Quirky Charm

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T22:45:00.000-08:00

Wishing you and yours a very wonderful Christmas and a most happy New Year's Eve! The blog is going silent for the week while I soak up the holidays with my family and prepare some BIG new surprises for you to be unveiled with the new year. See you in 2012! ♥

It's the Simple Moments

2011-12-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about the simple moments lately. With the holiday season in particular it becomes so easy, too easy, to get caught up in the bustle. To forget to slow down and simply breathe for a few minutes. That just means that it's all the more important to create special moments for yourself though. To turn ordinary moments into something magical.

Today presented me with one of those opportunities. I was about to have a working lunch when I stopped myself. Taking half an hour to unplug and tune out was not going to bring the world crashing down around my ears. Photos will get edited. Lists will get written. Social media will be waiting. But taking that half hour? Priceless. Instead of halfheartedly munching on a stale PB&J (oh the joys of week+ old bread...), I used some leftover rosemary ham and my favorite truffle mustard to make a panini. I even took the time to make an affogato al caffè for dessert after being inspired by this post earlier this morning. I closed the computer, turned the volume off on my phone, and turned off the television. Pure bliss. I'm recharged, refocused, and ready to go.

Have you made a special moment just for yourself today? If not, please do! Those moments can make all the difference in a hectic day.

Christmas Memories

2011-12-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

Sitting in my living room and looking at the Christmas tree I am transported back to this time last year and the spontaneous road trip my friend Emily and I took to Disneyland. Despite being from Southern California, I had never been to Disneyland during the holiday season. It was pure magic. Looking back through the photos I am transported back to the sights and sounds. It was unusually hot for the month of December and we roasted in our winter sweaters. I remember ice cream excursions, clam chowder in New Orleans Square, and shopping. I remember the childhood wonder of seeing the decorations and walking down Main Street for the first time in so many years. I remember mini-parades, carolers, and the absolute magic of the castle lighting at night. I remember waiting for hours to get a good spot for the fireworks and "snow storm,"laughing and dancing once it finally got underway. These are memories I will treasure forever.

With this holiday season underway I'm thinking about the amazing memories to be made this year. As amazing as the Happiest Place on Earth is, you don't need grand gestures and big occassions to make wonderful memories. I think of hot cocoa shared with loved ones. Secret Santas. Christmas decorating parties. Blasting Christmas music in the car. Crafting and cooking. Writing cards and reminicing on the year gone by. Christmas Eve candlelight service. All of those special, little moments that make up our daily lives. As I leave you with this quote from Mike Mason and some more photos today I want to hear from you. What memories are you making this Christmas?

"It's moments that count, more than the grand scheme. Live great moments and the rest will sort itself out." - Mike Mason

Thankful

2011-11-25T12:07:00.001-08:00

So, this week didn’t exactly go as planned. I never did get around to finishing the thankfulness challenge, but I don’t regret it. I was instead spending time with some of my favorite people. Cherishing laugher and good conversations and getting things done. I’m learning to embrace spontaneity and to be okay with things when plans change. To be okay with change in general. I’m learning just how much of a blessing it can be.

And that’s where I am today. I’m sitting here, gearing up to go to work in a few hours, filled with joy and thankfulness. Thankful for the people in my life, family and friends. Thankful for God’s plan, perfect where mine falls short. Thankful for changes and new opportunities and friendships that keep growing.

Gratefulness; Day One

2011-11-21T21:33:00.001-08:00

Not surprisingly, Thanksgiving is this Thursday. I’ve been focusing a lot lately on just how much I have to be thankful for. Honestly, I have no words for how blessed I am. I was at a loss at how to even start articulating how I feel. I want to shout it from the rooftops, but I get so caught up in finding the right tone. Am I being trite or cliché? Does that come across the way I want it to? On, and on. Lately, though, I’ve been hit with so many messages about the importance of sharing your journey, where you’re coming from. Not least of which was during Sunday’s sermon. Growing up in the church I’ve heard thankfulness preached all of my life. Different ways to express it. How-to lists from the complex to the simple. This time though, it hit home in a new way. Why am I not singing from the rooftops? Why do I let myself get so caught up in the method that I just throw it in the towel all together? Ridiculous.

What this means is that I have some changes coming, both big and subtle. What this means for now is that I’ll be taking a feather from the cap of Oh, Hello Friend and her week long thankfulness challenge. Each day this week I’ll be posting a list of 10 things that I’m thankful for. Some will be serious, some will seem silly, but they’re all heartfelt expressions of my gratitude. I’ll also be sharing snapshots of what my daily life looks like. Those trips to Starbucks and strolls to work. The little things that make up my life. And I invite you along. What are you thankful for? I’d love to see your lists in the comments or on your blog.

I am thankful for…

● Grace. Without this, nothing else would matter.
● Friends. I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing support system. To have people that love me even when I’m at my worst still boggles my mind.
● Family. Ditto with my family. Particularly my mom. Her strength to never give up no matter what the situation and her amazing, unconditional love amaze me daily.
● Opportunities. These past two months have shown me more and more how blessed I am to have the opportunities I’ve been given.
● Laughter.
● Trials. The times that test my limits and grow my perseverance. Knowing that I have God’s strength to rely on along the way, because without it I would crumble.
● Hot coffee on chilly days. And the time to sit, think, and read that goes along with it.
● Connections. I am so thankful for the amazing connections I’ve made through the internet. To be able to meet and get to know people from around the world.
● Good books.
● The holiday season. I love seeing people come together. I love the music. I love the food. I love all of the extra opportunities to get together and celebrate.

Curry Risotto

2011-11-11T20:00:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you just need to stand over a hot stove for a little while. Steam rising up from the pan, the scent of spices filling the kitchen, and some soft music in the background. Tonight was one of those nights. I hadn't realized how much cooking had become a part of me over these past five years until these past few weeks when I've been lucky to get in the kitchen at all. Between scheduling and injury it just hasn't happened. And that was affecting me. It sounds silly, to be affected by something like this, but there you go. Cooking for me is an emotional outlet. To create something for someone, to bring a smile to their face, or to make something that I've been craving. Even just to play with textures and flavors. It's almost an out of body experience.

This afternoon was my breaking point. I HAD to make something. Having the Cooking Channel on proved to be an advantageous choice. Dolce Vita with David Rocco came on and he was making arancini. Now, I've had pre-frozen arancini before and was just not impressed, but these looked positively heavenly. Leftover risotto filled with cheese? Sign me up for that! So risotto it was (the arancini experiment will come tomorrow). Unfortunately, looking through my cupboards the prospects were grim. I did have arborio rice and half an onion, but that's where the connection to traditional risotto recipes ended. I was going to have to wing it. While that can spell bad news, tonight's result was a resounding winner.

Curry Risotto

4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil (garlic infused, if available)
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/4 c. white wine
1 1/2 c. arborio rice
1 c. 2% milk (+ more for simmering!)
2 tsp. curry powder
a dash of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Start off with melting the butter into the oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add in the diced onions, cooking until they start to become transparent. Add in the wine, any white will do. I had some Three Wishes chardonnay leftover from making leek stroganoff and that worked beautifully. Simmer until the alcohol finishes cooking off. Add in the rice and stir constantly until it starts to brown.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add in the first cup of milk. Now begins the process of adding milk slowly and stirring until it absorbs. For me, this takes an average of about 3 cups of extra milk over a 30-40 minute period. It is VERY important to stir the pot regularly. Otherwise, it will stick to the bottom and burn quickly. This is also a dish that needs monitoring. Risotto, the more you make it, becomes more a dish of feel then it is exact measurement. Each batch comes out with slightly different proportions. Throughout this simmering process I start to season the risotto. I find this creates a more even flavor profile with more depth. Add the spices a little at a time. You can always add more, but once it's over spiced there's little you can do. You will know the risotto is complete when the mixture is thick and creamy and the rice no longer hard to bite into. Keep in mind that the dish will thicken as it cools, so think about how much extra sauce you want yours to have (as I am making arancini with the leftovers, I made mine pretty thick).

An obligatory note about spice proportions: Go with what you like. This recipe mirrors my fondness for a strong curry flavor with just a small kick. Also, it will probably feel, at some point, that you are over salting this dish, but don't worry! I found that it takes more than a pinch for the flavors to truly stand out.

This makes for a pretty hardy main dish so I served it with some toasted Parmesan sourdough. For delicious toast, soften butter and lightly brush both sides of the bread. Put on a hot panini press for about 30-40 seconds. I love the smoky flavor this imparts on the bread. As a side dish, this would pair nicely with sausage.

A Trip to the Orchard

2011-11-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to cross #5 off of my Twelve by 2012 list I took a Saturday afternoon jaunt to the local orchard and 'pick your own' field. Now, being in the desert, we don't have the towering trees and and vast landscapes one imagines when thinking of an apple orchard. Let's face it, 100°F weather just isn't conducive to tree growth and maturation. That considered, Gilcrease is a pretty wonderful place. Rows upon rows of apple and pear trees followed by a respectable vegetable field (even a pumpkin patch for Halloween). I had the worst timing as they had just run out of apples, but it was nice to wander around just the same. I will return again another day, hopefully with more success. On the bright side? Apple cider doughnuts fresh from the frier. I don't think it gets any better than that.

Hey, Soul Sister

2011-11-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

If you don't have 'Attend a Train concert while sipping a glass of wine (preferably while standing in water).' on your life list I would definitely reconsider. A while back I had a chance to attend Wine Amplified as a last hoorah on my final pay check from my accounting job. I love Train and seeing as learning more about wine is on my life list I thought the event was the perfect fit. And it was. I was a little unsure how fun it would be going by myself, but I had the best time. The concert and wine tasting was all set up around the Mandalay Bay pool (which is set up to look like a beach, complete with sand and wave pool). Let me tell you, there is nothing like sipping good wine, under the stars, on a cool night with good music. Through the experience I have learned that I definitely prefer red wine to white. Rose wine is delicious, especially when it's sparkling. And ice wine is amazing. There were also some intriguing drinks like a red wine infused chocolate that was basically the texture of a ganache. Amazing.

And as for the concert? I had my glass refilled and decided to actually go up to the front of the stage. There really aren't words to describe how fantastic it was. Train's music in general tends to strike a chord in me, but being there live just took that to a whole new level. Knee deep in the wave pool on a still night looking up at the stars? Bliss. They have such a great stage presence too. I don't think Pat stood still for more than five seconds, which is why these blurry photos were the best I could manage. At one point he even took his shoes off and jumped down into the water. Marry Me just about broke my heart.

Seriously, if you get the chance, add this to your list.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! I hope you've had a fun and safe holiday. Did you do anything fun? Highlights of the year for me definitely include the pumpkin carving contest (I went with Cinderella's carriage as inspired by this. This was my first time ever free-handing a design, so much fun), an awesome dance party with friends, and Fall Festival. I even had a semi-real costume this year! No more sketchy pirate! I did find out that my mom and I own a lot of 80's clothes/accessories in our everyday wardrobe. Not pictured, my black lace dress, cute tights, and leather boots. Next year I'm determined not to procrastinate. I would love to put together a Mary Poppins costume, but only if I take the time to do it right. The parrot umbrella sculpted out of clay, maybe? Decisions.

Double Chocolate Pudding

2011-10-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

When I woke up this morning I had no intention of doing anything in the kitchen today. I had intended to spend the day cleaning. That plan was shot as soon as I saw that it was National Dessert Day on Twitter. I just couldn't let that slide by without celebrating so the wheels started turning. I had a bottle of heavy cream left over from dinner earlier this week so the search was narrowed to pudding. Toss in the fact that it was also Chocolate Week and the decision was made. It had to be a rich, decadent chocolate pudding.

Double Chocolate Pudding
adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O'Connor
Serves 6

6 large egg yolks
2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. cocoa powder
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. fine salt
1 1/2 c. milk (I used 2%)
8 oz. mini-chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream. Set aside.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan combine the cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. It's very important at this stage to stir constantly, without it the mixture is likely to stick to the bottom of the pan and start to burn (trust me on this one). Take it immediately off the heat and temper the egg/cream mixture by slowly whisking in the chocolate mixture from the pan. When the two are combined bring the pan back up to medium-high heat and continue to cook, stirring continuously until it comes back up to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Strain the pudding through a mesh sieve to remove any lumps caused by the cocoa and corn starch. Immediately mix in the chocolate chips. The heat from the pudding should melt the chocolate, but if it doesn't just put it back onto the heat for a minute or so. Or, if you're like me and you like some texture, leave the non-melted pieces as is. Stir in the vanilla.

Take the finished pudding and separate it out into small ramekins. Take plastic wrap and put it directly onto the pudding to prevent skin from forming. Chill for at least one hour. Enjoy!

Now the question is what to do with those left over egg whites. I know you can freeze them, but honestly my freezer is where food goes to die so I knew if I didn't do something immediately there would be little point in saving them. After some googling I founds this recipe for an Angel Food Snack Cake from Cookie Baker Lynn that uses exactly six egg whites. I made two minor adaptations; I didn't use almond extract as I did not have any on hand (I used an extra 1/8 tsp. of vanilla extract) and I sprinkled the top with sliced almonds prior to baking to add some extra flavor and crunch. The cake is delicious and simple, definitely something I'll be coming back to when I have just a few egg whites sitting around. Did you do anything for National Dessert Day?

Twelve by 2012

2011-10-13T15:17:00.000-07:00

I've been a little out of sorts this past month or so. Not so much in a bad way, but with all of these major changes happening in my life right now I've found myself floundering while I wait for some of the details that are out of my hands to finish processing. In that way, I've found myself with a distinct lack of direction, even though there is so much that I want to accomplish. Enter Danni from Oh, Hello Friend. As a lover of lists I've decided to participate in her Twelve by 2012 project to, hopefully, get in gear before the year is out. My list is primarily little projects that have been sitting around (some for years) just waiting to be finished. When the new year begins, I'd like it to dawn on a fresh start of sorts. What would you like to accomplish before the year is up?

1. Write letters. At least twelve of them.
2. Finish folding cranes with the paper I have.
3. Figure out how to do a fantastic, metallic eye look.
4. Submit at least one photo to Somerset Life.
5. Go apple picking and bake a pie with the results.
6. Make truffles again. Experiment with new flavors.
7. Finish knitting a scarf.
8. Master crepe making.
9. Take at least one photo a day until the end of the year.
10. Catch up completely with my Google Reader.
11. Finish memorizing up through at least through James 1.
12. Debut the new layout for Quirky Charm and Quirky Girl's Las Vegas.

Anatomy of a Saturday

2011-10-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

I love being able to look back at the weekend and feel a sense of satisfaction at what was accomplished. I'm especially loving the weather as it continues to cool down. As much as I love adventures, those adventures become much more enjoyable without needing the air conditioning cranked down. It also means more time at the park and more dining al fresco. Bliss.

Kicking things off with my new favorite pizza. I have a Macaroni Grill right across the street, but I hadn't been in a while because their menu didn't wow me. Thanks to a coupon a few weeks ago, I went back and was pleasantly surprised by their complete menu overhaul. This is by far my favorite though. Mushroom flatbread with goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, and caramelized onions. Another bonus? Leftovers.

