Couture Wednesday

I have decided today's sewing experiment is either an extreme avoidance of cleaning my kitchen, or my natural reaction to overdosing on Project Runway.  Either way, I sewed!!!  I bought this top because of its beautiful neckline detail, but after trying it on again, I realized I may have bought a maternity shirt (unless it's supposed to resemble a tent), so I decided to try to salvage it with needle and thread.

Here's before...

And after!

All good things must come to an end, so I'm off to snap out of my Project Runway contestant fantasy and clean that menacing kitchen.

August Bliss

I haven't posted in a few days so I figured today warranted two posts to share what I have been up to.  When I'm not romanticizing my wedding day (which I have justified since physics and statistics are about to take over my life), I have been spending much of my free time reading.

I am 1/3 of the way through Life of Pi by Yann Martel, and I am flying through its pages.  There have been a few noteworthy passages on religion and spirituality but the adventure story that it is races you past them, almost to the point that you forget.  Maybe it will require a second reading to digest the deeper parts.




Sometimes I feel like no one has more wardrobe breakdowns than me, so I am committing myself to be more fashionable.  I know this isn't true but this is one area I am prone to a pity-party.  As mentioned before, Crossroads on Hawthorne is my affordable fashion resource, and I did a little back to school shopping there today.  I limit myself to purchase only items under $10, which really helps boost my wardrobe.  I am trying to grow my hair out a little more before I go into a salon, but I hope my next haircut can be a little more fashionable than the last.  Last on my fashionista agenda is a make-up makeover, but that is a ways away.

Daniel's parents came into town to celebrate our engagement.  We had a wonderful dinner and got to show off our apartment.  It made me so excited to see my Mom here in June.  They gave me this infinity necklace as a "welcome to the family" gift.  I think it is so precious and so significant!  Not only does it symbolize what Daniel and I have decided to become, but also my love for Math.  I can't count how many times I have drawn this symbol.

Salt Lake City Sunflowers

The many upcoming wedding posts are mostly for my Mom to keep her up to date on our plans, but all are welcome to read!

We have hammered the subject of location for days but have finally reached a decision!  If the venue is available (fingers crossed!)  we want to have a morning ceremony on September 15, 2012 at the same place as my sister's wedding reception, The Brigham Young Farmhouse in This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City.  After the ceremony, we hope to turn the lawn into a bbq/picnic lunch for our guests, with yard games and blankets scattered throughout.

Later on, those who would like to continue the party with us can come out to eat for dinner.  It's going to be a very food-oriented celebration because let's be honest, we're all "only there for the food", and Daniel and I are major foodies.

Being such a picnic affair, I walked past some sunflowers today and I think they need to be incorporated in the decor.  What do you think?  I can see them (without the bees please) sprouting out of oversized tin cans with blue gingham ribbon.  Just an idea.  Many more to come!

Here's the Skinny

I am apprehensive about creating another post about reading but I had to tell you about a book on my shelf that gets more use than any of the others.  It's called French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guilano.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon this book at Borders in Salt Lake City in one of those sections you know you shouldn't be in if you want to keep any shred of self-esteem for the rest of the day.  But the title intrigued me so I bought it anyway and I haven't been able to part with it since.

It helped me stop running and start walking more (which has made me thinner than I ever have been).

It taught me to how to turn eating into a pleasurable hobby, from the shopping and cooking all the way to the first (and by the way the most enjoyable) bite.

I just like the common-sense of it all.  Basically it is a "How to" on living in your own skin.  I couldn't be more grateful for it because I used to go to extremes with running and exercising, eating salads every other meal, and weighing myself.  I haven't been on a scale for at least a year because this book taught me how to gauge my weight by how I feel and how my clothes fit.  I know my clothes fit and feel the same as they did last year so I am at the same weight!

Everyone's different, but this book is the basis for my staying-slim-philosophy.

Books for Books

I finished Little Green this morning, and it ended up being really good.  Some of it was hard to read because it was about domestic violence and 1970's drug culture, but it was based on the experiences of the author and felt very real.  It made it clearer to understand why women stay with the man that puts them in the hospital.  Very scary.

But now I needed a new book!  I have a nasty book habit (meaning I buy them instead of getting them free from the library).  I know it is going against every frugal bone in my body, but I never know when a book is going to grab me and force me to highlight the daylights out of it.  Some fine examples of books I can't let go of are Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, and The Feminine Mistique by Betty Friedan.

