Wednesday 9 October 2013

Best. Salad. Ever



My first recipe post! Huzzah!

My hubby and I LOVE this salad. So fresh and tasty. I'm pretty sure he would be ok if we had it at least once a week ;)

So here's what goes into it...

-1 bag of mixed greens (desired amount)
-1 cup of crushed feta cheese
-2 cups strawberries, washed, sliced
-1 cup candied pecans (or walnuts,) crushed
-Trader Joe's Strawberry Walnut Vinaigrette (or your own favorite vinaigrette)
-Two steaks, cooked how you like 'em!

Put it all together (it's salad, not rocket science) and enjoy!




 
 


Thursday 5 September 2013

handsome & gretyl

for my wedding in july, i was blessed with the amazing musical talents of dear friends from seattle. i met brett and gretyl several years ago at church...before they were even married and starting their musical magic together :) kinda special that my fiance also met them and fell in love with their music as well. 

when it came time to chose the music for the wedding, i had a very distinct idea of what i wanted: their song "sure" for my isle. but then i thought further, how COOL would it be to have them play it live? here's the thing tho, i knew that they were also about to have their first child, but i also knew it couldn't hurt to ask. well, they said yes, the date has passed, and everyone who attended said the wedding was beautiful, but the music MADE it. gretyl's voice is haunting and crystal clear, she really doesn't miss a beat. brett has an amazing talent for sound design and can play pretty much any instrument. together, they are handsome and gretyl and you should really give them a listen. you can buy their newest full length album here

SO blessed beyond belief for their gift of music on our special day.

here is a shot of handsome and gretyl from the wedding, taken by the lovely gillian stevens photography 


© gillian stevens photography

Monday 2 September 2013

jasper, ab

sometimes, you just need a lil escape. what with getting married, then getting back from the honeymoon, settling into a "routine" has been a thing! marriage is an adjustment! it takes team work and grace. it was clear to my husband and i very early on that we would need to create special adventures away from the humdrum of the every day to keep ourselves sane. so, we dropped everything and took advantage of labour day weekend to run away to jasper.

beautiful, beautiful jasper. i had only been to alberta one other time. james took me home to okotoks to see where he grew up, last september and i loved it. the calgary area is so (flat! and) vastly different from what we're used to in bc, what with the rolling mountains and ocean so close. so jasper, being just on the border of bc and ab, felt more like home. driving through the rockies was majestic and awe-inspiring, boasting so heavily of God's infinite power and might.

in jasper provincial park, you are completely surrounded in the craziest jagged mountain peaks, combatted with the most crystalline, turquoise rivers,  and to top it off; so many variations of fir and deciduous trees. we stayed at pocahontas, the furthest camp ground from jasper the city. i was a bit freaked out from all the bear warnings, but we saw neither hide nor hair of the beasts.

all in all, being among such a serene and ever changing landscape was just what we needed. now i'm ready to take on september and cozy up for the fall. here are a few pictures from our time away...



this little activity book
 helped us occupy the time
amazing mountain view on the 
way to the miette hot springs
thanks for having us pocahotas, 
you were ruggedly beautiful



Monday 26 August 2013

m.i.a

after a three month hiatus, i am back! in my defence, i have been a lil busy :)

our wedding was everything i dreamed it would be and more. being married is a beautiful challenge and like nothing i've ever experienced before. only people who are married will know what i mean. i couldn't have dreamed up a better adventure if i tried. this is just one amazing photo from the day. the lovely Gillian Stevens was our photographer and again, we couldn't have asked for better. you can see more of our day and more of her work here. in the next few months, i will pick up where i left off... posting about life, love, crafts, good food and adventure with a central focus on the joy of my salvation: jesus. if you are new to my blog or have gently followed along, i hope you enjoy.


