Tuesday Tunes : Be healed.

Another great video from Serial Box! This is Stone's favorite as of late and I hope you enjoy it too :) xo.

Weekend wrap up : Let the Christmas fun begin!

It officially took me 3 hours to sort through all of my email from the four day vacation... yikes! I know that I work from my home, so perhaps I have no excuse to not be answering emails over Thanksgiving, but I figure if people with office jobs get to have a holiday then I am going to give myself one too. This does not really bode well with my boss (husband), but to me holidays are meant for sleeping in, shopping, going out with friends and family, and doing anything but work. So that's what I did and I suppose today I paid the price. I have not moved from the computer all morning. Oofta!

Oh well, I now have a clean inbox and am all rested for the week ahead! How was your Thanksgiving holiday? Mine was pretty great, some of the highlights were :

- Making Thanksgiving dinner with Lacey, our dishes included stuffed mushrooms, two pies, roasted veggies, corn casserole, and chocolate bark! Yowza.

- Having a Thanksgiving slumber party with our friends, The Dodds :)

- Shopping for the first time ever on Black Friday... like hard core, a couple of friends and I woke up when it was still dark outside and waited in line to reap the benefits of Anthropologie's 50% off sale. It was pretty great!

- Watching not one, not two, but three Christmas movies! (Elf, Santa Clause 2 and Polar Express)

- Laying in bed and reading.

- Meeting up with friends for dinner and camp fire at San Elijo campgrounds!

- Getting our gifts ready to bring to church for Operation Christmas Child!

- Going hunting in the tide pools near our house and actually finding a huge star fish! I wanted to bring it home, but husband told me it was illegal. Dang.

- Getting our Christmas cards designed and ordered... feels good to get that done!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Christmas is in full swing and I could not be more excited. xo.

Food to Love : A feast!

Do you usually cook for the holidays? Or do you leave it up to other family members... maybe even restaurants to pick up the slack? My mom is the queen of holiday meal planning and cooking. She has it down to a science and I dare not interrupt her flow, however since we have grown up a bit Stone and I have taken on a little more responsibility in preparing food for our family holiday meals. We have to travel for the holidays, which limits us a little, but I still love being in charge of at least one dish! I just love an excuse to cook something a little more fancier than the norm. This Thanksgiving I am making stuffed mushrooms (my mom's recipe, which I will share with you soon) and a small dessert. I need to figure that one out still. Yes, this means I have yet to go to the grocery store. Husband and I were just deciding that maybe a late night grocery run would be best to grab the things we need. Hopefully they do not run out of mushrooms. Other than that, we will be good :) We are headed to our friends' family Thanksgiving here and I just cannot wait to sample all of the tasty dishes. If you are like me and still have yet to decide exactly what you are making then have no fear, I compiled a list of incredible options that would be the show piece of any holiday spread. The best reward of cooking is getting the compliments, right? Ha. So hope you have a lovely holiday and that you find yourself in the kitchen creating something delicious! xo.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Kale and Sausage Stuffed Turkey

Crusted Butternut Squash

Brie and Pear Tart

Parker House Rolls

Sausage and Sage Stuffing with Dried Cranberries and Toasted Hazlenuts

Today I am thankful for spending time with good friends!

Tuesday Tunes : I could start fires with what I feel for you.

This song gives me chills. Every. Time.

To see more videos like this one and an interview with David Ramirez go here!

Weekend wrap up : "There is always money in the banana stand."

