Roy Joy

Lucky in Love

2012-02-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

My very first Valentine's Day with Matthew was the sweetest, most random experience.

There we were, sophomores in college, poor, awkward, and still in the beginnings of being madly in love. There was a sandwich, strawberries and chocolate pudding. There was a picnic table covered in a blanket. But there was also the crashing ocean, tropical surroundings and an amazing Santa Barbara sunset.

It was incredible.

Today I look at my husband and feel wholeheartedly in love. He rocks, plain and simple. He is a be-speckled genius who woos me with his hilarity. He makes life a never ending adventure. He loves me unconditionally. And this is all the time. I'm one blessed lady.

Happy Valentine's Day MR! You make life sweet all the time. :)

For some more Valentines love, check out this quick behind the scenes video of mine from a recent styled shoot with Romancing the Stone Styling and Easy Dreamer Photography.

Mango Ink

2012-02-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

When I first came across Mango Ink, I was like wait, these people live in Spokane?

I met Heidi and Ryan at the Spokane Bridal Fest about a year ago - I was walking around checking out the other vendors and came upon their booth space. I was immediately impressed. And then thought oh dear, these people are too cool to talk to. But then we chatted and I realized I had stumbled across, perhaps, some of the nicest people ever.

One of my favorite things about their business: Mango Ink stands out in the Spokane crowd. They are cool. They are hip. They have a beautiful website. Their designs are fresh and modern.

These things are hard to come by in this area. Really hard to come by.

It wasn't until later that I found out that Ryan was a pastor of a church called Branches - and then I really fell in love with these people. Though it took us forever to finally get our act together and get to Branches, it has become the best thing about living in Spokane. WE LOVE THESE PEOPLE. We really do.

I digress - my main point is that along with starting a cool company, Heidi and Ryan are just good people. And I love supporting good people.

Along with designing wedding invites, Valentines, iPhone cases and pretty much any other cool/hip thing you can think of, they just released a new series called The Air Line - and yeah, you guessed it, I love it. Since moving to Spokane our air travel has increased two fold, and most always we end up in the SFO airport at some point in our journey. I've been looking for decor that is clean, fresh, modern - and I've found it.

The concept is great, and I relish the opportunity to support creative, wonderful people. They have a ton of major airports...I may have to get the SEA one too. Or maybe the LAX one....or both. Go check them out!

An Afternoon With Makenzie

2012-02-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

Makenzie is one of those people who just exudes beauty and grace.

When we met at Rockwood Bakery, she ran up the steps in jeans, boots, and glamourous looking sunglasses - and looked instantly camera ready. After some coffee and a chat we started on our tour of South Hill - to the park, skyline, bakery, random roadside spots.

I just held the camera (into the blazingly bright sun) and Makenzie did the rest. Seriously, this girl is a natural. She braved the bright cold day with not one complaint. Isn't she lovely?

Our goal was to dress things down and go for a natural, organic feel. In think she pulls it off. :)

Ginger Port Poached Pear Tart

2012-02-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but poached pears have never really appealed to me.

Perhaps it's because I've never had a well prepared poached pear, but the thought of soggy fruit doesn't really do it for me. The thought of a deeply rich port sauce with lemon zest, hints of orange and mellow ginger does, unsurprisingly sound quite good, so I thought I'd give this recipe a try - with a little twist. Poached pears meet pear tart.

When paired (oh my, a food pun) with a buttery crust, these poached pears win over even a hardened skeptic like me.

// GINGER PORT POACHED PEAR TART //
Adapted from Epicurious

Essentials:

3 Bartlett pears

1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger
3 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups Tawny Port
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

Sprinkle of Pumpkin Pie Spice

PEARS:

Peel ginger and cut into thin strips. Bring to a simmer in a small pot of water for 10 minutes, then drain water and set aside.

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, bring water, sugar, port, ginger, lemon/orange juices to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Peel, half and core pears. Add to dutch oven and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. The original recipe called for simmering the pears for 20 - 40 minutes, then removing with a slotted spoon. I decided I wanted a SUPER concentrated flavor, so I simmered for 40 minutes, then removed from heat and let sit overnight. Either way you'll be fine.

Once done poaching, slice into thin strips. Set aside.

Keep cooking the poaching liquid until it is reduced to a thick, gel-like sauce. Set aside.

CRUST:

Honestly, I'm totally a Trader Joe's pie crust lover. Sometimes I'll pull out my food processor and make the real thing, but when I'm feeling lazy (i.e. most of the time) it's the frozen TJ's crust that I go for. Let it come to room temp and then roll out. Place into tart pan (or pie pan) and press into edges. (If you really want to make sure it doesn't stick to the edges of the tart pan, line with parchment paper first. I didn't, as I don't really care. )

ASSEMBLY:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Once the crust is prepared, add sliced pears. Arrange in even layers like flower petals. Or just throw them in. It really only matters if you're OCD like me.

Pour as little or as much of the reduced poaching liquid as you'd like over the pears and bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned.

Let cool for awhile - it will let the juices settle. I learned the hard way that cutting into it too soon means a syrupy mess. A delicious, syrupy mess.

Sunny Saturday Salutations

2012-02-04T15:43:00.000-08:00

Today the sun came out and it made me so happy.

We woke up early and walked to the bakery for coffee and an orange almond cinnamon roll to share.

When Matthew set off to be a genius music director for a few hours, I pulled on a down jacket and opened all the blinds. The sunshine poured in and I couldn't bare to sit in front of a computer.

Paintbrushes, teacups of paint, canvas, and one dishtowel - apparently the warmth of the sun brings out my artistic tendencies.

Today make sure you do something colorful, creative and fun! :)

For Friends

2012-01-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

Today

I sat down for a bit

and made some presents

for my far flung friends.

Some are far, far away, like NYC. Some are far away like CA. And some are just far enough to be missed terribly, like Seattle. Friends, I am so thankful for you. And while I'm probably the most terrible person at long distance relationships, you all love me anyway. See, you're the best.

Heavenly Pursuits

2012-01-27T13:32:00.001-08:00

I found this quote while perusing a favorite site and it really resonated with me.

I can get so bogged down with worry about things I have no control over.

I took this photo last fall in Post Falls, ID during a family photo session. The sky seems so big up there, it's crazy. I stood in the middle of a wheat field and just looked up. So cool.

Winter Projects

2012-01-22T15:43:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been in a real funk. Not sure if it's the dismal weather, the homesickness, or what, but it's been a huge funk.

The natural remedy is to spend some time soaking up the sun in a tropical locale with my sweetie, right?! No responsibilities. No drama. No snow. Ahhhhhhh....

Sadly, that won't happen until March....so I'm trying to focus my energy on some winter projects. (Remember my perfect chairs?!)

I have started something new. And BIG. A project that is going to be a huge challenge. But it is going to rock. I've gotten started with the help of the brain trust (some very dear and talented amigos) and I'm more excited than I can say. Want a tiny little peek?

Confused? Well I'll tell you more about it.....soon. :)

What ways to you get out of a funk? Or do you live in Barbados?

What Joy, What Love

2012-01-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to buy 2012 Calendars through Pinhole Press, a chic company with an array of fun products. I sent them out as Christmas presents to family, and kept one for myself. I love them!

In a world where we're all about iPhones, computers, digital everything - I love having an actual paper and ink calendar to jot down notes and events.

I used photographs from our family reunion in Maine this past summer, and I love how the images conjure warm, sunny, happy feelings. :)

Snow Times Ten

2012-01-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

The snow - it's here.

It's been away for a long time, but it's finally returned home. With gusto.

We should be neck deep in no time!

For the most part, I'm enjoying it from indoors. :)

An Unexpected Find

2012-01-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

Friends, I've had a wonderful victory.

Have you ever had something that you've searched for, for a long time, with no luck? Like the perfect pair of boots, or the right lamp, or whatever?

Since we moved to Spokane, my elusive white rabbit has been a pair of bamboo captain's chairs. Back in CA we found them everywhere...but up here? No one seems to know what they are.

But I've finally found some. A pair. For cheap. On Craigslist. Aka, the BEST THING EVER. Bonus: the incredibly chic seller (she's moving to NYC next month and I want to go with her) gave me a whole roll of webbing to make these chairs perfect. (You can see the monster roll in between the two chairs below!)

They are perfect. With a coat of paint, some webbing, and a couple custom made cushions - they chairs are going to be just the project to get me through the rest of our winter. You know, until June.

Wannabe Travel Bug

2012-01-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

I've got the travel bug like crazy.

I know two people that are going to Hawaii in the next three weeks. And I'm SUPER JEALOUS.

So, anyways.

I took a picture of a globe.

And then thought some more about how I want to go to the tropics. Yep.

Let's Start This Year Off Right

2012-01-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

The start of 2012 has been pretty good.

Mainly because I've been ruminating on our mid-June departure.

And searching for tickets to see the Hoskings.

But we've definitely been low on our spending-time-with-awesome-family quota.

And our two closest Spokane friends are still in Utah...come home guys!

Today, this will be remedied.

Kathy is here until Sunday and I couldn't be more excited!

I hope you all have fabulous weekends :)

Goals for 2012

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

The start of a new year is such a magical time. I'm a sucker for a new beginning, and I feel particularly inspired as we enter 2012.

Matthew and I are on the cusp of many brand new things, and the excitement to begin is awesome...and overwhelming. 2012 will be about waiting for the right timing, trusting that we'll end up where we're supposed to, and of course full of adventure.

Last night we took part in the Columbian Tradition of "Destroying of Faults" - where each person cuts out a cardboard representation of themselves and pins on little pieces of paper with "faults" written on them. I took faults to mean things we had fostered in 2011 that we did not want to bring into the new year - resentments, emotional baggage, false friendships, and the like. You throw the little cardboard person into the fire and watch as your faults burn away. It was magical, smoky, and awesome.

