Sarah Ortega

Agape Home

2012-01-23T19:40:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share something with you all that has been on the hearts of my husband and I.

Back in 2004, Aaron and I spent three months at an orphanage in Amravati, India while we were studying with YWAM. A while back ago, Aaron received a message from our Indian friend, Sandesh. Both his parents who ran the orphanage had passed away from illness in the last year. He left his university where he was studying Bio Chemical Engineering and is now running the Agape Home Orphanage by himself. He dropped everything so that the ministry his parents had started wouldn’t be abandoned.

He asked us for help and he asked us to pray for him but the Lord was putting more on our hearts. Aaron felt that the Lord was calling him back to India and create a bridge with Agape Home. At first we were a little hesitant since I will be eight months pregnant while he is away but God gave us peace. We want to be obedient to God's call even when it is uncomfortable or inconvenient.

Aaron will be gone from February 20 - March 14, 2012. I am asking for your prayers for Aaron, our family, Sandesh, and the children of Agape Home. Also, for the months of January and February, 100% of the proceeds from my Etsy store, Poppy & Pine will go towards Aaron's trip and to Agape Home.

You can watch this video that my husband put together to find out more.

diy {asymmetrical necklace}

2012-01-18T01:29:00.000-08:00

I was at a store the other day that just happened to have a huge clearance on beads. We're talking 80% off kind of clearance. I checked with an employee to see if I was reading the sign right and then I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Once I confirmed that this was indeed real life I grabbed a basket and started sorting through the selection. I got some great deals and picked up an assortment of beads that I normally wouldn't have picked up at full price.

Once we came home and I tucked my daughter in bed for the night I started thinking about what I could make with my new collection of pretty beads. I decided to make some necklaces in a fun asymmetrical style. These are very easy to make and I love how they look so unique. Once I made one I couldn't help but make a few more because they are so lovely! Here is how to make your own...

What you'll need
- nose ring plyers
- wire cutter
- beads/buttons
- eye pins
- chain
- jump rings (4mm and 7mm)
- lobster clasp

Take a bead and slide it on to the eye pin. If you have excess wire, cut it off with the wire cutter.

I left about 1/3 inch of wire to make my loop

Grab the end of the wire with your needle nose pliers and start rolling towards the bead until the end of the wire meets the other end and forms a loop.

It should look like this

Repeat this step with another bead. Join it to the first bead before you close off the loop.

Repeat until you have the desired amount of beads connected together. In this case I used six.

On one end of the beads I attached a vintage button using a 7mm jump ring
(Tip- never open a jump ring by pulling the ends apart. Instead, pull one end towards you and the other away from you. Push the ends back together to close)

Attach equal parts of chain to either side of the necklace. (I used a 4mm jump ring to connect to the pearl and a 7mm jump ring to connect to the button)
The length is up to you but I used about 7 1/2 inches of chain on either side.
Now just attach a lobster clasp and jump ring to the ends of the necklace and you're good to go!

Voila!

Here are some of the other necklaces I made...

twenty seven

2012-01-12T23:30:00.000-08:00

I suppose twenty seven could refer to two things, I am 27 weeks prego and today is my 27th birthday! To celebrate, Aaron and I went to Glen Ivy Hot Springs and Spa and I had the most wonderful and relaxing day. There was hardly anyone there so we felt like we had the place to ourselves, it was awesome! I floated in the salt pool, pampered my skin at the red clay mud bath, dipped my feet in the mineral pools, lounged in the sun and read my book... not a bad way to ring in a birthday! I've been a little busy lately so it was nice to just do nothing :)
The book I was reading by the way was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I just started it but I'm already sucked in! There's nothing like a good novel.
Anyways, I had some time to think today and as I was reflecting I became overwhelmed with how much I have to be thankful for. My husband and best friend who is ever supportive of me, my daughter who is the joy of my life, my little boy on the way who I can't wait to meet and my family who I love dearly. I am so thankful for our church community and dear friends and getting to live life with each other. It is amazing how your perspective shifts when you take a moment and realize the blessings in your life.

Family

2011-12-31T00:12:00.000-08:00

Was it just me or did this month fly by?? Here we are already just around the corner from the new year. I learned a lot in 2011 and I am really looking forward to what 2012 holds. I am ready to take more chances, dream bigger, and live more fully. I am also looking forward to seeing our family grow a little bigger in April :)

Speaking of family, we took some family photos last month. Jhen at Stark Love Photography did a marvelous job and we couldn't be happier with them. Thanks Jhen!

So from our family to yours, Happy New Year!!

All the kids

Of course our iphones had to make an appearance in the pics too :)

love this one

never a dull moment with the Mendez crew

the boys

the girls

Jhen took a few belly shots of me too. Here I am at about 21 weeks.

diy {christmas ornament}

2011-12-16T01:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just around the corner so I thought I would share a fun little diy on how to make a Christmas ornament... out of a shower curtain ring! I love crafting with unexpected items. Sometimes I'll wander around the dollar store or Target and keep my eye out for things that I think could be used later for a project. I may not have a plan (or any clue at all for that matter) on how I'll use it but I know that sooner or later I'll think of something. And that is how I come up with weird ideas like shower curtain ring ornaments or Jenga block keychains :)

To make these ornaments you'll need just a few simple supplies. You may even already have everything you need on hand, bonus!
- plastic shower curtain rings (I got a pack at Target for just a little over a dollar)
- lace, yarn, trim, ribbon, rope... whatever you want to cover the shower ring and something to hang the ornament
- embellishments, you could use buttons, bows, pearls... anything you like!
- glue gun

First, I added a dot of hot glue to one end of the lace to secure it to the shower ring. Then I tightly wrapped the lace around the ring.

Once the ring was covered I secured the end with another dab of hot glue.

Then I added a loop of twine for hanging

And finally I added an embellishment. In this case I used a pretty felt bow. I found the tutorial for the bow via I {heart} naptime.
And that's it! You're done! Easy Peasy right?

Here's another lace ornament with baker's twine and flower embellishments.

This one is my favorite, it's a little vintage-y looking. I used gold lace, pearl beads, and this pretty book page flower. The flower is a smaller version of the one I used for my diy gift box.

So there you have it, a fun and easy little project for you to do this weekend :)

Palm Springs

2011-12-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

My mom and dad came down for a visit at the beginning of this month and we had such a wonderful time with them! Talia definitely loves having her Yaya and Grandpa around. It can be difficult to live away from your family so I really cherish and savor the times that we are together.
We spent a few days at Palm Springs and was it ever nice! We sat by the pool, went on walks, took Talia to the playground, and just enjoyed each other's company. My parents offered to watch Talia one evening and sent Aaron and I on a date night. We went out for dinner and then saw the movie, Hugo. We really enjoyed the story, I would recommend it.
I didn't really take too many photos of our trip but I did manage to snap a few of Talia by the pool and at the park. Enjoy!

Talia loved the see saw!

We pretty much had the pool to ourselves, it was great!

