indigo & dash

Granola Goodness

2010-02-27T17:02:00.000-08:00

Probably the easiest thing on my list for me will be to bake something new twice per month. I'm always baking something and have wanted to make granola for a few years but was always daunted by the options. And the cost (seriously, this was spendy, but oh-so-worth-it.)

As fate would have it, sometime last week I wandered over to Deb's site and the granola holy grail was laid before me. I had to try it.

So soft and chewy with the perfect amount of sweetness (as opposed to the nasty, fake sweetness in store-bought versions). It's a really flexible recipe with a lot of options. I chose to use dried apricot and cranberries, walnuts, pecans and peanut butter. I can only imagine the possibilities and would love to try it with dried berries and almond butter.

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part VI & V

2010-02-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

Maybe one of my items should be to post more frequently...

16) Volunteer with kids

17) Knit a scarf

18) Ride my bike to work during the summer

19) Go to the drive-in

20) Go to a National Park

21) Watch four classic, black & white movies

22) Change the oil in my car by myself

23) List 100 things that make me happy

24) Go vegetarian for a week

25) Go to the Oregon Caves

Rachel Thurston Giveaway

2010-02-03T18:24:00.001-08:00

Oui! How great is this giveaway by Rachel Thurston. Oh, and her photographs are pretty darn amazing to boot!

(image via Christina Heaston)

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part III

2010-01-25T17:47:00.000-08:00

11) Bake something new twice a month.

12) Take the train somewhere.

13) Pay off my two credit cards. (Eeeek!)

14) Apply to graduate school

15) Hand make all my Christmas presents.

(image via wildhearts)

In search of the perfect...

2010-01-19T17:41:00.000-08:00

Cross-body bag.

I haven't actually seen one I love in person. Which makes me believe they do not exist. If one did exist, it would look something like this...

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part II

2010-01-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

6) Attempt to make Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon (also on ice cream and peonies's awesome list!)

7) Host a dinner party

8) Put at least 5% of each paycheck into savings - baby steps, baby steps...

9) Kidnap Chase for another super-top secret adventure

10) Visit the Oregon Caves

(image via Tomorrow's Tea)

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part I

2010-01-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to make one of those lists where you're supposed to finish X amount of things before your next birthday. Honestly, I've always wanted to make a life list (a la Maggie), but I don't know if I can wrap my head around something that big quite yet.

My 25th birthday is coming up in a few weeks so I think I'll go for it. The list isn't complete, so I think I'll post it in installments. Ya know, to build anticipation.

And because I'm lazy and indecisive.

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part I

1) Go camping - I haven't done this enough the past few years

2) Go to at least three shows

3) Sew a dress

4) Make a killer birthday cake, complete with multiple tiers - for myself or someone else

5) Read a book per month - re-reading Harry Potter and/or Twilight do count. Ha.

Colorful Crazy

2010-01-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

I think this is one of the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. Seems like it would easy to do yourself, no? I don't know how it would fit into my decorating style, but I'd try to make room for it!

(via Apartment Therapy)

Food Clothes

2010-01-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

How cool are is this work by Katrin Schacke? I love the ice cream sundae one the best.

(via Pitch Design Union)

Daylight

2010-01-04T13:30:00.000-08:00

A little midday treat for you and yours.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T22:45:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is having a very Merry Christmas (and/or other wintertime holidays)! I'm pretty sure I've eaten my weight in sugar, mandarin oranges and ham in the past few weeks (eek!), but all in all it's been a great holiday.

Here's hoping for a great 2010!

I want to go to there

2009-12-18T10:21:00.000-08:00

I would go to NYC just to see the Bergdorf Goodman windows. Especially the sparkly one.

(all images from Bergdorf Goodman)

Our Tree

2009-12-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

Pardon the flash. And his crazy hair.

It's a little short. Or are we just freakishly tall? You'll never know.

This was the first real tree that we've had since we've been together. The past two years we've used a three-foot fake tree that I have affectionately deemed the Cancer Tree since it's branches are painted with lead. At least they warned me on the box so I could obsessively wash my hands after decorating it.

We got it at a lot from a man that Chase claimed was not toothless, but "tooth challenged" because technically he still had a few, therefore it wasn't fair to call him full-on toothless.

Two very annoying things

2009-12-16T21:35:00.001-08:00

1) The post office in December.
I definitely drove to not one, not two, but four post offices on Monday. Only to discover that all of the lines were so long they would make me late for work. I know, you're thinking...well maybe you should have just stayed at the first one instead of driving all over town. You would be right, because apparently everyone and their mother knows about the other three "secret" post offices that I thought only I was aware of.

2) Shrinking your clothes in the dryer.

Especially when it is a shirt you haven't had for very long. A piece of my heart dies with each shirt destroyed by the laundromat. Green shirt, we did not have enough time together.

P-p-poker Face

2009-12-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

Long Tall Sally

2009-11-13T16:14:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh. Hyperventilating. I just got a catalogue in the mail with clothing specifically for tall gals. I know, I know, it sounds awful. Like something your oddly masculine aunt Beatrice orders from - but it's not. It's awesome.

