Blake & Tigan

I Hear Those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells!

2012-01-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

This year my side of the family was postponing Christmas until January when my brother returns from his mission. That left Blake and I to our own devices. I'd like to say I was sad about it but truth be told I was kinda excited.

I LOVE traditions. I think they might just be my favorite part of the season. I grew up with the retelling of the saviors birth. The opening of Christmas eve PJ's and the reading of new Christmas story. I loved these traditions, so it wasn't much of a stretch to add them to our own Eve repertoire when we got married. This year we also added "Gifts to the Savior" which we tied to sky lanterns and let them off into the night. It was pretty fun and very Tangled-esque. More on this in a later post.

Gaufre Liege

Hello delicious... usually we make crepes for Christmas breakfast but I just wasn't feeling it this year. So after much discussion we decided to change out traditional crepes to something more fitting of a once a year delight. It might have been the best decision we have ever made.

Liege Waffles are amazing plus when do you get to have ice cream for breakfast? It took us almost all of Christmas eve day to prepare the dough just right. after everything is said and done the waffles require around 15 hours of rise time but it was totally worth it.

After a night in the fridge under a heavy dinner plate to keep the dough from continuing to mature you add Belgian Pearl Sugar.

Separate into waffle portioned balls and let rise for another 96 minutes.

Since we don't have the correct heavy duty cast iron waffle maker we had to get pretty creative with our run of the mill waffle iron. The temperature has to be just perfect so that the sugar melts and crystallizes on the outside of the waffle but doesn't burn. We implemented the "put dough in smash and immediately unplug waffle iron method." LOL

Add some white pear eggnog syrup.

The best vanilla ice cream ever made, strawberries and whipped cream.

Yummy!

The last tradition we added this year was the Peppermint Pig.

The Peppermint Pig is an old Victorian tradition.

You place the candy pig inside a velvet pouch, then as the pig is past around you each tell a story of good fortune that you experienced that year. After the telling of your tale you give the pig a sharp knock with the hammer.

Then you eat of piece of the delicious peppermint to insure another year of good luck. If you would like to incorporate the tradition of the Peppermint Pig at your next holiday celebration you can purchase them here.

When we first got married I noticed that boys and girls like different things for Christmas. I don't actually mean the stuff, I mean the quantity. Example:When I think about gifts I know the budget and then I think to myself how much stuff can I cram into that amount of money. When Blake thinks about gifts he thinks about one big thing that takes up the whole shebang. He simply doesn't care that he'll only have ONE present under the tree.

This was a real problem for me. Not only was it ONE thing but it was also usually ONE thing that I thought was silly. I only got to warp ONE thing in a my pretty wrapping paper and while I was opening my multiple budget friendly selections he was only going to open ONE PRESENT on Christmas morning!!! We actually got in several fights about this... which is pretty hilarious when I think about it.

So about 2 years into wedded bliss I sat down and contemplated this debacle. First I reprimanded my self for thinking that Blake's wish list was dumb. Christmas is about giving to other people, it shouldn't matter if I like it or not. I just simply couldn't get over the ONE item under the Christmas tree.
So over the years I've become pretty ingenious about getting more than one present out of Blake's ONE BIG GIFT. This year might have topped the cake because Blake asked for a bike. Not just any old bike but a fixie bike. My knowledge about bikes was small to say the least. When you refer to bike parts as roundy bits and spokey things, true bike people think you are crazy. Despite that, my brush with crazy was well worth the extra big smiles. On Christmas morning I unveiled multiple nicely wrapped gifts that when opened revealed the parts to make the perfect fixie bike. Did I mention the front rim is plaid ;)

Merry Merry to all
xoxo,

PartsSelect.com Proudest DIY moment Contest

2011-12-30T12:32:00.000-08:00

Remember this?

I re-posting it because my DIY story is an entry into the $5,000 GE Appliance Giveaway from PartSelect.com. Hello pick me! I could totally use 5 thousand smackers in GE appliances. I'm not sure this is my proudest DIY creation. I've done a lot and I reserve the right to like them all equally but it is definitely one of my favorites. Since I last posted about the duvet we finished the bed. Yep built that with my own 2 hands, well and Blake's too so it's more like 4 hands, but more on that later.

This little beauty has been getting a lot of press. Which in advance thanks a million times over for spreading the DIY love. She's been showcased on several other blogs and is a big hit on Pinterest! If you'd like to read more about why I decided to try my hand at the infamous kissing pleat duvet you can read about it here.

This is how I got started

"I scoured the Internet for a pintuck tutorial and found this. Unfortunately I didn't want the twist method I wanted the tuck method (Insert Blake laughing as I tried showing him the obvious difference between the two) trust me they look different. So off I went to Anthropologie to purchase a $56 GASP pillow sham so I could recreate this elusive technique. After a little analysis I discovered it was EASY, CRAZY EASY. However it's also time consuming, CRAZY TIME CONSUMING and that's why they charge you an arm and a leg."

As always if you want instructions on how to create your own kissing pleat/pintuck duvet you can check out the details here.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the way mine turned out. Would I do it again?... that remains to be seen. 123 pintucks + 123 buttons is a lot for a girl who hates to do 2 reps of push ups, but I would definitely pay someone to do it for me {wink wink}. Here's hoping it lasts until I can afford to do so."

I'm happy to report that she's holding up like a champ! Not a single rip or tear. Which is brilliant, I held my breath every time I sat on it for about a month but seriously it's crazy durable. {knock on wood} 3 days after I finished the duvet Isabella decided it was her personal bed. I was out for the afternoon and when I got home I found that she had chewed 3 lovely delphinium blue buttons off. Lets just say the hand of god may or may not have come down and smote her...LITERALLY. She sat in timeout for the remainder of the afternoon, while I sewed on 3 new buttons. She gave me her extra pouty face every time I passed her in the time out corner but a girl has to stand her ground. We eventually made up and I'm happy to report she no longer fraternizes with the bed sheets. :)

In other news, the duvet is now sporting a fluffy faux fur throw courtesy of the hubby for christmas, which I love.

So yay for contests and fun DIY projects! If you have a Do-It-Yourselfed something you are super proud of you should definitely check the contest out. It ends tonight so times a wasting.

xoxo,

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

There she blows. I love decorating for Christmas... well any holiday really. I didn't post any of my Halloween decor this year but think real vintage glass eyeballs, it was great. Come to think of it I haven't posted much lately. Sorry in my mind it seems like I have. Mostly because I've been taking pictures and making videos of tons of stuff but I've been saving it for my new business/website. Yep you heard me right. I'm not even building it this time so it's totally legit. You know when you get too close to something and so you can never move forward because it has to be perfect and it just isn't... no, OK so I'm crazy but after several months I had to say enough was enough and hand my perfectionist reins over to someone else. It will launch in January.

This year the holiday decor didn't change much. Mostly because of spacial limitations or fire hazards. LOL. Hopefully by this time next year we'll have some new digs so I can add some new things I've been dreaming about. To the tree I added glittery stick balls. I showcased them a while back on facebook. Also a few intricate purple ornaments but my most favorite 2011 additions were vintage chandelier prisms. I love them so delicate and the best part they cast tiny rainbows around my living room when the sun shines through the window.

The garland is the same. I'd love to be able to swag it someday and have the ends puddle on the floor but my current fireplace would melt the artificial branches. Which is never a good look :)

The one new thing I did add this year was a front door wreath. I haven't decided if I LOVE it yet but maybe after I put it away for a year and bring it out next I'll think it's perfect and be satisfied. Strange how time does that to some things. I'm the same way with pictures I hate them immediately after they are taken then months later I'll think hey I don't look half bad there. I'm such a tweaker every time I pass something I have to re-arrange a pick or fluff a branch. I love holiday decorations but I'm happy it has a time and a place.

So that's about it for the holiday tour. I also have a fresh magnolia wreath on my round entry mirror but I didn't photograph it. I hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday season full of family friends and great memories.

Stay tuned for the launch of Tigan Ink in January. I'd be just tickled if all of you would join me in my new adventure.

xoxo,

'Tis the Season

2011-12-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year I saw this brilliant picture on Pintrest.

I wish I knew who took it so I could give them credit. I just loved the simplicity of the photograph so I tucked it away for a day when I might be able to re-create it. Lucky for me I though it would make the perfect Christmas card. So we picked out some outfits bought a bunch of balloons and scoped out the perfect spot.

We thought the library would be the ideal location. So Toulouse and I stood really still while Blake set up the shot.

We even got super professional and marked the spots we were to stand. Then we tried to get Bella to sit. But she was so cold she was shaking. Then the wind stared to blow realy really hard.... and Tigan started to get super grouchy :( because she was cold and.... it turned, very quickly into a total disaster.

And then I remembered the balloons in that picture were perfectly still so they took them in a studio and added the rest in after effects. So now cold and grumpy we nixed the library idea and took them in our apartment hallway.

Now we're are not photographers nor graphic designers so it's not perfect but hey it got the point across. In the end we had fun making it and that's what really matters right!

So from us to you.... have a VERY Merry Christmas!

Holiday Tips & Tricks #1

2011-12-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

In advance I apologies for my lack of film making skills and for the fact that the video has several things out of focus but have no fear a few pictures to follow that will hopefully clear any fuzziness right up.

Hallmark Hooks

Hallmark also carries hooks which can accommodate groupings of 3 ornaments at a time. Brilliant.

Zip Ties

Lights hanging under the branch.

I usually snip my zip ties off with wire cutters it's just easier for me but you can also use scissors.

There you have it barely even noticeable.

Custom Tree Stand

Have you thought about ditching your tree skirt. If you have here's any easy way to turn an inexpensive container into the perfect custom tree stand.

So in advance I started taking pictures of this after I had tested to see if I could cut the metal with bolt cutters. That is why mine already looks cut, so with that you'll need..... Bolt Cutters, Sharpie, Rock Salt.

It's a really quick project. Measure your original tree stand to the size of your container. Make some cut marks with a sharpie.

Snip the ends off according to your measurement lines.

Test it to make sure it fits snugly make adjustments where needed. Add some Rock Salt to weigh the bottom of the container down for a little added safety.

And there you have it easy pi-easy. Stay tuned for some more holiday tips and tricks.

Merry Christmas Lovelies,

A Harry Halloween (PART II)

2011-11-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

Bellatrix Lestrange

I didn't go for an exact replica a of Bellatrix. I really wanted to play with texture so after purchasing the 1950's vintage black velvet opera cloak from Ebay. I added a lace top from Ross and lace fingerless gloves from Hot Topic. The leather Bustier also came from Ebay and the skirt was thrifted for 4 bucks. The necklace was pricey since it was a replica bird skull of the one used in the movie you can find it here.

This was the first year in my lifetime of Halloweens that I went as something evil..... IT. WAS. AWESOME.

In the movie Bellatrix has really minimal makeup.

I wanted to glam it up a bit. So I used a lot of bruise colored shadows. grey, browns, plums. I carried that onto my nails with this plumy lovely called.

Devil's Advocate

And the Jewel of the look, I splurged and purchased this deep brownish/plum Lipstick from YSL.

Hello Gorgeous!

Yes I know it's dark but it is seriously one of my favorite colors right now. I saw this lipstick video a while back by one of my favorite makeup artists Lisa Eldridge and I just knew I had to try something similar.

I also had her neck tattoo which looks like this. But you can't see it in any of the pics.

Hottest Couple EVER!

xoxo,

A Harry Halloween (PART I)

2011-11-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

To say Blake and I LOVE Halloween might be an understatement. This year we went as Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange from one of Blakes' favorite movies/books Harry Potter. We have always been Potter fans. The summer we spent in Paris the 7th Book was released. We walked all over that city looking for and English copy and you bet your button we found one and we read that book cover to cover and in 2 days.

We usually pick our Halloween ideas about 6 month in advance yep we're crazy like that. Really it's because I'm crazy and cheap so it takes me that long to scour up/make all the elements for a costume. This year was particularly difficult because basically Blakes whole costume was make-up effects. Which ok I know how to put on eyeliner but we were talking prosthesis. So I thought to myself how hard can it be?...and I researched like crazy!