Catching some sun

The playground was on the way back to our room from the pool so we always had to stop in for some playtime :)

two

2011-12-07T22:15:00.001-08:00

Last week our little girl turned two years old! I can't believe how fast the time has gone and what a big girl she is becoming. We absolutely adore her wild and free spirit. She is a dancing machine, loves swimming, jumping on the trampoline, and climbing. She is also a total sweetheart and when I tell her that I love her she responds, "I lub you mor." We have to read Olivia to her every night and she loves sharks and turtles. She is such a joy and a gift to us. Happy birthday sweet pea :)

On her birthday we took her to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland! It was her first time there and she had a blast! Here are some photos from the day.

number two

2011-11-22T22:30:00.000-08:00

That's right, we are expecting our second child and we couldn't be more thrilled! I am 20 weeks along and due in April. Oh and I'll have to find a good diy for cute bow ties because we found out we're having a boy! It's definitely an exciting time and I am so thankful for this upcoming addition to our family.

Here's little miss big sister

our little girl

2011-11-20T23:13:00.001-08:00

Our little girl is not so little anymore! In fact, she only has one week left until she turns two. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by. She is such a joy to us and in honor of her final week of being one, here are a few photos from the past couple weeks. Enjoy!

on a trip to Coronado Island.

little darling

"cheese!!"

On a trip to the pumpkin patch

she loved this little goat

picking a pumpkin

washing dishes

I love morning baby beadhead

all dressed up for a wedding

six years

2011-11-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

Celebrating six years of marriage today with my best friend! I could not have found a better man to do life with. He is an incredible husband and father and the truest companion and friend. Happy anniversary my love.

Oak Glen

2011-11-06T22:39:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we drove up to Oak Glen with some of my mother-in-law's family for a fun afternoon with the kids. It was a great outing and Talia had a blast with her cousins and second cousins. Here are a few photos from the day. Enjoy!

Best buds, Talia and Kaelyn

Talia loved the petting zoo and she especially took to this little black goat

The three amigos

Snow White

2011-10-31T23:40:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Halloween. We took Talia trick or treating for the first time and she was absolutely fascinated by it! She had such a blast and it was funny to see how into it she was when she realized that there was candy involved.

In case you're wondering, I ordered this beautiful dress from Lover Dovers. Her Etsy store is full of sweet dresses and retro aprons, it's definitely worth checking out! The red head bow was made by me :)

So I'm curious, what did you/your kiddos dress up as this year?

diy {gift boxes}

2011-10-26T23:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun and easy project to spruce up a plain gift box. These come in handy for birthday presents, Christmas gifts, or they can also make cute storage boxes for your own items. You can use whatever you have on hand to decorate and the possibilities are endless!

Each one of those boxes started out like this, plain and simple. I bought them in a pack of six at Jo-Ann Fabrics and with my 40% off coupon each box came out to about 40 cents a piece.

First I measured the top of the box and cut out a square of scrapbook paper. I also cut a second square slightly smaller for the inside of the box.

Next, I applied the paper to the box with a thin layer of Mod Podge.
After allowing a moment to dry, I brushed some Mod Podge on top of the paper. It will go on white but dies clear and provodes a protective seal.

After this step I gathered some items to decorate.

Here is a really cool way to make a pretty paper flower. I found the awesome tutorial here.
1. Cut out 10 scalloped circles from a book (or a newspaper, scrapbook paper, magazine...)
2. Gather all the circles and use a 1/16" punch to make a hole in the center.
3. Attach a brad (the color doesn't matter because you won't be seeing it in the end result)
4. Layer by layer, scrunch up each circle
5. Now just fluff out the flower and voila!

Here is my finished product!

I love the pop of color on the inside.

Here's another look at the boxes I have made so far. Have fun making yours!

Colombia {El Museo del Castillo}

2011-10-16T23:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my last batch of pictures from Colombia. On the day of our flight we had a few hours to spare before we had to be at the airport so we took a taxi to a beautiful castle on one of the hillsides of Medellin. It was nice to walk around the gardens, enjoy the architecture and take in the incredible views of the city. It was also a pretty great way to start a day of long flights and layovers. I have to say our ten days in Colombia was amazing. I really fell in love with the country and I can't wait to go back!

*All images were shot with my Canon G11 point and shoot

Colombia {Pueblito Paisa}

2011-10-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

On our last day in Medellin we had a free evening so Aaron and I spent some time walking around Pueblito Paisa. This lovely small town sits on top of a hill overlooking the city of Medellin and is a nice place to spend a few hours. We had a great night walking around and reflecting about the last 10 days in Colombia together. Here are some photos from the Pueblo. Enjoy!

*All images were shot with my Canon G11 point and shoot

We found a sweet little restaurant with an upstairs patio that overlooked the whole city. Lovely.

Colombia {Pereira, Valle de Cocora & Salento}

2011-10-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

After a few days in Medellin we hopped on a super small plane and headed to Pereira to visit our good friend, Pastor Juan Salas. Juan has stayed with us on two occasions in California and has become a dear friend to us so we really wanted to go see him and his family while we were in Colombia. We worked with his church while we were there and Aaron preached on Sunday morning and also at a leadership gathering. Our time in Pereira was so wonderful and I loved every moment!

*All images were shot with my Canon G11 point and shoot

The streets of Pereira

Aaron teaching at the church

On Sunday afternoon they took us to Valle de Cocora. This was the view of the whole valley. Stunning!

Our friends from Colombia

This was at the bottom of the valley

There were a lot of beautiful horse trails and Aaron rode a horse for the first time!

On our last day on Pereira a sweet couple from the church took us to Salento for the afternoon. I instantly fell in love with this little town. I could have walked up and down the streets all day!

New friends :)

On our last night we went to a Jesus Adrian Romero concert. It was amazing! We were sitting six rows from the stage and the evening was a perfect end to our stay in Pereira.

Colombia {Medellin}

2011-10-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

We are back from our trip to Colombia! Aaron and I had such an amazing time and Colombia has easily become one of my favorite countries that I have visited. We first arrived in Medellin, a beautiful and bustling city and home to Cristo para las Naciones Comombia. Aaron taught for three days in the classroom and we really enjoyed getting to know the students and staff. From there we flew to Pereira for a few days but that will be another blog post. For now, here are a few shots from around Medellin.

Unfortunately my Canon 5D did not make the trip with me so these photos are from my point and shoot. It was when we were unloading the bags from the car at 5:30 am at LAX that I realized my camera bag was at home on the couch and not in the car! That's ok, I think my Canon G11 held up pretty well :) Enjoy!

Aaron teaching at the college

A beautiful view of the city at sunset

Our friend took us to a production of "El Escudero Fiel" (The Faithful Squire,) the story of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. It was put on by a theatrical group called "La Tartana" (The Clunker.) It is a very cool company that uses the arts to impact the community.

Taxis at the airport

The teeny tiny airplane we took to Pereira

My view during our flight :)

Aquarium of the Pacific

2011-09-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm all packed up and we're leaving for Colombia early tomorrow morning! I am so excited to be back on a plane and living out of a backpack just like old times :) I know I am going to miss Talia like crazy over the next ten days but I know she's in good hands and will be spoiled to the brim by her Grandparents. Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures while we're out there.

Until then, here are some photos from a trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Talia and I spent a day there with my mother-in-law, her sister, and their niece's sweet kiddos. It was a blast and the two girls especially enjoyed it. Since then, Talia has been obsessed with sea animals of all sorts: sharks, turtles, dolphins, fish, sea lions, whales, jelly fish, octopus... she loves looking at pictures of them and hearing their names. She's getting so curious, I love it.

