Llamas & Lace

rugalicious

2012-03-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hello,

crazy zebra rug...

Welcome

to your new home!

Oh living room.

You've come a long way!

Before:

After!

Work in progress.

But progress,

nonetheless.

Downton

2012-02-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Anyone watch

the season two finale

of Downton Abbey?

Sooooo gooooood.

so good.

addicted.

2012-02-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Being goofy with my sweet new kicks.

In addition to

adult beginner ballet

(just writing that

makes me feel silly)

I'm now taking

modern ballet techniques.

Crazy how different

these styles are.

One is about soft curves,

delicate elongated motions...

the other

is more abrupt

and angular.

I love them both.

I think it's safe to say,

- although I am not a natural

by ANY means -
I'm addicted.

Also, I touched my toes

for the first time

in years!!!

(small) Victory for Jess!

You have no idea

how inflexible I am.

Bids.

2012-02-18T15:08:00.001-07:00

Well...

I made a bid

on a zebra

cowhide rug.

I'm one step closer

to this:

Via

We'll see what happens...

Random Facts & Whatnot

2012-02-14T17:04:00.002-07:00

A friend of mine,

Jesi Lee,

tagged me in a sweet little post...

Basically,

I tell you 11 random things

about myself

and answer 11 questions

Jesi Lee asked.

It's time to get personal.

11 Random Facts

About Llamas & Lace:

1. I grew up moving a lot - thanks to the military - and have a hard time staying in one place for more than three years.

2. After being into sports most of my life, I'm trying my hand at dancing... (beginning ballet to be exact. Let's just say, I'm a work in progress...)

3. Before getting my art degree, I planned on becoming a cardiologist. Big difference :P

4. I hate goodbyes.

5. I believe "The Emperor's New Groove" is Disney's most underrated animated film. Watch it!

6. I love making art and music, but struggle on a daily basis with pursuing it.
7. Most summers when I was younger, I caught tadpoles and raised them to frog-hood. They lived in my mom's flower box (which I flooded for the tadpoles.) She did not like this.

8. I get anxiety over talking on the phone. Pathetic. I know.
9. Chili cheese fries are one of my chief indulgences!!!
10. This might be morbid, but I want the hymn "Give Me Jesus" played at my memorial service. (I guess I think about death more than most.)
11. I love studying interior design and making a house feel like a home. :)

Questions from Jesi Lee:

What accessory can't you live without?
My retainers... do those count?!?
Your favorite Disney Prince Charming
Hmmm... Not sure on this one.
Dog or cat?
Dogs... they're easier to go camping with :P
Your dream vacation- where would it be?
Road tripping the California coast, I think.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I'll be 34, still in love with my husband, and trying to glorify the Lord. Other than that, I have no clue! Haha!
A famous person you'd switch lives with for a day.
Oh dear. Maybe Susannah Spurgeon.
What color do you find yourself wearing the most?
Black and gray. And not intentionally.
A bad habit of yours that you're trying to kick.
People pleasing for the approval of others. It's such a sneaky form of self-centeredness that creeps into my life. It kills me.
What is the most attractive part of (your/a) guy to you?
His love for Christ.
If you could fix one thing about the world today what would it be?
People not using their blinkers while driving. Just kidding. Probably getting rid of pornography and illicit romance novels. They are a waste and only damage people and their relationships.
Lastly, Say something awesome about yourself!!!
Something awesome... I like that I'm a work in progress. I think. Some days I hate it. But that's life. You're always growing. Always changing.

Your Turn.

Drea, Alissa, Liana and anyone else interested...
I invite you to share some randomness
with the blogosphere!

Simply state 11 random facts
about yourself on your blog
and answer my 11 questions.

Here are my questions for you!

1. Favorite season?
2. Worst smell you've ever experienced... haha!
3. What song resonates the most with you right now?
4. Favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor?
5. Your worst habit?
6. Greatest fear?
7. In a zombie apocalypse, what would be your weapon of choice?
8. Favorite board game?
9. Do you prefer black & white or color photos?
10. Greatest regret
11. What you look forward to most in 2012

Here are the rules:

Rules:
1. post these rules
2. you must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. go to their blog and tell them that you’ve tagged them.
6. no stuff in the tagging section about you is tagged if you are reading this. you legitimately have to tag ~~11 people~~ as many as possible since so many have already done it!

