hooray

Changing Seasons

2013-05-09T07:36:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile, hasn't it?! This spring is not only flying by, but is proving to be a real time of change for us, in both good and challenging ways. The biggest of those being an inevitable season of military life on the horizon, which will mean extended time apart from one another...a transition full of all sorts of mixed emotions. It's not something I'll be sharing here when that day comes, but it has given me a lot of pause lately (& sometimes a breather is just best!).

However, there have been lots of creative happenings as well, including a bridal shower for my life-long best friend. I made a whole slew of branch-and-tissue paper leaves, envisioning a "mini forest" along the tables (and in true form, left the main box of them at home...agh), but we made do with the few that safely arrived. I forgot to take a single photo that day, but I have a few from the planning stages and will share a little recap of the details soon!

(photo via my instagram @allihooray)

Pins: Coral & Green

2013-04-10T07:56:00.000-04:00

It's always fun spotting color themes in your pins...coral and green with dark wood tones are looking pretty good lately!

Cake by lisa vorce (via kate) / Garden birds by bethan janine (via gloria) / Kitchen by shannon fricke (via caroline) / Bedroom by jessica comingore

Mr. Boddington Classics

2013-04-09T07:43:00.000-04:00

As any good blogger knows, Anthro is a treasure trove of pretty books, right? I always find myself in their store whenever we're in downtown Birmingham, and this past weekend I was reminded of their stash of Penguin Classics with cute & quirky cover designs by Mr. Boddington. I could hardly resist my favorite above...see all of them here.

(photo by hooray)

Oahu, Hawaii (Part 2)

2013-04-03T07:47:00.000-04:00

Although I've drawn this out a tad long, here is the last part of our recent adventures in Hawaii. I think I set some kind of record for most photos taken on a vacation. Hah! I always love trying to capture places we go, but I was overwhelmed at times with the beauty of this place...every leaf and tree and bit of blue sea.

Above are a few more taken at Aulani, including the selfie that I snapped while walking around the grounds one afternoon. It's funny, even standing among it I was caught off guard by all of the lush greenery surrounding my reflection as I walked by. The cliff-side photo was taken from Makapu'u Point, which has one of my favorite views on the entire island.

Two very different roadside views while driving around -- the first of a more remote mountainside community, and the second of the ocean ahead while traveling to the north shore. In between is a glimpse of the Pearl Harbor aviation museum on Ford Island, where we explored one rainy morning and had brunch afterward at their Laniakea Cafe.

We spent our last evening at the Polynesian Cultural Center. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was beautiful and deserves more than one red-leaf photo! And I couldn't end this post without another shot from the busy downtown Waikiki beach...half-buried trashcan and all, it's still a pretty nice view. ;)

Inspired by Merian

2013-04-02T08:57:00.000-04:00

Being that it's apparently the birthday of a long ago botanic artist, Maria Sibylla Merian (thanks for the tip, Google!), here is my take on a room inspired by her stunning carnation sun piece.

1. Pillow / 2. Lamp / 3. Plant photo by Alice Gao / 4. Chair / 5. Ottoman / 6. Carnation Sun by Merian

Easter Weekend

2013-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

Well there is no shortage of Easter dinner ideas floating around online...my favorites have to include those desserts and flowers above, and (not pictured) these stuffed brussels sprouts and this spring salad. Yum.

Tomorrow we observe Good Friday, but wishing you a blessed Easter on Sunday!

Images: Chocolate & sultana buns by Chantelle Grady / Lemon bars by Baked Bree / Florals by K. Allyson Petty

Oahu, Hawaii (Part 1 of 2)

2013-03-27T08:55:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd recap our recent trip to Oahu by including some notes on things we did, in case anyone is planning a trip there (or could be persuaded to!). This was our second visit and it was a lot easier finding our way around and deciding what to do with ourselves. It may seem like such a touristy place, and my dad actually had little interest in going (except to be with family), but after our trip he was surprised to find himself wanting to go back.

We stayed in Ko Olina (a small community along the west coast), off a tree-lined street at the Aulani resort. Although run by Disney, it's the opposite of a noisy, theme-park experience and is incredibly beautiful. The building and grounds are all inspired by Hawaiian culture, but not in an overtly tourist way. The resort forms a U-shape facing the ocean, and tucked inside are gardens, pathways, pools, and hot tubs...including an infinity one overlooking the ocean. It was amazing!

We did a lot of driving around...sometimes we'd plan exactly where we were headed, and a couple days we just drove and stopped whenever we felt like it. Waimea Valley (above) is one of the places I wish we'd made more time for. It's a paved nature walk with botanical gardens about a mile long leading up to a waterfall. They also have a nice cafe at the entrance with local farm food (we shared their cheeseburger, house salad, and sweet potato fries!).