Talia and Kaelyn

Love these next two of Kaelyn, so cute!

This was probably one of Talia's favorite parts of the day, hanging off the rails... :)

diy {burlap cork board}

2011-09-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I gave a little makeover to our bulletin board at church, a project that was inspired by this message board from Ballard Designs. I loved the simplicity and the low cost of the project and so I had been wanting to make one on a smaller scale for my own personal space. This week I finally got around to it and do I ever love the results! Want to make your own? You know you want to :)
Here are the steps...

What you'll need:
- cork board
- fabric (I used burlap but you can use whatever you like.)
- upholstery tacks (I found mine at Jo Ann Fabrics)
- scissors
- staple gun
- hammer

Cut out the fabric a few inches bigger than your board.

Staple the fabric to the back of the board.

Push the upholstery tacks around the edge of your board. I placed mine about an inch apart.

Hammer in the tacks and continue all the way around the board.

And that's it! Easy right? Oh, and I also glued some old buttons to thumb tacks to make pretty pins for my board.

Happy Friday!

hello september

2011-09-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

September is here! The temperatures may still be in the triple digits but just knowing that Fall is around the corner makes me happy. I'm also excited about this month because in 2 weeks Aaron and I will be heading out to Medellin, Columbia for 10 days. Aaron will be the guest speaker at Cristo Para las Naciones. I am really looking forward to it!

On another note my hard drive bit the dust last week. That's never fun but thankfully I had most everything backed up and after a trip to the Apple Store I was up and running in just two days. And thanks to Time Machine all my documents and applications were just as I had left them. How's that for awesome? Just another reason why I love Apple...

Speaking of awesome, one of my good friends is giving away one of my bird nest necklaces from Poppy and Pine on his website. Check out Johnny Jaquez Photography for the details. Good luck!

San Diego

2011-08-29T00:07:00.000-07:00

We made a quick little trip down to San Diego for a few days this month. It was nice to get away for a couple days and spend some time with the family. I didn't snap too many photos but I thought I would share a few shots from our little mini vacation.

My handsome nephews

We spent a day at Seaworld

Talia loved the shows!

Me and my girl

Talia liked napping in big comfy hotel beds.

bath time!

diy {magnets}

2011-08-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning out my craft space (or as my family jokingly calls it, "the factory") and I came across a few miscellaneous objects that I thought would be good to use for a project. Here are the items before: some flat glass marbles, unfinished wooden squares, and bottle caps. Now they are super cute magnets for my fridge! Scroll down to see how I made all three styles...

Glass marble magnet

-Trace the marble onto the paper that you want to use.
I used pages from an old US road map but you could use whatever you like.

-Cut out the shape

-Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front of the paper and smooth it onto the glass marble.

-Place a small dot of Gorilla Glue (or E6000) to the magnet and place it on the back of the marble (I placed a book on top of the magnets for some pressure while it dried.)

And voila, lovely map magnets!

Bottle cap magnets

-Cut a circle the size of the inside of the bottle cap. My 1 inch circle punch happened to be a perfect fit.

- Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the back of the paper and place it inside the bottle cap.

-Starting with the outside edges, fill the cap with dimensional craft glaze. It will be cloudy at first but it dries clear. Allow 24 hours to dry.

-Place a small dot of Gorilla Glue (or E6000) to the magnet and place it on the back of the bottle cap (I placed a book on top of the magnets for some pressure while it dried.)

Ta da! Colorful and cute bottle cap magnets.

Wooden square magnets

-You can leave the wooden squares unfinished or you can paint them, stain them or color them.
For these squares I applied a coat of sepia decoupage.

-Cover the square with self-adhesive lace and trim the edges.
If you don't have sticky-back lace you could use Mod Podge to apply lace trim to the square.

-Place a small dot of Gorilla Glue (or E6000) to the magnet and place it on the back of the square (I placed a book on top of the magnets for some pressure while it dried.)

And there you have it, darling and unique wooden square magnets!

Here are all three styles together. I love how they look on my fridge. What one is your favorite?

and the winner is...

2011-08-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Amy and thank you everyone who participated in the giveaway!

If you didn't win, it's all good because I have a promo code for you that is good for 10% off everything in my shop! You have from today until Sunday (Aug 21) to use the coupon. Use the code: TAKETEN

Have a great weekend and stay tuned for a fun little DIY I have been working on.

giveaway!

2011-08-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the launch of my new online store, poppy& pine I am doing a giveaway! One lucky winner will be selected to win this very sweet bird nest necklace.

To enter:
Visit poppy & pine then come back and leave a comment telling me one of your favorite items.

For additional entries you can:
- Join this site with Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
- Tweet about the giveaway with a link to this post
- Write a status on your facebook about the giveaway with a link to this post
- Blog about the giveaway and include a link to this post

Leave a separate comment for each one that you do.

This giveaway ends on August 18, 2011 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be chosen randomly. Check back Friday morning to see if you won.

Good luck!

poppy and pine

2011-08-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

It is my pleasure to introduce you to my new online store, poppy & pine! That's right, I finally set up shop over at Etsy (the best online handmade marketplace) and I will be selling my bird nest necklaces and hair accessories. Over time I'd like to include a variety of items that I make but for now that is what I am starting with. Please go check it out, I'd love your feedback! --> poppyandpine.etsy.com

So why the name "poppy & pine" you ask? Well I wanted a name with a meaning and that represented me so I took a symbol from each of my two dear homes, Canada and California. The Lodgepole Pine is the provincial tree of Alberta which is where I was born and raised and the California Poppy is the state flower of California which is my current home.

To be honest, I had been wanting to do this for a long time but I always came up with some excuse or another why I couldn't. Finally, last weekend I decided I was just going to take action and do it. I gave myself a week deadline and made a list of things I needed to do. Each day I checked something off the list until everything was done.
I needed to stop analyzing and being anxious and start doing. Kind of like this...

{source}

I know maybe an Etsy store doesn't seem like a big deal, but for me it is. It was something I wanted to do, was too scared to do, and now I've done it.

Maybe there's something you've been wanting to do for who knows how long. I encourage you put your fears and excuses aside and stop getting overwhelmed with the whole process. Just do one thing today that puts you in the direction of where you want to go. Fill out that application, write the email, set up the account, make the call... whatever it is, "just start."

cousins

2011-08-12T00:13:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I did a mini photo shoot of Talia and her cousins for my mother in law's birthday. After all what does a grandma love more than photos of her adorable grandkids? :) One of my favorite locations for photos is downtown Redlands. I just love the urban feel of it and so that is where we headed for the afternoon. Here are some of my favorites...

In other news, I have been working on something all week that I will be sharing with you on Monday. It is something I have been wanting to do for a long time and after a lot of thought and prayer and encouragement from friends I finally decided to jump in and do it. I am very excited and nervous and happy and terrified all at once!
So have a wonderful weekend and check back on Monday for my exciting announcement.

love it

This is right about when Talia was done with pictures and she let us know it ;)

the fab five

San Clemente

2011-08-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

A few weekends back we drove to the coast with my sister in law and her kiddos and we spent a day hanging out at the San Clemente Ocean Festival. This was my first time there and I absolutely loved it! There was so much to do and see and the kids really enjoyed it too. Here are some photos from the day. Enjoy!

surfboard paddling race

Audrey and the kids

oh hello!

diy {spray paint makeovers}

2011-07-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

If you are a lover of thrift stores and yard sales (like me) then spray paint can be one of your very best friends. It is one of the quickest and easiest ways to transform and makeover a secondhand find (or give new life to something of your own.)