Despite the urge to splurge on books, I do have a way of saving some money when it comes to books.  Portland is home to the largest new and used bookstore in the world, Powell's City of books.

Lucky for me,  Powell's purchases my old books so I get store credit for new books.

I traded in these...

And got three new ones!

I know it's not the same as free, but I have new books that are all recommended by friends and I can't wait to dive in.

Fashion Finds

This is my latest score from today's shopping trip to Crossroad's on Hawthorne.  It has been at least a year since I have taken home this much from that store.  I haven't had any luck for awhile (including the time I went there with my sister--sorry Whit!!) but today I came home with five fashionable items for a total of $35!  My main motive for shopping today was to enjoy some retail air conditioning, but it was great to add so much to my wardrobe. :)

Oregon Zoo

Last night there was a picnic at the Oregon Zoo for Westin employees.  It was my first time to the zoo since I moved to Portland two years ago.  The Westin was where Daniel and I met so it was fun to tell close friends about our engagement.  I hope to get back to the zoo because we only had an hour to walk around.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend!

Daniel surprised me and proposed last night.  He really surprised me and asked me to marry him (on our now sacred futon) when he came home from work.  I was trying to beat the heat in a pair of his basketball shorts and a tanktop.  It's so fun to be completely caught off guard like that.  Since we have been talking about getting married for awhile, I would have had my suspicions every time we went out to a restaurant, but I had no idea about last night.  I love you Daniel!!

P.S> I got a little teary-eyed because the ring reminds me of my Mom's solitaire.  Simplicity is always in style.

How to deal

The question is...how do you deal with the days when there is no one to entertain yourself but little old you?  I tried to go on a walk today to get some pictures of Portland, but it was so muggy out, I only walked ten blocks before turning around.  My day was filled with alternating between my book, television, piano, internet, and standing in front of the fan to try to cool off.  I'm not frustrated though.  A few weeks from now when school and work start, I will be aching for a day like this.

Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf

CONFESSION: Tonight was at least the tenth time that I made this meal for Daniel and me.  It is so so good and I love it extra because it makes good leftovers.  I have tried other meatloafs but they don't compare to this one.

Originally I got the recipe from allrecipes.com.  You can get it here.

Domestic by Default

Today I cleaned my bathroom top to bottom, which is rare for me because it's usually the job I wait for Daniel to volunteer for, but I figure time off from school is the best time to get some deep cleaning done.  It's hard to admit but Daniel is a much better deep-cleaner than I am.  Shhhhh...  You wouldn't notice because there's no "before" picture, but I just bought two new shower curtain liners (for $5!!), one for the shower and one for the window, so my bathroom is sparkling even more than usual.



I say I am domestic by default because I don't get that joy from cleaning that I've heard others claim to have.  If I could avoid it, I would prefer not to do it myself!  Despite the agony of sweeping and scrubbing, I am pretty proud now that it's done.

Ladd's Addition

There is a funny part of our southeast Portland neighborhood called Ladd's Addition, where the streets run diagonally into a center turnabout, instead of the grid pattern like most of Portland's streets.  It is an awesome historic part of Portland (if you want to know more about it, click here.)  Before I understood the layout, more than once I found myself stuck on a longer walk than I wanted.

If you're prepared for a long walk down it's long shady streets, it's worth the trek.  There are many beautiful old houses and several rose gardens.  Daniel and I took a walk to get a newspaper this morning (for the coupons, not the news, although "Extreme Couponing" is threatening to ruin the coupon fun altogether). Technically, we didn't have to walk through Ladd's to attain a newspaper, but we couldn't resist the chance to take a few pictures.

        

A Vain Perspective

Today I caught up on my favorite fashion addiction -  Project Runway.  I can't believe it has already been four episodes!  Every season it feels like it passes by way too quickly.  Joanna Coles, Editor-In-Chief for Marie Claire was a guest judge on the show and she said two things that I hope will stick with me.  She said, "That's the point of fashion.  It's transformative." and "Clothes are emotional.  When you put them on, they make you feel something and they make other people feel something when they see you in them."



I loved this.  Sometimes I chastise myself for fussing so much over how I look and what I'm wearing, but sometimes the clothes I put on in the morning truly do dictate how I feel throughout the day.  Maybe I could start seeing my perceived vanity as a form of reverence.