I'd really been looking forward to going back to Bellows Air Force Station, a training site along the ocean with campgrounds and recreational facilities. Facing one way, you see palm trees and mountains, and on the other side it's all white sand beach and blue water. It's quiet enough that little ghost crabs scuttle around when you're lying still on the sand. Another (vastly different) beach was Makaha Beach, where we took our lunch one day and watched the surfers...you can see them up above waiting to catch a wave!

And then we posed for some peculiar photos while walking around Kualoa Ranch (#dorksforlife). If there's one tourist stop you make, this is worth it! It's a family owned ranch along the mountains and valleys on the northeastern side, known for their film-site tours, but I love the relatively quiet, personal feel there...not to mention incredible views everywhere you look.

On an overcast day we drove up the scenic Pali Highway and admired the view from the Pali Lookout. And finally, we stayed in downtown Waikiki the last part of our trip (and spent most of our time away from the busy hotel), but took a walk along the water one morning and enjoyed the nearby Duke Kahanamoku lagoon.

Thanks for sticking around to the end if you made it! I'll share one more next week.

Navy and Green

2013-03-26T16:45:00.000-04:00

A glimpse of a recent project involving lots of navy blue and a little green alligator...for a baby shower (appropriately!) taking place in Florida.

Spring Wear

2013-03-22T07:30:00.000-04:00

You'd never know that spring is here just by looking out the window (or better yet, standing in the cold!), but it sure is fun to anticipate. After noticing Madewell having a site-wide sale, I found myself eyeing a few things for the new season. Although that swimsuit might still have to wait a few more months...

1. Chambray shirt / 2. Swimsuit / 3. Packable hunter boots / 4. Herschel backpack

Heather Ross Prints

2013-03-21T07:45:00.000-04:00

My mom gave me Heather Ross' Prints book for Christmas...and boy will it put you in the creative mood. I was already a fan of her sewing book (not that I sew all that often, but hey) and this combines both the world of textiles and print/design in such a brilliant way.

Snapshots from Oahu

2013-03-19T19:30:00.000-04:00

We finally made it back home. We sandwiched this trip right between two other commitments, so we re-packed and went straight to the second one after our return flight landed. It felt good to sleep in our own bed again last night!

These are some snapshots from my phone, but I have a lot more coming from our camera soon (that's either a promise or a warning...yikes). It's hard to describe how much this trip meant to us (and my parents), yet it was also bittersweet for reasons I wish I could share here. I know there are a lot of places you can go for a tropical getaway, but these islands are worth the trip for anyone.

(photos, top: makapu'u point, touristy stop at dole, cafe at waimea valley, the north shore. bottom: at the pool, bridge at aulani, Q on the beach, palm trees along the ocean. more on my instagram)

Sweet Potato Fries

2013-03-08T07:10:00.000-05:00

My dad has gotten into cooking now that he's retired -- the day after Christmas he made us some sweet potato fries (with eggs and leftover ham), and now we're hooked on making them at home. I've never really liked sweet potatoes, but these are so good it would make anyone a fan!

The key ingredient is the spice mix shown above, Tone's rosemary garlic. Slice the potatoes, drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle generously with the spices, and cook in a thin layer of coconut oil on the skillet for ten minutes or so.

PS. If you have a weakness for ranch dressing like I do...these are made for it.

Aloha, Oahu

2013-03-06T07:30:00.000-05:00

We decided to take advantage of some winter rates and plan a trip back to Hawaii...and we made it here Monday! I convinced my parents to come too (my mom once lived here, and my dad has never been). Above is one of my first snapshots as we reached the island, and I'm sure I'll take about a million more.

(photo from my instagram)

Mirror Mirror

2013-03-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this little round mirror at Home Goods and it quickly found a way into my basket (one of the great mysteries of shopping). I'd love to find more of them -- being an overstock store, they only had the one! For now it's hanging up in the guestroom looking pretty in place of an old frame.

A Guest Nook

2013-02-28T11:12:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what you'd call this besides well, a guest nook, because that's all it really is. A bed in a corner. For those times when the guestroom or the floor of the loft are already claimed (since friends & family tend to be overnight guests from out of town).

I made just enough room in the corner of the office to fit my old twin mattress, bought a small bed frame, and used a bedspread & some pillows from the closet (along with striped pillowcases found on clearance...every bed needs those, right?).

The picture ledge & frames had been sitting in a closet, too, and the old filing cabinet next to the bed now leads a double-life as both nightstand and office storage. The 'guest nook' has already been put to good use a few times and is proving to be a cozy little spot!