Hello all. Stone and I had a busy and long weekend filled with good friends, good food, and a great engagement shoot. Nothing to complain about here :) Yesterday (I know it was a Monday, but it felt like a weekend to me because we were away shooting all day) we headed to Newport Beach to shoot the most darling (seriously) couple ever. Stone and I got there a bit early and I immediately fell in love with this charming little town. So quaint. It also has an abundance of ice cream shoppes, candy stores, and banana stands. Yup, banana stands. We had to try it out, the bananas were great and the stands had us quoting Arrested Development for a good hour after. If you are unfamiliar with what I am talking about watch this short clip and get caught up! We then headed over to Balboa Island with our clients and had one of our favorite engagement shoots to date. This is from a combination of great weather, beautiful location, and the fact that we just truly loved spending time with this couple. We even grabbed dinner after at a delicious little italian spot Mama Ds... if you are ever in the area I highly recommend. Other highlights of my weekend included dinner with great friends (we always love hanging with the Carter's and Dodd's!) at BO+Beau (now on our list of fav restaurants) and getting my nails done with my friend Jenni! Have you ever gotten a Shellac manicure... I don't think I will ever wear plain old polish again, it is that good.

Happy short week you guys! Something I am thankful for this Tuesday is being able to work with my sweet husband doing something we love! xo.

Yup, this happened.

We were just dying to have the scent of pine in our house... call us crazy, but last night we pulled out the Christmas decorations, bought a mini pine tree, and went to town :) I just love it and wish we could keep it up year round. I belong in the North Pole.

Hope you have a fabulous weekend! xo.

Food to Love : Warms the soul.

Do you ever have those weeks where the mere thought of cooking meals for the next 5 days is so daunting that you almost want to give in to spending hundreds of dollars at restaurants instead. Well, this Monday felt like that for me. Sometimes I just run out of steam to cook. And I truly love cooking. I love finding new recipes and love the look on husbands face when I have made something new and delicious! But, I only love that when I have unlimited time and have all of the ingredients at my fingertips to create such beautiful meals. It has been a little chilly this week and we have been hiding under a rock hurrying to finish all of our projects before our niece and nephew are born AND the holidays begin. We are so excited about both of these occasions that we want to have as little work to do so we can soak this time up as much as we can :)

Anyway, all this to say I made a mean pot of potato soup and it has lasted us four, yes FOUR, nights. Husband even says he is not tired of it (which, I only half way believe) and I am pretty sure I am going to scrape the pot clean today for lunch. It is so easy and so delish! So if you find yourself wanting to save up all of your cooking energy for this coming Thursday (gobble, gobble) then whip this up for yourself, I promise it won't disappoint. xo.

Country Potato Soup

1/8 cup butter

green onion sliced thinly

1 large onion sliced thinly

1/2 quarts chicken stock (I mixed part stock part milk)

6 large peeled and chopped potatoes

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 cup heavy cream

10 slices of bacon cooked crispy and crumbled

shredded cheddar cheese

s&p to taste

In a large stock pot boil sliced potatoes until soft (about 15 minutes). Drain and return to pot. In a saucepan add butter and onions until caramelized and translucent. Add chicken stock (and/or milk) and cream to potatoes and blend with hand mixer until a smooth soupy (is that a word?) consistency forms. I just kept adding liquid until I felt it was just right. Stir in onions, salt, pepper, and thyme. Divvy up in bowls and enjoy with bacon, cheddar and a few chopped green onions on top!

PATTERN and POP!

I am looking to add some new things to my winter wardrobe and have been loving animal print shoes to add a PATTERN to any black outfit, but I have to say nothing makes a statement more than a POP of metallic on your feetsies! xo.

Tuesday Tunes : Just a couple

Husband and Brady (my brother in law) found these tunes for you all today. Both very different, but I love them both! Hope you are having a beautiful Tuesday. Enjoy! xo.

She + He : Mmmmmm.

There is nothing better than doughnut dates in the morning with husband... puts a smile on both of our faces :)

Gift Guide : A Kate Spade Christmas.

This morning I woke up to one of my favorite emails to receive... the Kate Spade Holiday Gift Guide! I am not usually one to shop at Kate Spade year round, but when their gift guide rolls out I just cannot resist. They have the most perfect stocking stuffers, just send your loved one the link and you are bound to get something great on the 25th! Stone and I usually only get things for each others stockings (all surprises) and then beyond that maybe one bigger item that each of us has been wanting (not a surprise). So, I decided to get a jump start on all of my stocking surprises this year and make a little collage of some of my favorite things from Ms. Spade! Love them all :)

Go here to start creating your Christmas wish list! xo.