Stripes

2012-02-08T18:48:00.001-07:00

I've seen a lot of zebra rugs lately...

And I fear

they might be growing on me.

via

They bring such a bold

and graphic pattern to the space.

I especially love the way they spice up

the neutral furniture in the second image.

In fact,

I think I might try and find one

for our living room...

We have two

velvet olive-green

sitting chairs with an ottoman

in front of our fireplace now

that could use some livening up...

How do you feel about the zebra hides?

(or faux hides?)

Another fleeting trend

or something worth bringing

into your home?

Aware but asleep

2012-02-05T19:37:00.002-07:00

Found this.

Loved it.

Sharing it.

The Boxer Rebellion.

"Caught By The Light"

Master Bath Progress

2012-02-02T01:18:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Thanks to my husband's night shift,

I put another sleepless night to use

by working on our bathroom!

Here's what it looked like before...

It wasn't horrible,

but there were three mismatched towel racks,

flat & semigloss paint on the walls,

and a basic boring mirror.

I decided to remove all the racks,

patch and paint (BM Light Pewter),

and put up hooks,

a new mirror,

and switch out and raise

my shower curtain.

Progress:

Yay for progress!

What's left to do?

paint the trim and door white (BM Chantilly Lace)
switch out the light fixtures
hang more art around my $5 thrift store painting (Think mini gallery wall.)
Install small glass shelf under mirror?
Small window treatment (matchstick blinds?)
Switch bathmat with a patterned runner

I'm still trying to figure out how to

make this bathroom as functional as possible.

We'll see.

For now,

it feels much cleaner

and crisp!

And that is good enough for me :)

Moving forward

2012-02-01T00:10:00.000-07:00

It's decided.

I shall open an Etsy store.

This may take some time

due to me figuring out where to have

quality prints made of some of my pieces

and all that jazz,

But alas...

I have committed myself to doing this.

Thank you for the encouragement!

In other news,

I painted my bathroom.

It's no great feat, but MAN.

I love a freshly painted loo.

I didn't just paint, either.

I design binged. (???)

You know,

when you try to do all the things ever in the universe

for a project ALL AT ONCE?!?!?!

Yep.

I did some hardware removal,

spackling,

sanding,

painting (even the ceiling - ugh),

drilling,

new hooks,

replacing of the mirror,

etc.

I have no idea how I did this within 3 hours.

???

Really good vitamins???

Pics to come.

Life and Such

2012-01-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!

Lots going on over here.

First off, my hubs and I celebrated our

first wedding anniversary!

WOOOOOO!!!!

We went out for some fusion food.

Good stuff, my friends.

Of course,

we took some photos to document

this monumental day!

Hehe!

Our favorite restaurant in town,

"1Zero6,"

is one crazy neat place

with only 2 staff:

the chef (Jake)

and the server (Jeff).

They both have a lot of personality

- as does their restaurant -

and they know our names!

Talk about awesome small town customer service!

They even gave us free dessert for our special night :)

Amazing almond creamy chocolate cake

of awesomeness.

(And I'm a big critic when it comes to chocolate cake.

Seriously.)

So yeah,

that was a big deal for us.

Also, I'm trying to figure out

how to go about making an Etsy store

(possibly?)

and selling some art prints and such?

I did not expect to get so many sweet comments

on my llama piece!

Honestly!

So if any of you out there think Etsy is a good idea,

let me know.

(I guess it's about time I put my art degree to use! Hehe!)

And on a most random note...

I've been doing adult beginners beginners ballet

for a few weeks now...

WHAT.THE.WHAT?!?

No one told me how hard ballet was.

Seriously.

So sore.

Also, I received my first ever foot compliment...

???

I'll take it!!!

Truth be told, a good friend of mine

convinced me to join her in trying out ballet,

and I love it!

I've always been more of a sports/jock kind of girl,

and I'm in NO WAY flexible.

True story.

But it's challenging and soothing!

Altogether!

So expect some updates on that here and there.

So far, I know my positions and a few basic things...

definitely lacking physical grace though!

Anyhow,

that is life for now.

I shall check in again tomorrow.

Hopefully :)

Good day to you!

New Art!

2012-01-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends!

I recently had the chance to

do some printmaking

at a local gallery outside of

Silver City!

Printmaking is a neat process

which I plan on explaining a bit

in the future.

For now,

here's a piece I made!

Llama (Monotype)

Gotta love me some llama!

