i believe in unicorns.

#abc13

2013-04-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

My sister in law, Reachel from Cardigan Empire was my date

This weekend was the 2nd annual Arizona Blogger Conference and I was really glad I got to go--every time I push myself to go to social events that I don't feel completely confortable at, I am glad I did and I end up meeting someone or many someones that I get so excited about.

This conference had many high-lights, but here are a few:

Dani (from Sometimes Sweet) inspiring me to make at least a weekly effort to spend 20 minutes free-writing, no editing, no stopping, just writing. She said we all have a story to tell, so get telling it. I've always loved her, and I'm happy for every opportunity I get to mingle with that sweet lady.

Getting to meet Sarah Hubbell of the beautiful Emma Magazine. She's funny and incredibly smart and super friendly and easy to talk to--now let me tell you, that's a hard combination to find, so i was lucky to spend a few minutes with her.

And who could forget this surprise! I've been kindly teasing Chelsea about getting married for a few months now, and BAM! she got engaged right before my eyes. I love them.

And lastly, I was so happy when Georganne called me over to meet Katy, my sister and I have been admiring her handmade dolls for over a year through instagram and last week when I went into Frances, I got to see them in real life and find out she actually lives in Arizona, so it was just really fun to meet her, and as a side note, if you follow her on instagram and think she has the greatest hair on planet earth, rest assured you are correct. amen. (why didn't i snap a picture with her?!)

brittany's from brittany's notebook

megan from and here's to you, mrs. robinson

Adrianna from Le Mode Accessories

hello gift bags!? let's not lie, it was a big reason for me wanting to attend this event

lock me up, but don't throw away the key.

2013-04-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

photo by wes johnson

I wanted to thank everyone that commented/emailed/tweeted suggestions for Europe! I tried to respond to everyone, but lots of you don't have your email connected to your blogger name, so I couldn't email you back--i did respond in the comments though. Anyway, thanks again!

Today after church I've got to lock myself in my room and make myself pack! If I'm lucky, I'll get done in time to sneak in a little break to watch the new episode of Granite Flats.

I made this hair tutorial after watching the show and admiring the hair and costuming! There are so many things I'm grateful for about being born when i was, especially as a woman, but sometimes i see 'period pieces' and i just really wish i could have lived back when you always had your hair perfectly done and dresses and petticoats were the norm :)

Anyway, if you want to check out the show that inspired it all, you can watch all the episodes free here, or on your roku.

If you could/had to live in any time period other than the one we are in now, which would you choose?

April 24th.

2013-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today i went out to Frances in Phoenix. A few months ago we got the sweetest, most exciting email from my friend Sarah Rhodes, telling me that she's working with Georganne, the owner of Frances, to make a Summer Style Guide and they wanted Marcus and I to be in one of the shoots.
Getting ready for the whole thing, we got to meet the coolest people, running the most beautiful shops and it made me really proud and excited to call the Phoenix area my home.
It's so cool to get to interact with creative, positive people that are doing something they love and are passiate about, and who are willing to help and support other people and business that are trying to do the same.
That's kind of what this whole Style Guide is about--its a collection (a beautiful and fun one, i might add) of Frances' favorite things, places, activities, shops, and restaurants in Phoenix to inspire you this summer.

You're definitely going to want to check it out!
They're having a big magazine launch/anniversary party May 3rd, that unfortunately we'll be out of town for, but when i went into Frances to buy a pair of shoes that i wore (and fell in love with) at the shoot, Georganne was in the store and pulled me into the back room to get a sneak peek at the rough draft of the magazine--it's so fun, you guys! And getting to know her, even for the few minutes I had, was a delight and a highlight of my week.

She even mentioned she would send me a few extras to giveaway on the blog, so if you're interested, I'd be happy to do that :)

(and don't worry, if you're totally sick of seeing me and marcus, we only take up a page or two!)

And if you live in the area, I strongly encourage you to go to the party this May 3rd! These people are so awesome, and you're going to want to meet them and see all they're up to.
I'm pretty sure if I had to come up with two of the nicest, most genuine people i know at the moment, it would be Sarah Rhodes (the photographer) and Georganne (the owner of Frances and Smeeks). They're the best. That's simply the truth.