So out with the old, and in with the new. I detest the association that accompanies "New Years Resolutions" so, like Anna, I'm going to share with you my Goals for 2012!

Blog more, Facebook less.

A Year in Review: Our 2011

2011-12-31T13:00:00.000-08:00

When I think back on 2011, I'm overwhelmed with the amount of CHANGE in our lives.

We embraced January 1st, 2011 on the floor of a friend's guest bedroom, sharing one pillow, missing our family, and trying to find a plumber on New Year's Day to fix our frozen pipes.

It was not fun.

It was more than not fun - it was TERRIBLE. I remember feeling depressed and utterly alone here in Spokane.

But thankfully 2011 has been a year of GRACE as well. We survived our first wonky house (and it's ghetto plumbing) and acomplished, experienced and overcame a million other things. Most notably:

- We traveled to Eastern Europe on our first international solo trip. We flew into Germany and made our way down to Austria over 2 weeks. We did it by plane, train and automobile and had an amazing experience.

- I designed some fun Valentines, and styled a lovely Valentine's Shoot with Megan that is getting national attention!

- We celebrated Matthew's 26th Birthday with fondue, streamers and an oreo cake. He's the best.

- Matthew finished his first year of Grad School and is the shining star of his department.

- Eastern Washington University's Choir performed one of Matthew's original compositions, with him as conductor!

- We celebrated my dear friend Katie as she married her true love in Sonoma in April - they are the perfect couple!

- We traveled to NYC to debut a piece in Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center with the EWU choir. I was able to tag along and spend some much needed time with the fabulous Laura Hall. It solidified our decision to apply to Columbia!

- We celebrated my 26th by moving into a new house! And Kathy also got me a kick ass juicer. Yep, it's that good.

- La Lune Events had a busy event season and made lots of dreams come true. It was such an experience! I feel so blessed to have been able to take part in so many special days. :)

- We traveled to Maine for a family reunion and had the best time! Our family lives on Deer Isle and we were able to go out on a lobster boat, have a clambake, see movies in the historic opera house, and relax. Best summer break ever.

- We found an AMAZING church that we love. It has made our time in Spokane bearable!

- Matthew started his second year of Grad School - strong as ever! His CV is comprable to that of Chuck Norris.

- I've expanded my design and photography work, taking on new clients and thoroughly enjoying my creative ventures. My videos are getting lots of attention!

- We flew back to California twice in November - once for a Musicological Conference in SF and Thanksgiving. Fabulous trips on both accounts!

- For the first time since our wedding, we took some rad pictures with Megan for our Christmas Cards.

- We celebrated Christmas for the first time with just our little family unit here in Spokane - and we survived!

And these are just the big things. We've both grown and changed a great deal, and for that, I am SO THANKFUL!

Tomorrow I'll post my list of my New Year's Goals for 2012 - I always get so excited for new beginnings. :)

How was your 2011?

The party continues: holiday coffee dates

2011-12-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest joys of living in Spokane is being within driving distance of our dear friend Amanda, who resides in a particularly cute yellow house in Seattle. She and I met at Westmont in our shared Persuasion & Propaganda Comm class with Dr. Dunn. We are bonded forever as sisters after producing a video analyzing how the food industry markets products to women...oh how we slaved to make that video. We had spent weeks working on it, only to finish literally minutes before we were supposed to present it to a packed room. It makes me anxious just remembering it! Yikes.

Needless to say, after that experience we were quite the pair. She became part of the family when she planned my wedding (senior year of college, directing a musical, planning a wedding?! I would have died without her!) and I'm so lucky to know her. Being in a strange city without our family can feel so lonely at times, but after one visit with Amanda it's amazing how uplifted we feel. Until the next adventure! :)

Gratitude; lots of it.

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

This just about covers it, don't you think?

Okay, maybe a few more things...

A healthy, working body; GOD; Art; Burts Bees Lip Balm. Plus a million more things.

Whenever you get in a funk, make a list of all the things you're thankful for and I promise, you'll feel much better.

Try it out.

(Thanks Pinterest!)

Celebration & Transition

2011-12-27T14:15:00.000-08:00

Operation Stay At Home for Christmas was a shining success! I won't deny experiencing moments of doubt, like say when we were Face Timing with family in Altadena or when Anna texted me a picture of all the siblings together.

( Moment of panic: how can we do this, be all alone up here in the snowy dark place that is Spokane?! We should be in sunny California! )

But in the end, it was such a lovely holiday. We relaxed, opened gifts, watched movies, went on quick family walks (it's freezing!) and enjoyed some really delicious meals. We were able to work on things that needed working on - for Matthew this meant reading a few books he's been wanting to read, for me it meant blog redesign (do you like?) and other design work that's been waiting for me during these past few busy weeks.

Truth is, I am so amped for the new year. I have a million things swirling in my brain. So many good things - so many changes that are waiting in the wings for the right time. I can't wait for 2012!

My immediate attention is brought to deep cleaning our house - because Kathy is coming to visit soon! She'll be here for a few days the first week of January, and I'm excited to show her all the, um, well all the great.....things.....about....Spokane....Okay, I'm excited to see her and hang out nonetheless.

So for now, it's back to reality. Does this mean I have to change out of my pajamas now?

Festivities of Joy: Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up feeling like a little kid. I laid in bed, my body vibrating with excitment and my mind willing Matthew awake. I gave him until 6:15, then I started in.

"MR! It's Christmas! It's light outside! Let's get up!"

"Jessica, it is not light outside. That's a strong street light bouncing off the snow, you psycho. Go back to sleep."

I would not be silenced.

After getting Numi to jump on the bed, and with promises of warm drinks and treats, I had my man.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve Brunch

2011-12-24T11:39:00.000-08:00

Since Matthew and I are on our own this Christmas, we really wanted to be as celebratory as possible. This includes, but is not limited to: spontaneous Christmas music infused dance parties, reading Christmas stories, snow angels, and watching classic Christmas movies (as previously explained).

And of course making reeaally good food.

This morning we woke to huge snowflakes and one very excited pup. Matthew curled up in our kitchen chair and read aloud while I made a very simple but delicious Christmas Eve morning brunch. This recipe is based on one very good casserole made by my sister-in-law Anna, with a few extras added in. Paired with a Mimosa - just right.

Sidenote: Does anyone else detest the word "casserole" as much as I do? I feel like it conjures images of salty trays of creamy mystery goop. Do we ever hear of some famous chef raving about a casserole?

Okay, that was out of hand. It is Christmas after all. Humble casserole, I apologize.

Nevertheless, I file this dish under "Semi-Crustless Rectangular Quiche...of Sorts."

The ingredients are extremely customizable for this dish - I used the cheese I had on hand, vegetables that needed using up, and bread that was getting stale. Feel free to go crazy.

/ BREAKFAST CASSEROLE /

Essentials:

8 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Half & Half
Loaf of Artisan Bread, sliced
Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage - About 5 large links, casings removed
1/2 Bag of Spinach, lightly sauteed
1 Small Onion, sliced along the pole, lightly sauteed
1 Smallish Head of Broccoli, lightly sauteed
Assorted Cheeses (Chedder, Gruyere, Feta, Goat - whatever you have)
Assorted Spices (S+P, Garlic Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, Sage - whatever you like)

Start out by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly grease a 9x14 rectangular baking dish and line with sliced bread. (I had never done this before, but when Anna made it this way it was delicious.)

Cook sausage in medium skillet, breaking it up into smallish bits. Remove sausage and set aside, and use the remaining oil/sausage bits to lightly saute the onion, broccoli and spinach. (This prevents a soggy casserole.)

Layer ingredients (vegetables, sausage, cheeses) in a pleasing manner. And by that I mean do it however you want. It will turn out fine, trust me.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and Half&Half together. Add desired spices. Pour mixture evenly over dish, making sure that all of the bottom layer is saturated.

Bake for approximately 25 - 30 minutes; let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Merry & Bright

2011-12-24T08:29:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, Christmas Eve was a big deal. Growing up in a divorced household with multiple families to see the next day, Christmas Eve was always my favorite. Our family would gather at my grandmother's house early in the afternoon and we would play games, enjoy culinary adventure (let's just say that foods made in molds still frighten me), exchange gifts and enjoy being in one place all together. My grandmother was well known for her enthusiastic expression of Christmas Decor - nearly every inch of her home was covered in some ode to the season. And true, most years involved some sort of familial drama or passionate conversation, but embracing the yearly tradition was something I always eagerly anticipated.

I approach Christmas Eve in a different way, now. My heart is heavy with the memories of my loved ones that are now gone - my parents, my grandparents, my friends. I wish we could gather together in that same way, talking and laughing and eating and fighting over who actually won Balderdash. Teasing each other about who has to eat the jello salad. When family gatherings were pure celebration instead of a bittersweet time of remembrance and gratitude.

This Christmas Eve, I am so grateful. I look at the calendar and realize that nearly another whole year has passed and my life is more wonderful than I could have imagined. While my heart will always be a little bit broken and missing what I don't have anymore, each year it gets easier to embrace the absolute joys of this time of year: my dear family, who may get the award for most bizarre, but who are priceless to me; sharing Christmas with Matthew and our black pup in a frozen Spokane; decorating the tree with my childhood ornaments; making stockings; receiving brightly adorned packages and loving Christmas Cards; and most of all thanking God for blessing me so, so richly.

So tonight Matthew and I will be alone. It will be a change, that's for sure. Instead of a large family gathering we'll make capellini and drink some wine. We'll probably watch a classic Roy Christmas movie - and yes, I'm referring to a quality selection from the Die Hard series. It is a brand new thing for us, but I'm excited to build our own family traditions. The only thing I know for sure: they definitely will not include jello salad. Thank God.

Merry Christmas Eve!

DIY: Stockings

2011-12-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Growing up, stockings always trumped Christmas presents.