That's when I found out this.....

Ralph Finnes' Voldemort face was mostly done it after effects. They chopped off his nose with a computer! Whaaaaat. So now we were recreating the impossible what was a girl to do.

Enter Etsy...

I found this seller PM and D who low and behold she makes prosthetic at really reasonable prices. so I asked her to make me a Voldemort nose or lack there of and she agreed. Since I had been working on this costume now for several months it would be safe to say I was a bit of a fanatic. I sent this poor women like 20 emails, videos and pictures detailing out what I wanted.

She came up with this.

PM and D

From the image it looked pretty darn good so I had it shipped post hast. However when we got it it didn't work so great. My knowledge about prosthetic adhesion was small. I couldn't get the edges to blend out and since it was molded to a standard head it just didn't really fit Blake or look remotely close to VOLDY.

I was pretty defeated at this point and then I thought to myself YOU. ARE. A. COLLEGE. EDUCATED. WOMEN. (because design has so much to do with special effects makeup) Make it happen.

So...... I got some GLUE!

Ben Nye Liquid Latex, Kryolyn Pros Aide, Ben Nye Spirit Gum, Washable Glue Stick

A Lot of Makeup


The best drug store Foundation Loreal True Match

A little magic and.....

It's not perfect by any stretch and I was a little disappointed by the nose, but ya know for my crash course in special effects I'd say it turned out pretty good.

I got the Dark Mark Tattoos on Ebay along with both of our replica wands. I painted and sculpted the finger nails to match the ones in the movie (Possibly the best part of Halloween was watching Blake try to use his hands with finger nails either that or him trying to eat with no nose holes for breathing.)

If I were to do it again I think I might shell out the big bucks and try one of these prosthetic.

Scream Team

Snake Man

Mostly Dead

xoxo,

It's Worth Waiting For.

2011-10-11T12:19:00.001-07:00

Labor Day Pool Party

2011-09-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Blake treated the family to one of his famous churrasco(Brazilian Barbeque). Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of him cooking the meat. Just the pineapple but it truly was a treat to behold. Half way through the whole event he brought out my Mom's blow dryer to fan the flame. It was pretty funny.

Aunt Linda and Uncle Ted cutting up the meat.

Uncle Steve the master of the coals. Saying that my Mom has been really into dutch oven cooking this summer might be an understatement. We enjoyed a smorgasbord of snickers cake, apple cobbler and a blueberry tart. Yum!

Blake and his Crocodile Dundee knife.

And we can not forget the unprecedented appearance of Mrs. Martha Washington....in double! :)

All Things Considered: The boy who could sing and the infamous floating pool dog

2011-08-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

I had a Hot Date with this guy!

We watched my baby brother sing at his voice recital.....HE WAS AWESOME

And then we CELEBRATED

With dinner on DAD... he's always so GENEROUS. Thanks Dad :)

And then we went swimming. Where Toulouse had a screaming melt down (as usual) because he didn't get to go to. So, we strapped on an adult life vest (yes he's that fat) and he found himself a nice pool float.

Who says bulldogs can't swim. SMART ones sure can!
xoxo,

I Still Do

2011-08-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

We decide to go for a group gift this year can you tell what it was? If you guessed snazzy new camera.... you'd be right. We tested it out as soon as we woke up. I think it works pretty good. I mean seriously when have you seen Toulouse look that good.... EVER?
Here's to 6 more... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to us!

Things are gettin' FAMOUS round here

2011-08-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Do you take the news paper? Ok, so we don't either but I'm thinking maybe we should start. Recently Blake has been featured in 2 Salt Lake City Tribune articles and a spotlight in the IDEA Fitness Journal.
The first article which you can read about HERE. Talks about Blake's Weekday Workouts at the Galavan Center. He's been having huge success this year with nearly 30 people at every class. My increased interest theories include.... we have a lot of fat people in SLC, we have a lot of active people in SLC or we have a lot of cheap people in SLC (the classes are free) NO I'm kidding surprisingly people enjoy being physically tortured by Blake. Plus he might make you puke but he's easy on the eyes.... HUGE GRIN!

The workout classes run until the end of August so if you are in town be sure to check them out.

The second article appeared just recently after a local reporter needed some info on kettle bell fitness. Who do you think he called? You guessed it , Blake. Plus they took some snazzy pictures.

You can read the article HERE.

Last but not least he was also spotlighted in the IDEA Fitness Journal for the month of July. IDEA is (according to the website) the professional voice of the fitness and wellness industry. Published 10 times per year, this award-winning magazine keeps pace with the continuing evolution in fitness. I know RIGHT!

I'm so glad all his hard work is paying off I might even be temped to use the P word and get all sentimental and virtually mushy.... So here's to Blake and if your lucky he might even give you an autograph. :)

xoxo,

All Things Considered

2011-06-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

EXERCISE

(Tigan with her kettle bell it's hiding between the legs)

We have been exercising a lot. I've gotten extra tired of the jiggly bits, so workout I must. More often then not it's a rather cantankerous experience with lots of POSITIVE motivation from Blake. While his peppy attitude is great for his everyday clients I'm rather inclined to shin kicking(his not mine) because seriously when you husbands says just 5 more really what else is a girl to do, well that and extra mournful sulking and theatrical "WHY ME'S". Maybe I should have asked for a pre-nup that included: Tigan must never get sweaty. It's gross and she hates it. Also sugar is a food group. The best one and should be encouraged at ever meal. I'm surprised he has lasted this long. If I ever get fit it will be a miner miracle and Mr. Robinson will have the battle scares to prove it.

Blake helped out at a TRX event in Ogden.

He did a little pole fitness with our good friend Aly at her studio Pearl. Click on the picture to watch the video.

This was a while ago but defiantly needs to be recognized. Blake is the newest CSCS Trainer in Utah one of only 15. Yes I'm very proud. His newest girlfriend is also featured....THE IPAD.

(Click the picture to watch the video.)

He has also once again started up the weekday workouts down town at the Gallavin center. This year not only will you get a chance to have your tushy whipped into shape by Blake but you'll also have different weekly fitness options throughout the summer. We are talking Yoga Pilates, The Bar method. It's defiantly worth checking out and it's totally F-R-E-E. Click HERE for more info.

ON THE TOWN AND AT HOME

We had a fun night out with our friends Clay and Jen in which we discovered this awesome mural for which I graciously modeled so brilliantly.

Isn't this the most flattering picture? No, Blake could not be bothered to photograph the bed when it was finished being filled and had donned it's extra cute cover. He was however able to capture this incredibly gigantic picture of my BUM. Thanks, I love you so much....

Toulouse and Isabella got a new bed because Bella couldn't be bothered to share (Ahh .. a women after my own heart, I mean bad, naughty Bella) and was quite vocal about it. This resulted in Lousiy cowering every time we told him it was bedtime and running to hide in the bath tub with subsequently distressed tinkling. Can we say RIDICULOUS. I mean he's only got 20lbs an Bella but she defiantly wears the pants. BABY. Purchase a bed like theirs HERE.

WEDDING FLOWERS
This bride had a really unique concept. Audrey Hepburn meets whimsical garden party. Well those are the words I used to describe what she detailed out to me. She had her heart set on really bright colors with accents of eggplant purple. So I went to work and here's what I came up with. I don't have a picture of the brides bouquet which feature giant Cala's and purple tea leaves or the Bout's with the most perfect green orchids.

HIKING ADAMS CANYON

TEAM KAMACOZY

TEAM SLOW&STEADY

|
V

The evidence

It was a pretty long and treacherous hike No, it wasn't just me even Blake said so. The water was really high because of all the spring flooding so parts of the trail had been washed away or were under water. Toulouse decided he was suppose to be a mountain dog, got all testosteronie and forge ahead as the leader of the pack. He was fearless which was an interesting change from his usual gutless self. He even drank river water which Isabella turned her nose up to and would only lap from the confines of her portable bowl.

Here we hit the end of the Trail where the waterfall was suppose to be, but the trail had been totally cover by water. Did that stop us... well it stopped me. I put my foot down and said there was no way on earth I was letting my Baby brother traps through the rapids all in pursuit of the mystical waterfall. Mr Robinson however got all extra manly and....

Picture me screaming

"This is not safe", "Please come back", "What if you fall",............"#@!%"

OH.....don't worry he got a PICTURE!

We sure did have fun though!

xoxo,

The Ladies who Lunch

2011-06-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday I had the most delightful opportunity to share a morning brunch with 2 of the very loveliest of ladies and their 2 incredibly adorable babies.

I have known these two for quite some time. Don't believe me well have no fear a little photographic proof. We were quite something, really, the 3 of us crazy girls I think we got in more fights and had more makeups then I can even count. Once Jessica and I threw down over wearing identical puff vests. You know the ones that were all the rage around 1999.

We did however mange to make a full friendship recovery by senior year when we hopped a plane to Hawaii for our senior trip.

Kaylyn and I were in the same dance group as little tots. Unfortunately none of those dance skills really stuck for me. I love that both Kaylyn and I are the only girls with red collared lapels clearly divas even at a young age.

I called Kaylyn the B word once in high school when she taddled on me to my mother about sneaking around with the infamous boyfriend. It took months for that fight to blow over. In classic girls style we did each others hair and took glamor shots for homecoming, prom or just for fun on weekends.

Sometimes 3 was a hard number. In junior high Jessica and Kaylyn lockered together and I cried to my mother that they were the worst friends in the whole world, but I got over it. We had different interests, strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately we never liked the same boy. We grew close and then apart and then closer still.... and then we grew up. We all got hitched and edu-cadated. They had babies, cutie ones to boot and it seemed like in almost an instant 3 little girls became 3 grown up ladies... ladies that lunch.

Ladies that still do this...

Captured at my 16th birthday party.

And this....

In classic Jessica style she forgot to remove the cheese paper that separated the slices. She even commented on how good the cheese was paper and all. LOL

But mostly ladies that are strong with good hearts, ladies who are smart wonderful mothers and friends. Ladies who are kind and faithful. Ladies who's childhood friendships I hope will stand the test of time.

Jessica's studly little man is not pictured except for the top of his head in the picture below. Her blog is private so I didn't want her to beat me up for putting pictures of her baby on my very un-private blog. But just know he's adorable.

The Table Details... please ignore the fact that I did not iron the table cloth. I know this is unforgivable but well sometimes these things happen.

If you are interested in water marbling your own center pieces I've provided a video. This technique is used for fingernail painting so just use your imagination and think of all the tablescape possibilities.

Don't you just love giant elephant palms. If you're interested in using them for you next party make sure to ask for Monstera Leaves at the florist or wholesale shop. They'll think you're extra classy with total floral street cred.

Thanks Kaylyn and Jessica for a lovely afternoon.

xoxo,

Chic Tool Storage

2011-05-27T14:02:00.001-07:00

Who says tools need to be housed in hoe-hum masculine metal drawers? NOT I

I recently saw this post on Little Green Notebook about her tiny NY apartment and tool storage dilemma. She posted pictures of a Mary McDonald's designer solution for office file storage.

Commenting on how this could be applied to tool storage. Um hello BRILLIANT! Plus I just so happened to be in need of some new tool storage solutions.

This just wasn't cutting it anymore, but I mean hay at least it was labeled.

So off to the DI I went. Were I found this beauty for 8 whole bucks.

I also picked up a can of Rustoleum white gloss spray paint. In the past I used Krylon but I found that it creates these weird crackle spots when used on metal. HIGHLY ANNOYING. Wallpaper paste, 320 grit sandpaper and 1 yard of this gorgeous Thibaut wallpaper from Walls on 700 East in Salt Lake.

They have amazing wallpaper and this one just happen to be on their sold by the yard wall, it was $10. Then I lightly sanded the surface of the metal storage cabinet and covered it with a few coats of spray paint.

Notice I didn't really spray the front of the cabinet because it will be covered. Then I measured twice and cut once all the little pieces to fit the front of the filing cabinet.