She + He : Celebrating 3 years.

Stone and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary the first of this month and I cannot believe we are now headed in our fourth year of marriage. We are so old news :) I always wondered when will I stop feeling like a newlywed, I thought surely after two years, but no... it all still seems so new and fun for us.

On our actual anniversary day we headed to the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. Embarrassingly enough we have lived in California for over a year now and had yet to visit any of the museums, the zoo, SeaWorld, or even Disneyland! Goodness. We were pleasantly surprised with this museum, they had a lovely little outdoor cafe with delicious black bean soup (if anyone has a good recipe for this, please send along I have been craving it ever since!), a great collection of modern art that was all about light, and some beautiful views of the ocean! Following that we headed out to dinner at one of our favorite pizza places called Blue Ribbon Pizza. So, so yummy! Husband surprised me with some Frye boots, which I have wanted for years and years and am so happy to finally have a pair. I gave him a new leather dopp kit with some nice men's product in it... kind of random, but definitely something he would never buy for himself and he will love having.

Spending fun time with husband is the best, especially since we work together. Date nights are a must for us :)

xo.

Inspiration board : Baby, it's cold outside.

This is true even for us Californians! Today is the kind of day that my one and only wish would be to have a fire place to snuggle right next to. But, because we neither have AC or Heat in our little mansion, I am bundled up with a mug of hot tea (and listening to Christmas music... which is a given). One of my favorite stores, especially during this season, to find all things cozy is Terrain. I always go there for great gifts as well as adding a few things from there to my own wish list. Also on my wish list is a great pair of slippers from Anthropologie, aren't those precious? I really love the polka dot style, but the fur ones do look way more comfy... i'm torn.

Lastly, my favorite indulgence is my furry robe (husband has a matching one, they were necessary for Colorado winters) and this one also looks like it would be so nice and warm. It is even cute enough to wear around with leggings on those days when putting on an actual outfit is just too much effort. Let's be honest, we all have those days!

Hope you are enjoying this season and staying warm! xoxo

PS All of the home items you can find at Terrain!

Food to love : Cinnamon Scones.

This past weekend I was in Dallas visiting family and throwing a baby shower for my sister. It was so good to be home. Right now is the perfect time to be in Texas, it is sunny and crisp outside... it almost makes you forget about the miserable heat this past summer (almost). Well, I also took full advantage of being in Dallas by eating at a couple of great restaurants MoMo's (a family favorite for as long as I can remember) and Company Cafe (this was my first time here, and I will definitely be going again!). But, I have to say, the best part of being home is getting spoiled by my mom's incredible cooking. I know everyone says that their mom is the best cook, but they are wrong, because my mom is. No doubt :) She made an incredible homemade chili, delicious scones, and two amazing quiches. I only hope one day to be as good as she is in the kitchen. It would be a dream to see her open a bakery then everyone can enjoy her food!

I thought I would share the scone recipe for a perfect fall breakfast. Enjoy!

Sweet Cinnamon Scones

Scones

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

5 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 sticks unsalted butter

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 whole egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cinnamon chips

Topping

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Cut butter into pieces then cut into dry ingredients with pastry cutter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in cinnamon chips. Mix together cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour into flour/butter mixture, stirring gently with a fork to combine. Turn onto work surface (mixture will be very crumbly and falling apart). Gently press together on the sides as you flatten or roll the top. Form either into a large circle or a large rectangle. Mix together topping ingredients, stirring with a fork. Sprinkle over the top of the dough, lightly pressing. Cut into wedges or triangles. Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Yummmm!

Tuesday (or maybe Wednesday) Tunes : What's that you say? Time for Christmas music?!