With the gorgeous weather (and the purchase of a few new magazines) I decided to take a drive over to Tivoli Village to walk around for a while. I love it there, you don't even feel like you're in Vegas any more. The architecture is beautiful and I love the little details like the bistro lights strung up over the streets. It was the perfect day for wandering.

I don't think it's possible for me to visit Tivoli Village without a stop at Leoné Café. Their tables are perfectly places to listen to the bells ring every fifteen minutes and their coffee is the perfect way to unwind for a while with a book or magazine. I am particularly partial to the Leoné Latte Especial. Honey and cinnamon deliciousness, I really ought to figure out how to recreate it at home.

Speaking of magazines, have you seen Mingle yet? The first issue just came out a few days ago and it is perfection. It is a party planning publication from Stampington and it seriously blew my already high expectations out of the water. I can't wait to try out some of the ideas. Even beyond the tips though, the photography just stunned me. It's breathtaking. Flipping through the pages reminded me of why I love photography in the first place, and why I need to start practicing more intentionally.

On the way back to the car I spotted this beauty. One of the last blossoms left. As much as autumn and winter are definitely my favorite seasons, there are some things I will miss about the warmer months.

Onto the evening, I had won a pair of tickets to the Polo America Open so mom and I headed down to the South Point to check it out. Somehow I was unaware that we had a Steak 'n Shake locally until a few weeks ago so that definitely was part of the plan. Dismayed as I was by the long line, it was worth the wait (and the hype).

Since it was our first time we decided to go with the classic cheeseburger and fries. And also a milkshake. Cookie dough, how could I resist?

The set up for the evening was different than expected, but watching polo was a lot of fun. I've seen some polo before, mostly in movies, but never so up close and personal. It's so intense to watch! Unfortunately with the enclosed arena we didn't make it too far in before our allergies did us in, but we did catch one full match.

What were you up to this weekend?

Autumn Oatmeal

2011-09-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Autumn! As we enter my favorite season of the year I was struck this morning to do a little something to celebrate. Looking through my cupboards that little something ended up being a bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with granola and pecans with a drizzle of honey. Comfort food at its best.

What are you doing to ring in the new season today?

Changes, Hair Edition

2011-09-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

86. Learn how to style my own hair.

Deciding that it was about time to start working on my life list again, I realized that I have something I can cross off. Growing up I had very long hair (as in, hanging past my waist long). After a disastrous cut when I was five I never let anyone touch my hair with scissors unless it was to trim off the barest hint of the ends. As I grew older and my hair mousier I went through a wide variety of styles. There was the frightening middle school perm. The non-layered bob that hung like a triangle around my face. A few years ago I came close to a style I liked with an a-line, but I still wasn't happy with it. Really, though, I wasn't happy because deep down I'd been wanting a pixie cut since my freshman year of high school. Ten years later and I bit the bullet back in July. I couldn't be happier with it. I ought to get some more photos since this isn't how I always style it (my bangs are usually swept to the side), but being behind the camera most of the time I generally don't end up in photos that often.

It feels good to have something to cross off, and I like that this is the first one. With my hair in place, I feel like I am much closer to knowing who I am, as silly as that may sound.

Quick Curry Noodles

2011-09-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

This is one of those weeks where stripping the budget down to the essentials is a necessity. With that, I am trying to find new ways to use what we already have in our cupboards. There have been some spectacular failures, but this is definitely a new favorite. The noodles have a pleasant heat to them, and tossing them in the saute pan gave them some texture. Eggs for protein (and the yolks for texture) and this makes for a delicious, quick, and easy lunch.

Quick Curry Noodles
1 Bag Ramen Noodles
Small Pat of Butter
A Clove of Garlic
Curry Powder
Sweet Paprika
Sesame Oil (optional)
2 Eggs; Poached

Prepare the noodles according to the directions on the bag, discarding the seasoning packet. Set a medium sauce pan filled with water over high heat to poach the eggs.

While the water is coming to a boil finely mince the clove of garlic. Saute over medium-high heat with the butter and a small dash of sesame oil. Add spices to taste (for me this meant a little over half a teaspoon of each). Once the noodles are done, drain and toss them into the saute pan. Toss to coat them well with the seasoning. Let them sit in the pan for a minute or two, waiting for the excess water to cook off and for some crunch to develop. Flip the noodles and repeat until desired level of crispness. Put in a bowl and top with the poached eggs.

I didn't cook my noodles for more than a minute or two total because I don't like them as crisp. This is definitely something I'll be playing with some more, I really want to try other spice and add-ins (I'm picturing caramelized onions in particular) based on what we have in the house. All in all though, this is a great way to spice up a bag of cheap ramen noodles (mine were $.10) without the sodium that comes in those seasoning packets.

What's your favorite go-to from the cupboard when funds are tight?

The Quest for the Perfect Meatball

2011-09-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Recently I have decided to start mastering more of the basics of cooking. I am completely self taught, I started really cooking about four years ago now. I had just started college and with both my mom and stepdad working, my schedule was the most compatible for cooking dinner. So I jumped in. In some ways I feel that this has been a benefit to my cooking style. I am unafraid to jump in and try new things, be it flavors or techniques. I've been able to learn at my own pace and really discover what it is that I like and don't like. On the flipside this has also left me woefully short in the department of a lot of the basics. I skip around so often that I haven't truly mastered some of the techniques that I would like to have down to a science. Recognizing that, I have decided to create a list of the things I want to have a go-to version of. I want to create a page here for that list soon, but in the meantime allow me to introduce you to the meatball.

Now in my house meatballs are in direct relation to comfort food. My mom's hands down favorite is a good bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. For me, not so much. I have a complex relationship with meatballs. During my embarrassingly long fear of meat stage I hated to make them because touching the raw meat grossed me out to no end. I also tend to find them dry and not particularly flavorful either, needing to be smothered in a sauce to be good. So here's the treasure that's hopefully awaiting me at the end of this quest: a juicy meatball packed full of savory delicious flavor that is complimented by any number of sauce additions.

Above we have my first attempt. Meatballs in a pomegranate glaze on a bed of parsnip mash. Ignoring the fact that these parsnips were woody and tasted more like horseradish (despite not adding any) than parsnip, this was a pretty good dinner. It's getting close.

Pros: The meatball was juicy, but not too flaky. The garlic and onion components were pretty much spot on. The size was perfect.
Cons: They were too salty. The onion needed to be diced more finely. The flavor was... lacking.

What I learned is this. My cookie scoop also makes the perfect sized meatball. Softening the garlic and onion before adding it to the meatball mix makes a world of difference in the flavor. It brings out a subtle sweetness that is a nice counterbalance to the salt (and is much nicer than the acrid taste of raw onion). Three eggs are better than two for structure. For round two I'm thinking some different spices are in order. Also a finer chop on the ingredients.

What makes a perfect meatball for you? What recipes would you like to perfect in your kitchen?

It's the Little Things...

2011-09-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

It's the little things. Cafe Du Monde's Coffee with Chicory with two cubes of sugar and a splash of skim milk.

Finding this coffee was a nice surprise. Some say that chicory has a sour or bitter taste, more so than coffee, but I have become a fan of the flavor. Most notably in chocolate. I saw this on the shelf at Fresh&Easy (I think they also ship if you can't find it in a local market) and it's swiftly becoming a breakfast favorite. And now it's time to dive into some list making. Nothing like putting things down on paper when you don't know where to begin. What are you up to this week?

And, just as a disclaimer until I have a chance to add one to the front page, these words are my own and this post was in no way sponsored

A New Day and a Caramel Cinnamon Latte

2011-09-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

Is there anything better than a good cup of coffee and a notebook first thing in the morning? I'm thinking not. I am a morning person. I like to wake up before the sun hits the horizon. When the world is still fresh and full of possibilities. In the desert this is practical during the summer, it's the only time of day that doesn't feel like death outside. And let's face it, I like being outside. Bare feet in the dew soaked grass. Cool breeze ruffling my newly shortened hair. Bliss.

Today I write this from an even wider sense of new possibilities. Yesterday I made another in a string of major decisions that have been coming over the past few weeks. I'm switching career fields. I'll be going back to school in the spring. I'm refocusing my priorities. When I stop and think about it I feel like I should feel overwhelmed or worried, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I'm so bursting full of joy I can hardly contain it. I can't keep the smile off of my face. I want to hug everyone. I'm sure it's obnoxious. But as someone who has always felt 'wrong' this feeling is glorious. For the first time in at least eight years I can look in the mirror and smile at the person looking back at me. I'm learning to be kinder to myself. To remember that I am God's creation, not a mistake. Thankful. I think that word wraps up how I'm feeling, if that feeling needs to be bottled up and labelled. I'm immeasurably thankful for God's hand in my life. For the people that have been put in my path. For the journey. For fresh starts.

Today that fresh start tastes like a caramel cinnamon latte. I'm not going to give you a recipe for the latte itself because that's all about personal preference. I will, however, give you the caramel sauce recipe in its exactness because it is creamy deliciousness and you will want to put it on everything. In case you do want my latte preparation method, I will give it to you as best I can. I use a small french press (one suitable for a single serving) and dark roast coffee. Always dark roast (at the moment, that is the French roast from Fresh&Easy). While that's brewing I scoop a spoonful of caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon into a mug, stirring in the hot coffee as soon as it's ready. Now, when I'm being lazy I'll just pour in some skim milk and call it a day. Today I was feeling a little fancy so I used my manual milk froth-er to foam the milk instead. I spooned it on top and sprinkled the foamy peaks with a little more cinnamon.

Basic Caramel Sauce
As adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O'Connor

1 C. Granulated Sugar
3 Tbsp. Water
1 C. Heavy Cream
A Splash of Vanilla Extract

In a saucepan combine the sugar and water and cook over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally. Don't step away from the stove because this whole process moves quickly and trust me, you don't want burnt caramel. Continue to let the mixture bubble away until the sugar is dissolved and it starts to turn a golden amber. Be careful to not let the sugar darken too much! Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, stirring as you go. Return the pan to the stove and continue to cook at medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. The goal here is for all of the caramel to dissolve into the cream and for the sauce to thicken. Stir in the splash of vanilla extract. Pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside for it to cool. Finished sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Unexpected Moments

2011-07-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a completely unexpected moment take your breath away? I was standing in William Carr's gallery yesterday looking at a photo of water rushing through a crack in the rocks strewn with vibrant autumn leafs. One of the gallery workers noticed my interest and explained that Carr straddled the crack and got in close to take the detail shot. A shot that could have easily been missed if he had only been paying attention to the grand beauty of Zion.

How often do I miss amazing moments, the magic of the everyday, just because I get so caught up in the bigger picture. I forget, more frequently than I would like to admit, about taking pleasure in the details. And less than twenty four hours later I was already getting caught up in a few pitfalls that hit the fan late last night. Fighting back against depression and the desire to hermit, mom dragged me out of the house to have a little adventure in the rain.

Let me state this now, if you didn't already know this about me, rainy days make me happier than just about anything. I love it all, seeing the droplets splash against the ground, the scent of the salty air, the feel of enveloping dampness, hearing the rhythmic drops against nearby plants. Pure, restorative bliss. And then, after having all tension and worry had left my body, I found this. A charming little gold flower against the cobblestone path. It was like God was giving me a little nudge. This is what I'm supposed to be doing. This is where joy lives. Not in worry, or anticipation, or fret. But in the present moment. I want that, the magic of ordinary moments. That's where I find my bliss.

So here's to more adventures. More walks with my camera. More happiness.

Cran-Raspberry Mocktail

2011-07-29T17:32:00.001-07:00

Just a quick recipe to kick off the weekend. Even better? No measurements needed.

I tossed this together a couple of weeks ago when I realized that I no longer had a corkscrew and was thus unable to open my bottle of blackberry wine. After digging through my formidable kitchen junk drawer to no avail I was too far in to settle for plain water. A quick dig through the refrigerator yielded some promising results, and so the Cran-Raspberry mocktail was born.

Ingredients
Cran-Raspberry juice
Lemon lime soda
Frozen raspberries
Ice

Starting off in a hurricane (or highball) glass of your choice start out with the ice and frozen raspberries. Personal preference here, but I used seven berries and the barest sprinkling of crushed ice since I didn't want the drink to water down during the meal. Next up the juice and soda. I used 1/4 soda to 3/4 juice because I was looking for tart, but if you want something sweeter go with 1/2 and 1/2. It really is all about preference.

For a quick aside about the soda, I really have come to enjoy the lemon lime from Trader Joe's. I find it's not as sweet as conventional brands which kept the texture and flavor from being too syrupy. I'd love to know your favorites for making mixed drinks!

Today I'm Thankful For...

2011-07-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today I'm thankful for... Friends that brighten my world more than they realize. Good hugs. Psalm 91. My favorite booth at Panera. Time to put my feet up. The looming closeness of Collegiate Week. Seeing puzzle pieces fit together. Texts that make me smile. Music that keeps me going. Delicious spicy noodles. Fresh notebook pages. Soccer. Warm summer nights. Quiet.

On Shopping, Etsy, and New Ventures

2011-07-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

Checking the mailbox the second I get home at night has become one of my favorite daily rituals. Especially ever since I started to change how I look at shopping and where my money is going. Why? Etsy. I love getting packages and snail mail in general, but there’s just something about a tidy package from Etsy that makes my heart quicken. Even buying pieces for myself feels like opening the most precious gift. I love seeing the artist’s passion coming through right down to the details.

My most recent treasure hails from oh, hello friend. Her shop is one of my all-time favorites, I am constantly smitten with her charming old world aesthetic. I’ve been eying her rings for a long time, but I finally took the plunge and picked one up in hot pink. Love. She has completely outdone herself in the packaging as well. Look at that wooden tag! I’m thinking it’s begging to be re-purposed.

What are your favorite Etsy shops? This post is in no way sponsored, I just want to start spreading the love. ♥

In other news, I’ve decided to start playing with mixed media again. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing, but somewhere down the road I got too caught up in the finished results. In an effort to not do that this time, I’ve picked up a book. Painted Pages by Sarah Ahearn Bellemare (as seen, in part, as the background to the ring photo). Here’s hoping! I would love to be excited and joyful in the process of keeping a journal. It’s something I know I would love to look back on.

Summer 2011

2011-06-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

Summer 2011. It’s officially here. I rather like the “officially” part as it’s been toeing the 100’s these past few weeks and now, at least, I can blame that on summer. We don’t really do seasons here, but Las Vegas gets a gold medal for intense summer heat. These are usually the months where I prefer to hermit inside with the air conditioner. Maybe go out for a movie if I’m feeling bold. I feel like this year is going to be different though; it already has been different.

This year I want to be more intentional about summer. There are so many awesome things that are made even more awesome in their complete and utter refreshment during the hot months. Pool time. Icy treats. I want to rock it this year. Do all of those things that I tell myself every year (I have bookmark lists to prove it). How about it, are you with me? What does your ideal summer look like?

