c + a

It's all in the details.

2012-01-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a small sneak peak into our apartment these days. Getting a new sofa a few months ago was a major highlight in my adult life. Let's just say it was quite the upgrade from the days of our bright moss green velvet sofa. I can't say I was sad to see it go.

Blue Lemon

2012-01-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

These are pictures from dinner last night with friends at Blue Lemon in Salt Lake. How is the weekend already almost over? At least tomorrow is a holiday right?

Saturday Treasures.

2012-01-14T15:40:00.002-07:00

My friend Andrea and I went out on the hunt this morning to some little shops in Salty City we have been wanting to check out. We both found some cute things that we came away with. I found two pairs of old clip on earrings that I'm going to glue posts on (the clip ons are just too uncomfortable). I also found this adorable red skirt originally from Anthropologie that I scored for $10. Andrea found two pretty scarves. I'm already looking forward to next time (we've decided it's a new tradition). Have a good weekend friends!

Today I'm...

2012-01-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

Today is my 24th birthday. I spent the day lounging watching Mad Men and going to get my hair colored and trimmed. Tonight we went to to Vinto, my favorite new Pizza place in Salt Lake. It's so delicious, I'd go as far to say it's my favorite pizza yet, and I love pizza. Mmmm. Thanks to all my friends and family for the birthday wishes. It's been a great day!

Artisan Bread.

2012-01-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

My mom makes the most amazing Artisan Bread. She made it today, and it's as beautiful as it is delicious. Learning how to make this bread is on the list of things to accomplish this week amongst other things. Isn't January an amazing month go get motivated? I think graduating school and January coming at the same time did good things for my productivity. Hope your Sunday was as relaxing as ours!

Snow.

2012-01-07T22:05:00.001-07:00

Finally it looks like winter. One of my favorite reasons for my favorite tree lined streets.

Barely a winter.

2012-01-05T19:13:00.003-07:00

The new anthropologie catalogue came in the mail yesterday and this was my favorite page. Nothing looks posed, and the colors are bright. With this winter in Utah barely being winter, this reminds me of our favorite place, the beach. I'm already excited for spring, but a few pretty snow storms would be nice too.

Pretty Memory.

2012-01-04T23:14:00.003-07:00

Do you ever have memories that are so vivid you can replay them in your mind almost exactly? This drive in Costa Rica almost two years ago is one of those vivid moments for me. The scenery was so magical and beautiful. We were driving through the clouds.

Stop and smell the roses.

2012-01-03T17:38:00.001-07:00

These are the rose buds lining the walkway and driveway of our basement apartment that I kept meaning to photograph. The weather today was beautiful and finally being able to come home while it's still light out is quite nice. It's been a very productive day so far. This whole no school thing is kind of nice...

Twelve Goals.

2012-01-03T00:12:00.002-07:00

Twenty Eleven.

2012-01-01T23:49:00.003-07:00

Twenty-Eleven has come and gone. We rang in the new year by watching Dick Clark host the ball drop. He kissed his wife when the clock stroke twelve and it was beautiful. I've spent many New Years with Dick Clark on the TV creating noise in the background of food, games and excited kids to be up past their bed time.

It's been a good year for us. We both finished up our last semesters at The University of Utah. Curtis finished his Masters in Accounting and I received my Bachelors in Strategic Communication. This was by far our greatest accomplishment of 2011, and a big box that has been happily checked in our lives. We won't have pictures to document this until we walk later this Spring.

Thanks to our family and friends who have blessed our lives and helped us get where we are.

We love you.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Lights.

2011-12-24T23:47:00.000-07:00

Last night we went with some friends to see the lights at Temple Square. It was the perfect start to the Christmas weekend. Thanks friends for accompanying us.

Merry Christmas!

Puerto Rico Video

2011-12-22T11:05:00.004-07:00

A little video/slide show of Puerto Rico I finally finished.

Christmas Decor.

2011-12-10T16:21:00.001-07:00

I like untraditional Christmas decor, and thought the things I collected/made came together nicely. I found the Peace on Earth free printable online, made the felt ball garland, designed the other two posters, and picked up the old silver pot and gold candlestick at the D.I. I love this time of year.

It's a very ugly Christmas...

2011-12-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

Our first time wearing Ugly Christmas Sweaters was a success. The mustache was a nice touch don't you think? Two Ashleys + Two Mustache Men = a very Merry Christmas.

Elder Ben.

2011-11-27T11:10:00.001-07:00

When we dropped Ben off at the MTC, two missionaries came up to the car to help Ben with his luggage and get him checked into the MTC. When they asked him what his name was he said, "Ben." Their response, "Welcome to the MTC Elder Ben!" He's probably learned by now, but we'll probably never let him forget it. He's doing very well, and leaves for Russia on December 13th, just in time to freeze his little butt off. When I read his letters every week I'm always amazed at how grown up he sounds. We're excited to talk to him on Christmas! Here are some recent pictures.

Crafty.