My Mom hand-stitched us stockings and filled them with absolute treasures - and I am hardcore obsessed with continuing this tradition. I still have my childhood stocking (I'll never let go, never let go) but Matthew was in need of one, so I decided to make a new pair for the two of us this year. I was going to attempt felting old wool sweaters, but never got my act together. Surprise. So off to the fabric store I went! I'm 100% over anything resembling burlap-vintage-lace-old lady-quilt-ish-ness, and wanted a fresh, modern twist on the classic stocking. I found a great felt - a wool blend that has a good weight and great coloring. You can bust these out in an afternoon - definitely by Christmas Eve!

/ ESSENTIALS / - Makes 2 Stockings

3/4 Yard* Gray Felt (or color of choice)

1/4 Yard each of Accent Colors (My light green looks Army green in the pictures, but it's more yellow green in person)

Silver Metallic Embroidery Thread

Embroidery Needle

Hot Glue Gun

*The rolls of felt were 32" wide, and when folded over you'll have enough felt for 2 stockings, plus extra.

Step 1: Fold gray felt in half, so that it measures 18" wide. Cut stocking shape into gray felt. I eyeballed it and truth be told, they look a little wonky. In don't care. Personality, right? If you're a perfectionist, find a stencil online.

Step 2: Cut out leaves, embellishments, etc. and place on stocking.

Step 3: Using a hot glue gun, lightly glue the felt accents on front of stocking. (Honestly, I went back and forth about using a hot glue gun. My mom was all about using one needle and thread to make our stockings...but since I was going to hand-stitch the edges, I figured I'd take the shortcut here. For all of you crafty people out there, I ask for your forgiveness. )

Step 3.5: At this point, if you want to add a name, now is the time! I was going to stitch MR and JR into our stockings, but then...I was tired. Maybe next year. You can stitch the names in, use an iron-on patch of sorts, or use another preferred medium.

Step 4: Using the embroidery needle and metallic thread, stitch the edges closed.

Step 5: Cut a small strip of red felt and sew into a loop at top of stocking.

True, there are stockings out there that look way more normal/cool/put together/etc., but I really like these. Heck, if I can rustle up some cute stockings a few days before Christmas - you can too! Best of luck. :)

Merry Christmas!

Festive Photos, 2011 Edition

2011-12-19T08:41:00.000-08:00

Friends, I am so excited to share with you our Christmas Pictures this year! We aren't the sort of people to get formal pictures taken all the time, but this year our dear friend Megan of Easy Dreamer Photography offered to capture our Holiday festivity - and we LOVE them! Matthew and I realized that the last decent photos of us were taken at our wedding - almost 5 years ago - and that it would be awesome to have some current ones taken. We ventured out into our snowy neighborhood and Megan just started snapping away. Thanks Meg for a fun afternoon and for some seriously lovely pictures.

The Smell of Frosting in the Air...

2011-12-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent a few foggy hours surrounded by sugar cookies, frosting, edible glitter, cranberry mimosas, lovely conversation and all out frivolity. My dear friend Pam lives in a gorgeous Victorian home that is more amazing than I can say - most of the year it is a premiere wedding venue here in the Northwest. Amazing.

There isn't a better hostess out there - thank you Pam for inviting me! I had a great time. :)

Lemon Almond Sugar Cookies

2011-12-17T10:45:00.000-08:00

Sugar cookies have never been my thing. I'm much more partial to dark chocolate chip oatmeal or peanut butter or well, really any other cookies aside from the basic Sugar cookie. I rarely make them, but Christmastime is the exception - especially when I'm invited to the lovely home of my dear friend Pam for her annual cookie decorating party. So I turned to my stack of cookbooks, then to online bloggers for tips on making the best sugar cookies.

I decided that if I was going to make a sugar cookie, then it would be a dang good one. Really delicious. With almond notes and bright lemon zest. One that sort of melts in your mouth and doesn't just taste like sugary play dough.

I found a million tips out there - real butter, refrigerate the dough, cream cheese, etc. - so I used my best judgement and borrowed from a few recipes to create, in my opinion, some seriously good cookies. They taste creamy but aren't too heavy or dense, with a deep almond flavor and bright sunny lemon finish. If you're in need of a good sugar cookie recipe, I highly suggest this one!

/ LEMON ALMOND SUGAR COOKIES /
Yields 2 - 4 Dozen, depending on size

The Essentials:
1.5 Cups Unsalted Butter, softened
1.5 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
Zest from 3 Small Lemons
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (After extensive research on the subject, I went with 400 degrees as most testers reported great results and quick cooking times.)

Cream the sugars and butter together until thoroughly mixed and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add extracts and zest, mix well.

Add two cups of flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add remaining flour on cup at a time.

At this point you have two options: wrap dough in plastic wrap and freeze for later, or roll out on a floured surface. I wrapped up half of the dough, and found that I was still able to make 2.5 dozen cookies.

Roll out on floured surface, approximately 1/4 thick, or thinner if you prefer. Cut with cookie cutters into desired shapes - our favorites were little sheep, hearts, scallop-edged rectangles, angels, doves, and alphabet letters.

Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 7 minutes. The cookies will not have brown edges or be crispy - I prefer a lighter, softer cookie. But if you like crispy leave in for 8-9 minutes.

Decorate!

Tidings

2011-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

After last week's antics, Matthew and I decided a little getaway to Seattle was in order. Thankfully our dear friend Amanda was just finishing her end-of-quarter craziness (she's in an amazing business/food/changing-the-world Master's program) so all three of us were able to take a collective breath and just relax. We started off the trip with a lovely Christmas party and their adorable little yellow house.

Food, frivolity, friends, laughter - just what the doctor ordered.

We finished up our Christmas shopping, made an Ikea trip, tried out a new Ethiopian place, and laughed like crazy. I can't explain how restoring it was - having meaningful conversations with a good friend, feeling uplifted and energized...it was great. And exactly what I needed. Thank you Amanda!

Have a happy, festive week! :)

I Wish for Stillness.

2011-12-10T12:16:00.001-08:00

This week has been a long one. A week of major change in all areas of my life. A close friend revealed that they are going through something devastating. A very sudden and unexpected personnel change in my business. Matthew conquering a killer finals week in the form of epically long research projects. I suppose that change and growth are good, but I can't help but feel twinges of sadness when thinking about how sometimes change takes on shapes that we'd rather not see or that we're completely unprepared for.

Right now everything is covered in a delicate looking frost that makes everything look frozen in time. That stillness is something I earnestly pray for during this season. Thanks to my lovely friend Amanda, I came across this video that conveys such peace and stillness - and it's just what I needed.

2011-12-07T12:22:00.001-08:00

{ That is my sister's hand, who is fabulous, and is changing the world. <3}

Fresh Cranberry Relish

2011-12-06T11:00:00.001-08:00

During the winter months I love making foods that jump start the system into feeling alive again. Cranberries are especially powerful, and this time of year fresh ones are readily available. This recipe can be sweetened to your own taste and enjoyed alone or on a turkey sandwich. Enjoy!

/ FRESH CRANBERRY RELISH /

Essentials:

1 bag fresh Cranberries
1 Orange, unpeeled
1 Apple, cored & unpeeled
1/2 Cup Honey (to taste)
6 - 10 Fresh Dates, chopped
2/3 Cup Walnuts, chopped

Optional: A couple tablespoons of fresh grated ginger root

Note: I always freeze my cranberries and then slightly thaw for this recipe, as it reduces the amount of juice during processing.

Pulse cranberries in food processor until broken down into smaller bits. Add orange and apple (cut into medium sized chunks) and pulse until well combined. With the food processor on low, add honey and dates. Once well combined, stir in walnuts. For best results, refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Tis the Season: Holiday Gift Guides

2011-12-05T11:43:00.001-08:00

I absolutely adore gift giving. This morning I spent some time jotting down ideas for my loved ones - I'm about halfway done with all my Christmas shopping and I'm only gaining momentum. :) I've gotten some amazing ideas from the gift guides popping up out there on the web and thought I'd share some favorites. Enjoy!

Poppy Talk Gift Guide

IHOD Gift Guide

A Cup of Jo Gift Guide

Etsy Holiday Gift Guide

Oh Hello Friend / 12 Days of Cheer

Young House Love for West Elm

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Other favorite Gift Guides/Gift Ideas this year include:

Real Simple (Surprisingly good this year!)

Pinhole Press

Foodzie

My Favorite Gift Wrap

2011-12-04T16:04:00.001-08:00

Christmastime is Here

2011-12-02T08:45:00.001-08:00

{Our Christmas Photos were taken by the lovely Megan of Easy Dreamer Photography}

Whew! It's been a whirlwind with getting back from CA and hitting the ground running here in WA that I completely missed the absolute celebration that is December 1st! I'm terribly excited to be in the midst of all the holiday festivities. Tree hunting, decorating and admiring is always something we do immediately following Thanksgiving. It's essential.

Merry Christmastime friends!

Giving (lots of) Thanks

2011-11-30T17:22:00.000-08:00

Travel Day - It's Fun!

2011-11-22T11:13:00.001-08:00

Our mutinous fellow passengers at the fabulous Spokane Int'l Airport. Oh, what a crowd.

I'm currently perched on a high top table in Portland's very clean but dreary airport, watching all the travelers go by and every few minutes renewing my thanks that I'm not actually outside in Portland, as it looks like a swampy mess of torrential downpour.

I have been up since 3:30am this morning, and if everything had gone according to plan, we'd just be arriving at my Aunt's warm house in CA. We'd have landed in SF, taken the train to the rental car desk, received our car, and driven the 1.5 hours to Cameron Park. Matthew would have slept, I would have driven, we would have been listening to Christmas music.

