 2.23.12

allie February 24, 2012

Happy Friday! For a 4 day week this sure felt like a long one - lots of working mama internal conflict. Some days I have it all together, and some days I just don't. But - the weekend has finally arrived and I'm looking forward to this one. I'm getting my hair done tomorrow, aaaand I may or may not be going back to my natural color. I'm about 90% committed to doing it. If nothing else I'll get a couple of hours to do nothing but sit in a chair reading magazines while someone makes me pretty, which is a big luxury these days. Sunday I'll be watching the Oscars, and I'm very excited. I always love the Oscars... the dresses, the stars, the movies. Love it all. I even have some fun Oscar-themed food planned. I know, huge dork. Anywho, here's what I loved this week...

World Map on Children Inspire Design - I fell instantly in love with these "My Roots Live Here" maps. You can get it as a world map, continent, country, or state and it comes with little heart stickers to place on parent or family hometowns. This would be so sweet for a kid's room.

The Adulting blog - Oh my god, I love this blog. It's a hilarious take on what it means to be an adult, and how to do it effectively... I particularly love Step 156: Don't Be a Re-runner.

Lemon Cream Scones on One Hungry Mama - Confession: I do not like scones. They're dry and crumbly and every time I eat one I think, "I wish you were a muffin." Stacie at One Hungry Mama agrees with me, but swears these are different. I'm anxious to try them as soon as I can eat dairy again.

link love - 2.10.12

allie February 10, 2012

It's almost the weekend! I'm particularly excited about this weekend because Jared and I are going to see one of our absolute favorite musicians - Langhorne Slim - on Saturday night (huge thanks to our friend, Rachael, for babysitting!) If you haven't heard of Langhorne before, do yourself a favor and watch this. Here's what caught my eye this week...

Personalized Alphabet Book on Modern Parents Messy Kids - I saw this on Pinterest a few days ago and thought, "oh, how clever!" I'll definitely be making one of these for Emma.

Breakfast Cookie on Pinterest - These sound a bit too good to be true, but I'm cautiously optimistic. :-)

Craft Punch Concentration on Prudent Baby - I love a good scrap busting project, and this is a great one. You can use a circle or square punch to make them less girly/Valentines-y.

Have a great weekend! And be sure to check back next week when I'll be unveiling a fun new feature I'm calling "Craft the Catalog." It's basically just what it sounds like. Stay tuned! :-)

link love - 2.3.12

allie February 3, 2012

You know what this weekend is? The Super Bowl! (Duh.) And do you know what that means? As of Sunday night there will be no more football for the next 6 months! Hallelujah. The only kind of football I like is the kind where Tim Riggins scores with not a second to spare and then takes his shirt off and mumbles something about Texas forever. But, since that's not going to happen this Sunday, I'll have to settle for some deliciously high calorie food and funny commercials. As Tami Taylor would say, here's what I loved this week, y'all...

Mozzarella, Tomato, and Avocado Salad on Val So Cal - I saw this on Pinterest and my immediate thought was, "wow, I kind of want to stick my face in that bowl." Okay, not really. But I would like to shovel spoonfuls of this salad into my mouth. I am a lady, after all.

Chalkboard Backdrop on Style Me Pretty - Every now and then I'll come across a photo from a wedding that makes me want to get married all over again just so I can include that one element (and marry the love of my life again... that being the more important part. I swear.) This chalkboard backdrop is perfection - the typography, the way it arches around them, the whimsy, the vintage feel. I love every single thing about it.

Marilyn Quote on Note to Self - You know how sometimes you find the exact right words at the exact right time? Well that was this quote this week for me. Simply perfect.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!! :-D

link love - 1.27.12

allie January 27, 2012

Another week come and gone... time sure flies when you're chasing around a newly crawling baby! No big plans for this (football free, yay!) weekend. I'm hoping to hit up some local children's consignment stores and possibly start cutting my next quilt. I've had the fabric for it for months, so it's probably time I actually do something about getting it made! Anyway, here's what caught my eye this week...

Pleated Yoke Dress Tutorial on Craftiness is Not Optional - I just discovered this blog this week, and I'm so glad I did. Come on, how cute is this dress?!? Definitely adding it to my long list of things I want to make for Emma.

Simple Beaded Necklace on Craftiness is Not Optional - See, I told you I liked this blog! This necklace is just my style... not too big or flashy, but still fun and colorful - and you can make it yourself for a fraction of what you'd pay for it at a store like Anthropologie.

Heathy Cookies on Annie's Eats - It just wouldn't be Friday without something insanely yummy from Annie. She definitely hit a nerve in my sweet tooth with these bad boys. Say toffee and I'm there. Put it in a cookie and I'll even do the dishes for you.