Yup, that is right, Halloween is over and that means it is time to start listening to Christmas music. I am officially in the holiday spirit and these new Christmas tunes are going to be on constant rotation in our home until 2012 rolls in :) I think it is worth purchasing these too rather than just listening to them on the computer, nothing beats cds full of holiday cheer while you are driving around looking at lights or grabbing some peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks. The best.

xo.

She + He : 3 Year Anniversary!

Today is Stone and my 3 year anniversary. We are out celebrating, but I wanted to share a little quick video of our nuptials! Seems like it was just yesterday.

I love you husband, with all of my heart and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to get to spend life with you.

Inspiration board : For the men.

Our three year anniversary is right around the corner (November 1) and I have been contemplating what to get husband as a treat. He deserves it. We usually use the traditional anniversary gift material as a guide and then go from there. This year it is leather, which I am excited about. I have had two leather items on my lust list for a couple of years now and if I hint enough I just might be getting one of them :)

The first year was paper, and Stone gave me a few of these classic books, while I gave him a group of books he had been wanting as well. Second year was cotton and we stretched the rules a bit. I gave Stone a new wetsuit and he gave me a gift card to the spa (which he wrote in the card I would be putting on a cozy cotton robe for the day). It was lovely.

Here are some ideas I have tucked away for gifts for husband, do you do that? Whenever I think of a good gift idea for a friend or family member I try to write it down so that when it comes time I will have ideas! While none of these gifts are leather (I have some leather ideas, but could not spoil the surprise!) I know Stone would be so excited to receive any of them. Especially the motorcycle... which is only in his dreams :)

1 : I saw this beach cruiser and that is what began my idea for a manly inspiration board... Stone would look so good riding around on one of these. Maybe one day :)

2 : The Tie Shop ties. The only tie your guy should be wearing. Trust me.

3 : Stone loves this Julian hard cider. A perfect drink with a kick for fall. I like the branding too, it is very hard core looking!

4 : I am looking to replace Stone's dop kit with something with way more style then the one he got at Target in college and this one fits the bill perfectly.

5 : When we bought our iPhones we just grabbed the cheapest case we could find and told ourselves we would get cooler ones later. Well it is later and our phones want a new outfit. I like these.

6 : Husband already owns them, but they are my favorite shoes of his so I thought I would share them with you. Plus they are designed by a local Encinitas artist!

7 : This is mega on Stone's wish list. He would be forever happy to receive a subscription!

xo.

Food to love : Apple crisp.

Sorry the photos are pretty bad, it tasted much better than it looks!

Stone and I decided to make use of the bounty of apples we got from Julian this past weekend and made apple crisp last night. More like I made apple crisp and Stone sat in the kitchen sipping on hard apple cider that we got from the store. Men ;)

Anyway, it turned out delicious and we enjoyed it while watching Parenthood and dreaming of having a big family. That show will do it to you. It is such a great show, if you have not watched it I highly recommend it!

Back to the crisp. It is the perfect easy fall dessert, and I added some pears for an added kick. Actually I used to really dislike warm fruit of any variation, so now that I am easing into it the softer I can make the fruit the better. I cut very thin slices of the apples and used pears because they are already so soft to begin with.

Apple Crisp

3 sliced apples (small) 2 sliced pears

1/2 c butter softened

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c flour

1 cup oats

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix topping until blended. I really got in there with my hands and smooshed (yup, smooshed) it all together until it was crumbly/buttery goodness. Place apples and pears in a buttered bread pan. Add topping. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Tuesday (or maybe Wednesday) Tunes : In the light house.

Love this video and doubly love Ben Howard's tunes.

Enjoy!

Weekend wrap up : Much needed family time.

Sorry I have gone silent these past few days. We had family in town and yesterday was spent doing loads of laundry and answering loads of emails. I hate that this weekend has already past. Stone and I have had these dates on the calendar since early last summer and have been so looking forward to it. His sister Kelsey and her husband Ryan (also known as Buck) and Stone's brother Brady and his fiance Stephanie all came in for a weekend filled with family time and unfortunately cold gloomy weather. C'mon California! Every time we have visitors you bring out the clouds... whats up with that? We are trying to convince our fam to move out here and nice beautiful sunny California weather would definitely give us an advantage! Oh well.

