une vie geniale

Party Pom pom Garlands!

2014-03-18T12:32:00.000-04:00

I'm a little ahead of schedule with this but I just couldn't wait any longer to show you a brand new exciting product I've added to the shop! I now have pom pom garlands for any occasion. I'm imagining these as a great kid's room wall decoration, party photo booth back drop, or a photo shoot prop. Really, whatever you want to use them for! I only have 6 of them made up right now and have a lot more to go since I'll be selling at two markets this April (more on that later!) But here's a look:

This one's definitely a party garland. Bright cheery colors with a pop of neon. I was thinking a kid's birthday party and once the party's over, it could go up in the bedroom or play room to add a pop of color.

Obviously I was thinking wedding. Different shades of ivory, cream, and white. I added soft ribbons and lace as accents. I also found these pompom strings that go great with the theme of this garland.

I wanted something that was not only for kids and I came up with this. Something about the white/black/neon that makes it pretty cool.

Again with bright colors but this time a little black. I intentionally avoided white in this instance in order to make it pop against a white wall.

Why should the girls have all the fun? This one reminds me of woodland creatures, foxes, bears, squirrels. Earthy colors and twine ribbons with a punch of orange is perfect for a nature loving little boy.

Again, I was making this thinking a a new baby boy in his nursery. Soft blue, ivory and grey but with a touch of orange. Subtle and calming for a brand new baby.

All of these are now up in my etsy shop: Little Knitty Things. However, I'm always up for a custom order to make something special just for your and your special occasion. Please don't hesitate to email me and we can start working on a special piece!

Save the Date!

2014-01-22T20:55:00.000-05:00

I promise I have other things to blog about (DIY body scrub, hair color boosters, and lotion bars anyone?) other than my Etsy shop but that'll have to wait just a couple more days. For now, I just want to announce that for those of you in the NYC area, I'll be selling my knits at the Greenpointer's Valentine's Day market! Details below:

I'm pretty excited to step into the market game as it's something I've been wanting to do for a while but never had enough inventory to do so. I'm trying to get some unisex hats made up for adults too so that I have stuff for everyone. Who knows, maybe Little knitty things will expand in the next few months! I do have some ideas stored away but it all takes time to unfold so here's hoping to new & exciting changes! I hope to see some of you there.

New Look!

2014-01-07T22:28:00.001-05:00

I gave the shop a little facelift before the Holidays. I think it was more over Thanksgiving actually but you know, I've been a little busy getting things up, seeing about new yarns for Spring and well, just enjoying the time off! I really like the look of these new pictures and feel that they are exactly the "feel" that I was trying to convey.

I'm obsessed with these scallop hats! But I know they are not for everyone so I'm trying to keep it to a minimum. The little newborn mittens are pretty darn cute too and I think I'm going to expand to baby size as well. I just received a yarn order with bright reds and soft pinks to get into the Valentine's day mood. Don't worry, I have ideas for the boys too! So much to do, so little time! To check out what's new visit the shop!
Thanks everyone for supporting me in this new venture! I'm feeling quite happy about the way it's all going and have high hopes for the future.

Scenes from the road

2013-12-29T16:37:00.000-05:00

I give full credit to Sonny for taking these pictures. We drove up to Ottawa, ON last Sunday in the middle of an ice storm. Thankfully it only took us an extra hour or so, making it a full 8 hours to get there. Our way back was a little more relaxed as we made a couple of stops for shopping both outlet and vintage. it might've been a little stressful on the road but I think the scenery made up for it. And considering our alternative would've been dealing with Holiday Airport madness, it was pretty nice to hit the road.

Holiday Trunk Show

2013-12-06T12:53:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to announce that I'll be joining the roster of talented ladies in a little Holiday Trunk Show! The lovely Amy from Wildfell Hall Vintage is organizing this soirée of vintage and handmade shopping located right in her husband's tattoo shop, Greenpoint Tattoo Co.

Show up anytime between 7pm and 10pm, grab yourself a glass of vino and start shopping for Holiday gifts…or pick up something for yourself. There's definitely going to be something for everyone. Some of the things you'll find:

Vintage from: Wildfell Hall Vintage & Pin Up Queens

Jewelry from: GoldenGrove

Tote bags & prints: KT Smail

Throws & Shawls: Central American Textiles

And of course I'll have some baby knits on hand as well as a few headbands for ladies! I'd love to see you there!

