Well turns out it’s a big-girl obsession too. Here are some that I’m swooning over.

Take-away lesson: if you don’t have billowing curtains, hang something above the headboard for an extra dose of fabulousness. Noted.

Photos from: Domino, From the Right Bank, Little Green Notebook, Bryn Alexandra via Design*Sponge, photographer Bjorn Wallander.

Rachel McAdams, my choice for best dressed.

Sandra Bullock, Best Actress, looked stunning in sparkles and the night’s signature lip color, hot pink.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was gorgeous in florals.

This isn’t a great picture of Elizabeth Banks’ dress, but I loved it when she was presenting.

Call me crazy, but I think Miley looks grown up and beautiful in this gown.

Kristen Stewart’s dress was classic and elegant in an unexpected shade of matte inky silk.

All photos from People.

A little reminder.

Something for my bookshelf.

The perfect thing to wear with a pretty necklace and platform sandals.

*But you know, on a budget.

1. What is your day-job? How does that relate to blogging?

I’m a graphic designer by trade and work at a design agency in downtown Seattle. I do all kinds of print design but I tend to specialize in packaging. I’m fascinated by how people interact with packaging and how it can impact the entire product experience.

Blogging started on a whim for me and it was only natural for me to blog about design in some aspect. Right now the blog is a mix of design inspiration and all things crafty. Most of the work I do at the agency is for large corporate clients, so when it comes to the blog I tend to work in a smaller scale and do all the “pretty” delicate things that I don’t get to do at work.

2. What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day starts at 6am. I try to respond to a few emails and get caught up on Twitter before heading into work at 8am. By 6 I’m back home for a quick dinner with my husband and then it’s back to the computer until about 10:30. During this time I’m responding to emails and post submissions and scheduling the post for the following morning. If I have time I try to design and/or create crafts for either my Etsy shop or DIY projects for the blog. Time doesn’t usually allow for this everyday so most of my weekends are spent putting these together and photographing them.

Managing and fulfilling orders for my Esty shop is also part of my evening routine. My husband helps out in this department along with any and all IT support for the blog. He also edits every post for me since spelling and punctuation are not my strong suits.

Valentine bags were a hit in her etsy shop (and in the blogosphere!)

3. What do you love most about blogging?

I love the community! I am constantly in awe of how genuinely sweet and kind everyone is. Whether it’s readers or other bloggers, the generosity is amazing to me. I honestly expected it to be quite the opposite but I’ve definitely found that the craft blogging community in particular is overwhelmingly helpful. I recently got the opportunity to attend the Altitude Design Summit featuring many influential design and craft bloggers. Not only was I completely star struck but I was surprised to find the group as a whole, incredibly warm and friendly.

4. You post a lot of wedding inspiration. If you and your hubby could get married all over again, what (if anything) would you change?

Good question! I am constantly inspired by weddings and I always wish that I could do it over again just so I could incorporate some of those new ideas. One thing that I really wish I had done was wear some pretty yellow shoes to match my color palette. At the time I talked myself out of it since I figured only a few people would have ever seen them and it seemed frivolous. Looking back, I think it would have been a nice touch and it would have made for some adorable pictures. I’ve seen this trend more and more lately and I really enjoy it.

5. Where are some of your favorite places to go in Seattle?

My husband and I live in West Seattle and we recently discovered Lincoln Park. We love taking our dog for walks along the waterfront there. The views are just outstanding (even on a rainy day) and it’s a great place for the pup and us to get some exercise.

Her adorable dog Tula

We both come from big families where food was a major part of our upbringing so we love to go out to eat. Our favorite place to get breakfast recently is Spring Hill in West Seattle and my newest obsession is How to Cook a Wolf on Queen Anne. Hands down some of the best food in Seattle and I tell everyone to try both when they visit. Yumm!

6. Where do you find inspiration?

Luckily my job requires me to search for inspiration on a daily basis. If I happen to come across something that I like that doesn’t necessarily pertain to my project I’ll make a note of it and check it out later. I also read about 6 blogs on a daily basis that I find incredibly inspiring. Often times those blogs will spark an idea or direct me to another link that will inspire me. Since I can’t read all the blogs in my reader everyday, Twitter has helped me stay on top of what’s going on quickly as well.