I don't know how Long Tall Sally got my address, but I am thankful and excited. This means...

...dresses that aren't too short!

...cute shoes for my giant feet!

...and perhaps the most exciting of all, coats with sleeves that go past my wrists!

Art of the Trench

2009-11-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

I love the new collaboration with the Sartorialist and Burberry, The Art of the Trench. It's so fun to see the different ways people don their coats.

I used to think of trench coats as a drab, old lady and insurance man staple, but for the past few months I've been dying to get my hands on one. This Old Navy one was part of their 50% off outerwear sale (for some reason it's full price online...), so I snagged it up for just $24.00. Sure, it's no Burberry, but it does the job.

(images via The Sartorialist)

French Toast Roundup

2009-11-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of people have never had baked french toast, and if you're one of them - I will forgive you.

In my opinion, baked is way better than traditional french toast and it's so easy! Just throw everything together in a casserole dish the night before (using stale bread none the less. Your ingredients don't even have to be fresh, people!), pop it in the oven in the morning and you're set.

With so many delicious options, I thought I'd give you a mini-roundup. To some people, this may be one of the most lame roundups ever. But those people are silly.

Martha's Banana Nut French Toast

Upside Down Apple French Toast

A simple recipe from the always awesome and butter lovin', Paula Deen

Another simple, but delicious one from Chow

Planning

2009-11-10T16:11:00.001-08:00

While I can NOT believe how fast this year has gone by, it does give me a good excuse to buy a fancy, new planner.

It seems that the blog world is smitten with letterpress calendars, but I'm not a big calendar fan. Don't get me wrong, some of them are very creative and nice to look at, but I like the idea of carrying around my plans in my purse. It seems much more chic.

While the word Moleskin is creepy, I've always wanted one. Ideally on the outside it looks like I've had it forever and on the inside is full of creative doodles and thoughts. You know, bona fide; for my street cred. I'll admit, I did have a Moleskin sketchbook a while back, but that was just me flexing my poser muscle because I have zero drawing abilities. I just wanted to be like any of these cool people. ANYWHO...

I want this:

Photojojo!

2009-11-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

Apparently I'm a little behind, because I just discovered Photojojo last week. They have tons of great tips and cleverness regarding all things photo.

One of my favorites is how to make a tripod out of a paperclip.

So clever, I say!

Fail.

2009-11-04T19:15:00.000-08:00

I didn't even make it three days! But I have a good excuse - my internet wasn't working the entire day. Seriously. Of course, it happened to be on one of my days off. Poor timing, Comcast.

Although, all that free time did give me a lot of time to do things like have a yummy breakfast:

...go for walks:

...and bake:

All in all, not to bad.

November

2009-11-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today definitely feels like November...

I'm going to attempt NaBloPoMo and this is my lame attempt at day two.

Halloween

2009-11-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I didn't get very good pictures of my costume, but you get the idea. I made the tulle skirt using this tutorial. I wish I would have spent more time on it, but it did the job just fine.

My crown was a Burger King crown which I gussied up a bit.

But forget Halloween costumes, the best part of the weekend was scoring free last minute tickets to the game of the year, Oregon v. USC,and embarrassing the crap out of them. Go Ducks!

A Prelude...

2009-10-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what I've been working on for my Halloween costume?

Um, if you read a few posts down I bet you would.

Bigger, full size, action shots to follow!

This is not a want. It is a need.

2009-10-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

I definitely don't need one of these, but they sure are purdy:

I would also not fight you if you tried to put this on my shoulder:

That last one? It's from the Sak! I thought they only made nasty 1993 crocheted bags a la this piece:

I am sorry for underestimating you the Sak.

Not.

Drop Cap

2009-10-22T21:04:00.000-07:00

Umm, yes please! My eyes thank you Jessica Hische!

(via How About Orange?)

Apparently I have a thing for cartoon characters...

2009-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here are my top contenders for Halloween costumes this year:

The Mad Hatter

Honestly, I wanted this one before I heard that the Tim Burton movie was coming out. Maybe if I do it this year I'll beat the bandwagoners next year. Mostly I just want to wear a top hat.

Queen of Hearts

I promise I'm not a Disney freak, but I think the piece de resistance would be carrying around a flamingo lawn decoration.

Princess Peach (with Chase as Mario)

Chase pretends that he thinks couple's costumes are lame, but I know the truth, and he must be my Mario. The only snag here is my lack of long blonde hair. I think that would kind of make the costume, no?

Craft Dept.

2009-10-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

It must be because of my lack of craft skill, but I have a serious thing for other people's craftiness. I recently discovered the Martha Stewart Craft Dept. blog. Yeah, I know, I'm probably a little late on that one. But they have some awesome stuff on there.
They show large groups of things. I love large groups of things!

They have a tutorial on how to make these Hawaiian quilt paper snowflakes. It looks fairly easy, even for a klutz like myself. Although, I should probably take all precautions and invest in some safety scissors.