(bottom pic borrowed from my instagram feed)

Pinned: Spaces

2013-02-26T07:25:00.000-05:00

The 'pinhole' view of this month's Valentines post was so fun to make that I thought I'd share bits from Pinterest more often this way. Here's a peek at two spaces I quickly bookmarked after laying eyes on.

1. Dining nook from bhg / 2. Liz Durham's home on apartment therapy. (More pins here.)

Bring the Outdoors In...

2013-02-22T07:39:00.000-05:00

This crafty book left me full of inspiration recently...it really is that good. It's an interesting enough topic (garden projects for decorating), but also so well executed with the images and type! I'd love to try out some of these for an event, like those botanical sculptures or the big hanging sphere made from baby's breath.

(copy of Bring the Outdoors In from Chronicle Books)

Photos & Frames

2013-02-20T07:44:00.000-05:00

It's not hard to love a pottery barn frame, but I especially like these gilt and beaded silver ones. I know we have a truly crazy amount of photos hidden away on our computer, so I hope to weed through and print & frame more of them this year.

(photos by pottery barn)

Little Baby G

2013-02-19T08:08:00.000-05:00

A few weekends ago, my youngest sister in-law came for a visit from Ohio with her first baby, our newest nephew. It's pretty neat that she is also a close friend from high school (she introduced me to Q — her brother), we planned her wedding together... and now this little guy has stolen all our hearts. As for the top image, we staged as many photos that weekend as he would oblige!

(bottom two pics from friends: first time meeting him at his house, and his first visit later at ours)

A Little Metallic...

2013-02-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

I found these fun notebooks on clearance the other day to use as favors for a shower...they're doubling as some inspiration for our vintage & metallic theme, which I'm more jazzed than usual about (and hoping to follow up with decent photos of this time!).

Happy Valentine's Day

2013-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's! Whether or not you celebrate, hope your day is full of sweetness. And a good supply of chocolate.

Giant posters from oh happy day / Rose cupcakes from baker's royale. (More pins here.)

Kitchen Makeover

2013-02-13T07:56:00.000-05:00

There must have been some momentum from fixing up our living room/fireplace, because we gave our kitchen a little makeover in December as well (before we ran out of steam!). There was nothing really wrong but I've always wanted to lighten up the more permanent, dark features I'm not as fond of. We also have this exaggerated space in the center of the room between the sink and the fridge, so it all started with wanting to add a small island there...

Here's what we changed:
- painted walls & ceiling a light gray (over this)
- replaced cabinets above sink with open shelving
- added a small island with storage & seating
- installed new lighting (pendants for the island & dining, a globe for the sink)
- upgraded our short, deep fridge to a taller, counter-depth model that doesn't stick out as much (so worth it in a high-traffic area!)

I snapped these after cleaning post-new year's eve, so although it probably hasn't been as neat and tidy since, we're loving the changes (here's what it used to look like). The open shelving lets extra light in from the dining area, and we can't imagine not having that island now...for prepping food, eating breakfast, accumulating piles of mail, and just about everything else.

Winter Plaid

2013-02-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

I kept thinking how cozy some plaid, flannel pillows might be this winter, so I made a pair over Christmas break. Aside from clumsy measuring skills (I was one panel short of the plaid - luckily Q's mom had plain white on hand to use for the back sides), these are the simplest of all things to sew. They're definitely cozy! And look almost as nice on our bed at home as they did on this antique beauty at his parents' house.

Home for the Holidays

2013-02-01T07:27:00.000-05:00

These are kind of all over the place, but just a small (and belated - jeez) glimpse of our holidays, pulled from a sea of snowy landscape pictures, group photos, and blurry shots of little nephews running around. Although not shown or shared below, there are reasons this Christmas will always be extra special to us.

The celebrating started at my parents' on Christmas Eve, moved to Q's family later in the week, and ended back at our house for New Year's with some friends. Unlike the photo of me glued to a camera suggests (along with our friends' two year-old mastering my iphone!), the majority of our break was spent away from that stuff... just hanging out, reading books, and eating too much food. Hey, can we do it all over again?

Starting Today (A Journal)

2013-01-31T07:55:00.000-05:00

After hosting a few blog-tour book stops here, I was surprised to find a few more titles in the mail from the wonderful Lorraine at Chronicle Books. I don't accept sponsors and rarely host giveaways...but review copies of books? I guess books are just something I love, and want to share, regardless of how they're acquired.

Most copies will continue to be donated to our local library, for all the nice people to use & enjoy. Except for this one: it's a beautiful journal, with inspiration for writing down daily intentions (and has pretty details like the floral pattern & rounded corners shown above). It can really only have one user, so if you want to fill its pages, please comment below. I'll send this to the first person who asks!

(copy of starting today from chronicle books)