But alas, that would have been just too perfect. This morning we arrived at the airport with ample time, checked in, avoided serious feeling up through security and boarded our flight. Just as we were taking off, like the plane was pointed towards the sky, the engines shut off and we proceed to land, hard. "Uh, this is your co-captain...we've received an error message and we're heading back to the gate.....we'll let you know what's going on when we find out....thankyouforyourpatience."We were all kicked off the plane and forced to race our fellow passengers to the ticket counter to see who would actually be getting on a plane today. After a long process (United reps are arrogant and condescending, Southwest reps were nice and had suckers) we got our flights - with a delay, and an arrival in another city. Not what we would have preferred, but as I'm trying to embody the spirit of Thanksgiving - I'm thankful we got a flight!

Two hours later Southwest shuffled us on to a new plane, one that I not-so-secretly hoped to be working.
The weather wasn't great, so I was a little nervous about the "Chop" - a term our pilot lovingly used about 100 times. "There's going to be a bit of Chop on the way up, and we may have some chop during, and be prepared for some Chop on the way down into Portland...The flight attendants won't be able to leave their special harnessed seats to serve you as the Chop is going to be a problem. On a completely unrelated note, please make sure to review the safety card located in the seat pocket in front of you in case this plane is shaken so badly that it falls from the sky."

I have to say, MAJOR props to those of you who live in Portland. Especially those of you who fly in and out of Portland. This is my third time here, and each time the flight has been terrifying. Today's flight did not disappoint! And don't just assume I'm a total wimp - when big burly manly men scream out in fright as the plane shudders and jolts, you know it's bad.

So we're here. Portland isn't really where we'd like to be, but I really am thankful that 1.) We did not crash and die and 2.) That we were able to get flights out, when a lot of people couldn't. Silver lining: when I'm crazy nervous I knit about 5 times faster. This infinity scarf will be done by days end!

All crankiness aside - have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving everyone! I hope your travel plans go smoothly and that wherever you end up that you're surrounded by good friends, loving family and yummy food. :)

SF Love

2011-11-20T15:20:00.001-08:00

Snow DAY

2011-11-19T20:08:00.001-08:00

Today we planned on taking our Christmas pictures with the ever fabulous Megan, but alas the snow had other plans. Although you can't tell in the photos, it POURED snow all day long. We barely made it to the auto parts store for a new ice scraper and windshield wiper fluid (the essentials), and celebrated our feat by eating curry so spicy our faces nearly burned off. Worth it.

We then came back to shovel our bit of sidewalk and play with Numi in the snow. Our yard was a beautiful smooth landscape until Numi decided to go ape crazy. It now looks like a war zone. No worries, apparently we're supposed to get loads more of the white stuff over the next few days, so we'll be alright.

So cold, but so fun!

Goodbye, Hello

2011-11-18T21:15:00.001-08:00

This past week when we were in San Francisco my family kept apologizing for the one day of horrible weather. You know, like rain and scattered clouds. We couldn't see all of the bay. I caught Kathy wearing long underwear in 50 degree weather. (I am serious.) Needless to say, we suffered.

Matthew and I soaked up the sun and enjoyed the full fledged fall time weather while it lasted. Here in Spokane it started snowing this morning and hasn't stopped since. Our picturesque morning walks along long fiery colored streets have been replaced by white everywhere. No more leaves, no more filtered sunlight - yes, we have officially bid adieu to Fall and been well introduced to Winter.

I'm really okay with it. Is that because we're headed back to sunny California in a few days for Thanksgiving? Perhaps. But truly, this time of year is my favorite. Matthew and I will be celebrating our first Christmas alone (i.e. just us and the pup instead of flying down to our massive family) and I have a feeling that getting our tree, decorating, ice skating, and all Holiday related activities will have new meaning. My mom is famous for hand stitching us big red stockings, and this year I'm trying my hand at making Matthew his very own. We'll see how it goes...depending on what it looks like, his may just read MR. :)

So goodbye Fall - you were beautiful and I loved you very much.

Hello Winter - you are very cold but I'll bundle up so we can spend some time together.

(Sidenote: If you're not listening to She & Him's Christmas Album, you're missing out. I can't stop listening to it.)

We left out hearts in SF

2011-11-15T10:05:00.001-08:00

Right now I have a furry black pup snoring next to me, a cup of steaming tea and a few snow flurries fluttering around outside. (And the stomach flu, but that's not really worth getting into.) We are back from San Francisco! It was such a great trip. Our main reason for heading south was so that Matthew could attend the American Musicological Society's annual conference, but major bonuses included a whole day with my dear friends Katie and Dante, and of course belatedly celebrating Kathy's 50th birthday!

The sunshine was breathtaking. The bay was beautiful. The botanical gardens, local foodie cuisine, seeing family, going shopping with Katie - all were just what the doctor ordered. (Perhaps that's why I've got the flu now...good thing we're headed back in a week!) We stayed with my Aunt and Uncle in the city - they live at the top of Castro street, just on the edge of Noe Valley in an old Victorian with very steep stairs. Very steep. I'm happy to report that I have not yet broken any bones falling down, down, down those stairs.

My Aunt keeps a botanical wonderland behind their house where their three cats roam and hunt. Every time we visit a new part of the yard has been polished - new brick patio, new benches, new plants - and the ever flourishing worm/compost bin never disappoints. Cat Man, Snowy and Cantaloupe are always a source of entertainment with their antics and food preferences. (Cat Man didn't really want to hang out with me until I fed him a large plate of organic cat food. Yeah, he's particular.)

We made waffles, read Calvin & Hobbes in their big front bay window, went to the SF Botanical Garden plant sale (to add more loveliness to the backyard), cruised Fabrics stores for upholstery fabric (projects about; it's a family trait) and had a few iPad training sessions with Kath. Her siblings got her an iPad to bring her into the current technological era and we played with it all weekend. I made sure to add the essentials (Pinterest App, Instagram App, etc.) but she's already got it down. So proud!

Matthew rocked the conference. He was able to reconnect with professors from his undergrad days, meet a ton of new people and get a better understanding of what he's looking for in a PhD program. It was so cool to see my brilliant husband out there networking with other musicologists from all over the world. While we had originally discounted UCLA as an option, we're now adding back on the list after Matthew had an amazing conversation with a visiting professor. Right now we've applied to Columbia, UW, UC Berkeley, UCSB and UCLA. All should be said and done by April 1st - we are excited about what lies ahead for us!

I took a ton of pictures. The sun was out - I couldn't help myself. But that's for another day. :)

Now it's time to crush the stomach flu in my mind vise a la Jack Donaghy.

November Approaches!

2011-10-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

Hello friends.
Tonight is Halloween, and most of you are undoubtedly gallivanting around town - hopefully all being very safe and having tons of fun.
Originally we had plans to go out tonight, but ended up making pizza and relaxing here at home. Win.

Things have been busy lately! I got a new iMac (Yay for new computer, Boo for being even poorer than before...ouch) and am still transferring all my docs/photos/etc from my recently deceased PC. I'm also upgrading to CS5, which is the main reason for my break in posting. Soon, very soon!

In the meantime, check out a few of these photos from a recent family session I did with local photographer Mary Banducci. She has such a sweet little family. :)

The Great Pumpkin

2011-10-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend we busted out our mad pumpkin skills - and by that, I mean MR shamed me once again. He has such incredible patience with projects like this, and he's not afraid of a challenge. Back in college he started the tradition of carving Composer Pumpkins - Bach was the first and this guy is the latest. Personally I think he looks more like Professor Quirrel, but whatever.(MR is at school at the moment, and I can't remember Mr. Turban Head's real name...but when I get the real deal I'll update.)

MR gets to business.

Check him out!

I like painting more than carving so I decided to embrace the challenge of a multi-colored chevron pumpkin. It was long work, but fun. Until...

Most of the paint ended up coming off with the tape...

I'm just calling it vintage finish. Yeah, let's go with that.

Aside from religiously watching Hocus Pocus, carving/painting pumpkins is the only Halloween tradition we like. (Really, corny and old school, Hocus Pocus is where it's at. LOVE it.)

Do you like to carve or paint pumpkins? Or neither?

Autumn is HERE

2011-10-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

VIA Pugly Pixel

1. I am wearing my downy patagonia gear full time.
2. The air smells faintly of fireplace smoke and pine trees.
3. There is a basket full of pumpkins on my front porch - just waiting to be carved.
4. Today I started on our Christmas Card design!
5. I've taken up knitting again - time for another scarf. :)

What are y'all doing to celebrate fall? I'm not into Halloween (on my walk this morning I saw a house adorned in severed doll heads. Um, no thank you.) but I'm getting excited about the colder weather and wearing even more scarves. Trader Joe's opens in less than 10 days which means yummy tea, Peppermint Joe Joe's and other festive delights. Lots to be excited about!

For the Salsa Queen | Tomatillo Salsa

2011-10-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

Today is my Mama's birthday. This year she would be turning 54! Crazy to think about, really. It's been 8 years without her, and with this month being Breast Cancer Awareness month, she is especially on my mind.

I love and remember so many things about her, but one thing that stands out to me and many others was my mother's affinity for making killer good salsa. She was an amazing cook - so imaginative and creative - and she really shined when it came to recipe writing. Her salsa was her own creation, something that was never the same twice. To honor my mama, here's my own adaptation - a seriously delicious recipe for Tomatillo Salsa. If you haven't ventured far with tomatillos, you are missing out! Easy to prepare, delicious to savor. We found our basket at the farmer's market this weekend and I knew salsa was in our near future....enjoy.

// TOMATILLO SALSA //

adapted from Simply Recipes

Essentials:

Basket of Tomatillos (approx 1-2 lbs), roasted

1/2 Cup Cilantro Leaves, roughly chopped

1 Large Tomato, chopped

1/2 White Onion, diced

2 Medium Jalapenos, diced

Salt to taste

Remove husks from tomatillos. Cut into chunks and broil until lightly charred.

Add all ingredients to food processor (or blender) and pulse until well combined. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to meld.

Serve with tortilla chips and chicken tacos.

The Roys

2011-10-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago my sister in law asked me to design her some Family Values artwork, and today I was inspired to make something similar for Matthew and I.