• More sports! I play volleyball every Monday, but I want to add in a lot more Frisbee time too.
• Break out the ice cream maker more. Less store bought, and more homemade deliciousness.
• Ditto the popsicle molds.
• Camp! This is my second year and now that I know what to expect I can make better plans.
• Cute, colorful looks. Summer is the perfect season to add in some more fun accessories into my predominantly black and white wardrobe. I went to Sephora this weekend and put together my perfect summer make-up look, now I need to dig through my closet to find outfits to match. Also? Colorful pedicures.
• Nature in general. Mornings reading in the park. Hiking in the nearby mountains. Hopefully more bonfire worship nights.
• Bonfires in general. With extra marshmallows.
• The beach. At least once.
• Copious amounts of time spent with my new grill. A bratwurst night is a must. With homemade condiments? I really want to try making my own mustard and I am very curious at the thought of sriracha catsup.
• Get something from an ice cream truck. I haven’t done this since I was a kid and I think it’s about time. Just hearing the music makes me nostalgic.
• Movie nights. Las Vegas has a lot of options for outdoor movies and I would like to take advantage of that.
• Outdoor jazz. I used to go all the time when I was in high school and somehow I haven’t been back since. I would like to remedy that.
• Homemade lemonade. I want to hand squeeze the lemons and make my own simple syrup. Followed by an ice cold glass out on the patio. Bliss.

Life List, Reloaded

2011-06-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

It's new direction time. After being inspired after signing up for Camp Mighty, here's my new and improved Life List. Just writing it down has me ridiculously excited and inspired to start crossing stuff off. I think that's the point though. To give articulate those things that lurk in the back of our minds is to give them life. It makes them real and tangible. This list will have its own page soon (I'm super close to having my new logo design finished), but I wanted to share it now that I have it started. No more hiding things away in dingy corners to be saved for "later". I'm not playing this hard and fast. Things might just up and disappear from this list some day in the future and I can absolutely guaranty you that this list will keep growing. Now, I want to see your lists. If you don't have one, write one. It will change your life. Share your links (or your lists!) down in the comments. Maybe we can help each other out.

1. Own my own bakery.
2. Go zip lining.
3. Play the cello.
4. Be conversational in Mandarin, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
5. Learn to play the bagpipes.
6. Travel to Italy during the Masquerade.
7. Rent an apartment in Venice for at least a month.
8. Own a red convertible.
9. Sing karaoke.
10. Refresh my knowledge of Latin and Gaelic.
11. Attend a steampunk meet up.
12. Go parasailing.
13. Sail a boat.
14. Learn to kayak.
15. Travel to at least 15 different countries.
16. Spend a night under the stars.
17. Brew my own beer.
18. Attend a full Latin mass.
19. See a Manchester United match at Old Trafford.
20. Pick flowers and press them in an old book.
21. Participate in Book Crossing.
22. Participate in Post Crossing.
23. Have a penpal.
24. Start (and finish!) a journal.
25. Fold 1,000 paper cranes.
26. Learn how to ride a bike.
27. Learn how to apply make-up in a way that looks fun and fabulous.
28. Finish a painting series.
29. Try out for a theater production.
30. Spend a week exploring the museums of Boston and New York.
31. Try 1,000 new foods.
32. Create an edited and stylish wardrobe that reflects my personal aesthetic.
33. Bicycle through the Champagne region of France.
34. See the catacombs.
35. Attend a ball.
36. Grow something from seed.
37. Be published in print.
38. Attend a cherry blossom festival.
39. Pick my own fruit.
40. Tip $100 to a busker.
41. Participate in a community garden.
42. Learn calligraphy.
43. Participate in the Great American Bake Sale.
44. Fill a sketchbook.
45. Organize my photos.
46. Learn how to play mahjong.
47. Take a letterpress class.
48. Fill a blessings journal.
49. Make my own candies.
50. Finish my inspiration and idea books.
51. Read through my entire bookshelf.
52. Write a children’s book.
53. Learn the language of flowers.
54. Take a flower arranging class.
55. Curate my stuff.
56. Have my laptop organized and set up exactly how I want it.
57. Get a pedicure at a world class spa.
58. Eat at Craftsteak.
59. Attend a poetry reading.
60. Take the train up the California coast.
61. Spend a week eating through San Francisco and Seattle.
62. Host 15 theme parties.
63. Take a week long baking course at King Arthur Flour.
64. Visit Shanghai.
65. Find the museum that houses my great-great grandparent’s artifacts.
66. Learn more about modern art.
67. Take a photography class.
68. Try Zumba.
69. Learn to crochet.
70. Make a quilt.
71. Attend a Broadway production.
72. Go on a cruise of the Mediterranean.
73. Design a website.
74. Go hot air ballooning.
75. Make my own doughnuts.
76. Spend an evening in a jazz bar.
77. See U2 perform live.
78. Make a gateau de crepes.
79. Bake a rainbow cake.
80. Donate 500 books to a children’s charity.
81. Whittle a working boat.
82. Build another working robot.
83. Listen to 100 new music artists.
84. Make my own chai blend.
85. Watch 50 new foreign films.
86. ~~Learn how to style my own hair.~~ (Blogged)
87. Learn the Singin’ in the Rain dance and recreate on a rainy day.
88. Learn more about wine.
89. Take a self-defense class.
90. Watch 50 new documentaries.
91. Take a photo a day for 365 days.
92. Invent my own signature cookie recipe.
93. Take a glass blowing class.
94. Make-over a piece of furniture.
95. Build a larger working trebuchet.
96. Visit all 50 states.
97. Have a professional portrait done.
98. Explore Las Vegas and create a guide of the best places to go.
99. Participate in a jam session.
100. Attend a World Cup match.
101. Take a solo road trip.
102. Own an excellent set of knives.
103. Have my blog published in Artful Blogging.
104. Post a blog post a day for one year.
105. Learn how to tailor my own clothes.
106. Write 10 fan letters to the individuals/groups who have inspired me.
107. Find, or make, the perfect little black dress.
108. Take a self-portrait a day for a year.
109. Be knowledgeable about the Bible and be able to quote verses.
110. Learn how to shoot a gun.
111. Drink a pint in a real Irish pub.
112. Spend a week in Victoria, Canada.
113. Attend the book festival in Montreal.
114. Have a favorite poem.
115. Afternoon tea at the Ritz.

Dream Bigger

2011-06-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

(photo via myoldpostcards)

Dream bigger. Have you ever had a message coming at you from so many directions that you knew you couldn’t ignore it any longer? This has been mine lately. Appropriately so too. I will be the first to admit that timidity is my safety blanket. I am much more comfortable as a wallflower than I am in the center of the action. I like careful planning, I keep lists of lists for pity’s sake! I can’t begin to list the things I’ve missed out on because they weren’t “practical”. There’s no point to regret though. I thought I’d been making strides here though, lately. I have my shop almost ready to launch in July. I’ve been putting myself out there more in relationships. I’ve been turning crazy dreams into small, realistic steps. I forget though that some things aren’t meant to happen in bite sized pieces.

My point? I’m officially signed up for Camp Mighty. Going to one of Maggie Mason’s events has been a secret dream of mine since she started hosting Might Summit. At the same time, I’ve always felt that her events were for other people. People who were already savvy and successful. Her book is actually the reason I started blogging on that tiny wordpress blog years ago. I can’t imagine where my life would have gone without that nudge. The people I would never have met and the opportunities that would never have come my way. I never would have thought that I would see my work in print, or open my own shop, or have actual conversations with people who’ve inspired me for years. And now to go full circle and not only meet one of the women who’s made such a huge impact on my life, but to attend a full weekend centered around living a more vibrant life? Crazy. As soon as I saw that it was going to be happening in Palm Springs, only a 3-hour drive from here it was decided. I can feel it with every fiber of my being that this is where I’m supposed to be.

It’s crazy to have such a sense of peace about something that is going to take some major things to pull together, but this time I’m determined to not dream small. Finances need to come together to hopefully be able to afford the hotel room within this coming paycheck. Bigger still, I need to buckle down and get my license since I will be driving there solo. I have a renewed sense of inspiration though. I know that it will all work out. Finances will be fine (I’m just a careful overplanner). I have two amazing friends who are showing me the ropes in getting my driver’s license. I WILL NOT be a wallflower this time.

I have a vision in my mind of the ideal way this trip can happen. I see myself in a convertible. Hair pulled back and bags packed neatly in the trunk. I picture knowing more about my camera so that I can properly document the weekend. I picture not being a ball of anxiety at the thought of being surrounded by 150 people that I’ve never met. I’m ready though. I’m ready to pray and then get going, to actually do what’s in my power to make this vision a reality. I’m floating on air with the excitement of it all. Time to break out my Life List and get it freshened up in preparation.

What have you been dreaming about lately?

Diving In

2011-06-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Almost three months. I don't really know where to start, but I do know that while I feel bad for disappearing without a word, I don't regret the time away. I've been having growing pains lately and I needed to regain my focus. I started this blog back in 2007. I was in the middle of college. I had an elaborate vision of how my life was going to unfold. I was going to be a librarian! I was going to move out of Las Vegas! As life goes, pretty much none of my plans came about as I was expecting. God had different (and remarkably more amazing) plans for me. I've been subconsciously and consciously fighting them all along and I didn't really realize that until recently. I've been trying to fit dreams long past into a life that no longer fits those dreams. I don't really fit those dreams. And it took a morning spent at a coffee shop to realize it.

It was a Saturday morning, not unlike my normal routine of running errands with my mom. We stopped in Cafe Leone (more on this another day, but if you're in Las Vegas I urge you to give it a whirl!) because I was craving a granita and something chocolate. I've been there several times, but that day being surrounded by old world charm and a delightful flurry of conversation in at least three different languages started a stirring inside of me. Cue my ah-ha moment. I was approached by a woman who liked the broach my mom was wearing. She was wondering where she could purchase one when I told her that I had made it myself. A twenty minute conversation ensued during which she earnestly urged me to start selling them. I don't know why, but as many of these that I've made the thought to sell them had never occurred to me. Then I felt it. A complete and utter sense of peace and purpose.

I wish I could say that this was the beginning of my happily ever after moment, but I was still allowing fear and doubt to run the show. Who do I think I am to sell anything when there are so many more talented designers out there? What if someone says something nasty? How thin can I spread myself before I snap? It was a ridiculous flurry of what-if's. In came a brief, but intense, bought of depression and I almost lost it again. Thankfully God doesn't work that way. I've been seeing little (and big) hints along the road. Tips of the hat that let me know that He's been here all along; that He would be there as soon as I stopped being avoidant. After a lot of prayer and a deep breath I'm finally ready to dive in. I'm ready to follow the purpose He has for me wholeheartedly, even if it does take me leaps and bounds out of my comfort zone. This means that my first line of broaches will be available on July 1st. This means a relaunch and revival of Quirky Charm. This means so much more behind the scenes that I'm not going to share quite yet, but I'm immensely excited about. I have a new set of dreams that are ready to soar, and more importantly be worked on in practical steps. I am blessed to have such an amazing group of friends and family to pick me up when I fall (and know that they will be there even when I fall again) and I am blessed to have you all here as well. Thank you for following my journey up to this point and for those of you who decide to come along with me now I'm excited to share this new road with you. I'm back.

On the Grill

2011-03-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

There's just something about grilled food on a warm evening. Sitting out on the patio with a light breeze and all the time in the world to lean back and get caught up with good company. I wouldn't say that grilling is my weakness, but it's definitely something that I need to do more often. I actually don't even have a real grill at the moment, but that's my next big ticket purchase after I replace my laptop. I want this scene to be a familiar one this summer. For practical reasons too. When if's 115° outside having the stove or oven on for any length of time only adds to the misery. In the meantime I'll be using my indoor grill, but I'm curious. What grill do you use (and do you love it)? What are your favorite foods to cook on the grill? I'm partial to steak myself, but I've been watching more Bobby Flay and I'm excited to try some more usual things. Pizza cooked on the grill? Sign me up for that.

I've got to say though, for an indoor grill, Sunday's dinner was pretty delicious. Grilled steak with sauteed crimini mushrooms, and a creamy horseradish sauce (with an heirloom tomato salad on the side to lighten things up a little). Now to get the patio properly cleared off. As gorgeous as the weather is, sharing my seat with a pile of dust and debris just isn't ideal. Time for some spring clearing.

Marvelous Monday

2011-02-07T07:28:00.001-08:00

Tea time II, originally uploaded by ~ Maria ~.

New feature time! Or more like, bringing back an old feature. I let this fall by the wayside because I was finding it difficult to keep up with every week (and I didn't want these posts to be the sole content of my blog). More and more though I'm being inspired by blogs and photographs and articles from around the internet again. My bookmarks are bursting with fun ideas that I want to try and I want to be able to share that with you. Enjoy!

This week I'm feeling inspired by fresh starts, comfort food, warm chai, and snuggle time with my cat. How about you?

Grossgrain Ribbon Bracelet; Love this idea! I have a ton of broaches that I adore, but never wear and I feel like this would be a great way to make use of them.
Ahhh!; Just a touch of cuteness for your morning.
Breakfast; I lovelovelove this set of photos. And now I'm hungry...
Rainbow Cake; I very much want to make one of these. I love the clean aesthetic of this particular design.
Giverslog; Creative gift wrap ideas. I wish I had seen this before the holidays!
Valentine Gumball Necklaces; These are so charming!
'Red Riding Hood' Inspired Birthday; How cute is this? I love the forest inspiration.

It's Time

2011-02-04T07:21:00.001-08:00

Running shoes outtake 46/365, originally uploaded by maria erin photography.

It's time. Time to get in shape, that is. When I was younger I was pretty athletic, despite some of my health challenges. As a young girl I was active in ballet and ice skating and while I grew out of my interest in those activities I became passionate about tennis. I played for years, up through high school, but academics and life got in the way. Through years of depression I pretty much let myself go, in between yo-yo diets that never stuck. Now is the time to reclaim that. In the last few months I've really started to notice my limitations when it comes to physical activity. My endurance is pretty much non-existent. My already accident prone self stays stays injured when it should be healing. I have to push my body harder to accomplish things it should do with relative ease. This is the year that things are going to change.

That said, I'm going to do things a little differently this time. I can never stick to programs that involve detailed counting. Points, calories, carbs; within a few weeks it always falls by the wayside. This time I'm going to go about this sensibly. Less "bad" food and more "good" food. Better portion sizes. Less processed food. Less eating out. Most of all, I want to focus on getting my body moving more. I want to be able to run a 5K. I want to be able to dance the night away without being short of breath. Next winter, I want to learn how to ski.

It's time.

Babycakes

2011-02-02T07:45:00.000-08:00

Today I come with praise for one of my new favorite breakfast restaurants. A few months ago I was driving by my old neighborhood and a new sign caught my eye, Babycakes. Curious, mom and I stopped in before work one morning and we've been hooked ever since. We've since tried most of their pancake varieties, but the flavor I keep coming back to is the red velvet. To preface how amazing these are I have to confess that I am not typically a huge fan of either red velvet or pancakes in general. That said, these are amazing. The cake is both decadently dense and wonderfully fluffy. The chocolate taste is subtle enough to not be overpowering so early in the morning. Topped with cream cheese syrup and homemade whipped cream and these are absolute bliss. If you ever find yourself on the Northwest side of Las Vegas I recommend that you give Babycakes a go.