Here are a few very basic tips:
-work in a well ventilated area
-the object should be dust free and dry.
-use primer!
-apply thin multiple coats
-follow the directions on the can for safety tips and recoat times

Here are a few of my latest spray paint makeovers:
This wooden leaf tray wasn't in too bad of shape before but now it looks crisp and clean with a few coats of white. It makes for a very cute catchall for my jewelry.
BEFORE

AFTER

I liked this old candle holder's rustic and antique look. I actually had it for a while but then decided to give it new life with some metallic spray paint. Now it is a lovely holder for my earrings.
BEFORE

AFTER

I don't know why a lot of my projects turn into jewelry organizers, I don't intend it that way but that's just how they come out! But since we're on the subject, here's a fun idea for you. Ever since I saw this picture on Pinterest I have been on the lookout for an old garden rake. I just happened to drive by a yard sale over the weekend so I stopped to take a look. I didn't find anything that peaked my interest so I was just about to leave when I saw this...
BEFORE

AFTER
All it needed was a little spray down with the hose and now it it a cool necklace holder.

Have a great weekend!

20 months

2011-07-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

My little girl is 20 months old today. I can't believe how big she is getting!
It is so fun to see her sweet and fun little personality develop as she grows.
Talia loves to sing and dance and give kisses and hugs. Her current obsessions are Yo Gabba Gabba, bubbles, water, balls and anything to do with babies. She loves to run around the backyard with our dogs, Bob and Marley and she loves to spend time in the pool.
She is a little fish and can float and tread water all by herself (with the help of her arm floaties.) She gets a kick out of jumping into the pool (with me or her dad there to catch her) and has lately found it more amusing to jump from a higher spot which she achieves by climbing onto the lounge chair and jumping from there. She has no fear I tell you...
I love her so much and I love seeing her grow everyday.
Here are some photos I snapped of her a few days ago. I was doing a little photo shoot of the grandkids for my mother-in-law's birthday and I couldn't help but capture a few shots of her just doing her thing.

Newport

2011-07-26T15:24:00.001-07:00

Earlier this month we had a little family getaway at Newport Beach and spent a few days enjoying the sun, the sand and the waves. Talia and her cousins always have a blast together and she loves hanging out with "Nama" and "Gampa." We definitely had a lot of fun and here are some photos of our trip. Where are you going this summer?

Talia liked getting buried in the sand

We spent one afternoon at Newport Dunes. I want to come back and go camping on the beach!

The Lab

all the boys

I love these stairs at The Camp

Our church had a beach trip at Balboa so we met up with them and had a great last day at the beach!

Talia and her best buds, Kalynn & Ezra

Kalynn

This one cracks me up! Talia was sitting in her little chair, talking up a storm into her green bucket. I think she liked the echo sound :)

Ezra

my girl loves the swings

The perfect end to the day was an evening bonfire with good friends

diy {upcycled & repurposed jewelry}

2011-07-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

I was browsing around World Market the other day and came across a cute set of napkin rings which had landed itself in the clearance section due to the fact that it was short a ring. This didn't matter so much to me since I had different plans for these rings anyways.

I disassembled the rings a restrung the beads onto stretchy cord. I had just enough beads to make two bands.

I tied both bands together with a ribbon bow and just like that my clearance napkin holders became a cute bracelet!

And then there's this necklace. I picked it up at a thrift store a long time ago but I just never wore it. I considered adding it to my spring cleaning pile but then I decided to take it apart instead and see what I could come up with :)

I removed the chain and on one of the strands I tied on some cream ribbon and added a pretty felt rosette. Voila.

Oh and if you're wondering how to make that felt rosette here's how...
1. cut a circle
2. cut a curvy spiral into the circle
3. begin rolling from the center until all the felt is wrapped up
4. secure with a little hot glue

So those were my little jewelry "re-dos" that I came up with this week. I suppose this wasn't so much a diy post as it was hopefully a way for you to see that with some really easy and simple changes you can give your jewelry a new look or even create some jewelry out of items intended for something else. I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Laguna Beach

2011-07-10T23:35:00.000-07:00

Aaron and I enjoy Mondays as our day off. Sometimes we make day trips to the beach or we'll take a little drive to Palm Springs or San Diego. On other days we visit the library, go on a walk to the park, or rent a movie and order Chinese. Whatever we do, we do it together and we've really made it a priority to make Monday a family day. Well, it was on one of these days off that we made an impromptu day trip to Laguna Beach and brought along our friends, Juan and Raquel and their sweet daughter, Alana. It was such a wonderful day made even better by spending it with good company. Here are a few photos I snapped of our trip to the beach. Enjoy!

Raquel & Alana

the two loves of my life

love.

amigas

A few things...

2011-07-04T23:26:00.000-07:00

First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Talia was absolutely enamored with all the fireworks and would emit such enthusiastic "oohs" and "ahhs" whenever she saw them explode in the sky. Is there nothing better than experiencing the world through the wonder of a child? I love that about her.

Second, I am happy to share with you a website that one of my good friends is launching tomorrow (July 5.) Booya Deal lists one deal a day at an awesome price and features local businesses in Orange County. I am very excited about the first product they will be presenting, a beautiful necklace from 31 bits! This is a wonderful company that empowers and gives opportunity to women in Northern Uganda. So check them out and make sure you head on over to Booya Deal for a sweet 50% off deal!

Finally, here are a few more pictures from the last bit of our trip to Canada last month. It took me a quite while to get to them but without further adieu here they are!

We met up with my grandparents one afternoon at Saskatoon Berry Farm in Okotoks.

Talia and her Great Grandma

We found a pretty field to have a picnic lunch at

We also spent one morning at Lake Bonavista. I have so many memories here as a kid and it was neat to see my own daughter enjoy it too.

Of course we had to stop in for a bite to eat at my Grandma and Grandpa's house.

I love this... Having a spot of tea with the great grands.

The night before I left I was driving back to my parents's house and I pulled over to take this photo. The clouds were just so lovely as dusk was settling in and I couldn't resist!

homemade cards (the quick and easy version)

2011-06-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

I love giving homemade cards. Come to think of it I like giving homemade... everything! I especially like cards though, they are a simple way to add a nice thoughtful touch. Recently I found myself needing to make 8 cards for 8 lovely ladies but I was a little pressed for time. I thought of just using this pack of cards I found at the dollar section of Jo-ann but then I wondered if there was a quick and easy way to spice them up a little bit.

Yes, yes there was :)

I used this tutorial to make the flowers. Believe me when I say that these are easy. Just a bit of cutting, rolling, a dab of hot glue to secure and you have yourself a lovely little rosette.

I made a bunch of these pretty flowers (I especially like the book page ones) and cut out some leaves.

Then just glued them to the cards, done! Now my dollar pack of cards had a nice homemade touch and they only took a little time to make.

Here are some other dollar pack cards that I added a few simple elements to to make them pop. It is a nice solution/shortcut if you don't have much time to spare.