Have a fantastic weekend!! :-)

link love - 1.13.12

allie January 13, 2012

It's almost the weekend! And a 3-day weekend at that. Hallelujah. All that time off with Emma over the holidays really spoiled me... I'm stoked to get another 3 days in a row to hang with the kiddo. We have friends coming into town - one of Jared's BFFs from college (I know they're dudes, but come on, they're still BFFs, right?) and his 1.5 year old son. Our house sooo isn't baby proofed yet, but I'm guessing it will be by the time the weekend's over! We're hoping to head up to Mt. Hood for some sledding on Saturday, which I'm crazy excited for. Anywho... here's what I loved from the blogosphere this week:

DIY Mix 'n Match Blocks on Mer Mag - I love this idea! Merrilee is super talented, but I think I could manage a decent looking version of these for Emma (once she's a little older and cares what blocks look like.) On a side note, when you click on the link be sure check out the amazing necklace Merrilee's husband welded (that's right I said welded) for her for Christmas. You remember that SNL skit where Paul Simon and Victoria Jackson are stranded on an island and she makes him a watch and binoculars? Well this couple is basically like that. But awesomer.

Lyrics on Vinyl by Quiet Boy Studio - At first glance, I thought these were just prints on cardstock, but they're actually vinyl. Beautiful typography and such an original idea. Love.

Boxed Cushion Sewing on Design*Sponge - It seemed like cushions/poufs were all over my Reader this week. First, fellow Portland blogger Kirsten posted a bunch of West Elm's great new poufs, and then Design Sponge posted this handy tutorial for making your own. Okay, so really they only popped up twice, but that's twice more than last week, so there.

Have a wonderful weekend!! :-)

link love - 12.30.11

allie December 30, 2011

Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you all had a great Christmas and/or Hanukkah! We had a fantastic first Christmas with Emma, and are now back east visiting family. Despite the massive amounts of holiday goodness I've been jamming into my mouth the past couple of weeks, I've been eyeing even more seriously delish things on Pinterest lately. Here's what caught my eye...

S'mores Cake in a Jar on How Sweet It Is - That's right, I said S'MORES CAKE IN A JAR. Marshmallows, chocolate cake, graham cracker crust, in a freaking mason jar. It's the kind of thing Pinterest was invented for, and there's a cold Saturday night in my future that will involve trying to scrape every last morsel of this cake out of a mason jar.

Peking Pork Dumplings on Food52 - Dumplings are one of my favorite foods but I've never tried making them at home. I'm excited to try this recipe, and I think the only thing I would do differently is to do a quick pan fry after boiling the dumplings to give the bottoms a nice little crisp. (Because really, everything's better fried.)

: photo courtesy of Food52

Salted Caramel Ice Cream on Brown Eyed Baker - I saved the best for last this week. I don't even know if I need to explain why I'm posting this. This will absolutely be my next ice cream. And if I can manage to get it into the container before eating it all out of the ice cream maker, I'll consider it an excellent sign that my will power is making a comeback in 2012. :-)

Have a great weekend, and a very happy and safe New Year!!!

link love - 12.02.11

allie December 2, 2011

Holy moly, it's December! December is without a doubt one of my favorite months of the year... chock full of good food, family, and traditions. What's not to love? Well, unfortunately, things like the Black Friday insanity I read about in the news last week. What the heck is wrong with people?? I understand wanting to save a little money, especially in these rough economic times, but come on. There's no need to get all violent on your fellow shoppers when you could be saving tons of money by sitting in the comfort of your own home, DIYing up some lovely handmade gifts. It's time to put down the pepper spray and pick up the Mod Podge! Here are a few easy projects to inspire you...

Limoncello on Restored Style - I first had limoncello when I went to Italy in high school (not a lot, mom... just a taste. When in Rome! Or Sorrento, in my case) and it is so delicious. So I was delighted when fellow Portland blogger Kristen posted a fantastic little tutorial for making homemade limoncello, complete with these fantastic free downloadable gift tags.

Salted Caramels on Barefoot Contessa - There are few things in life better than salted caramels. It's one of the world's most perfect flavor combinations. I've never tried to make them myself, but I fully intend to this month, and give the 75% I don't shovel into my mouth away as Christmas gifts, wrapped up in cute little tins.

Tile Coasters on The Cottage Home - I love this idea! I have more than enough scrap fabric to make tile coasters for everyone in Portland, but considering we've been rocking the same ugly Ikea coasters for the past 6 years, I think the person who needs these most is me. :-)

Not the DIY type? There are tons of amazing handmade presents for everyone on your list over at Etsy. Happy making and/or shopping!

link love - 11.11.11

allie November 11, 2011

Happy 11.11.11 and a very happy Veterans Day! Here's what I'm loving this week...

Echo by Lotta Jansdotter on Bolt Fabric - I haven't been this obsessed with or inspired by a fabric line in a long time. I want all of it. These fabrics combined with Oliver + S patterns = cutest clothes ever for Emma.

Salted Caramel Brownie Bites with Salted Caramel Buttercream on Bake it in a Cake - Whoever Fran is, I applaud you. In fact, I'm pretty sure we need to be friends, because anyone who can think up something as mouth-wateringly yummy as these brownie bites is someone I need to have in my life.

Apple Print Bag on Martha Stewart - Ack! This back is so cute! Add it to the looong list of craft projects I can't wait to try with Emma when she's older. I love the colors, too.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I'm turning the big 3-0 on Sunday and couldn't be more excited to spend the weekend celebrating with the people I love. (And wine.) ;-)