(disclaimer; this post was in no way sponsored, I simply enjoyed this too much to not mention them)

In the Mountains

2011-01-31T07:30:00.000-08:00

There's just something about the clean mountain air. It's restorative. I've been back from Brian Head for about two weeks now and am still ruminating over the changes that took place while I was there.

A few days before leaving I was asked if I would share some of my testimony while we were up there. I agreed. Putting my thoughts on paper for the first time in such a linear fashion was transformative. Most of all? I felt accepted. Truly accepted, even with all of my baggage. These people have become my second family over these past eight or so months, yet I still found myself holding back. Now I feel completely free for the first time in years. I wouldn't trade this feeling for the world.

At the same time, I feel discontent in the best way possible. It can be so easy to just ride the tides of life, it's something I've found myself doing more and more lately. I've let my passions slide by the wayside, using work as an excuse for my limbo. Getting away from everything really helped put things into perspective. I baked. I painted for the first time in months. I feel like myself again. I'm not sure where this is going to lead, but I am grateful for the journey.

Rice Pudding

2011-01-28T07:17:00.000-08:00

Speaking of craving warm pudding for dessert in my last entry made me realize that I never shared this recipe for rice pudding that I found about a month ago. I had a bag of arborio rice and wanted to try something outside of risotto. This recipe from Dave Lieberman fit the criteria and it has since become of favorite of the whole family. It's blissfully simple to make (the longest part is waiting for the rice to cook). It says to serve cold, which was delicious, but it was equally as good warm fresh from the pan.

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-26T07:06:00.000-08:00

The weather here in Las Vegas has been unseasonably warm these past few weeks. Being able to wear short sleeves in winter has its novelties, but I'm craving real winter again. The same winter that brought us a snow storm last month. The same winter that had me in the kitchen, craving things like hearty stews and hot puddings.

In the meantime at least I can look back on photos. Though the snow melted by noon, it was quite the storm up until then. I was fortunate to have the vantage point of my fifth floor office to witness most of it.

Bridal Expo: Inspirations

2011-01-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday marked the annual Bridal Spectacular at Cashman Field. I hadn't been planning on attending, but when my mom won free passes I couldn't resist. I'm so glad I didn't! While I have no wedding in the works, there is so much inspiration to be found in the wedding world (probably why I'm so addicted to wedding blogs). These ideas would be great for any special occasion. My favorite trends right now? Bright colors, natural elements, and lanterns. Now to plan a few parties to try these ideas out...

What are your go-to decor favorites for special occasions?

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas! ♥ Wishing you all a blessed holiday. May your day be filled with thankfulness, cheer, and warm memories.

Where Women Cook

2010-12-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

I've been excited about Where Women Cook since I first heard about it a few months ago. I already loved Where Women Create, so why wouldn't I enjoy reading about the other creative center of the home? After several days of searching I finally found and bought a copy last night and I wasn't disappointed. As with all Stampington publications it was beautifully photographed with wonderful stories and some fantastic sounding recipes. It was more than that for me though. About midway through I noticed that my mind was going a mile a minute. I wasn't just focusing on the words in front of me, but also on ideas that were slowly starting to take root. I felt a spark of that passion that I haven't felt for the past six months. It felt good.

I don't know why, but I've spent a lot of my time dismissing food and cooking as simply a hobby. Pretending to myself that I'm not really that interested, that I just cook "out of necessity." That may have been true once, but definitely not anymore. I didn't start off enjoying my time in the kitchen. I was uncomfortable touching raw meat. I didn't even understand basic techniques beyond how to use a microwave. Sure, I grew up watching cooking shows on PBS and occasionally baking cookies with my grandma, but I was never very hands-on about it. That changed when my mom married my stepdad about five years ago. We moved into his condo after the wedding and with both of them working long hours and my schedule at college getting me home around noon everyday it was logical that I make dinner. For the first few years that's all it was. I had a passing interest in the Food Network, but I always thought it wasn't for me. It was all about ease and prepackaged foods. One day this all started to shift, I don't even remember what the catalyst was. I found myself intent on watching the Food Network. I could spend hours at the library or book store perusing cookbook after cookbook for new inspirations. Then I started to create my own recipes. I can talk for hours about flavor combinations and textures. I spend a good deal of time and money exploring new culinary experiences. I'm passionate about food, in every aspect. The look, the taste, the aroma. I love it all. Food photography makes me giddy with excitement. Shopping for new kitchen equipment is my bliss. It's time I stopped shying away from it.

I don't know that this will ever end up leading me somewhere specific, but it's a weight off of my shoulders to finally be honest. In the meantime it's off to make some pizza and enjoy this wonderfully overcast and cozy evening.

Inspiration: Radishes

2010-12-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

Is it strange that I am inspired by radishes? There's just something about them that I love. The vivid shades of pink and red, the texture, the rustic look of vegetables pulled fresh from the soil. They've been showing up in my art a lot lately so I thought I'd share some photos that have been inspiring me lately (click the photos for their source).

What's been inspiring you lately?

Give Thanks

2010-11-25T20:17:00.000-08:00

I had intended this post to be a list of one hundred things I am thankful for as inspired from pastor's sermon at Thanksgiving service, but while writing that list I became some overwhelmed with just how blessed I am that posting the list felt trite. I do still have my list tucked lovingly into my favorite notebook to remind me of how amazing life is, but I thought I would keep this brief. When I think back to exactly a year ago I can't believe how unrecognizable my life was compared to what it is now. I had lost both of my grandparents, it felt like our family was falling apart. I was well over a year into a fruitless job search. I had some amazing friends scattered around the globe, but none that I could reach out and hug when it felt like life was being pulled out from under me. My head spins at the thought that this was my reality a year ago and even less. Things couldn't be more different now. I'm forging connections with family again. I have a stable job that I am deeply thankful for. I have the most amazing friends that I could never have dreamed of having. I constantly pinch myself and wait for this dream to evaporate into the ether, but it doesn't. My heart bursts with joy and praise for God every morning when I wake up. Life itself is the most wonderful fairytale indeed.

While I am not traditional when it comes to my Thanksgiving celebrations, I wholeheartedly love the feelings of gratitude that surround the holiday. I also believe in keeping those feelings year round. I'm particularly fond of keeping a blessings notebook. So many of the things are simple, trivial pleasures, but those are what make up the tapestries of our lives. I'm thinking about starting a weekly series highlighting the things that bring me bliss. On the topic of blogging and thankfulness, many thanks do out to my co-worker and her daughter-in-law from bringing back my computer from the depths of certain doom. Now that I have a working computer again for the first time in about a month I can get back on track again ♥

What are you thankful for today?

Late Summer Picnic

2010-10-19T03:03:00.000-07:00

With the weather having warmed up a little again last weekend was the perfect time for a picnic. Cupcakes were made, decorations were hung, and good conversation was had. Now, though, I am definitely ready for it to start feeling like autumn.

Sushi and Shopping

2010-09-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

Since my mom has the magic touch when it comes to radio contests my weeks tend to be spent exploring places I never would have the chance to otherwise. This weekend was no exception, destination Caesar's Palace and Sushi Roku for lunch. Of course being down at Caesar's Palace has to involve a little shopping, mostly of the window variety. While we marveled at fancy shoe shops that make my feet hurt just thinking about them and the diamond display at De Beers, we also had the chance to check out one of my favorite-ever shops. I'm sure it comes as a shock to none, but I am an Anthroplogie fan. I love their stores and can spend hours lost on their website. I don't own much from them yet, but I did buy my first wearable! Tucked away by the sale room were the cutest pair of socks I've ever seen. I've been enamored with stripes as of late so these (pictured below) were the perfect find. My other favorite shop of the weekend was Vosages Haut Chocolat. How I'd never heard of this place while being a local stuns me. They have such an interesting array of chocolates to chose from. I had a chance to sample their bacon bar (yummy, if a little strange) and the Creole Exotic bar (an amazing blend of chicory coffee, cocoa nibs and dark chocolate). In the end I went with the Black Salt Caramel bar that I have yet to try, but am very excited about never-the-less. When it gets a little colder out I'm looking forward to trying some of their drinking chocolate as well (particularly the blend of white chocolate, lemon, and lavender blossoms).

On to lunch, which was an experience in of itself. I've had sushi many times in the past, but I've always tended towards rolls or maki-style. With this certificate I decided to go bold and try their sampler of primarily nigiri-style pieces. I was definitely intimidated when my platter arrived, but in the end I was very pleased. Now I can say for certain that salmon is my favorite (though I honestly didn't dislike anything on my plate) and I actually like the taste and kick of wasabi. Since I had a little extra left I decided to try something that sounded intriguing as well. The tempura asparagus hand roll was amazing! The rice was mixed with what tasted like wasabi mayonnaise which was a nice touch and flavor. While I still wont be attempting raw fish at home just yet, this is something I'd like to experiment with. What are your favorite types of sushi?

I am absolutely smitten with this gown.

Saw this restaurant while walking around. Such a cute design!

My bargain hunting finds of the day. Ask if you want any specifics.

A Fiesta-Inspired Birthday

2010-09-20T21:42:00.000-07:00

It was my uncle's birthday this past Saturday and the ensuing party was a combined effort between me and my mom. It just so happened that he loves green chili chicken (a family favorite recipe that has been a party staple since... middle school?) and that fit perfectly with the fiesta-inspired fabric that mom bought a few months ago. It worked out perfectly because the extra length of the fabric that was too long for the table ended up being exactly the right length for the buffet table.

In the end good food was had with good company. It's been a few months since we were able to sit down together as a family. We haven't had much of a chance to entertain recently so it was nice to shake things up a little. Mom in particular has a flair for fun party decor (what you see here is mostly her handiwork, I was in charge of the food) and I know she's missed having people over. He seemed to enjoy his gifts too, though remind me to use a reference the next time I attempt to draw a car.

This was just the start to a crazy busy weekend that warrants its own post. Looking back I have no idea how so much was packed into two days! How was your weekend?

Of Changes and New Intentions

2010-09-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

This has been a summer of change. From a new job to new friends to new experiences, it's been a whirlwind. This has also been a summer of introspection. When I look back to even a few months ago I can hardly recognize who I was. It's crazy and it's wonderful and I have the grace of God and some pretty amazing people to thank for it all.

Where did this come from? That's easy. Glorieta. That week was easily the most emotionally challenging and healing week of my life. A lifetime of emotions brought to the surface. Pain that I didn't even realize I had been carrying around with me. I broke that week. I'm not a crier, but I can't count the times I just started to feel the tears run down my face. And every time there was someone to lend an ear, a hand on my shoulder, words of encouragement, a silent hug of support. It was nothing like I had ever experienced before. I could feel God working in my life. By the end of the week I felt lighter and freer. My spirit was mending. As Tony would say, I had the joy, joy, joy in my heart.

Coming back from camp I was fired up and ready to make changes. I've been penning notebooks full of ideas, but I've been allowing myself to fall back into my old pattern of insecurity. What I have to say can't possibly be useful. What if I make a mistake. I can't put myself out there like that. This week I've felt change bubbling again. I'm done with it. I'm done with these self destructive patterns. I'm going to make a public commitment here and now to work through it as we usher in this new season. If summer was the season of riding the waves of new changes, let's make autumn the season for intentionally carving a new path.

Along those lines I spent my morning having an intense quiet time and a lengthy entry into my journal was manifested. Going off of what I wrote, some specific commitments that will be the focus of the next few months as I make them into my daily way of living:

I commit to...

● recognize and deal with guilt/insecurity/negative emotions on an immediate basis.
● eating more naturally. Less preservatives and more from scratch.
● being more active in ways that actually interest me. Walks through the park. Perhaps some tai chi or yoga.
● expressing myself in an authentic way and worrying less of what someone might say.
● being creative everyday. Even if it's only for ten minutes. Anything counts. Cooking, painting, drawing, crafting, writing, photography.
● Blogging regularly and being supportive towards others in the blogging community.
● prioritizing the things that are important and cutting out what's not.
● having a daily quiet time with God.
● spreading positivity to those around me. Being an encouraging voice to others. Random acts of kindness towards strangers.
● nurturing my curious nature. Going back to the library more often again. Searching out new experiences. Taking classes.

What are your intentions for this coming season? I'm looking forward to this new journey (as now commemorated through a new look here at Quirky Charm) and hope to be able to share it with you. If you want to join me in any of these commitments (or commitments of your own), I would love to be able to encourage you along the way! Together we're stronger than we are on our own.

Homemade Chocolate Bar

2010-06-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

There is something wonderfully comforting about a bar of chocolate. I found this recipe in a slow cooker book of all places and made it at the insistence of my mom. It was so creamy and delicious, I'll definitely be making it again. I also love how versatile it is, you could add just about anything to the chocolate before it hardens. I'm picturing roast pistachios or macadamia nuts. Perhaps mini marshmallows alongside the peanuts for a rocky road flavor. Almonds and a sprinkling of sea salt as it cools perhaps? What are your favorite chocolate pairings?

Homemade Chocolate Bar
modified and adapted from the Crockpot: The Original Slow Cooker cookbook

1 pound milk chocolate almond bar, broken into pieces
1 4oz. bar of sweetened German chocolate
1 12oz. package of mini semisweet chocolate chips
add in of choice

Put the chocolate into your slow cooker and set it to high for approximately 45 minutes. Do not stir. By the end of this phase the chocolate should be shiny and starting to melt. Turn the heat down to low for another hour, stirring at regular intervals. At this point the chocolate should be completely melted. Stir in your add in (pictured above, approx 2 cups of roasted and lightly salted peanuts).

Line a lipped pan (I used a jelly roll pan) with parchment paper and pour out the melted chocolate mixture. Spread around until it's of an even thickness. Allow the chocolate to set on the counter and move to the refrigerator if necessary. Once the chocolate is solid break into pieces of a size of your choice. Store in a sealed container.

As an added tip, store in the refrigerator if you live in a warm climate and want your chocolate to be more solid in texture. Living in the desert I found that mine started to soften when it was left on the counter.

Transparency

2010-06-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

This is the story of a sandwich. Not just any sandwich, mind you, the sandwich that changed my life. Before I get ahead of myself let me start at the beginning. As I'm sure you've noticed I have become scarce. I haven't been writing, reading, or commenting lately. My google reader is up to almost 1,000 posts. All of my projects have stalled and I haven't done something creative in weeks. I've been debating writing this post, I usually try to keep this blog positive. I don't want to hide behind that though. Life has downs as well as ups and I feel that sharing both is to share the essence of who we really are. The best way for us to come together and truly get to know each other. Along those lines I've been thinking more about transparency lately thanks to some recent lessons in my bible study group.

First, I want to share something I've never really talked about before. My mom and a few of my friends know, but I've always been ashamed to admit this publicly. I struggle with severe anxiety. I've always had trouble with leaving the house, but in recent years I've become nervous even walking the short distance to my mail box. Even online I shy away from expressing myself most of the time. I have panic attacks near daily. Over the past two months this has been something I've decided to confront head on. I'm tired of feeling limited. I joined a new group at my church and have a group of friends for the first time in over five years. I've been forcing myself to go out more often and though it's still difficult I find myself feeling better week after week. Still with all of this new stress and the stress from not being able to find a job I felt like I'd lost my passion for life. My flair for cooking has been absent as has my joy for crafting. I've been so self conscious about everything that I say and do.