2011-06-22T21:37:00.001-07:00

You know when you come across something so fantastic that it just has to be shared? Well friends, let me introduce you to Pinterest. If you are already a Pinterest user then you already know just how awesome and brilliant it is. If you're like "Pinter-what? What's that?" prepare to be awed and amazed! :)

Pinterest is basically a way to visually bookmark and organize all those projects, inspirations and sites you want to remember. You can create personalized categories (boards) to organize your "pins" and a link to the source is saved along with the photo. Pretty cool huh? You can also browse through everyone else's pins for even more inspiration and "repin" what you like.

If you want to join in on the fun you can either request an invite from the site (which can take quite some time to receive) or you can be invited to join by a friend who has an account. If you leave a comment with your email address I'd be happy to send an invite your way!

You can follow my boards on Pinterest here.

Here are some samples of a few of my boards...

Inspiring Rooms

Projects to make

Wardrobe

For the home

Well Said

Party Ideas

diy {jenga keychain}

2011-06-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

A while back ago I purchased a Jenga wood block game on sale for just $3.99. I thought to myself, "I'm sure there's something cool I could make with all these wooden blocks..." So I brought them home and began to think of a way to use them and this is what I came up with, Jenga keychains! These make great gifts and are sure to liven up any old set of keys. Going on a trip this summer? Save a map from your vacation and make your own souvenir keychains with your kids.

Here's what you'll need:
-wooden block
-decorative paper (scrapbook page, map, sheet music, pretty wrapping paper, pages of a book, ect...)
-screw eye
-key ring
-round nose pliers
-mod podge
-brush
-pencil
-scissors

Use the pliers to screw the screw eye into the top of the block.

Trace the sides of the block on to the paper and cut them out. I cut mine slightly smaller so that I could have a nice wooden border around each paper.

Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the back of each paper and place them on the Jenga block. Make sure to smooth out the paper to prevent air bubbles.

Allow a few minutes to dry completely and then apply a thin layer of Mod Podge around all the sides. It will go on white but dies clear and provodes a protective seal.

Now just attach the key ring, throw on a few keys and admire your lovely new keychain!

I made this one from a map that we used when we went to Yosemite last summer

So many possibilities... What are you going to put on yours?

Kananaskis

2011-06-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

Just a short 20 minute drive from my parent's house is beautiful Kananskis Country. We spent a wonderful afternoon together enjoying the breathtaking scenery along the Elbow River. The sky was looking pretty ominous that day but thankfully it didn't start to rain (and hail!) until we were on our way home. I am already making plans in my head to do some camping and hiking next time we are up here and perhaps when the weather is a little more accommodating. Here are some photos from the day.

Forget Me Not Pond

love.

Deadwood

Elbow Falls

Talia emulating Little Bo Peep :)

Greetings from Canada!

2011-06-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

Talia and I traveled up to Canada at the beginning of the month to visit my family. Aaron had flown up the day before us to attend a conference in Canmore so it was just me and T. I'll admit I was a little nervous to fly alone with her but she did really well and we both survived (with the help of some dollar store toys, Yo Gabba Gabba episodes, crayons, and juice boxes.)
Here is a little modge podge of the first few days of our visit...

We spent one morning at the Calgary Zoo with my sister and nephew, Zack. He isn't usually too interested in the butterfly gardens but my sister told me that he insisted that we take Talia there because he wanted her to see the butterflies :)

She loved the carousel...

and the train...

and pretending to be a cute little joey with her cousin.

I very much enjoyed all the pretty scenery around my parent's house in Priddis

lovely.

Sitting in Grandma's chair

I love to see them play together

My handsome little nephew. (This is the look he gave me when I told him that I have a dinosaur that lives in my camera lens... works like a charm!)

And this little guy is going to be a big brother in October. Can't wait!

One last cousin shot :)

featured on ohdeedoh!

2011-06-11T23:51:00.000-07:00

My yarn wrapped letter tutorial was featured on ohdeedoh this week! Ohdeedoh is Apartment Therapy's kid design blog and a wonderful place for inspiration and ideas. It was so exciting to see my project on one of my very favorite websites. Yay!
In other exciting news, Talia and I arrived back home today after a lovely trip to Canada to visit my family. We had such a great time and I'll be posting some photos of our trip this week. It's good to be home :)

diy {cake stand}

2011-06-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

I am loving these beautiful diy cake stands and cupcake platters. For such an easy and inexpensive project the results are quite marvelous. These lovelies are great not only for showcasing sweets and treats but can also be quite nice for displaying jewelry (as shown above) or a pretty "catch-all" for keys and loose change.

Ready to make your own? Here is what you'll need:
-plate
-candlestick (you can also use a sundae dish, a drinking glass, a little vase... basically anything with a sturdy base and a flat top)
-epoxy glue (I used E-6000)
-a few heavy books

Following the directions, apply the epoxy glue to the top of the candlestick and position it on the back of the plate

Place some heavy books on top to weigh it down and let dry overnight

Now make something yummy (I opted for blueberry muffins) and admire your beautiful and thrifty treat platter!
Just as a side note, I picked up both this large plate ($3.50) and the candle holder ($1.50) at my local thrift store. When I got home I saw that the plate was actually a Kim Parker Chickory Hymn buffet plate that I found selling online for a whooping $24.99! Pretty sweet deal if I do say so myself.

I am warning you now that once you start making these you won't be able to stop! You will begin to see cute plates and candle holders everywhere.
Case in point...

Melamine plates from Target and candlestick from Dollar Tree

Plate from World Market and candlestick from Dollar Tree

And here's another look at my cheery yellow jewelry holder
Plates from World Market and candlestick from Dollar Tree (primed and spray painted white)

Orange and Palm Springs

2011-06-03T00:14:00.000-07:00

In the last few days that my parents were here visiting us we took them to Orange Circle for some lunch at Felix Continental Cafe (best Cuban food ever!) and to browse around the antique shops. I love checking out all the fun stores (as I try to explain to my husband why I need that old rusty wire basket and how I can't live without those paint chipped window panes...) Ok those were a no but I did come out with a gorgeous antique frame and a lovely set of iron keys :)

We finally ended up in Palm Springs and had a nice relaxing day of lounging by the pool, shopping, and a yummy dinner at Las Casuelas (great Mexican place with live music every night, it is a must if you are ever in the area.) With that we parted ways and said our goodbyes. It was so nice having my parents come visit us and we had such a wonderful time with them. Here are a few final shots of our mini vacation. Enjoy!

love this

oh hello...

Having too much fun :)

so sweet

me and my girl

One last shot with Grandma and Grandpa before we say goodbye...

diy {yarn wrapped letters}

2011-05-26T00:19:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of yarn wrapped... everything! You can give ordinary objects a cool and aesthetic look simply by wrapping them in yarn and best of all this technique is inexpensive and easy to do.
I also love monogram letters so how could I not help but combine the two?
I had already made a monogram letter for our daughter so for this project I used the initials of my husband and I. Here are some tips if you want to make your own.

All you will need is a paper mache or wooden letter, yarn, scissors and a glue gun. (I just used a few dabs of hot glue here and there to secure the yarn especially at the ends)

With the "A" I began by wrapping the yarn through the opening to cover the inside

Then I wrapped the yarn horizontally across the letter and finished it off by wrapping it vertically.

The "S" I actually found a little more difficult because of the curves and it just required some extra patience...