2011-11-20T00:37:00.003-07:00

My sister and I were in a crafty mood this evening, but we didn't have the supplies for what we wanted to make. Tonight we were at Nordstrom Rack looking at the clearance accessories and noticed, although the jewelry as is wasn't very cute, we knew we could deconstruct it and make it into something we had seen before. I have been wanting to make an order off of this site for awhile, and although I still want to, this is a great idea in the mean time! We are on a kick now, and spent hours sitting on the floor making these adorable bracelets. Don't you think they turned out cute? We love them.

Tomatoes.

2011-11-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

These beauties came from my mom's garden and I miss these garden fresh tomatoes so much right now. Nothing tastes quite like a garden fresh tomato with a little balsamic and feta. Tonight, I made stew and that tasted pretty good too, and tasted a lot like fall. I guess it's a good trade off. Plus, I've decided as an adult, Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday, good food and family with virtually no stress.

Mates of State.

2011-11-13T01:36:00.004-07:00

Mates of State was such a blast as always. Good music and good friends equals a night of dancing and good times. Can't wait until they come again!

Forget Me Not.

2011-11-10T23:28:00.002-07:00

My favorite talk from the latest General Conference. It's beautiful, and I've listened to it many times. It's exactly what every woman needs to hear. These are his five points form his talk along with some of my favorite quotes I put together in photoshop. Enjoy.

Design Sponge Book Signing.

2011-11-08T21:53:00.009-07:00

Tonight I accompanied some friends to the Design Sponge book signing at Anthropologie. It was fun to meet the blogger behind Design Sponge, and the environment at Anthropologie was fun as well. Although I wasn't feeling too well, I'm glad I went. Thanks for the invite Andrea!
PS. Here is a little video of Grace talking about her book. She's pretty adorable.

Pinteresting.

2011-11-07T22:47:00.000-07:00

Like everyone else Pinterest has been consuming my free time a lot lately. It's such a great place for inspiration and ideas. You can follow my boards here.

Wayne + Garth or....C+A.

2011-10-31T22:51:00.000-06:00

Welcome back 90's grunge. Thanks to Andrea for help with our costumes, I can't take the credit. This idea was all hers circa 2009. The glasses were the most expensive part of the costume at $10. I kind of like them...
Thanks to Brady and Stacy for the adorable Halloween party tonight, we had a great time!

Crimson Midi.

2011-10-22T21:42:00.002-06:00

A true miracle. One left, my size, marked down twice. An online exclusive, but found it at the local Anthro. So excited!

Puerto Rico

2011-10-19T12:35:00.006-06:00

Puerto Rico was a success. It is beautiful there. We spent the majority of our trip on a little island off the coast of the main island called Vieques. Truly untouched beaches that were incredible. We canoed in clear canoes in the middle of night and experienced Bio Bay. It was undoubtedly the most incredible thing my eyes have ever beheld, a bucket list must. It's impossible to capture with a camera, but google it, and research it, and do it. It's amazing.
Our car was stolen a short three hours after arriving to Puerto Rico, although this did put a minor damper on the beginning of our vacation, it in no way affected the remainder.
Vieques was a place of true isolation. No television, no internet, no cell phones, just each other, and gorgeous beaches, wild horses, and very loud frogs. Sometimes you need minimalism to realize how much we depend on being connected. Sometimes it's nice to just be detached.

Home.

2011-10-18T18:48:00.003-06:00

We just got home, and it feels good to be home. So many stories...

Rental car was stolen three hours after arriving in Puerto Rico. That story comes later....for now I must study for my exam tomorrow. Eeek.

I miss him already.

2011-09-28T14:51:00.005-06:00

See ya in two.

So long, farewell.

2011-09-25T21:02:00.006-06:00

(Curtis' pants: Gap, $4.00, and don't you love them?)

Today was my brother Ben's mission farewell. He did an amazing job speaking and I'm so excited and proud of everything that he has accomplished thus far. He's grown up a lot both spiritually and physically within the last year and I'm proud to say he's my "little" brother. He leaves for the MTC this Wednesday and it's going to be another emotional day in our family, but we are excited for his adventure. It's always bitter sweet, but we wish him all the best in the world and love him like crazy. We love you Benji!

Family Photo.

2011-09-15T21:20:00.006-06:00

Last Sunday.

Made in India.

2011-09-05T18:22:00.005-06:00

We went Yard-Saling on Saturday morning and we found these adorable coasters, a set of four for a dollar. We also found a tiny candlestick and a large antique trunk. I fear that there aren't many Saturdays left of the Summer to Yard Sale away, so we will have to take advantage of the next few.

Ben Gibbard Never Ceases to Amaze.

2011-08-24T00:02:00.005-06:00

We went to Death Cab for Cutie last night and I loved it. They are sort of that band for me. Not necessarily my favorite band of all time, just that band that's sort of sung my way through the past seven years, so they hold a special place in my heart. We had such an amazing time. They played so many songs from Transatlanticism which I will say is one of my favorite albums of all time (a very bold statement coming from me). We quite enjoyed ourselves and were able to bring our friends along with us.

Bright Eyes.