Meal in a bowl

2013-12-03T14:18:00.000-05:00

Since Sonny and I's schedules have sort of reversed, I'm spending more time at home and Sonny is commuting out to New Jersey everyday, I find myself taking charge of meal planning. I've been really into making one pot meals that are pretty much made to be eaten in a bowl. How easy is that? I'm not sure how much Sonny is feeling it, he kind of jokes about it but I think as long as I keep switching it up now and then, he'll eventually come around.

What I find myself doing is grabbing veggies that seem to go well with each other, cooking them up in a little vegetable broth, then adding a grain and a sauce. Here are some examples that I've shared via Instagram.

Squash, carrots, heirloom yellow tomatoes, shallots, garlic, curly kale, firm tofu. Mixed with brown rice. For the sauce, I've been making this one and been wanting to put it on everything! Trust me, just make it.

Beets, carrots, shallots, garlic, kale, mushrooms. I cooked a batch of french lentils with onions and seasoning and added to the saucepan once done.

This is a breakfast favorite in our house. Extra firm tofu mashed up and seasoned with turmeric, nutritional yeast, and Braggs Amino. Yellow pepper, cherry tomatoes, kale, mushrooms. To make it hearty, I cook quinoa and add it at the end.

I'd love to know what your go-to meals are! What's your staples? Ours is definitely Nutritional Yeast, Kale, and Quinoa. They make an appearance very often in our meals. Now that the farmer's market is carrying more hearty vegetables, you can expect more potatoes, squash and perhaps beans in our meals.

Little Knitty Hats!

2013-10-30T13:26:00.000-04:00

Thanks for not abandoning ship you guys! I'm still here and still trying to figure out how to make this blog work in my new routine. To be honest, I don't really know what this routine is but that'll come in another post.

I want to give you all a little sneak peek to what I've been working on! Since I'm around toddlers and babies pretty much 75% of the time, I figured it was only natural for me to gravitate to wanting to make little knits for them. I found this great Merino wool that I love to knit with (it just feels so nice!) and have made up some simple cute styles in colors suited for both boys and girls. No animals, no glitter, no superheroes. Just good ol' hats that will go with anything and not be out of style next month.
I hope you guys like them as much as I do!

All hats will be up on Little Knitty Things on Saturday, possibly Friday, depending on my social life. As you can see I've got a bunch already made and if needed will take custom orders. After this lot, I'll be going into Winter colors for December-January collection. I'm so happy to be knitting again!

Two weeks in Turkey

2013-09-27T15:10:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the delay but there were a lot of pictures to go through from our 2 week trip to Turkey. Here are just a few. You can look at more on my flickr account. The above photo was taken on our arrival in Istanbul. We left on Monday, September 9th (happy birthday to me!) and when we arrived, due to the time difference it was now the 10th. Boo for spending my birthday on a plane.

We took a small flight immediately after landing in Istanbul to Bodrum. It's a small little beach town that is known for late night partygoers and tourists but we quite liked its charm and night market. See below pictures.

Snapped this picture real quick, only later did I realize these ladies where selling all kinds of loofahs, or "sponges from the sea" as the sign reads.

Only one night in Bodrum, then it was time to pack it up and head further south to Datça. Out little guesthouse provide a great little breakfast in it's enchanted little garden.

The view from our apartment balcony for the next 3 days. Not bad Datça, not bad.

We took a boat tour to see a little more of the islands and beaches that surround this little peninsula. Sonny has a habit of cropping my body out of pictures and leaves either my shoulders or boobs in. This is a classic Sonny shot.

The boat throws the anchor in, everyone jumps off the boat and swims around in the open water. This happened every 30 minutes or so. We'd be in the water for either 20 minutes, or if there was a beach, we'd have about 1 hour to roam around.

While traveling we tried to book places with a kitchen. This was a typical meal we'd cook: lentils, shepherd salad, beans and olive spread and bread. The only way to make sure we were getting enough protein was those lentils or LOTS of hummus!

More boat tour fun.

Once we left Datça, we took two busses for a total of 4 hours down to Fethiye. I loved this little apartment of ours. Complete with outdoor balcony.

Once in Fethiye we found the local market for gifts and souvenirs. So much Turkish Delight!