I wrapped the ends first so that they were covered

Then I proceeded to wrap the yarn around the shape of the "S" until it was all covered

I think they look great on the dresser in our bedroom, the texture and pop of color is just lovely.

They also look pretty cool on the cabinet in our living room.
fyi...
- All of the items on the dresser and cabinet are thrift store finds!
- I used this tutorial to make those colorful scrap paper branches.
- What's that up top? Oh those are just some paper lanterns, tissue paper pom poms and coffee filter pom poms that I made and put up for Talia's first birthday bash. Why are they still up 6 months later? Because I like them :) They feel festive and party-ish and make me happy when I walk by them.

Here are some close up shots of the letters...

I am liking these a lot...

Huntington & Balboa

2011-05-22T23:10:00.000-07:00

While my parents were here visiting us we spent a lot of time at the beach. They were just coming out of a prolonged winter that seemed never ending so they were quite eager for sun, sand and waves. I have to say, it has been over 5 years since I have moved from Calgary and of all the things I miss, those harsh winters are not one of them!
One morning we hung out at Huntington Beach and in the afternoon we headed a little south to Balboa Beach (one of my favorites.) Here are some shots from the day, enjoy!

I love walking the streets of Huntington Beach

Charming Balboa Beach

My mom and I

iphoneography

2011-05-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

I have a love of documenting.

There are so many things I want to remember and I think that's why I have such a love for photography, and why I have kept a blog for the last 5 years and why I have a little journal that I have been writing in everyday since Talia was born. Life happens so fast and I love looking back and remembering moments that might have otherwise become past recollection.

Because I always have my iphone on me I use it quite a lot as a camera to capture those moments that are here one second and gone the next. Here are some of my favorite shots from the past few months all captured on my iphone.

Aaron snapped this first one with his phone. I love it so much and actually got it developed as an 8x8.

wanna play?

she loves bathtime

all dressed up for an 80's party

beauty

Love this one. She is 1 going on 16...
Reminds me of that subaru commercial that makes me cry every time. (and while we are on the subject of tear inducing commercials, this one takes the cake!)

no dollies for this girl but a red cyclops monster? Takes him everywhere! (Muno from Yo Gabba Gabba)

bookworm

my fortune cookie that made me smile

The people at Radio Shack thought Talia was so cute and they gave her a phone! It's just one of those fake display ones but she doesn't know that :)

Mother's Day

My first attempt at making ceviche. So yummy and I'm happy it turned out well (thanks Karina for the tips!)

she is in her happy place

pretty architecture

We went to LA last night to see Jesus Culture at Club Nokia. It was amazing and the anointing over that band is just incredible. I love this shot of Kim Walker and Chris Quilala on stage. Here is one of my favorite songs if you want to give them a listen.

Me and Aaron at LA Live

downtown LA

Corona Del Mar

2011-05-16T00:21:00.000-07:00

My parents arrived from Canada last week for a little visit and we have been having a great time with them. We spent a few days on the coast and took them to some of our favorite spots. Talia sure had a fun time too and definitely proved herself to be a bona fide beach bum. She was totally in her element in the sand and waves, I can't wait to bring her back more in the summer. Here are a few shots from an afternoon we spent at Corona Del Mar.

Talia with her Grandma and Grandpa :)

Mother's Day

2011-05-12T01:01:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a few days behind in getting this post up but nonetheless I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's day weekend. I had an incredible day and it started off great with a delicious breakfast that Aaron prepared for me. After church we all headed over to Aaron's sister's house and spent the the rest of the day talking and laughing and filling our bellies with beef kabobs, ceviche and chocolate tres leches cake. Oh my! It was a perfect day and my heart was happy.
"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world.
It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."
Agatha Christie

They have such a sweet relationship

I am so thankful for the gift of being her mom :)

My girl loves strawberries. She inhales them, stuffs her cheeks with them,
and I love strawberry stained baby cheeks.
win-win

diy {fingerprint jewelry}

2011-05-07T01:32:00.000-07:00

Have you seen those personalized fingerprint necklaces? I think they are stunning and as a mom I love the concept of a piece of jewelry with my child's fingerprint on it. These beautiful sterling silver pendants usually come with a pretty price tag of about $100-$200 so I began to think if there could be an easy way to make these lovely pendants diy style. I came up with an idea, tried it out and was quite pleased with the results. I think this is something every mom would love and this just happens to be Mother's Day weekend so if you're looking for a great last minute gift, you're in luck! Here is how to make your own...

Supplies:
-oven bake clay
-metallic spray paint
-~~clear acrylic coating spray~~ clear gloss polyurethane (Varathane, gloss-indoor) **see update below
-necklace chain
-jump ring and a clasp
-needle and pen (not pictured)

Take a small piece of clay, roll it into a ball with your hands and then use a pen as a mini rolling pin to flatten it out a bit.

Press your child's finger into the clay

With a needle make a small hole at the top.
Place the pendant onto a baking pan lined with foil and pop it in the oven. Follow the directions on the clay packaging for temperature and baking times. (I baked mine at 275F for 15 minutes.)
Spray paint the pendant with metallic spray paint and when dry, ~~seal it with the clear acrylic coating~~. **update** I found that the acrylic spray didn't give me the durability and protection I was looking for so for better results, use a clear gloss polyurethane (Varathane, gloss-indoor) to seal the pendant.
Attach a jump ring to the pendant, assemble your necklace and...

Voila! Simply stunning.

Here is a zoomed in photo so you can see the detail of the fingerprint.

diy {bird nest necklace}

2011-05-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

I have been seeing a lot of bird nest jewelry around lately. They are beautiful and I love the trend so I thought I would try making my own. These turned out to be really easy to make and require just a few simple supplies. This necklace would make a lovely Mother's day gift, which just happens to be coming up this weekend!

What you'll need:
- Jewelry wire (I prefer using a 24 gage because it is easier to manipulate but the 20 gage can work well too with the help of some round nose pliers)
- pearls or glass beads
- necklace chain
- jump ring and a clasp

Select the beads you want, string them onto your wire and arrange them as you'd like.

then simply wrap the wire around the beads

wrap some wire in the space between each bead (I like the look of three loops but you could just do one or two if you prefer)

this is what the back looked like. (In the other necklaces I attached a jump ring but on this one I just formed a loop with the wire.)

now attach a jump ring and a clasp to the end of a necklace chain

and this is what you end up with :)

I love how each one is so different

just to show you the difference between the 20 and 24 gage...

the two on the right were made with 20 gage wire and on the left is the 24.

The 24 gage is definitely easier to work with and manipulate and I like the delicate look of it but I also like the thicker look of the 20 gage

I think this one is my favorite

**Update: you can now purchase my bird nest necklaces via my online Etsy shop, poppy & pine. Cheers and happy shopping!

May Flowers

2011-05-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

It's May! Here's to enjoying beautiful spring colors and taking time to stop and smell the roses... or to take pictures of them in my case :)

And now for a few photos from the past week...
Talia turned 17 months a few days ago. She is getting so big and I can't believe that she will officially be a year and a half this month!