Of course I still love the old fashioned magazines too. It’s sad that many of my faves like Domino and Blue Print are no longer around but I still have my Martha Stewart Weddings that I covet like nobody’s business. Real Simple and Better Homes & Garden’s are inspiration staples as well.

7. What happens to all your crafty projects after you’re finished blogging about them?

Hahahaha! I’s actually quite sad. I have a bookcase that I’ve started collecting them on top of. I’ve been afraid to toss them in case I ever needed to re-photograph or something but they’ve started to collect dust and it looks more like a sad grave than anything else. I really should try to think of a better use or way to display them.

8. What blog/design related accomplishments are you most proud of?

I think my biggest accomplishment so far has been that I actually started the blog, stuck with it by writing 5 days a week and my page views are now up to about 200k a month. I really started blogging quite naively and had no idea what I was getting into. Though it has taken over all my free time it’s been surprisingly rewarding and fulfilling. It is so much work to maintain but I really do love it.

On the more personal level, being approached by Target and having them sell my Owl Stitch Kit’s was a major highlight as well. I never thought that would have been a possibility and it was such a thrill and an honor.

9. Any advice for those interested in design or starting an etsy store?

Two of the best pieces of advice that I received when I was just starting out was to be consistent and do what you love. Consistency is what makes people trust you and come back again and again. Whether you blog once a week or 3 times a day, try to make a schedule so that your readers will know what to expect when they come back.

Doing what you love is not only important for you but for your followers as well. If you’re passionate about something it will come across through your writing or your work. If you’re not into it, that will also come across and inevitably someone that is excited about it will do a better job.

10. Five of your favorite things

1. I love 3 dimensional letter forms. Having studied type extensively in school I became enamored with letter shapes and have all kinds of these around my home.

2. Felt Food! Totally obsessed with this stuff! Now if only I was a kid again and had an excuse to play with it. *sigh…

3. I love vintage and ceramic keys. Much like my love for type and felt I like to collect these little works of art.

4. Reality TV. I am completely and utterly addicted in every possible way. One of my most embarrassing traits by far, but tuning in is my favorite way let go and relax.

5. Cinnamon Gummy Bears! If candy had sustenance I would probably forego all the boring stuff and only eat these little bundles of yumminess!

That’s why I’m so excited for The Urban Pantry to come out! This book by Seattle author and foodie Amy Pennington (also known as the “Go Go Green Gardener”) is destined to be loved and cherished by many urbanites who want “tips and recipes for a thrifty, sustainable and seasonal kitchen.” Heck, she could have just put my name on the cover with a big “BUY ME” sticker.

I got to take a sneak peek at the books contents (it will be in stores in April) and immediately added it to my Amazon wishlist. Pennington stresses the use of local and seasonal ingredients for the best meals, but it was her practical use of those pantry-lurkers that really brought me in. You know, the weird grain you bought for a 1/4 cup for a random recipe and the rest of it has been lurking on a shelf since then because, dang it, it cost like $10 and you can’t just THROW IT AWAY. Well Pennington likely has a recipe that uses it up. Along with some of those random spices that you accumulated. And she shares her tips for making sure you’re stocking your pantry with items you’ll actually use.

Sure, there were a few items I raised my eyebrows at (four kinds of flour, NOT including all-purpose?) but she follows up with great explanations of what each pantry-essential is used for and why. Do you know what kind of sugar is best for melting? Pennington does. And she has a recipe that will use it.

But this isn’t just a big shopping list (although she does have great time-saving tips like keeping a pound of bacon in the freezer for when you just need a bit for flavor, or keeping smoked fish on hand for when you are too busy to cook something BEFORE adding it to your pasta salad). She has a whole chapter on “kitchen economy” – using up the bits and pieces of every ingredient you buy. She also has great advice on how to properly store things like fresh herbs that might otherwise go to waste. And my favorite, a chapter on canning and preserving food, so the fresh strawberries you pick up this summer at the farmer’s market can still be enjoyed next December.

I can’t wait to get this book and read it front to back (even including the recipes and the gorgeous photography by Della Chen). This will really come in handy when we start harvesting from our little garden too! Interested? You can pre-order the book, or just wait for it to hit shelves this April.

Note: I did not receive any payment for this post or for links. I didn’t even get a free book. But if I do, I’ll be sure to get an extra one and definitely do a giveaway!