Merry Christmas from Silver City!

2011-12-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!!!

I just want to say thank you

for taking the time to read my nonsense

and for all the love these last 12 months...

2011 has been one crazy year for us -

with getting married,

moving to New Mexico,

starting a new job ,

buying a home,

and starting from scratch...

It could have been a lot lonelier

if it wasn't for readers like you

sharing advice and kind words.

I am so thankful for you.

I mean it.

Now go put on some fun comfy socks

and drink some cocoa :)

You deserve it.

Christmas ornaments from my friend, Drea!

Our home this Christmas Eve :)

Silver City's Big Ditch Park - I took this while running errands today.

Our home, all cozy for Christmas!

Our stockings!

Merry Christmas, friends :)

xoxo,

Jess & Tanner

Silent Night

2011-12-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends :)

Well,

it's snowing here in Silver City...

In fact, we have around 8 inches

on the ground

and more coming.

It's gorgeous.

So peaceful.

I'm a little sick (boo!),

but I can't complain.

Hot chocolate

old Christmas movies on Netflix

Snow

one joyful Jessie.

Sending love your way!

Here's a song for a cold winter night.

Enjoy!

Kid Art Realized

2011-12-07T23:09:00.001-07:00

Artist Dave DeVries

is incredible...

He takes kids' drawings

and gives them a whole new life.

Check out THIS ARTICLE for more!!!

Pretty sweet stuff

if you ask me.

Everyday I'm shoveling...

2011-12-06T10:19:00.001-07:00

Hello!!!

So...

New Mexico has been getting

some crazy weather lately.

The other day,

it snowed between

6-8 inches in these parts!

I loved it.

Probably because

I haven't experienced

much snow in my life...

I even had to shovel my driveway.

...FYI...

Shoveling snow is quite the workout,

and I may or may not be sore...

Since then,

it's snowed off and on

the last three days,

and I have embraced it with

knee socks and

caramel hot chocolate

while addressing our first ever (!!!)

Christmas cards.

Good stuff

Stay warm, my friends!

House Updates - Yet Again!

2011-12-01T13:06:00.001-07:00

Hello friends!

Sorry for the long absence...

I guess that's what happens

when you host family

and celebrate the holidays :)

In fact, having family visit

motivated me to work on our home!

So here are some updates!

Oh!

I also added a "Mi Casa" Tab

up above

which will give you an up-to-date

tour of our home!

So there's that :)

Now for some pics...

We acquired some bookcases!

- finally -

As you can see,

we have quite a few books

and boardgames...

Three cheers for accessibility!!!

Also, I have recently acquired

a little typewriter collection (!)

which I decided to disperse

throughout our home.

We hung up my seascape in the dining room

to bring a touch of deep teal to the space :)

And I finally finished my

toilet paper sculpture

over the fireplace!

I also acquired a sweet brass coat rack

for our front entryway

and repainted a little bookcase

to store our shoes, mail, keys and such!

And last but not least,

I finally dressed up our kitchen cabinets

with some oil-rubbed bronze hardware!

(I found the knobs & pulls for cheap on Ebay!)

So, there you go!

I have yet to decorate for Christmas,

but I'm excited to say the least.

Here's to hoping

your Thanksgiving was

SCRUMTRILESCENT.

xoxo

- Jess

Hallelujah

2011-11-14T19:35:00.001-07:00

These two kids have been blessed to say the least!

Wow.

Glory to God.

Kitchen Update!

2011-11-11T12:18:00.001-07:00

My kitchen cabinets are finally

getting the love they deserve...

Some fresh paint!!!

After putting off painting the lower cabinets

for months,

I can now say

all my kitchen cabinets

are white!

I reinstalled them today

and will soon be dressing them up

with some new hardware!

Here's a little before and after...

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Still on my list of things to do:

1. Paint the cabinet base boards

2. Paint our kitchen door

3. Install new hardware

And down the road:

1. New countertops

2. New Wood Laminate Flooring

3. Tile backsplash

4. A window treatment of sorts?

Anywho, that's what I've been up to!

Happy Veterans Day, everyone!!!

Projects Galore!

2011-11-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hiya, Folks!

I guess I've been pretty busy over here

these last few weeks...

painting our hallway, office,

and even some canvas!

But I've decided it's time to tackle a project

I've left unfinished for months:

My kitchen cabinets.