Tuesday 23 April 2013

pinspiration!

i have a constant inner bout of tug-of-war with myself regarding pinterest... on the one hand, its great! i hand made aaaaall of this years christmas gifts to my immediate family members from ideas i found on there. i have so many ideas for our new little home, because of beautiful homes i've pinned, and james and i have tackled a handful of pinned recipes... however, sometimes, i find it just causes this ache in me... a disastisfaction. wanting what you don't have is a thing as old as dirt, and it's so easy to get caught up in it! it's that fine balance between inspiration and imitation, the difference between coveting and admiring... don't lose yourself and your own wonderful imagination! make sure you are creating original ideas! on that note, here are some pictures from the afore mentioned site that inspire me today :) so springy and fresh!

feel free to follow along




 all images found on pinterest

Tuesday 16 April 2013

playing house

james and i just finished puppy sitting for some friends. their house is super quaint and beautifully located in the middle of the woods. it was absolute bliss taking sid the puppy for walks amongst the smells and sights of spring. his schedule forced me to rise early, but after the first couple days, i got used to it and fell in love with those early mornings. the ornamental cherry blossoms were at their peak for the two weeks of our stay. the smell and look of those trees always makes me giddy.

now sid's loving parents are home. (oh, you should definitely check out their blog!) and james and i are moving into a home of our own! it is a very exciting time for us. james rented a big truck on sunday and i helped him carry all of our possesions into our new place. james will live there until we're married. but lets not kid ourselves, i will be over allll the time, nesting and decorating and cleaning and making him chilli for the week :) such an exciting new chapeter in our life! i can't wait until it starts to look like a home, that's when i'll post photos. for right now, it's a mess of boxes and bags.

i hope you are all enjoying this sunny, spring day.

this pups instafamous! #sidstagram

Tuesday 2 April 2013

artistic motivation

i wouldn't consider myself an artist... in the pen and paper sense anyway. but once in a while, i get really motivated and decide to try my hand at something. this is one of those days! james and i want our wedding invites printed on craft paper, and to have a really rustic feel. then today, i signed onto pinterest and saw an invitation design that i really liked, so i decided to give it my own spin. lots of scanning, re-drawing, cutting and pasting (in a literal sense) resulted! i called up minuteman press in white rock, and explained what i wanted. for a fraction of the price by a typical design company, they are able to print and cut up my design! i am very excited to work it all out and see the finished product!

here is a little taste...

Monday 25 March 2013

the great wave

after my last post, i got to thinking about my choice of title for this blog: great wave obsessions. i have never really explained this...

anyone who knows me truly, knows that i have an unnatural obsession with katsushika hokusai's epic print, the great wave of kanagawa. it was only recently that i buckled down and thought about why that might be? what is it about this picture that gets to me? in my recent prayer life, i have been asking God to "wreck me." my family and friends are all dumbfounded. who asks for that to happen to them? really. i think it has something to do with this great wave obsession. 

the great wave depicts an enormous wave in japan with mount fuji in the background. tossing perilously in the wave are 2 boats full of men (i always thought of them as monks). today, it dawned on me: maybe i love this painting because of the subtle metaphor; life is full of waves. (click here to read about some)

this desire to be wrecked by the waves of life is a cry to God to stir things up in me. change me, renew me, challenge me. with arms wide open in a sea of waves, i will wait upon the LORD.


   told ya, obsessed

Wednesday 20 March 2013

surprised by joy

man! life is tough sometimes, right? it seems like if it's not one thing it's another...planning a wedding seems to heighten this universal law. it would be so easy to collapse into a puddle of jelly and let everyone else deal with it! but in God, i find this unexplainable strength, even joy, to get though the difficulties. 

my maid of honor maaay not be able to come. she lives in new zealand and among other things, tickets run close to 2,000 bucks! isn't that heinous? last week, i called the hall that we wanted for our reception and the lady on the other end of the phone gave me a long, awkward silence before she informed me that she had mistakenly given my spot to someone else... signed and paid for. the week before that, i realised the lovely shoes i wanted (floral TOMS!) were no longer available even though (i thought) i had paid for them. apparently, they sold out so fast, the company didn't have time to stop the orders from pouring in.

