Chocolate Stout Cake

Last week we celebrated my beer-loving, hard working, and oh so 

appreciated husband's birthday.  So, naturally I made him a 10 pound 

beast of a cake and shared it with both of our families and eight friends.  

That's a lot of cake.

As much as I would love to tell you that I stuck to my dairy-free diet 

and made a cake from scratch, I can't.  I made cake from a box.  

Similar to this one.

Had I have had more time or a husband who doesn't love 

box cake I would make the one I found on Blogging Over Thyme.  

Next time I'm definitely going to make this one! 

Yum!

Also, cheers to all the moms out there!  

This would be a great cake to celebrate with!

{photos & styling by me}

Cheers to the Weekend

This week was great minus the fact that I got a nasty 

cold that kept me on the couch for about 50% of it.  Yuck.

This weekend is J's birthday and I am so excited to feel better 

so I can spoil him.  His family is coming up tomorrow and we are 

going out to Indian food and I'm making him a chocolate stout cake.  

If it turns out I'll do a post soon.

I hope you all had a wonderful week.

Cheers to the weekend!

xo

{photo by me} 

Oh Monday...

Oh Monday...

this weekend was so good and so full!

Below is my weekend recap!

1. A gorgeous walk and brunch with my family at Pike Place Market.  

I cannot believe that I don't go there more often!  

I literally work a few blocks away but I never go... so silly!

2. Puppy kisses from my part-time pup.  

Before I married J he lived in a house with six other guys.  

They adopted a dog and I am one of three step-moms.  

J and I can't have a dog in our current apartment 

but Penelope fills the gap.  She is seriously a great dog.  

3. I'm officially on an elimination diet.  First up: dairy. 

This is a real struggle for a girl who has (or had) 

pizza at least once a week.  Literally, everything I 

love has dairy.  This weekend was rough.  BUT I did make my 

baked oatmeal with coconut milk and it was so good!  

So, now I have a little hope...

4. Fresh pasta from Pike Place Market.  

Though the fake cheese did not help... 

but this pasta is so good!  

We got the Italian mix (pesto, basil garlic, 

sun-dried tomato).  Yum.

I hope you all had a refreshing and amazing weekend!

xo

{photos by me}

Workspace

Last week when I came across WeWork, a coworking company,
I was inspired to post about my work space.

I live in a tiny apartment with a little kitchen nook that I turn into a 

make-shift office when I need a home workspace, but let's be honest - 

my couch is where most of my late night blogging actually happens.

I love to surround myself with lots of natural light and simple and playful art.  

I try to keep it simple so I don't get distracted, which happens easily.  

I am also a huge fan of plants, they bring life and fresh air into my workspace. 

I always keep a photo of my husband and I close by.  

It's the perfect reminder of how great life is and 

why we work so hard to support and enjoy our time together.

Another thing I really care about is my computer background.  

As silly as it sounds, it really sets the tone for the project I'm working on.  

If I'm working on a pink post you can bet my background is saturated in pink.  

I find a ton of inspiring ones here.

If you are looking to grow your business out of your home 

and into a great artistic and inspiring community I would 

highly recommend WeWork!  They offer great office spaces 

in several cities across the world.  

If you are in the Seattle area I would check out their space.  

It's full of funky urban finds and a great space to simply get things done!

Have a great weekend!

 

{photos and styling by me}

Blueberry Banana Quinoa Muffins

These muffins should be called "how many healthy things can I 

fit in the title muffins", but instead lets just call them 

Blueberry Banana Quinoa Muffins.

They are delicious and healthy!

I eat one about an hour before I leave work and they 

stick with me through a hard workout.