This brings me to the sandwich. My mom, realizing that I've been feeling down, decided to take me out to lunch. Of course, every restaurant we looked at was either ridiculously crowded or closed. Wandering through the hotel we finally came to Wolfgang Puck's Bar and Grill. I had the salami, mortadella, and aged provolone sandwich and that first bite changed my life. The buttery texture of the mortadella coupled with the tang of the cheese all resting on the light, airy focaccia; it was bliss. From that bite I remembered why I like to create. I found my passion for amazing flavor combinations, for bringing that bliss to those around me. I finally feel like myself again. I'm surrounded by some wonderful family and some amazing friends. Everything else will fall into place when it's meant to.

Cookies Fit for a Princess

2010-05-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

Back in February I purchased Cookie Craft as I was interested in the idea of baking and decorating more sugar cookies. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and I was finally able to give the techniques a whirl. A friend of mine was throwing a birthday party with a little girl's theme so I went to the party store to put together a bucket full of favorite children's items. The bucket looked a little empty though and so cookies it was!

I've had this tiara cookie cutter for about a year now and I was excited to finally put it to use. I had initially planned to do a design with pink royal icing, but realized that I didn't have the necessary pasteurized egg whites (or appropriate substitute) on hand. Thankfully the book had a few other decorating ideas and I ended up going with baking the sprinkles into the cookies, an effect I ended up loving. Overall the process went smoothly, but next time I think I need to roll the dough a little thicker as the tips of the tiara kept breaking off.

Cookies on the pan, pre-sprinkles...

...and post-sprinkles.

The finished bucket.

A Spiced Posset

2010-05-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

After a long day there is nothing more comforting than a glass of warm milk. I was perfectly content with that until one day a little over a year ago when I found a recipe for a posset over at The Princess Portal. While a posset was traditionally made using alcohol to curdle the milk I also prefer to simply use spices and honey to add flavor. I've modified Skye's recipe slightly, but you can also use different portions of the spices to taste.

A Spiced Posset
1 cup milk
1 Tbs. orange blossom honey
a sprinkling of cinnamon

Heat the milk (I personally prefer skim, but any percentage would be fine) in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the honey and cinnamon. Heat until steaming and pour into a favorite mug.

Sometimes I mix it up and use a different type of honey or different flavorings (vanilla extract is nice). If you make your own flavored sugars, like lavender, that would also be a good substitute for the honey (and the lavender would add extra relaxation properties).

What are your favorite ways to wind down after a long day?

Sketch Inspirations: Cake

2010-05-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

click the image for credits

I've been intending to post for the last week, but I've been under the weather with allergies. On the bright side of being stuck in bed for most of the day, it leaves more time for art. Specifically, opening up my sketchbook and seeing where it takes me. When I was a girl I filled sketchbooks with abandon. I created characters, scribbled cute animals, recorded what I saw around me and what made me smile. I didn't think about whether my art was "good" or not, I just drew until the inspiration ran out for the day (or if I had to go to bed). Now? Now I rarely crack open my book. It languishes by my bedside, unused and leaving me filled with feelings of guilt. It's not that I don't want to draw, it's that I'm scared. What if I'm not good enough? To get over that feeling I'm going to be sketching or painting a little something every day, thanks to inspiration from the 20 Minutes a Day Challenge.

That leads me to the large mosaic of cake pictured above. Lately I've been going through large stacks of books from the library. When going through cookbooks I started to notice a personal trend; pretty cake photos not only inspired me to bake, they also inspired me to draw. Just as cakes come in an infinite array of delicious flavors, they also come in a never ending parade of different sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. They can be styled so many different ways, from the simple to the complex. Coupled with the fact that I've always found food illustration inspiring and I've found a major theme that I want to practice! I'm looking forward to seeing where this takes me, I have a feeling that more baking will be in my near future down this path.

What's been inspiring your art lately?

Treating Yourself

2010-04-29T10:10:00.001-07:00

My mom surprised me with this beautiful box of truffles several weeks ago. There was no special occasion, she thought that the box was pretty and knew that I love Godiva's truffles. Both of these are true, yet it still sits on my desk mostly uneaten. I have a problem with treating myself. This isn't limited to nice foods either. I have stacks of art supplies that I've deemed too nice to "waste". I have piles of books that have been left unread, waiting for the perfect moment. I have this feeling that if I don't wait for the absolute perfect moment that whatever it is will be wasted. That I wont ever be able to have nice things like these again so I'd better hoard them away.

In the end this attitude doesn't serve me at all. Every day and every moment is a gift that should never be wasted. There is no such thing as a "perfect" moment, but every moment can be special if we're living in the present and to the fullest. With this post I want to be publicly accountable to start practicing these truths that I have known for so long, but yet been so reluctant to put into practice. I will wear my favorite dress when the mood strikes, even if it's just to run errands. I will create new works of art with my supplies, because that is what they were made to do. I will treat each moment with the respect it deserves, finding bliss all around me and letting go of fear. I know that this transformation wont happen overnight. I'll need to be conscious of my thoughts until this becomes second nature, but I think this is something worth doing so I'm going to give it my all.

That brings me to you. What is it you do to treat yourself? How do you make your everday moments special?

Counting My Blessings

2010-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

I started putting together my project box for the Counting My Blessings project yesterday and now that I can see all of the colors coming together I am getting more and more excited. Since this project is all about being thankful for the blessings in our lives I decided to go with a palette of my favorite colors. The colors that jumped out at me while I was going through my stash. I'm going to use a basic unbleached muslin for the base. I love the softness of the fabric and its lovely oatmeal shade. Since it was my grandmother who first got me into the world of needlecraft (I used to cross stitch all the time) I thought it would me a nice way to honor her memory while I worked on my first embroidery project. I was able to find her hoop and am using the project box she used to store her current projects in. Now to get started with the actual stitching... First up? Drawing and stitching in the grid for the squares.

In other news, I have a facebook page set up for Quirky Charm! It's located here and I'll be using it to keep up with general updates. There will be posts there each time this blog is updated as well as whenever I list something new on Etsy. I also have it set up so anyone can upload photos, I would love to see what people have done with something they've purchased from me as well as what they've done inspired this blog (a recipe tried, craft tutorial followed, community project joined, etc.).

A Very Merry Birthday

2010-04-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was my twenty third birthday and I've got to say it was a total blast. I kept things pretty low-key this year, but I think that added to the fun. Mom took the day off from work and to celebrate the good weather we decided to go to a few places we don't always get a chance to go. One of these was the shops at Green Valley Ranch (pictured above). While most of the shops there are far out of my budget I love just being able to walk around and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. Especially on a warm spring day. It was bliss. I even managed to find a few small trinkets (that I can't wait to show you once I get them ready!). Topped off with some of the best food in the city (lunch below from Cabo Wabo and dinner that I was too hungry to remember to take photos off from my favorite Irish pub) and late night Irish music and I would say the day was just about perfect.

Delicious, delicious quesadillas!

Nachos, equally as delicious.

I've just been feeling so blessed this month. I'm surrounded by wonderful family and I've just met a group of wonderful new friends earlier this month that I truly feel like I'm clicking with. Wonderful things and experiences keep coming my way and I'm feeling happier than I have in a long, long time. A true kind of happiness. A happiness deep in my soul. To top it all off, I get to go see my dream concert tonight courtesy of a radio concert I won last month. I've been wanting to see the Eagles since I was a little girl, but I didn't think it would ever happen. I am on cloud nine with anticipation.

Before I head off for the evening, I wanted to mention the Counting My Blessings Stitchalong. Focusing on the positive and being thankful for all that I've been blessed with have been topics in the forefront of my mind lately and this has shown up at the perfect time. I'm excited to give it a go and share my progress (more of that on Monday) with you guys, but I wanted to mention it now while it's still in the early stages because I think this is right up your alley. It doesn't matter if you're experienced or not, this is my first ever real embroidery project, it's the feelings that matter the most so don't be afraid to jump in if this sounds like something you'd like to try.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day! I've been thinking about doing something a little special for about a week now and I finally had a brainstorm last night as I was drifting off to sleep. Between thrifting excursions and my own stack of work our outgrown clothing I have a bunch of materials waiting to be upcycled into something new. With this being Earth Day I also wanted to challenge myself to only use what I had around the house. Thus, this bracelet was born.

The fabric itself came from a broomstick skirt that had seen better days. It was too tattered to donate, but I didn't want to send it to the landfill either (you might recognize it from a headband I made a while ago). It had the perfect texture to tear into ribbons and braid with unfinished edges. It just so happened that I had some beads from an old project in my bead box to add a little sparkle.

Gathering my materials I thought I was good to go... Ha! This is one of those projects that stretched my limits, even thought it looks simple. The braiding process went smoothly enough, but attaching them together was a different story. A pile of scraps/thread and my first bent needle later and I have something that works. I was hoping to make a second to put up in my shop, but I really need to fine tune the process first. Though it was frustrating at the time, I am grateful for the difficulty, I feel like I know more about my sewing machine now (and I've finally overcome my fear of dealing with needle problems).

This personal challenge has me thinking up new things to do with the things I already own. I'm looking forward to seeing where this takes me, I really want to adopt an 'Earth Day is everyday' mantra for my life. What have you been up to today?

My materials all laid out after I finished tearing the fabric.

Braiding in progress. This clip board was a life saver.

Spring is Here!

2010-04-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

Though it may have felt like a long time coming, spring is finally here! Everywhere I go I see flowers in bloom and green grass sprouting up from dried earth. The wind is a constant companion as are more regular afternoon storms. I'm loving it. While I wouldn't be able to define a personal favorite amongst the seasons, this fresh weather and nature in bloom is a welcome respite. Some of my favorite things about the season:

○ Feeling the cool grass between my toes.
○ Celebrating Easter and all that holiday represents.
○ Picnics in the park. Good food, good company, and a fun game of frisbee or badminton.
○ Afternoon tea on the patio with a good book.
○ Taking my sketchbook to the park for a few hours of creative fun.
○ Opening up the doors and windows to let the fresh air in.
○ Flowers in bloom, everywhere I look.
○ My favorite fruits coming into season.
○ Flowing dresses in pretty colors.
○ Curling up in a warm patch of sun for an afternoon nap.
○ Light, well into the evenings.
○ Celebrating my birthday with family and friends.
○ Dining alfresco.
○ More UEFA football.
○ The start of the BBQ season.
○ Farmer's Markets bursting with fresh produce.
○ The return of outdoor shopping markets.
○ Baby animals, everywhere. I love hearing the chirps of baby birds in the nearby trees.
○ ...and so much more!

What are your favorite things about the season? Or for those of you in the southern hemisphere, what are your favorite things about the cooler weather?

The patio at Grimaldi's Pizza, my first alfresco meal of the season.

From Planet Hollywood

2010-04-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

In my last post I mentioned going through the photos on my camera. I came across these and realized that I never mentioned my staycation back in February!

Mom won a two night stay at Planet Hollywood through a local radio station and decided to take me along since it's been so long since my last vacation. It was bliss to get out of the house for a couple of days. One of the best things about being a local is that there was no need to do any sight seeing, staying in and not fighting traffic was bliss. We had ample time to explore the shops, try the restaurants, and work on our inspiration books.

Our room. Complete with props/costumes from 'A League of Their Own'.

An upclose shot of one of the costumes.

The view from the room during the day...

...and at night!

A sneak peek at the inspiration books in progress.

Loot from a shopping excursion to Sur La Table.

The rest of the loot, some gorgeous purses from a kiosk and some candy.

Back at It

2010-04-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

After several weeks of bad news, both personally and for my family, I've been drained and have been facing a major creative block. Today I decided to take a stand and find my center again. I curled up with some new magazines (Somerset Life and Jewelry Affair), a good movie (The Shoe Fairy, a beautiful Chinese modern fairytale), and some tea. I feel refreshed! Even though I planned to rest the day away I ended up being so motivated that I took several photos and got caught up with my editing. I even managed to get through some of the massive pile of library books by my bed. What's even more exciting is that it's only 7PM, plenty more time to get things done and pamper myself a little.

What are your favorite ways to snap out of a funk/creative block?

Homemade Applesauce

2010-03-22T12:58:00.001-07:00

I am finally caught up with editing my photos! I've had some sitting on my camera since mid-February... Despite my best intentions life got away from me for a little while, but with the coming of Spring I seem to be getting back on track.

How has Spring been for you so far? Mine has been a productive one. I've done some cleaning and a lot of thinking about things like new routines and things I want to stop thinking about and stop doing. I've been on my first thrift store excursion (after well over a year of intending to). Thanks to some free passes I've also been to see the 'Fab Four' (a Beatles tribute group), a show I've been wanting to see since I first heard about it seven years ago. I'm going to make this the season of trying new things and getting my hands dirty.

All of this is to say that I've started down the path of trying to make more things at home instead of relying on store bought and processed foods. First up? Applesauce. My last experience with store bought applesauce was an intensely negative one. There was an unidentified sharp object in it... That was the last time I had any of the typical processed variety and the organic versions I've seen have either been too expensive or prepared with too much lemon for my taste. I don't know why it took me so long to try this myself, but this experiment was a complete success. I used this recipe from Circle B Kitchen, I love both the ease and flavor that comes from baking the apples instead of stewing them on the stove. For my first batch I used granny smith, with a fair amount of cinnamon and brown sugar. While it was delicious, my second batch with golden delicious was even more amazing (and it required far less sugar). I might try a combination of the two varieties next time, to mix the sweet with the sour. This is definitely going to become a regular staple around here.

Big Announcement!

2010-03-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

As promised, I come today with two big announcements. Before I get to the one pictured above I would like to mention the redesign of Quirky Charm. It's not a huge change, I kept the general structure the same, but I freshened up the color scheme to something more personally meaningful for me. I also switched out the header to something more representative of my current aesthetic. Behind the scenes I've also set things up to run more smoothly when I want to add new features. I am much happier with my little slice of the web now.

In bigger news, I've opened up an Etsy shop! This has been a long time coming, but I've allowed procrastination and self-doubt win. I love crafting and scouring shops for vintage finds, but I've always kept my dream of making a living by things created by my own hands locked in a little box in my heart. Little pieces of doubt still make their way in from time to time, but I'm finally taking the first step towards doing something I'm passionate about.

Come visit me at Quirky Charm. At the moment I only have a few vintage pieces listed. They're the last few things cleared out of my grandmother's estate after we took the rest of what we didn't choose to keep for consignment. This feels right to me. She's the one who started me down this crafty path and in doing this I feel as though I'm honoring her crafting and vintage loving tradition. Here's to a wonderful new chapter in my life!

And now I will be returning to a more regular posting schedule. The behind the scenes planning and preparation for these two announcements took up so much of my time that I've allowed a pile of photos to pile up. I'm looking forward to sharing them with you.

