December 30, 2009

hwy 1 is for lovers

this year for christmas, brandon and i decided that we would continue our trend of going on a trip together rather than giving an item.
so this year it was cabin 65a in big sur!

we hiked, ate picnics, read books, sat by the fire and had hot cocoa and tea, went exploring all up and down hwy ones beautiful coastline, and ate a fabulous dinner overlooking the ocean. needless to say it was amazing and yet again am so lucky to be dating my bestest friend!
it was beautiful and full of everything "big sur"--- a man in a tye-dye shirt with a bandana gave us our keys to the cabin and threw up a peace sign as we drove off. amazing!

check me out! im getting a little artsy-fartsy when it comes to taking photos. go em!
don't you want your dentist and doctor to take up this style of "office"?
i certainly do!
big sur river hiking with my best friend.
i love you.
nepenthes restaurant for a romantic dinner.
tomato and goat cheese soup with garlic roasted homeade croutons... mmm delicious!

oh!!! and did i mention, this boy that i keep talking about got me a
mountain hardware jacket for christmas too!
he knows the way to my heart... food, the outdoors, and soft, comfy, warm fleece!

December 24, 2009

away in a manger

every year our extended family draws names to see who they will be giving a gift to on christmas day. this year i picked aunt mary! along with a set of vietnamese newspaper angels and a pair of handmade earrings made by poor, rural guatemalan montessori teachers (!!!!!) i made this nativity scene as a part of the present. thanks to hannah and dad's help we jig-sawed the wood and then i painted, glue, etc. until baby jesus looked just right! might i remind you that aunt mary is a lover of nativity scenes and all things handmade... hopefully this will be a great new addition to her collection of thousands!

merry christmas everyone! may your days be merry and bright!

(stay tuned to see more handmade gifts after then big christmas day!)

December 21, 2009

keeping it simple.

who doesn't love shortbread cookies and tea?
i know i do. a whole lot.
merry christmas friends! i hope you enjoy!

December 13, 2009

tutus from emaweee

anyone that knows me, knows that i L-O-V-E children.
and i have a especially soft spot in my heart for lisps, glasses, disabilities, and developmental delays
(i know... i just love them!)
this year its tutus for those that call me "emawee"!!! it wouldn't be christmas without a winter break full of living room ballet dances from my babysitties so i had to make tutus to further my fabulous five year performances. i hope you love them maddie and luna!

(sorry for the baby chair tutu holder, i promise that the tutus are much cuter on 32 lb. girls)

style your sole

as i have previously "blogged" about, i am the campus representative for the cal poly for the TOMS campus club (aka i am the liaison between the TOMS shoe company and the cal poly/slo community). the company was founded on a simple principle..."for every pair of shoes that you purchase, TOMS will send a pair to a child in need." simply awesome, right? i could go on and on about the company and everything but instead ill just let you check it out, here!

anyways, in the beginning of december, the TOMS campus club at cal poly with the help of a few very helpful and diligent people (shout out to sarah, paula, morgan, jennifer, and megan), put on a "style your sole party"!!! this is a social gathering in which people preordered TOMS shoes and then came to our event where we provided tons of paints, crafting supplies, do-dads, etc. to create their very own pair of TOMS shoes. in addition we screened the TOMS documentary called "for tomorrow" which was a bit hit!

idea: order a pair of TOMS for your sister, aunt, girlfriend, nephew, whoever for christmas and a pair of shoes will be sent to a child in need!

(btw this is the pair that i decorated for my sister for christmas... shh!)

December 6, 2009

cafe finals

i'd consider this my favorite study spot...
linnaea's is just so quiet, local, delicious, peaceful, and productive
mmmmmm good!
might i suggest the soy chai and espresso egg on the back garden patio?
trust me its a must during the holidays.

hurry finals. im ready for my christmas at home!

November 29, 2009

girlie bark



dip it in hot cocoa, swirl it in with some vanilla bean ice cream, grab a slab and take a bite, and enjoy girlies!

p.s. ill be hibernating for the next two weeks of finals. so sad, but have a great few weeks and i will chat with you soon!

November 27, 2009

not-your-average black friday


jealous yet...
while most people threw elbows for electronics, board games, and sweaters...
i was plowing my way through hobby store sales!
there's nothing better than a good bias tape deal! and i scored!!!
i got everything from scented soy wax to contemporary canning jars to pink tulle to antique fabric to blanket edging to red twine.
you name it, i got it... on double, triple overtime sale!!!

here are my favorite bargain deals of the day...
martha has outdone herself once again... the essential glass glitter set. oh where to begin!
i am throughly in love with amanda blake soule.

stay tuned for the end results. i have two weeks until winter break and then its nothing but baking, sewing, and crafting for this gal.