Our shop is starting with some art pieces, including photos by Ryan and myself, plus custom embroidery, all priced for the decorator on a budget – from $15 to $35. Soon we’ll be adding vintage finds and other treasures! Here’s a sneak peek (but you can see the rest right here).

Check out our new “shop” page, and email with your selections to purchase (we’re taking paypal only for now).

Sure, we may not have money NOW, but that doesn’t stop a girl from dreaming, right? I have a lot of projects up my sleeve, that are just waiting for a little financial support to get rolling. Luckily most of them can be budget-friendly.

For instance, we plan to upgrade from a full-size to queen-size bed as soon as we’re bringing in some more dough. It will mean a new mattress, new sheets, and new bed… and I’m thinking of a fabric covered headboard like the one above. Simple but lovely.

This is terrible, but remember WAY back when I asked for your opinions on framing my For Like Ever poster? Well I still haven’t framed it yet (please, no one point out that I’ve had this now almost two years, in its tube). It’s just always been a daunting task and extra expense that got pushed aside. Well I’m committed to actually getting it framed this time. I PROMISE. And if you’re curious, I did decide on white mat and white frame, as was the most popular choice.

We have two places in our apartment where I’d love to rip out the standard apartment-fixture or inset light and replace it with a Tole chandelier spray-painted a single color. Problem is, even on ebay they are running over $100. I mean, I don’t mind if it’s paint job is ugly as sin if it’s $50 or under. I’m just going to paint it turquoise or something anyway. Anyone got connections?

When I saw this wall of paintings on Jackie’s blog, I nearly died. My mouth dropped open and all I could think was “I WANT.” Well call me a collector, because when we have some benjamin’s lining my wallet, I’m headed straight to ebay and like five thrift stores to come up with my own fabulous little arrangement.

And lastly, I can’t help but dream of a pretty mish-mash of vintage china. I’m undecided if I want to slowly build a matching set or if I’d be ok with mis-matched. I’m thinking a full set, plus an assortment of tea cups and saucers. Just don’t know what pattern I want to commit to yet. Guess it’s lucky we have a little wait ahead of us before I can start splurging.

What have you got in the home-project hopper? Any projects you’re dreaming of completing but have to save up for?

Photos from: Home Sweet Home, Black and Spiro, Domino, Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle, and This is Glamorous.

Ryan is still looking for that job!

Way back before the holidays I shared with you guys that my man Ryan had lost his job. Shortly after that bomb dropped, I got word that my hours were being reduced at MY job. It was a sobering position to find ourselves in.

No word on the job front yet (anyone looking for a smart and savvy computer software engineer in Seattle who is interested in design and user interface?) but we are still kicking. We had just signed a new lease and spent money on our move (truck, furnishings, etc). Since then we’ve made quite a few adjustments to stay afloat. Since I know many of you may be in a similar situation, I thought I’d share some of our tricks.

1. Giving within our means. Since our news came right before the holidays, we knew we had to trim back and not go hog-wild on Christmas gifts and decorations. Therefore, our tree was decorated with mostly family ornaments. We made our gifts (Ryan made fudge and peppermint bark and I embroidered dishtowels). We only gave family gifts. We set a small gift budget for stocking stuffers for each other – our other gift was adopting Thisbe the following month. The holidays were just as special and crazy gifts weren’t necessary.

2. Creating a budget. It’s not rocket science. Read any financial advice blog or article and they’ll all swear that a budget will help curb your expenditures. We use an Excel document in Google Documents to track what each paycheck is covering. It’s also helpful to get the big picture, especially when factoring in those occasional costs like dental appointments or car maintenance.

3. Trim, trim, trim. As soon as we got all our recurring costs on a spreadsheet along with an estimated “misc” section, it was easy to see that some things needed to go. We already didn’t have costs like cable tv (we have an antenna), gym fees (not that we couldn’t use it), or crazy car payments. But Ryan had some video game and book subscriptions that could be cancelled. And I had some shopping habits to be curbed. We also set a goal of $200 for food for the month, which meant little to no eating out (once a large portion of our expenses). Everyone’s spending habits are different, but most people have some flexibility in trimming extras.