What they looked like when we moved in

I painted the top cabinets white

back in June,

but have yet to paint the lower ones

and replace all the hardware...

Here's where it's at right now...

Notice the dishes and rice cooker?

Yeah. Keeping it real.

I plan on cleaning and priming them today

and painting them tomorrow.

I also ordered some neat oil rubbed bronze hardware

to replace the spray painted

ceramic knobs I'm using now...

My current knobs are not holding up super well,

and a lot of them are chipped and cracked

from a few decades of use.

I'll keep the updates coming!

Busting Out the Brushes

2011-11-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Ever since we moved to New Mexico back in January,

I have neglected my easel.

And my brushes.

And my canvas...

I've only worked on our house and furniture.

Well, thanks to my husband working a wacky swing shift schedule,

I've had a lot of nights to myself...

And so,

I busted out the brushes.

I'm making a new page at the top of this blog

for my art.

Hopefully, as I finish house projects,

my time spent painting
will pick up speed.

Here's to starting it up again!

What I made a few nights ago:

Untitled (for now)

Acrylics.

40"x30"

P.S. - photographing acrylics is challenging...

I turned off my flash, but the sheen is still hard to deal with.

Any tips?

FauxKiss & Our Office!

2011-11-03T13:18:00.000-06:00

Several weeks ago,

I won my first blog giveaway!

(YAY!!!)

One of my favorite blogs,

The Vintique Object,

hosted a beautiful art print giveaway

from the Etsy vendor FauxKiss...

I was so excited when I won,

because I chose a print to remind me

of our recent hike

when we heard several elk bugling!

Here it is (as shown on Etsy)

My goal is to fill our home with art

and mementos meaningful to us!

So, winning this print was a wonderful first step.

(Thanks again, Camille!)

I decided to hang it in our hall.

(You can see a peek of our

newly painted office here too!)

And now for an

Office Reveal!

We decided to paint our office
Benjamin Moore's
"Light Pewter"

Via

and paint our trim
"Chantilly Lace" for contrast.

Ideally,

we'll build some shelves over the desks

to hold office supplies,

some art, etc.

as well as purchase some new office chairs.

(These are extras from our dining table!)

We found the curtains on sale

at Urban Outiffters' Website.

I've seen a lot of gray and yellow combos lately

and couldn't wait to try it myself!

So yay!

We'll call this progress for now

since this room has a ways to go...

How about you?

Worked on any late-night projects recently?

Office Goals.

2011-10-27T12:19:00.000-06:00

Hello!

My husband just started working a fun little swing-shift...

Let's just say, it's taking some time to get used to!

Since he's working nights right now,

I'm trying to do some

"quiet projects."

So today, I begin the wonderful task

of painting our office!

The room needs some love,

especially since we spend a lot of time in here!

I use it for my graphic design work,

blogging, and whatnot...

Tanner uses it for sermon research,

gaming, and all that fun stuff.

Also, it's where we watch our movies!

Form and function is the goal.

So far,

this room has gone from a bare rectangle

to sporting dual parsons desks,

a loveseat, and some lighting.

My goal is to have it painted within the next day or so

and to have some curtains up...

Eventually, shelving will clear up our desks.

All in due time.

So here's to baby steps!

and accountability!

(Now that I've shared this with you,

I have to get going, right?)

Have a fantastic Thursday

Hallway Reveal!

2011-10-21T12:23:00.000-06:00

Okay,

so it's not 100% complete,

BUT I want to share!

Here We GO!!!!

BEFORE.

AFTER.

Sorry to lack in the photography skills...

but I think you get the idea!

The color is so rich and velvety.

I love it.

Things to finish the hallway:

- Paint doors white (I ran out!)

- Paint ceiling white? Or lighter shade of the teal?

- Change out light fixture

- Add more art!

- Add a runner rug to hide my paint spill... (oops)

So YAY (!!!) for taking a chance

with a bold color!

What about you?

Painted anything bold lately?

*Paint Color: Benjamin Moore

Bermuda Turquoise in eggshell

Claws and Heartbeats

2011-10-19T10:15:00.000-06:00

So, my painting endeavors are going well!

I'm almost done painting our wide hallway

Bermuda Turquoise

(by Benjamin Moore)

Can't wait to show you!

I must say, though...

Doing trim work

for any extended amount of time

will give a person,

what Sherry from Young House Love calls,

claw-hands.