The whole point of this story was, that today was a really great day.

i hope yours was too.

<<what i wore>>

crop top//nastygal sale $11 (buy similar here)
sunnies//amazing $9 (buy them here)

earrings//c.o. sheinside $10 (buy them here)

dot trousers//c.o. oasap (buy them here)

dara re-mix wedges//frances

world watch//urban outfitters $30 (buy it here)

back to our roots--i need your help!

2013-04-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

This week we're getting ready for an adventure of a lifetime.

We're packing our bags and saying "Farvel!""Auf Wiedersehen!" and "Ciao!" to the States, making our way across the sea and meeting up with all the Nielson's in Denmark.

Ma & Pa Nielson are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and it was Pa's dream to be back on the Danish Island, Bornholm, where his favorite ancestor came, and he wanted to be there with all his children. Obviously, we were all in MAJOR support of his dream and since we were all the way across the pond, Marcus and I decided it would be best to stay a little longer and make our way down to Germany & Austria (where Marcus served his mission).....and since we were already on the way, I insisted on a few stops in Italy as well.

It's going to be an insane few weeks--we did all of our bookings through Airbnb, so we'll be staying in people's homes--which I'm a big believer in, I don't think you can every truly experience a culture until you've lived with someone from it. I can hardly wait!

source

So...what I'd love to hear from you is any suggestions for a long trip--what to pack? what not to pack? what to see while we're in those countries? what to eat? etc.

I will love you forever for your suggestions!

credit

day date to the nursery

2013-04-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

With Arbor Day soon approaching (next Friday) I thought I'd share one of our favorite spots.
Harper's is the best nursery in town (at least that's our personal opinion).

It's been there since the 1950s and the greenhouse has all the beautiful qualities to prove it.
The staff is incredibly helpful (and dog-friendly) so whenever the weather's nice and we both have the day off, we try to get down there to pick up a new plant or just walk around and dream about what it would be like to be good at keeping plants alive.

our most recent plant purchase for our back patio <3

My idea of a dream house isn't anything big or fancy, but it would have a gigantic yard and a greenhouse fulled to the brim with plants.

Are there any florist out there?
I'm beginning to wonder if I missed my calling in life--my idea of bliss is owning a little flower shop somewhere with beautiful weather and riding my bike around in a sundress delivering the daily orders--
OH TO DREAM!

Poppy investigating her namesake

What do you like to do on your days off?

touché.

2013-04-18T13:20:00.001-07:00

and then a man from our office sent this around today....too good.

what people see.

2013-04-17T11:18:00.002-07:00

At the ad agency I work for people pass around videos pretty frequently, this is the first one that had me in tears. Oh, if we could only see ourselves through the eyes of another.

happy heart.

2013-04-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

last weekend was glorious.

we've been having some somewhat disappointed weekends as of late and had had enough of those for the foreseeable future, so we made some exciting plans that were sure to satisfy and as plans often do, some worked out and some changed--we ended up on a little roadtrip, a desert in bloom and a happy heart (and puppy).
I'm sure I've said it before, but I feel God's love when I am surrounded by His beautiful creations--and
reminders of that are always a good thing.

part of our weekend was dedicated to watching this, feel free to check it out.

i believe in compassion.

2013-04-13T14:21:00.001-07:00

Hey folks! I am so excited to be a guest blogger on i believe in unicorns.! Ashley is the sweetest for letting me do this, even though what I'm about to say is definitely a departure from the usual topic and tone of her blog. My name is Josie and I was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. I have had bipolar disorder for about 5 years and as a result I was forced to drop out of school and many other aspects of my life have drastically changed. I've tried treatment after treatment without success. There are days when I can't even get out of bed because of the bonds with which this disease has me bound. One of the worst things about this disease is that so many people are skeptical of "mental illness" and have no idea how much I suffer. A few months ago, at the risk of opening myself up to judgment from others, I decided to share my story with everyone. I did this with hopes that I might be able to help someone who is also suffering, whether from mental illness or from life's challenges in general. You can read that post here. This post was met with countless e-mails from friends and family, telling me their own stories. This led me to discover that I am not alone in my struggles; that discouragement, sorrow, and hopelessness are prevalent in the world today. I became determined to prove that there is also hope and goodness alive and well in the world. And from this, The 444 Project was born (444 referring to Alma 44:4, our family scripture that has given me great strength over the years).