3 bananas 

9 oz. of fresh blueberries

1/2 cup of apple sauce

1/2 cup of almond milk

1/3 cup of honey

1/8 cup of maple syrup

1 tbls of vanilla extract

1 cup of cooked quinoa

2 1/2 cups of oats

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 tbls of chia seeds

1 apple, peeled and chopped into bits

- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and line a 

muffin tin with paper cups

- Place all three bananas and all of the blueberries into a 

food processor and blend until smooth

- Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl (applesauce, bananas, 

blueberries, almond milk, honey, vanilla)

- Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl (cooked quinoa, 

oats, cinnamon, chia seeds, chopped apple)

- Slowly add the mixed, dry ingredients into the wet ingredients

-Fill each paper cup to the top (they don't rise) and 

cook for 20 - 25 minutes

- Let cool and refrigerate to keep longer

**this recipe usually makes 12 - 18 muffins depending on the size 

of the paper cup and how much you fill them

These are seriously so good.  I've been craving blueberries 

all week so this really hit the spot.  I cannot wait to pick them 

fresh again this summer (like that one post here).

I hope your Wednesday treats you well 

xo

{photos, recipe, and styling by me}

Simply Because...

Last week J brought me flowers home.  

Just simply because.  He knows how happy flowers make me.  

I had a rough/sick week and felt a little defeated but he knew 

exactly how to brighten my day.

Below are links that definitely put a smile on my face this week...

This is the most inspiring red carpet video I have ever seen.  It's beautiful.

I made this recipe for J and I this week and it was a hit.
Who doesn't love loads of cheese?!

I'm loving all of these computer backgrounds.  It's too hard to just pick one
so I keep switching it up. So pretty!

Have you tried applying blush slightly below the apple of your cheek?!
I haven't but after this post I'm thinking it's worth a try...

One of my nearest and dearest friends got a gig this week writing
for the Huffington Post.  She is such a talented gal.
You can read her first post here.


My goal this week is to brighten someone's week like J brightened mine.

Happy Friday xo

{photos & styling by me}

Baked Oatmeal

My aunts in Alaska make the  b e s t  baked oatmeal!  

It tastes a lot like bread pudding (my favorite!).  

Its easy to make on the weekend and then warm up 

each morning for an on the go breakfast.

Below is my family's recipe. 

Ingredients:

    

1 Cup Cooking Oil or Butter

    

1 Cup Honey

   

4 Eggs Beaten

      

6 Cups Rolled Oats

     

4 tsp Baking Powder

    

1 tsp Salt

2 tbl Chia Seeds (optional)

       

2 Cups of Almond Milk (or regular)

Directions:

     

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

    

Combine wet ingredients in a bowl

        

Combine dry ingredients in a larger bowl

      

Mix both bowls together in the larger bowl

       

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan

     

Cook for up to 45 or until slightly golden on top

Refrigerate after cooling.  

This amount lasts all week for my husband and I.  

He loves to warm it up with milk and peanut butter.  

I prefer almond milk with shredded coconut.  

You could also top with maple syrup, cranberries,  

blueberries,  or apple slices.  The possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!

{photos and styling by me}

Sweet Potato Muffins

J is about to start his new job next month (more coming soon!) 

and its going to be very physical for the next four months.  

I have been collecting recipes to help him retain energy and 

his weight while working out heavily.  So, this weekend I decided 

to put my research into practice!  First up: Sweet Potato Muffins.  

They are starchy and packed with sugar to help him power through an active day.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

⅓ cup sour cream

¾ cup vegetable oil

1 cup mashed sweet potato

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla (I tend to use more)

1½ cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping:

3 tablespoons unsalted softened butter

¼ cup chopped pecans

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F 

Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners

In a large bowl lightly beat the eggs. 

Next, add the sweet potato mash, vegetable oil, and sour cream.

 Stir well.

Mix in the brown sugar and add vanilla. 

Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

Stir until combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl crumble together the softened butter, chopped pecans, flour, and sugar. 

Sprinkle the topping over all the muffins. 

Bake for 18 minutes

For a healthier version skip the Streusel topping 

and let them go bare.  They are still so delicious!

In the coming weeks I'm going to be practicing my 

domestic cooking skills, if you have any great recipes 

for a guy on the go let me know!  

My "To Feed My Husband" pinterest board is blowing up but 

with 4 months ahead I can never have too many ideas!

{photos and styling by me}

The Nature of Isa

A little over a year ago I attended a wedding for one of Justin's cousins.  

It was a lovely winter Oregon wedding and the bride was a dream in her wedding dress,
but her veil was what caught my eye.  It was so beautiful and hard to forget.