This piece is more about classic Roy things than family values per say, but I love that looking that this so wholeheartedly reminds me of us and our little family unit.

Post Update: I've had a few people inquire about custom pieces for their own families - please email me at j.roy.joy@gmail.com if you are interested. :)

Rustic Plum Tart

2011-10-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

// RUSTIC PLUM TART //

Essentials

Pâte Brisée (I'm faithful to this recipe - I used wheat flour, so it appears a bit darker in color.)
1.5 lbs Fresh Plums, any variety
1/2 Cup Plum Jam (or another light jam - I just had a jar of plum jam on hand.)

Raw sugar, for sprinkling

Make Pâte Brisée according to recipe. Allow at least 1.5 hours for this process.

While dough is processing, slice plums and measure out jam.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough into a large circle, 1/4 inch thick. Spread 1/4 cup of plum jam into the center.

Starting in the center, place plum slices in a large spiral until there is about 2-3 inches of crust space left.

Drizzle the remaining jam over the top of plum slices.

Pleat sides up and over filling. Sprinkle with sugar.

Place on a rimmed baking sheet, prepped with parchment paper. Bake for approx 45 minutes or until golden brown and filling is deliciously bubbly.

Greenbluff Saturdays

2011-10-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

All shapes, colors, and sizes.

I love them!

Art that reminded me of Maine and another mini pony.

Knapp's had sweet little goats too.

My half smile, half grimace - that pumpkin was HEAVY!

Fall raspberries...and a few blackberries.

All those raspberries....for under $4.00

A lovely Saturday spent in the crisp fall air with my sweetie. Have I mentioned how much I ADORE this time of year? :)

Markets & Mittens

2011-10-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

With Matthew back in school full time, I'm taking full advantage of girl time. Megan and I welcomed the official start of Autumn with a trip to one of the last Farmer's Markets of the season. We were practically the only ones there, braving the cold and rain, but it was worth it. We circled around and around, picking up Red Bartlett Pears, Italian Plums, the last of the peaches and nectarines, artisan sausage, flowers and of course a couple macarons. (Thanks for asking; they were raspberry rose and rosemary; yes, they were divine.)

I am in love with this time of year. True, I am not looking forward to another Spokane winter (last one, hopefully!) where things are so frozen and dark that I rarely want to leave my bed. But Autumn brings changing colors, roasted root vegetables, my head-to-toe Patagonia gear, pumpkins, and of course Thanksgiving.....which leads us to Christmas! (And in a mere 20, yes TWENTY days I will be able to go to my very own neighborhood TRADER JOES! Yes, I'm on a daily countdown. )

This weekend I'll be baking apple tarts, carving pumpkins, reading my book, and taking advantage of the breaks in the rain by walking around South Hill with my two favorite guys.

What are you up to?

If you haven't yet, head over here to download a spiffy October Desktop Calender - it oozes Autumnal magic. :)

We See Genius

2011-10-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

It's crazy to think that one of the greatest innovators is now gone. RIP Steve Jobs.

Image via Life as an Artistpreneur

To the Market We Go

2011-10-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to spend this past Saturday with a lovely group of folks out at Belle Victorian Gardens shooting some fun pictures and video of their gorgeous French Market styled shoot. It was a beautiful afternoon spent with beautiful company. :)

The DREAM TEAM of Vendors:

Romancing the Stone Styling
Easy Dreamer Photography
Erica’s Expression Floral
Epiphany Floral
Emici Bridal
Finders Keepers Jewelry and Apparel
The Bachelor Pad Clothier
Madeline’s Café and Bakery
Sweet Frosting
Shasta Hankins Make-up
Ashley Kerr from Dimensions Salon
Pottery Barn
Belle Victorian Gardens

Roy Joy Design & Photogaphy

Check out my preview video - it was so FUN to put together! (Or click here to view it on Vimeo.)

And Birds Fluttered Around Her

2011-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy October!

2011-10-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy October friends! Can you believe it's here?! May your October be filled with warm drinks, wooly scarves, pumpkin doughnuts, golden colors, honey crisp apples, lots of cuddling and that not too far off sound of Christmas carols. I'm so glad fall is here!

To celebrate my favorite season, I designed a fun freebie download - right now there are two sizes, but if you need another size, just let me know! :)

To download: Just click on photo below, open to largest size and save to desktop.

1024x768

1400x900

A Story About Love

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday friends! To kick off the weekend, I thought I'd talk about LOVE.

Epic love stories are the best. I prefer ones with wonderfully happy endings, I just can't help myself. The above photo is of my grandparents on my father's side - Eugene and Doy Weber. Aren't they the sweetest? (Sidenote: check out grandpa's snappy suit and glasses - geek chic, I'm telling you...)

While Matthew rediscovered Mr. Foxy in our excavation of the basement, I reopened a box of Polaroids and came across this gem. I love how grandpa has his arm wrapped around grandma and how they are so visibly in love. It makes me think about what Matthew and I will look like decades into our marriage, and what we'll have experienced at that point. Kids. Jobs. Travel. Homes. Love. We just celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary and I know I'm going to sound like a naive kid - but it feels like forever! 8 years into knowing my guy and I couldn't be happier.

Matthew and I met our freshman year at college. Westmont is a tiny liberal arts college in Santa Barbara so small that you are guaranteed to meet every person in your graduating class - if not the whole school. Still, I remember the day I officially met Matthew Roy at a dorm BBQ. He was playing hacky sack. He wore Harry Potter glasses. He was a music geek. I was in love.

We talked for hours, went on endless adventures, and became best friends. We graduated from college. He proposed on top of a mountain in the Eastern Sierras and I said yes. We got married at the Dana Powers House in July with our family and friends and danced all night. And I'm sure I ate something, but I can't remember what. We cut the wedding peach and loganberry cobbler - and that was good.

The last four years have been so full - we've moved multiple times, I lost my dad, we both started our own businesses, added a black lab pup to the family, traveled across the globe, made new friends and changed a great deal.

And although we don't quite have the epic love story just yet, I am in love with my best friend who continues to love, support, bestow grace, and make me laugh like no one else in the world. It is a story that I love to remember, and tell.

Check back tomorrow for an October Desktop freebie download - can you believe it's the last day of September?! Hellllllllo Fall. :)

A Gem

2011-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Megan is a gem. She is the type of friend who inexplicably shows up on your doorstep with a huge bunch of golden sunflowers after a particularly hard week. She is the type of friend who will share with you her flaws and be more than willing to hear about yours. She is kind, creative, stylish and the perfect person with which to have frolicking fun. I am so grateful for her!

Back in the Spring she and I started a blog about DIY projects and the like, and to say the least - it fizzled. She was out of town for a month, then we started up wedding season (she's a crazy good photographer) - things got busy and our little blog got pushed to the back burner.

Well we're at it again. We've got a design suite, a few stellar projects and plenty of fun things to share with you soon. And heck, this may be a seasonal thing. We're not worried about it. :)

Spex Club

2011-09-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've always been a geek, and not always the cool kind. I've now decided to embrace the awesome trending towards geek chic - starting out with upgrading my specs. Unfortunately I am unwilling to allocate a large portion of my income to be slave to fashion...but thankfully now I don't have to. Spex Club is a fabulous site with plenty of chic glasses, all for $88 (prescription included!) with a great return policy. I've been eying these pairs...

Growing Up

2011-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

In our recent purging extravaganza, we came upon one of Matthew's boxes of childhood treasures and unearthed this little guy: Mr. Foxy. Matthew loved this puppet when he was little. There are sweet pictures of his parents playing with the boys with Mr. Foxy, and we've decided to hold on to it - at least until we have little ones of our own.

When asked about his favorite Mr. Foxy memory, Matthew excitedly relayed this little gem:

Mom, Nathan and I were on a train trip up to Klammath Falls to visit Aunt Louise. Of course, I had Mr. Foxy. The whole way there I story-boarded The Adventures of Mr. Foxy and Bunny - it was an action packed adventure where they rode horses during medieval times and stormed castles. It was awesome. I was six.

I was inspired to dig out my box of childhood treasures (well, boxes really) and reminisce about the late 80's/early 90's too. It was great - childhood books, games, pictures of my favorite outfits (too horrifying to even describe) and general memorabilia.

In a similar vein, a fellow Westmont grad started a fabulous site/show for folks our age called All Groan Up. He has interesting articles about how our generation is growing up...the good things, the bad things, the hilarious things. (I can't wait to get his book - check him out!)

Anyway, I'm always transported back to the days of Alex Mack, slap bracelets, knee socks, and Salute Your Shorts whenever I read his posts on our generation's favorite childhood things. Some personal favorites...

Hair Wraps
Klutz Face Painting Books
Oregon Trail, and the lesser known but still amazing Amazon Trail
Skip-It
SEGA
Pepsi Points
Nickelodeon

More flashback magic: Paul has a hilarious rundown of the best commercials from our growing up...doesn't it bring you back? Bubble Tape!?

What were your favorites?

a city by the sea

2011-09-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

And now for our RUSSIAN lesson....Thank you Marissa :)

Pet Peeves

2011-09-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

VIA pradaanswer.tumblr.com

I love reading about people's pet peeves. Sometimes I can totally relate, sometimes they just make me giggle. I loved Joanna's; here are mine. Who doesn't love a good pet peeve list?

1. Overuse of the exclamation point
2. "Texting language" - aka: adorbs, gorg, obvi, lol
3. People who have cell phone but never turn it on
4. Smacking while eating/eating with your mouth open
5. Old water
6. Exactly as the sign says above...

What are your pet peeves? :)

Another First Day

2011-09-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Early morning tea and office supplies.

Numi can sense the excitement..therefore the stuffing if two toys into the mouth is entirely acceptable.

One can't wait to go back - one has been dreading this moment all summer.

Last year of Masters degree!

We're celebrating by applying to new schools for his PhD work and going out for sushi.

Can't wait for the next adventure...

