Yosemite and Lake Tahoe

Below are the stunning photos my husband took of our trip to Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe. James really has become an amazing photographer and I'm in awe of how well he captured the beauty of those areas.

It was such an incredible trip, especially Yosemite, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a little adventure.

Update: On Monday, I will be sharing our 2-day Yosemite itinerary and what we enjoyed most while we were there.

James Roy Photography

I'm Back!

Hi, friends! I've been MIA for a bit, but if you follow me on Instagram (here), you know I've been celebrating in Sonoma for my best friend's wedding and exploring in Yosemite and Lake Tahoe!

I can't wait to share pictures from our hiking trip, but first and foremost, get a load of my sweet friend's gorgeous wedding. 

I couldn't be happier for you, Nixie!!

James Roy Photography

Who will you make peace with?

I just heard about Peace One Day, a non-profit organization hoping to institutionalize a worldwide day of peace, non-violence, and ceasefire each year on September 21. It's a message and a goal I am eager to support and share, and I'm sure many of you will feel the same.

The support the organization has received from national leaders, the UN, business, actors, and musicians is pretty remarkable. To learn more about the organization and how it came to be, check out founder Jeremy Gilley's TEDtalk (here) and to learn more about the impact the organization has had to date, check out their website (here).

Peace Day is this Saturday, September 21 and this year's theme is "Who will you make peace with?" You can tune into the celebration streaming live  on YouTube starting Saturday (here). Check out the trailer below to hear Jude Law, a Peace One Day ambassador, discuss what to expect on the 21st.

What you can do:

• Commit to and practice a day of peace, kindness, and non-violence on September 21
• Write a blog post about Peace Day and encourage your readers to learn more about the organization
• Promote the Peace Day celebration on Facebook and Twitter
• Tell your friends and family about the organization and encourage their support

Scenes from the Weekend

Happy Monday, all! Ready to start the week?

We had a quiet weekend of buying last-minute items for our Sonoma/Yosemite/Lake Tahoe trip later this month, reading (this book, currently), picking up new art supplies and playing around with charcoal sketching, cooking turkey chili, and finally starting Breaking Bad!

Don't forget to check out the items I have listed for sale (here). I'll be listing them on eBay later this week, so let me know soon if any catch your eye!

We remember

It's hard to believe it has been over a decade, isn't it?

via

Life, lately

Hi friends, I know I've been absent, but I have a good reason. Between a family reunion in one part of Wisconsin, visiting more family in another, celebrating James' birthday, work, and making the most of what's left of our weekends, I've been busy! 

It's been a great couple of weeks, but I think my favorite was celebrating my sweet husband's birthday. I'm sharing a few pictures from of the festivities in Chicago and Door County. And if you're a fan of carrot cake, stay tuned for my cupcake recipe!

Happy birthday, my love!

Walking in the BlogHer '13 Fashion Show

Image: Amy Spreitzer Windsor

Yesterday I shared a bit about my decision to walk in the BlogHer '13 Fashion Show and today I want to share why it was such  a fabulous experience.

It really came down to 3 things, really: 1) being a part of a diverse, talented group of ladies, 2) feeling the support and encouragement from our vocal, exuberant audience and, 3) kicking my nerves and insecurities to the curb and having fun!

Numbers 2 and 3 are actually related: it was the cheering, whooping, clapping and just sheer energy from the crowd that instilled confidence in me. It was infectious. It helped me relax, realize I was in a nonjudgmental, supportive environment, and it was a moment to shine.

See what I mean?

And here's the effect: that's Cristi and me walking the finale below. See the grins on our faces? 

It make me think: how great would it be if we were this supportive of each other all the time?

The cherry on top was loving my two looks! They made me feel polished, put together, and ready to rock the stage! The first look was a Nicole Miller Dress paired with a Diane von Furstenburg blouse and a python clutch from Cinnamon Boutique, and amazing white sandals with clear heels from Lori's Shoes.

The second was an incredible Wayne Clark gown from The Lake Forest Shop paired with strappy heels from Lori's Shoes and my own jewelry.

The BlogHer ’13 Fashion Show brought to you by Ulta

A big thank you to Elisa and the rest of the BlogHer staff for this opportunity! What a great experience!

Behind the Scenes at the BlogHer '13 Fashion Show

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I recently walked in a fashion show and it was pretty amazing. What you may not know is that I almost didn't do it.

When Elisa, one of the co-founders of BlogHer, asked me if I would walk in the BlogHer '13 Fashion Show, my inclination was to say no. By that, I mean, a very gracious, No, thank you; I am honored you asked, but I don't think so.

If you're not familiar with BlogHer, this sentence from their About page, sums it up nicely: "BlogHer is a platform for sharing great voices, stories and ideas." 

The organization operates a site where women bloggers can share posts and connect with each other as well as hosts the world's largest conference for women bloggers annually. Just to give you an idea of scale, President Obama addressed the audience via live feed during last year's conference, and this year, Sheryl Sandberg, author Lean In, was a speaker.