We did take the fam to Julian, CA to pick apples, pears and indulge in some delicious BBQ. Stone and I are always in awe of how we can drive an hour from where we live and be in a totally different climate. It is so fun. I have yet to make anything with all of the apples we brought home, but hopefully this week I can create an apple crisp of some sort. Yummmm!

I think the highlight of the week, however, was our last night bonfire on the beach with friends. This was our first time doing this and it was so fun that it makes me wonder why we waited so long! We had s'mores, told stories, and laughed... a lot! Definitely a memory I will tuck away.

Hope you are enjoying your week, I am happy to be back :) xo.

Food to love : Warms the soul.

• The other night Stone and I were invited to dinner at our friends Lacey and Patrick's home. I love having dinner with these two, not only because Lacey is an incredible cook and always teaches me new recipes, but because we can spend hours chatting with them and then we don't want to leave so we all snuggle in bed together and watch Modern Family together. Ha. That sounds weird, but it wasn't, and we really did do that :)

This week Lacey found the perfect Fall recipe to recreate and it was perfection. I mean really, so yummy. It reminds me of that old Campbell's Soup commercial where the snowman comes in his house and as he is eating the soup it slowly melts off and he turns into a little warm boy. So cute. I miss those old Christmas commercials. Well it felt like that kind of meal... if I was covered in snow it would have melted right off of me. So wait for a chilly night and whip up this meal. It's delish.

xo.

Lacey's Pot Pie

• 
  
• 4 pounds chicken breasts with skin and bones (we made a veggie version and chicken version)
• 4 to 6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

• 3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 butternut squash cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (we used purple and yukon gold potatoes)
• Handful of Brussel Sprouts chopped in quarters
• 1 cup peas

• 1 frozen pie crust thawed
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced
• 2 large shallots, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons rosemary
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

Butter 4-quart oval baking dish. Place chicken breasts in heavy large pot. Add just enough broth to cover chicken. Bring broth to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, skimming surface occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate and cool.

Add veggies to chicken broth in pot. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are just tender, about 10-15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to prepared baking dish.

Strain broth; reserve 4 cups. Remove skin and bones from chicken. Cut meat into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces. Add chicken to vegetables in baking dish.

Melt butter in same pot over medium heat. Add leeks, shallots and thyme. Sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Stir in 4 cups broth and white wine. Increase heat to high and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add cream and boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking frequently, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour gravy over mixture in dish. Stir to blend.

Position 1 rack in top third of oven and place baking sheet on bottom rack in oven; preheat to 400F. Roll out crust dough on parchment paper to 15x10 1/2-inch rectangle. Using paper as aid, turn dough over onto filling. Trim dough overhang; tuck dough edge inside dish and press rosemary into dough. Cut slits in crust to allow steam to escape.

Place pot pie on top rack and bake until crust is golden and gravy is bubbling, about 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving (if you can wait that long!).

Look of the week : Snuggle in to fall.

Hooray for fall!

One thing I miss most about living in Colorado is having seasons. I love the leaves changing and the first snow. I just don't like that point when you realize the snow is just going to keep on dumping. Truly though, the first snow is pretty magical. When the entire town is white and no one was quite prepared so things are closed and everything is still. I love that.

But, alas, Stone and I have left the snow for a much warmer climate. I will say, however, there is kind of a briskness to the air here and it is making me dream of all things warm, cozy, and pumpkin scented. I know... such a girl :) What can I say? This is our favorite time of the year and it is obvious why...