I'm glad to be sitting facing away from all the beautiful rugs and textiles behind me. What a distraction!

After 4 days in Fethiye, it was time to fly back up to Istanbul. We spent three days seeing sights and meeting up with friends. This picture is from inside the blue mosque.

We met a friend who took us here our first night in Istanbul. It was too dark for pictures then, so when we passed by it again during daylight I snapped a pic. It's a coffee/tea house that is mostly all outdoors, sitting on small stools and little tables. The night we went it was full of awesomely dressed young artists of all kinds. I was soaking up the fashionable people.

And of course the day we spent trying to find this record/bookstore for Sonny only to have it closing in 5 minutes. Hidden in one of the "passaji", passages, we came back the next day, which was our last day in Istanbul.

I loved every bit of our trip and experiencing the different sides of Turkey. Of course, the Aegean/ Mediterranean coast was my favorite due to the low key vibe and beaches. Istanbul was beautiful but busy, nothing that I wasn't expecting!

A fishing Game DIY

2013-09-23T19:38:00.001-04:00

I know you were probably expecting my return to blogging to be about my recent trip to Turkey but that'll have to wait until I sift through the 300+ pictures I took in the 2 weeks of being there. Instead, I wanted to share with you pictures of a craft Sonny and I made for Quinn's 3rd birthday this past August.
He's a huge Nemo fan so I decided to take the traditional fishing game and spin it to include some of his favorite characters. I have to say, if it wasn't for Sonny's drawing skills it would not have turned out like it did. I tried my hand at Nemo and failed miserably.

The fishing game included one small "pond" made out of craft foam and blue felt, to place the fish on. I made it so that you can roll it up and tie it for putting away easily. The fish are made out of felt, stuffed with poly fill, and include a ceramic magnet. I also added googly eyes since Quinn is past the age of putting everything in his mouth. I wanted him to have a spot to place all of his fish, so I whipped up this little brown knit bag that he can throw over his shoulder just like a fishing basket. The fishing "poles" are basic dowels bought at the hardware store, cut down to size, then with embroidery thread, I hung a hook on one, and a bobber on the other (for 2 players). They too are equipped with a small ceramic magnet to be able to catch the fish. I was pretty happy with the way it all came out and was able to stick to something homemade for his birthday gift. It's also pretty amazing the things you can make with felt.

Well, I think this means that my blogging hiatus is over. With the change of seasons comes a few changes in my life that I think will allow me to keep up with blogging again. No promises but I think you can expect things to not be so quiet around here from now on. And as I said, coming up next is a little peak into our recent trip to Turkey!

Clothing Swap- Mark your Calendars!

2013-05-08T13:43:00.000-04:00

It's official! I've partnered up with Dusty Rose Vintage to help host a clothing swap right here in Brooklyn! We'll be having an evening of swapping, socializing, dancing (well, there will be music) and snacking on Thursday May 30th.

Here's how it works: just rock up with a bag of spring/summer garments and accessories you're done wearing but want to find another loving home. $3 gets you in the door, then swap to your heart's content. With a packed crowd of other Greenpoint fashion addicts, you're bound to make awesome trades. Plus it's a perfect opportunity to spring-clean your closet, and go shopping without a shred of guilt. Can't put a bag together? Just pay a little more: $5 on the door!

Right now we are looking for volunteers willing to help us sort through and guide our guests to find what they're looking for. Please email me at: melsonieratgmail.com with your info. Again, volunteering gives you first dibs on the clothing that comes in and free admission!

If you can't make the swap but still want to donate your Spring clothing, you're welcome to drop clothes off at the warehouse in the week before the event. The warehouse will be open from 4-6 Monday to Thursday of the event.

Hope to see you there!

Etsy Labs with Dusty Rose Vintage

2013-05-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

I finally got to visit the Etsy HQ's this week when my friends at Dusty Rose Vintage were hosting a craft night. Tons and tons of leggings were brought in to stamp, create, paint however your little heart desired. I was mostly there to take some pics so I didn't get to make some of my own but I did come out with a few basic leggings that I will definitely stamp up.

Here are some pictures from the event.

(Give me all the leggings!)

(These were one of my faves)

(Etsy pins? check. Pencils? check. shortalls? check.)

(Love this design too! And the ones below.)

