paper.

I couldn't not post this. I had it saved somewhere in my bookmarks and can't remember where I originally found her-- but just look. Yulia Brodskaya's art takes paper to a whole 'nother level. I'm more than blown away by her work. Can you believe the portrait??




Amazing, right?

Last week in the trailer...

Moving is exciting. Thankfully, it hasn't been stressful at all yet, so we'll see! We're only moving a little ways down the street, which probably saves us a lot of spent emotions. We get our moving truck on Saturday, and that'll be our first official day in our new place! I'll post pictures when we're moved in. We've actually been having a good time packing and preparing for our move, and it feels SO GOOD to throw things away. I am a minimalist by no means (the thought is actually laughable), but it feels good knowing that we're not moving any sort of trash or mess to our new place-- just the things we want and need. A fresh start! In celebration of having a little garden in our back yard, I bought a basil and cilantro plant as well as a little heirloom tomato plant. There's nothing like a fresh tomato... can't wait to get it in the ground!

Anyways, the thing that we've discovered about a new place is that, especially when you're starting out, you buy things and decorate to suit the place you first live (that tiny bit of wall space in between rooms, that one large wall in your living room...etc.). Every piece of furniture in our trailer was strategically chosen to fit into a certain spot in that room. Unfortunately, those things rarely carry over into the next place you move into, so there's a lot of getting rid of furniture and getting new things. This little mid-century modern-ish end table was one of my recent thrift store finds, and I can't wait to figure out what to do with it! (Side note... look at how bare our cabinet and wall are :( we've packed up everything but the furniture in a lot of our rooms).


I have stockpiled a bunch of photos in my inspiration folder over the years-- here are some ideas that I'm considering for this baby:


A bright POP of color, like this one (This photo also inspired me to get a lemon tree. how gorgeous! I'm in love with this photo. You should see the rest of the house...)


Painting the main body of furniture a selected color, then leaving the drawers natural, kind of like the above picture..

And there is always leaving it natural or refinishing the wood. I'm more of a color person, and I would rather make a statement than let the piece go ignored or unnoticed while in the room. We'll see. The piece was so cheap, I think a lot of that was because it lacks hardware, which was just perfect for me. I can't wait to pick some out! Here are a few I've been considering for the table:



(All hardware from anthropologie)

Let me know what you think!

The Wake-Talking Chronicles.

I know I say this all the time, but living with Colin is endlessly amusing. I've posted a lot about his sleep-talking habits, but what about his wake-talking habits? He has a tendency to mix up words when he's excited or talking too fast. It's super cute and really funny. I took to writing these moments down as they came out of his mouth, many times on the back of a receipt that I kept in my wallet, but that piece of paper was accidentally thrown away. Darn. Here are a few of my favorite word "mix-ups" that I can remember, or had written down on a sticky note on our computer...

"Oatmeen and raisel cookies"
"We should give Atie and Koliver a call tonight."
"I was reading today in Jesus:12..."
"Arcelona and Barsenal are playing tomorrow..."
"...Bed, Bath, and Body Works"

And one of my recent favorites, not a mix-up but funny nonetheless...

"Could you get me some lipstick?" (I think he meant chapstick).


Love him.

bread box.

So, I stopped by the thrift store on my way home from work to haggle over a certain piece of furniture. Always, always double and triple check a piece when you're looking to buy it-- check the drawers (that they slide out easily), hardware, and especially the back. Some places will try and trick you into believing that it's a great quality, real-wood piece... then you turn it around. plywood, anyone? Anyways, It was a beautiful mid-century modern hutch, but no cigar on that one. Cheap furniture doesn't last and doesn't make the same impression as a quality piece.

As I was leaving I spotted this awesome bread box on one of the shelves! It's a little rickety and the hardware needs some tightening, but I love that the wood is worn and I even love that some of the lettering on the metal detail is missing. It adds to the rustic look of it. It's not monumentally exciting but I still really like it. I can't decide whether I'll paint it, leave it, or stain it... suggestions?





grace and peace.

chai.

Just thought I'd share one of my new favorite things as of three nights ago! I found this Spiced Chai Concentrate recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and had to try it. So many times I find myself craving a cup of chai but don't want to go through all of the trouble of making it. This recipe is wonderful because you spend the time to make it once and then you have the stuff to make yourself a hot (or iced, my favorite right now!) cup of chai in seconds. Chances are, if you cook (especially any sort of ethnic food), you'll have a lot of these ingredients on hand like we did. I've been mixing myself a glass before work in the mornings and it is perfect! So here's the recipe. I personally doubled it, and put the concentrate in 3 mason jars with lids.