Farmer's Market | Bruschetta Brunch

2011-09-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

/ BRUSCHETTA BRUNCH /

Serves 2, or a very hungry 1

Essentials

3 Heirloom Tomatoes (of varying colors)

1/2 small bunch of Basil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar

1 clove of Garlic, grated using a Micro-plane

2 slices Bread - I used a fresh loaf of Pain au Levain from the market

2 organic eggs

1. Chop tomatoes, mince basil. Place in bowl and add olive oil and vinegar to taste (I use approximately 1.5 tablespoons of oil and 2 of vinegar. This is just personal preference. Adjust as needed!) Grate clove of garlic into bowl using a micro-plane grater. Mix well.

2. Cut 2 slices of bread from loaf, brush with olive oil and toast in oven until nicely browned. I just crank it up to broil and watch it carefully.

3. Fry up eggs in skillet. I love a good runny yolk, so mine only cook for a few minutes at most.

4. Assemble breakfast: layer egg on top of toast, spoon on bruschetta and season with salt and pepper if you please.

Labor Day | Roy Style

2011-09-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

Labor Day 2011 from Jessica Roy on Vimeo.

Training Wheels

2011-08-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

Wow - it's rare that a Monday is so fabulous. But today, it was just that. I was lucky enough to be a second shooter for Megan of Easy Dreamer Photography! Megan is such a sweet, dear friend - and also a kickin teacher. She's teaching me how to fully experience my Nikon and I am so grateful! If you haven't already, please please please check out Megan's work - it is breathtaking!

Here are a few shots that I got today...aren't they sweet?

Megan - THANKS! Can't wait for next time :)

Hello, friend

2011-08-27T08:57:00.001-07:00

Saturdays with Alisa...

2011-08-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

...look like this.

Our first Saturday off in 2 months!

Sophie was a peach!

Enjoy your weekend friends :)

I love you

2011-08-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

First attempt at Letterpress. Hello, new obsession.

A Drop of Sun

2011-08-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

A favorite from Maine - Kyra flying into the air on a very sunny afternoon.

It's one of those Summer evenings when people just can't seem to go inside - the sun is shining brightly and just the right amount of warm, the lake is sparkling and demanding to be swam in, and I'm enjoying the downtown commotion while waiting for Matthew to be done music directing at a local theater.

As I write, I am surrounded by the tattooed youth of Coeur d'Alene in a downtown coffee shop called Java. I love it's random crowd, indie music and seriously good coffee. It's strangely relaxing to be sitting in the middle of so much activity - especially when I've got a mountain of design work in front of me and big things on my mind.

We have some big things in our future. Applying to more Graduate schools. Starting our family. The start of new ventures, the ending of others. Sometimes I wish I could just sit still and hold onto Summer nights like this one - and just pause.

When I do, I think about the lovely things that have been happening lately and I just feel so happy.

Hanging out and celebrating the birthday of this girl. I love her! Nothing says happy birthday like gluten free cake and croquet. :)

We've had some amazing events this past month. Really honest to goodness awesome people who love beautiful things. Sigh....I love my job. Speaking of my job - have you entered our mega sweet Photoshoot giveaway on our blog? Check it.

Speaking of our giveway, our lovely friend Becca of Rebecca Hollis Photography took some photos of us, the ladies of La Lune Events, for some new ventures that we'll be starting soon. Stay tuned...

And finally, today I'm thinking about my dear adoptive Mom Kathy - she begins yet another school year as the principal of Cobblestone Elementary School in Rocklin, CA. I couldn't be more proud of her! She is not only a kickass administrator, she really does care about her job.

Kath, we love you!

I've done enough ~~procrastinating~~ reflecting on beautiful things now - it's off to get some work done. I hope your evening is as sunny as mine - in all ways that matter.

Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey

2011-08-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

The blog world can feel like a family, especially on days like today.

Today I made a peanut butter pie for Mikey.

When I first read about Jennifer Perillo's loss of her husband, I felt sick. I do not know Jennifer or her family, aside from reading her blog, but her loss is felt everywhere. Bloggers from around the world are offering their support today by making what she wanted to for Mikey: a Peanut Butter Pie.

I cannot imagine what she is going through. While I've lost loved ones, the thought of losing my husband so suddenly stops me in my tracks.

Today is the first time I've made a Peanut Butter Pie. I made this pie for Mikey; to support a woman I don't know, but feel for;and for my dear husband, who I can't imagine living without.

Today make sure you grab on to your loved ones and hug them tightly. And tell them you love them - life can be so fleeting.

Peanut Butter Pie
Serves 10 to 12
{Adapted from Jennifer Perillo)

8 ounces organic chocolate cookies
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces low fat cream cheese
1 cup organic chunky peanut butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a glass pie pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a Kitchen Aid mixer and beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.

Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.
Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

Enjoy with someone you love.

Good Times Ahead

2011-08-11T16:14:00.000-07:00

Picnic food! Yum.

Lately I've fallen into a blogging slump. So naturally I've spent most of my time online devouring other folk's fabulous summertime advice, ideas, and general loveliness. Here are some current favorites...

The Beauty Department: Thanks to the ever fabulous Anna over at IHOD, I've now become addicted to this site.

Daily Garnish: It may be due to the fact that I am over the moon baby crazy right now, but I love Emily's pregnancy accounts and stories. I've followed her blog for a long time - long before she had a bun in the oven - and I love her recipes and thoughts on overall health.

Young House Love: As a young person loving my house, I always turn to this site for inspiration, DIY and stories from the trenches.

Adrienne Eats: Killer recipes, beautiful photography.

After this weekend we've got a bit of a break from events, so I'll share some fun stuff I've been working on. Enjoy your Thursday! :)

In Celebration of Smore's: Quick and Classy

2011-08-10T15:39:00.000-07:00

Start out by roasting your mallow to perfection. We did this over a burner on the stove...very classy.

Spread peanut butter on half a graham cracker - top with freshly roasted marshmallow.

Next comes the chocolate chips and banana slices...

Devour the monstrosity.

Thank you America for coming up with weirdo National days of celebration. It was delicious.

The Knome Knows Best | Maine Part l

2011-08-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

Too tired to tell you the grand old story right now, so here's a taste of our trip...more to come!

Jet Planes & Lobsters

2011-07-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! I'm writing from gate C11 in the Minneapolis airport - on my way to Maine! I can't wait for the lobster, beachside seashell hunts with Ryan and Kyra, family game nights, Acadia hike, Nellie's and Lilly's, and getting to spend some time relaxing with the hubs. I love my family - this week is just about the bees knees. And this year my sister and her boyfriend are coming too!

Want to check out what I've been up to this summer thus far? Trezzi Farm Wedding, Casey & Alex, and our lovely Elk Point affair are just a few. Though it is a TON of work, I'm so so lucky to spend my long days being creative and exercising my Type A tendencies. :)

And of course there's always fun with Megan.

And fun with Beth.

Apparently, I have a lot of fun.

I'm off for vacation - have splendid week! :)

Summer Stripes

2011-07-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

A moment

2011-07-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a wickedly long day. A good day, but long. We're prepping for a lakeside wedding tomorrow afternoon, and I couldn't be more excited. When we finally finished our prep for the day, I spent a bit of time holding Alisa's sweet girl Sophia - smelling her head and letting her little cooing noises calm and relax me. Ahhh. Babies.

I pulled out of Alisa's driveway and called MR. I'm coming home, finally, hooray! And just as I was turning out onto W Prairie Avenue, I saw some very pretty things. So I pulled over.

I probably took close to 30 pictures...and they're pretty much all the same. It was so gorgeous, that I forgot my exhaustion, and just kept clicking away. I love moments like these. 

FOUR

2011-07-14T13:55:00.000-07:00

Today MR and I celebrate 4 years of marriage.

And I can honestly say: I've never been happier.

He's my musician.

He's my family man.

He's my best friend.

And I'm so in love with him.

Here's to lifetime of adventure MR!

I couldn't ask for a better husband.

Summer Jamming

2011-07-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Giddy with my recent abundance of cherries, I decided Jamming was on the day's schedule. I rounded up some amazing strawberries and plums to make it a party, and spent a few hours creating a ton of jam. Yum! Nothing beats waking up to feet of snow and opening up a jar of honey peach halves or summer fruit jam. It really helps get you through those tough winter months.

MR decided to join the fun - no cherry pitters in this house.

I'm terrible at following recipes (with the exception of baking, who needs them?!) so I sort of eyeballed these. I'm not a fan of overly sweet jam, so I cut the sugar a bit. If you're interested in jamming/canning/etc. I would get Ashley English's book - it's my favorite place to start.

Anyone have a favorite jam recipe? Next up is gingered blueberry ( a hit from last summer) but after that I'm in search of a new, fun recipe to try. Suggestions?

It's Cherry Pickin' Time

2011-07-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

We have the best neighbors ever. Our lovely neighbors have two large cherry trees that hang over into our driveway, and this morning they told us to go for it and pick to our hearts content. Bliss! I've got enough to make the season's first bath of jam, which is a celebration unto itself.

Summer Lovin'

2011-07-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks Meg for the lovely evening and the fun photo. :)

Summertime Happenings

2011-07-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

This is a gem from our recent wedding - I am so grateful for such an amazing events staff! (Emily, Megan, Bethany and Matthew.) And there's that random drunk person that crashed our cute couple pictures....both times. Not so grateful for her.

Summertime has been lovely, so far. With our first wedding of the summer under our belts, we're gearing up for the next two this month...and then! MAINE. Can't wait. :)

I'd love to write long, wonderfully interesting blog posts, but honestly - there is so much Summertime calling my name, it's hard to sit down at the computer and share it all. For now - some pretty pictures.

BBQ.

Homemade cupcakes...yum.

Look at those siblings.

Homemade cinnamon peach hand pies.

Labor of Love

2011-07-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

When I'm not cooking, gardening, frolicing around with the husband or sleeping - I'm designing.