My right hand seized up for a second

last night

and I dropped my paint brush.

slow motion style.

onto my carpet.

SAD.
DAY.

Guess who spent the next hour

trying to extract said paint from carpet?

THIS GAL.

At least my husband was understanding...

Until we can afford to change out our

14+ year old carpet,

We'll cover it up with a sweet runner rug! :P

Anywho.

That's my week so far.

Lots of painting,

Weird hands,

and listening to good music:

Have a fantasterific day!

P.S. - check out this gal's AWESOME
giveaway
(if you like anthropologie!)

Painting Again :)

2011-10-17T12:03:00.000-06:00

Hello friends!

Today, we paint!!!

Well, I guess

I paint.

Part one shall be

my hallway trim and doors (White!)

soon followed by the deep teal of greatness

which I seem to obsess over...

Inspiration:

Via

I'm excited.

Also,

I'm trying out some paint samples

for my office!

Some grays...

Inspiration:

Via

I've been gearing up to paint

for a while now,

so it feels good to get started!

I guess my house projects

come in spurts :P

Pics to come!

Color Quiz

2011-10-11T11:57:00.000-06:00

I found this quiz today...

It's a fun way

to discover a paint palette

that could work for you!

(Or just something to do

if you're bored :P)

Take The Quiz!

My palettes were:

White Spaces

Tapestry/Mosaic

It was fun for me... so I figured I'd share!

Back Home.

2011-10-07T10:33:00.000-06:00

Our recent trip to Vegas and Disneyland was amazing -

not simply because we stayed up late

laughing on rides and people watching

or eating our hearts out...

Not because of the cool California air

or flying into Vegas and seeing

"The Strip" all aglow...

Our trip was amazing

because we spent it with people

who mean so much to us.

And now, we're back.

In fact, I'm happy to be back.

But there is a loneliness in returning home.

I'm not sure how to describe it.

Maybe it's just me,

or the fact that Tan and I live so far from our families.

This distance has a way of making me feel isolated,

alone even.

I guess that's partly why I blog.

Well, it's cold and overcast here,

and I feel like sharing one of my favorite songs.

Enjoy. :)

Off We Go...

2011-09-23T15:05:00.000-06:00

Hello There!!!

I'm excited to say

that Tan-the-Man and I

will be embarking on an adventure!

Tonight,

we fly to Las Vegas...

and soon after,

Via

DISNEYLAND!!!!

I'm probably more excited than I should be.

I shall take many a picture

and soak in the California ocean air for you.

(I have high hopes of dipping my toes in the surf.)

Have a wonderful week ahead...

I'll blog when I can

xoxox

Adorable.

2011-09-22T10:40:00.000-06:00

I just fell in love

with these elderly folks...

Enjoy!

Home Updates, Homies.

2011-09-21T15:10:00.000-06:00

Guten Tag!!!

Here are some more

home updateywoos for ya.

We bought a rug a while back

from West Elm...

and it finally showed up!

I wanted something to ground our dining set

and add a bit more color to the area...

So here's where it ended up!

Before:

After!

I love the pattern and burnt yellow...

This room is still pretty bare,

but I have ideas for some art pieces (eventually)

and perhaps a little console against that bare wall.

All in due time, I guess. :)

Also, one seriously neglected part of our home

is the wide hallway

between our living room

and office/ guest bathroom/ guest bedroom.

It needs some love, to say the least.

I have yet to paint the hallway, trim, and doors...

But I'm thinking of doing something ca-ca-crazy.

Insert Inspiration:

Via

So, I obviously have an obsession with deep teal...

But I think it would be rocking in the wide hallway.

Plus, it gets some natural light from all the rooms around it.

I'm thinking:

teal walls + white doors and trim + art + new light fixture!

Since I don't have the paint to embark on such an endeavor,

I decided to frame and hang some art.

Here's how it turned out...

Progress!

I found all the frames a week ago

for 25 cents a piece,

spray painted some of them,

and framed a few of my original pieces

(as well as a stamp collection I have

from Argentina.)

Mini Update Cost?

Frames: $1.50 total

Art Pieces: $0 (Made them myself, stamps were a gift)

Spray Paint: $0 (Already owned)

Nails/Hardware: $0 (Already Owned)

TOTAL: $1.50

(not too shabby)

All in all, I like how it adds interest

to a previously neglected area,

but MAN! Does it makes me want to paint!