(Awesome photobooth with pretty great lighting if I do say so myself)

This event got me thinking that I should be attending more Etsy lab/craft nights. For more info, you can check it out here. They might have something in your area!

Dia: Beacon

2013-04-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

If you caught my Instagram this weekend, you'll have seen that Sonny and I took a little day trip upstate. last weekend we were left feeling a little bored since it's been a while that we both got out of the city. Even though there's a million things to do around us, it's always nice to get away from it all. We took the Metro North train up to Beacon, NY. There's a great Museum?..Gallery? called The Dia Art Foundation that Sonny had been talking about visiting ever since we met. It was a perfect day to go since the space is an old Nabisco box manufacturing factory and rely's a lot on the natural sunlight to come through the windows.
We ate lunch outdoors, and then took a walk down Main St. to check out the local shops.

1. Grand Central Station

2. Grand Central

3. Something really exciting about train trips.

4. Welcome to Beacon sign

5. I call this outfit Granny Artist Chic.

6. Sonny was our tour guide.

7. Clay Wood & Cotton shop

8. Stopped for taco's at Tito's.

9. Tofu taco with guar & salsa.
10. Enjoying some sun on the Dia grounds.

Signs of Spring

2013-04-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

It's been touch & go here in New York with little signs of Spring popping up here & there but then just as you leave the house without a jacket, bam, it gets cold again. I'm not ready to commit to wearing sandals just yet but soon, very soon...

Outfit Details:

jean jacket: very old

skirt: Vintage, Dusty Rose Vintage

shoes: Vintage

sunglasses: kensie

tote: husbands

These pictures don't even show how windy it was this day. I'm surprised I even got away with three decent pictures.

Now that it's Spring, I know we're all itching to clean out our closets and get that Spring/Summer wardrobe out. My friends, Dusty Rose Vintage & I decided it was a perfect time to host a Clothing Swap here in Brooklyn. It'll be at the DRV HQ in Greenpoint, on May 19th (mark your calendars!) We are just now looking for volunteers that can help us with easy stuff like door person, sorting, serving drinks (looking for food vendors!), cleaning...etc. We'd love to have you if you can spare a few hours in your day. Volunteers get first dibs on what comes in, so that right there is a plus! If you are interested please email me at: melsonieratgmail.com for more details.

Highline

2013-04-18T11:33:00.000-04:00

I finally visited the Highline last weekend. it took an out of town guest to get me out to the city and enjoy this cool new outdoor structure. I had so much fun taking pictures of the Meatpacking/Chelsea district buildings. I guess I have to get out more. It's a great stretch of park, plants, and even seats to accommodate you if you get tired. There are food vendors, as well as street artists. Definitely a fun little outing if you're ever in NYC.

I was with my friend Seval, who is visiting from Turkey. We met through blogging years ago and it's so great to finally meet!

Make-up Essentials

2013-03-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

A glimpse into my make-up bag*. I try to keep my make-up routine super simple as to be quick getting ready in the mornings (more sleeping in!) I am in the process of turning over all my beauty/hair products to being 100% vegan but some items you see here were either gifted to me, or a little on the older side so once I run out, I'll be switching over to something more veg friendly!

1. Brushes: I love the Sonia Kashuk for Target line of brushes. I picked up a set a while ago and have been using them mostly at home. I also have a Bare Escentuals kabuki brush for blush shown here at very top of photo.

2. Face: You'll notice that I have a lot of e.l.f. (eyeslipsface) make-up and that's because they are not only vegan friendly but super affordable. Right now I'm using the Mineral Blush in Peachy, and the Personal Blend Foundation powder in Medium. I also have a tube of Kat von D's tattoo concealer. It won't cover your tattoo but it'll work wonders on your zits and under eye circles.

3. Lips: Since it's the winter, i've been using e.l.f.'s lip exfoliator (no more chapped lips!). It comes in a lipstick tube and is applies as such. Rinse off, then pat dry. Your lips will feel nice and soft.

4. Eyes: I tend to stick with browns for eyeshadow, in fact I have e.l.f.'s studio pro-mini eyeshadow palette in Natural (not shown here) which has every shade of brown you can think of. I wanted to try something new, so I now have a small single eyeshadow case in raspberry truffle. It's a deep burgundy shade with a little touch of shimmer. I also have a pot of mineral eyeshadow in Caffeinated for special going out occasions. For eye liner, I stick with a black pencil. And for mascara, I'm currently using the classic Maybelline Great Lash in Black. To get all of this stuff off, I love these eye makeup remover pads. They're so tiny but get the job done so I don't feel like its a huge waste.