The 444 Project

A couple weeks ago, I left my home in Arizona and I have been traveling across country...armed with only my car, a video camera, and the prayers of friends and family. I have been interviewing perfect strangers, always ending with the same final question, "What gets you out of bed each day?" In other words, why is your life worth living? What are the blessings in your life that inspire and motivate you to get out of bed and engage each day? I plan to be on this journey until I have acquired 444 different answers to that question. There are also some fun angles to the project (like silly dares, etc.) to keep things interesting. I will post on the blog at the close of each day to report on that day's experiences, including video footage of highlights. My blog is unique in that I try to incorporate humor in addition to giving the honest truth about my illness, turning a difficult situation into something positive and offering a unique perspective that is both inspiring and entertaining. I am sacrificing a great deal to make this project a reality, because I believe in it. My hope is that The 444 Project will make the world a better place.

So head on over to josiethompson.com and follow along on my journey! The point of the project is to lift the downtrodden; to give hope to those who are struggling with trials of all kinds. But it will be meaningless if there is no one to read it! So add some life to The 444 Project by reading and sharing it with anyone you think may benefit. Y'all are the best.

Love,

Jos

CLOSED: a mid-week giveaway from powder&jade!

2013-04-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

The winner is Amanda Dixon!

Email me Amanda!

Everyone needs a little pick-me-up mid-week, right? So, let me tell you that powder&jade etsy shop is run by this adorable couple in utah--the design and make all their pieces, i love them and i love their jewelry so i'm excited to be offering one lucky winner my two favorite pieces.

There are two ways to enter (or you can do both for a better odds!)

1. Like Powder&Jade on Facebook here (you're going to want to like them for sure because there will be more giveaways/promos on their page in the future)

and/or

2. Favoriting one (or both) of the giveaway pieces you see here in their etsy shop: earrings//necklace

(as always, be sure to provide a form of contact)

<<what i wore>>

earrings//c.o. powder & jade
short sleeve chambray top//j.crew (buy it here)
floral skinnies//anthropologie sale (buy similar here $23)
studded suede flats//j.crew sale (buy similar here $34)
gold watch//c.o. mimi's the look (buy it here--use the code UNICORN for 15% off until April 15th)
sunnies//amazon (buy them here $9)

The Shine Project 2013 Benefit: Will You Be There?

2013-04-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

When: April 20th from 6-9 PM

Where: Phoenix Fashion Week's new Fashion Hub!

What: An amazing girls night out! Women only pay $60 a ticket to come get their hair, nails, makeup and brows done all in the name of charity. There will be awesome salons, like Saskia, from around Phoenix coming to do services.

Music, food, raffles and silent auction will be there as well!

I'll be there and I'd love to spend the evening with you!

If you can't attend, but you're feeling extra generous, you can buy a ticket to donate to one of The Shine Project's students so they can have a fun night out.

100% of the money raised will go to scholarships.

I've been able to volunteer at several of the Shine Projects events, and the kids this scholarship money is going to are AMAZING! It's so inspiring to get to interact with people that have gone through so much and are still so positive and good. I really love The Shine Project!

For more event info and to purchase tickets go to: www.shineproject.eventbrite.com and for any questions or to donate items contact Lindsay attheshineproject@gmail.com

how happyness happens.

2013-04-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

do you ever go an extended period of time without thinking about how awesome it that you still love your husband/boyfriend/significant other and then one day you're just driving home and BAM, you look over at them and are flooded with happiness and gratitude that you God gave you the ability to just keep on loving--more and more even?

that happened to me friday.

and that made me happy.

and when marcus looked over at me with a big grateful smile on my face, it made him happy.

and i guess that's how happyness happens.

How does it happen for you?

<<what i wore>>

dog print blouse and pleather pannel leggings//c.o. chicnova (buy here $26 and here $11)

sunnies//c.o. oasap (buy here $25)

olive green canvas jacket// ann taylor sale (buy similar here $49)

watch//mimi's the look (buy here $30--use the code UNICORN for 15% off til the 15th)

earrings//c.o. powder&jade (buy here $9)

+mikarose winner announced here

How NOT To Be So Awkward On Camera:

2013-04-04T13:41:00.002-07:00

You guys...let's talk about things you should and shouldn't do when being filmed. We can all learn from our own awkwardness, right? 1. DON'T sway side to side over and over again just because you feel terribly awkward. 2. DON'T continue to stare directly into the camera with an unwavering smile as someone right next to you graciously describes and compliments you-- 3. DO interact (at least as much as possible when talking is prohibited)! 4. DO buy that shift dress immediately and at all costs--in fact, i've got to run now...anthropologie is calling my name.... 5. and DO subscribe to Reachel's channel to discover your signature style!

Closed//Easter Giveaway from Mikarose!

2013-03-31T21:38:00.001-07:00

The winner is Amy Pugmire!

Happy Easter you beautiful, tropical fish!

Just wanted to pop in and offer the readers that i love so much a special little $50 shop credit giveaway from Mikarose!

To enter make sure you're a public follower of this blog and...

1. Visit Mikarose and tell me what you'd get if you won

Extra Entries (new comment for each)

2. Like Mikarose on Facebook

3. Comment on their wall telling them you came from i believe in unicorns.

4. Pin this giveaway

+Open to U.S and Canada residents.
+Be sure and provide a way for me to contact you if you win!

The mikarose dress I'm wearing in this post can be found here.
Do you love this color as much as i do?

one of my favorite humans on the earth.

2013-03-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

And perhaps to your surprise, it's not David Beckham, but instead Ellen. Although after this video, David is up there. this video had marcus and i laughing so hard that i could hardly breath and tears were squeezing out of our eyelids. you will enjoy. that's an order.
What's the funniest thing you've seen this week?

eight tips for hawaii.

2013-03-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

tip #1//if you go to get matsumoto's shave ice and the line is insane, the shaved ice place next door is just as delicious and huge (these are kids sizes!).

tip #2//get ice-cream at the bottom.

tip #3//when in hawaii, drink it up, look in all directions at all times--everywhere you look is somehow prettier than the last.

tip #4//never be sad about the rain, because you have this to look forward to.

tip #5//make a mix for the trip, only listen to said mix, then everytime you listen to those songs back at home, you'll be transported back (in your mind) to that grand adventure.

Vampire Weekend was our honeymoon soundtrack the first time we went to hawaii!

tip #6//if you ever have the chance to move to hawaii and become a cowgirl, take the grand opportunity--the country is just as pretty as the beach out there!

tip #7//eat at least this much ted's bakery pie.

tip #8//go to hawaii!

miss it already.

hippie-gypsy.

2013-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

last week. last week. i don't even know what to say about it. it was, well, insane, and it made me feel insane. the fact that i have control issues (both that i like to control things and that i abhor being controlled) is not news to me, but i hate being reminded of it.

this week i felt like no time was my time. that all 168 hours were assigned to someone else--i don't enjoy that feeling. i assume it's something i just need to get used to, but i know i never will--instead i need to learn how to manage my time more efficiently so that i always have a little bit of time that's just for me. i know sanity is worth that effort. it may sound selfish of me, but i don't think it is--and if it is, i guess i don't care. i believe personal health requires personal time. i'm rambling now--i think i need to get back into a yoga routine.

thank heavens it's a new week!

cheers to a better one than the last!!!

<<what i wore>>

camel hat with heart cut-outs//c.o. oasap (buy here)

dreamcatcher necklace//gift from marcus

asymmetrical crop-top//nastygal $11 (buy similar here)

high-waisted skinny jeans//forever21 (very similar here)

gold bracelets and watch// c.o. a beautiful heart (buy here) and c.o. mimi's the look (buy here 15% off with code UNICORN)

sandals//target $17 (buy them here, trust me, you want to)

what do you do to cut out time for yourself?

how to you not let the job/babies/other job/dog/fill in the blank take up all your 168 hours?

i'd love to know and learn.

{foodie} friday: toad stools

2013-03-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

i had these at my sister-in-law, Reachel's, party i couldn't stop eating them.

now they're a regular snack here at the Nielson home.

since i've taken these photos, we've started serving them with a balsamic reduction.

it's no wonder i like them, they combine three of the finest things on earth--cheese, fresh basil and tomato! sometimes i just can't forgive myself for taking so long to love tomato.

i simply cube jack cheese, slice a basil leaf, and half grape tomatoes.

stack and impale with a toothpick, then you can drizzle or dip in a balsamic reduction or eat alone.

lucky meeting you here.

2013-03-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

friday night we had the best accidental encounter.

we were driving in mesa and we decided to go take some pictures at this new downtown mesa urban garden project. we had stopped by there once before to see what it was all about and it was still in it's very early stages.

<<what i wore>>

head scarf//vintage (similar here)

sunnies and lace top//c.o. oasap

undershirt//c.o. undertease

belt and pencil skirt//j.crew (similar belt here and skirt here $18)

turquoise bracelet//threads

gold watch//c.o. mimi's the look

tabby boots//c.o. pb&j boutique

so we were taking some pictures and admiring how great everything was looking when this man, Ryan, walked up to us, introduced himself as the creature of the project and started telling us his inspiration to turn downtown mesa into something really great--since this is a subject that often graces the mouths of marcus and I, we were all ears. he's created a space that you can rent out garden plots, they provide the water and watering system and the beautiful space in which to work. your rent also includes admittance into some really cool events they'll be having at the space. they even let me plant some sunflowers before i left (still have a little dirt under my fingernail)! you should go check it out in a few weeks and see them bloom!

we then asked him about the progress of the restaurant next door, Republica Empanda, another new project we had been keeping our eye on. he told us to go over there and talk to the owner, he was in there now.

we were so excited to get a glimpse of it before it opened, and boy oh, boy, we were not disappointed.

the building has been a life-time favorite of mine, and i had actually always dreamed of owning it and turning it into an amazing vintage clothing shop or a specialty soda bar, but when i saw that it went to someone who truly understood it's beauty and design, I couldn't have been happier for marco. marco is so nice and really passionate about mesa and bringing it back to life, and i love people like that.

i can't wait for them to open officially (Early April) so we can give them a try!

marcus basking in the idea of not having to drive to tempe, scottsdale or phoenix just to go somewhere cool and local to eat...

meeting two awesome, inspiring people whose projects we've been admiring for months by chance within minutes of each other was awesome! i love people who are brave enough to do something that's a little scary, because they're passionate enough to do something amazing. i want to be like that.

if you live in arizona or ever plan to come for a visit, you should like their pages on facebook to show support of some really great projects!
Mesa Urban Garden
Republica Empanada

{foodie} friday: snack time for grown-ups

2013-03-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

bruschetta is one of my favorite foods in the world--i crave it all the time.

in tempe there is a place called la bocca and it has the best bruschetta of all time, but since it's kind of far and i'm not made of money sometimes i just have to make it at home.

so here's one of my favorite little snacks:

slice up a mini baguette

toast it in a toaster oven or broil it in the oven

cut fresh tomatoes and fresh mozerella cheese in small cubes

slice fresh basil leaves into stripes

smear a small spoonful of pesto on the warm toast

pile on the toppings

drizzle a balsamic glaze over top

enjoy!