Digital, paper, craft, and events - and since March: Weddings! As of late, my event design and production company has been busy, busy, busy, and I have a fun little treat to share with you -

a behind the scenes video of our recent 1920's wedding shoot.

And yes, I look (and sound!) that gooney in real life.

1920's Glamour - Inspiration Shoot from Rogue Heart Media on Vimeo.

Growing is Good

2011-07-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Pretty peonies.

Summer is slightly delayed up here in WA, but my little garden is growing wonderfully. It makes me so happy to run outdoors and pick our salad greens at dinner...and soon we'll have mature broccoli and kale to add in the mix. And tomatoes! Oh Summer tomatoes. :)

Cilantro & Italian Parsley

Rosemary and Peony buds!

Arugula and Broccoli.

Romaine, Butter, Green and Red lettuces.

Tiny Tomatoes!

Kale!

Chopped

2011-06-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

While Matthew and I don't own a TV, we're aware of Chopped thanks to my sis in law Beth. A break from those screaming-chef reality shows and the Let's-hit-up-the-frozen-foods-section soccer mom cooking shows - Chopped is pretty imaginative. The judges reveal 5 random ingredients and the contestants have 40 minutes to create something masterful. (They also have access to a never ending pantry, pro kitchens/tools/cookware/etc. which makes me giddy.) Cheetos, cotton candy, sardines, pralines, celery root, and other oddities are offered up to crazy good chefs and at the end the judges rate them on creativity, use of ingredients, taste, and presentation.

Last night Beth and Matthew presented me with a paper bag filled with 5 ingredients and I was given an hour to create something a.) masterful and b.) edible. It was so much fun! So now on to the ingredients...

Turnips

Ground Beef

Dried Apricots

Honey

Brie

As soon as I laid my eyes on these ingredients, my wheels started turning. And in the end, I ended up going with my initial thoughts...which ended up as:

Vegetable Meatloaf with an Apricot Tomato Glaze

Polenta with smoked brie, honey drizzle and thyme

Salad from the garden, with julienned cucumbers, strawberries and a blueberry vinaigrette

I can't wait for next week! :)

Hi Dad, It's Me, Jessica

2011-06-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been over three years without my Dad - but I'm so thankful for the daily reminders of his love, hilarity, and singularly unique personality.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

We miss you terribly.

We'll head to Big Lots and buy something in your honor. :)

Junebug

2011-06-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Lots of happenings in June...

I turned 26! It was great. Reassessed my 30 Before Thirty, celebrated with Matthew and Bethany, received the perfect Juicer from Kathy (this bad boy requires a post dedicated entirely to it's magical properties) and...moved lots of boxes. Which leads me to...

We moved! We rented a Uhaul and transitioned the two blocks down the street to our new little nest. I could write pages about our new place, but to make a long story short - I'm in love. Tons of natural light, clean crisp paint, and drumroll please....a kitchen that is literally 4 times larger than our previous tiny galley!

In other news, business is booming - both La Lune Events and my personal design work, Roy Joy Design have got our summer packed! I am SO thankful that Bethany is living with us - she has a crazy impressive memory and her organizational skills are stellar. :) I keep joking that it's like living with a personal assistant...but really, she's amazing.

Now it's just 3 weddings and a few projects that stand between us and our family trip to Maine...counting down the days! Happy summertime, friends. :)

A Spot of Sunshine

2011-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

My garden a few months ago - now those little starters are growing like crazy!

Wow, it's been awhile! It's been the perfect storm of moving and transition, no internet (thank you Starbucks for the moral support) and a plethora of house guests that has made blogging feel like an old, long lost friend. I promise come Thursday (operation install internet is a GO) I will have pictures, stories and fun from my birthday celebrations, the move, the adventures of Numi, and some delicious recipes and projects to share. I'm excited to get back to reading all of YOUR amazing blogs, too! I feel so out of the loop...:)

home is where you are

2011-06-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Beth is WAY excited about the new house.

A couple weeks ago, Matthew and I were enjoying a Saturday morning of Farmer's Market, Doma coffee, and garage sales - completely unaware that our immediate futures would be changed dramatically. On the way home I spotted a sweet white house with a FOR RENT sign out front - and nearly caused a traffic accident by my abrupt stop. I hopped out of the car, and in true Kathy form, went right up to the man painting the front porch and decided that we should be great friends. Okay, well I really wanted to find out about the rental, but making friends is a bonus. Long story short - while we were not really planning on moving again while here in Spokane, we are now packing up our belongings and moving in this week! We love our new street, the location (we're closer to the park and Rockwood Bakery, so clearly I'm pleased - yet still down the street from where our beloved Trader Joe's is being built) and most of all, we really, really love the house. It's been beautifully cared for, and the wood floors, molding, carpets, closets, big kitchen!, and roomy basement are just the perfect size and condition for our little family. So while it's still empty right now, here are some pictures of our new place:

Kitchen, with hubs.

Sweet little bathroom - LOVE the light fixtures!

LOVE the front porch!

There and Back Again

2011-06-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's almost too difficult to describe our fabulous foray to the Big Apple. While at times is was complicated traveling with a group, I am so thankful for the opportunity to be swept away to the city. We got to spend time with our dear friends Laura, Whitney, and Mike - friends from High School and College - and we left our time feeling encouraged, inspired, and absolutely joyful.

A windy Chelsea afternoon.

Magnolia Bakery cupcakes....yummers.

MR and Laura enjoying some Central Park hotdogs.

MOMA

Laura's Brooklyn apartment.

Dinner with friends!

NYC Bound

2011-05-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

Well, thank you Glee for sending me off right. I hope everyone has a fabulous Memorial Day weekend! I will undoubtedly by frolicking through central park, having breakfast at Tiffany's, and belting it out on the Wicked stage. Okay, maybe just the first two.

Farewell!

Saturday Morning

2011-05-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

Farmer's Market bliss.

Cleaning House

2011-05-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

The world's favorite season is the spring.
All things seem possible in May.
- Edwin Way Teale

This week, despite a ghastly rainstorm, Spring is really starting to make itself seen here in Spokane. My little vegetable garden, though slightly under water at the moment, is soaking up the little sun we have and getting ready to give us lots of lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, kale, onions, carrots and herbs. Our tulips have just opened, and the front of the house is framed with pink, red, and yellow blooms. I love it!

This time of year I always get inspired to clean, detox, and make new. But this year it's hitting me in a whole new way. Last weekend we had a yard sale at which we sold off a TON of household goods. My friend Erik asked if that freaked me out, getting rid of so much stuff. Just the opposite - I have lived many years of my life collecting, storing, keeping, and watching over numerous belongings, art supplies, family heirlooms, fabric scraps, etc. - and this year I decided that a true detox was needed. Spring cleaning: yes!

I'm also thankful that we're entering a season that offers more than potatoes in the vegetable department. The veggie offerings can get a little scary up here in the off months, and I'm ready to embrace the greens, fruits, and herbs that the summer months have to offer. Thanks to Huckleberry's (our tiny Whole Foods Wannabe) I've been enjoying fresh juice infusions (spinach/ cucumber/mango/blueberry is my fav!) - which now has me pining for my own juicer. Bonzai has really inspired me in my juicing quest - check her out! You will love her.

What ways do you detox and make new?

To brighten your day, be sure to check out our Green! over at Juniper View.

Mother's Day, Redux

2011-05-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday!

This week has been far more eventful that planned for - Matthew got sick, I split my forehead open in an act of absolute stupidity, I built a greenhouse and planted veggies , and the best news of all - I finished La Lune's new website! All that, plus lots of meetings have made this week feel super productive and packed.

Just the way I like it. :)

I neglected to write an actual Mother's Day post this weekend,

so y'all get to hear about my fabulous Moms today.

Mother's Day has been difficult for our family - my mother passed away 8 years ago from a horribly advanced case of breast cancer. I know people tend towards hyperbole after someone is gone, but really, she was the best. Every school field trip, concert, musical, awards ceremony - she was there, most of the time contributing some sort of culinary masterpiece. (I get my love of presentation and not following directions from her.) There was Halloween and her famous one needle costumes.

Her knack for making the perfect salsa and her absolute love of music.

She really was the best.

For the first few years I could barely leave the house on Mother's Day - afraid someone would ask me what gift I had gotten my mom, asking really anything related to moms was terrible to bear. But over time I've gotten better - I can talk openly about it and have learned to celebrate

Mother's Day right along with the rest of the world.

I'm very lucky, you see, to have someone that loves me just as much as my mom.

My mom's best friend Kathy has been a part of our family for as long as I can remember.

When my mom died she stepped in and truly became our surrogate parent and friend.

Nowadays I simply introduce her as my mom - not just because it's easier than explaining the whole drama of our family - but because I love her and she loves me; and being someone's daughter is priceless.

So, although belated, I celebrate the wonderful moms in my life: my surrogate mom Kathy, my brave Aunt Peg, my matriarchal Aunt Susie, my inspirational Sister-in-Law Anna, and my beautiful Mother-in-Law Liz - and always my dear mom, who I will never stop celebrating. :)

I Heart Marching Bands

2011-05-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a 1920's styled shoot - isn't this gorgeous?

VIA

Wow, Wednesday is it? I'm not sure what's with this week, but I'm almost positive it should be Friday. The weather has been downright wonky (clouds, hail, wind - BAM! SUN!), meetings a-plentiful, and we're still getting settled in after picking up my sis-in-law from college so she can spend the summer with us here in Spokane. I am exhausted.

Today I woke up to the sounds of a peppy drum line, a classic tune, and sharp whistle bursts. Yep, our neighborhood high school's marching band was practicing their heel-toe walking down our street. While one might assume that this was not the ideal way to wake up, I actually loved it. It brought me back to my time in the marching band (yes, geek) at EDHS...the starchy uniforms, french braided hair....blue felt cowboy hats.

Yes, I said cowboy hats.