5. Body: I carry a little stick of Lush's Karma solid perfume. The smell alone relaxes me and is vegan approved.

*courtesy of Seychelles footwear!

This might seem like a sponsored post for e.l.f. but really I just strongly believe in the company and what they stand for. A few other companies that I might look into for vegan products are: Lush (of course), Too faced, Alba, Aveda, The Body shop, Urban Decay. What are your favorite cruelty free cosmetics?

Snowy Saturday

2013-03-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Outfit details:

sweater: vintage, Beacon's Closet

jeans: Levi's, Buffalo Exchange

plaid shirt: vintage, Dusty Rose Vintage

shoes: Bass, Mellow my mind

hat: handmade

A quick outfit post was done on Saturday during the snowfall. I think we all agree that we're over Winter and Spring can start anytime now? That last photo is me getting all angry at the snow. This is kind of my version of a preppy outfit with a twist. If I had on dark blue jeans (which is how I started out) it would've given a whole different look. I'm glad I went with my purple jeans, definitely more me.

You can also finally see my lighter hair. This is about a month after I had it dyed and I've been using my hair chalk so some of the ends look a little red. That stuff stays in for a while, I guess since I don't wash my hair that often.

We had a great weekend of just hanging out around the neighborhood and doing some household chores. We tried a new (to us) vegan restaurant, Maimonides of Brooklyn, which was so good! As soon as we left, we were making plans to go back.

Workout essentials

2013-03-15T14:13:00.002-04:00

One thing that has been keeping me busy over the winter is going to the gym. I'm definitely more of a treadmill runner than sidewalk. Going to the gym has always been a component in my life, starting early on when our family had a family pass at the YMCA. My sister and I would go to our swimming lessons while my dad would get his workout in on those early Saturday mornings.
It's crucial to always have your gym bag packed and ready to go in the mornings if you really want to keep at it and not run into any excuses to skip it. Here are the things you will find in my gym bag:

1. I prefer true running/workout pants over leggings since leggings tend to stretch out easily and get baggy in the knees.

2. Believe it or not but OldNavy has some pretty great sport bras that are usually a deal when you buy 2. They also come in fun colors.

3. I'm not too much of a spandex fan, so for a top, I stock up on these American Apparel racerback tanks.

4. Bringing a water bottle is so important and saves you time from having to walk to the water fountain during your workout. I'm liking this bobble bottle with charcoal filter.

5. I stash lots of hair bands and bobby pins (for my bangs) in my bag. Nothing worse than sweaty bangs in your face!

6. I just got some new Nike free 4.0 sneakers and love them. What I love most is that you don't need to wear socks with them which cuts out one less thing to pack.

7. Ipod shuffle to listen to my own tunes. Why do gyms always have the worst jams?

8. I use this lemlem scarf (received as a gift) as a towel as it's lightweight, absorbent, and big. Towels are just too bulky! Check out etsy for "peshtemals" or Turkish towels for similar ones.

9. All of this surprisingly fits into my baggu bag!

Now all I need are some suggestions on songs that make you want to work your butt off! Please share! My favorite song to work out to right now would be Wild One's by Flo Rida feat. Sia. So good!

Hair to's: Favorite new Products

2013-03-11T15:00:00.003-04:00

I've recently switched up my hair routine and wanted to share with you some new products that have found their way into my bathroom.

1. It's a 10 keratin spray: After I got my hair ombre'd I noticed the ends getting dryer a lot faster since I now had bleached 1/4 of my hair. I decided it was time to invest in a good treatment product that would help my hair cope with the heat tools I use on a daily basis. The "It's a 10" line bases itself on the product doing ten great things for your hair. Mostly, I like the silky feeling of my hair after I dry it.

2. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray: This is sort of like Dry Shampoo's fancier sister. It does the same thing that dry shampoo will do without leaving that white powder behind. It's also great to use after you've just washed your hair and it's all feathery/ unstyleable and matifies it & gives you volume.

3. Biotin: Not really a hair product but definitely a hair helper! Biotin promotes healthy nails, skin & hair. Gotta love that!