I am loving the fall fashion this season, but I do have a bone to pick with the trend-makers. Cable knit sweaters? Really? Just two years ago I dropped off two bags full of cable knit sweaters to be donated and they are back in style now. That was a fast turn around, and one that I am frankly not prepared for. Isn't that always the case. I don't think I will hop on that bandwagon this season as I was pretty happy to purge those sweaters and am not ready to invite them back in. But, they are cute I must say...

So put on a sweater, and get cozy... it's fall!

One, Two, Three, Four, and Five

Tuesday tunes : Metals.

I am loving Feist's new album Metals. Especially the first one I put on this playlist... so good! If you need a little background music for work this would be perfect!

Enjoy! xo.

Weekend wrap up : Shooting and resting.

Our weekend was wonderful!

Stone and I have been putting the finishing touches on our home and I am happy to announce that I am working from my new desk. No, not the kitchen table anymore, a real desk with a real desk chair! Eeeeeeeeee! We had a couple of shoots this past weekend one located in the middle of the ocean and the other in a grapefruit grove. Win and win. They were awesome! Our car also decided to play tricks on us on our drive back home from our shoot in Temecula and did not go into park... but then told us it was kidding and went into park once we got back to Encinitas. That jokester. It was not funny to us, but it did give Stone a reason to find other uses for my yoga mat...

We also enjoyed a few dinners with friends, which is my favorite thing ever. One recipe that my friend Lacey made for us I will be sharing later on this week because it was perfection on a plate. For real.

Sorry I am a day late posting, but we got a bunch of prints in the mail yesterday and got busy framing and hanging around our house, so I was much too distracted! We will hopefully get some pics of our new place on here soon :)

xo.

Have a fun weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? Stone and I are on the last lap of finishing up our home organizing/decorating! It really is starting to feel so cozy and I just love it. Cannot wait to show you all photos. We are also headed up to Temecula to shoot an engagement session, which I cannot wait for :) We have never been there and I hear it is beautiful. Speaking of shooting weddings, the photo above is from a recent wedding we shot, Stone and I snuck into the photo booth... so professional, I know.

Hope your weekend is lovely. xo.

That's a wrap : Bonnie + Ed

I do not even have enough words to tell you how awesome this wedding was. From all of the details that Ed and Bonnie poured a year of creating, designing, and planning to the beautiful venue, this wedding was definitely a favorite of the season for us. Stone listed out some of the things that they did to make their wedding special and unique to the both of them as artists and as a couple...

hand printed wood save the dates and invitations, custom painted ping-pong table, custom printed ping-pong paddles, hundreds of custom painted birds, hand-cut wood circle "flowers," hand-cut and painted table birds, hand-made wood centerpiece boxes, stamped napkins, ceremony bell shakers, and on and on ... they also made their own bouquet and boutonniere

... crazy, right? Crazy awesome.

These, of course are just some of my favorite shots, but there is so much more to see! Go HERE and check in out, it is worth your while :)

Inspiration board : Dreaming of Seattle.

Really I am dreaming of a vacation with husband... without computers, without having to paint walls, and without having to unpack boxes.

We are hoping to go to Seattle this fall to visit our good friends Gus & Lacey and to celebrate the end of another great wedding season! Neither of us have been to Seattle and all I can think about is good coffee and relaxing rain (with some cute boots to stomp around in puddles). The last two days in Encinitas has been pretty gloomy and rainy, which has been great for hunkering down and organizing our new home. I love nesting and while I am continuing to unpack I am thinking that I should pop on Sleepless in Seattle (Meg Ryan is my all time fav) and get excited about the possibility of our upcoming trip... fingers crossed!

By the way, isn't that poster of Seattle awesome?!

Tuesday tunes : Make a noise.

I have said it before and I am sure that I will say it again many times more, but, my brother-in-law (Brady) knows his music. I have been the happy recipient of many emails with new songs to jam to. Yup, I just said 'jam to'. These are no exception, enjoy them, and jam on :)

xo.

Look of the week : 100 years of style.

Saw this here and had to share it! Love the clothes, love the music, and love the dancing :)

I miss dancing...

