Week wrap up : Girl time!

My sister-in-law Kels has been in town for the past few days, which is why I have been a bit missing in the blog world. I thought I would catch you up on some of our happenings. We have had such an incredible time including, but not limited to, the beach, paddle boarding, craft night (I did not know I was capable of making such incredible necklaces... more on that to come!), making homemade mango salsa, the spa, seeing Bridesmaids (round 2), and pool time! Can't get better than that can it?

xo.

Tuesday (or Wednesday, rather) Tunes : Splitscreen love.

My brother-in-law, Brady, sent me this beautiful video and I love it, I probably watched it four times to try and catch everything that was happening between the two screens! It was just beautiful, and also touched a soft spot in my heart for people in long distance relationships... Enjoy!

xo.

Have a beautiful weekend.

Hello, hello!

What are your plans for this weekend? Stone and I are headed out today to shoot a wedding at the San Diego Safari Park! How cool is that?

So I don't have much time at the moment to post any links to love, but hopefully I can later tonight... until then, happy Friday, I hope it's a good one :)

xo.

30 for 30 : Four, Five, and Six!

Hello loves! I have combined a few more 30 for 30 outfits for you. Enjoy!

Dress , Similar Cardigan , Watch , Shoes

For this outfit I am "remixing" the striped silk dress. I usually try and keep casual fabrics together and dressy fabrics together, so it was a bit different for me to pair a silk dress with messy bun and sneakers. I liked it!

Dress (shirt) , Similar Skirt , Similar Scarf , Similar Shoes

I have never in my life tucked a dress into a skirt (or any bottoms for that matter) and called it an outfit. But, this striped dress is so versatile, and I have been wanting a top similar that I thought 'why not?'. It worked well for this outfit, but doubt it would look as nicely when tucked into pants or shorts :)

Similar Top , Jeans , Similar Belt , Similar Flats , Pillow

These were my first pair of wide leg jeans and I love them! They are so comfy and a great alternative to skinny jeans (for days when there is no way on this earth you would even think about wearing skinny jeans... we all have those days). I have found that tucking things into wide leg jeans looks more polished, if I do wear something untucked I at least make sure to belt it so I have some body definition!

Happy Re-Mixing! To see more about 30for30 go here.

Why am I doing it? Read here.

Inspiration board : Hot fun in the summertime.

Stone and I spent some time last night coming up with our favorite things of summer. While the list was way too long to represent above, I did compile some of my favorites from the list for the inspiration board today! Summer is so nostalgic for me (as I am sure it is with many of you too), all I think about is riding my bike outside for hours, having lemonade stands (we also did a shaved ice stand, which really was the money maker), playing on the many lakes Texas has to offer, and of course family vacations where we spent over 2 days together in the car traveling! And here we are again, like clockwork, it is summer and time to make new traditions. Stone and I think we want to start doing a beach bonfire at least once each summer :)

Hope you find this list inspiring! xo.

1 : The fruit that summer produces is the best! Our fridge is constantly stocked with fresh cut up fruit (I have to make it easy and accessible for husband to eat it!).

2 : Cocktail hour! Enough said.

3 : This was obviously one of Stone's choices... riding around in a kind of car with the top off, probably picking up the ladies :)

4 : Beach bonfire. I am a bit intimidated by this summertime activity only because I am not fire savvy at all, but I can't wait to try!

5 : Just a good movie.

6 : BBQs! This is the best summertime activity, good food and good friends cannot be beat!

7 : FroYo for obvious reasons.

8 : Have you ever been to a drive in movie theater? There is one in the town that Stone grew up in that we have been to, they are pretty fun and are always double features so you can just lazy the night away.

9 : Bare feet. This was another of husbands, he grew up in Colorado where you really do not take off you socks but for about 4 months each year. But, I have to agree, walking on the beach with bare feet is pretty great.

That's a wrap : Hello, Summer!

Well yesterday was officially the first day of summer! I am just waiting for the California weather to hear the news and start acting like it :) It is overcast and breezy. Husband took this photo (go HERE to see the rest of the shoot) above for a couple's engagement shoot and it pretty much is the idyllic summertime photo. I have always loved it! I just wish that our summer could be nothing more than lounging in the pool chatting and soaking in some rays!

xo.

