Snapshots

Hello there all,

This week has been busy. Don't I always say that? Doesn't make it any less true.

Here is the epic-ness in review (most of it has no documentation).

One of my favorite little shops (It's a Gift) teamed up with a a cupcake food cart and reformed into a newbie place in Montavilla. This muffin is seriously the best muffin that I have ever had. It is a cinnamon pecan muffin. Visit them at Hungry Heart Cupcakes for delicious baked goods, nommy coffee, or cutesie gift ideas. Seriously, this place is so cute.

For Pi Day, we went the route of Pie Milkshakes at Shari's because the Mister does not like pie.

Neat-o project that is coming to the blog soon.

Been playing with watercolors. I have just been kind of seeing how colors blend and all that.Look at how cute this hummingbird turned out.

We have gotten a bit obsessed with games lately. Over the weekend, we were exploring downtown Gresham and came across this new to us game place. Pretty excited to go back for more tabletop games.

Creative field trips are my favorite. Thrift stores and antique shops fuel the creative juice fire.Everything can be made into something new and fabulous.

Just being a ham...as always. I'm a puppy in this picture...obviously.

-Autumn

DIY: Photo Garland

Hello there all,

Awhile ago, I was inspired by this photo garland by Natalie of Natalie Creates, and as I have an incessant urge to turn everything into a garland. I mean everything. I have already posted this and this. Sad thing about this is that these are not the only garlands that I have made since I started this bloggy guy here. Why do I love garlands so much? I think that it adds a bit of playfulness and whimsy to your space. I pretty love whimsy.

Enough with the blabbing, let's do this!

This is our family/friends gallery wall. Now that I see it on here, I cringe because there totally needs to be a frame on the bottom left. Add it to the to-do list! However, you get an idea of the EPIC photo garland 

What you'll need:

• string
• decoupage
• scissors
• pen
• paintbrush
• ruler
• pretty paper
• fabric
• photos, postcards, etc.

Here's how to make the magic happen:

1.) Pick some badass paper, trace the shape of the clothespin on this badass paper x 2. Then cut out those shapes.

2.) Use your handy dandy paintbrush to apply some decoupage onto the clothespins, place one of the paper cutouts onto the clothespin and place some more decoupage on top of the paper cutouts. Do this to the front AND back of the clothespin. Sidenote: this alone is fun to do for magnets, chip clips, etc. Makes life a little brighter.

3.) Cut string the length that you want the garland and then cut 1.5 inch x 25 inches. Fold the strip in half (hamburger style) behind the string.

4.) Bring the two ends up over the string and through the loop that is created by the fold. It should look like a crazy bunny hat when your done. If it isn't bunny-ish, HOP to it and try again.

5.) Pull tight!

6.)  Alternate one of the fabric strips with the clothespins for the length of the garland and place your b-e-a-utiful pictures throughout the garland attached by the clothespins.

7.) Marinate on how awesome you are and how awesome life is.

Happy awesome making,

Autumn

Snapshots

Hello there all,

Hope that your week was magical, and you got to see something beautiful. Take a gander at this week around here:

The weather around here has been awesome, and it has been gifting me some spectacular walks home lately.

Dominion, tea, and brownies is guaranteed to make me happy. Also, isn't that mug the cutest thing you have ever seen. I am seriously smitten.

Anniversary love scroll. Our three year anniversary was on Wednesday, and we planned a Middle Eastern themed date, and we both dorkily made scrolls with love notes on it (not planned). This is the one from the Mister. I gave him ones with Egyptian themed pick up lines like "Wanna go behind a pyramid and make me a mummy?" We're dorky, and I love it.

Anniversary Feast at Yahala. Nommiest noms. Sooooo delicious.

Co-workers rocking the photo booth glasses from work this week.

I found a couple of sweet notes like this around the neighborhood this week. Other ones include "please be kind," "please pick up after your pet," etc.

I just really loved my outfits this week :).

After a family BBQ, the Mister and I explored downtown a bit. We hit up http://www.rubyjewel.com/ in the process. Have you been there before? You should definitely try their ice cream sandwiches if you haven't. They have them at some local stores, too.