Weekend wrap up : Movin' on up.

Oh man, where do I even begin? We spent the last weekend, along with the help of our generous friends, moving furniture, boxes, and clothing from our old home into our new home. You would think that moving out of a 580 square foot place would not take too much time or energy. But, you would be wrong. How do we accumulate all of this stuff, I am not quite sure. What I am very sure of though is that our next move will be permanent :)

I think what really affected us the most this weekend was the task of painting the walls of our new (very old) home. It was a lovely shade of yellow, green, and purple before we got our hands on it. Now it is a fresh mint green and grey. I love it. And just like I predicted, we feel like we moved into a mansion. Stone and I keep laughing at the fact that we sometimes will try and say something to the other and don't know what room to find each other in! It is awesome.

Speaking of awesome things. Ikea. We have been building things from Ikea this weekend like crazy and I have to say I am pretty impressed with their instructions, it means four girls can piece together a sleeper sofa in one hour flat. Sounds like a riddle :)

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and HAPPY OCTOBER! xo.

That's a wrap : Kate + Jeff

Above are just a few frames we shot at a recent wedding in Boulder. That last one is a favorite of mine, I just love the movement, it is very romantic.

Go here to see more! xo.

Food to love : Moscow Mule (kinda)

Stone and I are not big drinkers. I do like a glass of wine here and there, but other than that we are clueless when it comes drinks. Especially mixed drinks.

That is until we tried a Moscow Mule for the first time at one of our favorite restaurants Starlite. It was delicious enough for us to attempt making our own version at home. While nothing we make will be as good as having the real thing out of a copper mug, it is a good alternative. Perfect cocktail for entertaining!

We kind of eye the amounts until it tastes right to us. Also, it is important to note that a true Moscow Mule is made with vodka instead of rum and does not have agave or bitters (those are just an extra special treat).

You can find the mugs here, but it will cost you a pretty penny! Start with a few cubes of ice and poor in about half of a bottle of ginger beer and 2 oz of rum. Next add agave (about 1 teaspoon), bitters (two dashes), and lime (a good squeeze) to taste.

Enjoy!

Look of the week : 1960s.

Mmmmm... The MET museum's vintage Dior dress collection. So beautiful!

Stone and I have been into all of these new 1960s era tv shows like Mad Men, Pan Am, and Playboy Club. The clothing of that time period makes me feel like a total schlub (yup, I don't know if that is a word, or if it is I don't think I spelled it correctly). I need to step it up!

Go here to see more of these gorgeous gowns.

Feeling Crafty : Falling in love.

Leaf Identification Guide found HERE

Let's be honest. As much as we all love summer with it's lazy beach days, late sunsets, and sweet fruit, really it is fall that takes the cake. There is nothing better than crisp winter air, cozy sweaters, and leaves changing... nothing.

Stone and I always joke that if you want to sell something to a girl all you have to do is say the word 'cozy' or describe it as something you can 'tuck into'. Seriously, if Stone waned me to go to a greasy taco shop in a sketchy neighborhood, but he described it as cozy then I am sold. Done. That is kinda like what fall is. A cozy season where you can tuck away and read a good book. Precisely why we all love it. I have a few fun crafts on my to do list this fall and I am hoping to try them all out.

Homemade Vanilla : We recently shot a wedding where the bride made Madagascar Vanilla as gifts for all of her guests. Not only was it so cute, but it is something people will actually use! I thought it would be the perfect hostess gift for all of the Christmas parties coming up this season.

Hanging Leaves : I really want to make a leafy garland, but I want to use real leaves. The fake stuff just does not cut it. Of course Martha has the best idea for keeping your leaves colorful and sturdy. Dip them in wax!

Pine Cone Door Hanger : Thought this was a colorful and fun little craft. I don't think it is front door worthy, but perhaps if you have a little side or back door it could be a nice fall touch!

Twig Wrapped Candle Holders : Just a cute touch!