Happy (belated) Father's Day!

Stone and I had a conversation this past week about how ridiculous we think it is that every Father's Day commercial is about tools or golf. We think it is crazy because that is not at all what our dads are about. They have taught us so much more than how to swing a club or use a drill (which, really, we are not that great at either) and we cannot express how thankful we are for that :)

We love you both TONS.

Tuesday Tunes : Walking far from home.

Photo taken by my dear husband.

My good friend Keiran (aka Aeliox) gave me the suggestions for this playlist... unfortunately the Bon Iver song he suggested was not available so I found a different one instead :) I had never listened to The Whitest Boy Alive before, but I really like their sound.

Stone and I are catching up with emails and work today like two crazy people so it is nice to have some good tunes in the background, as I probably wont leave this room for the next 6 hours... oofta!

Weekend wrap up : Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

Hello lovies!

Look at the snow on those mountains... crazy! We shot a wedding in Breckenridge on Saturday that could not have been more beautiful. All you could see were green pine trees and snowcapped mountains, who could ask for a better backdrop for their wedding?

The rest of our four day trip was spent catching up with family, driving, celebrating Father's Day, driving, seeing Hangover 2 (it was just okay), more driving, eating at all of our favorite restaurants (Larkburger and Proto's), oh and a lot more driving. We kind of felt like we were in the car more than we were outside of it! Stone and I have laughed about how traveling is like 'rushing to wait'. You rush to the airport then wait in the ticket line. You rush to security and then wait while everyone takes eternity to untie their shoes and remove their laptops (we both were sent to the new full body scanners, thank goodness I was wearing good underwear! Ha.). You rush to your gate only to sit because your flight has been delayed due to technical difficulties (that should make you feel REAL confident about getting on). Etc. etc. etc.

All this complaining, I know... truly we had an INCREDIBLE time, we love getting to see our family of course and feel so blessed by the opportunity to travel to beautiful weddings all over the country! Hope you had an amazing weekend as well. xo.

30 for 30 : Back in Colorado.

Similar Cardigan , Similar Top , Jean Shorts , Similar Boots

Stone and I are in Colorado this weekend to shoot a wedding in Breckenridge! Whew, traveling can really take it out of you. We feel like we are just going and going with no light at the end of the tunnel. But, I cannot complain because we love so much what we are doing and that we can do it together. We are looking forward to some nice cool weather in the mountains and a bit of family time too.

So, the outfit above is a little country... very Texas. I have never rolled my boots like that, so it was a new thing. I think though it is really time to shake up this 30 for 30 thing and step outside of the box. I always dress so simply and really am not one to wear a ton of accessories, but if there ever was a time to try it, that time is now :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Don't forget to call your dad on Sunday!

Go here for last minute Father's Day gift ideas.

Check out other bloggers participating in 30 for 30.

On my list of recipes to try... homemade oreos!

Love, love this braid :)

One of our favorite summer shoots to revisit.

xo.

Food to Love : Lemon Salmon with Broccoli Quinoa.

Yum, Yum is all I have to say about this dish (I would even go as far as to say YUMMO, but husband would make fun of me for it)! This was such a simple and delicious dinner that I had to share it with you. Like I have said, Stone and I are trying to eat healthier and I recently read an article in Real Simple magazine that listed the top 20 super foods. I went and bought them all :)

It was quite an expensive grocery visit to say the least, but our bodies will thank us later. On this list was broccoli, salmon, almonds, grains (such as quinoa), and beans. All of these are represented in this meal! SO here it is, enjoy!

Lemon Salmon with Broccoli Quinoa

(Recipe adapted from here)

Olive Oil

Salt + Pepper

2 Large Salmon Filets

Quinoa (I used a mix that also included pilaf and mini garbanzo beans)

Chopped Broccoli

Slivered Almonds

Lemon

Chopped Onion

Chili Powder

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 chopped onion. Cook until softened and browned. Add quinoa and cook as directed on box. When the quinoa is about 10 minutes from being completely cooked add chopped broccoli and cook covered with the quinoa for the remainder of the time until tender. Top with roasted slivered almonds when finished.

