Fun things to mail to your BFF for V-day

Have a friend who's far away? Send her a cute little package with some Valentines love! Because everyone loves to get something in the mail.

Paul Lola Sunglass Case

Hanky Panky's

Kitty Movable Paper Doll :)

Home made Creamy Fudge Hearts

Yummy Teavana loose-leaf tea

Striped Leg Warmers

Burt's Bees! Click the link for a cute tutorial.

Summer!

We crossed the Equator yesterday. We were just driving down a road headed to Kissii and our driver pointed out this sign. We had crossed into the southern hemisphere. Its not like the weather changed or anything. It was above 85 and scorching when we were above the equator Kenya doesn't reslly have seasons the same way we do in the states. Nonetheless, I still felt a bit giddy as we crossed, as if I'd officially escaped winter. It is officially summer in my head and my heart is light and free and suddenly the hot dusty air blowing on me from the open window felt different, it was a summer breeze.

PS This marker was in the middle of someone's front yard! I wonder what it is like to live in a home where half of it is in the northern hemisphere and half the southern? If I lived here, I know I would say things like, "Jason, will you go to the northern hemisphere and do the dishes?" Also, if would be funny have your bedroom right at the equator so you could say, "My husband and I sleep in separate hemispheres". Hehehe! 

Monday Motivation

I think I'm going to paint the world with some Jungle Green today! What's your favorite crayon?


(Image from contentinacottage.blogspot.com)

Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! What's everyone up to this weekend? I finally caught that nasty cold that has been going around so I'll be bundled up with my cutie kitty sipping on tea and OJ. I just got the Kindle Fire so I'm excited to play around with that and see what free books I can get my hands on-- any advice from Kindle owners out there?

Here's your Friday Roundup!


Famous authors predict the super bowl.

Smart addition to your refrigerator.

Sick of sitting at your desk all day? Workout at work. ;)


Why cats are not doctors.


Cute purse I want for spring.

Magical children's nook 

Delish Paella recipe to spice up your weekend.

Big news: Starbucks is expanding their beer/wine sales.


Also, Disneyland is finally allowing employees to wear beards! 

Seven days of hot toddies.


Gorgeous towels from Anthro.


If you're in Seattle, this would be fun to do over the weekend.


30 most anticipated movies of 2012. Which ones do you want to see?

(photo of Marilyn Monroe at ‘The Prince and The Showgirl’ Premiere, 1957.)

The Big Five

As a child I always wondered why Big 5 Sporting Goods was named Big 5. I thought it referred to the 5 "biggest" sports, but then, I didn't know which 5 that would be: baseball, football, soccer, basketball and...yoga? My local Big 5 stocked a lot of yoga mats. Anyway, somewhere along the way I learned that "The Big Five"is a term coined by big game hunters back in the day referring to the five animals in Africa hardest to hunt on foot: lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. In 2 days, Jason and I have seen all five, not to mention a cheetah, plenty of warthogs, crazy looking birds, zebra, giraffe, hippos and a porcupine! The elephant shot was taken on my iPhone.

Jambo!

Hello from Kenya! Jason and I have been staying out in a village the last few days without any sort of  plumbing, minimal electricity, and would you believe that the thing I missed most was internet! We are back in Nairobi for the night before heading out to Masai Mara for safari, currently sitting at a Nairobi Java House and I am having a great iced latte and LOVING the wi-fi.

We spent the last few days shooting at Cura Orphanage. We headed there with every intention of being the only photographers, but from the moment we arrived, the kids were super excited try our cameras and learn how to take pictures. They also really enjoyed taking pictures and video on our iPhones, until they discovered Angry Birds and season 1 of Modern Family, then that became more exciting than taking pictures on the iPhones. We are looking through our iPhone pictures now and discovering some gems. Jason's phone has over 70 images of one kid making funny faces, my phone has a ton of odd blurry close ups of pigs and cows on it from the afternoon we went to visit a neighboring farm. There are some really good ones too.

Henry, the youngest at Cura Orphanage, using Jason's camera

Construction for Change,  the organization we are shooting for while we are in Kenya,  is building a secondary school here that will not only benefit the 50 kids at the Cura Orphanage, but the rest of the kids in the community as well.

Taken by Margret, age 12.

We are headed to Masai Mara tomorrow to take lots of pictures of animals and relax for a few days before heading to our next project. We're staying at Sarova Mara. It looks pretty amazing. I'm excited. More to come!

Monday Motivation

Print from LuciusArt.