there are still 4 months before july 13th. i cringe at the thought of what else could go wrong. but you know what? it doesn't really matter. sure, at the time, it seems like the end of my world. i cry in frustration and break out in a rash, but then...i pray. God give me strength, give me peace. and my goodness, i get it. today, i was kicking up my heels and laughing by myself at work. some of you question my sanity, but i know what it is; i am surprised by joy. consider it pure joy, brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. james 1:2. it's really hard to explain or understand it unless you've experienced it.

at the end of the day the only thing that matters is that moment. just like in the kiera knightly pride and prejudice when lizzie and mr. darcy are dancing. one minute they are in a hall full of people and the next, they are alone. the cellos swell and you could cut the intensity with a knife. one minute, i will be a bundle of nerves, surrounded by our friends and family in a beautiful scene and the next? the only thing that will matter is james, standing at the end of my path. if i can keep my eyes on the prize, i can deal with anything.

sorry, this is a long one. just had to get it out.



a love note from my love

Tuesday 12 March 2013

washington and idaho

last weekend, my lovely fiance and i went to visit his good friend ty. james met ty at bible school in germany. now he's studying the bible some more in spokane, WA. it was a really beautiful, peaceful drive there. iiii got to drive, as my man busted his knee at work a week ago :(
i had never met ty before, but we're friends on facebook and follow each other on instagram and the like :P he's really rad and has a very down to earth mentality that strikes me as awfully christ like. it was good to be around.
on saturday, we drove to cour d' alene. it's a beautiful little lake town. what we didn't know until we were almost there, was that it's in idaho! something you must know about me, i am a places-aholic. one of those weirdos who collect stamps in their passport... well, new states are no exception. i've only ever been down the west coast in the states, so heading a little further east was exciting for me!
we went for a hike around the lake, picnic'd atop a craggy precipice, did some thrifting, got some coffee, and then headed back to spokane.
it was a very simplistic weekend. sometimes it's just nice to get away. you should always make time for little trips. 

 lord of all he surveys
  trying out ty's fish eye lens on my iPhone :P

Saturday 2 March 2013

delight

im about to go all spiritual on ya. you have been warned ;)

its a wonderful thing to know what you believe. its an assurance, a peace, and a great comfort. my love for jesus can be compared to a person's love for their favorite song. there is an ache and at the same time a joy that bubbles up inside of you. its a deep connection. 
i don't want much from this life. lots of people, when asked, simply say happiness, and who doesn't want that! but there is so much more to life than being happy. in pain, we grow, in hard times, we draw on the strength of those around us. it is in times of fruition and plenty that we often forget to say "thank-you".  
i pray that whatever my future holds, i am able to reach people for jesus and live a life that emulates him.


 " I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved." Psalm 18:1-3

Monday 25 February 2013

pikanik!

i am going to take this opportunity to brag about a little gluten free bakery near my work :) pikanik is full of friendly faces and delicious gluten free options. i am not living a gluten free lifestyle (although arguably, i should be, if i am honouring that naturapathic test i did once) it's just so convenient to eat the crap that most grocery stores offer, and even though there are more and more gluten free options out there, it still seems like more of a challenge to live that way.

on the days when i am too lazy to pack a lunch, i wander two doors down and indulge in a delicious lunch from pikanik. joanna, the owner, is always happy to see me and katrina, (whom i call the face of the operation) knows that i swear by their trader joe's earl grey. james, the amaaazing chef, is always there with a funny quip and an astonishing, bubbly personality for a chef, (anyone whose worked in a restaurant will know what i'm talking about) which can only be accounted for as a result of this most joyous and fun work place!

if you have not yet tried pikanik, it is time! their dinner rolls are so fluffy-soft, you can't even tell there's not a lick of gluten in 'em! and if you are ever so fortunate as to visit on a day when they offer their mac and cheese (features change daily) then you are in for a wild time. soups, sandwiches, muffins, cookies, loafs of bread and school lunches are a few of the other goodies they offer. i will leave you with a mouth watering picture of the aforementioned mac'n'cheese


chicken, pesto, green onions, and
tomatos on gluten-free flat bread
with spinach/raspberry balsamic
 salad...heaven!

