On the Move

Hey there everyone! So, a good friend of mine recently introduced me to the sparkly new world of WordPress Blogs, and I have to say, it was love at first sight! The interface is much more of what I had been looking for, and making a new blog is always a fun and exciting change of pace for me. Thus, I decided to make the switch over to WordPress and I really hope you will come visit me! I have a whole journal full of ideas and projects and inspiration that I am dying to share with everyone! So, if you would care to join me (and I hope you do!), grab a cup of coffee and get your Cozy Farmhouse fix here!

Have a wonderful day!

Coffee with Friends

This morning I had an impromptu coffee date with friends at Starbucks and it was fabulous (but then again, coffee + friends is always a win-win situation). The date was filled with swirling conversations covering virtually every topic affecting our post-college lives. Most often our greatest worries boil down to the universal quandry "What the heck am I doing with my life?!" And of course, that's where friends come in: to pull us out of our existentialist funk and remind us that we can weather whatever comes our way! :)

Janelle brought Sarah (the birthday girl this week!) cupcakes from Crumbs Bakery in Calabasas and we all got to sample one - delish! I was just looking Crumbs up (apparently they don't have an official website) and I came across this article about Jessica Simpson visiting their bakery! Heck, if I am only allotted one girl crush, it would most definitely be Miss Simpson. My friends will attest to this fascination of mine, haha! Right Jaymee? So thank you friends, for making this a wonderful start to a beautiful Sunday!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

So as you know, I have been working on a Fall 2009 mini-book for awhile now and finally got around to taking a few photos! Here is just a sampling of what I've been up to. There are MANY more pages to follow! In fact, last night I was showing John what I had been working on and he told me it's not going to be a mini-book, it's going to be a freakin' MEGA-book! What a wise old owl he is. HA!
Additionally, I was so psyched to find these two silver trays at the Goodwill, aka "The Willy" according to John's family. They are just bursting at the seams with the killer one-liners these days, I'm tellin' ya. Haha! Anyways, I took one look at these fabulous trays and snatched them up immediately, for a grand total of...$1.98! SOLD! They make perfect holders for my various scrapping embellishments!

Oh, how I love other people's discarded possessions...

Finally, I just have to show you how ridiculous California weather is. The above photo was taken on Wednesday, after the most amazing rainstorm (or heavy drizzle, to be completely honest). Gorgeous, right? I was really digging the Fall vibes and the coziness of it all. But then...

I go outside to take photos on Thursday morning around 9 AM, and what do you know, it's already 90 freakin degrees out! Oh, what I would give for a cold spell of low 70's. Maybe a week of rain? Maybe some cumulus clouds every once again to remind me that it's almost November? Lest, dreams be dreams...

P.S. I Made This

So, my fabulously stylish friend Janelle recently sent me this link to the most amazing DIY site! It's called P.S. I Made This and it is packed with so many great ideas!
I am especially loving this recent post about making faux-milk glass out of glass jars, puffy paint, and spray paint! Holy cow, how did they know that I would love this? It's funny because I have a hard time parting with empty glass jars; there's just something about their inherent beauty that prompts me to salvage them from the recycling bin week after week. Now I have an excellent reason! Haha. Plus, I LOVE to spray paint. What's not to love about instant gratification and saving a ton of money?


I'm telling you, this blog is GORGEOUS! Such amazing ideas broken down into easy steps that anyone could do - just genius.

In fact, Janelle and I have plans to make faux-fur vests similar to these in the very near future! How very Rachel Zoe of us...hahaha :)

Such a cozy day...

This is the day I have been impatiently waiting for the past 5 months. No, it's not a long-awaited holiday or someone's birthday. It's simply a perfect fall day: rainy weather with no plans. I am living up each and every second of this weather. After all, Southern CA is not exactly known for it's rainfall. As I write this, I am listening to the Ella Fitzgerald station on Pandora, sipping a hot cup of coffee, and wearing my coziest sweater. It doesn't get any better than this...
As you know, I've been on a mini-book kick these past couple of weeks. This one is the Fall 2009 book I am happily tinkering away with everyday. I have a feeling this one is going to be quite the chunker, hahaha. More photos of the insides to follow.
I have loved gathering all my little supplies, such as this vintage bingo card, tickets, trims, and even bottle caps! They are my newest obsession. I take all salvaged bottle caps to the garage where I hammer them to flattened perfection. I think they add such a nice dimensional touch to any page and best of all, they're essentially free! I have also loved making die-cuts with my beloved Slice that I purchased last year at Cool Scrapbook Stuff. I really enjoy being able to take scraps of paper and turn them into fabulous artisan labels for all my pages. It's the little things that make the biggest difference, as we all know :)

Wedding Weekend in San Diego

This past weekend my cousin married the love of her life. It was such an amazing weekend filled with several highlights: beautiful ceremony & location, lots of laughter, Ashley and I dancing to our requested Ting Ting's "Shut Up & Let Me Go," impromptu photo shoots, late night conversation, cute dogs, venturing through La Jolla, and many other little gems that I will fondly treasure in my memory...