- 4-½ cups Water
- 1 stick Cinnamon (I added more, I love cinnamon)
- 1 piece Fresh Ginger Chopped (I used about an inch chunk)
- 7 whole Cardamom Pods (I used black but I think green would be better)
- 2 whole Star Anise Pods
- 10 whole Cloves
- ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoons Freshly-ground Nutmeg
- 10 teaspoons Green Or Black Tea Or 10 Tea Bags
- ⅔ cups Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla (I added a splash more!)


Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Add the spices and the tea/tea bags, remove from heat, and steep for about 15-20 minutes (I did 20, it depends on how strong you want it). Strain with a fine mesh strainer to catch all of the grains and bits, and while it's still hot add the brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Pour into seal-able containers and cool.

To enjoy, add one part concentrate to one part heated milk, or do the same over ice! If you want your chai stronger, try two parts concentrate to one part milk.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

sickly, chapter 3.

1. Peaceful days, where I can sleep in with Colin, sit in the living room with the windows open, listen to music and make grocery lists. I'm actually almost thankful for being sick this past week-- it forced me to relax, because I couldn't do much else. Not work, not scramble to get things done... just wind down. Now, I feel rejuvenated to go back to work and do the things that need to be done this week!

2. I know the whole internet world is abuzz about Adele, but if anyone's worth the hype, this girl is. She makes me believe that there is talent out there in a world where every voice we hear on the radio is auto-tuned. It's hard to believe that such a mature sound can come out of such a young person... her first album (which is incredible) was recorded when she was 19 years old!



3. So much coming up in the next months-- to top it all off, we're planning our second wedding anniversary trip! I can't even believe it'll be two years of marriage in July. We already booked our hotel and flight (thank you, thank you, tax returns!). Since we did something very Rachel-friendly last year (not that Colin didn't want to do it and didn't love it, but laying in the sun is definitely my thing), we're going to do something different this year. We'll be spending a long weekend in D.C., seeing the museums and sites, going to a nice dinner on our anniversary, then we're going to go see Manchester United and Barcelona play at Fed Ex field! We are so excited! We feel blessed to be able to do things like this together.

4. I'm also on the hunt for the perfect everyday shoe. I've had two pairs of TOMS now, but honestly the two things that attracted me to them in the first place (them being different and also the company's philanthropy) have come and gone. Literally everyone in the world has a pair now, but mainly the allocation of their (abundant!) resources and their stewardship is kinda sketchy. I like the idea of a shoe that goes with anything and is effortless-- I've been eying a few pairs of keds but can't commit. Any thoughts?

5. Kevin comes tomorrow! We get our friend back for the week. It's a harsh reality of post-college life that people move away and you rarely get to see them. Fortunately, sometimes you do :)

Hope you're enjoying your rainy Sunday!

I know that You are for me.

Such an awesome Truth.
In my brokenness, sadness, anxiety, whatever... He will never forsake me. He won't forsake you, either. Know it, and live in it. Live like it.
It's almost too much for me to contain at times.

grace and peace.

it feels like spring.

1. Hope everyone had a great Valentine's day! We definitely don't treat it like the huge relationship-altering holiday it seems to have become to many, but we relish the opportunity to take one another out and speak love in an active way. Colin, sushi, and a bottle of Merlot made the night beautiful and peaceful.

me about to tear into that Jade Roll. helllooo.

2. A dream of mine is being actualized this coming May-- We are going to see Cirque du Soleil!! The show that's coming to Columbia is Alegria. Our seats are so good I'm convinced we'll be able to high-five the clowns, for real. SO excited, you guys! Thanks, Colin!

3. Love this post by Color Me Katie. It will make you smile!

4. Thank you for this, seventeen-year-old Zooey Deschanel.

5. I laughed so hard when I read this article. 'homeless chic'.

6. Check out Brooke Waggoner if you've never heard of her. Her music is beautiful, delicate, and happy. I love listening to her and hearing random harps or banjos thrown in... her album Fresh Pair of Eyes (2007) is so good, and it makes me sad it took me so long to hear of her!



Have a wonderful week and enjoy the beautiful weather!

home!