Hope this week is magical,

Autumn

Thankful Thursday: Baths

Hello there all,

We have all had those days where nothing seems to zen us out. We try hitting up Netflix, surfing the interwebs, and we even try playing silly games on our phones. However, there is no zen like the bath zen. You know what I'm talking about? The world is shut out, and there is nobody that exists except for you,.and the world all seems to make sense. I am serious. This is legitimately what baths are for me. In the craziness of everyday life or in the midst of painful routine, a bath is like chicken noodle soup for all of your achey bits.

As a kid I loved baths and would pretend to be mermaid for far too long. As I grew, I phased out baths because ain't nobody got time for that. Within the last couple of years, I started taking more baths to help relax strenuous muscles, and it just has this amazing therapeutic spell over me that I just eat up. Baths have been a saving grace for me on many painful days as well as stressful ones. Sometimes, I throw them in because I just need some me time.

So many people say they can't take a bath because they are busy, and I get it. Life can get hectic between children, social responsibilities, work, Netflix queue...BUT you got to stop and do something for yourself. If you are so stressed that you are just going to lay there without getting anything done: That's the point! If this terrifies you, make a to-do list before you climb in for a bath, so you don't think about what you need to get done. If this is still too much, you could try to multitask and bathe and read a book or mull over decisions/brainstorm for a project.

Moral of the story: grab your rubber ducky and get your feet wet! You'll be glad you did it!

Happy Bubbling,
Autumn

Twisted Cabaret

Hello there all,

A while back, The Mister bought us some tickets to the "Twisted Cabaret" without us not quite knowing what it was. We originally were thinking burlesque instead of cabaret. Although we didn't see any naked ladies, it was quite a wonderful experience.

Alberta Rose Theater

The show is based around the principle that all of the performers of a cabaret show are not able to make it, so one performer, Frank Olivier, has to do all of the performances. Let me tell you: I cannot even believe that one man can do all of the things that he does, and I also don't know how he found out that he can do some of these things!

Knife throwing at a blow up doll...

The show has an amazing mix of crazy performance art plus ridiculously cheesy or "inappropriate" jokes which is my favorite kind of humor. Therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed the show even with floss going in places that I didn't know it could go (It is not as bad as it sounds. I swear!) and seeing grown men in tutus. It is such a joy to see one man, Olivier, run around frantically trying to perform so many different unusual acts. I don't feel like I can give the credit where credit is due. Just trust me: it is a one of kind show that truly understands the spirit of Portland.

Frank Olivier and I

The show's MC mentioned that they are thinking about coming back to Portland next year, and I sure hope they do!

-Autumn

DIY: toy earrings

Hello there all,

Sometimes, the best crafts are the easiest ones. Such is the case with these adorable toy earrings. I made a pair of dragon earrings a couple of months ago, and I always get compliments on them. When I tell people that I made them, they are always surprised. However, it is just about the easiest thing in the world.

What you'll need:

• Tiny toys. I got mine from here, and these toys are EVERYWHERE!
• Head pins
• Earring hooks
• Needle nose pliers
• Needle (optional)

What You Do:

1.) Take one of the head pins and press it into the underside of the toy. Make sure that the part that is puncturing the toy is not the head of the head pin. If it is difficult to puncture the toy with the head pin, you can try to use a needle first to create a hole for the head pin.

2.) Push the headpin through the toy, so it pops out through the top. You should press the head pin so far through the toy that the head of the pin lies parallel with the underside of the toy. This picture does not show the head pin going all the way through, but you should have no wire remaining underneath the toy and a lot above the toy. 

3.)Use the needle nose pliers to break off the leftover wire from the headpin. I did this by bending the wire where I want the cut to be made and just move the wire back and forth until the breaking occurs. When this happens, make a loop with the remaining wire. This loop is to connect to the earring hook, so put this loop through the loop on the earring hook.

4.) Now, you have the cutest and silliest earrings.

5.) Do this with every cute thing you find!

Happy earring making,

Autumn

Snapshots

Hello there all,

This has been a stressful week for the Mister AND I, so this week went from struggling under stress to a renewed view on self-care. Give a look at what is going on around here.

Delicious Chorizo omelette at Oliver's Cafe

With the stressful week, I was lucky enough to indulge in a pedicure and dinner with one of my favorite people, Heather, on Friday.

The Mister and I went to go watch the HILARIOUS Twisted Caberet. More on this later this week.

Date night downtown at Maiphai Thai and Powell's Books. Love.

Visiting the Belmont Goats that are now in Lents. 

We just really love animals. A LOT.

-Autumn