Rub salmon with olive oil, a pinch of salt + pepper, and chili powder. Place in foil and set onto grill at medium heat. Cook until opaque through and through.

Place fish on top of quinoa and squeeze with lemon (a lot of lemon!). Delish!

30 for 30 : Mellow yellow.

Shirt , Similar Skirt , Similar Flats , Similar Belt , Similar Bangle

So maybe I shop at JCrew a bit too much?! But, have you discovered their factory online shop yet? It always has great deals and that is mainly where I am finding these pieces. You cannot go wrong with a chambray shirt and a pop of color.

By the way, I have no idea how to pose for photos... you would think I would since that is what I do on our photo shoots, but mostly I think I just look ridiculous :)

xo.

Disclaimer: Mom if you are reading this... I have had your belt for years, so technically finders keepers? :)

30 for 30 : Breaking the rules.

Dress , Similar Belt , Similar Boots , Necklace

Alright, I have read countless times that a girl should never EVER under any circumstances wear horizontal stripes. I have about 10 items in my closet with horizontal stripes and I love them all! I guess it is a rule to be broken, and I am okay breaking it, along with wearing white after Labor Day and wearing black and brown together... all are great in my book!

xo.

Go HERE and HERE for info about 30 for 30!

30 for 30 : Making the list.

Okay, so I have decided to take on this closet "challenge" by one of the regular bloggers I read, Kendi. Basically you pick out 30 items from your closet and you create 30 outfits from them being as creative as possible. The idea is to show you how far the clothing you already have in your closet can be stretched! It started Monday, but I am just now getting around to posting photos so I am a couple of days behind.

Now, here is where the self-conscious blogger in me comes out. I was super hesitant about doing this. Although I have loved reading other bloggers posts who have participated in this in the past, I just have never thought I would be comfortable posting photos of myself everyday. So I am stepping out of my comfort zone a bit in participating in this and I hope you are down with seeing a lot of Shel in the next 30 days (yup, I just spoke in 3rd person there).

I have a couple reasons for doing the 30 for 30 challenge. First, I think it is fun to participate in something that a lot of other gals in the blogger community are doing as well. Involvement in the blogger community can't be a bad thing, right? Also, I just recently started working for our photography company full time! This is such an exciting new chapter for Stone and I, and we are thrilled that it is something we are able to do. However, this means that any shopping budget I had in the past is out the window. So it is time to get creative with what I have. Recently I went through my entire closet and got rid of the old clothes (mostly still from high school and college) that needed to go. Now I have a simple closet with items that I know I wear frequently. Above are the 30 items I chose! I am excited to find new ways to wear my clothes and I hope you are inspired to join (GO HERE) or come along as I take this challenge. xo.

PS. I am still going to be posting my normal blogposts as well :)

Inspiration board : 50 states.

I was starting to notice a running theme in images that I was dropping into my 'Inspiration' folder... states! I have now lived in 3 states and feel like each of them is a part of who I am today. Texas, of course, had a hand in my southern hospitality, love for all things country, and my country twang (comes out every now and then, but I always say 'yall' and that will never change!). Living in Colorado I developed am appreciation for being outdoors, whether skiing, biking, or hiking there was always something to do there. And now, living in California, I feel like my love of the beach has quadrupled in size! Also, I think I have enjoyed cooking most here in California, maybe it is the abundance of fresh ingredients and the fact that there is a farmer's market at every corner. Either way, since living here I have enjoyed cooking more than ever before.

Hope you are feeling the inspiration :)

1 : I first saw this print on a poster and loved it, now it is wearable! Perfect.

2 : Scratch off map?! Such a genius idea. It is a map of the entire world and you can scratch off as you travel :) So far, I would not have too much scratching to do, but I am hoping in my life to be able to do a lot more!

3 : A colorful US postcard. I am always looking for fun postcards to send to friends, mostly because they are cheap and also because who does not like getting a little letter in the mail?

4 : Okay, only a few state forms actually look good as a pillow. I thought Wisconsin was one of them... Texas is pretty great too!

5 : State bird poster. Do you know your state bird? Texas is the Mockingbird, I only know that because useless facts like that were permanently ingrained in my brain during grade school.

6 : This has been on my 'wishlist' for quite some time now. I just love it.