November 18, 2009

my one true love

my mom made an amazing 100% comfort food meal last night and it is official im in love with butternut squash risotto. it is absolutely amazing and an essential for all winter season festivities. good thing dad grew enough squash to feed everyone in california.
amen for comfort food!
heres the recipe... try it, you'll be dazzled!
p.s. i know i said it before, but get ready for crafts because i just spent 45 minutes getting all of my projects together. yay for coffee and crafts!

September 27, 2009

wanna-be-quilter

over the past few months i have unproductively been collecting/buying random quarter or half-yards of fabric to use for.... uhhh a quilt? so thats what i have begun tonight! cut the squares out tonight, moving the sewing machine to my nook in the near future, sew it up, and then have some nice professional quilter do their thing and make it pretty! this is one of those first time things so ill keep you updated... and hopefully there will be a finish product!

ill be honest... the quilt is just an excuse to you my gerber daisy rotary cutter... who doesnt love them?!? and here is the tentative outline for the quilt... creepy but im thinking i might need to stow it away for the future to use as my babies first quilt to play on... awwww! dont worry mom and dad, ill be saving it for the next decade!
again, i apologize for picture quality. i take most of them on my trust iphone but its not the best at lighting and such!

September 26, 2009

classy cobbler

went to my all time favorite jomamas coffee shop this morning in avila with the family then hit up avila valley barn and mom bought me some peaches and statas flowers for my room. thanks mom! then came home an cooked up some peach cobblerrrrrr!

you know youre in college when youre cobbler can fit in sandwitch tupperware after one "serving"...

b.t.w. its delicious!

thats my green apt!

hello and welcome to my new adorable townhouse!
i just keep moving up and up and up as the years go by!
im sooo lucky:)
freshmen year... horrible triple dorm room
sophomore year... nice and clean sterile on-campus apartment
junior year... fabulous green townhouse
with that said, the past few weeks have been full of moving in, decorating, "christening" parties, hanging with the roomies, and starting the quarter. were about a mile from campus and four blocks from downtown slo (i know... crazy spoiled right?) so those 50 cent coffees at uptown espresso and those froyo runs have already added up! but its the life... let me tell you!
heres a little peek into my new quarters...
my study corner
favorite piece of artwork
towel rack, or multipurpose hanger?
mi cama
terrible picture (sorry) but this was a little craft project.
made a few little jewelry holders!

p.s. i live with the three best girls ever (haley, abby, and rachel)! and i would never forget my mewy (mia) thats away for the quarter in spain but back with us in january! and to top it all off we have a two car garage, our own bathrooms, customized beer pong table, amazingly comfortable couch and living room, and my very own craft and shoe nook!

love love love love!

August 28, 2009

*snaps* for dad

i know right?!?! crazy veggies! dads garden is in full bloom and im reeking the benefits of delicious veggies!
first batch of tomatoes to be sun-dried in our new fruit drier!
the beginning shot of an experimental hearty veggie soup!

yum. yum. yum.

August 26, 2009

i miss back when...

took a trip down memory lane to a little place called seacliff state beach... sandcastles, boogie boarding, big breakfasts, and beach naps completed the mini vaca!
gotta love aptos, ca!

August 10, 2009

it's salsa time!

thanks to a little help from my sister Hannah and her good friend we made a few different batches of fresh salsa from the veggies (and citrus orchard) from dad's big garden! tomatoes, onions, peppers, spices, and tangy fruit juice all from our little farm on evans rd. they turned out great and all have there own little flavor... a spicy tomato-pepper with a big kick, a tangy citrus, fruity pineapple, fresh homeade pico de gallo, cleansing crisp cucumber, and an amazing bruschetta! deliciousss!

August 3, 2009

happy anniversary bubba!

sorry ive been MIA recently but let me tell you... the cooking and crafts are about to begin. summer school is over and nanny emily is in full bloom so ive got plenty of time to sew, cook, and craft with my little ones. but for a little bridge between the two parts of summer i got to have a little trip with my bubba! we went camping and to the monterey bay aquarium for a two year anniversary trip. i certainly love him a lot and had a fabulous time reading around the fire, hiking up the river, cooking outdoors, and watching the sharks at the aquarium with him! i love you brandon!