AND...

Well Hello there Beautiful

Yep I'm pretty excited about it. Plus it fits perfect in my teeny tiny closet. Now my cute purple tool bag that I take on the job will have a lovely little friend.

Seriously, Why don't they sell this at Home Depot. I would totally buy this, and just to be clear I know I'm not the only one out there who has asked for a pink tool chest at the store only to have the staff stare at me in disbelief. Listen you sell pink work gloves. What do you think I'm going to store my matching tools in? So if your in the market for some chic storage for under $20 give this a try. I mean it could house anything, extra fabric, scrapbooking supplies, paint.... GOOD LUCK!

xoxo,

Mums The Word.

2011-05-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

This year for mother's Day I went with English Garden. Maybe I was inspired by the recent royal wedding or maybe I just really really wanted a reason to rent the awesome life size Venus statue. Either way I'm pretty pleased with the out come. It was a very long day but some how at the end of it all when you wipe your brow and step back to admire your work it kinda just makes all the blood sweat and tears worth it. Also seeing as I'm not a photographer the pictures aren't the best but the majority of them are in focus. :)

Main Lobby

Main Landing

Stair Landing

The Dinning Room

Also a special shout out to our MUMS. Blake and I have great Mom's dare I say, the BEST...! This year my mom wanted a corsage call it silly a little old fashion or what you will but I had fun making it.

She wanted peonies which is not a flower very conducive to body flowers but what the MUM asks for the MUM gets. It had a mid day melt down but after a little TLC it lasted for a few more hours.

And one last picture of Venus because seriously she was so cool.

Happy Mother's Day to all and yes I know this post is like two weeks late but well such is life.

xoxo,

We're The Lucky Ones

2011-05-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

I turned the big 25. Did ya know? As my dad put it I'm a quarter of a century old. I thought about posting pictures of the B-day or talking about the events that unfolded. Mr. Robinson was pretty awesome he took me shopping for seriously like 6 hours and then topped it off with a little cheese cake goodness. But due to recent world news and also my own personal circumstances, I just feel like talking about something else...

As many of you know Blake and I love to watch the amazing race, we have even talked about sending in an application video for the show. This past week our favorite team, the COWBOYS got eliminated. I was pretty bummed. I threw pillows and screamed at the TV. Toulouse hid in the closet.

I think the reasons we loved the cowboys so much was that they played a good hard clean game with no regrets.. and the cowboy hats and wranglers did hurt. (Obviously I liked those more than Blake.)

When I was a little girl I use to have the same reoccurring day dream. It went like this, beautiful young city girl moves to small country town, were they don't have cars and everyone rides horses. On the first day of school the beautiful young girl rides her palomino up to the steps of the school yard. All the children stand in awe. She's from the city and a little different which obviously leads to instant social stardom and the town nicknames the girl WILDTHING because her spirit is so pure and un-tamable. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Oh gosh, the things we think are cool when we're young. Ok so maybe, still at the age of 25 I secretly wish my nickname was WILDTHING.

The reason I bring this up is to illustrate my love for things just a little bit redneck. half of my family is as much. (I didn't think you'd believe me other wise) My grandpa even owns a ranch with his sibling up in Wyoming were they raise cattle and sheep.
A few months ago Blake and I went to the rodeo in Colorado to celebrate Blake's Dad's birthday. As we sat in the arena watching the Bull Riders, the Mutten Busters and Blake chowing down on a giant turkey leg. I thought to myself if this isn't American then I don't know what is. I cried at the end of the rodeo when they played sappy country songs, said things like god bless America and told the family lineage story of the rodeo ponies while live horses galloped about the arena to a synchronized light show. Yes, I know it's ridiculous. But I walked away proud, proud to call that a part of our history. Proud to have the right to eat turkey legs and watch grown men strap themselves to angry bulls all in the name of rodeo glory. Proud to be an American.

Over this past weekend I'm sure we all heard that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. I saw many a Facebook status that talked about how happy they were that we had finally gotten the bad guy. Now I know what people meant. He was a bad guy. A REALLY BAD GUY but it was just weird to me that we were all rejoicing over the death of a human being. Don't get me wrong, I'm as happy as the next person that there is one less evil in the world but I saw this quote and just loved how the great Mark Twain put it. "I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."
I found myself thinking if only he could have changed. Found a little heavenly light or even just humanities light. Of coarse he would still have had to pay for all of his horrors because ,well all choices have consequences. But what if....

We all have the ability and right to change but so often we don't. Spending more time wanting and wishing and a lot less time actually doing and changing. In a movie I watched recently called How Do You Know, in which the two lead characters carry on a conversation about Playdough. The male lead hands the female lead a jar of Playdough and recounts the following story.

"This stuff was invented by Joe McVicker in Central Ohio as a white goo, and he used it to remove shoot off wallpaper from old fashion heating. As gas an electric heating came in there was no longer a need for the cleaning goo. So the guy was going under, but his sister in-law Kay Zufall, who was a nursery teacher discovered that her little kids like squeezing the goo a lot more than hard molding clay. So she suggested to her brother in-law Joe that they color the stuff and call it Playdough." Then the male lead says: "I have kept this, he motions to the playdough for a long time as proof that we are all just one small adjustment away from making our lives work."

I like that, just one small adjustment away from success or happiness or whatever. You can't control the world, you can't decide your tapestry of trials. But you can choose to be better, stronger.
Take a chance, make a choice to be different today. weather it's with a little more laughter, the forgiveness of someone who has wronged you or just gritting your teeth and smiling through the tough times. You were meant for greatness, it might not be the same as your neighbors or the queen of England but big or small it's yours. Your life to live your life to change your example to set. And now for the song that inspired this post amongst other things...

So let's live differently and face the moments of today with a little more
TOLERANCE
A little more LOVE
A little more CHANGE
And a little more HOPE

If you are struggling know you are not alone.

xoxo,

An Easter Success

2011-04-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love spring blooms? They always seem to help the gloomy days in Utah pass by just a little easier.

This year for Easter Blake's family came down for a visit. It was a great treat despite the fact we had to spend quite a few hours away from all the fun decorating for an Easter event. But we did manage to fit in an Easter Egg Hunt. Which I failed miserable at. I don't know if it was my lack luster competitive nature or the fact that Blake's Dad acctually hides the eggs, meaning ZERO viability. In my family the hardest hunt was something more of the green egg green grass nature not complete and utter invisibility. Also there was the addition of non egg objects... socks, soda pop, Luna Bars...what? Image me with my sad 3 little eggs wondering aimlessly all the while shouting I don't see any eggs. while Blake burrows himself to egg victory in the sand box and then scores big time with IBC Soda found in several bushes. It was sad, real sad. I wish I had capture a picture of my pure an utter defeat. I wish I could say it was because I was unaware of the Robinson egg hunting customs, but Kyle, a brother in-law walked away with a serious bag of loot. I guess I won't be adding Easter egg hunting skills to my resume, still I did manage to acquire (with help from Blake's Dad and by help I mean he told me the location) one of my very favorite IBC Black Cherry Sodas, so I can't complain. Plus this weekend I found the most adorable grey and white striped straws.

Have I mentioned how much I love straws? Well I do, Blake thinks it's silly but there is just something about drinking a soda pop well acctually an beverage really through a straw that makes me happy. I even have my very on 1960's style straw dispenser. Which now, with the addition of these striped cuties is totally to die for. Anyways a big thanks to Blake's fam for the fun filled weekend oh and I can't forget to send a little birthday love to B's mom. We are kindred same birthday month spirits which makes me like her all the more.

On to the Easter's Day event. I don't really feel like explain the pics because really they don't need much explanation. Think playful, colorful happy Easter ad in like 18 hours of set up and you've pretty much got it. I'm totally in love with the bunny napkins and the big 3 ft balloons. If i ever bear children I'll defiantly include them in a B-Day party.

And that's it.... hope you had very wonderful Happy Easter Sunday!

xoxo,

A Few Questions Answered

2011-04-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you with a king sized bed. I would suggest buying an extra flat sheet or coordinating colored fabric and adding a flat border around the edges of the duvet. I would also suggest connecting the additional border fabric to the backing of the duvet like so.

A few images I like...

A ruched trim before adding the extra border. How about a little ruffle or just clean and simple. I think a border can add even more dimension and style to this type of duvet.

* Images Bella Notte, Peacock Alley

Hopefully this image with help clarify were the pintucks go and why I added the 5" squares to the center of the 10" squares. You could just mark the pintuck positions with dots but the lines and boxes were helpful to me so that I could keep everything lined up straight. If you decide to use the template method like I did I used all the line on the grid to line my template up to making it very visually easy to everything square.

Hopefully this was helpful and I answered all of your questions.

xoxo,

Kissing Pleat/Pintuck Duvet DIY

2011-04-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

Finally I finished it and I love it. It's interesting how something so simple can make such a breath taking statement. I'll have to do a room tour in another post since Blake and I have been hard at work putting the finishing touches on our bed. That's right we built a bed. I even used a table saw. But enough of that lets get to the DIY details of this project. Here's a little history on the project.

I originally bought this duvet from West Elm in Sea Spray. It was gorgeous I loved it and the price wasn't half bad at just $99 dollars. Unfortunately it was basically a piece of CRAP!!!! It's made from 230 thread count organic cotton, but really you should substitute organic with scratchy and paper thin plus because of the nature of pintucks you have a basillion pressure point for tearing and boy did it ever. We are talking if you sat on it rip, if you pulled the covers over you at night, rip, If Toulouse smelled it rip, If you looked at it sideways rip. It lasted all of about 3 days, Ahhhhhhhhhh. I was so irritated and I sent the baby back post haste. This led to problem #2 "Finding a Replacement". I loved the color and structure of the West Elm Duvet after hours of searching I found several similarly structured duvets & comforters TARGET, ANTHROPOLOGIE, NORDSTROMS but either the price, color or the fact the it was a comforter and not a duvet lead me to face the facts. I was going to have to make this myself. Queue the tiny violins.

I scoured the Internet for a pintuck tutorials and found this. Unfortunately I didn't want the twist method I wanted the tuck method (Insert Blake laughing as I tried showing him the obvious difference between the two) trust me they look different. So off I went to Anthropologie to purchase a $56 GASP pillow sham so I could recreate this elusive technique. After a little analysis I discovered it was EASY, CRAZY EASY. However it's also time consuming, CRAZY TIME CONSUMING and that's why they charge you an arm and a leg. So now that you've been warned lets DIY.

MATERIALS:
Sewing Machine
Tailors Chalk
12x12 Quilt Square
123 Matching Cloth Shank Buttons or 4 hole buttons. (button shouldn't be bigger the 1/2")
Thread/ Sewing Needle
Fabric or Flat Sheet

OPTIONAL MATERIALS:
Pinking Shears
Extra Fabric

THE DETAILS:
I'm going to be focusing more on the pintuck technique on the duvet and less on the making of the duvet it's self. If that's what you're interested making a simple solid duvet is really easy. It's basically making a giant pillow case. I would suggest using sheets since you probably won't want a giant seam down the middle of your duvet and it's hard to find fabric that's 110" wide. Take the sheets right sides together and sew a 1/2" seam on three of the 4 sides. On the 4th side sew in towards the center of the sheets about 5-8" on either edge of the 4th side. Turn right sides out and add several buttons to the interior of the duvet and accompanying button holes to finish the closure of the duvet.

By sewing the buttons on the inside of the duvet and the button holes on the fabric closest to the mattress you won't be able to tell were the opening is and you'll have a clean finished edge. Personally I didn't want to make the actual duvet so I purchased a $40 simple blue queen sized duvet and added the pintucks.

A FEW THOUGHTS:
If you decide to go the pre-made duvet route consider this. When you add in all of the pintucks it will make the actual size of the duvet smaller so I would suggest 2 things if you are making a queen duvet buy a king this will allow extra fabric for the pintucks and leave the finished duvet just the right size. Or you could add an additional fabric broader around the 4 sides of the duvet. Adding a little detail and making up the size difference. Also weather you get a pre-made duvet or you go with 2 flat sheets make sure to get a thead count of at least 300. It will be softer and the material with be much stronger.