7 : So you can by this chalkboard here at Etsy... or just make one your own!

8 : State food prints. Very creative. Very cool.

xo.

Tuesday Tunes : Summer holiday.

Thought this music video was pretty fitting for summertime! I also just really like Vampire weekend :) They always make me want to dance and definitely make some good car music. Makes me want to cruise around in a convertible and head to the pool! Anyone with me?

She + He = We : Yorkville.

After Chicago we headed out to the small farming suburb of Yorkville. We were told by the locals that we had to check out both Portillos and Oberweis. Well, we indulged in both! Had classic Chicago style hot dogs and homemade ice cream made with milk from local farms.

Who knew that only 30 miles outside of Chicago was such beautiful, lush farmland?!

Downtown Yorkville.

We thought this church was so beautiful and small town... loved it!

Weekend wrap up : Chicago.

We are back in California after a whirlwind trip to Illinois. Whew!

Stone and I flew into Chicago last weekend and we were able to do a little bit of sightseeing before heading to the small farm town Yorkville to shoot a wedding. We had an incredible time. I think we have mastered the art of mixing business with pleasure and feel so blessed to have been able to travel to new and fun locations together for our job!

Yes, we paid the $19 parking fee in order to go see Millennium Park. Husband was not too thrilled, but we both agreed after getting to see the bean, the beautiful gardens, amphitheater, and Chicago Art Institute that it was well worth it.

I know. We were among dozens of tourists taking photos in front of this famous sculpture, but we had to do it :)

We could have spent days and days discovering this city, unfortunately we only had hours, but I have to say the famous Michigan Avenue looked just as impressive as everyone claims it to be. Loved it.

One of our favorite shops that we popped into was in an area called Wicker Park. Penelope's has amazing clothing for guys and girl, if you ever make it to Chicago I definitely recommend it!

Our first pizza in Chicago was from a restaurant in Wicker Park called Crust. It was delicious, but not quite as authentic as Gino's East, which we had later on in the weekend.

She + He = We : Headed to the bean.

Stone and I are so excited to be traveling to Chicago today to shoot a wedding and hopefully fit in some sightseeing :) We will make sure to take lots of pictures to share!

xo.

She + He = We : Investing in artwork.

Stone and I were SO very excited to receive a package in the mail that was taller than I am and about as wide as our front door. A couple weeks ago we ordered a huge canvas (it looks small-ish in the photo but it is about 5ft by 3ft) of one of Stone's surf photos and all I can say is that it is totally awesome. It took the coolness factor of our living room up about 5 notches and now I want to order about 10 more... we just have zero wall space left :)

If you would like to order a surf print of your own please contact us through info@stonecrandall.com

xo.

Food to Love : Grilled Artichokes and Asparagus Pizza.

Pizza... again? I know. We make pizza A LOT. But, this one was kind of special so I thought I would share the recipe :) I have been seeing ribboned asparagus recipes everywhere and just had to try it for myself, beautiful and delicious. I kind of followed this recipe from Smitten Kitchen (which is one of my fav sources for recipes) for the pizza. So here are the recipes, it is summertime officially so fire up your grill and get creative! xo.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

Pizza Dough

Olive Oil

1/2 Pound Asparagus

Ricotta

Lemon

Salt + Pepper

Shaved Parmesan

Flatten out pizza dough and cover one side generously with olive oil. Set on grill at medium heat until the dough begins to harden for about 5 minutes. Remove crust and flip so that you are adding ingredients on top of the grilled side of the dough. Using a vegetable peeler shave asparagus from the bottom to the tip. Spread a happy helping of Ricotta onto crust and scatter the shaved asparagus on top. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Set back on grill for about 5 more minutes until cheese is melted, but bottom has not started to burn. Squeeze lemon on top of pizza and serve!

Grilled Balsamic Artichokes

2 Large Artichokes

Balsamic

Olive Oil

Minced Garlic

Salt + Pepper

Using scissors, snip the pointy ends of Artichoke stems off. Boil on stovetop for 15 minutes or until bottom pierces easily. Remove and drain. Cut artichokes lengthwise. Stir together 2 tablespoons, 3 tablespoons olive oil, pinch of salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of garlic. Pour mixture on top of open side of artichokes. Set onto grill for 6 minutes, 3 per side starting with open side up. Enjoy!