2011-08-13T00:15:00.004-06:00

Bright Eyes was free on Thursday at the Twilight Concert series which was incredible considering how long Bright Eyes has been around. They played many of my favorites. Curtis didn't quite enjoy it as much as I did, but I'm glad he came. He's a trooper. We took the scooter down and met with our friends Rod+Tan, and Andrea+Tyler. Thanks to Andrea for the pics courtesy of her iPhone.

wedding slideshow.

2011-08-10T12:31:00.001-06:00

We recently just celebrated our two year anniversary and I just put a little slideshow together of our wedding pictures.

Uintas.

2011-08-06T22:38:00.005-06:00

We went camping up in the Uintas last night. It is absolutely gorgeous up there. The rest of the world thinks so too. Almost all of the camping spots were full. We finally found one around 10:30 last night. Regardless of being a little frustrated, we had a great time. The next day we hiked, and loved it. I have a farmers tan to prove it.

Anniversary 8.7.09

2011-08-03T20:54:00.002-06:00

Jessica Kettle Photography

Yard Sale Find.

2011-07-31T20:29:00.000-06:00

We have been wanting one of these Springbar tents for a long time, but they are expensive new or used. We went to a few yard sales on Saturday and found this one for a steal. We are so excited to use it! In fact we are going camping this weekend. Ugh, I can't believe tomorrow is August! Where did this summer go?

pioneer day.

2011-07-25T12:55:00.004-06:00

This weekend was filled with bbq's and time with family. We spent Saturday night with my family at my grandma's house. Then last night Stacy hosted the most adorable little dinner party at her house followed by fireworks. I'll miss you July.

Wreath.

2011-07-21T11:24:00.001-06:00

What I'm planning on making this weekend...
images via prudent baby

Campfire.

2011-07-20T23:17:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we had our first campfire of the season. The mountains really are so beautiful this year, everything looks and feels so lush, and it smells amazing.
Thanks Tan for capturing this photo. I like it.

Drive-In.

2011-07-11T00:38:00.005-06:00

We went to the drive in with our friends Rod and Tan and I hadn't been to a drive in, let alone a movie in years. The weather was perfect, and Super 8 was really good. So many summer activities left to be enjoyed.
And yes, that is a twin size mattress in the back of Curtis' truck, it's the only way to go to the drive in!
PS. Thanks for the pics Rod and Tan (I may have stole these off their blog)

Dresser.

2011-07-09T20:17:00.002-06:00

I made the little party banner with paint chip samples and twine. I also found the purple lampshade on clearance at Target for six dollars.

Bon Iver.

2011-07-07T20:40:00.001-06:00

I'm obsessed with this song, this video, with Bon Iver in general.
So beautiful.

Hike.

2011-07-05T15:37:00.001-06:00

We vowed we would hike this summer, and so far we have done two hikes in seven days. Ideally we would like to hike every weekend. If you have any good hiking spots or would like to join us, please let us know! This hike was in Pine Valley near St. George.

4th of July.

2011-07-05T00:17:00.002-06:00

Happy Fourth of July!
I celebrated the day by lounging around the house adjusting back to life after a vacation and preparing for a small BBQ with friends. After, we went to Sugarhouse park for the fireworks.
Hope you had a great day off and ate lots of corn on the cob and watermelon.

My Collection is Growing.

2011-07-03T17:14:00.000-06:00

I might've gotten yet another pair of oxfords whilst in California...and these are just my brown pairs...

Oceanside.

2011-07-03T16:57:00.014-06:00

This past week we were in Oceanside, California with my side of the family. My grandma and grandpa were extremely gracious and rented out a beach house, directly on the beach for my dad's entire side of the family. It was luxury to say the least and it was fun to have a nice week off from the daily grind.

Yamaha Riva.

2011-06-21T22:51:00.001-06:00

So funny. Curtis found this Ad today, after he completely restored his scooter EXACTLY like this. Red and black paint in the exact same places. In fact while at Dan's the other day a man stopped Curtis and said, "Wow, that is a beautiful scooter." Maybe a slight over statement, but it does really look good. We'll post a picture, today was a little frustrating. He had some issues with the muffler. So as I type this he is out in the garage working on his little scooter baby.
She'll be good as new in no time I'm sure.
This Ad is just hilarious to me too. Oh the 80's. I love the look on her face in reaction to that very large sandwich.

Codes and Keys.

2011-06-18T12:05:00.001-06:00

Curtis has been telling me that there is a surprise coming for the past week. As I was leaving for work yesterday I checked the mail and saw an envelop from ticket master. I was curious but I didn't open it. Last night Curtis let me open the envelop and it was tickets to see Death Cab!
I'm so excited. I saw them back in High School at In the Venue. We had tickets a couple years ago to see them play at Red Butte but we ended up selling them. When we started dating this band was (always will be) my go to band. I've always adored them.

Welcome home R+T.

2011-06-18T01:24:00.001-06:00

We had our friends over for dinner tonight and we didn't take any pictures. Sad. It was fun! We had all of the summer foods, watermelon, corn on the cob, baked beans, fresh salad, berry cobbler. Mmm, Mmm. We played games and chatted the night away. We didn't get a picture, but we want to tell Rod and Tan we are happy you are home and excited to spend the summer planning new adventures! Thanks for coming to dinner!