Later that night at dinner I was making small talk with the girl next to me,

we talked about how nice the wedding was but when I mentioned 

how much I loved the bride's veil she informed me she was the designer.

So began a blossoming friendship with Allison Johansen 

the creator, owner, and designer behind The Nature of Isa.

A few months later Allison invited me to her shop 

to photograph a couple of pieces for Decor Amor.  It was dreamy.  

Her small urban studio is tucked away in a busy Portland neighborhood.  

Its soft lighting and hints of vintage flair make this space 

an ideal setting for a bride to find her gown.

 

Allison designs and creates each piece.  She does custom work or 

you can try on one of the many samples in her shop.  

She works with lace, tulle, silk, and beading.  

If you are interested in a custom dress I would
highly recommend contacting Allison.  

A custom dress can take as little as three months
from start to finish.  

 

Her dresses range from $1500 - $2500.  

She can do bridesmaid and Mother of the Bride dresses as well.

Allison carefully follows trends and said that right now 

brides are loving gold, hints of color, and tulle.
Sequins are also a big accent piece for 2015 and 2016 brides.

Allison also loves two-piece dresses.  In her shop she has gorgeous 

lace corset tops that can be paired with a skirt.  

Wouldn't that lace top with a silky skirt be perfect for a Mother of the Bride?

Thank you for hosting me Allison!  You make a delicious 

grapefruit Mimosa and you have a real talent and eye for design.

For any brides out there, click the photo below to plan a visit to Allison's shop.  

No matter what dress you end up with you will be a stunning bride but
with Allison's help you will have a dress or veil to remember.

{All Photos by Me}

Animals, Bubbly, and Cake

This past Friday my husband and I threw our friends 

our annual zoo lights party.  It was so much fun!  

I had been planning the decor, food, and cocktails for months ahead.  

My parents hosted a lot of parties growing up so hosting is in my blood.  

We offered two cocktails: a bubbly beverage and a whiskey cider.  

I used my favorite bubbly (here) and 

locally sourced hard cider (here).

Whiskey Cider

Bubbly Rock Candy 

*Side note: sugaring rims is SO much harder than I thought! 

I could not get it to look perfect like all of the photos on Pinterest.  

A should-have-watched tutorial here.

Considering I have a limited amount of champagne flutes and rock glasses 

I had each guest label their glass with a gold zoo animal.  

In all I had about 40 small gold painted animals.  

They decorated the cakes, drinks, and food display.

I wanted a wintery cake so I made a 

Peppermint Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Coconut Frosting.  

It was SO good.  I forced myself to toss the leftovers after the party

or I would have eaten all of it for breakfast the next morning.  No joke.

The finishing touch to our party was the gold tinsel photo backdrop 

paired with animal masks.  As seen below we had a lot of fun.  

Who doesn't want to wear an animal mask?

{photos and styling by me}

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

I wish you all a wonderful start to your Christmas and holiday celebrations.  

Justin and I are traveling around Washington and Oregon to spend
some quality time with our families. 

I am looking forward to lounging in my new fleece tunic and
eating my mom's sugar cookies and sipping on wine.

I hope you get to do the same!
 

Merry Christmas xo

{photo and styling by me}

A Perfect Weekend

This weekend was a good one.

It started off with a surprise visitor and ended
with a quiet night at home with the husband.
In between I helped a friend design her wedding dress,
brunched, slept in, and drank a lot of hot cocoa. 

I also finally got around to editing our Italy photos. 

I have some great travel posts coming soon.
Here is a sneak peek.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend.  

xo

{all photos by me}

Family Photos and a Day Trip

What a fun weekend it was!  Justin and I have had the travel bug 

ever since we got back from Italy.  On Saturday morning 

we took a spontaneous trip to Leavenworth.  It was so beautiful! 

I got my much needed fix of sunshine, fog, and golden leaves.  

If you have never been I highly recommend it.

I also spent this weekend finishing up photos I took for some close friends.  

 Thank you DeWaals for letting me spend a fun afternoon 

photographing your beautiful family!

 

{all photos by me}