STANDARD SIZES TO KNOW:
Twin Duvets: 86"x 68"
Queen Duvets: 88"x92"
King Duvets: 92" x 108"
* I purchased an over sized queen 92"x 96" however in hind sight I should have purchased the over sized king110"x 96" because I ended up unpicking 2 rows of pintucks to get the size I wanted.

THE GRID:

Basically you are making a gird of 10x 10"squares with your tailors chalk on the fabric. How many ten inch squares you make and how you arrange the grid on your fabric is up to you, this is how I did it.

I drew the above grid on my fabric along with a 5" square inside of the 10" square to mark the point of the center pintuck... Like this.

After you have your grid all drawn out on your fabric you place a pintuck at every green dot and if your counting that 123 pintucks. Here's how you create the pintuck.

PINTUCK:
I made a 1"cardboard template and drew a line down the middle of the template. Leaving 1/2" on either side of the line.

You create the pintuck by pulling 1/2" pleat of fabric on either side of your grid line. If you are using a template to insure accuracy you align the center line on the template to the grid line on your fabric. Pull fabric from either side of the template until they meet at the center line on the template. This will create you 1/2" Pleat.
Remove the template and sew a 1/2 inch or less straight stitch across the two folds of fabric. You could pin all of the pintucks before hand but I found that the pins didn't hold the pintucks accurately so I just pleated the fabric as I went. Sorry these pictures are crummy I didn't realize how bad they were until I was already finished.

Repeating this step about a million times. LOL I really hate repetitious projects. this is why I don't knit. At this point your duvet should look exactly like the west Elm version and if you like that look you can be finished. However in lou of the problems I had with the West Elm duvet I also added a button to cover the stitches making it extra secure and a strengthening square of fabric to the back of every pintuck.

I sewed the button on by creating an x. By doing this it helps remove some of the tension on the pressure points of the pintuck and dispersing it in the surrounding around the area. Well in theory at least :)

Well that's it, hopefully that wasn't to confusing and at least a tiny bit helpful. If you have any questions comment below and I will try and answer them if I can. I couldn't be more please with the way mine turned out. Would I do it again?... that remains to be seen. 123 pintucks + 123 buttons is a lot for a girl who hates to do 2 reps of push ups, but I would defiantly pay someone to do it for me {wink wink}. Here's hoping it lasts until I can afford to do so.

xoxo,

A few questions answered HERE

Blink and You'll Miss It

2011-03-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been so absent ladies and gents. I've been busy, real busy.... wedding decorations and flower... CHECK, a new design blog concept... CHECK, Blake's birthday...DOUBLE CHECK. Plus we've had some serious sickness going around our house, ugh. So today I'll keep things short and sweet. A few flower pics from the wedding...

CENTER PIECES

SWAG FLORALS

BODY FLOWERS

FLOWER CHANDELIER

* Not pictured is the the brides bouquet, toss bouquet and grooms bout. The day just got to busy to capture everything.

The Bride wanted something vintage and antique. I picked flowers that were full of Lacey petals and soft feminine colors. I love how they turned out. A BIG THANKS to Ann and Kirsten. I couldn't have done it without them.

Up next, I have a new design blog hopefully coming next month. I know what your thinking you already have a design blog.... that you don't write on. Yes I know but this unique concept is super awesome and I'm positive you'll love it so stay tuned.

Also Blake had a BIRTHDAY. He turned the big 28. Sadly I have literally 2 pictures. I was so sick on his birthday so we're lucky I even manged to crawl out of bed. I was pretty proud of my gift this year. Blake has been drooling over the IPad for some time now. Being the good wife I am I told him amongst other things it was ridiculous. So he had pretty much given up on the whole idea. I had already picked out what I was going to give him for his BDAY and it did not include an IPad. It wasn't because it was to expensive it was simply because I didn't like them. Then I remember or realized or something that the point of gifts is to give selflessly... that's what makes it feel so good. That while the birthday gift I was going to give was nice it wasn't what Blake necessarily wanted it was more what I wanted to give him. So I sucked it up and bought a totally over priced, worthless gadget that does more than an IPod but less than a laptop and will be obsolete in 6 months....Blake LOVED IT!

xoxo,

Theater Geeks

2011-02-27T08:06:00.000-08:00

On Saturday Blake and I went to go see my baby brother in Footloose. It was kind of a strange sensation watching a show I had been in in high school. I found myself repeating the lines and lyrics to many a scene. Needless to say Mckay was AWESOME. I hooted and hallard in all the appropriate moments and maybe some not so appropriate ones. (When Mckay got thrown in the Trash can. Tigan : Hey that's my baby brother.") Blake calls me the crowd instigator but it always gets them more involved in the show, plus with the set of lungs my Mom blessed me with I'm hard to miss. My only difference is that I know a good crowd makes for a much better show.
Don't you just love that killer Plaid jacket. I think possibly it belonged to my Dad, from his younger years. Which just makes it that much better. So here's to Mckay the tail end of our little thespian legacy. Who's most certainly destine to be the next home town star!

Footloose 2003

xoxo,

Tron

2011-02-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

We loved TRON.

Blake has been so excited to see it that for months every time we have gone to the movie theater he has tried to ride the cardboard motorcycle display.... The picture of us standing in front of the Tron billing is possible the most hideous picture of all time. But I strangely just love it! Because of my tron make-up I look like I have a cyborg eye or could pass as Lady Gaga. I can't believe I went out in public like this... I AM SO AWESOME!

A Valentines to Remember

2011-02-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

For Valentines Blake took me here... Yep your eyes are not deceiving you, that's a Ballet program I'm holding. I know, I know Blake's pretty much awesome!

Blake's a good sport too because he put up with me for days afterward, pretending to be a ballerina every time a remotely classical song came on. I may or may not have been plieing and pirouetting miserably in public....often.

I gave Blake a WALLET...but before you start giving me a hard time let me preface with the fact that Blake had his stolen a week before and he is very particular about his wallets. I mean I drove all the way to park city to get that BAD BOY.
So it's not the same as enduring a 2 hour ballet but being the good wife I am I added a... CHIPOTLE GIFTCARD

HAPPY BLAKE!!!

Also on Valentines I set up and made decorations for this party.

And the best part a Bride from NYC came in to look at the space for her wedding, loved what I did and asked me right then and there to do all of her wedding flowers and decorations. I'm pretty excited!

I'd say our Valentines day was pretty successful. Here's hoping your day -o-love was also filled with just the perfect amount of mushiness.

xoxo,

A Women Of Her Word

2011-01-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

Remember this post 2 weddings and a dozen parasols, where I promised photos after I found them... well here they are!

This was the reception for the grooms side of the family. His mother was a collector of great antiques so I used them in small vignettees around the yard.

Aren't the Parasols just to die for. The brides colors were pink, black and white. I used satin ribbons in those colors and 2 burly men to tie the parasols up into the trees. You should have seen me busting out directions. Burly Man 1 :" You want this to go where?" Tigan " In the naked spot under that leaf." Burly Man 2: Which leaf?" Tigan: " That one there." 5'2" Tigan points to abstract location on very leafy tree,obvious to her but totally lost on her lovely help. Good thing they were such good sports.

Doesn't warmer weather sound just divine right about now?... here's to dreaming.

xoxo,

cuff links DIY

2011-01-05T07:24:00.000-08:00

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

1. Epoxy (Any kind will do. I chose gorilla Epoxy because it sets in 5 mins. Less holding time for me!)

2. Cuff Links (I got mine from HERE for $2.42)

3. The Decorative Object (This could be anything buttons, gems, rocks, etc. I used old type writer keys which I got at an antique store in Colorado but I'm sure you could find them here as well. B's for Blake.)

All that's left is a little spot of epoxy on the circular top of each cuff link and hold your decorative object until secure. Make sure to read the directions on your particular brand of epoxy mine said to work quickly strength reduces with air time... so I did one cuff link at a time so as to insure maximum epoxy strength.

And there ya go, a seriously less then 10 minute project. I gave these ones to Blake for Christmas.

xoxo,

IT ONLY TOOK 3 TRIES

2010-12-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

After decorating so many trees this season for work it was hard for me to narrow down what I wanted mine to look like. Finally after 3 tries I think I got it and just in time to {wink} {wink}. I have been collecting Christmas ornaments since we got married, It only took us 5 1/2 years to actually get a tree to put them on but ya know...

I made a holiday decorating tutorial but I just didn't get it up in time so I guess it will have to wait until next year. so without further ado a holiday tour of our tiny apartment with tons of extra holiday cheer.

Tree Details

Night Shot

Holiday Mantle

Oh and I finally got our names on our little stocking. I didn't embroider them I felted them. It's super easy so if you want to give it a try let me know and I'll give you the details.

I may or may not have put my holiday bay leaf wreath inside more door so I could selfishly smell all it's wonderful goodness.

Well that's it and today is officially Christmas eve, but before you hustle off to finish last minute shopping, cook the perfect Christmas eve dinner or party your little holiday spirit off. A few thoughts on the true mean of Christmas.

Hope your Christmas is just simply wonderful.

Merry Christmas,

Brown Paper Packages

2010-12-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

This is my very first video in front of the camera... lets just say I won't be appearing on the big screen any time soon. Never the less a few things I did this year for my christmas present wrapping and how to tie the perfect bow for your christmas presents.

Merry Christmas,

The Prettiest Little Angle

2010-12-15T10:48:00.001-08:00

Growing up my family always had an angle atop our Christmas tree. As a little girl I remember thinking she was the most beautiful think I had ever seen. She was small and simple with a delicate white dress and tiny little wings. Her hands came together as if in prayer and in between them was the tiniest little candle that lit up...perfect.

As a young child I remember learning about heaven. That loved ones who had died watched from above, always keeping us in their hearts, like guardian angles. I treasured that angle because she reminded me of love. The unconditional kind, that someone up there was watching over me, just as the the prettiest little angle watched from her perch on our Christmas tree. I still remember the Christmas she fell and broke. My mom was especially sad because she said the angle had been around since my parents first Christmases together. I think she searched long and hard for a replacement but was never quite satisfied with any that she found. So in my teenage years our tree topper switched to a star. I liked the mean of the star, signifying Christs birth but it just never seemed to fill the space in my heart were the prettiest little angle had been.

When Blake and I got married I searched every Christmas for the perfect little angle. I found large ones and medium sized ones. Ones with white, red and golden hair, big elegant dresses and giant feathery wings but nothing seemed just right.

As this Christmas rolled around I was feeling kind of discouraged about the angle and even more so because this year we bought our very first standard sized artificial Christmas tree and we had NO angle for the top. So with a new determination I scoured the Internet and specialty shops until one Saturday I stumbled upon a website talking about retired lladro pieces and there she was, small delicate features, simple elegant clothes and the tiniest little wings...PERFECT!

I had to order her twice because the first time she came with 3 broken fingertips. I love that she was actually cast as a tree topper see....

I love Christmas, the decorations the memories and of coarse the spirit of it all. My mom says she's far to breakable to put atop a tree but Blake's been working on a special contraption to keep her nice and snug. I guess only time will tell maybe some day she'll fall and smash into a thousand piece But I'd much rather like to think that someday my little girls will look up at her in wonder and feel that heavenly love that I felt as a small child. Until then I'll cherish all the wonderful memories and the space in my heart that's been filled by the prettiest little angle.

Merry Christmas,

If you were a MONKEY?

2010-12-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

Today I was complaining because my hair has been extra greasy lately and I don't know why! I was so frustrated and kind of at the point of a brake down when Blake said, If you were a monkey this would be the time of the month were your fur got really shiny and all the other monkeys would totally be into you.... strangely this kinda made me feel better.