Mission.

2011-06-15T22:12:00.000-06:00

My little brother, who is no longer little anymore, received his mission call today! He will be serving in Russia! We are so excited for him!

Smells like Summer.

2011-06-12T23:47:00.003-06:00

Today I wore pink pants and it smelled so much like summer driving with the windows down. Summer in Utah smells so good.

I have posted a lot of pictures of Maddy lately, but can you blame me? I love this dog so much, she has the sweetest personality and I can't wait to get a dog of my very own! Maybe two, to make up for my dogless childhood.

Baby Shower.

2011-06-11T17:58:00.009-06:00

My cute friend Erin from work had a baby shower today, and it was adorable! I took a few photos for her. I just want to tell her congrats, and that I adore her as a friend. I'm going to miss her terribly once that baby comes! Can't wait to meet him!

Scoot.

2011-06-11T16:59:00.001-06:00

Last year Curtis bought this scooter for 100 dollars and it truly was a piece. It didn't run, it didn't have a key, and it was spray painted terribly. This has been his project for the last few months and it's coming together nicely! He took the bike apart and put it all back together. Got it to run, and even painted it with actual auto paint.
And cute Maddy, she loves hanging out with us on Saturday afternoons.

Happy Sunday.

2011-06-05T14:47:00.002-06:00

I still love this blog, Musings in Femininity. These images all came from there. I'm convinced the girl in the last picture has the most perfect blonde hair melt I've ever seen.

I love color, but I also love neutrals, so I thought I'd share these pretty images.

Happy Sunday.

U.O. I love you so.

2011-06-03T22:19:00.010-06:00

I love Urban Outfitters.

You feel the same way I'm sure.

It's rare that Curtis and I can spend a lot of time in one store but we could spend a lot of time digging through their sale racks and going through their home decor section. We scored some cute stuff tonight, for insane prices. I suggest you get over there soon!

Round Petal Pillow: $19.99 originally $42

Patchwork Quilt: $39.99 originally $128

Kimichi Blue Silk Dress: $9.99 originally $69

(Don't think Curtis was left out, he got a pair of shorts and a shirt too.)

This picture is crappy because the lighting in our apartment is crappy. Once we get the room together I'll post a picture of it. It's fun having a husband who cares about his living space.

I have been wanting to do a chevron stripe print something in our apartment for awhile. Last Saturday we went to the D.I. to drop off a few things and went inside to see if they had anything. We found this giant frame and decided it would be perfect for this project. Curtis got the lines perfectly symmetrical and I love it! We are going to hang it in our bedroom.

Childhood Favorite.

2011-05-28T22:20:00.002-06:00

I found this on netflix, and it truly was a favorite when I was little. Watching it as an adult, I realize even more how beautiful the film is, and I can appreciate it that much more. Watch it! It's called A Little Princess. You'll love it, it's sweet. The music is pretty as well.

Swim.

2011-05-22T21:50:00.001-06:00

Asos version (the one I ordered)

J.Crew Version

Cute right? I found it on asos.com for half the price of the J.Crew version, and I also found a 20% off coupon code. We have a family vacation planned for California in June with my side of the family and we are really excited for a little getaway!
I'll get back into blogging I promise. It seems like I haven't even posted a new picture in awhile. Sheesh. Sorry.
I must add a review, I received this swimsuit in the mail yesterday and I absolutely adore the silhouette and the color! I can't wait to wear it. It's a fun take on a one piece.

Spin.

2011-05-16T14:01:00.002-06:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged. To be completely honest I've been feeling uninspired and unmotivated to blog lately. I enjoyed the last week and a half off from school, recently got a promotion at work, and I'm just embracing the slow change in the weather. Did I mention slow? I'm enjoying the transition regardless.

Summer semester started today for me and Curtis. We'll be finished in the fall and it's worth it to us to sacrifice a summer for freedom starting Dec. 2011. Well, freedom from school anyway. We are considering a few travel destinations for this August or October, and we're also planning a big trip to celebrate our graduation in January. Destination yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, I'm going being here. Utah is so beautiful in the spring, living amongst so many mature trees they have recently exploded into blossoms and more recently into leaves. It makes going to school a little less hard when you get to walk on campus when it's warm and not snowing. I'm only taking two academic classes and one spinning class for credit.

I am so thrilled to take this class, if you know me at all, you know working out is not necessarily my favorite activity. I enjoy hiking, and outdoorsy things, but sweating it out in the gym just sounds terrible. Of course it always feels great afterwards, but getting there is a different story. This class will be at 7:30am every Tuesday and Thursday for the next three months.

So the goal for this class is to give up candy starting today May 16, 2011. It's by far my biggest weakness and by giving up candy and sweets I'll be able to feel more healthy, and reap the benefits. Don't we all do this? Every summer? Have great intentions and they all come crumbling down? For those of you that I see regularly, keep me to this! No candy, sugar, sweets, for at least 6 weeks.

This picture makes me feel the sun just looking at it.

Maddy.