4. Grocery shop. One of the benefits of Ryan being home all day is that he has lots of time to plan our meals and cook for us, so unless we want sushi or pizza we’re pretty much set (we haven’t tackled pizza yet, but I’m sure he could do that too). Though we’ve only ever dabbled in coupon-cutting before, we now check the periodical ads and look for the best deals on our usual buys and for any special treats that we might plan our meals around. We also look for deals on anything we could freeze (such as ground beef) and have later. We try hard to plan meals so that we’re using up all our produce or foodstuffs that might otherwise go bad and waste money. We used some of our Christmas money on a trip to Costco to stock up on canned corn and diced tomatoes, cereal, chai tea (my special treat), and frozen chicken. Those staples stretch our monthly food budget even further.

5. Coupons. Like I mentioned, we’re not crazy coupon cutters. I don’t have time, and Ryan isn’t that fussy. But we do have an Entertainment book that I bought in the fall, and instead of “oops, forgot the book at home” we have pulled out the coupons that we definitely want to use (the zoo, Safeway) and know that is our first resource when planning a date. Most of them are buy-one-get-one-free coupons, which is great if a bunch of friends are going to a movie and we don’t want to be party poopers. We chose our anniversary dinner date out of the Entertainment book. I bought the book from a co-worker whose daughter was selling them for a school fundraiser. And it allows us to still splurge on a date once in a while without breaking the bank.

6. Bring the media home. One of the budget items that avoided the chopping block was our Netflix account. We did, however, commit to really using it and watching many movies to get as much from our money as possible. We also stream tv shows on Ryan’s xBox through Netflix, which helps make up for not having cable. For all the movies we see, we save a bundle not seeing them in theaters. We’re also big library users. Ryan loves to get cds from the library, and I usually bring home a stack of design books. Libraries have changed a ton since we were kids – the online resources are outstanding. Many even have passes you can check out for local museums or attractions FOR FREE. You’re already paying taxes for library service, why not make the most of it? (Disclaimer: I work at a library, so I’m all kinds of geeky for the cool resources you can find).

These are just some of the ways we’ve been able to save major dough each month without feeling the pinch TOO much. I’m sure you guys have a lot of great ideas too. And speaking of the whole economy business, how are you doing? Do you feel like the worst is over? How have you been staying afloat in the time being?

I did have a great weekend though!

Friday’s are off for me now (remember the whole hour-reduction business at work?) so I spent the morning/noontime running errands downtown, which I always love. It’s so fun to be in the middle of the city right before lunchtime. Did some boring bank stuff, picked up a gift for my friend’s bridal shower, ordered some custom mats for two small pictures (my housewarming gift to Ryan… in October… just getting around to doing this). Picked up some carnations because I was feeling too cheap to get the lovely hydrangeas.

Then surprise surprise, my friend Sara called and she was passing by on her way home from an interview south of here and she stopped by! It was such a wonderful treat to get to spend several hours walking and window shopping. And getting coffee, of course. Totally unexpected, but so fun. Then Ryan made us pulled pork sandwiches for dinner (we buy the pork already made, then make the sandwiches up with cheese and spinich, wrap in tinfoil, and get them all melty and gooey in the oven). Heaven.

Saturday I went down to Puyallup to see a friend’s new house she just bought! She’s in the midst of finishing up some plumbing issues that the house suffered during our severe cold-snap at the end of 2009 when the house was empty (before she got keys). So that’s a bummer, but the place was already looking great. Then Ryan and I had dinner with his dad and stepmom and hung out with them for a while. Ryan got schooled in the ways of the Wii by his 8 year old sister.

Sunday was chore day and we got started on a little spring-cleaning. Ryan even pulled out the oven from the wall and cleaned behind it. I sorted papers, did some laundry, touched up some caulking in the shower… it was quite the upheaveal. Then we took a little walk around the neighborhood where we haven’t really walked before (away from the stores and restaurants, haha). Everyone was out in their yards getting ready for spring. It was really such a beautiful day. I have some cool photos to go back and take for you guys. Since we were all inspired, we ended up at the RE store salvage shop in Ballard. Just to see what was there, since we don’t have any tiling or building projects up our sleeves just yet. Tons of stuff though. Any Seattlites planning a remodel or diy projects should definitely check it out.

Then home again with pizza for dinner and a little meal planning and grocery shopping. Ended the night with me on my computer (writing this!) and Ryan across from me reading a book. And in my quest for a meatloaf recipe, actually read The Pioneer Woman blog for the first time and now need (NEED) her cookbook. Anyone want to send one my way? Pretty please?

It’s supposed to start raining again this week but I did love this little taste of spring. What a lovely weekend. Did you do anything fun?