Sunrise, Sunrise

2010-03-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

1. “We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness”, 2. Strawberry breakfast, 3. french press, 4. day two

I woke up this morning, the first day of Daylight Savings, feeling fantastic. I'm not particularly sure why, but I'm going to roll with it. This year I don't want to use this as an excuse for weeks to cover for being cranky. I want to seize the day and focus on the positives: more hours of sunshine! To celebrate I stated out the day with a pot of French press coffee, a piece of leftover homemade roll with Nutella, and some goat cheese scrambled eggs.

How about you? What are you doing to celebrate the upcoming season?

Life List

2010-03-03T22:35:00.000-08:00

This list has been in the works for months now. I was initially inspired by Maggie Mason of Mighty Girl and her Mighty Life List, but I was intimidated by the thought of actually admitting my dreams to myself. Recently I've been thinking a lot about how I tend to over-think and over-worry over just about everything and about how nice would it be to stop doing that. This is just a sneak peek, I'm still working on the list (I've decided that I won't stop at 100 things, I will allow this list to grow and change as I encounter new dreams along my journey):

Feel comfortable in my own skin.
Travel to Venice.
Travel to Italy during Masquarade.
Cosplay at an anime/comics convention.
Work in a library.
Make a living through things created with my own hands.
Play the cello.
Play the violin.
Play the bagpipes.
Sing karaoke in front of strangers.
Be at least conversational in French, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, and Portuguese.
Learn Latin and Gaelic.
Attend a steampunk meet-up in full garb.
Own a balljointed doll.
Go hanggliding.
Sail a boat.
Travel to at least 15 different countries.
Sleep a night under the stars.
Walk through the woods.
Rent a villa in Tuscany.
See a Manchester United match at Old Trafford.
Pick flowers and press them in and old book.
Participate in book crossing.
Participate in post crossing.
Have a wonderful penpal experience.
Keep a pretty journal of musings, art, and poetry.
Participate in an anonymous art project designed to bring joy to others.
Go ziplining.
Learn to ride a bike.
Learn how to apply liquid eyeliner in a way that actually looks fabulous on me.
Paint a series of paintings for my room.
Create my life around my 'life as a flower shop' aesthetic.
Be comfortable cooking anything and everything.
Sort, organize, and purge my belongings.
Try out for a local theater production.
Try 1,000 new foods.
Design and create the wardrobe of my dreams.
Bicycle through the French countryside.
See the catacombs.
Attend a ball.
Grow something from seed.
Have an article published.
Enjoy a picnic in an orchard/under blooming trees.
Pick my own fruit.
Tithe.
Give $100 to a busker.
Attend Mass in Latin.
Become a mentor.
Attend a high school reunion in a positive state of mind.
Participate in a community garden.
Live a more sustainable life.
Have my own calligraphy style.
Pay off my student loan.
Participate in the Great American Bakesale.
Fold one thousand paper cranes.
Fill a sketchbook.
Organize my photos and create a system to organize future prints.
Research my biological family tree.
Learn how to play Mahjong.
Take a letterpress class.
Release my worries.
Learn how to and make my own candies.
Complete my inspiration and idea books.
Read through my entire bookshelf.
Learn the language of flowers.
Write a children's book.

Once I'm satisfied with my list I'll make a more permanent page for it here (this will be replacing my 101 in 1001 list for those of you that remember that from so long ago...). A big thank you goes out to Maggie for getting me to think about my dreams in a concrete way. Do you keep a life list? If so, have you shared it online? I would love to read it.

Fortune for a Happy Life

2010-02-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love finding something that I've been searching for over the years in an unexpected place. This is one of those times. I've been wanting a fortune cookie necklace, and have bookmarked dozens online, but none of them were quite what I was looking for. That is, until now. I spotted this during a recent jaunt to the Venetian, hiding among rows of other necklaces. It spoke to me the moment I saw it from the hammered gold texture to the fortune sticking out. It was the last one with the 'Happy Life' message which felt particularly fortuitous. This piece has served as a reminder to me of how fortunate I truly am. That happiness is something I can attain at any given moment.

Have you found something recently that you've been hoping to find? Is there something you're still searching for?

Like a Flower Shop

2010-02-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

1. Flower Shop, 2. Carnation Heaven, 3. The Blue Hat, 4. Flower Stall 1

It's no secret that I've been wanting to redo my room for a while now. While I do like how it is now, it just doesn't feel quite right. Many of the pieces were purchased for immediate necessity so I had to go with what was cheap and readily available. It's also become confused in design, pieces from my childhood and newer favorites all jumbled together. There are some things that I've known that I wanted to do for a while now, such as switching my furniture over to white pieces to freshen things up. Otherwise my mind has been a blank slate, and not in a positive way.

Until now that is! During my most recent trip to Home Goods I came face to face with a painting that spoke to me. It was a large canvas depicting a pretty flower shop in Paris. It was gorgeous and even though it was much to large for my space it gave me just what I needed. Inspiration. I want my room to be filled with the vibrant colors of nature. I want to feel as though I'm living in a flower shop. Considering my penchant for such things one would think this would have been an easy conclusion for me to reach, but it just never occurred to me until I saw that painting. I have so many ideas swirling around in my head, I can wait to bring some of them to life. I'm excited to have a direction again, one that feels authentically me. I have a feeling this new vision will start carrying over to other aspects of my life (this blog included) ♥

I've always been interested in seeing others' design processes... When you're working on something (from a painting to a website to a room design, anything!) how do you begin? Do you use directional phrases to help shape your style or do you go with the flow?

That Wonderful Warmth

2010-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever found yourself shopping for certain things based on the music playing in the store? I never really thought about it until I was in the bookstore in need of some retail therapy. Upbeat pop? Lighthearted fiction. Classic jazz? Cookbooks. There is something about the rich warmth of the piano that has me craving a mug of coffee and a luxurious piece of chocolate. Perhaps with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Year of the Tiger

2010-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

As promised, I've come to share my photos from the Chinese New Year exhibit at the Bellagio gardens with you. The year of the Tiger is said to symbolize power, force, and strength. If you're curious about the traditional customs of Chinese (or Lunar) New Year, this website has a wealth of information. Do you or your family celebrate? If you, what are your favorite parts of the holiday? Personally, I love the lantern festival at the end of the 15-days. Even though our city doesn't have a large China Town (comparative to other cities our size), they always put on a wonderful festival.

The Comfort of Oatmeal Cookies

2010-02-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

There is nothing I like better than biting into a warm cookie on a chilly winter day. Even better if that cookie happens to be full of cinnamon and nutmeg. Those scents fill the house so perfectly, just like a fuzzy warm blanket. I can see why they're so often used during open houses, they instantly create that feeling of home.

I've been searching for a good oatmeal cookie recipe for ages and I think I've found the one. This has been one quest where I've been more than a little picky. My treasured favorite from childhood had lost their luster as I noted that the last time I made them that I've developed a distaste for the flavor of shortening. Raisins are out as well, especially if I want my family to enjoy them. These were perfect, nice and crisp with a warm and comforting flavor. The recipe I used is from the Williams-Sonoma Cookies book if you're curious to give these a try yourself. For a similar recipe online, this one is close (substituting the raisins for chopped walnuts).

Other things I'm excited about? These plates! Mom and I have been on the hunt for a new set of plates for almost a year. Nothing was quite right. I was inspired by a set that I saw in the Farm Chicks cookbook, but thought something similar would be impossible to find. A trip to Home Goods on a completely unrelated note proved me wrong. I am smitten.

Raindrops Keep Falling

2010-02-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend was another perfect spent snuggled up with a mug of hot tea and a good book. I decided to take my camera out for a spin (something I always mean to do during a storm, but never get around to) and seek out some new sights. I love the droplets hanging from the branches of the neighboring tree that never did fully lose its leafs. The puddle and resulting splattering droplets were mesmerizing to watch. I love the rain.

The scent during a storm is something magical. The scent of the world being washed clean. The scent of a fresh start.

Finding My Way

2010-02-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

1. Fast White Bread, 2. Farmers' Market, 3. Flower Shop, 4. Bicycles and Flowers

I've been thinking a lot lately, about quite a few different things. That seems to be the theme of the year, at least so far. I've been thinking about dreams, about the life I want to live, and about the life I'm living now. The life I'm living now is a far cry from how I want to live. Some of it is this city, I'm a small town (or at least small city) girl at heart. I crave a deliberate life. A life where I know my neighbors and stop to chat with people on the street. I crave a life where I can walk down the streets of my neighbor and not fear who might be lurking around the corner. I crave fresh air and being able to see the stars at night. Unfortunately craving those things has impaired my ability to make my life here as good as it possibly can be. I spend my time dreaming of what-if's when I could be making the most of where I am now. Life doesn't have a pause button.

Since I am unable to move both now and in the immediate future I am going to do my best to stop focusing so much on the future. I am going to immerse myself in the present and bring in the little moments that I crave so dearly. I don't need to live in the country to bake fresh bread every week. I don't need a huge garden to be surrounded by fresh flowers. I can start living a more deliberate life this very moment. I don't know why it's taken me so long to come to this realization, but it hit me only just recently. It's not that I haven't been doing this sort of thing at all, but instead of surrounding myself with these sorts of things everyday I end up clinging to those moments as islands in a sea of frustration.

I want to be more deliberate with my choices. I want to bring only things that I absolutely adore into my life, instead of settling on sales and impulses. I want to live more naturally, less preservatives and more homemade. I want to support others who share these passions through purchasing things that are handmade or in a personally owned shop. I want to share my passion for life. I want to stop being so afraid... of everything. I want to embrace the world with open arms. I want to embrace my inner optimism.

Thank you for being here with me and for giving me a place where I can feel comfortable baring these parts of myself. I know that I have the tendency to hide these parts of myself away, and a first step to filling more fulfilled in my life is for me to start sharing all parts of my soul. Even the confused and frustrated and lonely ones. I also want to thank you for the positive feedback to my writing piece 'Her Secret World' a while ago, that's the first time I've shared my writing in a public place in a long time and it's something I look forward to doing more of.

Exploration

2010-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's nice to go on an unexpected adventure...

Nutella Banana Mini-Pies

2010-02-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

This was one of those delicious accidents that stems from a set of wonderful circumstances that, at the time, seem entirely ordinary. I was making shepherd's pie and realized I purchased pie dough even though I didn't actually need any as I was using a mashed potato crust. Instead of freezing the dough (which I am too impatient to thaw later) or letting it go to waste I decided on the spur of the moment to put together a little dessert while I waited for the potatoes to finish boiling. Cue the very ripe bananas on the counter and I had a thought. What about Nutella? That delicious spread makes anything better. And thus, these were born, from preparation to completion, in the sixteen minutes that would have otherwise been time spent waiting. Feel free to change out the filling to suit your tastes and your cupboards. Any sort of jam or jelly would be yummy. As would any typical pie filling.

Nutella Banana Mini-Pies

2 rounds Prepared pie dough
2 Bananas; sliced
Nutella

Preheat your oven according to pie dough package directions. For mine, it was 425°F.

Start by unrolling your dough and laying on a smooth (lightly floured if needed) surface. Using a small circle cutter (a drinking glass also works) cut rounds out of your dough and set aside. Slice bananas into thin slices. Lay out one layer of your circles (saving an even number to cover them later!) and place three slices of banana on each. Top banana slices with approximately one teaspoon of Nutella. Cover each filled circle of dough with the remaining dough circles and seal tightly with a fork to ensure that the filling doesn't leak during the cooking process (don't worry if they make a little bit of mess though, that's normal).

Place pies on a lined cookie sheet and bake for approximated 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow them to cool slightly on a rack or plate and enjoy! These are wonderful on their own, but they would be equally as delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Inspiration: Cameos

2010-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

1. Cameos Galore!, 2. Swan Lake Cameo Necklace, 3. Cameo neckpiece, 4. Brass, Cameo and Pearls Earrings

Ever since I was a little girl I've had a fascination with cameos. There is just something so charming and feminine about them. In fact, I still have my very first cameo stashed away in a trinket box somewhere, it's a chipped little pink and white plastic thing that I salvaged from the trash. I felt just like a little princess when I would hold it.

Did you know that while the most popular cameos today are those carved shells displaying predominantly women's profiles, cameos were once frequently commissioned and worn by men? Dating back as far as 300BC cameos often depicted famous rulers, heroes, and gods. Larger pieces would often depict biblical and other historical events. It wasn't until the nineteenth century that the shell carved profiles that are so popular today came into vogue. If you want to know more about cameos, The Cameo Collection has a page full of historical tidbits.

Speaking of cameos, have you seen the most recent issue of Victoria Magazine? I was ecstatic to find that Livy of A Field Journal is to be this year's artist in residence. Her project in this issue are some lovely paper cameos that you can read more about here on her blog.

Full of Possibility

2010-02-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

Happy February! I have a good feeling about this month. I'm going to do my best to seize the day and make the most of the wonderful possibilities that are surrounding me. What are you looking forward to this month? I'm most excited about some upcoming adventures and finally being able to share some plans that I've been keeping secret for these past few months.

Speaking of new adventures, about a week ago I had the chance to explore the gardens at the Bellagio and their exhibit for Chinese New Year (I'll be sharing those photos with you soon...). I haven't been there for such a long time, I had forgotten how beautiful it was there (and how yummy their pastries are).

Those Rainy Days

2010-01-24T09:49:00.000-08:00

This past week has been a wonderland of rain storms, a relative rarity in the desert. There's nothing better than curling up under the covers and listening to the rain against the rooftops. As tempting as it can be to nap and read all day I do like to get out and actually enjoy the rain when I can. From curling my toes in the wet grass at the park to window shopping at my favorite outdoor shopping district. It's been bliss.

This weekend has been a respite from the storms that are supposed to start up again tomorrow. I'll think I'll celebrate the crisp newness that follows a storm by walking over to get lunch and coffee. There are some plans afoot and this would be the perfect excuse to get a change of scenery. How has your weekend been?

Her Secret World

2010-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

She sat quietly on her bed. Daring not to breathe. She sat and dreamed of a new world, a new life. Even the slightest breath would blow that fantasy away forever. She dreamed of a world far from her own. A quiet apartment where she would spend her days covered in paint and cookie dough. The walls would sparkle as her small cat wove around her ankles. Were she to stick her head out the window, as she often did to watch the sunrise, she could smell loaves of bread baking at the bread shop down the street. Most of all she was free there. Free to laugh. Free to love. Free to embrace the world around her in her joy. Inevitably that breath would come though. Her world, evaporated like a puff of smoke. She would sigh and go on with her day, her world locked up so tightly in her heart that even she forgot it was there sometimes.

A Work in Progress

2010-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've been bitten by the painting bug, it would seem. Ever since I finished up a painting for my mom for Christmas I haven't been able to put my water colors away. Unfortunately I've also been lacking the inspiration to actually finish a piece, but instead of hiding them away I thought I would share some of my works in progress. Maybe this will give me the spark I need to finish them...

One Last Look

2010-01-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

And today concludes the tour with one of my favorite parts of my room, the closet. I've done the majority of my home improvement projects in here as I am desperate need of the storage. I would like to hang one more shelf, where one below it had fallen, but otherwise I content with both the storage and look of it.

From the doorway... On that hanger is my favorite blouse, I use it as an inspiration piece.