2011-04-22T23:07:00.000-06:00

This is Maddy, and she has been sick for the last week. I love her and decided she needed to be on my blog. I love you Maddy.

Beachy.

2011-04-21T23:19:00.001-06:00

I'm certain the rest of you feel the same, but how does this look? Beach. After weeks of hearing about final project deadlines they are now creeping up on me. This weekend will be filled with group projects, papers, and loads of homework. Can't wait til April 27th, five more days and I get a couple weeks off. (From school anyway.) I'll take what I can get!

Lips.

2011-04-19T13:06:00.000-06:00

This color is currently out of stock, but I want it as soon as it comes back in stock! It's not a lipstick, it's a lip gel so it goes on sort of sheer. I love it, and want something pink without fully committing to it. Welcome Spring!

Musings in Femininity

2011-04-19T12:54:00.000-06:00

I adore this blog. Beautiful style on beautiful people.
All photos via Musings in Femininity

Restoration Hardware

2011-04-01T21:31:00.000-06:00

This place is amazing, we went in the first time in Portland, and I am in love with it. Someday? Right Curt?

Jumping in Puddles.

2011-03-26T13:52:00.000-06:00

Rubber boots sure are fun.

Arcade Fire!

2011-03-25T23:43:00.000-06:00

We are going! Yay! Coming to Salt Lake and I'm thrilled. April 11th.

Portlandia.

2011-03-25T00:13:00.007-06:00

This video is spot on. We went to a farmers market on Saturday and I was blown away by how true this stereotype is. Also "Put a Bird on it" was pretty much the theme of our trip to Portland this weekend. Curtis and I would say it to each other way too much. Thanks Em and Al for letting us crash your apartment for a few days! We had such a good time!

Multnomah Falls.

2011-03-23T11:35:00.002-06:00

The drive to and from Oregon as a long 12 hours, but on the way home we had to stop and hike this waterfall. That old bridge was built in the early 1900's, and there was a hike that took you to the top of the waterfall. My butt hurts today after hiking all of the switch backs.

Cannon Beach.

2011-03-23T11:14:00.004-06:00

This past weekend we road tripped up to Portland, Oregon to visit my best friend Emily from High school and her husband Al. We spent a fair amount of time in the city, but my favorite day was when we visited Cannon Beach, it's one of my favorite places. You get the smell of evergreen, beach, and rain all in one place and it's amazing.

Day Light Savings.

2011-03-16T00:35:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry Day Light Savings, but this isn't working out.
And just to clarify, it isn't me, it's you.

cute print from this seller on etsy

Compare.

2011-03-14T11:45:00.000-06:00

We all love Anthropologie, but we don't so much love the prices. The other day I was at Target browsing the clearance rack and I found this jacket on sale for $24. Anthropologie carries a very similar jacket originally priced at $128!

Lonny Magazine New Issue

2011-03-14T09:10:00.002-06:00

I really loved all of the black in these photos. Black would be something I would generally be afraid of because I am usually so partial to white and gray for neutrals, but the black in these photos whether it be the flooring in the kitchen, or the moldings around the above windows, it's really classic and beautiful. The contrast between white and black is bold and unique, and I love it. View the rest of the issue here.

It's official, I'm in love.

2011-03-05T11:25:00.001-07:00

I went to Alice Lane last night to go to that event for Nicole's Classes and bought both the Illustrator and Photoshop books. I was reading through them this morning at work, and I am already so glad I took the long treck to Orem, thanks Andrea for coming with me!
We pretty much fell to the floor when we walked in to Alice Lane Home, everything was so beautiful and rich (and expensive). I had been seeing Alice Lane all over the blog scene and it felt great to actually go there. If only it were in Salt Lake!

Photos: Ashlee Raubach

Changes.

2011-03-01T22:27:00.001-07:00

And I'm sorry. Lately, all I do is mess around in photoshop and illustrator and I keep having these ideas and implementing them immediately. I'm thinking a great way to motivate me to do photoshop/illustrator tutorials would be to post the projects I finish on my blog. If you have any tips for me, or if you like/don't like the changes I've made, speak up! I'd love to hear your comments. Thanks for reading my blog by the way. I don't know why, but it's something I have really enjoyed updating.
Today has been one of those days and I'm incredibly stressed out this semester with school, work and my internship. I just don't know that I have ever been this stressed before, but it's good stress resulting from good opportunities.
So thanks friends.

Love this.

2011-02-27T01:56:00.000-07:00

I have gone an entire month without buying a single shirt/accessory, nothing. This is an accomplishment for me. And since I was so diligent about not spending in Feb, I may need to reward myself in March with this blouse.

Come with me, please?

2011-02-17T23:45:00.002-07:00

This is going to be so great. Check out their blog here. She is an illustrator genius and he is a photoshop genius, I am neither, but would like to be less awful. These books would be great and right up my ally. I want to go and buy two of her books, both are originally 40 dollars, but here they will be half off! Plus it's at Alice Lane, which we've all been dying to see in the flesh anyway right?

Come with me?

Arcade Fire.