4. B&B Surf Spray: I've always been looking for a great surf spray ever since John Frieda discontinued his back in...um..2005? I decided to splurge, but not really, since I bought the travel size, of B&B's surf spray. Who doesn't like beachy mermaid hair? So far, I like it but can't wait to test it out in the summer!

5. UO Hair Chalk: Another purchase due to my new ombre'd locks (you guys sick of hearing this yet). I wanted to give these a try since there is no way that I would commit to real dye in such crazy colors (those years are behind me now.) This is a super fun way to experiment with different color combinations & even match your outfit...too much? I'm still trying to figure out the best color combo that is not green/purple/pink which seems to be a hot combo on pinterest. Again, these will be a lot more fun this summer!

Tip: If you're hesitant to try new products which can be a little costly, go for the travel size version. I almost always do this when trying out something new cause I'd be super bummed if I ended up not liking it. Plus, this way you can bring your products with you when you're traveling and still have great hair days.

This is not a sponsored post, but just a list on new products I wanted to share with you guys. I'd be happy to answer any questions, although I'm no expert when it comes to hair. I just like trying new things! Also, I'd love to hear from you if you have a new product you've tried and loved!

Oh Miami

2013-03-07T16:39:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, I made a quick weekend jaunt down to Miami. If you follow my twitter/instagram, you'll have already been updated on how that went. Let's just say it wasn't exactly the beach vacation I was looking forward to.
The worst part was that I came down with a really bad cold the week before leaving so I never really fully recovered from it, since it was so cold down there! We did try and make the best of it and saw a few sights.

First stop, thrift stores!

Can you spot the fox?

Unicorns!

Freehand Miami hostel

Dr. Bonner's products available at the front desk.

Villa Vizcaya

Pool at Vizcaya

What I saw of the beach. Complete with scarf, jacket, and a hot coffee.

Versace Mansion (Notice the creepy shoes behind the gate?)

Coolest looking Gap ever (?).

For those looking for a cheap but pleasant accommodation I'd recommend Freehand Miami hostel on South Beach! We even did the 8 person dorm room and had a great time! They have a lovely outdoor area with pool, lounge chairs and bar. It's also walking distance to the beach & Lincoln Road shopping district.

A Valentine's Day craft

2013-02-13T14:15:00.005-05:00

Since I've vying for the spot of Best Aunt ever, I decided to send the little ones in my life a little Valentine's Day surprise parcel. I wanted to make something special and unique so I decided to try my hand at fabric painting with stamps.

I bought some basic leggings and long sleeve shirts at American Apparel, and found a cute polka dot cardigan at Target. The paint I bought was Neopaque textile colors in Red. I made the stamp using some craft foam, cutting it into a heart shape (Sonny did this actually), and glued it onto a thin cardboard. Then, I took a cork and with a hot glue gun, glued it to the the cardboard. Voila, a homemade stamp! For the girls, Adess & Maïa, I did heart elbow patches, and for Quinn, I did a heart stamp on the front left. The leggings with the heart knee patches didn't come as great due to the fabric being so dark, but i'm sure i'll find some use for them one day. Now they're all outfitted for their V-Day celebrations tomorrow.

I also included some fun little stamps, V day books, and stickers to make their parcels super fun to open up.
My sister sent me these pics the day after they received their package ( I love these kids!):

Three layer print

2013-02-12T14:51:00.003-05:00

I left my house thinking it was perfectly normal that I was wearing three different prints, all somewhat southwestern-ish. Oh well, sometimes you just gotta go for it.

Outfit details:
jacket: BB Dakota via Modcloth (last year)
jeans: Level 99
shoes: Seychelles
hat: Urban Outfitters
purse: Dusty Rose Vintage

Kitchen Makeover

2013-02-09T18:46:00.000-05:00

The minute we set foot in our new (rental) apartment almost two years ago now, Sonny immediately hated the color of the walls (painted grey throughout) & the cabinets, black. It being a rental and always not sure of how long you're going to stay put in said apartment, I was hesitant to do anything right away.

As time went on, and the more we talked about it, we finally decided to put paint to the walls. The process was gradual due to time but boy am I glad we finally did it. Here are some before pictures:

These pictures were taken on a random weekend afternoon. I didn't know I'd be using them for this makeover post. I actually thought that I had deleted them so I'm happy I at least have a few to show you the difference!