Living It Up, Disney-Style

Yesterday John and I went to Disneyland. Gorgeous weather: cool, breezy, cloudy...perfection. Here are just a few of the highlights (which I am absolutely dying to scrapbook!):

















This last one is my favorite shot of the day. It's funny because I told John that all the photos that day needed to be in landscape orientation, due to the prospective mini-book I had formulated in my head (after 5 years he doesn't even question my odd requests, haha). However, one of Disney's professional photographers offered to take our picture with our camera (nice guy!), and thus, here is my favorite shot of the day, in portrait orientation. Hahaha, I guess I can't plan for everything! This one will just have to go in a frame :)

Love to Plan Ahead

It should come as no surprise that I love Target. I love everything about it.

Question: What's better than walking out of a store with toothpaste, a new cocktail ring, a book, cough drops, ponytails, and a cake stand?
Answer: Nothing. Target is just plain FAB.

And to top it off, I am particularly in love with their Hollywood Intuition line that is chock-full of amazing things. Especially their gorgeous handbags at prices that even my measly budget can afford. So currently, I am trying to figure out which bag I want. Not that I need a new bag. But I want a new bag, and sometimes that's just as important as needing a new bag. I'm sure you fashionistas out there understand.


So I am torn between both of these bags, as seen above. Bag A would be perfect for trips to Disneyland, when I want to be hands-free and forced to edit what I actually bring. It's meant to be worn around the waist, like a fanny pack but fanny pack in the COOLEST, HIPPEST sense of the phrase. Bag B would be perfect for a weekend away, when you want to use it like an overnight bag. I can also imagine it as a perfect carry-on bag when flying. And despite the fact that I'm not exactly racking up the frequent flyer miles these days, I just like to entertain the thought of it.

Next weekend, I'm going to a wedding in San Diego and I already have dreams about what I will pack and what I will pack it in, etc. Bag B is looking like the ideal choice! I love the thought of filling it with a magazine, my camera, a scarf, snacks, pens and paper, sunscreen, etc. I love to pack and plan ahead for what I will need. Unpacking is a completely different story, but I digress.

Oh heck, I will probably just get both :)

Happens Every Day

Oh. My. Goodness. Last night I finished one of the most well-written, poignant, touching, beautiful (the list goes on) novels I have ever laid eyes on. In fact, at certain points in the story, I was unable to read because I was crying so hard! And I am not a crier. Not in books, not in movies, rarely in real life. And there I was, just bawling for the heroine of the novel. Happens Every Day is an insanely good read. INSANELY good. I won't give away too much, but I will say it has a very happy ending. I read this book in a day, I was so enraptured. So if you're looking for a gorgeous story to keep you entertained this Fall, here's your book!

In other news, I am hoping to venture to Disneyland tomorrow and make a new mini-book detailing my adventure! Eeeee! So excited to make a mini-book. Haven't done that in quite some time. This excitement all stems from a recent post on mini-book solutions from the always-inspiring Elise Blaha. It is golden, you have to check it out!

Under the Weather and Beverly Hills

Both of my parents have been sick with bronchitis for the past couple of days, so it was inevitable that I too would catch some form of a cold! Luckily it's just that - a cold. And quite honestly, I don't even mind it - it gives me a great reason to wear pajamas all day and take 5 naps! Haha! There is always a bright side...

Yesterday my friend Liz and I ventured to Beverly Hills for her job interview. It was a day to remember as there were several scheduling conflicts, HOT weather, typical LA traffic, and crazy people meandering throughout the intersections. Nonetheless, we had so much fun making fun of the situation. Plus, lunch was delish; iced-blended drinks from Coffee Bean never tasted so good; Liz secured a job; we didn't have to pay for parking; we appreciated God's greatest gift: air conditioning!; we saw Lauren Conrad from The Hills; and we cracked ourselves up over the nuances of the day. So in retrospect, it was fab! Oh! And I am almost positive I saw Rachel Zoe's apartment! You know, the penthouse suite they always show on The Rachel Zoe Project? I am so excited to see things like this, you have no idea! Hahaha...

Happy Autumn!

Lots of happy things as of late. A few things I've been up to...

Working my way back into the creative mode (and making a big happy mess in the process).

Long, wonderful bike rides with good friends.

Finding insightful and inspiring blogs to delve into.

Autumn has officially arrived (and brought along the Santa Ana's)!

Cooking yummy and healthy dinners with friends.

Laughing hysterically over Jimmy Fallon's dance moves during the Emmy's.


Seeing another live taping of our beloved Conan. This time with Charlize Theron and Dave Matthews Band! So. Much. Fun! (P.S. How cute are his wife's red shoes?? LOVE!)

Going with the flow and having faith that this is where we are supposed to be.

Planning a knitting lesson with John's super-crafty Grandma.

Getting ready for a huge garage sale this coming weekend.

Enjoying lots of time outdoors.


Savoring my Fall magazines. Especially Sunset Magazine. Reading about travel immediately sends me to my "happy place."

Trips to Trader Joe's. Stocking up on low-priced produce and wine. Yum.

Planning on going to yoga tonight. Loved it before and can't wait to do it again.

Cleaning the house today. Love the satisfaction I derive from a clean living space.


Finally finishing this layout. It has been in the works for at least a month and I finally decided to complete it.

Have a wonderful first day of Fall! I am off to clean while listening to my favorite podcasts and then hit the gym later for some happy workout time :)