2011-02-16T22:23:00.001-07:00

One of my friends posted this hilarious link to a feed of comments wondering who the freak (Utah edit) Arcade Fire is. I felt it is my responsibility to educate the general public so I created a small playlist of some favorites. Please listen, you'll quickly understand why Album of the Year was well deserved.

Repurpose.

2011-02-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm in the mood for some change in our little abode of an apartment. This is a table we found on the curb for the neighborhood pickup. We painted it gray and added some new knobs to it.
This table is reminiscent of our entire apartment, we repurpose and reuse. Someday buying new will be great, but right now we are making do with what we have. We get excited about the simple things.

Valentine's Day.

2011-02-15T08:37:00.001-07:00

We had a very laid back Valentine's Day and I liked it that way. We had different plans for dinner but they didn't work out. I was craving Mexican anyway so we went to Rio Grande Cafe. We came home and watched The Social Network instead of doing the homework we should have been doing.
Sometimes I joke around and will pat Curtis on the back and say something like, "Hey buddy." Or the other day we were sitting in church and I went to grab Curtis' hand and it was as if I was starting a man's handshake upon a male on male encounter. He immediately finished the hand shake and said, "What's up bro?"
We always joke and call each other "buddy" or "pal", but really at the end of the day that's what we are. We have fun together and there isn't anyone I would rather spend my time with. So Happy Valentine's Day "buddy", I love you.

Sailing.

2011-02-13T23:04:00.004-07:00

How great are these photos? I love how bright and vivid the colors are. We were digging through old pictures at my in-laws today and we came across these pictures of their old sail boat. Oh how I wish they still had it.

I also should add that Kelly (Curtis' mom) is looking mighty fine in that bikini, she may or may not be upset at me for posting these :).

Paste.

2011-02-12T15:52:00.003-07:00

Paste magazine sadly is no longer in print. I was saddened to discover this today. I found out about Paste magazine about five years ago and loved everything about the magazine, the artwork, the articles, and the free CD. That was the fantastic thing about the magazine, a free sampler disc of new music and new artists with every issue. I loved coming home and seeing the new issue of paste sitting on the counter waiting anxiously to be read cover to cover. I was recently remembering how much I appreciated the magazine and was thinking about renewing when I discovered their demise. It looks as though they are somewhat keeping up various aspects of their site but they haven't come out with a new full issue since July.

Their most recent sampler is on their homepage from November, these were some favorites.

Junip (Jose Gonzalez) - Always
Ra Ra Riot - Boy
Of Montreal - Coquet Coquette
Lost in the Trees -All Alone in an Empty House
Ferraby Lionheart - Harry & Bess

Messy Side Ponytail.

2011-02-10T00:19:00.000-07:00

I love this tutorial on how to create this messy ponytail posted on A Cup of Joe today. Click that link and she gives you a step by step process on how to achieve it.

Photos via: A Cup of Joe

Spring Collection.

2011-02-04T16:12:00.005-07:00

Getting excited...

D M V.

2011-02-01T17:05:00.005-07:00

I cursed.

I'll admit that this isn't something that's completely out of the ordinary but I don't generally curse at people, with the exception of today.

Back in March I was at the DMV changing my name on my license to my married name. If you are a long time follower of the blog or know me personally you know I was married in August of 2009. Am I a procrastinator? Yes. Often times I don't do things until the last minute, they get done when they need to be, but nonetheless it's a bad habit and I'm aware of it. It's a new policy that you have to bring various forms of identification in order to renew your license or in my case, change your name on your license. I remembered everything, but my birth certificate. They issued me a temporary license that would last six months until I brought in my birth certificate. Well six months came and went and it's almost March again. I figured now was probably a good time to take care of it.

I drove to the DMV in West Valley, walked through the doors in a fairly good mood. There are signs everywhere telling me to fill out paperwork before getting in line, I've already filled this paperwork out 11 months ago and I'm not about to do it again. So I ask an individual if I need to do it again based on my situation, he advises me that I do. I get in line, and I ask another employee if I need to be standing in this line to take a picture and get a number if I have already done this. He tells me that since my temporary has expired that I must wait in the line and get a new picture taken. I waited for about 40 minutes to be told that waiting in that line wasn't necessary, that they didn't NEED to take my picture again.

I get my number and I am waiting and they finally call B119. I get up to the counter and the lady says, "What do you want." I am livid as is, but I am respectful and tell her that I just need to show her my birth certificate in order to get my license issued. She asks if this was the original DMV that I went to to file the initial paperwork. I respond, "No." She hands back all of my documents and says, "Sorry, you'll have to go back to the other DMV." I lost it. Profanities were said at my frustrations with incompetent employees and government offices in general. By the way, the paperwork I filled out initially that took five minutes, no one even LOOKED AT IT.

I drove all the way to the other DMV and two hours of my day are two hours I will never get back. And here I was looking forward to Feburary. I have higher hopes for Feb. 2.

Lonny Magazine

2011-01-31T21:17:00.002-07:00

This is a beautiful magazine I just discovered that you subscribe to and view online for free. Beautiful interiors, and this issue is full of gorgeous ideas. Definitely check it out here.