Have you done any random small changes lately?

Or how do you feel about the teal?

Yay or Nay?

Happy Wednesday!

And thanks for stopping by :)

Success!!!

2011-09-21T12:38:00.000-06:00

About ten minutes from our home

Hello!!!!

So last night, we made our second attempt

at hearing some local elk bugling...

Well,

success was ours!!!!

We heard at least four elk

calling to each other in the dusk...

It was incredible!

Funny side note...

As we were hiking along

into the Fort Bayard Refuge,

we saw some mountain lion scat.

(AH!)

Not long after,

Tanner jumped over to me

and whispered,

"I think a mountain lion

just growled at me!!!"

In the end,

it was only a distant

diesel truck.

Good times...

The Silence and the Sound

2011-09-14T11:40:00.000-06:00

I never expected New Mexico

to be beautiful.

But it is.

Here in Silver City,

the rains turn the rolling hills green.

The skies are full of heavy clouds almost every afternoon -

ready to wash the land,

and the mornings are quiet

and still.

Sometimes, if I'm lucky,

I'll wake up to hear the gentle steps of a mule deer

walking through my yard.

I get so excited to watch in awe from my window,

the sky barely glowing with the coming dawn.

It takes my breath away.

Last night,

My husband Tanner and I

went out on a little hike

not far from our home with our pastor,

just as the sun set.

We walked into the wildlife refuge with the hope

of hearing an elk bugle.

As we stood there,

straining our ears,

I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed -

Overwhelmed by the quiet,

by the stillness,

by the feeling of being at peace

in some

small

wilderness.

In that moment, I thanked God.

I thanked Him for His creation,

for the way He breathes the stillness to life,

just as He did my soul.

In the end,

I heard a faint bugle

a distant echo carried in the wind.

But it was beautiful.

We shall try again soon.

Updateywoos

2011-09-08T11:10:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends!

Here are some home updates for you!

While my brother was visiting in August,

we painted our dining room...

and as of this Tuesday,

our master bedroom is no longer

the color of dirty putty!

(YAY!!!)

Time for some

Before & Afters!!!

Old.

(Not much of a difference in this pic...

My laptop died with all the good

"before" photos... sorry!)

New.

New wall color

(Benjamin Moore's White Dove)

New Curtains

New paint on doors, shelves, and trim

(Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace)

We still need to paint our ceiling though...

(It's such a daunting task!)

On a random positive note,

my basil is growing.

We also added

new curtains to soften up the space.

I love their sheerness.

Progress on my toilet paper sculpture.

(Yep, you heard that right.)

Before.

Currently.

Before.

Currently.

Master Bedroom Painting Time YES!

Before.

After.

I painted it Benjamin Moore's

Woodlawn Blue

So far, I love it.

All of it.

Also, you're wonderful.

Just saying.

The Ladder

2011-09-07T14:25:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Lovesauce

2011-09-06T20:49:00.000-06:00

This is the chocolate cake I made

for my husband Tanner's Birthday.

It's MY FAVORITE chocolate cake.

I first found the recipe

reading the memoir A Homemade Life

by Molly Wizenberg...

(I highly recommend it!)

Want to give it a try???

Let's Make a Cake....

Preheat to 375 degrees

Chop up 7 oz. butter (1/2 inch cubes)

Grab 1 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

Chop up 7 oz. dark (good quality) chocolate, I used Ghiradelli

Grab yo eggs, 5 to be exact

Get yourself 1 & 1/3 cup of granulated sugar

In a microwave safe bowl, combine your butter and chocolate


Microwave the butter-choco mixture (stopping & stirring every 30 seconds) until melted

Butter up an 8 inch round cake pan

Add zee sugar

Stir stir stir!

Add your eggs (mixing one at a time)

last but not least, toss in that flour and stir!

Pour that lusciousness into your pan

It's oven time!

Set a timer for about 22-25 minutes

Pull it out when the center just barely wiggles (about 25-26 minutes for me)

Let it cool (while in the pan) for 10 minutes on a rack

PLATING THE CAKE!!!

*Disclaimer*
Brace yourself for rambling.

Drag a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen it up, and cover the cake with foil

Place a plate on top of the sucker (for stability)

Holding the pan and plate,

with the cake sort of sandwiched in between,

invert the cake onto the foil covered plate

As you can see in the photo,

some of my cake stuck, but no worries,

I just scooped the goodness

and plopped it back where it belonged...