Anyway, this has also been the first week of Juniper View - a new blog I've started with Megan that offers DIY tutorials, inspiration, and ideas for living a handmade life. If you haven't popped over there - please do! We would love to have you. :) We have some fun projects coming up, so keep your eyes open.

How is your week going? Excited for Mother's Day?

(If you're still looking for a yummy Mother's Day brunch recipe, check out my Foodzie post on Vanilla Almond French Toast with Lemon Balm Fruit Salad. It's really easy and very good!)

Happy Wednesday folks.

We're home, where are you Spring?

2011-04-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

We're back from SF! I think I'm ready to chill out with the traveling...at least for the next three weeks. Since arriving home we've experienced our classic Spokane Disaster (whenever we come back from a trip, Spokane is not kind to us - disaster always ensues), a La Lune photoshoot, Easter, and lots of work and school!

It's been a quick transition from vacation to reality, but I'm actually enjoying getting back to my daily routine. Be warned, this is a photo heavy post! :)

And although I'm sad we couldn't join our family for Easter, we joined forces with our friends Megan and Kent who are also in Spokane for Grad school, and thus without family as well. We went over to their old Victorian and enjoyed Kebabs, good conversation, old school Nintendo, working on an exciting new project (more to come!) and lots of fun.

In other exciting news, La Lune Events joined forces with a plethora of local talented vendors to produce a 1940's Aviation Engagement shoot - and it was amazing! Here are a few behind the scenes shots...keep your eyes open for the full shoot soon. A special thanks to Keri Doolittle for flying in from Denver and capturing all the fun. :)

Much Love...and Petit Fours

2011-04-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Right now I am snuggled on a very comfortable couch, overlooking the foggy but beautiful city of San Francisco - and loving this very much needed downtime. Wedding week is over, and Katie & Dante Love have tied the knot. Aren't they beautiful?!

In other news, my recent Foodzie post is up - How to make Lemon Petit Fours. Go check it out!

I'm thrilled to see some family and enjoy a few days of rest in this fabulous city. This has me pining again for California...

Almost one year

2011-04-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

This morning MR and I were reminiscing about how we've been living here in Spokane for almost a whole year. This blows my mind. In some ways, it feels like we've been here a looooong time - all the snow, business development, and meeting new people -

but in other ways it feels like a quick few months.

Before I go on, please understand that I am super grateful for this opportunity. This gradschool/small business experience has been stellar - MR loves his program, professors, and studies; I love running my own business, our clients, and exercising my creativity on a daily basis.

And yet...I've already started dreaming about what's next. We've already started the application process for several PhD programs, and it's gotten my wheels turning. While Spokane has been a good home for us, I cannot imagine us settling here in Eastern WA indefinitely. Especially after our recent travels, I am reminded of how much of the world we want to see and experience.

For now we are getting ready for Spring - our tulips are coming up and the trees are full of buds. There is promise of blooms and beauty everywhere -

now if only it would stop hailing and snowing! :)

Euro Trip: Part ll

2011-04-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

Our next stop was Prague. We had heard that we would notice a difference in trains when going into the Czech Republic - we said goodbye to the sleek, smooth German trains and welcomed the rickety Czech trains that had plenty of character.

We climbed to the top of Prague Tower - the views were breathtaking! There was an encounter with a winding spiral staircase at the top of the tower...and I may have shed a tear or two. It brought me back to the infamous Moaning Caverns fieldtrip in the 6th grade....yikes.

We ventured into many beautiful and freezing cathedrals.

We moseyed across the Charles Bridge, taking in all the beautiful, though dark, religious icons on the Stations of the Cross.

We enjoyed afternoon lattes and drinking chocolate at an assortment of cute little cafes, tucked into back corners and down winding streets.

We crested the hill and checked out Prague Castle.

And then we'd cross the bridge again, and make our way to another part of town...

And of course celebrated with our sweet friend Christina! She's an old Westmont pal, and she absolutely made our time in Prague. It was so good to catch up and meet her amazing friends. We stayed in Mosaic House - and highly recommend it!

Overall, we loved our time in Prague - great friends, people, food, and sights.

Up next: Cesky Krumlov and Vienna! More to come. :)

Funky Junk & Lessons Learned

2011-04-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend I found myself, along with my friend Meg, at the ever so quaint Funky Junk Antique Show in Colbert, WA. We had such a great time!

A few lessons learned...

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT try and park on a downward slope on the side of the road. I honestly thought the truck was going to start rolling down the hill with us in it...

Do not trust the weather man when he says Spokane will be experiencing temperatures in the 60's. He's a dirty liar.

Always bring a trusty friend with you to antique shows to keep you accountable to your goal of not buying everything you love. We would have gone home with the whole show!

Thanks Hollie and Jennifer of Funky Junk for such a splendid time!

Easter DIY: An Indie Twist on the Easter Egg

2011-04-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Megan and I whipped up this little DIY project the other day, just in time for Easter. We loved the natural, organic feel and the upcycling of the egg cartons, shells, moss, and succulents (which we got out of Megan's yard). It's such as easy project - you can easily complete it in an hour, and would be fun with kids too! I love having my little egg shell garden on the windowsill - it's a bright burst of springtime. :)

Items needed: Dirt (we used potting soil), egg shells, moss, succulents, and flowers (optional).

Step 1: Fill the empty egg shell with some potting soil.

Step 2: Add succulent sprigs. Our pieces still had some substantial roots, so hopefully they'll keep growing in our little egg shell pots.

Step 3: Add a layer of moss over the top of the soil. Feel free to break it apart and squish in under the leaves, as needed.

Step 4: If you like, add a few sprigs of lovely flowers to infuse with color.

To store: cut off the sides of an egg carton, and fill with completed egg shells.

Enjoy your beautiful Easter succulent garden! :)

All photos were taken by the absolutely lovely Megan. Check out her photography here!

Euro Trip: Part l

2011-04-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

Our first bit of real food in 12 hours - thank you Amsterdam airport!

It's hard to begin when summing up such an adventure. It felt like we were gone for at least a month instead of a couple weeks, which doesn't help when trying to think back and construct a coherent account of our time abroad. Also, while I took about a bazillion pictures, I'll only post a few so this post doesn't become a novel.

Here it goes!

We started our journey with an early morning drive over to Seattle to catch our flight. Eastern Washington is not the place for scenic drives, but in the wee hours of the morning it hardly mattered. Our flight left on time (yay!) and was actually quite enjoyable - thanks to the movies, music, and aisle seat- and we arrived in Amsterdam looking for a soft place to lie down and sleep. Our original plan was to spend our 6 hour layover outside the airport, exploring a bit of the city and getting a bite to eat, but we were total zombies and sleep sounded better.

Then it was off to Frankfurt, where Nathan (Matthew's brother) met us at the airport and showed us around his town. Frankfurt was full of good food, conversations, and sights with Nathan and a single truly terrifying drive on the Autobahn.

Classic goofy Roy smiles.

Dinner conversations over Thai food.

It was then on to Leipzig, via the fabulous train. I cannot recommend the EuroPass more - we loved it! We got a super saver pass that included first class, which was definitely worth it. The German trains were very efficient, comfortable and clean and we met some interesting people along the way.

On the way to Leipzig.

There we stayed right in the heart of the old town right across from the Nikolaikirche (one of Bach's home churches) and loved the central location. We were able to walk everywhere and stumbled upon some great little shops, coffee houses and bookstores. It was amazing to watch Matthew put to use all of his German speaking skills - I'm not sure what I would have done without him! He translated everything from street signs to menus and helped us find our way by striking up conversations with locals all over the place. I was so proud of him!

The view from our window.

The Thomaskirche - Bach's home church. He's grave is at the front of the church - he's interned right there in the stone floor!

Matthew's happy place.

Sadly a lot of the museums we wanted to check out were closed the two days we were in town, but we found other places to explore. We spent a morning walking through various historical districts, browsing through bookstores and visiting Mendelssohn's house.

After two days in Leipzig we said goodbye to Nathan and boarded our beloved train to Prague.

The journey continues...more to come!

Back in Black

2011-03-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

We're back! Stories, pictures, and general merriment to come soon. Right now we're trying to focus on getting back into the swing of things, ridding our house of the mice that decided to move in whilst we were away, getting over sickness, and uploading all the pictures.

But soon, friends, very soon... :)

I'm off! Now read these.

2011-03-10T08:21:00.000-08:00

Bag is packed, pup will soon be frolicking with friends, house cleaned, papers in order, and excitement at threat-level-midnight. Tonight we have MR's end of quarter concert where the choir is performing an original composition written and directed by MR himself!

I'm going to film it, don't you worry.

The last thing to do: leave you with some fun reading while I'm gone. I won't be posting from our trip, one because I don't want to be tied to a computer and two, because I really don't want to be tied to a computer. So instead of pre-scheduling guest posts, etc. like cool bloggers, I'm leaving you with some of my favorite reading to peruse at your leisure.

If design and pretty things float your boat : IHOD, Pugly Pixel

For food, farm, health, and more pretty things: Small Measures, Daily Garnish, Adrienne Eats

For parties, pretties, and more food: EAT DRINK PRETTY

For ridiculously adorable cute blonde toddler named Landon: Two Cent Sparrow

For fashionistas, this is a great site: Uber Chic for Cheap

There are about a thousand more that I love and read daily, but the pup is whining for me to play with him and it's time for me to leave.

We'll see you at the end of the month with lots of stories, pictures and happy memories.

Bon Voyage!

Fat Tuesday

2011-03-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

More snow.

Last work meeting.

Clothes packing.

Important paper printing.

Puppy playing.

Homemade pizza making.

So excited for our trip - I can barely stand it!

I had such a lovely meeting with some folks in the wedding industry this morning. It's been great to connect with other business owners who think the same way you do - and bring plenty of knew perspective and experiences to the table. It makes me happy and excited to be doing what I'm doing!

And this made me laugh a lot. :) I have SO been there!

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone!