Nicole Settle

Victoria

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Our last port was Victoria and we spent the evening at Butchart Gardens, which ended with a firework display. It made the whole trip feel magical. We only had a couple hours here which was barely enough time. I could have spent the day exploring all the different corners of the gardens. And the smells! Wish I could bottle it up! I remember finding a particular fragrant spot and just standing there taking deep breaths, trying to commit the scent to memory. If you ever make your way to Victoria, Butchart Gardens is a must!

Ketchikan

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Ketchikan tied with Juneau as one of my favorite days of the cruise. We did a similar excursion here, too. We did a city tour and then took a boat to a lodge for a seafest. My family loves seafood so we were in our element. Once again, great views and great food. That's all I really need to be happy in live. I highly recommend the Alaskan Lodge Adventure and Seafest excursion! It will make your heart and your tummy happy!

Glacier Bay National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 13:00:00 +0000

This is why you take a cruise to Alaska. No TV. No cell service. No Internet. Just sitting on your balcony as you take in fresh air and views of glaciers while thinking, "The world is majestic and the proof is before my eyes. Don't blink."

Skagway

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Skagway is a beautiful town nestled between the mountains. If you can't tell, I was kind of obsessed with taking pictures of the mountains and gorgeous scenery that's in abundance in Skagway. Our port excursion was a ride on the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. I'll be honest and say that while there was gorgeous views from the railway, I don't think it was the best excursion we could have done in Skagway. I found it a little boring to sit in a passenger car for so long. I don't just want to look at nature; I want to interact with it. Wish I had done something more active but there is always next time!

Juneau

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 13:00:00 +0000

My family's day in port at Juneau was one of the best days during our whole cruise. We didn't spend much time in the city of Juneau as we did The Taku Glacier Lodge Flight and 5 Glacier Discovery Tour excursion. It consisted of boarding a seaplane to see the glaciers in route to the Taku Lodge. At the lodge there are different trails to explore and also a salmon meal next to a cozy fireplace (the best meal of the whole trip!). And also a bear who comes to lick the grill! This day had some of my favorite things in life: great views and great food! I highly recommend this excursion if you ever find yourself in Juneau!

The Emerald City

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 02:50:00 +0000

Oh, Seattle, you are lovely! I've been away on an Alaskan cruise and it was one of the most wonderful vacations I ever had. I highly recommend it if you've never been! My family started our cruise in Seattle and we did all the touristy things: Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, EPM Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Argosy Cruise, Pike Place Market. We got a CityPASS and it was a great bargain as it allows you to see 5 city attractions at a discount. My favorite was Chihuly Garden and Glass. I could have walked around the exhibit for endless hours admiring the glass sculptures.

Seattle is a short flight from where I live in California so I hope to be back one day. I know there is so much more to see. Plus, I did not get enough time to explore Pike Place Market.

Look out for more posts about the rest of my cruise!

Books, Florals, and Lambs

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 01:28:00 +0000

I swear a few weeks ago it felt like spring. The weather was pleasant. There was a cool breeze in the air. It was perfect for a light jacket and silk scarf. But now it's 100 plus degrees. Summer is here. A few happening in these beginning days of unoffical summer:

I made beer-battered artichoke hearts from the book The Forest Feast and this recipe is a keeper. These artichokes were addicting. I served them with a jalapeno-arugula aioli that made the artichokes even more divine. I highly recommend The Forest Feast if you are looking for good veggie recipes!

I'm currently reading The Rose and the Dagger. It's full of brooding men and frustrating heroines, which makes for an intense read. It's the sequel to The Wrath and the Dawn. I highly recommend this series if you're looking for a fantasy/romance read.

Besides, the beer-battered artichoke hearts, I've also made pasta using my Philips Pasta Maker. I'll be honest, I've tried more than once to make pasta on my own and have failed. This pasta maker is a good way to cheat. The pasta comes out wonderfully.

And, I've got one more cookbook recommendation for you. Eating in the Middle had the most delicious salmon recipe. The brown sugar and chili rubbed salmon with avocado crema will turn any salmon hater into a lover.

I found a floral dress at Macy's a few weeks ago and fell in love with it but decided against buying it. Then that night I was still thinking about it so decided to get it online. Couldn't find it! I thought it wasn't meant to be. But just this week I came across this dress again and knew this time I couldn't say no. It has a vintage flair to it that I love. Wearing it just makes me feel happy. I'm trying to buy clothes that bring joy instead of conforming to a trend and this dress fits that perfectly.

And lastly, I'm knitting a lamb. I'm always knitting something and most times I know what I'm doing but for making this lamb, which comes from Itty-Bitty Toys, I had to work on a technique I wasn't experienced in. I love it when I get to learn something new. My confidence grows and that feeling of accomplisment leaves me with a high for the rest of the day.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Though She Be But Little

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Another printable! This quote is from Shakespeare: "Though she be but little she is fierce." You're welcome to download it and print it out for personal use. Go be fierce, my dears!

Download

Make Something and Give It Away

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Tue, 24 May 2016 13:00:00 +0000

I am no speed knitter. Knitting these stuffed animal toys takes me a couple weeks. It can also be hard to find the time to do it but I look forward to the moments where I can knit these critters up. It is a labor of love. I think about the children who will get these toys and it gives me motivation.

But I admit that when I finish I think to myself, "What if I kept it?" I put so much work into it I become afraid to give it away and a part of me thinks that the person I give it to won't appreciate all that work. But I remember that the point of making for me is to give. There is joy in the making and there is tremendous joy in the giving. I started knitting for the same reason why I cook, bake, write, sew, paint, craft--I want to share it with others.

I'm trying to wake up each morning asking myself, "What can I give? What can I make for others?"

Today's answer was a little stuffed bird, so I'm off to try my hands at that.

Happy Making, y'all!

Note: The animals shown here come from the book Itty-Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson and I've learned to make stuffed animals from two Craftsy classes: The (Not So) Itty-Bitty Giraffe and Amigurumi: Woodland Animals

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Sat, 07 May 2016 20:57:00 +0000

This past weekend I went to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. It amazes me how I can go from being in the city and then in an hour up a mountain I can be among giants. The massive trees are breathtaking. It makes you feel in awe of nature. While at General Sherman, the largest tree by volume in the world, they gave the analogy that looking up at it was the same as a mouse looking up at a 6 foot tall human. We, humans, are also giants, a powerful force in the world. How humbling and wondrous nature makes us feel.

Kindness Quote Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 23:43:00 +0000

Sometimes I'm kind. Sometimes I'm kinder than necessary. Sometimes I'm reluctantly kind. Sometimes I'm not kind at all.

I love this Henry James quote and designed it into a printable to remind myself to be better on those not-so-kind days. We can all be kinder to ourselves and to others. The world will never have enough kindness.

You're welcome to print this out and color it like me or leave it plain.

Download

Love Grows Here Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I'll get the urge to craft but I don't want to leave the house to get supplies. I'll look around the house and see what I can find. I wanted to make a sign for the entryway and had chipboard and card stock on hand so that is how this sign came to be made.

All you need: chipboard (When chipboard comes in packaging, keep it. They can be useful for projects such as this!), paint pen, card stock, twine, and hot glue.

I wanted something with a spring theme and that felt welcoming when you walked through the front door so I chose the phrase, "love grows here." I traced the phrase with a pencil and went over it with a paint pen.

I used my Cricut to make the flowers. However if you don't have a Cricut this t utorial from Frog Prince Paperie shows another great way to make paper flowers.

Probably the hardest part was deciding where to put the flowers. I played with it until I got something I liked.

Once you know how you want your sign to look, it's time to hot glue it all together! All you need is a drop of glue to make it all stick together.

I hot glued and taped twine to the back of my chipboard. Because the material was light weight, the twine worked well in hanging it up.

And there you have it--a sign made just for spring! It adds a pop of color and whimsy as you walk through the door!

Wreaths, Birdhouses, and Bookmarks

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Spring is here!

This means making floral wreaths, painting birdhouses and adding pom pom trim to the roof because even birds deserve a little whimsy, playing with my Cricut and making a sparkly Alice in Wonderland bookmark, making a lucky charm necklace, and knitting up a bunny.

Besides my crafting, I also listened to the audiobook The Girl on the Train. I've had people at the library recommending it to me for the past year and I finally got around to it and now I know what all the fuss is about! It was so good! It was one of those stories where I would purposely take the long route or stay in the heavy traffic lane so I could listen to more of the story. If you haven't read it, then make sure you do before the movie comes out.

I also just binge watched War and Peace. I recorded the mini series when it first aired and it sat on my DVR unwatched for weeks. I didn't know much about the story except it was about aristocratic families in Russia. I never felt in the mood for it as I thought it might be a stiff, boring story but I thought to myself, "give it a try." I certainly wasn't going to read the 1200 page book (really, whose got time for that?!) so I did indeed give the show a try. And I was hooked from the first episode! It was beautifully filmed and the characters were so wonderfully diverse. And it was not stiff and boring. It was vibrant and intense. I think I just might have to check out the book.

So, that's how I've started my spring and I hope you all are having a lovely beginning to your spring too.

Berries, Yarn, and Stars

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 03:37:00 +0000

I can't believe it's already March! What happened to February? It went by in a blur. But I have pictures to prove that February did happen.

I made a yummy Lemon Berry Cake. I'm a chocolate lover but I made it for a family member's birthday who prefers white and fruity cakes and it was divine! Didn't miss the chocolate!

I also knit the Sweet Peach Shawl from Lion Brand. It was an easy project and my first shawl. The pattern is free if you're a Lion Brand member.

I've also already added some Saint Patrick festivity to my house by making a green ombre pom pom garland.

And finally, the weather has been lovely and spring like so I made suncatchers with the kids at my library.

How did your February go?

Hope you are already having a lovely March!

Getting festive for Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 23:04:00 +0000

Can you tell I've been in a Valentine's Day mood? I made myself Nordic Mittens and the white stitches resemble tiny hearts. You can find the pattern on Lion Brand if you register for free. It's an easy pattern. I had never made mittens or done colorwork before and I only wanted to pull out my hair twice with this pattern so it was a fairly good one. Ha!

I also made this Valentine garland from book pages of an old copy of Jane Eyre. And lastly, I made a yarn-wrapped wreath. I will never do it again. It took me 40 minutes to wrap the yarn around the foam wreath form. My arm was killing me by the end of it. I discovered why people buy these wreaths from Etsy.

Anyway, beside all that crafting, I've also been revising my current manuscript. I'm finally working on the last quarter of it so I'm hoping to have it done pretty soon. I've been working on it for over a year so it will be nice to finally have that accomplished too.

Hope the beginning of your year is going just as wonderfully!

Thank You, 2015!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:36:00 +0000

The past week has been one of the best in 2015. My family celebrated my grandparents 60th anniversary. We took a trip up to the mountains and enjoyed the snow. I made Santa pancakes and watched my nieces get excited as they unwrapped Christmas gifts. There's no better way to end the year than surrounded by the love of family. I'm so thankful for all that 2015 gave me and I'm looking forward to all the adventures in 2016!

Happy Holidays!

Feeling Accomplished!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 04:39:00 +0000

The mutts and I are enjoying our December! I just finished all my Christmas shopping and am currently making personal gift tags. I think they add a nice touch to the presents. Also, I finished knitting a cardigan. It took me months of frustration and confusion. It was my first big knitting project and I'm so happy that I stuck it out through all the self-doubt. It may not be the best looking cardigan but I get a sense of pride from seeing it and knowing my two hands made it. As the new year comes, one of your goals might be learning something new. I highly recommend knitting. I learned from Craftsy and maybe knitting is not your thing but they have a bunch of creative classes that may interest you.

Hope you all are having a merry December!

Gratitude

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 04:20:00 +0000

I spent Thanksgiving week in San Diego. The first half of the week was warm and sunny making it perfect weather for the beach. But a rainstorm came and cooled the rest of the week making for cloudy, beautiful days by the sea. I'm so thankful to have spent the time with family. It went by quickly as we were always doing something--croissant cooking class, beach day, shopping, Beauty and the Beast play, SeaWorld, running a 5K, Thanksgiving dinner, Seaport Village, and getting a Christmas tree!

I'm reminded of the quote: "At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling."

I feel like that's how my days have been ending lately. There is so much joy around me. So much love.

I hope your days are filled with as much cheer.

Snowflake Hairpin

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 01:01:00 +0000

November, you are going way too fast! I'm trying to savor every misty morning, fallen leaf, and crisp day. I love this time of year. The world just feels more magical. Winter and the holidays are right around the corner. Everyone is a little bit more cheerful, kinder. People are practicing gratitude and compassion. I wish it could be like this every day of the year and it ought to be. We should practice theses traits on a daily basis. Every morning I read the news and there is another tragedy, another heartache. We ought to connect more with one another. The best way I know of connecting with people is through making and sharing. So, this weekend I made a snowflake hairpin!

Making hairpins is really quite the easiest thing. Plus, they make great little gifts for people. All you need is a button, hairpin, E6000, and scissors. Your button can be of anything but I choose a snowflake to fit the time of year. Just cut off the shank, dab your button with the E6000, and stick your hairpin on. Ta-da!

Hope you having a lovely November!

A Weekend in Napa

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 22:36:00 +0000

Oh, Napa! How beautiful you are! The views! All those rolling hills! The food! The wine! How full and satisfied every meal leaves you! I don't think there are enough exclamation marks!!! I wish I could have spent more days there but it was just what I needed to relax me. Hope to see you again, Napa!

Hot October!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 03:36:00 +0000

It was in the 90s today. The 90s! In October! I am day dreaming about cooler weather. I stare at my sweaters every morning thinking how cozy they look, wishing I could wear them. Well, even if it doesn't feel like fall I got the Halloween decorations out and I'm eating all the pumpkin flavored foods that I can. I hope you all are having a lovely, cooler October!

A trip to the bay!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

I had a conference in San Francisco so I spent a lovely day eating crab cake sandwiches, enjoying the ocean views, and walking around the downtown area. It was a nice little break from the regular work week.

Yarn Wrapped Letters: Boo!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

I'll be honest. Within the first fifteen minutes of this project, I thought: I'm never doing this again! I initially thought that this would be easy and for the most part the Os were, but that B killed me. It took me forever to wrap the yarn around it, and I would end up getting frustrated because it would look funky and then I'd have to start over. At some point I just stopped caring and finished the darn thing. This is why in the first picture I thought I would do each letter a different color but my black yarn was so much thicker than the others and would get the job done faster so I stuck with it for all the letters. I guess this is one of those crafts that just looks better on pinterest. Next time, I'll just paint my letters. Screw the yarn. I'll stick to knitting with it than trying this again.

It's October!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 01:37:00 +0000

Lately, it has felt like life has beat me up and spat on me. The end of the day I'm drained and exhausted and left feeling dissatisfied with the work I've created. I think this is what burnout feels like. I'm currently trying to work out of this slump and one thing that improved my mood was going to the evening farmers market in my town. Side note, that picture of me is what I look like when I've been up since 2 am. Can you feel the exhaustion radiating from that picture? Anyway, I got tomatoes and basil and made these tarts. They were divine! It was a nice last, little taste of summer.

I'm so happy it's October! I'm looking forward to all the potential autumn will bring. This time of year always makes me feel more creative which is what I need right now. Plus, I love how the smell of pumpkin and nutmeg are everywhere. October is all about warmth and comfort. It's what one needs to soothe their soul. I hope you're having a wonderful first day of October!

Revising

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Settle) — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:00:00 +0000

As you know, I've finished my manuscript and now it's on to revising. First step: printing out the sucker and reading through it. The first read through I try to look out for only big picture things--plot, characters, setting. I'll map out my scenes and see how they flow. I'll make a plot graph to analyze the pacing of the story. It sounds boring and to many people it is but for me this is the fun part. I get giddy as I think of all the potential the story has. It's pure creation--my favorite kind of high.