Pin-tastic

Maybe you've heard, but Pinterest is the best new thing on the internet. I know, you probably have heard of it, but on a regular basis, I meet people who haven't, so if you are one of those people: you are welcome!

Pinterest is essentially a corkboard for the internet. You know all those great things you have pinned on your wall: postcards, cleaning tips, ideas for decorating your room, photos of your favorite healthy celebrity? Well, now you can have it all in one lovely aesthetic pleasing website. Plus, each pin has the ability to link back to its origin, so you never have to face that awful: "Well, here's the pillows I wanted to buy, but where did I find them?" dilemma ever again.

(truth resists simplicity)

While Pinterest is all of those things, it's more than that, too. My boards range from home decor inspiration to sewing projects to beautiful and inspiring images from around the world. You aren't restricted by anything but your own curiosity (and perhaps your job, relationships and free time -- it can take over!). As well, you are able to see what the rest of the web has pinned. Looking for a red poster? Search it, and you'll find practically ever red poster ever printed.

(cute crochet slippers)

While it's mostly fun and games, it has also been populated by a lot of really great and inspiring images and stories, that serve to motivate and encourage. So yes, the internet has it's faults, but you aren't gonna find too many of them in practice here.

Sign up and follow my boards! I hope to see you!

Scrumptious: Siesta!

Yes, I know, "siesta" means nap, or sleep. But when you are sleepy, and you need to eat, something's gotta give. But this was delicious!

But how about a recipe? It's nice and quick, but hits the spot. 

Siesta Baked Potatoes

2 small potatoes (I used russet, you could use one large, as well.)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup salsa verde (I used La Victoria Thick 'n Chunky)

Several stalks of fresh cilantro

Sea salt, to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Start by washing your potatoes well, since eating the skins is good for you, but eating dirt is not. Once you've done that, stab each a few times with a fork, and place them in the microwave for 4 minutes. They'll steam and hiss, but that's fine. 

Once they're done in the microwave, pull out a baking sheet (or pizza pan) and set your potatoes on it. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle a bit of sea salt as well. Place them in the oven for 15 minutes. 

When the 15 minutes is up, carefully remove the baking sheet and potatoes from the oven, and place your potatoes on a plate. When they are cool enough to touch, slice them in half, and mash them up a bit. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over them, then spoon on your salsa and shredded cheese and tear up the cilantro to sprinkle it on top. 

There you have it! Delicious Siesta Baked Potatoes -- lazy college-girl food with a (very slightly) mexican flair. Plus, it's super cheap.

Tell me if you try it!

Highlights: 2010

Just a few of this years shenanigans.

Have a favorite?

Homebody: Trinkets

The first "finished" section of my bedroom redux is the wall you enter through! Through the door that is, I assume people aren't just whisking themselves through my walls. (Sir Nicholas?)

I'm particularly fond of this step, as nearly all of the items are hand-me-downs or neat things I've picked up in the past. I actually didn't buy anything expressly to put on these shelves! There isn't a whole lot of instruction on this, I just moved things around until I liked where they were.

That definitely applies on this first shelf, with a couple of the books on their sides. They were so much larger than the rest that they just looked silly. Solution? Knock 'em down! The armadillo-pig is a piggy bank, and it's next to a bell from Switzerland and my grandmother's baby photo.

This shelf may have a little more on it as I continue to redo my room, but don't you just love that fish? It has a slot in it, so it's anyone's guess as to what it is. I love it. The little pigs are salt and pepper shakers. My grandma loved pigs.

And this top shelf at the moment is rather uninspiring, but I'll be getting something to put in those bud vases eventually. If you like them, they came from Pottery Barn! The sea shells are there from various trips as well.

Bonus shelf! This is the top of my desk, which is still a bit cluttered, but I can't live without that carved wooden colt and the white horse bottle. Great stuff.

So, what do you think of my progress so far? I know, there isn't a photo of the whole wall, which is embarrassing, but hopefully I can put that up after I get something in those bud vases. Give me some comments on progress or ideas!

Halloween 2010: Haunted House

Hiya friends!

For each of the categories that I'm writing on related to Halloween (food, costumes and decor, approximately) I wanted to start with a post that detailed what I've done in the past. Unfortunately, I have to report that as far as decor is concerned, I haven't done much more than stretch a few dollar store cobwebs! I guess we have some spiderweb outdoor lights, but the inside of the house has been pretty bleak.

So for decor, we're skipping straight to ideas and inspiration. Isn't that the fun part anyway?

For Halloween decorations, there are essentially three options: creepy, cheesy or classy.

I'm leaning towards a mix of creepy and classy. But really, who am I kidding? I'll have all three with a healthy helping of cheese!

Here's what the cat dragged in for each of the three:

Creepy: You get some gross stuff with this option!

A grotesque tablescape, roaches come with no extra charge.

You might want to avoid this if you have squeamish guests! If you like it, see these specimen lanterns or dissection favor bags.

Cheesy: Your traditional decorations;

Cutesy tablecloth and lanterns can surround your candy offerings, too. But spiders, angry black cats, pumpkins and fake cobwebs are ideal here.

Classy: Eerie, but stylish, too.

These sparkly skulls are quite the representatives of that, eh?

This relies on subtle changes to your every day decor (like diy silhouettes), and of course, glitter.

Anyone else notice the excessive alliteration in this post? Weird, and unintentional, believe you me. Are you a fan of decorating the house or would you rather just get yourself all dolled up?

Checking In: Is Summer Here Yet?

Hello friends!

How is life treating you lately? If you are a college student, I think I probably have a good idea of what you are thinking right now: "PLEASE, SEMESTER, PLEASE JUST END!"

I feel your pain! It seems like we are just so close, but yet, there is so much to be done in the next (three, for me) weeks. But I thought that I would post some happy things to give you some inspiration to keep on keepin' on, if you'll forgive the cliché.

But really, tell me! What's new with you, friends?


Some beeeeautiful dinnerware that I ogled shamelessly in Anthropologie. Like many of my budget-wary friends, I only own that initial mug from their store. It's so cute! Great for tea.

I went to a natural museum over Spring Break (I know that was a long time ago, but it was gorgeous!). On our way back home, the boyfriend and I stopped on the side of the road and almost got run over to snap some photos of my favorite flower. Goooorgeous.

Since I had just been at home for Spring Break, I decided not to venture homewards for Easter. But my most wonderful parents decided that they would come visit! They haven't been up to campus this year, so they came up, and on the last day they were here, we did a hike into a volcanic crater! Pretty impressive!

So, tell me. How are you doing? Swimming in final papers and studying for exams? Praying? (That's become my method of pre-study cramming. I do pray for other reasons too though!) Fill me in on your lives!

I DIY: Cupcakery!

First of all, you should know (if you don't already) I LOVE baking. Love it.

So for Christmas this year, my parents got me all baking related gifts, one of which happened to be the most beautiful tome of Hello, Cupcake!

So I have been doing a variety of cupcake ideas from that book (they are all very easy to figure out) and I thought I would share a few.

Don't drool on your keyboard!

(I just saw they have another book out... Resist!)

Any baking in your life recently?

Holiday Henna

For the last week of school, the roommate and I decided that having a henna party would be a fun way to draw the year to a close and get to see all of our friends before the end of the year. So, after making the obligatory facebook event and turning it into an open house of sorts (and cleaning like maniacs!) we had our henna and mingling for three or four hours!

Here's some photos from the evening. I wish I would have thought to have some holiday decorations or something! What is wrong with me!?

---

I love Christmas.

(By the way, these pictures are from my new camera! It takes great macro.)