Inspiration board : Baby love.

Well, remember the news I shared with you here about our new roles in this world? Shel and Stone are becoming Aunt and Uncle! We could not be more thrilled. Because of this, I am going to be posting a lot of baby things for the next 6 months (and just probably from here on out) so I hope you enjoy! Who knew there was so much out there now? A little too much if you ask me. Of course I have plenty opinions on what our future babies will and will not play with, wear and eat... but who really knows until that time is actually here.

Because organic and green products are so accessible I definitely will always try to keep that in mind as I do when I am buying things for Stone and I now. There are also tons and tons of toys... but, I am a minimalist when it comes to these, I like toys that are simple and tasteful. Lastly, I am a huge supporter of books and lots of them. My grandma, Nonnie, was a librarian and so growing up my sister and I had about every classic children's book that was around. We read all the time. My grandma actually has lots of recordings of us reading and let me tell you, our southern twang was strong when we were kids :)

Enjoy!

1 : Oh my goodness! I just could not resist when I saw these baby overalls. Perfect for a boy or a girl, which means I can gift them early before I even know what the twins will be!

2 : Crotchet teething rings. I have seen these all over the blog/pinterest world and supposedly they are the best teething rings around :)

3 : How great are these animal puzzles? This is just one of those many toys that I love that looks like it could have sat in my dad's nursery when he was a boy!

4 : The perfect poplin dress for coming to visit aunt and uncle out in California!

5 : Toot & Puddle! Love this book series. I have nannied enough to know what the good new books are and these are a must!

6 : The Bear books are another great read for the kids!

7 : Alright here goes... I still sleep with my teddy bear from when I was a kid. Eeeek I know, ridiculous right? But, he is the best and every baby needs the perfect stuffed animal, just one or two though... not twenty!

8 : Striped onesies. Does it get any better?

9 : A cute gender neutral blanket for some cuddle time!

xo.

Tuesday Tunes : On-Airstreaming.

Alright, well I had to share this site with you and wanted to share some of my favorite videos (Angus & Julia Stone, Matt Hires, Augustana...) but unfortunately when I embed the videos they start up immediately when you get to my site. I know how annoying that is when you get to a site and music just starts without you being prepared for it... especially those of you trying to look at blogs secretly at work! So, when you get the chance GO to this site! It is awesome! Basically they set up a full studio in an airstream and drive around inviting musicians to sing in the airstream. They also do interviews with the musicians, which is fun to watch. So go and enjoy! xo.

Look of the Week : Jetsetter.

On Thursday, Stone and I are headed to Chicago to shoot a wedding! We are thrilled about this trip for many reasons. First off, I have never been to Chicago and we scheduled out an extra day just for sightseeing, any suggestions of what to do? Also, we are working with Carter & Cook for this wedding and so we know it is going to be incredible, these girls are the best wedding planners and have incredible taste. Lastly, I hear Chicago has really great pizza and I am kind of a connoisseur...

Anyway, I thought that I might throw together a fun travel outfit for this week. I always wear flats because I don't like my toes getting cold on the plane, or I wear boots because they won't fit in my suitcase! I still like to dress nice for traveling, I know some people like to throw on their comfiest sweats and call it a day, but you never know who you might meet on a plane and I need to be ready just in case it is Gwyn (or maybe a future client/boss)! I always wear a looser shirt so I don't feel more constricted than I already am in my seat. Other than that, I have purchased two movies on my iPad and pretty much just rotate them out... Baby Mama and Troop Beverly Hills :) Both are highly recommended!

Top : Anthropologie

Neck Pillow : Loro Piana

Wish You Were Here Bangle : Kate Spade

Headphones : Panasonic

iPad : Apple

Jeans : AG

Luggage : JCrew

Flats : JCrew

Weekend wrap up : Just us two.

Stone and I had one of those weekends where we did not hang out with anyone... really, no one but each other. It was awesome. I don't know when the last time we did that was. I am definitely the type who loves to plan get togethers and I get a little antsy when I look at our calendar for the weekend and there is nothing scheduled. But, because Stone has been editing like a mad man and we are leaving for a work trip this week I thought maybe it would do us both some good to just relax with each other. Below are just some snapshots of our weekend, it was lovely and I hope yours was too :) xo.