Thumbs up for awesome husbands.

xoxo,

The Most Magical Place On Earth

2010-11-29T23:22:00.000-08:00

We spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Disneyland this year. When my parents brought up the idea I was kind of upset. I really love my traditions and my almost empty nester parents were going to mess everything up. Plus a girl needs her thanksgiving mash patataes an gravy. Needless to say they talked us into it and we did have a blast. So thanks famdamnly for sore feet, splash mountain splash gear, one giant snowstorm, 26 hours of driving, fun, food oh and 4 magical days in the happiest place on earth. By the way I got my potatoes!

Flying Over California

The Blue Bayou

Big Thunder Mountain

Dumbo

Carousel

Toy Story Mania

Coaster Faces

Coaster Hair

Splash Mountain

Autotopia

Tea Cups

The Wonderful World Of Color (This was totally amazing)

The Awesome People That Made It All Happen!

xoxo,

Alice & The Mad Hatter

2010-11-29T22:58:00.000-08:00

I Loved this years costumes. These pictures don't really do it justice. Blake was such a good sport especially because it took 2 hours to get all that makeup on.

xoxo,

Aspiring Atoms Necklace Tutorial

2010-11-07T12:41:00.001-08:00

I just LOVE Anthropologie especially their jewelry but to be honest I can't really afford it...maybe someday. Last time I was there I saw this beautiful necklace, then I saw the price tag, OUCH and then I thought, I bet I could make that. Now do I know anything about making jewelry....HAHAHAHAH... not a thing but I had made mind up that someday wasn't coming fast enough so I had to take matters into my own hands. Below is picture of the completed necklace along with my very own HOW-TO Tutorial. Be gentle ladies and gents because as I mentioned before jewelry is not really my forte.

Here is the beading sequence encase you don't want to watch the videos 5 times.

1ST HALF ...............2ND HALF
5 Beads .................................3 Beads
Cross .....................................Cross
...............................................2 Left Beads
4 Beads
Cross..................................... 2 Beads
1 Left Bead............................ Cross
..............................................2 Left Beads
3 Beads
Cross .................................... 2 Beads
1 Left Bead............................ Cross
...............................................2 Left Beads
3 Beads
Cross..................................... 2 Beads
1 Left Bead............................ Cross
...............................................3Left Beads
3 Beads
Cross...................................... 1 Bead
2 Left Beads .......................... Cross
................................................4 Left Beads, ties 2 square knots
2 Beads
Cross
1 Left Bead

Product Links:
The Lace Place

2682 South Highland Drive

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

801-474-2697 2223 South Highland Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84106

The Country Porch
8mm 80PC Cultura Pearls

String Beads
2223 South Highland Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84106

Hope you enjoyed it!

xoxo,

Halloween Sneak Peak

2010-10-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

I'm just MAD for this years costumes!

2 Weddings and a Dozen Parasols

2010-10-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

This Bride really wanted a rustic/earthy wedding. Blake called it the hobbit wedding because of the moss mound center pieces and the tiny mushrooms. Boy was it a lot of work, although very rewarding. When I started this venture I had no idea how much flowers actually cost...just to give you a realistic view our flowers (this does not include labor or actual arrangement of the flowers) cost around $900. That's right folks that's just for the flowers at WHOLESALE. I know crazy right. So just know your florist probably isn't ripping you off, flowers are just crazy expensive.

I'm trying to find the rest of the pictures, but I put them somewhere safe so I wouldn't forget and of coarse now I can't remember!

A New Look

2010-10-18T01:17:00.000-07:00

Hello There!

As you might have noticed we've spruced a few things up. So, take a look around and stay a while. A few pages are still under construction but have no fear those should be up right quick so check back soon. One of the biggest reason for our change is that we have been having issues with commenting. So if you were one of the lucky commentators having trouble feel free to let your voice be heard. If for no other reason than to let us know we've got all the kinks worked out. Have you caught the fitness bug? Well you're in luck, check out the link to Blake's Blog {Momentum Training}. You won't be disappointed. There's also a link to my Design Blog{bricabrac}, but as you'll be able to see I have been slacking off majorly, hopefully I'll catch up soon. Also our apartment was featured recently on my friends too cute blog Opal Never Shouts. You can check it out HERE. I'll also post the pictures below. Well I think that's about it. As always thanks for stopping by.

KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

OFFICE

By the way remember THIS? Didn't Blake do such a fabulous job! It's a tiny little apartment an obviously because we don't own it there are things we can't change (draperies...terrible) but well it's ours and we love it. Why is there no bedroom shot?... well because it's just a mattress on the floor, LOL... someday.

xoxo,

Dark & Brooding Halloween Wreath

2010-10-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

I really love Halloween it might be safe to say it's one of my favorite holidays. I mean think of all of the things it in incorporates, CANDY, COSTUMES, JACK-O-LANTERNS did I mention CANDY.
The one thing I don't really love about Halloween are cheesy decorations. I mean it's a holiday that celebrates dead spirits coming from beyond the gravy. I guess what I'm trying to say is happy smiling witches and silly skeletons really don't say Halloween to me, but DARK, CREEPY,BROODING HALLOWEEN WREATHS... just might cut it. So this year that's just what we did.
Blake really wanted to help with this project so off we went for supplies. I had seen these really beautiful black magnolias at one of the wholesale stores I frequent so we picked those up. I have really been into feathers lately so we also added some of those into the mix. Blake was insistent on mossy sticks and grosgrain ribbon, which he assured me he could distress to utter haunting perfection. So into the pot went the previous items a few other odds and ends and 1 can of matte black spray paint.

I think it turned out pretty good. What do you think?

Metro Dash

2010-10-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

And They're Off

"GAUNTLET" 1st Time

Heading Off To Run 4.5 Miles

"GAUNTLET" 2nd Time

Coming in 1st Place

1:03:30 were you expecting any less!

Saltair Preview

2010-10-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

I rented this super nice camera online to help my Dad with his website. More on that subject later. So I thought while I have it for 2 weeks I better use it. And what better way then a photo shoot. Blake and I are by no means photographers and would never claim to be but we sure love to set up fun photo shoots. Remember this one. Well here's a sneak preview of our most recent adventure....

xoxo,

Recently At Eliza's

2010-10-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

The glitter is kind of hard to see in the photo but, it just covered the white dahlia. Beautiful!

This order came in as Neon Blue Dress. Don't you just love how it turned out...neon blue here I come.

This corsage is my favorite because if you look closely you'll notice that the turquoise ribbon isn't really ribbon at all but rather turquoise flocking on green leaves. I know right!!

For more information about Eliza's click here.

xoxo,

Silhouette Frames Tutorial

2010-09-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well Look at that a tutorial just for you.

I have had these three frames empty in my living room for months. So I decided it was high time they got a little love. I'm really into silhouettes these days. I love how they can capture the spirit of a person or object without the attention of tons of detail or color. Plus even if you are totally un-photogenic, like me you'll turn out looking pretty good. The tutorial below will give you all the details on the project, except how I got the original silhouettes. So I'll explain that now before we move on.

On Sunday the dogs, Blake and I headed over to a neighboring apartment building where they so graciously provided us with a white brick wall. We took some digital pictures of our shadows...

Then because we took the shadow pictures on a textured wall and I'm a bit of a perfectionist I put the pictures into illustrator and traced over them so that the outlines of the shadows would be perfect.

As you can see I also took a few creative liberties and fixed my messy bun and added a flower. However as I mention in the video, if you don't have access to illustrator or you don't know how to use it, this is still a project you can do. If you take your shadow picture on a smooth lite colored wall you will get a much crisper shadow result. You can then use your printed photographs as templates. Cut out your photo shadow and trace it onto the cardstock to create your silhouette. Plus if you set up a tripod so that the picture are take from the exact same distance and perspective your images will be all the same size and proportion. Instead of like mine where we just held the camera and then I had to size everything in the computer. Below you'll find the rest of the tutorial.

ENJOY!

Also a freebie.... Gee wiz I'm getting generous this morning. These are the hands I used in the tutorial all you need to do is save to your computer and print. They are already sized to fit a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" frame so it should be a snap.

xoxo,

Wish List

2010-09-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

Katie Ridder Rooms $29.41 {Amazon}

Nars "All About Cheeks" $65.00 {Sephora}

Leopard $14.00 {Z Palette}

Ram Head $49.95 {Z Gallerie}

$39.00 5 x 7 Let Them Eat Cake Print
{Paul Ferney}

1st Place Hooray!

2010-09-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

I entered this completion over at Olioboard and I took first place. They even put me on the front page of their website see...

Here is a close up of the room

The best part is I won 500 smackers form the company sponsoring the competition to use at their store. If you are a designer at heart check out the website it is super addicting.

xoxo,

Eliza's Floral Design

2010-09-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Why I have been absent from blogging as of late.

Check it out HERE. Going to Homecoming? $5.00 off your boutonniere when you mention our blog coupon.

xoxo,

Cover Girl

2010-08-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from an article I recently read called Cover Girl by Krista Bremer.