We have been enjoying beautiful weather in the 80's and 90's which means lots of time spent by the pool

Talia looked so sweet in her Easter dress

All three of us :)

She loves to give kisses

diy {freezer paper stenciling}

2011-04-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to give this project a try ever since I first learned about the cool things you can make with freezer paper. First of all, if you have never heard of freezer paper before, it is paper with a waxy finish on one side (not to be confused with wax paper which is waxy on both sides) and it can probably be found at your local grocery store right next to the aluminum foil and saran wrap.

The cool thing about this paper is if you place it with the waxy side down and iron it onto clothing or fabric it will stick! The adhesion is strong enough to stay on but light enough that you can easily pull it off when you are done with it.

I tried out this stenciling technique on some onesies for a baby shower I went to last weekend. I was so pleased with the results and I can't wait to try this on other things like pillows, canvas totes, shirts, cloth napkins... the possibilities are endless!

Ok so here is what you'll need to make your own stencils:

-freezer paper

-iron

-fabric paint

-makeup sponge/foam brush/small paint brush

-an electronic cutting tool (I used my Silhouette SD) but if you don't have one an exacto knife will work just as fine.

First I chose the images I wanted from the silhouette online store, laid my freezer paper waxy side down on the cutting mat and had my silhouette cut out the images. If you don't have a digital cutter then simply trace the image you want onto the freezer paper and cut it out with an exacto knife.

These are the images I chose. I was going for a cute nautical feel as you can see.

I ironed the stencil shiny side down onto the front of the onesie.

Then I put some cardboard inside the onesie to protect the back and painted away!

Because of the adhesive seal from the freezer paper you don't have to worry about the paint seeping through the edges. Lovely.

I let the paint dry overnight and then carefully pulled off the freezer paper.

I was so happy with the way they turned out! Very cute.

To give them as a gift I nicely folded them up, tied them with some twine and placed them in a brown paper bag. I embellished the bag with a doily, a cute little bird (cut out from my silhouette), and I used galvanized steel wire (20 gage) to spell out the baby's name.

Now go try your own! And if you do I'd love to see what you come up with :)

diy {letter art}

2011-04-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

I am loving these monogram letters! They are easy, fast and inexpensive to make and depending on the paper you use they can make great gifts for anyone from a baby to an adult. Here is a "T" I made for Talia's room. I embellished it with a crochet flower, a fabric yoyo, some pearls and an antique button.

Want to make your own? Here's what you"ll need:

-paper mache or wooden letter (I got mine at Joannes)

-decorative paper (scrapbook page, map, sheet music, pretty wrapping paper ect...)

-acrylic paint

-Mod Podge

-scissors, foam brush and pencil

Turn your letter over, trace it onto the paper and cut it out.

Paint the back and the sides of the letter with acrylic paint. You don't have to worry about the front since you will be covering it up.

After the paint dries, apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the front of the letter and place your paper on it. Make sure to really smooth out the paper from the center to the edges so you get out all the air bubbles.

Allow a few minutes to dry completely and then apply another thin layer of Mod Podge over the top of the paper. It will go on white but dries clear and provides a protective seal.

The finished product! I made it for a friend's baby shower last weekend and I think it will look great in Lucas' nursery :)

diy {onesie cupcakes}

2011-04-21T00:29:00.000-07:00

There must be something in the water because it seems as though so many people I know are pregnant (I can think of 9 off the top of my head!) I was actually just at a baby shower this past weekend and put together a fun gift (an idea I found here) so if you are looking for something cute and creative to bring to your next baby shower I have just the thing for you, cupcake onesies!
Here's the supplies I used:
4 onesies
4 receiving blankets
4 elastic bands
4 coffee filters
scissors
ribbon
a cupcake bakery box (you can get them at Michael's or Joann's)

First I folded up the receiving blankets until they were 3 inches wide

Then I laid a onesie over my fist and made an indent in the center

I took the outsides of the onesie a brought them in, tucking them into the center

I laid the onesie at the end of one of the blankets and rolled it up

Then I secured it with a rubber band

Finally, I placed it in a coffee filter and tied on a ribbon

Once I made all 4 cupcakes I placed them in the bakery box and tied it with baker's twine. Voila!

Instantly makes a simple package of onesies and blankets look so much cuter right?
Are you excited to go to a baby shower now so you can try it out??

I have two more diy gifts to share from this weekend and these next two can actually be modified to use for any occasion (birthday, mother's day, house warming...) or simply to make something pretty for yourself. :) Stay tuned...

Water Fountain

2011-04-18T00:24:00.000-07:00

Last Monday we spent a beautiful afternoon at Victoria Gardens. They have this great area for kids with a big grassy lawn, train rides, and Talia's favorite, the water fountain. This girl loves water (or as she calls it, "wa-wa.") I so enjoyed watching her run around, giggling and squealing in delight as she dodged in between the water jets. My little free spirit child will be one and a half next month and she is already such a fearless, outgoing, and adventurous little girl. Here are some shots I got of her playing in the fountain, enjoy!

love

pure joy

Me and my girl

Talia was playing in the water fountain when the train passed by.

My girl didn't miss a beat, off she went leaving a trail of wet footprints behind her.

Aaron snapped this picture with his iphone as she ran off and I love it.

To me it captures her little personality perfectly.

diy {wire fence frame}

2011-04-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

I love organization that is both functional and beautiful. I had been looking for a way to store all the hair clips that I make for Talia (yes, I make every one!) when I came across this project over at Under The Sycamore. I made my own version with a frame I found at a thrift store priced at $3.99, the frames just happened to be 50% off that day so I actually scored it for only $1.99! I don't have a before picture of the frame (because I was too excited to get started and forgot.) Let's just say it was in pretty bad shape but it was nothing a little spray paint couldn't fix. I love the finished product and it was so simple and inexpensive to do!
I decided to make another one to store some of my earrings and this time I remembered to take pictures :) As you can see the frame was priced at 1.98 but I got it during another 50% off sale so I picked it up for a mere 99 cents.

I removed the glass and backing and then cut a piece of wire to the size of my frame

Then I used a staple gun to secure the wire to the back of the frame

Easy right? The frame was pretty plain so I added some embellishments to dress it up a bit

Using Mod Podge I applied some crocheted lace trim and a bow I had salvaged from a pair of shoes that my dog had accidentally mistaken for an afternoon snack. I was going to attach the bow with a glue gun but then decided to use velcro sticky dots instead so that I could easily swap it for something else if I wanted to.

Ta da! So simple and lovely and since I already had all the supplies on hand this charming little earring holder only cost me 99 cents to make!

Let's look again at the frame before... and after! Love it :)

Update: you can now purchase my handmade hair clips via my online Etsy shop, poppy and pine. Cheers and happy shopping!

diy {chalkboard silver platter}

2011-04-11T01:58:00.000-07:00

I am slightly obsessed with the whole chalkboard look right now and lately I have been seeing some really cool chalkboard silver trays. I wanted to give it a try so I was pretty excited when I spotted this beauty for $3.50 at a thrift store.

First I taped off the edges with blue painters tape.

Then I used a foam brush to apply chalkboard paint. (I realized after that I should have sprayed it first with a metal primer but that's ok, it just meant I had to apply a few extra layers and now I know for next time.)

And this is the finished product! So lovely...

Oh and did I mention the trays are magnetic? A perfect spot for your diy magnets! (tutorial coming soon.)

Reflection

2011-04-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

{source}

I have been thinking about this a lot lately.

do what you love

love what you do

I have been mulling over it so much in fact that I took mini hiatus from my blog.