My clothing and purse collections. I am a bit of a purse addict, particularly when I can do some bargain hunting. That shelf was a bear to hang up, but so worth it when it comes to the storage it adds. I use my purses so much more regularly now too.

The top shelf of my closet. This is a miscellaneous sort of section with my fashion books and hats alongside my bento supplies and scrapbooks. My favorite piece? The clock made by my great grandfather.

The top of my drawer storage unit. I use this spot to display some of my favorite pieces alongside boxes that store my earrings, rings, and bracelets. I use the cake stand to lay out my jewelry everyday. Can you tell I love polka dots?

My favorite closet feature, my necklace wall. To create more storage space I needed to get rid of my jewelry case and that's one of the best decisions I've made. I love being able to see all of my pieces, jewelry is like art anyway so why not display it?

And that concludes the tour. Posting these has me looking at and excited about what changes I want to make. I'm excited to share that journey with you and hope you've enjoyed reading this over these past few days.

The Tour Continues...

2010-01-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have the rest of my room proper (the closet has it's own post tomorrow) to share. This is where I spent most of my time from working at the computer to crafting to watching a favorite movie to slipping into blissful slumber at the end of a long day.

Arguably my favorite thing in my room, my books. I have them organized by color after seeing an episode of Myles of Style last year, I love the visual effect. Here I also display some of my favorite plushies and my family rosaries. To the right you can spy my beading case.

My desk, where I am for most of the day. This is my window to the world outside and the window to my own heart. In addition to the usual computer work, I also do much of my crafting and painting here.

These are the things that make me smile. They serve no other purpose, but I think it's an important one. This side has changed a little since the photograph, that jar now holds kompeito and I have things rearranged slightly to allow space for a paintbrush holder (that I have yet to decide upon...). Also seen here is the vintage style fan that is a life saver in the Las Vegas heat.

This side of my desk is a little more practical with my cup of pens and notebook as well as the candles that I light regularly. To finish the look I've displayed some of my favorite things from the champagne bottle from my 21st birthday filled with paper flowers, a jeweled owl that I found at a trinket shop years and years ago, a frame that I need to find a photo for, and my favorite of the antique snuff bottle collection that I inherited from my grandma. This view also offers one of the better photos of my curtain. It was originally intended for use in the shower, but when I spotted it in Anthropologie years ago it was love at first sight.

My printer top with various trinkets including my pin cushion, a vintage thimble, a dove ornament, a piece of one of my grandpa's shirts, and the rest of the paper flowers from the set I made for the champagne bottle in the previous photo.

The entertainment unit flanked by my decorative dress form. This is mostly used for storage. Seen in the back is my 'Make It Work' sign that used to hand above the previous location of my bed. I actually liked the look of it off center like this so I decided to leave it.

And finally, my bed. This is the passport to far away lands. It is here that I read and dream and write. I also do quite a bit of my crafting here, though I try not to for my back's sake. The cork boards to the right are fairly new, I fell in love with the recycled wine cork idea and am planning on turning them into inspiration mood boards. The gap between my wall and bed is used for storage for such things as my sewing machine and magazine clippings.

A Room of my Own

2010-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

A while ago I was reading a book about rooms. More specifically, rooms that women had crafted for themselves, for their everyday life. I've found that the rooms we spend the most time in tend to say a lot about our personalities from the hobbies we enjoy to the books we read to the preferences that shape other areas of our lives. While I was thinking about these things I realized that I've never shared actual photos of my room beyond what could been seen in snippets as backgrounds for other photos. Over these next few days I would like to show you around. This blog is very much an extension of my physical home and I feel like it's time to share the rest of my space with you.

Welcome to my room. This is the view from the door. I finally took the time to rearrange things about a year ago after doing away with my desk hutch and I love my open space.

To start things off, my filing cabinet and "landing zone". This is the first stop right inside my door where I can set my things when I get home. On it I have a few of my favorite things from an antique Chinese box and snuff bottles to my list jar where I work on my lists of things I want to accomplish.

The top of my dresser with one of my favorite prints of a French street. I have a detail shot of the right, but on the left rests a photo of me in front of Windsor castle circa 2002, a stuffed rabbit, a bamboo candle, and one of many beaded strawberries.

A detail shot of the right side of my dresser top. Atop my hollow books rests a mercury glass vase given to me by my mom, a small glass chicken from my trip to Bath, the champagne cork from my 21st birthday, and two more antique Chinese snuff bottles that I inherited from my grandma.

Up tomorrow... My desk and entertainment center. Have you ever shared photos of your space online? If so, I would love to catch a glimpse of the spot you call home.

From the Bead Shop

2010-01-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

I am a saver. When I receive something I particularly love I have the habit of saving it to savor at the best possible moment. For the most part this is a good trait, it has enabled many a wonderful experience that would have otherwise been wasted. Sometimes, though, it becomes a little ridiculous. This is one of those times...

I've had a giftcard for a local bead shop for well over a year now. In fact, this April would have marked two full years of the card sitting in my wallet, waiting for the right moment to be spent. Tired of waiting, and worried about the balance going away due to lack of use, I took the plunge on Saturday and purchased the lovelies photographed above. Some have a definitely purpose, like the gold ring along with the moss green which are to become a two stranded necklace or the shells which are to become a lovely pair of earrings once I find (and can afford) some seed pearls. Others, like the pink stars and the unusually colored lady bugs, have no destined projects. I have ideas swirling, but none that stand out as "the one".

In the end spending that giftcard was worth the plunge. I will have a new necklace to show for it at some point soon and some new pieces to inspire future projects. Hopefully this will get me on the path to finding a better balance between savoring something to the fullest and holding onto something much longer than I ought to.

As for this morning I am writing this from a comfy booth at Panera, in front of a large bay of windows, watching the storm brewing outside. Despite not wanting to get up this morning, this was so worth it.

Introspective: A Community Art Project

2010-01-08T18:57:00.001-08:00

Paint brushes, originally uploaded by karindalziel.

I propose a project. I've seen this meme floating around and only yesterday did it spark an idea. What if we used our prompt answers to create pieces of art? The pieces can be in any medium (or a mix of mediums), the goal here is to go with the flow of your inspiration. As a disclaimer I would like to note that the prompts are a meme that's been floating around the internet for a while, not questions I put together.

If you want to participate, create a page on your blog that you can update with each piece in the series (also feel free to jump around with the prompts as you see fit) and I will link to it here. I think this would be a fun way to get to know a little about each other, both through our answers to the prompts and the way we interpret them artistically.

The Prompts
If I were a month, I’d be:
If I were a day of the week, I’d be:
If I were a time of day, I’d be:
If I were a planet, I’d be:
If I were a sea animal, I’d be:
If I were a direction, I’d be:
If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be:
If I were a liquid, I’d be:
If I were a gemstone, I’d be:
If I were a tree, I’d be:
If I were a tool, I’d be:
If I were a flower, I’d be:
If I were a kind of weather, I’d be:
If I were a musical instrument, I’d be:
If I were a color, I’d be:
If I were an emotion, I’d be:
If I were a fruit, I’d be:
If I were a sound, I’d be:
If I were an element, I’d be:
If I were a car, I’d be:
If I were a food, I’d be:
If I were a place, I’d be:
If I were a material, I’d be:
If I were a taste, I’d taste like:
If I were a scent, I’d be:
If I were an object, I’d be:
If I were a body part, I’d be:
If I were a facial expression, I’d be:
If I were a song, I’d be:
If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be:

The Participants
Eve @ aufleben.org

Go ahead and comment with your link if you want to give this a try. There's no pressure, no time limit. This is just for fun ♥

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

After many of my childhood neighbors moved away I found myself wishing for the kind of neighborhood where neighbors talk to one another. Where they invite each other inside for refreshments. Where they're close. Even though it's taken years, I seem to have found one again. On Friday evening one of my neighbors brought these amazing tortillas covered in cinnamon sugar. I wanted to return her dish with something in it so I whipped up a batch of my favorite chocolate chip cookies. I love this feeling and look forward to getting to know the neighbors even better.

As for the recipe for these amazing cookies I use the Nestle recipe that's printed on the back of the bag. They're the perfect combination of chewy and crisp. They're simple to put together and the ingredients are readily on hand.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
(recipe via nestle.com)

2 1/4 cups All purpose flour (or plain flour)
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Butter; at room temperature
3/4 cup Granulated sugar
3/4 cup Brown sugar; lightly packed
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 large Eggs
1 bag Miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F

Start off by combining the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugars until the mixture has lightened in both color and texture. Mix in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Slowly mix in the flour mixture, being careful not to over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Roll dough into one in balls (or use a cookie scoop for more evenly sized cookies) and space them two or so inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for seven minutes, or until golden brown on the undersides. Let each batch cool for one minute on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Things I'm going to focus on this year:
○ being more confident and authentic
○ being less approval seeking
○ stepping outside of my comfort zone more
○ being a better friend and family member
○ making healthier choices
○ living more in the present moment
○ celebrating every day

I am truly excited about the possibilities ahead. I am so ready for a fresh start this year with a new attitude. I can't wait for happiness to fall into my lap, I have to seek it out every day. Bring it on!

I look forward to sharing so many new adventures with you. What are you looking forward to this year?

The Cat Who Loved Christmas

2009-12-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

To kick off my series of Christmas posts I wanted to share a recent photo of the family cat, Mr. Tuxedo. This is his favorite time of year, primarily because it's time for the Christmas tree to be up. Every year it becomes his favorite spot for an afternoon nap, but amusingly enough he won't usually go underneath it unless the lights are on. He won't even give it a second glace until the ornaments are up. We had the tree up for three days before we got around to decorating it and he wouldn't go near it. This was taken less then an hour after the ornaments went up. I love him and his adorable quirks.

How are your holiday preparations coming?

Blow Away

2009-11-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

Just a short post tonight as I am up to my knees in Christmas preparations. I have about one and a half ornaments left to stitch up and all of my cards to write, but I am determined to finish by December first (or at least by next weekend when I will have a chance to head to the post office). I would like everything to reach its intended recipient by Christmas this year...

During this spree of crafting I've been listening to a lot of music and one song that keeps coming up on my playlist is Blow Away from A Fine Frenzy. It's a fun song, but what I truly love is the video. The whimsical styling! The clothing! Her gorgeous hair (that I am determined to find a way to recreate). Unfortunately I can't seem to find an embeddable version, but here's the official video on YouTube: Here.

In the spirit of sharing, what's your favorite music video right now?

PS. Actually, I was able to find an embeddable version (though the linked one above is still of higher quality):

Blow Away

a fine frenzy | MySpace Music Videos

Holiday Lights

2009-11-27T18:32:00.000-08:00

Did you all (at least those of you in the US) have a good Thanksgiving? Mine was uneventful, but nice with a tasty meal and a fun movie. This year, though, I am so excited for Christmas. I don't know if it's because of everything that went on this year, but I am ready for a season of warmth and joy.

My holiday spirit received an early jolt this year after I won free passes to the opening night of the holiday cactus gardens at the Ethel M factory in Las Vegas. For the record, this is normally a free exhibit, but opening night had the added bonus of performers from local shows and choirs. What stood out to me though were the lights themselves, so without further ado I'll let my photos speak for themselves.

Flickr Favorites

2009-11-18T15:20:00.000-08:00

1. nordic christmas, 2. Kawaii Hannari Tofu Pouch Cute Cosmetic Purse Bag Passport, 3. YUM, 4. little red car party!, 5. Teacup fairy princess rings., 6. pistachio and grapefruit macarons, 7. I ♥ Cakes, 8. Introducing Scissors.Paper.Cake!, 9. Our hand painted bakery menu board, 10. working.., 11. working.., 12. chocolate christmas pudding cookies 5678 R, 13. I see you!, 14. Aarons, Jules - Woman waiting, Paris, 1950, 15. sumach street, 16. my tiny fluffy marshmallow cat, 17. Berlin., 18. winter morning, 19. Detalhes florais, 20. polka-dot rement, 21. Second Star to the Right..., 22. IMG_1332, 23. film (a corner of my home), 24. Untitled, 25. 見て　触って, 26. melocotones helados, 27. so serene, 28. for safe keeping, 29. Hand Embroidered Cloudy Pincushion, 30. 27/365 "I was a little girl alone in my little world who dreamed of a little home for me., 31. Soft-Hot Touch, 32. Snowstars, 33. Pancake with tiny mouse, 34. Cath Kidston Tea Cup & Saucer, 35. felt fall garland, 36. Isabella

My recent favorites from the land of Flickr. What's inspiring you right now?

Braided Headband

2009-11-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

Not surprisingly last week was chaotic... again. When things get like that I need to take time out of the day and do something that I can put all of my focus in. After seeing this post at Smile and Wave I knew what I wanted to do.

I have a small drawer of clothing that I wear only around the condo. Generally this includes stuff that is a bit faded or torn, but is still comfy and wearable. During my latest closet cleanout I retired quite a few pieces to this drawer, so much so that the drawer was full to bursting. I hate to throw things away and now I have a few things I can do with these fabric scraps. I am a headband junkie (with my super short hair it's just about the only type of hair accessory that works for me) so this was the perfect project for me. The one pictured above was once a broomstick skirt. I love the result and can't wait to try it again (I have a purple striped shirt next up on the chopping block).

Detail-wise I changed a few things up from the tutorial. I hand-stitched the sewing portion of the project as I was sitting out on the patio while I was putting this together and didn't want to pull out my machine (I would recommend using a machine if you have one handy though, it would have saved me a bit of trouble). I also used clear elastic instead of white as my hair is so short that the back of the band is visible when I wear it and I wanted a more invisible look.

What do you do with old clothing that's too far gone to sell or donate?

Quirky Charm: The Beginnings

2009-11-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

These past few weeks have been a roller coaster of ups and downs and as such I've been doing a lot of thinking. Thinking about ways to find my bliss again, to reconnect with myself and others, to truly craft my life into what I want it to be. One thing on the list of solutions? To invest more of myself into this blog. It's something I've meant to do since starting up over a year ago, something I'd meant to do with blogs past. Fear is generally what's stopped me. Fear of disapproval or rejection. Fear of things not turning out how I plan them. Instead of placing fear first I want to dive right in and enjoy the journey, to release myself from everything that's held me back in the past. Please pardon the dust around here as things get spiffed up. I'm deep into the process of creating a new layout and working on new content. To kick things off I realized that I never shared the story behind the name of the blog...

Naming things is my weak point. I can write stories where I never end up naming the characters or that never receive a proper title. My stuffed animals were always named by some variation of the animals name or based on some physical characteristic of the creature. When it came time to name this blog I was at a near panic. I wanted a name that represented me, my aesthetic, and my view in life. I wanted a name that could evolve with me over time. Pretty tall orders for someone who once thought the name Ally was clever for her stuffed alligator. A few days of brainstorming (with no real results) later and Quirky Charm came to me just as I was starting to fall asleep. I kept the brainstorming up for a few more days, but I just couldn't shake Quirky Charm from thoughts. It felt right.