And here's our new kitchen:

Like I said, the fact that we were renting made it hard for us to do a lot of changes. We can't tear up the floor boards, or change the countertops & fixtures or anything like that, so here are a few small changes we made for a big impact.

- walls are now painted yellow with Benjamin Moore's Wildflower
- cabinets are now painted a light green, I forget the exact color
- pot & pans are now hanging over the old a/c that is stuck in the wall
- bigger table to eat at in case we have guest. but it still collapse into a half table for the two of us
- organized the open section above the sink with some cute wooden boxes
- switched the chair cushions from blue to a green stripe pattern
- added a lace curtain and cotton blind to the prominent window
- hung a potted plant on the other window
- switched the metal handles on the cabinets to white knobs

We now spend a lot more time in the kitchen hanging out, making juices and cooking up a storm.

Groundhog Day

2013-02-06T22:22:00.001-05:00

So Groundhog's Day has never really meant much to me until the past couple of years. It's actually my husband's birthday AND my really good friend Maresa's. This year it fell on Saturday so we decided to have a little brunch at our place before partaking in some afternoon fun over at Barcade (a fun bar/arcade combo.)

Our menu was 100% vegan and even included some gluten free items. We made some fresh OJ in our juicer and people brought Champagne for mimosas. It was really fun to host a brunch and finally have people over which we've been meaning to do for some time now.

Oh and Phil didn't see his shadow.

Sorry for the messy table. Didn't really think i'd be blogging this. Oh well.

Vegan Essentials: What we bought

2013-02-01T15:58:00.001-05:00

The other day (ok, weeks now) Sonny & I ventured into the online vegan product shopping world. I'm not sure how we got started, it might have had something to do with us complaining about how expensive all vegan products are in our neighborhood, or how we couldn't find the products we were looking for in the first place but anyhow, I wanted to share our lot of goods, some just that, GOOD for you, and some we're definitely a luxury treat. Please don't judge, we both have a major sweet tooth!

1. Nature's Life Veg Protein Powder: I like mixing this with a glass of soy milk right after the gym.
2. Chocolate Inspirations Cashew Brittle: So good! Tastes just like a Skor bar.
3. Gin Gin Ginger Candies: These we buy at our local grocers but were cheaper through the site.
4. Deva Prenatal Vitamins: Been taking these ever since my sister's hair seemed to grow inches overnight.
5. B fresh mints: Couldn't resist the cute packaging.
6. Teese Cheese: Can't find this cheese anywhere! It's perfect for pizza.
7. Terra Nostra Chocolate Bar: Sonny loves but misses Milk Chocolate. This one is his fave.
8. Go Max Go Jockerz Candy Bar: Really, another chocolate bar??!
9. Nutrasumma Greens: Sometimes we just need an extra boost of greens.
10. Red Star Nutritional Yeast: Again, better prices online than in store.
11. Obsessive Confection Disorder's Vanilla Bean Caramel: These were good but nothing too exciting. They do have a caramel sauce that I think I need to try.
not numbered:
Dandies Marshmallows: I'd say these are closest to regular marshmallows but a little bit sweeter. They are hard to find here in Brooklyn.
Mozzarella Sticks by Veggie Brothers: Sonny had these and they were very messy to cook. They fell apart easily. Probably not worth the price.

We teetered on ordering from both Vegan Essentials, and Pangea Vegan Store, and in the end, VE won because of the Cashew Brittle. Yup, I DID say we have a sweet tooth! Both were relatively comparable in prices and assortment. Do you have any favorite vegan products that we should try?

Weekend Wear

2013-01-21T15:42:00.001-05:00

This is typically my weekend uniform. I go for the comfy of comfiest things I have in my closet, especially when getting up for go to the Farmer's Market or head out the gym.

From clockwise:

1. Cardigan: I found a cardigan similar to this one at Crossroads Trading the other day. Can't seem to take it off.
2. Sweatpant: I love my skinny sweatpants from UO. Who knew that jogging pants got cool?
3. Toms: The TOMS Botas are perfect for keeping my feet warm and cozy
4. T-shirts: Still loving Vnecks from AA.
5. Socks: I have a growing collection of fun but warm socks.
6. Chambray: I'm convinced that a chambray shirt disguises this outfit into something put together.