Even though I grew up doing theatre and have modeled before, I'm an introvert. Don't get me wrong, I like people, but interacting with folks I don't know takes energy, and considering my day job requires a lot of that kind of energy, my weekends are for recharging. On top of that, agreeing to the show meant putting myself out there 2 weeks after surgery, after 3 weeks of not working out, and well, I just didn't feel prepared.

But then I thought about what BlogHer stands for, how big of a deal it was to be asked in the first place, and that in reality, I was likely the only one who could tell my nose was still swollen and that I hadn't been to yoga in weeks. I reached out to Grace, who walked in the show last year, and she had great things to say about her experience. 

I made up my mind to stop being a scaredy cat and just do it.

And I am so glad I did! Tune in tomorrow to hear why and to see photos from the show!

Images: The BlogHer '13 Fashion Show brought to you by Ulta

Coming of Age Albums

I'm lucky that music has always been a big part of my life. My parents had a pretty fantastic record collection and we were always listening to tapes and CDs in the car. My dad was a fan of the old school Kingston Trio, Johnny Cash, Elvis. My mom grew up in the 1970s and exposed me to everything great from the Bee Gees to Queen.

And don't get me started on musicals. We're talking VHS tapes and/or soundtracks to Les Mis, Annie, Sweet Charity, The Sound of Music, and every-Disney-movie-made (because, let's be honest, Disney movies are musicals!).

I don't have a favorite band or artist or even genre. If it's good, I probably like it, but there are few albums that clearly stand out in mind as formative. These are the handful that will always remind me of important/hard parts of my life and I think of them fondly because, well, they got me through.

Anthology of Bread - Bread, 1985

When things didn't really make sense as a kid, I remember putting this record on. It was comforting somehow. And then, later, squealing to see "Make it With You" quoted in The Virgin Suicides. 

Paul Simon - Paul Simon, 1972

Sometimes, on the weekends, my mom and dad would put on records and we'd clean the place or mom and I would dance, while my dad sang. "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" was my favorite. Those were happy times and Paul Simon will always remind me of my childhood.

Blue - Joni Mitchell, 1971

This album essentially got me through my first real heartbreak and if you want to know how, check out this article, or at least, the last paragraph.

Reflecting on these albums, they seem pretty emotionally indulgent, but I guess that's what I see as one of the benefits of music. It should speak to you, just like a really good book or movie can. Music can be fun (hello, girl anthems!), but it can also provide a channel for processing heavier things.

But I want to know what you think - are there any albums that define a part of your life? Did they get you through any tough times?

Album covers via wikipedia.org

Not-So-Guilty Pleasures

Happy Friday, friends!

First off, I want to say thank you for the responses and reactions to yesterday's post. I'm so glad it resonated with you and I really enjoyed reading your reactions. I think it's important to check in periodically and call out truths like that. 

Now, on to really important things: guilty pleasures. I'm not sure about you, but as I get older, I'm less and less embarrassed about enjoying things I should apparently feel guilty about. These include reality TV, "chick flicks," anything Disney-related, and books that will make me cry. 

And one of my very favorite not-so-guilty pleasures is what I've dubbed "girl anthems" - those girl power songs that make you want to turn the stereo up, roll the windows down, and sing at the top of your lungs. 

Below are a few of my current favorites. 

But I'm curious, do you have not-so-guilty pleasures or are you less keen to share?

scenes from the weekend and your opinion on a DIY needed!

if you follow me on instagram, you probably know how flipping excited i was to be part of the blogher '13 conference fashion show on saturday!

thanks to giftbar, we were outfitted with amazing looks from local designers and boutiques, and thanks to the Ulta beauty team, our hair and makeup looked fabulous!

i can't wait to see the professional photos, but here are a few behind-the-scenes shots i snapped:

Ulta beauty exert, Sam, and i!

and now, i need your help!

we are trying to decide between two fabrics to upholster our new parsons table (for diy tutorial click here). both are faux animal skin vinyl from JoAnn on sale for $20/yd: one is a black crocodile (here) and the other is a black and yellow/beige python (here). vinyl is a great choice for recovering furniture on a budget because it mimics the look of and durability of leather, for a fraction of the price.

JoAnn is quickly becoming a favorite for affordable, stylish fabric for our DIY projects. the faux croc suede fabric that we used to reupholster chair seats (here) was also from JoAnn. 

both were unavailable in store, so we bought 3 yards of each so we could make a final decision in person.

what do you think? i love the python, but i was hoping for more black + white and i'm not sure i'm digging the buttery yellow.

regardless, we're going to have lots of extra fabric that i'll have find something fun to do with.

make your own parsons table diy

i am really excited about today's DIY and even more excited about part two coming next week!

james and i have been looking for a compact, sleek console for our entryway on and off for months. we live in a small apartment (900 sq ft) and needed something that would add interest, not bulk, but we couldn't find anything that would fit our space and price point.

and then it hit me: we can make one! what i love most about this DIY is that you can customize it to your space. our tabletop is long and narrow, but you can adjust the dimensions to suit your style. to get an idea of standard console dimensions, we checked out the options at places like West Elm, CB2 and IKEA. one rule of thumb, most consoles are 30-31" in height.

now, here is the real stunner: assuming you own or can borrow the tools listed below, the total cost of materials is $34.

this doesn't include the cost of materials to finish the wood, but there are inexpensive finishing options, so stay tuned for part two of this DIY for ideas!

a quick note: we decided to add "braces" for structural support and i actually like the look a bit better. for a more traditional parsons table, you can leave the braces off, but any bowing or arching in the lumber will cause the legs to taper and you might find that a brace evens things out.