Little things, only bigger!

2009-09-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

I know this one has been around for a while (I believe it is from Blueprint - RIP), but I really like it. It makes me wonder what else I could blow up and make look super cool.

(image from Martha Stewart)

Forever21 Jewelry Finds

2009-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Because the accessories section is the only part of that store that doesn't send me into a panic attack...

All items from Forever21

Pumpkin Tea

2009-09-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

I really feel that all things pumpkin related should be held off until October, but I couldn't resist sharing this tea. It's like a Pumpkin Spice Latte without all the calories and a perfect way to usher in fall.

I haven't tried the Stash kind yet, but I'm sure it's equally delicious, mostly because its made right here in Oregon.

Cynthia Rowley

2009-09-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

Maybe it is my new obsession with Project Runway (seriously, greatest show ever), but I really want to sew some clothes. I've made quilts and such before, but clothing seems so intimidating! I'd like to start with something super cute like this pattern from Cynthia Rowley.

Diana Love

2009-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

I know it won't be able to replicate a true Diana picture, but it sure will be more gentle on my wallet.

(via a little sussy)

Penguin Books

2009-09-16T23:44:00.000-07:00

These deluxe edition Penguin Books aren't the kind you hide on a bookshelf. Although, I'm sure the spines are beautiful, too.

Murphy's Law

2009-09-16T23:27:00.000-07:00

I've had a few things on my fall shopping list that I've been super picky about, as I've been trying to buy only what I'm absolutely in love with. Today, I found two of my big items, a blazer and ruffled ankle boots.

UNFORTUNATELY, this jacket was not made for girls with broad shoulders. It looked pretty cute, but the second I tried to move my arms I was pretty sure I could Hulk out of it.

Also, unfortunate...those shoes don't come in a size 11.

*update* They do come in a size 11 and should be on my huge feet in 5-7 business days.

Le sigh.

On to the next.

21st century, here I come!

2009-09-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

So apparently there is this little thing called a Podcast - ya heard of it? Of course you have. But if you're anything like me you've dismissed them for a few years as the personal-radio-station-for-people-who-think-they-have-something-really-important-to-say.

Thanks to this interview with one of my favorite bloggers and jewelry makers, Kate Miss, I've gotten into some pretty awesome Podcasts. I've probably downloaded more than I'll ever listen to, but I'm okay with that.

Here are a list of some good ones that have managed to keep my attention, but I find new stuff everyday:

KEXP -Music that Matters

NPR: All Songs Considered

How Stuff Works: Stuff You Missed in History Class

How Stuff Works: Stuff You Should Know

NPR: This American Life

The Word Nerds

Radio Lab

To cut, or not to cut?

2009-08-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of getting my hair cut. I know it's not weird to get your hair cut before colder weather starts, but for some reason I'm suddenly not sure if I'm okay with it. I mean, plenty of people live through the winter with shorter hair. But it is so nice to have the additional warmth-layer or hair. But I don't know if I want to wait for warmer weather...

Something like this would be nice:

(1, 2, 3)

elizabeth scott designs

2009-08-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Really, really loving the work of Elizabeth Scott.

I'm not usually a fan of gold, but I really like this simple band.

Das Boot

2009-08-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

I've wanted a pair of boots for it seems like forever now. Granted, I'm broke and picky so I haven't found that perfect pair yet. They have to be a good mix of rugged and sleek, but not to much of either. Any of the below would work just fine:

(Images 1-5 from Piperlime, 6-8 Zappos)

Afraid of Commitment?

2009-08-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Then these temporary wallpapers from Sherwin-WIlliams are perfect for you.

World's Fair

2009-08-16T09:38:00.001-07:00

I come from a small town where the fair is a pretty big deal. I have vivid memories of hanging out at the fair in the summers of all middle school and high school.

Every. Day.

For a week.

No, I have no idea why. It is just what you did there.

As fun as modern day fairs are with their chocolate-covered bacon and scary encounters with carnival workers, I would love to have gone to an old-fashioned fair in their heyday. They just seem so quirky and exciting. Case in point, The World's Fair.

I'm hoping someone else remembers this cartoon. It was one of my favorites.

(pictures here, here and here)

Is it Here Yet?

2009-08-15T23:57:00.000-07:00

Each year I beg and beg for summer to arrive (in these parts it usually doesn't pop up until mid-June), and I love the sun; truly, I do. But there usually comes a time (ahem, now) that I suddenly snap into fall mode. There is just something about fall that I can't resist. It makes me disgustingly giddy. I'm sure it has something to do with the the memories of school starting, new beginnings, blah, blah, blah. But seriously - fall is awesome.

Firsts

2009-08-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

Hello.

I've wanted to start a blog for a while now. I don't have a clear idea of what I want it to be like, but there is so much that interests me I like the idea of having a place to put it all.

A bit about me: I live in the great Northwest (perhaps the greatest place on earth). I'm a magazine junkie and I enjoy all things pop culture, photography, interior design and Red Vines.

I make no promises as to where this will go.