I love the color scheme in the first room, it's pretty obvious that I do if you came to my apartment as is, but I think I want to implement this sort of style into our bedroom. I'm warmly welcoming February with open arms.

Classic.

2011-01-27T23:34:00.001-07:00

I have no words.

A good day for Hunters.

2011-01-25T11:47:00.007-07:00

I got these Hunter boots for my birthday and today really was the perfect day for them. I went outside to scrape the snow off the windows and I came away with dry feet.

Also, is January over yet? I cannot drive/get stuck in the snow one more time. Having low profile tires that have no traction whatsoever was the worst idea for winter I've ever had. My car has been towed more than once this winter, and its not even a matter of sliding it's a matter of just going for poor Sophia (the car). Winter is just not her month, and to be honest I'm kind of Spring, Summer, Fall girl myself.

New Nephew

2011-01-21T22:50:00.006-07:00

Meet adorable Greyson Beyer (spelling still being determined)! Stacy looks great and is doing great, so excited for the new addition to your beautiful family!
It was fun taking pictures with my new camera for Stacy, I think they turned out great.

Very pretty sunset tonight too.

Fellow Anthro lovers.

2011-01-12T12:53:00.004-07:00

Do you remember this blouse from last year? Sold out.
I found it on the CHEAP.
Yay! Happy Birthday to me.

1.11.11

2011-01-11T22:16:00.007-07:00

Today was a good day, t'was my birthday. I celebrated by going to my internship for the first time, it's definitely going to be a good thing and I'm less nervous after going today. I took the day off from work just because I thought having a birthday was a good enough excuse. We went to dinner at Cannella's, an Italian place downtown. The camera died at the restaurant after playing around taking pictures of bottles, which is why I included the picture below. Twenty-Three and never been happier.

Wardrobe Hardware.

2011-01-10T23:22:00.002-07:00

The wardrobe I keep talking about really is finished, and it looks so beautiful. Curtis took almost a year to perfect it, and I'd say it's there. It was the most expensive thing we purchased from the DI at $150 dollars, but it really was well worth it. Such an heirloom piece. We don't have hardware for it right now, so it's not all put together. So I'm trying to decide on the perfect knobs and pulls. There are three knobs for drawers across the top, and two knobs for the doors in the front. Of course Anthropologie offers the perfect ones at a not so perfect price. Worth it though? Maybe...

50 cents.

2011-01-08T22:52:00.006-07:00

Spotted this book at the DI today for 5o cents. I've seen this book before, and the illustrations are beautifully simple. It's a witty "how to" on proper table manners. The illustrations are done by Joe Eula. He was a fashion illustrator that has had work in publications such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Very cute.

PS. If you are interested in owning your very own copy, looks like Amazon has them used starting at 01. cent, I think that is a pretty affordable price, wouldn't you say?

Also have you seen this video of the man behind The Satorialist?

His point of view is beautiful.

"My lack of knowledge in the beginning really helped and really just made me refine what little I knew to make it work. I think if you ask any other person that does a creative thing, you know they probably go to school and learn all of these different things and as they get better it just narrows and narrows. You can ask most chefs, they would need five ingredients, one pan and a stick of butter and they can make the best meal you've ever had. I think that's really where most photographers would like to get to is to not to have all that other stuff but be able to create the most beautiful image they can in the most simple way they can."

"When I look at something I don't really think is that fashionable enough, is that of the moment enough, I'm just reacting."

What an artist he is. Love this video.

Internship in Art Space.

2011-01-07T10:15:00.002-07:00

Last semester I took a web design class and really liked the creative process that went into it. Although my knowledge is basic, I really want to learn more. My professor mentioned that he may be able to get me an internship. Well he did. I start next week helping these creative minds work on anything from video production to web design, and everything in between.

The location is awesome, Art Space. I'm excited to finally be in a creative work environment. It's going to be a great learning experience for me and I'm excited to move forward.

It will yet again be another busy semester, working 30 hours at my day job, going to school and working 12 hours at this internship. The pay off will be more than worth it though.

Pats.

2011-01-02T15:20:00.008-07:00

Rod and Tan flew "Home" for Christmas. We got to go to dinner with them a couple of nights and play hours of games and drink lots of hot chocolate. It was fun to be reunited! These pictures were taken at Pat's BBQ, and it was good, I love, LOVE bbq.

Oh and this was one of the cool things I got Curtis for Christmas, almost as good as a real vintage typewriter.

Hunter Boots.

2011-01-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

I just love them, especially in the dark olive color.

So long 2010...

2010-12-30T00:16:00.007-07:00

Things accomplished this year that are worth making note of:

1. Finished another three semesters of school (only two left!)

2. Curtis finished his undergrad and got into grad school.

3. Went to Costa Rica

4. Went to Hawaii

5. Climbed Stairway to Heaven in Hawaii and lived to tell about it.

6. Two Vampire Weekend concerts in a 6 month time period.

7. Moved out of student housing

8. Both Curtis and I completed internships

9. Learned to love school

10. Got a calling in church teaching primary

11. Spoke in Church twice

12. Ate at Red Iguana for the first time

13. Discovered citydeals.com

14. Tried bangs (didn't like them enough to keep them)

15. Jury Duty (one of the worst days of 2010, ask me about it later)

16. Found a reason to write a paper about Radiohead

17. Learned how to be a little more patient and learning to be a better wife everyday.

18. Made Pizzelles, our Italian family tradition.

19. Enjoyed every single Sunday dinner with both families (thanks for feeding us!)

20. Curtis finished the antique wardrobe (pictures to come soon)

These are just a few things, some serious, some not so serious. 2010 was a good year, a lot was accomplished and we have a lot to be grateful for.