Fall Foliage Wreath : A great alternative to a fresh wreath. This could be perfect for the indoors. Our new front door has a big 'ol window in it so I thought I could put a fresh wreath outside and a more crafty one inside! Getting wreath crazy....

'Thanks' Bottles : Love, love this idea for an easy and cheap home decoration. You could put it on your mantle, bookshelves, or as a centerpiece on your buffet table at Thanksgiving!

Get crafting :) xo.

Tuesday tunes : You and tequila make me crazy.

I am not usually a huge Kenny Chesney fan, but every time this song comes on the radio (and yes, I do usually have country on in my car thanks to my husband) I love it more and more. Nice rainy day music. Enjoy!

Week wrap up : Life according to my phone.

Well it has been a while since I have been here! Sometimes it feels like a week goes by in a giant blur without much explanation of what I did with my time. The only proof I have that I did in fact do some things, are the photos on my phone :) For starters, last week, we traveled. Stone and I jumped on a plane to Colorado to see his grandpa (who has been in the hospital the past two weeks) and shoot a wedding. Now we are gearing up for our big move! We have done all of the major things to prepare... we went to Ikea, we purchased a new sofa (one we have been dying for and found on Craigslist!), and even started collecting boxes. Stone and I just have to actually fill those boxes now. I think that will be my job, as he needs to edit like crazy so that he can help with the move. Oofta! So much to do, so little time!

Hope you have had a wonderful start to your week, I am happy to be back. xo.

Inspiration board : Take me home.

It is two weeks and counting until we move into our new place. TWO!

Stone and I are so excited and our minds are reeling with ideas of what we can do to make a rental into a home. That is my immediate goal whenever I move into a new place... make it cozy! I never thought I would be a girl willing to invite vibrant colors into my home. Always the one to choose olive green over grass green OR rust red over cherry red when decorating. Husband changed all of that. When I first met Stone and saw his college room I was blinded, literally, by the four bright blue walls that he had painted himself.

Since then he has been seeping color (bright color) into my life little by little. NOW I am drooling over mint green sofas, light up marquee arrows, and orange metal clocks. Love it all and cannot wait to have it in my home!

1 : We do not hunt, obviously. But, I am down for hanging these modern animal heads in our home. Rhino is my favorite!

2 : Love all of my magazines. Hate trying to figure out where to put them. Problem solved!

3 : This one came from husband's furniture list, I love that he also likes to furnish and decorate.

4 : Just a little funk for the office! It is a bit pricey, but I think it will make a great statement in the room. Also, debating whether or not to get the 'C' instead.

5 : When Stone and I saw this we knew it had to be ours. It would be an investment piece for us and hopefully would last a lifetime with lots of fabric changes.

6 : Love the poms.

7 : We have never owned a clock... clearly from the iPhone generation!

8 : Eames purists would be disappointed, but these knock-offs are pretty convincing!

xo.

Food to love : Cinnamon drop biscuits

You know those mornings when you wake up and think 'crap, we have absolutely nothing in our house for breakfast...'

Do you have those mornings? Or is it just me? Usually this happens when Stone and I have been traveling and we get home and go straight to bed then the next morning I wake up praying that while we were gone someone came and re-stocked our house with a fresh load of groceries. Actually that would creep me out if someone just came in our house while we were away, but I suppose if they were delivering coffee creamer, eggs, fresh fruit and other essentials that I would allow it.

The good news is you will always be able to scrounge up enough ingredients to make drop biscuits, so that is precisely what I did. The morning after we got home from Sacramento I whipped these babies up and they were so delicious I thought I had to share them with you. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Drop Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1 cup buttermilk (can be low-fat)

2 tsp cinnamon sugar

Heat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives held crisscross fashion, or your fingertips, add the butter to the flour mixture and mix until crumbly. Add the buttermilk and, with a wooden spoon, stir until combined. The dough should be very sticky. sprinkle cinnamon sugar and work into the dough.

Using the spoon or your fingertips, drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.