I haven't posted anything in almost 2 months and during that time I have been reflecting, assessing and thinking about... well, what it is that I love.

I live to create, I love getting new ideas and feeling inspired and I'm discovering that there are lot of different avenues of creativity that I am drawn to. Along with photography I also love DIY projects, home decor, thrift store transformations, and arts and crafts.

I have decided to widen the focus of this blog to all of the creative areas I am interested in and I am really excited to begin sharing more of a diversity of things that I create and am inspired by.

I hope you enjoy this new direction and as always I would love your feedback.
Cheers!

pretty in pink

2011-02-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

I took Talia to a pretty little field that I found right by our house and put on my favorite dress of hers. The last time she wore it was at her birthday party and almost came down to her ankles! It is amazing to see how much she has grown in just 2 1/2 months. I had been wanting to do a little shoot with her which is becoming slightly more of a challenge now that she is a very busy and very curious toddler who doesn't sit still for very long but I'm learning to be quick with my camera :) Here are my favorites, enjoy!

love.

this one makes me smile

She gives me the funniest faces sometimes

like this one...

and this one...

waving hello

big stretch!

Here is a little photographer note...

I shot all of these photos with my 50mm at f/1.6

When shooting with such a wide aperture it is very important to always focus on the eyes.

As you can see in the photo below I am focused on her eye but it is the eye furthest away from me leaving the closer eye a little blurry.

She had her dress lifted up for just a second so I had to shoot fast, and even thought the focus is a little off I'm still glad I caught the moment :)

This is what she was actually doing most of the time, playing with dirt and rocks :)

Thorn Family {Family Maternity Portraits}

2011-02-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

I was so happy when Orene contacted me for a portrait session with her family. I love documenting growing families and this family will soon be plus 1 with a little girl making her debut next month. We had a nice relaxed time walking around downtown Redlands and snapping some shots. I just have to say, I love what I do because I get to meet the greatest people and this family was awesome! Thank you for letting me capture this exciting time in your lives and I look forward to meeting your little girl in a few weeks. :)

Cooper, you are such a handsome little guy!

twenty six

2011-01-19T22:31:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday was my birthday and to celebrate we spent the day at the Getty Villa in Malibu. I had been wanting to check out this place for a while and I am so glad that we went! It was a beautiful day and I had the best time walking around, soaking in the beauty and architecture, and being with my two most favorite people in the world. It was a perfect day! What a great way to ring in twenty six...

happy birthday to me...

love this girl...

love this guy...

playing peek a boo behind the bush

Johnny & Cynthia - Wedding

2011-01-11T19:46:00.000-08:00

Back in December I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of my dear friends, Johnny and Cynthia. It was such a special and beautiful day and I was honored to be a part of it. Here are some of my favorites, enjoy!

A few details

Cynthia's family is very close and their tight bond was very evident throughout the day

The first look in downtown Redlands

Love this light...

Love it!

Nathan got this shot of all the guys

Love this shot of the bridal party

All the decor was stunning!

Cynthia was a radiant bride!

a beautiful and touching moment of prayer

The first kiss (shot by Nathan)

They had a great mariachi band

The first dance, love this shot!

This photo is what I like to call being at the right place at the right time.

I went up to the second floor to get a bird's eye view of the dance floor

and just as I got there I see Johnny being catapulted above the crowd! Awesome...

The reception was a blast! We all danced the night away :)

Love you guys, thanks again for letting me be a part of your day!

Banff

2011-01-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

We had a great last few days in Canada. I was just happy to just be with my family, visit with good friends and enjoy the snow. One of the things I did really want to do during our stay was go to Banff so that is how we spent the last day of 2010. It was beautiful and breathtaking but oh so cold!! We still had a wonderful time and enjoyed our new year's eve up in the mountains.

We attempted to do a trail but lasted only a few minuted before we headed back to the car in retreat and in search of warmth. I did manage to snap a picture of the view from the start of the trail...

My friend Cindy came along with us for the day.

love.this.girl.

After walking around town we decided to take a break from the cold and warm up inside the Banff Springs Hotel

Talia liked the unique furniture...

...and big open spaces to walk in

...and beautifully decorated Christmas trees

Thank you Cindy for taking the family shots of us :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T22:55:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful time with your families and friends today. We had a really great day and it has been even more special because my family hasn't been all together like this for Christmas since 2007! My sister went all out and cooked up quite the feast, everything was so delicious and I definitely need to go on a good walk in the woods tomorrow! It was a perfect day and my heart and and my tummy are happy.

Here are some photos from Christmas Eve when we took our girl tobogganing for the first time. Ever since we started planning our trip to Canada I couldn't wait to take Talia out in the snow. It's been so fun getting her all bundled up and seeing her enjoy new things, like soaring down a hill on a piece of blue plastic all by herself... (Just kidding, it was more like a gentle slope and she liked it, I promise!)

My favorite, I love this photo.

Frost makes everything lovely

Fun in the snow

2010-12-22T00:21:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Canada yesterday and we are so happy to be here! I am trilled to be spending Christmas with my family this year and we're looking forward to a great visit with them. We took Talia out in the snow today and she loved it. It is so funny to see her all bundled up, what a cutie!

she loves this...

Abigail Jireh

2010-12-06T00:07:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of meeting this little beauty in the hospital when she was just a few hours old and brand new to the world. We were so happy to see our good friends welcome their second daughter into their family. 10 days later I went to their home to capture some photos of Abigail. It was a wonderful session and she slept through the whole thing. Here are a few of my favorites, enjoy!

So sweet! One of my favorites.

Talia's Birthday Bash

2010-12-05T23:30:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun planning Talia's first birthday party and many late nights were spent hand making all of the decorations. When it all came together everything looked so beautiful and I couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate our little girl's birthday with all of our dear family and friends. It was a perfect afternoon filled with memories that I will treasure forever. Here are some details from the day...

Mini bunting for the cake The gift and goody bag table with a photo clothesline of Talia's first year Bunting and doily banners hanging from the ceiling The birthday girl in her birthday dress

Strawberry lemonade and cucumber water

Mason jar bouquets

The food table

The piñata!

Talia loved hitting the piñata

Love this one!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...Talia had her very own mini cake

She really liked getting into it... Sugar rush!! She sure loved her cake :)

one

2010-11-28T22:24:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that one year ago today we met Talia Holland for the first time.

From the moment she came into our lives we have been

crazy, undeniably and absolutely

in love.

She has brought such a joy and enrichment to our lives

and today she is one.

My heart is so full when I look back at the past year

and what a joy it is to watch my little baby grow into a little girl.

Happy Birthday Talia.

Love you to the moon :)

5 years ago...

2010-11-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

This happened.

Ladybug

2010-10-31T23:34:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween.

Here is our little lady all dressed up and looking pretty darn cute!

So is it just me or is anyone else finding it difficult to believe that November is already here?

This month is exciting because we celebrate our 5 year anniversary as well as Talia's first birthday (!!!)
We also have friends coming to visit and stay with us from Columbia and Argentina.
Oh and did I mention Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping? (I may or may not be one of those crazy people who goes to the mall at midnight.)

Looks like we have a pretty fantastic month ahead of us. Stay tuned for all the fun!