May your New Years be covered in sequins...

Image via J.Crew

Surprise!

2010-12-25T20:51:00.006-07:00

When you are little and believe in Santa Clause, Christmas is the most anticipated day of the year. On Christmas Eve with our families we talked about how fun it was staying up all night and waking up extremely early because we could barely hold in our excitement. This year I was excited for a different reason. Things get so busy school, work and other responsibilities that time with our families gets cut short. This year I was excited to be with family and to celebrate together. It's interesting how things of importance shift as you get older.

Curtis has been keeping his gift for me under wraps for the past month, not giving me any sort of idea of what he might have gotten. He even went as far as getting me to send him Christmas wish lists and intentionally saying things to throw me off. I'm almost never surprised on Christmas, but this year...I was surprised to tears. Curtis knows how much I have been wanting a nice camera to capture our lives and beautiful things, but we just haven't been able to justify the expense. I never thought that he would have gone for it, but he did.

We spent Christmas morning at my parents house, and Curtis had kept even the box size a secret all morning. He handed me a large wrapped box, that was just holding another smaller wrapped box covered in packing peanuts. My family was all thinking the package was a pair of shoes. As I unwrapped the smaller package and saw the Nikon logo I completely lost it, tears were quickly streaming. Curtis had successfully surprised me, and here was my family thinking I was tearing up over a pair of shoes.

I feel so blessed to have such wonderful family, and such a thoughtful husband. Ever since the beginning when we were dating he has been the best gift giver, always very thoughtful. This Christmas I am grateful for him, grateful for his incredible parents that I now get to claim as mine as well! Grateful for my wonderful parents and family and for the support that they are to us.

On Christmas Eve we went to both Curtis' grandpa's and my grandparent's houses. We had the opportunity to chat with my grandparents for awhile since we had to arrive a little late. It was great. And, if you are looking at my cute Grandma and thinking she has a black eye, she does. First of all, my grandma has one of the cutest/funniest personalities you have ever seen, but she dropped an ornament and went to go pick it up and she wacked her cheek on the corner of the desk (ouch). But when she tells you the story, she adds flare and makes light of it. She's cute.

Merry Christmas, I hope yours was as memorable and loving as ours.

The look.

2010-12-20T00:11:00.007-07:00

Photos by Jessica Kettle

My mom needed some pictures from our wedding for a Christmas gift so I pulled out our wedding disk and started going through pictures. I never tire of looking at our wedding photos. I came across a few that I forgot about and really love, mainly because of the looks on our faces that really tell it all. I know my blog is polluted with wedding photos as it is, but I just can't resist.

I promise this will be the last one for awhile.

Can you believe it's almost Christmas? Less than a week away and I'm not even close to ready. But I did get something really awesome for Curtis for Christmas that I can't wait to share!

PS. I'm thinking about selling my wedding dress, any thoughts? Or takers for that matter?

It's so fluffy!!

2010-12-18T18:02:00.001-07:00

We watched this movie last night, and I must say I loved it. One of my favorite movies in a long time. I love Steve Carell's character and the sweet little girl!

"It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!"

This is cool, and expensive. Of course.

2010-12-13T23:35:00.003-07:00

It's safe to say this ornament was made for me.

Well this website is awesome. Don't you hate it when you find beautiful things that are completely unattainable? Still pretty to look at and imagine though. Isn't that sofa perfect? I think I want to find one just like it, or close to it, for a fraction of the cost. Any ideas let me know.

all above pieces from Jayson Home + Garden

Curtis is twenty-seven

2010-12-13T20:38:00.008-07:00

We used to have a macrame owl named Harvey, I found this ornament and new exactly what I would do with it!

Dear Curt,

Happy birthday! Even though your birthday was on a Monday and you had to work all day and I had a final, it was a pretty good day when you got home. You are so great, and I'm so grateful for you. Thanks for being so scholarly and graduating with your Bachelors and getting into grad school, bright future ahead! You have been an example to me of dedication to school work and I appreciate that. Thanks for getting us out of student housing and into this cute little basement apartment in a neighborhood I may never get to live in again. Thanks for calling me Chow, at first I thought it was weird but then it really grew on me, never stop okay? I'm a little mad you didn't want any dessert because I wanted you to get to blow out a candle, I guess it is your birthday, and I would have ended up eating the whole dessert, so actually thanks for that too. Being married to you is pretty fun. Thanks for picking me.

I love you forever.

Love,

Chow

P.S. Even though I made a pretty good dinner tonight, we should still go out this weekend for fun. k?