(P.S. - you can solve this problem

by using buttered parchment paper

in the bottom of the pan,

but I'm lazy...)

Notice the bottom is up?

Now grab your fancy serving platter or plate

and place it over the cake's bottom.

Using the same move with the foiled plate

and your platter,

invert the cake again.

It should now be face up on your new plate!

Ta-DA!

One of the reasons I love this cake

is the crispy flakey texture it has.

Inside, the cake melts in your mouth...

Rich, chocolatey awesomeness.

Here's a tip.

Freeze the cake for a while

to give it a more solid, creamy texture.

Also, you can decorate it with powdered sugar

or fresh strawberries...

Whatever you like.

I normally eat it plain.

Because it's THAT GOOD.

How I decorated it for Tanner's Birthday

Enjoy, my friends!!!

Birthday Bonanzafanza

2011-09-02T10:45:00.000-06:00

While my brother was visiting,

we celebrated my husband Tanner's birthday.

He turned the big 23.

Tanner's never been a big celebrator of birthdays...

but that didn't matter to me.

I think every birthday is special.

It's a day worth rejoicing

for the breath you've been given,

for the adventures you've taken,

and for the journey you're on.

So, Laurence and I made Tanner some cards

and silly decorations

to show him how glad we are

to share another year with him.

If you've ever seen the show, The Office,

you might recognize this banner.

We also made some silly cards...

(My brother made all of these!)

When Tanner came home from work,

we had the house ready for him.

We even had a chocolate cake ready!

My favorite chocolate cake to be exact...

I'll be sharing the recipe with you very soon!

All in all, our little celebration wasn't too crazy,

but it was just enough to remind Tan

how much he means to us.

Yay for birthdays!

Grilling

2011-09-01T09:49:00.000-06:00

Hellooooo!

I can't believe it's already September.

This year is going by so quickly!

I'm not complaining though...

I like change :)

On a random note,

Tanner & I

(with the generous gift of a bbq grill from my in-laws)

decided to try our hand at grilling this summer.

My conclusion: Grilling is fun.

See for yourself...

We grilled some fresh veggies,

which I'm always a fan of...

Plus some blue-cheese burgers

with caramelized onions...

And sweet potato fries, of course.

But I baked those,

so they don't count.

And we enjoyed the whole experience

from our screened-in back patio.

All I can say is,

it is so wonderful to finally live somewhere

where the summer heat doesn't melt your shoes

or force you indoors

for 3 months straight.

New Mexico has been pretty good to us.

And as for grilling?

Well, we'll be grilling up a bit

this weekend :)

(This time, some sausage!)

What's your favorite thing to grill?

Just out of curiosity...

Best Engagement Shoot Ever.

2011-08-29T09:56:00.000-06:00

Click Me.

WooWoo.

2011-08-27T12:10:00.000-06:00

Hello friends!

Sorry for the long absence.

2 Things:

1. My laptop died. :(

2. Tan and I had the pleasure

of spending almost the entire month

with my younger brother, Laurence.

My brother and I touring Tanner's mine!

All I can say is, I am so thankful

to have a close relationship with my brother.

Having him visit was amazing.

Hiking the Catwalk

Do you ever feel change in the air?

Like you can sense some huge shifts

nearing in your life?

Sunset from our front yard

I feel like he might be tasting

the beginnings of this.

I don't know about you,

but I love change.

twiggy transition

2011-07-31T14:25:00.000-06:00

Helloooo!

Remember this jewelry holder

I made a while back?

Well,

this New Mexico monsoon season

has done quite the number on it.

How, you ask?

Thanks to the humidity,

the branch became all fun and flexible...

Let's just say

it became a sad excuse

for a jewelry holder.

So, I used an old picture frame I had,

(the gold one in the photo below)

And turned it into this:

All I did was:

1. Remove the glass, cardboard, and print from the frame

2. Hammer in a bunch of nails to the top edge

3. Spray paint the whole shebang

4. Hang it and put on the jewelry!

Easy Peasy.

And

MEGA cheap.

It's way more sturdy

than my poor little twig creation,

AND

I love that it literally frames

my necklaces.

Once we paint our bedroom walls,

I'm sure the frame will stand out even more,

which to me, is a good thing :)

So there you go!