The view from the patio at Fish 101! Yup we ate there back to back weekends, it is just that good. I cannot stress enough to you how happy I am to have found such yummy fish tacos in Encinitas!

See! Don't they look delish? I get the battered fish... don't judge.

Moonlight beach on Saturday was hoppin' and the weather was perfection!

I finished The Help this weekend on the beach and now am so excited to see the movie coming out! Emma Stone is one of my favs.

I was in charge of putting sunscreen on husband and turns out I missed a few spots, his back looks like a red and white zebra! Ooops.

Nothing really to say about this one, except that my pedicure has held up well for being almost 4 weeks old!

Stone and I still sometimes catch ourselves forgetting that we actually live here and it is not some awesomely long vacation that we are on. It is beautiful and we are so thankful that we were able to make this move!

On another note... we saw Bridesmaids this weekend and it is ridiculously hilarious, I cried most of the movie because I was laughing so hard, that's when you know it's good!

Have a lovely weekend.

Stone and I are going to be an aunt and uncle!

That's right. My sister is pregnant and we could not be more thrilled. Really it is all we think about since we found out about the news... actually it is double news because they are TWINS! So awesome. Twins run on her husband, Preston's side of the family. Can you see the two nuggets in the sonogram? Actually at the point when this was taken they were the size of pinto beans! Crazy to think about. Now they are probably about the size of a peach. My family is just totally over the moon and I am constantly shopping for baby stuff now, so don't be surprised when some of my posts these next few months are for age 2 and under :)

So, another Friday is here... phew! Do you have any plans? Our only plan is to see Bridesmaids, get this old mattress out of our bedroom, and play catch up on emails and work. Not too thrilling, but I have heard that Bridesmaids is so funny, so maybe it will break up the monotony of our other plans for the weekend.

As always, here are some links to love and we will see you back here next week! xo.

Kate Spade just came out with a new Mary Jane flat. Pretty cute, especially in the pink!

Mmmm, a sweet treat to cool you off this summer.

30 for 30 starts June 18th and I am 90% that I am doing it! Who is with me?

Stone and I recently said we needed something like this for our patio. Love Weber and love s'mores, so it is really a win win.

After I finish The Help I am planning on starting this book... it sounds like a great summer read.

Husband just posted photos from a wedding we shot in Colorado a couple weeks back! Go HERE to see them :)

Gift Guide : Celebrating dad.

Good morning!

Lets get one thing straight here, men, in general are the hardest to shop for. They are the type that if they want something bad enough then they will get it for themselves. Also, you rarely hear a man walking around dropping hints or saying the phrases 'i want' and 'i need' while looking at online stores.

We women are the opposite.

I probably have 4-5 shopping carts online full of things I am liking, and I drop hints to husband pretty much everyday about something I have been eyeing (yet, he still has a hard time picking up on them!). And if he needs even more direction for gifts he can always check my blog or Pinterest page and find some inspiration for gift giving.

That being said, I think I came up with some pretty good Father's day gift ideas. It took a while, but I have a feeling that any of the above would top the pair of socks or tie that you were already planning on wrapping up for him. It is almost the weekend, and you have until June 19th to get it together... buy a nice gift, write a sweet card, and take him to dinner!

xo.

Beatles Book, Steak, iPad Case, Surf Print, Ice Cream Maker

She + He = We : Got shot!

We were so pumped to be part of a 'shoot shop' recently for the very talented husband and wife team The Image is Found! Above are a handful of my favorite shots... the top one is a framer for sure :) Stone and I never got engagement photos (which, we highly recommend to everyone!) so it is fun for us to finally have something other than our wedding photos to hang on the wall! xo.

Tuesday Tunes : The men at work.

Okay so it is really Wednesday, but I thought I would share some tunes anyway...

Stone jams out while he works. This is why a cubicle would have never worked out well for this guy. He likes his music, and he likes it loud.

Lately I have been keeping note of some of my favorites that he keeps on rotation and above are just a few. Pretty mellow, great for a sleepy morning I think :) I usually lean towards the upbeat women singers so this is quite a drastic change for me.

Enjoy.