Back home in South Carolina after a week full of old friends, new friends, 80 degree weather, 40+ hours in the car, hating Oklahoma, swhite being pulled over, armadillo roadkill, ghetto spiderman impersonators, and lots and lots of laughter. So thankful for my friends, and for the time we get to spend together, even though we all live apart.


The wonderful thing about being cooped up in the car for so long, minus time with friends, is there's time for introspection and asking the Spirit to be the Revealer.

Being "unplugged" for the majority of the week was such a good thing for me. I'm not one of those people who goes on frequent tirades against social networking and all, because I really do believe that it's a tool that, if used well, is beneficial and good. What I did realize, though, is that my insecurity and even my vanity and materialism (which is another blog post entirely, which I'll get to later this week) seems to be spurred on in a huge way by what I'm feeding myself (what I'm reading, what I'm spending my time doing and thinking about). When I read through my google reader every morning and eye all of the fashion blogs that I follow, I find myself coveting. The expensive clothing, the endlessly stylish wardrobe, the beautiful skin and hair. It sets my mind and heart on things that aren't good for me-- it spurs my heart to insecurity and a desire for things that aren't eternally worthwhile. Instead of setting my sights on paying off our loans so we can get on the mission field, I find myself wanting to go shopping. It really grieved my heart this week when I allowed myself to be convicted by this realization instead of brushing it off.

As a disclaimer, hear me when I say that fashion blogs are not bad. Shopping is not bad. Wanting to be fashionable and express yourself in what you wear is not bad. I'm simply speaking to my own sinful tendencies, and how I can tell my heart is turned from pure and good things when I focus so much time and attention on these things. Contentment is unattainable in this area. What my heart needs is to read of and focus on its true worth and where it comes from. All I can think about is "Here, God! look at my sea shells!" (via John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life).

One of the reasons I keep a blog and write about some convictions or thoughts I have is because I know that, because it is out in the public and many people read it, I will be held to a standard in some way. It's an accountability that I appreciate being there. As of now, up to an indefinite point in time, I'm only going to read the blogs of my friends and some select others. No fashion or beauty blogs. I look forward to the refreshing of my spirit and the diminishing of a lot of things that turn my heart away from the Lord and towards myself.

grace and peace,
the wife.

it's been quite the week.

Hello, Friends! What a lovely, lovely, lovely day. Let's enjoy it, because it looks like a "wintry mix" is going to hit Columbia on Friday supposedly. Gross.

1. I've been looking at this picture all week-- I can't remember exactly where I saw it first to credit-- and it makes me so, so happy. The colors, the lighting, the patterns and textures... It's just good.


2. On Wednesday I leave for beautiful California with Cait and Swhite! Since Cait left all of her stuff out there in LA after graduation, including her car, she absolutely needed us ;) to fly out there with her and then drive it all back to the East Coast. Cross-country trip, anyone? I am way excited to spend so much time with my best friends on a welcomed adventure, and to get to meet all of Cait's college friends and see her life for the past four years! I'll try and be good about taking pictures to share when we get back. I will also try and coerce Colin into blogging a little while I'm gone!

3. Also, I think that you should check out Laura Marling. She's been an accomplished artist for years now, and is still only 20 years old! Her sound is simple and beautiful. Her boyfriend isn't too bad either (Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons)!



4. The other day was a really awesome thrifting day-- took a short break in between work and a meeting to go to His House with Katie, and it was so fun! Here are some of my finds...

I am such a sucker for older/vintage housewares. I think that most of the new things put out these days, like casseroles, cookware, dishes...etc. are boring. Everything's stainless steel, white, or black! This old thermos ($0.25) is in great shape and I love the color.


This blazer ($1)! I have been on the hunt for a good tweed blazer and look every time I go thrifting, and I finally found one! I wore it today to church and love it. This is the sign of a trusting friendship-- there was no mirror in the store, so I just put it on and asked Katie yes or no. It was a yes!


And lastly, these belts ($1 each)! I have so many dresses and tops that need to be belted, which has become my favorite thing to do, and these do the trick. They're in fun colors with gaudy buckles, and I love them!

Not pictured is my awesome pampered chef stoneware baking pan ($1). When I got home I checked online and saw that they retail for about $65 on Amazon.com.... wow. Find of the day, for sure! I can't wait to make apple crisp in my new pan! Thrifting is my favorite hobby. It provides hours of relaxation at a very, very low cost, offers me a chance to be a little creative with my dress, and it helps feed my desires to nest/decorate.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!