lovin' ...

this photo

from here

this garden path

via here

this table centerpiece

from here

these fans

from here

this small, bold manhattan kitchen

via here

these lanterns

from here

this room

via here

this handle

from here

this setting

via here

a must see

we didn't get to run away. we woke up to a very sick puppy and temperatures already 85 in the house at 7am. if you didn't hear, seattle's having a heat wave. and most of us don't have a/c. after a visit to the vet, we rented this.

image from here

we hunkered down in the family room with blinds closed, drapes drawn, fans a-going. oh, and a portable air conditioner that couldn't keep up.

the movie was awesome. a definite must see. it's rare that steve and i actually enjoy the same movies. in fact, we've yet to see a movie in a theater together. i do recommend watching it though without the whir of 6 fans and an a/c unit. you might catch more dialogue than i did.

we're running away.

to escape the heat. it's gonna be in the mid-90s today. we don't have a/c. i'm hot. therefore i'm cranky. we're going up. to snoqualmie pass. to a lake. maybe it'll look like this.

via here

we're taking this little one. she's not so little anymore. i pulled out her baby picture which always make me smile. makes me less cranky.

see ya tomorrow.

I had to do it.

i opened the email. and now i'm dreaming about these.

and these!all found here

I could seriously...

be lounging, no sleeping, in this space right now.

from here

i'm tired. and we're having a heat wave. and we don't have air conditioning.

the weekend was extremely busy. i spent friday replenishing my stationery between farmers markets. friday night we had company for dinner. we had burgers, zucchini hash, corn on the cob, and these guys.

image from here

yum. this is our go-to dessert for the summer. my husband loves building a fire on a cool summer night.

i was up bright and early saturday morning to head to the farmers market to sell. long day capped off with a gym workout, sushi, and pixel's play date with the neighbor's puppy.

buddy

i spent sunday preparing for more guests. we had these two showing up from driving cross-country!

jared and sarah and steve and pam

they visited a month ago on a job-hunting trip and were successful. now they're here permanently. they're our guests until they find an place to stay. they drove all the way from atlanta. hmmm... maybe they brought the heat. and they got to meet our friends who live in the same area as where they wanna live. so now they have a connection in hopefully their new neighborhood.

steve made homemade pesto for pasta.

image and recipe from here

we had grilled salmon, salad, and this for dessert.

rustic fruit tart from here

and now i'm ready for that daybed above. for a long, long nap.

but i'll wake up in time for this.

image from here

does she pick ed or kiptyn? my guess, neither.

lovin' these

all photos via canadian house & home

OMG...

can you imagine the wedding reception?? go here.

Garden Stools

when we bought our adirondacks for the patio last year we didn't purchase the footrest.

from here

sometimes i need a footrest. i found this today on martha's site.

you buy a cheap campstool and customize it with your own fabric.

images from here

i think i can do this. i've got some burlap coffee sacks in the garage just looking for a place to land.

image via here

maybe on the stools? i wouldn't have to be concerned about the fabric weathering on the back deck. they'd also make great extra seating for when we entertain a larger group. i think i'll add this project to my to-do binder. yes, binder. started as a to-do list and grew and grew. it's now a binder.

look what designsmayamade has done with her coffee sacks.

pin cushions

image here

burlap bucketsimage via here

she even offers the sewing pattern for her burlap bucket here in her shop. check it out.

found here

i think this is going in the binder.

Ginger-y Bliss

have you tried this?


you must. it's awesome. caffeine free and made with cane sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup. a cold one's perfect on a summer day.

My Heart

last week I was catching up with millie over at the laurel hedge. if you haven't paid her a visit, please do. i guarantee you'll be laughing hysterically within minutes. she and her moth do have some wonderful adventures. millie was tagged to post a photo of her heart. she did a wonderful post about a turning point in her life when she was cast as alice in wonderland in the school play. i read the post with such interest, scrolling down, scrolling down, until i read the last line. i panicked. i was tagged. millie tagged me to post a photo of my heart.

how could i ever post one photo to represent my heart? it's taken me a week to find the photo. here it is.

found here, via here

i chose this photo because it evokes happiness to me. pure happiness. and that's what my heart is... purely happy. happy because i have these two in my nest.

happy because i have my health, a wonderful family, great friends, a business i really enjoy. so happy i could twirl. although i don't twirl. twirling is up there with dancing. and i don't, rather can't, dance. tried, doesn't work out. as my husband says, i'm elaine on seinfeld. but i'm still happy. purely happy.

and i tag the following to play along. i'd love to see a photo that best represents your heart.

janna @ jacjewelry

alison @ alisonkelleydesigns

courtney @ underapapermoon

sarah @ serendipity

Sunday

sunday started with chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes made from this, served with honey and sliced strawberries. yum. (and that's chocolate chips and blueberries together in the pancake... try it, it's awesome.)

steve actually prefers these, and we often have 2 batches going, his and hers. but today, only one.


pancakes were followed up by watching these 2 duke it out on the links. it's the one sport i can watch on tv.

photo from here

the weather was perfect. 75 and clear and sunny. i read this in the backyard.


i tended to a few plants while the master gardener mowed the lawn.


after a venture to the dog park for some exercise, we finished it by relaxing on the back deck with homemade sunny bunnies.

photo from here

juiced carrots, apples, ginger, and banana. another yum.

a quick pose for the camera and


and then back to relaxing.

it was a good day. no, a great day.

Priorities

because i want this

from here

to make these

here

and these,

from here

i'm not going here today

to shop amongst these beautiful displays.

images from here

instead i'll be selling this

from here

here

from here

woe is me.