And easy jewelry holder

you can make in 30 minutes or less!

little diddies

2011-07-27T15:59:00.000-06:00

Thanks for all the love on that last post,

I hope anyone else who struggles with anxiety

or people-pleasing feels the love too :)

On another note...

I've been working on little projects

here at our house.

You know, random little touches

and fixes here and there

to make it feel more, homey.

Homey?

I don't know if that works...

oh well.

Anyway, here are some pics of progress!

First off,

Tanner works at a copper mine,

and every so often,

he brings back some beautiful rocks...

We decided to add them to our yard...

They're vibrant in person!

While I was moving the rocks around,

I noticed this little guy...

He just hung out on the wall

the whole time I was working

in the yard :)

To match the rocks,

I repainted our shabby little gate.

(It needed some love)

If you go through the gate,

you'll see the latest addition

to our mini-courtyard...

Man, is it bare in there!

Someday, I'll get a doormat

and more plants :)

The pot and some planting supplies

were a bundled housewarming gift

from some of our church friends :)

I'm a HUGE fan of having plants around,

so I did a little happy dance

when they surprised us with it

(and promptly put it to use!)

Inside the house,

we've updated a few things:

Kitchen

- We added some potted herbs

to the sink area (basil!)

- New kitchen towels with some pizazz

(Big fan of color over here)

- and a new rag rug

Yep... I still need to paint

those bottom cabinets.

Whoops.

Entryway

- I painted our $15 mini-secretary desk

- Spray-painted some old boxes

for organization

- Spray-painted our home-made bulletin frame

to match the desk

- Hung up our key-holder!

Living Room

- We grabbed a throw

and some new pillow covers

from West Elm (on sale)

- Organized the underside

of our coffee table a bit

- Started a recycled "growing" art piece

(inspired by Apartment Therapy)

Gotta love that funky couch :)

We're a fan of boardgames,

so I placed a couple under the table

to induce playing :)

That weird sculpture thing

on top of the fireplace

is made from cut toilet paper rolls

and paper towel rolls.

You just cut and staple it

to make an organic-looking

recycled sculpture!

I love that I can keep adding

onto it as long as I want...

Plus, you can spray-paint it

once you feels it's complete,

and hang it wherever you like!

I've seen this project on
Design Sponge
a while back, click here
to check it out!

To give you some perspective

on our home,

here's another view:

And here's our dining area!

In April, I was finally able

to finish our thrifted chairs!

Above the table is a random display shelf,

so I placed some of Tanner's library up there...

I love books.

Very much so, yes.

There's a window in the dining area,

so I placed a planter with some alyssum

on the sill.

Paired with another planter

full of wild flowers

Little buds are just beginning to open.

Ah, the simple joys :)

And down the hall

from the dining area

is our bedroom.

We shall be painting it

within a couple weeks!

So, there you go!

Little changes here

and there.

And a casual house tour,

sort of :P

Longest post EVER.

Lo siento mucho.

WOO!

It's one of those nights...

2011-07-21T22:19:00.000-06:00

...you know,

when my brain is on overdrive

and I start to wonder about what I'm doing

and what motivates me

and where truth stands in my life.

I hate that I struggle with caring

what people think.

I worry and dwell and over-anyalze,

and next thing you know,

I'm all anxious and weird.

The reality is, it's my struggle.

And I deal with it daily.

But I heard something recently,

something that made me think.

"There are only two people

in this world

that you have to please:

God

and

your husband.

THAT'S IT."

- Dixie Chandler (My pastor's wife)

I'm trying to figure out

what this looks like.

I'm trying to stop worrying

and working myself up

over

every

single

little

thing.

So, I'm reading this verse

and praying for God's help.

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

- Matthew 6:34

Art & Faith Coincide?

2011-07-18T12:30:00.000-06:00

Last year,

I finally finished my degree in

Studio Art.

I've always loved painting

and drawing...

the way these mediums

enable you to express beyond

normal means...

but I've always had trouble expressing one thing

in particular:

my faith.

How can art and Christianity

coincide?

Well, I've seen many attempts

at such a unification,

but never like this...

Check out this video.

Makoto Fujimura - The Art of "The Four Holy Gospels" from Crossway on Vimeo.

NERD ALERT.

2011-07-17T17:31:00.000-06:00

Confession:

I love the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Seriously.

So, it's only natural that I love this:

Sorry to waste

a minute of your life