July 19, 2009

the good ol' outdoors

the last few days i have spent with my good high school friends, jen and alex, up in santa cruz county at the henry cowell state park for a little camping adventure. we hiked around, basked in the sun in the "garden of eden" big basin water hole, cooked up veggies and eggs, made a big huge campfire, and had a great time! best part of the trip was realizing five minutes into setting up camp that we brought a one person tent and an outdoor chair for a three-year-old.... woo jen! needless to say we had many laughs and enjoyed the great outdoors!

July 10, 2009

journeys end

oh hey cayucous! the past week i have spent most of my time (when i wasnt in summer school) at cayucous own "journeys end" green cottage on the beach in cayucous with my family and friends, and some more friends and other family and those friends of friends and more of my family and oh yea those other fun friends came too! aka it was just your average portuguese party! we had enough food to feed the country of ethiopia for a year, gallons of gin and tonics, absurd balderdash games, projection screen movie nights, sub-zero degree boogie boarding afternoons, hot sandy naps on the couch, long walks on the beach, infamous bike rides to the candy store, and the constant roar of laughter and loud conversation! it was a blast and i cant wait until next year! until then ill be fasting and dieting to lose some of the weight that i gained in the past week, but it was oh so worth it! goodbye journeys end, see you in a few!

June 27, 2009

summertime jammin'

to set the stage, myself and this little hoodlum below aka jennifer (my adventurous hilarious and fabulous bff) have a rather large list of things to do this summer and so i find it fitting that we started off with a personal favorite of mine... berry picking! of course we all know that picking vegetables or fruits is much more fun when you do it at a community barn/farm rather than your dads own gigantic garden that everyone gawks over mostly because someone didnt tell you to "go pick those damn berries before they all get mushy!" so with that said we went on a little outting to avila valley barn to pick some olillaberrys!
we picked a bunch then realized that for about a dollar more we could grab a few more pre-picked baskets and call it a day... so we did. brought them home and jammed it up! it was my first experience making jam but when the recipe is "easy, no cook olillaberry jam" its pretty hard to go wrong. toast up a little whole wheat, seedy bread and toss on a little jam and butter and your good to goooo!
oh and if you want to try a jar, just holler!

June 12, 2009

buena vista 402. i miss you.

today i moved out of my apartment and back home for the summer... its not so much the moving back home that gets me, its missing my girls. i love my mewy, abs, and rach so much and i will miss them tremendously over summer! i would trade my whole college freshman year for just oneeeeeeee single day with my roomies because honestly they are, hands down, the most positive and fun people ever... there my family and i love them! heres a few little memories from the past year...




i love you mewy, abs, and rach! you always keep me smiling girls!

June 5, 2009

tom, t-tom, tom, toms!

OBSESSED! okay so i am sooo fortunate because i have been given the opportunity to be the TOMS campus representative for Cal Poly! i am in the beginning stage of starting the fundraising and awareness program to empower people to purchase TOMS shoes because for every pair that you purchase TOMS gives a pair to a child in a third-world-country! ONE FOR ONE! ill keep you posted on our fundraising events as we go and hopefully you can come join! guess what? even jomamas/nekkid the coffee shop and spa on front street sells them now too! yay for supporting ethical consumerism! point and case... this is probably what you should buy with your next paycheck. great idea em!

June 2, 2009

Welcome to Front Street!

id like to consider myself as the angel on front st. lord only knows im not your graceful, angelic, little halo girl but in the sense of watching over and caring for i think ive got that down-pat. i come here in avila beach to front st. to watch over the world and enjoy the small pleasures in life!

front st. is my haven and my source of comfort, ideas, and plans. i get to do it all there... enjoy a big green mug full of some steaming foamy coffee drink with a side of fresh baked cinnamon roll or quiche, a stash of books and journals of plans, with those great colorful pens that we all know i love to organize, and hours and hours of ocean waves and yes say it.... time to think about all the things that i aspire to accomplish! exotic travels, fabulous recipes, suzy-homemaker crafts, outdoor adventures, and of course changing the world one third-world-country at a time!

im ambitious. i want to do it all, see it all, fix it all, learn it all, and die a happy, old, healthy woman. im as stubborn as it comes and i think that perseverance and an open mind is all you really need in life. ill be a hardworking daddys girl until the day i die and im driven by my passion to serve. anyways thats me in a nutshell. theyll be lots more to come but it is my intention to use this blog as a little record of a few passions, plans, and pleasure that i like to enjoy all from the inspirations that i get from my front st. mornings!