Obviously the rest is history and I couldn't be happier with the name. It truly represents my outlook of myself and of the world around me. I was always the quirky child. I never saw things the same way as the rest of the class. I love bright colors and vibrant patterns. I delight in unusual details. I rebelled against it for the longest time, but now it's something I embrace. I think everyone is quirky in their own way and I think that's what makes life so much fun! As for the charm, that's the word that encompasses my view of the world around me. I adore everything fanciful, fairy tale, romantic, and whimsical and I want to bring that sense of charm into everything I do. Despite the ups and downs of life I want to see the joy in everything around me and I want to help others do the same. I want to share the magical moments in my life and help others create magic in their lives. I want to open up a window into my life the same way I enjoy being a part of others through their blogs. Quirky Charm isn't just about one thing, but everything. All aspects of life can be quirky and charming and that's the view point I want to embrace and express with open arms.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T18:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! ♥ What are your plans for this evening? I'm having a pleasantly low-key holiday at home wearing my cute witch costume (the hat for which is photographed below) and munching on some sweets (mini-Reeses ♥). Even though I haven't done much for the holiday this year, I did manage to put a few decorations up:

The pink cardstock bats that I made last year have made a reappearance.

My newest addition to the Halloween family.

The hat that I based my costume around. I love the feathers.

I can never resist the cute mini-pumpkins...

I hope you're all having a fun and safe evening! To close out the post, here are two of my favorite Halloween posts from other bloggers today (I am a sucker for cute):

Wee Scary Teef @ MY MILK TOOF ｡ Outdone @ Nemu*Nemu

Apple Spice Bread

2009-10-27T20:03:00.001-07:00

The weather here has begun to feel to blissfully autumnal. There is a pleasant nip to the air and even now I can hear the wind rattling at my gate. It's the perfect evening to snuggle up under a cozy blanket, a good book, and a slice of something delicious. In tonight's case that would have to be the apple slice bread that I made a few days ago from a mix at Trader Joe's. I'm quite fond of both the resulting texture and flavor. It evokes the feelings of cozy autumn nights, crisp afternoons at the park, and going apple picking with the family and at the end enjoying a toasty mug of cider. I love that it's the season for these flavors and feelings once again.

Onto that announcement that I mentioned in my last post: I have a new contributing author joining me here at QC! My mother has been talking about starting a blog for a while, but wasn't sure if she would have enough content to keep one going on her own. Our tastes often coincide and she has always been such an inspiration to me that I offered her a home here and am excited to say that she accepted. She'll be popping in soon with a post about a charming gift back she recently put together so stay tuned!

By Candlelight...

2009-10-25T22:09:00.001-07:00

The simple bliss of spending and evening with coffee and candlelight. I have some fun news to announce in the next few days, but for now I bid you an amazing evening and a wonderful week to come...

Ham & Gruyère Palmiers

2009-10-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

This week I've been trying some new things in the kitchen to get my creativity flowing again. I love this time of year; the weather is so perfectly crisp and inviting, perfect for spending long hours in the kitchen. I'm starting to amass a little backlog of recipes (check my flickr page for a sneak peek if you're curious) and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you.

First are these amazing palmiers. I've had the recipe bookmarked for ages, but was a little intimidated to try it out. Much to my pleasant surprise it was a delightfully easy process with an amazing result. Not only do they look elegant, but they taste divine with the slight sweetness of the ham mingling with the spice of the mustard, sharpness of the cheese, and delicate flakiness of the pastry. These are definitely going on my list of party planning favorites. As for the recipe linked below, I didn't alter a single thing. It was perfect as-is (and as for the choice between ham and prosciutto I went with the ham to cut down on the sodium as much as I typically adore prosciutto).

Manet's Ham, Gruyère, and Moutarde Palmiers @ Feasting on Art

Published!

2009-10-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to me how fast time can fly. Navigating to my archive page to write up this post I was shocked to see that my last post was on the sixth. These last few months have gotten away from me (though I suppose that's understandable considering the circumstances), but it feels that day by day I'm grasping firmer on the present again. I have so many things that I'm looking forward to sharing with you and I'm overflowing with new ideas. This year has been such a challenge in so many ways, but I truly am finding myself all the stronger for it.

Enough of that though, what I've come to share with you today is something that has me over the moon. I've been published! One of my photographs (the middle photo on the right-hand side in the photo below as also seen here in my Flickr stream) was chosen for inclusion on the Buzz page of the issue of Artful Blogging on stands November first. I've know about this for a little while now, but I wanted to wait until I had something more concrete to show you. I feel so blessed and I still can't quite fathom it. Seeing my name in print in one of my favorite publications has blown me away.

Flickr Favorites

2009-10-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

1. Untitled, 2. {five}, 3. fall acorns, 4. gretel, 5. Kawaii Cute Hannari Tofu Petit Mascot Strap Ornament Japan, 6. Pom-pom garland, 7. Untitled, 8. "put a pretty dress on", 9. Catch a falling star, ring, 10. Color Me Pretty, 11. Untitled, 12. Little Betsy Baker Cupcakes!, 13. Cascading, 14. Untitled, 15. Milk Butter & Eggs, 16. a to-do list, 17. the goodies, 18. lovely package exchange, 19. stitching, 20. Untitled, 21. Untitled, 22. Untitled, 23. {godiva}, 24. Où Aller?, 25. where there is tea there is peace, 26. Kawaii Cute Nyan Nyan Nyanko Capsule Toy Mini Wind Bell Japan, 27. Underwater cupcake tower and cake, 28. things, 29. Grey kitty, 30. Down the rabbit hole ... there is a cupcake!, 31. i'm a hoarder, 32. Dollhouse, 1/12e - Bedroom, 33. Eve Collection - Girl's Bedroom Collection, 34. mini plush family 2, 35. Stamp and charm swap package, 36. how charming ❀

I was feeling a little down today so I did what I always do to cheer myself up, I look at things that inspire me. This led to a though as I was looking at my Flickr favorites page, why not share some of that inspiration with you? So here it is! Each time I fill up a full page of Flickr favorites I'll share them here. After all, I believe that inspiration is something best shared ♥

Disney Live

2009-10-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

The start of October brings with it wonderful changes in the air. Life is looking up again and things are starting to fall back into place. I have some new posts in the works and am in the process of freshening up the layout. In the meantime though I'll recap a bit of my weekend...

image from signal tribune

Last Thursday mom called me to excitedly inform me that she won free passes to see Disney on Ice for Friday. As a child Disney on Ice was one of our annual past times, I can't remember ever missing a year. I was stoked to relive a treasured part of my childhood, what could go wrong?

Arriving at the venue I noticed that the signs all said Disney Live, no mention of ice in sight. Mom has misread the tickets. Instead of seeing favorite characters performing on skates we were the only two adults sans children at a stage performance based on characters from Playhouse Disney. The basic plot involved Mickey and friends traveling around the world on a bus to find performers for their talent show. Songs ranged from the classic So This is Love from Cinderella to a modern rap performed by Tigger. There were also some varied references to Singin' in the Rain and the SNL 'More Cowbell!' skit that were fun to catch.

Honestly despite the crazy mix-up I'm glad we decided to sit it out instead of heading home like we were tempted to initially. I can't remember laughing like that in a long time (though admittedly a good portion of that was at the sheer irony of it all) and it was fun to see how excited the children were. There's nothing quite like the transparent joy of a child to remind you how amazing it can feel to just let go and have fun.

Celebrating Life and Memories

2009-09-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

As alluded to in my previous post, my grandmother has passed away. I was struggling with this last week, but now I feeling like honoring her memory by celebrating her life and the wonderful memories I have of growing up. I want to share more family stories and mementos, to share those treasures with the world. Family and my family's history are a big part of who I am today and to be a more authentic person I want to share more of those aspects, especially gems like these. Without further ado...

This photo was taken in the early 1950's. My grandma had flown to France in order to marry my grandfather who was stationed there with the air force at the time (they were high school sweethearts). This was one of the many of her stops touring some of the more famous landmarks before she settled down in Lion, France (and no, that's not a typo for Lyon). This must have been a favorite coat of hers as it appears in many of her photos from this time period. She was such a stylish woman and she looks so wonderfully happy here. I was overjoyed that mom was able to find this among a variety of bits and bobs that might have otherwise been overlooked.

Those Hard Times

2009-09-13T12:29:00.001-07:00

If you've seen me around on twitter lately I've been alluding to this, but I haven't been able to bring myself to write a full post. Keeping things under 140 characters can be so much easier sometimes, but to work through my grief and find healing I need to let this out.

About three weeks ago my grandma began to have intense headaches and some major cognitive impairments. The doctors keep going around in circles until this past Thursday when she finally had an MRI that showed brain hemorrhaging, during the MRI she suffered another stroke. By the time she reached the hospital she was near unconscious and she has since fallen into a coma, getting worse by the day. It's only a matter of time now. We've had the priest come in and we're all just praying that she's not in pain. My heart has broken, I was just talking and laughing with her on Tuesday. I've been in to say my goodbyes and seeing her like that was one of the hardest things I've ever been through. I just keep reminding myself that she's going to a better place (and she'll be reunited with grandpa who passed earlier this year). It's so hard to lose her (as much as I remind myself that the separation is only temporary, we'll be united again one day), but I can't begrudge her for finding a release from her pain. I think I find this hardest because of her role in my life. Growing up with a single mom (we lived with my grandparents until I was 16), it was grandma who was there for me after school. I spent so much time with her growing up that she was like a second mother to me. She was the one who taught me how to cook and sew; she shared her love of crafting with me. Even as I grew older we shared so much from music to television, we never ran out of things to talk about. She will be missed.

I work through grief in such a different way that I find myself feeling guilty for not being miserable 24/7. I still have intense emotion breakdowns (writing this has come in spurts between one) and I've been feeling like an empty hull these past few days, but the more I talk with family and the more I'm able to let these feelings out I can feel myself healing. I know soon I'll be able to smile at the happy memories. I firmly believe that life should be celebrated and that everyday we have is a precious gift. I know that she wouldn't want me to be so sad, but instead to find ways to make every day count. And I will. I don't know exactly what will be going on in these coming weeks, but I will be posting again. I will find ways to make every day blissful until the sadness turns into cherished memories. Love will never fade and I will find ways to remember her (like having her favorite antique snuff bottles on my desk next to a piece of one of my grandpa's old shirts), though I know I will never forget.

A Brief Hiatus

2009-08-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

on hiatusaugust 24th - september 10th

I wish you all the best while I'm away for this short time. For some wonderful new content while I'm away please peruse my blogroll in the sidebar, there are some amazing people and blogs to be found. On that note, please link me to any you think I might enjoy in the comments. I would love to have some new inspirations to look through when I get back.

Town Square

2009-08-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

When I was typing up my post yesterday I realized that I've mentioned Town Square quite a few times here, but haven't shared any photos. It's an outdoor mall and park of sorts just off of the Las Vegas strip and it is one of my favorite places in town. I immediately fell in love with the architecture and beautifully designed lanterns as well as the large beds of greenery, flowers, and the water feature in the main square. It is a little oasis in the desert.

One of the hallways of shops, a little off of the main area.

The view when entering the area. I love the lanterns particularly in this shot.

A few of the metal wind sculptures out on the side of the area. They're so graceful in the breeze.

Unexpected Magic

2009-08-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am an early bird. I always have been. I like waking up before the sun hits the horizon. When I was in school I preferred to get to class at least twenty minutes before they started, even now I leave early whenever possible for any event that has a given time (interviews, movies, holiday dinners, etc). I like to take the long road, to stop and smell the flowers. I need that time to remind myself to delight in the little things, to perhaps see something unexpected.

It was in that mindset that I was walking around Town Square before the shops had opened, taking in the fountain in the main square and the beds of fully blossomed flowers throughout. Sitting on a cold stone bench I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye. It was this lone ladybug, a vibrant spot of color against the gray expanse of sidewalk. Taking a moment to take this photograph and smile at this unexpected, but all too welcome, moment I then gently set him upon a nearby leaf and we both went on our way. It is in these little moments of magic where my spirit is refreshed, where I can be alone in my own little world to witness the magic that exists all around us should we take the time to look.

On the Right Foot

2009-08-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

1. Bart's Books, 2. breakfast muffins, 3. Hello Kitty's House, 4. late morning lullaby

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Cocoa and Fresh Croissants | This was how I spent my Sunday morning and it was pure bliss. There's been a cool breeze in the air reminiscent of autumn and I've been craving cozy warm delights. I'm particularly enamored with cocoa spiced up with cinnamon at the moment.

☆ Julie & Julia | I had the chance to see this film on Saturday and I'm absolutely smitten. It was charming and inspirational (and may I recommend not going in hungry, the food looks sensational). Meryl Streep was particularly fantastic in the role of Julia Child though the entire cast were wonderful in their roles. I left the theater with a hunger, both for good food and a new adventure.

★ Pre-season Matches | This past week has been a great one for football. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been in the USA doing a series of pre-season matches and they have been a delight to watch. Real Madrid in particular is one of my favorite teams, but I rarely get a chance to watch their matches (as they're rarely aired on the cable package I have) so this has been a real treat.

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | world cup qualifiers • new dvds to watch • having a holiday at home • experimenting with new recipes • getting started on some new lists • doing a round of end-of-summer cleaning • ... and so much more!

a midsummer night's dream @ design*sponge • sunday sweets (more threadcakes) @ cake wrecks • crafty room inspiration @ paper*cakes finds • mosserie @ the lost princess • alexandra grablewski's food photography • 45 life lessons @ { musings }

Loving Las Vegas

2009-08-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

In the past living in Las Vegas has been a struggle for me. I grew up in a seaside town, full of lush greenery so moving to the desert where high temperatures and a lack of gardens is the norm was hard. As it looks like I'm going to be here for a few more years I'm going to start making the most of it. There are little gems nestled amongst the rocks here, and I'm determined to search them out. I'll be sharing some of my favorite places and seeking out some new experiences. I'm looking forward to this new adventure of exploring my own town and seeing things from a new perspective.

This got me thinking, what are some of your favorite things about where you live? Have you had to make the most of living somewhere that didn't feel like home? Any tricks of the trade to share?

Journal Bliss

2009-08-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

I was at the library last week in the crafting section when I picked up Journal Bliss by Violette on a whim. I've been using my journal regularly, but I want to expand on how I'm using it. Thus, I've been exploring various art journal resources both online and off. This has been my favorite so far, I'm so happy to have seen it sitting slightly askew as it was on the shelf.

This book goes beyond the normal scope of the art journaling resources that I've come across so far. It's a combination of technique explanations, journal prompts, inspirational quotes, and examples from her own journal. The informal tone of the book really drew me in as well. I felt less like I was being lectured and more like I was talking about journaling with a friend (a definite plus for me). The tips themselves are solid too, from how to create borders to different techniques for image transfers. I can't wait to give them a try!

Some of my favorite tips? I loved the sections on how to silence your inner critic (my personal weakness as a artist) and doodle freely. I loved a lot of her journal prompts, the way she describes them had me thinking visually from the get-go. I also can't wait to try out her techniques for creating your own fanciful lettering style as I love traditional calligraphy, but have been completely unsuccessful at it.

I definitely recommend giving this book a try, particularly if you're interested in art journaling but don't know where to start (or aren't so new, but need a little encouragement).