Nine years ago, I danced my newborn daughter around my North Carolina living room to the music of Free to Be...You and Me, the '70s children's classic whose every lyric about tolerance and gender equality I had memorized as a girl growing up in California. My Libyan-born husband, Ismail, sat with her for hours on our screened porch, swaying back and forth on a creaky metal rocker and singing old Arabic folk songs, and took her to a Muslim sheikh who chanted a prayer for long life into her tiny, velvety ear. She had espresso eyes and lush black lashes like her father's, and her milky-brown skin darkened quickly in the summer sun. We named her Aliya, which means "exalted" in Arabic, and agreed we would raise her to choose what she identified with most from our dramatically different backgrounds. I secretly felt smug about this agreement—confident that she would favor my comfortable American lifestyle over his modest Muslim upbringing. Ismail's parents live in a squat stone house down a winding dirt alley outside Tripoli. Its walls are bare except for passages from the Qur'an engraved onto wood, its floors empty but for thin cushions that double as bedding at night. My parents live in a sprawling home in Santa Fe with a three-car garage, hundreds of channels on the flat-screen TV, organic food in the refrigerator, and a closetful of toys for the grandchildren. I imagined Aliya embracing shopping trips to Whole Foods and the stack of presents under the Christmas tree, while still fully appreciating the melodic sound of Arabic, the honey-soaked baklava Ismail makes from scratch, the intricate henna tattoos her aunt drew on her feet when we visited Libya. Not once did I imagine her falling for the head covering worn by Muslim girls as an expression of modesty. Last summer we were celebrating the end of Ramadan with our Muslim community at a festival in the parking lot behind our local mosque. Children bounced in inflatable fun houses while their parents sat beneath a plastic tarp nearby, shooing flies from plates of curried chicken, golden rice, and baklava. Aliya and I wandered past rows of vendors selling prayer mats, henna tattoos, and Muslim clothing. When we reached a table displaying head coverings, Aliya turned to me and pleaded, "Please, Mom—can I have one?" She riffled through neatly folded stacks of headscarves while the vendor, an African-American woman shrouded in black, beamed at her. I had recently seen Aliya cast admiring glances at Muslim girls her age. I quietly pitied them, covered in floor-length skirts and long sleeves on even the hottest summer days, as my best childhood memories were of my skin laid bare to the sun: feeling the grass between my toes as I ran through the sprinkler on my front lawn; wading into an icy river in Idaho, my shorts hitched up my thighs, to catch my first rainbow trout; surfing a rolling emerald wave off the coast of Hawaii. But Aliya envied these girls and had asked me to buy her clothes like theirs. And now a headscarf. In the past, my excuse was that they were hard to find at our local mall, but here she was, offering to spend ten dollars from her own allowance to buy the forest green rayon one she clutched in her hand. I started to shake my head emphatically "no," but caught myself, remembering my commitment to Ismail. So I gritted my teeth and bought it, assuming it would soon be forgotten. That afternoon, as I was leaving for the grocery store, Aliya called out from her room that she wanted to come. A moment later she appeared at the top of the stairs—or more accurately, half of her did. From the waist down, she was my daughter: sneakers, bright socks, jeans a little threadbare at the knees. But from the waist up, this girl was a stranger. Her bright, round face was suspended in a tent of dark cloth like a moon in a starless sky. Are you going to wear that?" I asked. "Yeah," she said slowly, in that tone she had recently begun to use with me when I state the obvious. On the way to the store, I stole glances at her in my rearview mirror. She stared out the window in silence, appearing as aloof and unconcerned as a Muslim dignitary visiting our small Southern town—I, merely her chauffeur. I bit my lip. I wanted to ask her to remove her head covering before she got out of the car, but I couldn't think of a single logical reason why, except that the sight of it made my blood pressure rise. I'd always encouraged her to express her individuality and to resist peer pressure, but now I felt as self-conscious and claustrophobic as if I were wearing that headscarf myself. In the Food Lion parking lot, the heavy summer air smothered my skin. I gathered the damp hair on my neck into a ponytail, but Aliya seemed unfazed by the heat. We must have looked like an odd pair: a tall blonde woman in a tank top and jeans cupping the hand of a four-foot-tall Muslim. I drew my daughter closer and the skin on my bare arms prickled—as much from protective instinct as from the blast of refrigerated air that hit me as I entered the store. As we maneuvered our cart down the aisles, shoppers glanced at us like we were a riddle they couldn't quite solve, quickly dropping their gaze when I caught their eye. In the produce aisle, a woman reaching for an apple fixed me with an overly bright, solicitous smile that said "I embrace diversity and I am perfectly fine with your child." She looked so earnest, so painfully eager to put me at ease, that I suddenly understood how it must feel to have a child with an obvious disability, and all the curiosity or unwelcome sympathies from strangers it evokes. At the checkout line, an elderly Southern woman clasped her bony hands together and bent slowly down toward Aliya. "My, my," she drawled, wobbling her head in disbelief. "Don't you look absolutely precious!" My daughter smiled politely, then turned to ask me for a pack of gum. In the following days, Aliya wore her headscarf to the breakfast table over her pajamas, to a Muslim gathering where she was showered with compliments, and to the park, where the moms with whom I chatted on the bench studiously avoided mentioning it altogether. Later that week, at our local pool, I watched a girl only a few years older than Aliya play Ping-Pong with a boy her age. She was caught in that awkward territory between childhood and adolescence—narrow hips, skinny legs, the slightest swelling of new breasts—and she wore a string bikini. Her opponent wore an oversize T-shirt and baggy trunks that fell below his knees, and when he slammed the ball at her, she lunged for it while trying with one hand to keep the slippery strips of spandex in place. I wanted to offer her a towel to wrap around her hips, so she could lose herself in the contest and feel the exhilaration of making a perfect shot. It was easy to see why she was getting demolished at this game: Her near-naked body was consuming her focus. And in her pained expression I recognized the familiar mix of shame and excitement I felt when I first wore a bikini. At 14, I skittered down the halls of high school like a squirrel in traffic: hugging the walls, changing direction in midstream, darting for cover. Then I went to Los Angeles to visit my aunt Mary during winter break. Mary collected mermaids, kept a black-and-white photo of her long-haired Indian guru on her dresser, and shopped at a tiny health food store that smelled of patchouli and peanut butter. She took me to Venice Beach, where I bought a cheap bikini from a street vendor. Dizzy with the promise of an impossibly bright afternoon, I thought I could be someone else—glistening and proud like the greased-up bodybuilders on the lawn, relaxed and unself-conscious as the hippies who lounged on the pavement with lit incense tucked behind their ears. In a beachside bathroom with gritty cement floors, I changed into my new two-piece suit. Goose bumps spread across my chubby white tummy and the downy white hairs on my thighs stood on end—I felt as raw and exposed as a turtle stripped of its shell. And when I left the bathroom, the stares of men seemed to pin me in one spot even as I walked by. In spite of a strange and mounting sense of shame, I was riveted by their smirking faces; in their suggestive expressions I thought I glimpsed some vital clue to the mystery of myself. What did these men see in me—what was this strange power surging between us, this rapidly shifting current that one moment made me feel powerful and the next unspeakably vulnerable? I imagined Aliya in a string bikini in a few years. Then I imagined her draped in Muslim attire. It was hard to say which image was more unsettling. I thought then of something a Sufi Muslim friend had told me: that Sufis believe our essence radiates beyond our physical bodies—that we have a sort of energetic second skin, which is extremely sensitive and permeable to everyone we encounter. Muslim men and women wear modest clothing, she said, to protect this charged space between them and the world. Growing up in the '70s in Southern California, I had learned that freedom for women meant, among other things, fewer clothes, and that women could be anything—and still look good in a bikini. Exploring my physical freedom had been an important part of my process of self-discovery, but the exposure had come at a price. Since that day in Venice Beach, I'd spent years learning to swim in the turbulent currents of attraction—wanting to be desired, resisting others' unwelcome advances, plumbing the mysterious depths of my own longing. I'd spent countless hours studying my reflection in the mirror—admiring it, hating it, wondering what others thought of it—and it sometimes seemed to me that if I had applied the same relentless scrutiny to another subject I could have become enlightened, written a novel, or at least figured out how to grow an organic vegetable garden. On a recent Saturday morning, in the crowded dressing room of a large department store, I tried on designer jeans alongside college girls in stiletto heels, young mothers with babies fussing in their strollers, and middle-aged women with glossed lips pursed into frowns. One by one we filed into changing rooms, then lined up to take our turn on a brightly lit pedestal surrounded by mirrors, cocking our hips and sucking in our tummies and craning our necks to stare at our rear ends. When it was my turn, my heart felt as tight in my chest as my legs did in the jeans. My face looked drawn under the fluorescent lights, and suddenly I was exhausted by all the years I'd spent doggedly chasing the carrot of self-improvement, while dragging behind me a heavy cart of self-criticism. At this stage in her life, Aliya is captivated by the world around her—not by what she sees in the mirror. Last summer she stood at the edge of the Blue Ridge Parkway, stared at the blue-black outline of the mountains in the distance, their tips swaddled by cottony clouds, and gasped. "This is the most beautiful thing I ever saw," she whispered. Her wide-open eyes were a mirror of all that beauty, and she stood so still that she blended into the lush landscape, until finally we broke her reverie by tugging at her arm and pulling her back to the car. At school it's different. In her fourth-grade class, girls already draw a connection between clothing and popularity. A few weeks ago, her voice rose in anger as she told me about a classmate who had ranked all the girls in class according to how stylish they were. I understood then that while physical exposure had liberated me in some ways, Aliya could discover an entirely different type of freedom by choosing to cover herself. The other day, when I dropped her off at school, instead of driving away from the curb in a rush as I usually do, I watched her walk into a crowd of kids, bent forward under the weight of her backpack as if she were bracing against a storm. She moved purposefully, in such a solitary way—so different from the way I was at her age, and I realized once again how mysterious she is to me. It's not just her head covering that makes her so: It's her lack of concern for what others think about her. I watched her kneel at the entryway to her school and pull a neatly folded cloth from the front of her pack, where other kids stash bubble gum or lip gloss. Then she slipped it over her head, and her shoulders disappeared beneath it like the cape her younger brother wears when he pretends to be a superhero. As I pulled away from the curb, I imagined that headscarf having magical powers to protect her boundless imagination, her keen perception, and her unself-conscious goodness. I imagined it shielding her as she journeys through that house of mirrors where so many young women get trapped in adolescence, buffering her from the dissatisfaction that clings in spite of the growing number of choices at our fingertips, providing safe cover as she takes flight into a future I can only imagine.

I read this article while I was at the gym peddling away the pounds... ironic I know. The reason I loved the article was it's simple but eloquent depiction of the choice to be modest. That while modest attire is different it is by no means more restrictive and often in light of the world's standard of beauty even more liberating.

Growing up, and sometimes even to this day I can't count how many times I've watched the Oscars and thought Gee those dress are sure beautiful but I'll never wear them. Or when my Mom use to make me do the tummy check after breakfast but before school so as to insure the modest coverage of my T shirts. Or when I married my Husband in an LDS Temple and I promised to be clean and pure and...modest. I can't say that at that time in my life I honestly understood and combined modesty with Freedom and I can defiantly promise that in high school I viewed it more as a prison sentence.

Now let me tell you a story.

In high school I weighed a mighty 96 lbs I was small you might even say real small. But to be honest I never really thought about weight or size or anything. I was the only girl in my family so what I knew about the way my body looked just came form me. Now obviously I could see that people came in different shapes and sizes but it didn't consume my every thought... it just was.

When I got to college I was blessed with 6 girl room mates and a few good girl friends down the hall. For the first several weeks my body image stayed pretty much the same. But as the months went on I began to notice that when standing in front of a mirror it was customary for the other girls to pinched and poked their tummies commenting on their physical aliments of weight or beauty amongst other self image complaints. I also noticed that if you went to the gym for a few hours a week you could temporarily forget about how FAT you were and feel good about yourself. That food was kind of your enemy and most important guys liked skinny girls. I'm pretty sure my roommates and girl friends never said these rules allowed, but never the less they were understood. Now I'm not saying that my roommates or friend for that matter were a bad influence because obviously they had to learn it from someone else. But what I am saying is that at 19 and weighing in at just over 96lbs I stood at one point or another in front of that dorm room mirror and over time convinced myself that I was either fat or ugly or I needed to look like so and so to be perfect or whatever.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that while my first thoughts about the choice to be modest didn't always include the words freedom I now with a little more life experience under my belt can honestly say it does include the word BEAUTIFUL!

xoxo,

5 Years and Counting

2010-08-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

I know this is a day late and and an hour short but yesterday didn't go as planned and I didn't have time to put up this post on our actual anniversary so I hope you'll for give me.

Have you heard this song...

Lee Brice More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

Ya it's country but I just love it. I think it gives such great advice. Now I know that in the grand scheme of things 5 years really isn't that long but gee I'm really proud of it.

I sure am happy I married this guy…

And in honor of 5 Years I'm giving away this...

I'm really into Typography lately. So if your interested click on the image above. Save to your computer and print. The image is an 8x10 so it will fit in any old standard 8x10 frame. If you print it from home on your regular printer paper you'll have to trim it down for it to fit. But if you take it to your local Walmart, Sam's Club or Costco they should be able to print it out for you at just the right size for a very minimal price.

Here's to 5 wonderful years!

xoxo,

Blake & Weekday Workouts on ABC 4

2010-08-17T18:44:00.001-07:00

VIDEO HERE

For more information on how you can take part in the Weekday Workout see here.

Head Shots With Blake

2010-08-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Kevin Goertzen took these really awesome head-shots of Blake on Friday. I think they turned out so great so I thought I would share!

I might be just a little bias but who cares.
xoxo,

Tatting with Aunt Betsy

2010-07-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday I rode the Front Runner down to Layton to help my mom out with some decorating for a party. On the way I met a very interesting women who had a very interesting story. I didn't catch her name but I'm sure her story will stick with me for some time to come.

ENJOY

I stared at the unraveled bit of blue carpet fibers, scuffing over them with the heel of my shoe to the rhythm of the trains motion. BEEP " Woodscross"...scuff. I noticed the older women enter out of the corner of my eye. She walked to the bench next to mine unloaded her belongings and sat. Her hair was short and silvered with age. She seemed pleasant and her mouth turned up just a bit at the corners. She wore a pair of black dress pants a white button up blouse and a comfortable pair of black SAS shoes, the ones people have bestowed with the rather unflattering title of grandma shoes.

I have always enjoyed SAS shoes maybe it's because I think I've seen my own grandma sport a pair and it just seems natural or maybe it's because the shoes themselves have such a fantastic name SAS as if to say we may not be stylish be we sure are sassy. The lights flashed red and the doors closed with a quick and smooth movement POUSSHHH and the train was again in motion.

The women who had been sitting silently, arms folded across her chest relaxing now began to stir. She reach across the bench for her bag. The small black canvas bag was brimming to the edge with colorful treasures, drawing the bag close the folds of the fabric changed with the movement. My eyes focused on the printed red writing. Though I could not make all the words out in their entirety I caught a glimpse of what I thought read pediatric and nurse. She dug deep into the canvas forging threw it's contents for a moment and then withdrew a series of soft, white,delicate netlike circles. Her fingers fumbled around the lace like creation until they found a small oval metal object. Placing the circles in her lap she formed a triangular shape with thread stretching from her thumb index and ring finger letting the white thread hang loosely between each one. And then without looking she took the metal oval and began vigorously weaving it in and out of the triangle.