Feeling like a Fraggle

I've been feeling like I live on Fraggle Rock lately because this is the view from my kitchen window.  They're tearing down the outdated Hawthorne Safeway to build an updated version.  I felt like it deserved the spotlight today because my apartment was shaking so much from the machines, you'd think there was an earthquake.  I like it when they cement though because that's real quiet and you hardly notice they're out there.  The machines kick up a lot of dirt (from the mound of dirt they stockpiled right next to the apartment), and the dirt gets into my windows, into the bathtub and on the kitchen floor.  I just keep telling myself how good it will be when I can just walk around the corner to grocery shop again.

I have finished The Help (such a sweet book!) and I have started reading a new novel.  I ran into it at Powell's Books today and I got so excited because the author, Loretta Stinson, was my advisor when I was thinking about majoring in English at Portland State!  I am excited to see what her novel will be like.  It is called Little Green and it is set here in the Northwest.

Flipflops and Photography

I bought new flipflops today!  The straps on my old ones were coming apart so I went to get some new ones today.  Funny thing is...on the way home I thought that I could fix my old ones with a hot glue gun and it worked!  So now I have two pairs of flipflops. Amazing.






I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite spots around the apartment.  Our style is a little accidental because we use what we have and what people want to give us, but as the apartment evolves, a definite style is pushing its way through.  I've decided to call it bohemian-nouveau.  Enjoy!

Cavity Day

I had two cavities filled this morning and now I am glued to my futon.  I didn't expect it to hurt this much but my dentist is lacking in the gentle department.  She even told me between novocaine and drilling that the anesthetic is only about 90% accurate and to raise my hand if I feel the drill.  If I was into preaching something, it would be preventative dental care because I don't want to repeat this morning.  My aunt once told me that the number one regret that older people have is that they didn't take care of their teeth.  Thanks to my mom for taking care of our teeth when we were little.  This is the first cavity I have ever had!

A Fashion Philosophy

Pearl earrings can be worn with anything and to anywhere
A good strapless bra solves quite a few wardrobe dilemmas
Black skinny jeans are a must
Cute shoes are worthless when you have to walk in the rain
No one remembers what you wore but they will remember how you smiled

So it has begun...

I'm not good without a focus.  When I was five years old I got the chickenpox and I drove my mom crazy until she finally got some homework from my kindergarten teacher.  I'm happiest when I am busy, and I am definitely not busy right now.

Today was the first day that Daniel was back at work and I am off from school.  I have tried to make the most of it, but it has been kinda miserable.  Although I tried to be prepared by buying a copy of Kathryn Stockett's The Help, today was still a jedi mind battle between me and the refrigerator.

I went on a walk this evening to try and clear my mind and come up with ways to survive the next six weeks until school starts.  So far I don't have any bright ideas except to keep doing something, anything, even if it means I go on ten walks a day.  I just can't fall into the trap of sitting around and feeling sorry for myself.

P.S> At least I'm reading something other than calculus textbooks again.  I am already 200 pages into The Help and it is wonderful...highly recommended.  It raises the bar for my next reading choice though so I hope it's not too hard to find the next read.

Wine Country

Our first trip to Oregon Wine Country!  Had a great lunch at The Dundee Bistro, and tasted a few excellent selections of pinot noir at Domaine Drouhin...not bad for a Monday.

Lazy Sunday Walk

Today Daniel and I went for a walk to Laurelhurst Park.  It's only about a 20 minute walk from our apartment.  We walk a lot in the summer.  I think we feel so pent up when its raining that we try to squeeze out as much sun-time as possible.

Roasted Red Peppers

A post about cooking...the first of many thoughts about one of my favorite pastimes.



I cook at home a lot and have become a lot better since I moved to Portland.  A few years ago I could barely make scrambled eggs!  But cooking is like everything in life...you have to try new things to keep interested.  The key is a good thick cookbook so you can always find something that sounds good to eat and adventurous to make.  These are my staples right now...



I also have been subscribing to Cooking Light this year and when I find a recipe that I want to make again I collect them in a recipe box (another one of my paper crafts).  It's a good way to get started.

Tonight I made Chicken Roulades, which is basically mozzarella, roasted red peppers and basil rolled into the center of a chicken breast like chicken cordon bleu.  The roasted red peppers were the most fun to make because I had never tried it before.  You just broil them for 8-10 minutes until they char and blister and then after they cool for 15 minutes, the skin peels right off.

It turned out really well!  And the extra basil was great with a tomato-cucumber salad.