+i got my mini baguette from fry's for 99 cents and it's quite yummy

+pesto was from trader joe's, you can find it in the spagetti sauce section and it's delish

+to make a balsamic reduction simply pour a cup of balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, stirring occasionally. simmer until the reduction is about half the amount you started with--but make sure to keep the heat down or you'll get a rather stiff reduction and it will be hard to drizzle.

anyone have a great pesto recipe i should try?

working girl//

2013-03-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

well, as i mentioned on instagram, i got a surprise new job last week at an ad agency in tempe. i had talked to a man there several months ago to see if they had any openings and i never really heard back from him and then last week i just got an email that said, 'hey we want to hire you. can you come in tomorrow?' ha!

anyways, i'm still in that terrifying, try to figure everything out without letting anyone know i don't really know exactly what i'm doing there yet, but i think it's going to be fun and i've already made some new friends.

(how cool is this bag?)

<<what i wore>>

emerald earrings//anthropologie (buy here)

golden arrow sunnies//c.o. oasap (buy it here)

silk colorblock top//c.o. sugarlips (buy it here)

favorite bra ever//braologie (last day to enter this giveaway)

white denim//gap (buy here)

pony bag//c.o. oasap (buy it here)

oversized gold watch//mimi's the look (similar here)

brown sandals//old navy (similar here)

so some how i am now a nanny, a j.crew visuals worker, a blogger, and a influencer outreacher for an ad agency!

how did this happen?

what it has done for me is make me really appreciate days off! today marcus and i both had a day off, so we spent our time coincidentally on the very street that i work eating brunch at NCounter (their french toast!!!), taking pictures, and perusing the shops on Mill Ave.

The weather was glorious (if you've ever wanted to visit Arizona, now is the time)!

I love that I love my husband, and i equally love that he loves spending time with me.

p.s. the bachelor finale?! ahhhh, tell me your thoughts!

Day Two: Beach Bumming It.

2013-03-12T20:34:00.002-07:00

this is basically what everyday consisted of--just two pasty white kids beach bummin' it.

that's what's so glorious about hawaii and tropical destinations in general--sure it may cost a bit to get there, but once you're there, you don't really have to pay for any activities. the sand is free, the ocean's all of ours, the hikes our endless.

what can i say? i'm a beach junky.

what about you?

do you prefer the a beach, city, or a mountain vacation?

Day One//Valentines at the Market

2013-03-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

I've realized that when I go on big trips where i take way too many pictures, I get completely overwhelmed with trying to write out all the things that happened and I end up never posting any of it on the blog (like our 1 year anniversary to Disneyland or our two year anniversary to Laguna Beach) so rather than try and sum up our adventure in Hawaii, I'm just going to get the pictures up here.

I mean, really, what is there to say about spending a week in your bathing suit, make-up-less in the sand eating as much Ted's Bakery pie as you can morally reason?
Oops, guess I just summed it up.

Sorry in advance for the Hawaii overload this week--but i'm not really sorry at all.

Valentine's dinner at the Waimea Falls Farmer's Market

i'm sorry to say that my waffles are better, but they gave it a valiant effort.

100+year old tree--it was mind-blowing.

the grumpiest pair i know.

also the best hosts ever.

It was glorious.
Amen.

{foodie} friday: berry goddess

2013-03-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

my favorite brunch-time snack:

plain 0% fat fage greek yogurt

fresh berries and a drizzle of honey

(and when we have it, vanilla and almond granola!)

+if you live in the valley, there's a place down main st. called superstition ranch market--insanely good prices on fresh produce, i got 4 lbs of strawberries for $1

take a seat.

2013-03-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

when we got our tickets to hawaii we flew allegiant which is basically the bare-bones airlines. they charge extra for any kind of convenience. we would have to pay $40 extra if we wanted seats next to each other, so we passed on that. i wasn't really happy about the idea of taking a 6 hour flight next to two strangers, but i didn't think much about it--i just thought i would listen to music or doodle in my notebook and keep to myself. i ended up sitting to two wonderful older women who ended up opened up their life to me and let me share mine. i know more about those ladies than i know about many of my friends, it was such an inspiring flight that made me want to strive harder to get outside myself in the hopes that i will learn and be inspired by the wonderful people that live on this earth. we have so much to teach each other. take a seat. make a friend.