Tuesday 19 February 2013

what spring brings

i am getting very excited for things to come. it is going to be an unbelievable year of change and adventure. i'm getting married in 143 days! (not that im counting :P) there is so much planning and organising that goes into one day and where most people would get overwhelmed, i embrace the challenge. i've been waiting for this my whole life and i can't wait to see it all come about. that and i have amazing people around me who offer their help and support. but that's not until july.

in the mean time, i must content myself with hard work, creative projects, date nights with my man, and quiet times with God. he is good, friends, he never gives us more than we can handle, and everything that happens to us is to teach us to rely on him. thank jesus that i don't have to do this life on my own.

spring is coming! it's a beautiful, sunny day out, full of promise and hope. there are fresh things coming my way in terms of blogging, among other things. on friday last week, i got together with my dear friend, jennifer bennett. together, we are organising our ambitions into one clear, concise idea for a collaborative blog. stay tuned :)

mad brainstorms

Thursday 14 February 2013

52 things

my dad used to take me out to dinner on my birthday. he'd open the car door and give me a rose and say "this is how your future husband will treat you one day" he forgot to post script: OR ELSE.
but neither of us could have dreamt up the beautiful reality that would come my way all too soon. (even though the wait felt like a life time) i am so blessed by my man and i have 52 things to show it!
i hope your valentines day is full of true love, whether you've found the illusive one or not. it doesn't take much to show a little love to those around you. and it makes for a much happier day.

52 things is alot! :P

throwback! blondie and her love

Tuesday 5 February 2013

valentines crafts

today at work, my boss showed up with a bag full of valentine goodies and pretty much said "go nuts!" what resulted was two hours of paper cutting, heart glue-ing and sparkles galore! i will take this opportunity to promote this little shop :) stella bleu is full of everything elegant and lovely. come and visit me sometime and we can ooh and awe at all the beautiful things together.



love is in the air <3

Sunday 3 February 2013

date night

it as been an absolutely wonderful weekend. james and i both had friday-sunday off work so we got lots done! yesterday, we did an engagement photo shoot with a very talented photographer. gillian stevens is a visionary and her husband mark was the best assistant ever :)  it was such a perfect saturday. we drove though vancouver, stopping at stanley park for some shots before heading up to cypress mountain for some snowy ones! magical. please take a look at our photos and all of gillian's beautiful work here
today we had church at 11. james and i went early to save seats for my parents and youngest sister. today we had a new worship pastor trying things out; it was amazing. i am always so moved by music, as i will hopefully be able to share with you someday, so seeing this young guys passion for God and music was encouraging. i will definitely get involved if i can. 
we ended the night off with some home made pizza and date night, with steve carrell and tina fey. so funny! and there is actually some great advise for couples in there too!
back to work tomorrow! hopefully, in the slow times, i will find something that inspires me for my next post. have a wonderful rest of your weekend!



shrimp, pesto and feta cheesey pizza. 
delish

Thursday 31 January 2013

beginnings

the world of blogging is interesting and intimidating. i feel as though i need to jump on board or drown. is that ridiculous? the online world is such a fast paced world full of a million and one different products, how is anyone supposed to be unique anymore?
i am going to use this space to show what i'm working on, in whatever art form tickles my fancy at that moment. maybe i'll just rant? maybe i'll bake something? maybe i'll make something crafty? whatever it is, i hope you will follow along and be inspired yourself.





first attempt at type
  find the original idea on pinterest