DIMENSIONS
48x12x31.5"

MATERIALS 

- 8'x12" (cut into 48x12" for tabletop)

- 2 lengths of 2x2"x6' (cut into 4 pieces for legs, each 30" in length)

- 8 flathead #8 gauge 3" wood screws

TOOLS

- electric drill

- 1/8" drill bit

- level

- pencil

- sandpaper
- hand saw (if adding braces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. write "TOP" in pencil on one side of tabletop.

2. with the "TOP" side up, place one of the legs on one of the corners. use level to ensure edges of leg are flush with edge of tabletop.

3. trace edges of the leg with pencil, to make a square.

4. next, remove leg and mark where to drill the screws. with a ruler, draw a diagonal line down the middle of the square and mark two evenly-spaced, centered dots (see photo for exact measurements).

5. repeat steps 2-4 with for remaining corners.

6. starting with one corner, drill through each of the dots marking where the screws will go.

 james used a makeshift drill guide to ensure screws drilled in straight. for instructions on creating your own drill guide, click here.

7. place tabletop perpendicular to floor and align a leg against one "BOTTOM" corner of tabletop, so that all sides are flush.

9. while holding leg firmly against tabletop, drill through screw holes from "TOP" side of tabletop, into leg.

10. drive wood screws through drill holes completely into leg, until screw is flush with with top of tabletop.

11. repeat steps 6-11 for remaining corners.

optional - adding braces
12. stand table upright and measure interior distance between legs. using leftover lumber, use hand saw to cut two pieces to match interior distance on each side of table.

13. set table on its side, with legs facing you. on the outer ends of each leg, use freshly cut brace to trace square and drill holes, as in steps 2-4.

14. drill through each of the dots marking where the screws will go.

15. align brace against interior of one leg, so that all sides are flush.

16. while holding leg firmly against leg, drill through screw holes from leg exterior, into brace. repeat with opposite leg, so that brace serves as a connector piece.

17. repeat for legs at opposite end of table.

et voila!

we're planning to upholster our table with faux animal skin fabric (details coming soon!), but i took a crack at styling it to get an idea of what it will look like all finished! what do you think?

TIPS

- we purchased and cut our lumber at home depot. we chose Select Pine because it has a more polished appearance. it is a little more expensive than stock lumber, but the pieces are less likely to have imperfections.

- if you choose to add braces, save extra 2x2 lumber during home depot trip.

- you can pick up an inexpensive bubble level and the wood screws while you're at home depot.

- use sand paper to smooth out any edges and even out connection point between legs and tabletop.

summer reading list

thank you for all your sweet comments about my surgery! i am recovering well and should be back to normal next week.

since i've had to take it easy, i've been scoping out books to read and wanted to share a few of my recent favorites.

what about you -do you have any must-reads for the summer?

takin' it easy

flowers from the mr. 

sorry i've been quiet again this week. i had sinus surgery (minor, everything's fine!) yesterday and i'm working on recuperating.

i'll be back bright-eyed and bushy-tailed next week. in the meantime, have a fabulous weekend!

and flowers from my mother in law :)

fourth of july treats

i'm back from a mini-vacation up in door county with j's family. it was so nice to be on the lake, beautiful weather, and i even got in two technology-free days, which was so refreshing. james and i periodically go full days without our phones, computers, TVs, etc., a new habit borne out of my intentions for 2013. you quickly realize how much you can get done without all the distractions: i read 100+ pages of my book, got major quality time in with j's family, and appreciated the beautiful lake view when there was a lull in conversation instead of checking my email/twitter/instagram/etc.

for our big family dinner, i wanted to bring something that would transport easily from chicago and that would be festive. i picked up supplies to make white wine sangria (recipe below!), strawberry and blueberry skewers, and made rice krispie treats topped with red, white, and blue sprinkles. easy peasy and they were a big hit. 

photography by james roy 

white wine sangria

INGREDIENTS
• 1 bottle pinot grigio

• 12 oz. seltzer water

• 3 tbsp. splenda
• 2 peaches, sliced
• 1 kiwi, sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 lime, sliced

• handful of blueberries
• handful of raspberries

DIRECTIONS
1. in a large pitcher, combine wine and splenda. stir until splenda is dissolved.

2. add sliced peaches, kiwi, lemon, and lime. stir, cover, and place in refrigerator for 1-4 hours. 

3. before serving, add selzter to pitcher and mix well. to serve, fill glass with ice cubes, pour, add in a few pieces of soaked fruit, and top with a couple of raspberries and blueberries. enjoy!

adapted from this recipe