At this point I was extremely intrigued, having never seen this type of artistry I tried to casually cast my glance so as to appear that I was looking out the window past her. By doing this I was able to catch glimpses of her handy work. Having had some experience with needle work I ran though the types that I knew. knitting, no crosstitch, no embroidery, no. After several minutes of casual stocking I cleared my throat and asked. " Excuse me, what do you call that type of needle work? With out pausing the women shifted her eyes and answered, Tatting, it's an ancient art form, almost lost these days". "Oh", I said," you must be very good you don't even have to look". " I've had a lot of practice", she said. I smoothed the pleats in my skirt restlessly " What will it become when it's finished"? "A cover for the LDS Temple alter", she answered. "Really how interesting, it really is beautiful. How did you learn how to do it"? "That's a long story", she said. Figuring that our conversation had ended I slumped back down in my seat.

But the women continued. I grew up in a small town everybody new everybody. There was an older women in the town and we all called Aunt Betsy. Aunt Betsy was very kind and she always wanted to be involved, especially when it came to sharing her love of tatting with the youth. She welcomed any young women who wanted to learn. However most of us were never very interested. When I grew up and moved away I became a nurse and one day when Aunt Betsy was very old and sick she happened to be one of my patients. And as I spent the following weeks caring for her she told me of her one regret in life. She said that she had never taught anyone how to tat. So I told Aunt Betsy when she got better that she could teach me. But Aunt Betsy did not get better... she died. The women paused for a moment to count the knots in her work before starting again.
Now several years ago I belonged to a sewing group and every Thursday a group of us ladies would meet, teach, sew and talk and I always felt bad about Aunt Betsy's one regret so I asked the girls if anyone knew how to tat and you know what one women did. Well a little the basics anyway, so she taught me what she knew and then I gathered all the books and information I could find about the art of tatting and I practiced and practiced and practiced but I never got further than a little old Doillie. And so one evening after months and months of trial and error I said I've had enough of this tatting, it is just to plain hard and I gave up.
At this point I stood because the conductor had just called for the Layton stop I hesitated holding on to the grab rail for the women to finish her story before I had to exit the train.

That night when I went to bed, she said I had a dream. I dreamt that Aunt Betsy came to visit me and she taught me all she knew about tatting and when I awoke I knew how to do it. Now whether Aunt Betsy really came to visit me or not I really can't say but what I do know is that, and the women lifted her eyes to the ceiling I'm sure that Aunt Betsy is very proud. And with that the train came to a stop and I thanked the women for telling me her story and hurried out the chiming doors.

For those of you who don't know tatting is is basically the technique for handcrafting a durable lace. It's constructed by a series of knots and loops and by series were are talking like thousands here. The thread is really just thread it's not thick like yarn that you use to knit so I'm sure you can see how the above image takes a ton of time. Anyways I loved the womens' story and I hope you did to!

xoxo,

OPI 3 Week Manicure

2010-07-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

We all know how much I love to paint my nails as evident below.

I think it's obvious I have a certain affinity towards reds and pinks I think it has something to do with my very pale skin and my love for the vintage and lady like, women in the 1950's were such lovely creatures. Whenever I'm having "one of those days" you know the ones were you hate all the clothes in your closet and no matter how many hair styles you try nothing seems to to look good... and then ...you add a little polish and everything just feels a little bit better.

Well several months ago I heard some of my favorite You Tube Gurus taking about how they were just in love with this new nail varnish from OPI (I love how they use the word varnish). You can view their videos here I LOVE LOVE their makeup tutorials.

So what is it? Well, unlike horrible traditional acrylic nails (which ruin the nail bed, chip easily and never, ever, look natural), a gel manicure looks exactly like a normal manicure and is removed without affecting the nails whatsoever.

The application process is the same as a classic mani: first a base coat, then two-three colour coats and a top coat. What makes it last is that the products are polymer-based and 'cured' between stages under a little UV lamp for a couple of minutes. This dries them immediately (honestly, like rock-hard immediately), keeping them super glossy and smudge-proof, plus the application is thin, not thick like acrylics. And you can paint over them with normal nail polish if you fancy a changing , and remove it too, since the OPI gel doesn't wipe off with normal nail polish remover. Also OPI makes matching polish so you can have matching toes or if you wanted to wait a little longer inbetween visits to the manicurist you could polish atop the poduct and it will be a flawless match.

Here's a little video on the application process.

and as you saw in the video you can even get a french tip. So after seeing all this I just had to try it out myself only problem was that it wasn't real popular round these parts yet. I think I called a billion or so nail salons and most people hadn't a clue about what I was even talking about. Finally after my hopes began to dwindle I found one salon. Q Nails at 276 East 900 South in downtown. It's a small shop and the girls there are so cute and the owner Mookie sp? was super knowledgeable about the product .

On my first visit I tried STRAWBERRY MARGARITA. It's obvious I'm not a hand model but you get the idea.

Now I got just under 3 weeks with this first try. I think this was due to several factors.

1. My nails grow like weeds, I am not kidding so fast.

2. A couple weeks earlier in my unsuccessful search for the OPI gels I tried putting the stuff they put glitter toes on with on my hands. I thought it would be kinda the same, boy was I wrong it totally ruined my natural nail. They were so weak ,thin and cracked so in lou of this I didn't judge my first try with my OPI's to harshly.

On my second try I got the full 3 weeks and them some. Plus I really loved the color BIG APPLE RED. So I think it's safe to say I might just be hooked. I had the same nail tech both times and she was fabulous. If your interested her name was LaTonya and you can reach Q Nails at 801-363-0170.

However since the product is extremely new to our area it is a bit pricey. I would tell you to shop around but just know that right now the product is just real hard to find.

At Q Nails you'll pay:

$30 for a new set
$20 if you have the same color filled
$ 5 for removal

I'm hoping that over time and with more popularity the price will go down. If your looking to go the DIY route and save your self some money in the long run you can purchase the products on amazon.

Here's what you'd need:

Bond Aid pH Bonding Agent
OPI Axxium Soak Off Gel Base
OPI Axxium Soak Off Colored Gel Lacquer
OPI Axxium Soak-Off Gel Gel Sealer
N.A.S 99 Nail Spray
Gel UV Light Nail Dryer

You can buy these products in a starter kit excluding the light here for about $130 and that includes 6 different colored lacquers or if you prefer you can buy it individually. The colored lacquers will run you about $15 to $20 dollar a bottle.

Either way if you love to polish your nails you should defiantly give it a try. And if you come away hooked don't say I didn't warn you.

xoxo,

Eclipse VIP

2010-07-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Yep I saw it, don't worry I won't give away any secrets! Lucky for me my Dad got VIP early premier tickets to the the show at 7:25pm and I say just ME because let's face it Blake wasn't supper enthralled about waiting in line at the movie theater with thousands of screaming tweens and their moms!

I think this picture is hilarious because with the combination of forgetting to push the red eye reduction button on the camera and my already super pale skin I totally look like a vampire.

Me and Kayo showing off our VIP badges!

Favorite Clip

Now I'm not a crazed Twilight fan or as the 13 year old girls in the row in front of me called themselves Twihard fans (I'm sorry but the word Twihard make me very uncomfortable). But I do enjoy a good cult classic so I hooted and hollered when Jacob appeared on screen in all of his bronzed goodness! I think I embarrassed Mckay because he kept trying to slap his hand across my mouth every time I screamed for Jacob. And well to be honest I might have mortally wounded the TEAM EDWARD fans in the audience when I declared that Bella's engagement ring was the most hideous thing I had ever seen. (apparently the ring was co-designed by the author Stephenie Meyer and Infinite Jewelry Co. I personally thing she should stick to writing but if your interested you can purchase said hideous ring for the low low price of $35 dollars here. Which is about how much that ring looks like it's worth in the movie. Apparently, however it was a pretty penny more coming in at $1,979. Who thinks they should get their money back...me me!)
Or maybe the seriously negative vibes floating my direction could have been due to my announcement of " that's more like it" when a little kissing action between Jacob and Bella appeared on screen. Whichever it maybe the tweens in front of me shot me dirt looks constantly through the movie and the older women behind me kept retaliating with the words "NO EDWARD IS BETTER". But truly the best part of the movie was that I didn't have to see Edwards air brushed grandpa skin abs, HALLELUJAH! For more information on this topic see here. All in all the movie was very entertaining and I mean heck what more can you ask for right?

However, I do have a few concerns for the forth movie. Kristen Stewart bless her little dark and brooding soul has one eyebrow that is shorter than the other. We are taking quite visibly shorter than the other here... even Blake noticed. And her teeth aren't straight, I mean I don't know about you but I'm pretty positive that Vampires are in the ultimate state of perfection. So I'm not quite sure what they are going to do with these obviously serious physical flaws. I would say they could just airbrush it like they did with Rob but we all know how well that went down and to be honest I'm not really feeling any of the makeup artists for the twilight series. Dakota Fanning/Jane's eye makeup in Eclipse was blatantly uneven.
The left eye has more black shadow above the crease and it is not just the angle of this photograph. And so despite my serious concerns for the flawed human cast I will wait with baited breath for the fourth and finale installment of the twilight series were all my dreams will come true...LOL. On a side note I spelled twilight wrong in this post and the spell checker had the correct version already in my dictionary now that is crazy!

xoxo,

And So It Goes

2010-06-27T19:49:00.001-07:00

A week of...

FAMILY

Blueberry Buttermilk Tart Recipe

FOOD &

More on this tables transformation from ugly mossy teal to beautiful warm grey later.
FUN PROJECTS

* Buttermilk Tart Additions: Gelatin Center Mixture
4 1/2 T: Sugar
2 T: Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp: Vanilla

*A little sweet sauce for the blueberries... YUM YES PLEASE

In A Sauce Pan Heat:
1 T: Apricot Jam
1/4- 1/3 Cup : Water depending on number of blueberries
Confection Sugar: Sweeten liquid mixture to taste
add a little corn starch to thicken mixture just like you make gravy and pour over blueberries and refrigerate until cool before topping them on the tart.

I added these changes so the tart would taste...
Sweet& Salty, Crust
Tart & Tangy, Middle
Soft Sweet & Fresh, Top

Don't forget the homemade whipped cream. It makes a difference trust me!

xoxo,

I Phone 4G

2010-06-27T19:28:00.001-07:00

16 HOURS LATER

SUCCESS!

Upholstery Makeover

2010-06-21T15:09:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday I taught a Re-upholstery class for the women in my ward. I was really nervous that that class wouldn't turn out good, it would take to long and people would get bored. I mean when Martha does a project on TV she already has all the steps pre done. So I did my best to prepare a head of time and I think the class turned out pretty good!

I brought one chair exactly as I purchased it with the exception of the seat cushion being unpicked and one chair that I had painted and fully upholstered the seat cushion. Then I walked the girls though the entire project and an hour and a half later there you have it one re-upholster chair! Plus each chair only cost $25 dollars: $10 for the chair, $10 for fabric and $5 for paint. I'd say that's a pretty good deal!

Completed Chair

We had a drawing at the end of the class and this lucky lady got to take home both chairs one that was completely finished and one that she had to do on her own.

I also gave the ladies a handout with helpful hint that I thought I would share with all of you.

Good Luck on your Upholstery Makeovers
xoxo,

Fishnets and Fiddle-di-dee

2010-06-21T14:38:00.001-07:00

A few photos from my last show KISS ME KATE.... and a few from my current show ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. Get you tickets now they are going fast and if you want to see me (I have 2 whole lines... WOOT WOOT I'm in the MWF cast).

Annie Get Your Gun

Kiss Me Kate

To get tickets call the Rodgers Memorial Box Office @ (801)298-1302
The show runs June 18th - July 17th but I won't be playing in the Wednesday July 14th show.