Friday Roundup

Isn't this photo hilarious? Oh, Seattle, we love you. 

Well the snow is finally melting around here and we're getting back to the usual 45 degrees and raining. Jenny made it out after a slight delay in LA and has arrived in Kenya! Can't wait to hear all about her and Jason's adventures taking photos for the next three weeks.

Here's your Friday Roundup my friends:


Need some comfort food this weekend? Why not whip up some of the World Most Delicious Mac&Cheese?


If you live in Seattle, don't miss the glassybaby Seconds Sale next week!

I'm inspired by all this great advice.

President Obama singing Al Green, enough said.

Can I please sleep in one of these FABULOUS bedrooms?

Cat or sociopath? :)

How to start drinking Scotch.

New favorite lipstick.

Fun cover of our favorite song from last week.

...when it snows

Straight from Seattle...Sh*t People Say When it Snows. Sorry if this is only funny to us Northwest Folk!

Snow Day!

Here in Seattle we've been hit by a "major" snowstorm! This is very exciting as winter around these parts usually means rain, rain, and more rain. I felt like superwoman navigating the snow covered roads in the dark this morning, listening to KEXP's fabulous snowy morning mix on the radio. Here are a few photos from Pinterest inspiring me on this cuddle-up-and-be-cozy kind of day:

Adorable Fox licking his lips...yum!

Quilt I want to sew

I like to think of this as an aunt hugging her little nephew...did I mention I'm going to be an aunt!?

Journal time in the bath

Calabria, Italy

Cluster of pictures

Gluten-free Chocolate cookies!

Leanne Shapton Painting

BBC: Crime Edition

Last week we joined the rest of the blogosphere in giddy anticipation as the second season of 'Downton Abbey' premiered. But if period dramas aren't your thing
(or you want to watch TV with your man once
in a while), BBC has me hooked on two other
great miniseries from 2011: 'Sherlock' and
'Luther.'

'Sherlock' is a modern-day interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic book series. It is 'CSI's' energetic, literary, British cousin and I LOVE it.

'Luther' stars the talented British hottie, Idris Elba (you might remember him as the sexy criminal Stringer Bell on 'The Wire') as an unconventional London detective solving crimes while walking a thin line with the law himself. What makes 'Luther' a bit different than the typical crime drama is you usually know who-done-it within the first few minutes and it's more a discovery of how and why. Patrick and I are addicted (ie. spent half the weekend on the couch totally engrossed). Luckily they are both available on the PBS Website and via Netflix streaming. Enjoy!

PS. Congrats to Idris Elba on his Golden Globe!

Celebrating MLK Day

"Not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." ~ MLK

Airplane Entertainment

Jason and I area headed to Kenya on Wednesday for three weeks of shooting for Construction for Change. 

I'm just starting to get all of the necessary clothes washed and starting to pack. Getting my carry on ready is always the most fun. I LOVE long flights. For me, it's a feeling of multitasking, I'm getting somewhere and getting something done at the same time, whether it's working or reading a book or even watching movies, I feel productive.

When flying back from Zambia a few years back, I purchased Atonement at the airport in Johannesburg and dove right in during our really long layover. I'd gotten through a good chunk of the book by the time I got on the plane and saw that the movie version was an option on the OnDemand. So, I decided that I'd play a little game and see if I could manage to finish the book AND watch the movie during the 9 hour flight. I succeeded, but was definitely ready to rest my eyes by the time we landed in Amsterdam.


Here what's going in my carry on this time...

Awards Season is Finally Here!

I'll admit it, I wait with baited breath each year for awards season to start. I try to see as many of the nominated films as I can before things get started and totally enjoy watching my favorite actors on the red carpet. The dresses! The speeches! The awkward live faces!

Did you tune in last night for the Golden Globes? What did you think? I definitely need to see 'The Artist' and 'Hugo' still, they both look magical. My favorite dress by far was Emma Stone's, love that dark purple color (my bridesmaids dresses were a similar shade). I also got a kick out of her red carpet interview in which she divulged that she made "a lot of websites as a kid" (nerds unite!).






Which dresses did you like? Did you think 'The Decedents' deserved the big prize?


Other gorgeous looks from the night:

Rooney Mara

Angelina Jolie

Nicole Kidman


PS. Tina Fey creeping behind Amy Poehler. Love them.

Monday Motivation

I hope you have a wonderfully creative week!

