Sunday, July 24, 2011

Dude, that is like, so, Nautical!

Summer has got me feeling awfully nautical! Not nautical in the sense that I'm hanging out at pools and beaches, but clothig nautical. Blue, white, and gold - so Nautical! This look to me says, I'm a little preppy, but I'm also a little French. Although I don't think the French ever actually go for a nautical theme, the French do have a very distinct look and I'm working hard to make this look mine. (No, I will never stop talking about being French. How can I? It's who I am, it's who I was born to be.)

Let's see here...... I started off the summer with a pair of gold earrings. Bada bing, bada boom. You don't get much fancier than fake gold. Next, there was a shirt I badly wanted at a German Zara, but wasn't able to buy because I guess I hadn't done enough chores or something for the week. Instead I went with my second favorite look, a cardigan! (I bought a red cardigan on clearance and it's long enough to cover up underwear lines. Win, win.) Anyways, the nautical shirt I didn't get to buy really put my wheels into motion and before I knew it, it's all I could think about! I've gone on to buy a blue and white striped cardigan, blue plaid Sperry's, another fake gold piece of jewelry (I obviously only buy the finest things in life), a super cute little blue and white striped "dress" that is not a dress at all, but a long top, and I received a blue and white striped bag for my birthday! I am looking gooooood this summer!

The nautical theme has now consumed my whole life and I have begun to vision a home in which a little boys room is decorated with this look and/or a bathroom!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Sky Rockets In Flight, Farmers' Market Delight

Two weeks off + one chubby girl = baking!
The family I nanny for is on vacation for the next two weeks, so I have designated this time to be Farmers' Market Desserts week(s). This is based "loosely" on the cookbook, Farmers' Market Desserts by Jennie Schacht. (I say "loosely" because it obviously totally copies the name. Did you pick up on that? You don't care? Okay.)

This cookbook couldn't be more perfect and helpful! She tells how to deal with different fruits and vegetables, what fruits and veggies are in season at certain times, and of course, has many recipes that look amazing. I've tried to get to as many farmers' markets as I could this summer so I can eat 'locally' and 'seasonally,' but mostly just so I can take 'cool' pictures. Also, this is what French woman do, so you know I'm on top of that. If French women love fresh markets, so does this girl!

I don't end up buying all that much food when I'm there because I think to myself, "Now Stacy, are you really going to end up making Gwynth Paltrow's kale chips from that $12 bunch of kale you just bought? Do you even like kale?" I think we all know the answer to both of those. However, I really do enjoy myself at the farmers' markets and it's nice to see that not all the food we eat is super manufactured and mass produced! DEATH TO CORPORATE FARMING! (Fyi, most of your USDA approved 'organic' food is not even slightly organic and you'd be better off buying 'non-organic, but local.') I highly recommend getting out to a farmers' market if one is near you! Berry season is almost over, but peach season has only just begun! And don't even get me started on the tomatoes, don't even get me started. If nothing else, there's usually a coffee stand and muffin/donut/pastry stand set up!

Now I will bless you with visions from the markets! Is there anything more beautiful than fresh fruits or veggies? Heavens no, as Mother Marianne would say. ***Pictures had to be edited because I now sell them on Etsy! If you would like to see these little gems, you can visit my Etsy shop, Farmers' Market Delight! Hope you like!***

And if you're totally against all of the other pictures, there's always this guy.......I'll let you know what I've cooked up at the end of the two weeks. I just spent $20 on blueberries, so my fingers are crossed this isn't a total flop!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

So Simple, So Perfect

Sometimes, you just need a little reminder......

'This is the day that the Lord has made,
I will rejoice and be glad in it'

Friday, July 15, 2011

Big Spendaaaa/Mo' Money, Mo' Problems

Derek and I were recently talking about how I'm not exactly the smartest girl in the world. You know, I'm okay with that. Because I like to laugh and talk loudly however, and have blond hair, I think people sometimes assume I'm not smart at all. *Newsflash* I'm highly intelligent! I have come up with a genius plan to make it look as though, at 29 years of age, I am fiscally responsible!
**GENIUS ALERT**GENIUS ALERT**

I surround myself with those who are also in high amounts of debt, such as myself, and then we all just act like it's normal and EVERYONE buys EVERYTHING with credit cards! I think that's why I've always enjoyed working at restaurants. Every single person there is a hot mess, but in our little restaurant world, it's okay. Accepted even! It's probably also why I like to think I'm "in" with the "artistic" crowd (even though I'm most definitely not) because they usually have nothing going for them, other than their newest midcentury oil and watercolor painting on cork that resembles VanGogh during the Renaissance. Like ANYBODY in the ENTIRE WORLD wants to hang that in their living room!

I share this information with you only to tell you that I truly have done something responsible! I saved a good chunk of cash from our wedding money and plan on buying a lovely little set of dinnerware with it. I'm not talking china that will be displayed in a china cabinet along with porcelain figures, but never ever used (Mom, I'm talking to you). I'm talking china-esque dinnerware that makes you feel fancy and definitely makes the food taste better, but is for everyday use. I've had a hard time really finding anything because dinnerware isn't exactly my forte (that 'e' is to be pronounced) and of course I have a very specific picture in my head.

Now who here likes Anthropologie? Silly question! We ALL love Anthropologie! As I mosied through the store a few weeks back, I came across two dinnerware gems and let me tell you, it was love at first sight. One is this:
Goo goo, gaa gaa!! I'm not usually the biggest fan of the 'fleur de lis' because it often times screams, "Look, I'm French, but not really, but am because I have a fleur de lis." The 'fleur de lis' however is extremely subtle when you see this collection in person. And it has a similar look to distressed wood that's been painted white.

Okay, second off is this collection: (I can only copy the pics that use the 'mint' color, but I would actually go with the 'grey'.)
Since you have an idea of what I like now, if you know of any places that have dinnerware similar to this, please let me know! And as always, I thank you for your time. It's been a ruuulllll pleasure!

Monday, July 4, 2011

7.4.2012

From July 5th of one year to July 3rd of the next year, I look forward to one thing.

This:


Today is my day! Does it get any better than listening to this song over the loudspeakers, watching fireworks? I think not!!

Happy 4th of July Americans!!