Summer Sweat

2010-05-06T12:13:00.001-07:00

Are you looking to get fit this summer... well if you live in SLC Blake will be teaching Weekday Workouts Downtown at the Gallivan Center. The workouts will include things like Plyometrics, a DJ mixing LIVE and possibly even Kettle Bells. But guess what else... it's TOTALLY FREE. Yep you heard me right, the Downtown scene is a little dull so the city was looking for ways to liven it up and what better way then a little summer work out PAR-TAY. It starts June 1st and will run thru Aug. 31st. Since the classes are free you do have to register so go HERE for more information.

So grab you SPANDEX and come Downtown for some fun!

xoxo,

PS: I made the branding for this event! I think it's pretty cute if I do say so myself.

Happy Birthday To ME

2010-05-05T13:48:00.001-07:00

Yep that's right as of April 30th I am now 24. I know right... I think I for sure get to count myself among the grown ups now, right? So in honor of my 24th birthday here's what I did.

Painted myself some pink zebra nails.

Blake made me breakfast... isn't he great!

Even though it was my birthday I let Blake order one of his favorite appetisers at the Cheese Cake Factory.

I know we should have taken this picture before we ate our meals but what can you do... at least you know it was good!

Me in my Birthday outfit I think the sunlight coming through the open door makes my look extra glamorous and what a more more perfect day to be glamorous then on your Birthday!

And this is the painting Blake gave me for my birthday. The colors didn't come out very true from this picture that Blake took with his Iphone but it really is a beauty. I think I'm going to hang it in our bedroom!

Yes, I do believe it was a very happy birthday indeed!

{Oh, a big thanks to all those who sent cards, gifts, best wishes and loves my way. It made me so very happy!}

xoxo,

And so they came... much to my chagrin

2010-04-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

(Please excuse the laundry I was in the process of folding in the background)

Well they finally came and they're only like month late. Blake kept teasing that hopefully he'd have them by my birthday and I'd say he was just about right since it just so happens to be on Friday.

In my defense I have to say it really wasn't my fault that it took so long to receive them. I mean who knew that these ridiculously hideous shoes would be in such high demand!

When Blake first told me he wanted these shoes I asked him what the heck for and when or where will you even wear them. As I stared at the picture of the shoes in disbelief, Blake never one to come unprepared proceeded to pull up a YouTube video in which the narrator described how he used his Vibram 5 fingered shoes. Top of the list... casual wear. WHAT THE WHAT! By this point I couldn't stop laughing because their was no way on Earth I was about to parade around town with my husband and his casual wear monkey toe shoes. So after much discussion we agreed upon the shoes with the following user stipulations... the GYM and places Tigan won't be seen with them!

Here's to a HAPPY HUSBAND!

xoxo,

A Post About Toulouse

2010-04-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

The LITTLE EASTER LAMB
I know this is late but I just thought it was so funny. For Easter Blake's parents sent us some too cute Easter decorations. It was a really busy morning when I received the package and so after unpacking all the goodies I left them on the floor beside the box and hurried off to finish getting ready. At first I thought he liked it because of the Milano cookies. But when I returned to the living room I found a mess, Isabella's chocolate stained face, an empty package of Milano Cookies and Toulouse all snuggled up to the little Easter lamb.

The TERRIBLE TUTU

One day Tigan found this scrap of tulle and she thought it would be funny to put it on Toulouse.

Toulouse was NOT amused!

Isabella tried to help.

But Toulouse decided to take matters into his own hands!

xoxo,

Happy Easter

2010-04-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Our delicious Easter Sugar Cookies!

Since we have been married almost five years I decided it was about time we got ourselves some EASTER BASKETS. But you know me I couldn't just go to the store and pick one out. No I seem to make everything just a bit more difficult. So I started out with a theme and since we recently saw Alice in Wonderland I've had all those wonderful colors and images just floating around in my head so...

Concept Images for Blake's basket

All decorated on Easter morn.

Blake in his new Easter Glasses... so handsome!

Concept Images for Tigan's basket

The Easter bunny knows Tigan well he brought her an interior design book.

Let the Easter Egg Hunt BEGIN!

Happy Easter!

xoxo,

A Day At the MuSeUm

2010-03-25T08:16:00.001-07:00

On our way to the Museum riding TrAcKs

@ The Natural HiStORy Museum

We had fun at the UVU Natural History Museum but don't go expecting something similar to the NHM of New York because you'll be sorely disappointed. Mckay said that he'd actually been to this museum before on a field trip but he had a lot more fun this time because we acctually took the time to read all the little plaques and play with all the interactive exhibits. The museum is pretty small it's only like 3 rooms and the exhibits are pretty run down but I hear they are currently building a new NHM and it's scheduled to open in 2011. I saw some of the plans on the website and it looks really interesting... I can't wait!

On a side note I'd just like to say that at all museums really need to have some kind of attendant who's only job is to go around resetting all the interactive exhibits. I mean who wants to come to the dinosaur dig only to find all the dinosaur bones have already been uncovered... lame! I guess it would be OK if the kids are really little just push the sand back over the bones and they probably won't even remember where they where... but when your 12 it just becomes a tad bit anti-climatically!

Regardless Kayo and I had a really BrIlLiAnT time.

Tour of the Salt Lake City LiBrArY

xoxo,

The Evil Eye

2010-03-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

SO FUNNY!

A very happy un-birthday to you!

2010-03-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

Monday was Blake's 27th birthday. I know he's getting old right. I asked Blake what he wanted for his birthday this year and he said some chicken hearts from Rodizio Grill(pictured above) and a pair of these...

If you're thinking to yourself what the heck are those don't worry I said the same thing. These are the Vibram-Five-Fingered Shoes. I call them just plain U-G-L-Y but since it's not my birthday I'll keep my mouth shut. Apparently they're very comfortable and are extra good for people who have problems with their arches. They even make them in pink but don't worry you won't be seeing mein a pair of these babies anytime soon. Also, even though I can't really understand why, they seem to be extremely popular we had to put our names on a waiting list. Ya that right you heard me A WAITING LIST (hahahahaha... Tigan laughing in the background). Sorry joking aside.

So we hit Rodizio Grill were Blake filled himself silly on MEAT
Bake showing off his BELLY!

We also saw Alice in WonderLand... which we thought was just fantastic!

and we each had a slice of Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake from the Cheese Cake Factory.

I think we can call this birthday a success!

Fight For Air Climb

2010-03-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Blake participated in the annual Fight For Air Climb put on by the American Lung Association. Basically the whole premises of the event is to get someone or a group of people to sponsor you as you climb the stairs of this building...

The Wells Fargo Building

23 FLOORS and 598 STEPS

Different people pledged different things. Some people said they'd give him a penny a step while others said that if he could climb the tower 10 times they would stop smoking altogether. So what do you think he did...

I'm not sure what number this was...

and finally 10 TIMES!
Congrats to Blake on a Job well done.

A Day of Lovin'

2010-03-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

I know this is late but I had to put it up because I make all these blog posts into books. Ahh the joy of technology terrible scrapbooker, CHECK. Using blurb to create my own super easy version of a scrapbook, DOUBLE CHECK!

So this year Blake planned out this whole Valentines Day surprise. We saw the chick-flick Dear Jon which was terrible except for the hot Tatum Channing part oh and the Ben and Jerry's Ice cream.

We went to the macaroni grill where I tried really hard to be adventurous and pick something new on the menu. But alas... I just didn't have the strength and ended up with some good old Fettuccine Alfredo!

Oh and this beautiful masterpiece that we created on the table. I'm sure our waiter just loved us.

and we spent the night at one of my favorite places the Hotel Monaco. I just love the design of their suites so British Colonial.

Hope you to, had a very... HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

xoxo,

A Baby Tale

2010-02-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

^------------- ^ --------------^
HAPPY -- AWKWARD -- HAPPY

Yep, thats right they've up an left me, 2 of my very closest friends are well on their way to joining the ranks of motherhood and with that comes the dreaded... Du Du Dun BABY SHOWER! I know I'm suppose to love baby showers. I'm a girl it should be ingrained in the fibers of my being or something... RIGHT? I'm sure you all know home much I just enjoy children, it's not that I hate them they just make me seriously uncomfortable.
However there is one think I do know about baby showers, you have to take a GIFT. Easy enough... so I set out to find the perfect gift for my very first Baby Shower. Feeling confident I lacquered my lips in the review mirror with my favorite gloss and and turned the ignition it was at this point that I realized I hadn't the slightest clue what to gift for a baby shower. So... I called my MOM surly she would know what I should get.

RING RING...Hello?

Tigan: (urgently) " Mom I need to get a gift for a baby shower, what should I do?"

Mom: (duh Tigan) "Just go to the baby section"

So off I went...

Enter: Baby Section

First I started in the bottles, binkys and other various baby products. But since my knowledge base was quite small in this area I quickly moved on to the toys. I was immediately drawn to the dolls but seeing as the shower was for a boy I thought it best not to select the curly headed baby doll with matching pink bow and dress. Then I pushed all the buttons on the toys that made noise which gave me a head ache and so I decided if they drove me crazy they were sure to drive the expectant mother up the wall. Ex-na on sound making baby toys which brought me to the baby clothes. Now I love clothes so I though to myself ahh at last something I recognize. As I began to browse the racks I started to notice a creepy little baby trend... the clothing sported images of puppies or alligators with teeth that looked like pillows. Everything resembled pajamas except that they didn't have holes for the hands or feet. It was all so cutsie and....PASTEL! It was at this moment that I started to break out into a cold sweat and the reality that I would, that very evening be sitting in a room filled with women that ooed and ahhed the baby presents as they were passed around the circle and that we might possibly be playing baby games like guess the tummies size with T.P. or that baby diaper game were they make those cookies that look like pooh. By now I felt positively ill and I called Blake to tell him that I was currently standing in some sort of Baby Hell and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it out alive and then... out of the corner of my eye I saw it! Gleaming like a beacon of light CALVIN KLEIN! I ran arms out stretched tears filling my eyes until I felt the soft fuzzy material hit the tips of my fingers. The perfect baby shower gift a set of 5 Calvin Klein beige, white and aqua striped onsies! With baby gift in hand I happily paid the cashier and then wrapped the gift in a yellow Kelly Wearstler-esque gift bag.

By the way the Baby Shower didn't turn out half bad we didn't play any games and there was minimal ooing and ahhing. On a side note they just called me to be the Baby Shower Coordinator in our ward. Are you kidding me... I seriously think they make this stuff up I mean have you ever head a baby shower coordinator!

* in an effort to think up a brilliant title for this post I googled baby quotes and sayings this is what it came up with.

{Getting a burp out of your little thing is probably the greatest satisfaction I've come across. It's truly one of life's most satisfying moments.-Brad Pitt} Wow LOL

{A baby is an angel whose wings decrease while his legs increase.} I'm sorry but that visual is positively repulsive

xoxo,

MEDIOCRE to MARVELOUS

2010-02-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Since I have been unable to cash my paychecks for the past several pay periods at my work I have begun taking home product as a form a payment. Normally I would think this exchange was totally awesome were it not for the fact that I think most of the products we carry are absolutely hideous! I thought it might be fun to see how the right design atmousphere can really change something from not so attractive into something darn right sassy! And it just so happens that I show cased some of the products I NOW own in my last post entitled "Barton Creek" so here ya go from....

MEDIOCRE

to...

MARVELOUS

Well at least I think so {wink wink}
ENJOY

xoxo,

Barton Creek

2010-02-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

Recently at my job we had a retirement home ask us to decorate a few rooms for one of their open houses. I was kind of excited because seriously how often is it that you walk into a retirement home and say to yourself this room is totally ROCK'N...uh...NEVER! Maybe rock'n was a little to much how about just modestly tasteful...well you get my point. The only catch was we had to use product that we already had in our show room...UGH....Let's just say that my place of business has LESS than "modestly tasteful" products on the floor. So I teamed up with another cute designer and we went to work. I think in the end it turned out pretty good for what we had to work with.

xoxo,