(image via Piccsy)

Friday Roundup

There's a chance of snow in the forecast for Seattle this weekend. I hope we get some! It feels like a perfect weekend to curl up inside and watch the snowfall or perhaps have a sledding adventure.What are you doing this weekend? I'll be doing a little birthday shopping and celebrating Jason's birthday without him.

Perhaps you're already tired of winter weather? It's the perfect time of year to plan a trip! Check out The New York Time's 45 Places To Go in 2012


Running late somewhere? Here are 10 Underused Excuses and How to Hack an Elevator to get to your floor faster. 


Hilarious promo video for cat-vertising. 


Did you know that The Huffington Post has a "Good News" section?


Awesome Elephant Shower Curtain 


How to be interesting.


Why step when you can slide?


Are you as excited about Target's new in-store boutiques as we are?!


A song we've loved for awhile is finally getting some radio play. You might have heard it but have you seen the video?

(Sledding bride & groom via jkoephoto.com)

Happy Birthday Jason!

Today is my wonderful husband's birthday, but unfortunately, he's off on a shoot in LA and doesn't really get to celebrate. Don't worry, I'm planning plenty of belated birthday excitement. Here are a few of the present ideas I've tossed around for the all-things-photography-loving man in my life who is currently obsessed with Instagram.

The iPhone 4 SLR Mount from Photojojo

The iPhone Lens Dial from Photojojo

Canvas Pop lets you print your instagram photos on Canvas.

Best of Etsy: Maps

Patrick and I have started a bit of map collection from some of the different places we've lived. It's a fun way to jazz up our walls and a good conversation starter. We recently picked up this fun map in Dublin and we are on the hunt for one of South Africa. Etsy has some awesome maps for great prices, check out my picks below.

 My Roots: These maps say "My Roots Lie Here" and you choose where to place the cute hearts. This would be fun in a baby's room. I sent it to my friend Elvira who's one year old son, Benjamin, has roots in Columbia (where his mom is from), the Netherlands (where his dad is from) and South Africa (where he was born!). 

Lucius Art - Heart around your city, I sent this Chicago one to my friend Erica who grew up in Chi-Town but lives in DC now. 

Albie Designs - Not quite a map but gorgeous nonetheless, I want this one. 

Going Underground - This site also has really cool subway art for your walls, check it out.

Amy Rice - Fleetwood Mac lyrics printed on maps, yes, please.

Making Reading Fun!

Here's a little AM entertainment for you. A video of a working Rube Goldberg machine by Joseph Herscher, starring himself and his hamster, Chester. The New York Times wrote a piece on it too. 

PS. Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist who drew designs for crazy, over-engineered machines to do simple tasks.

Hats off to the Brits!

Our favorite British sisters are back on the air this week with the season premier of 'Downton Abbey.' We are pretty much obsessed with this period drama that takes during the first World War. In case you've been living under a rock (or, umm, have other hobbies I guess), here is a hilarious list of 100 things to know about Downton Abbey. Not convinced yet? If this Gawker article doesn't get you watching we don't know what will. Downtonites-- what did you think of the second season premier? I've been trying to get everyone to call me Lady Teresa in honor of the new season, no luck yet. 


In other news, the Duchess Catherine turned the big 3-0 on Monday! We are loving the gorgeous Alice by Temperley lace dress that she wore to the premier of War Horse to celebrate, can I get that in a mini please? Check out this slideshow of Kate's 30 Looks for 30 Years the Washington Post put together. Which is your favorite? 




Happy B-day Kate! 

PS. Divine black lace mini here if you have a cool $340 laying around.

(Photos from Daily Mail (spoilers) and Jon Furniss via NYMAG)

Samantha, Hester, and Bess

Last spring my neighbors got four adorable baby chicks. I loved going over and holding them while they lived under a heat lamp in their bathtub. Now they are very much full grown chickens and live in a cute little coop in the neighbors backyard. Yesterday, I received a carton of eggs along with a note written from "the ladies," as I call the hens,  apologizing for bothering us with their clucking. They do make a little noise sometimes, but I actually really enjoy laying in bed listening to their clucking. I pretend I live on a farm! Their names are Samantha, Hester and Bess. Chicken number four, Georgia, it turned out was actually George and he had to go live on a farm where he can now crow loudly at 5 am without bugging anyone. Apparently Samantha's eggs are always green. So strange! It made for a really yummy breakfast. Fresh and local eggs, as with fresh and local anything tastes so much better. Perhaps I should get a cow and we can have fresh eggs and milk everyday! OR maybe I just need to start shopping at the farmers market again.