sunday supper: watermelon

I cannot believe it's already the last day of July. Seriously, where is the summer going? I want it to stay warm for months and months. But, no, I can't think about what little time I have left wearing flip-flops and tank tops. No, we mustn't think of such things. Instead, lets talk about all the deliciousness that summer still has to offer us....like the juicy, refreshing taste of watermelon- one of my favorite summer fruits. It's perfect on a summer afternoon after a fun day in the sun! Although, it might just be me, but I think watermelon taste best when it's cut up in cubes. How do you like to eat watermelon?

watermelon goat cheese salad via boulderlocavare

watermelon gazpacho via healthy-delicious

watermelon salsa via thegirlwhoateeverything

watermelon and tequila mojito via girlcooksworld

fresh mint and watermelon soda via howsweetitis

Happy Sunday!

delight

via create.your.happy

"We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit."

~ e.e cummings

happy monday!

Knitted street art makes me happy!

sunday supper: german chocolate brownies

It was my father-in-law's birthday this weekend and instead of making a german chocolate cake, which happens to be his favorite, like I did last year I came across this german chocolate brownie recipe and just knew that I had to try it. I was hoping that my brownies would look like this....

via bakingdom

but, instead they looked like this.


They were still delicious though! However, I'm realizing that I just don't have the patience for baking. But, I'm sure I'll come across another recipe that I will just have to try, then I'll spend hours in the kitchen baking and once again come to the conclusion that I just don't have the patience for baking.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

where everybody knows your name

Seriously, this is one of the best opening credits to a T.V. show ever!

via youtube

secrets of a great harry potter party

This recent birthday has taught me a few things, or at least reaffirmed a few things I already knew- I love theme parties and d.i.y projects, I especially love when I can find economical ways to make the projects happen. I still wait until the last minute to get everything done which means I don't have enough time to get everything done so it doesn't all happen exactly how I want it to. And I never take enough pictures.


The golden snitches were made out of rocher chocolates using this template for the wings.


Simply open a bag of these for some green, crunchy troll boogers.


Ok, these aren't real pumpkin pasties but I do love me some cheesecake.


I scored some adorable owl swizzle sticks on sale at West Elm.


Don't throw out your glass jars, reuse and repurpose them. It's eco(nomy)-friendly!


Another great find.


The dollar store had these gigantic beer mugs, a la Hagrid size- perfect for the licorice wands, but a little too big for the pretzel wands.


This is a great template for apothecary style labels.

And every Harry Potter party needs a Platform 9 3/4 photo booth! I got the brick wallpaper from Michael's and handmade the platform sign.



All in all it was a great birthday and a very fun party! I'm so glad my sister and cousins flew all the way from Phoenix to Chicago to be a part of the magic!

Now, what can I plan next?

time

via neal on flicker

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

~ Steve Jobs

happy monday!

A Harry Potter birthday party makes me happy!

sunday supper: bloody marys

bloody mary @ trocadero

You know it was a good birthday when all you want is a bloody mary the next day. If you want to try the best bloody mary ever then you must go to Trocadero Gastrobar in Milwaukee. I swear it was so good- it's like a garden in your glass! None of this celery nonsense, this drink comes with a green olive, green bean, asparagus spear, a pickle and a beer chaser. You know a drink means business when a beer chaser is required.

For those who are daring enough to make a bloody mary at home, which I am not, here are some variations on this classic cocktail.

Bacon Swizzle Stick Bloody Mary

Heirloom Bloody Mary

Watermelon Bloody Mary

Green Mary

Cheers!

tomorrow it all ends

via pinterest

a good reminder

via magicalme

choice

via pinterest

happy monday!

The wisdom of Joseph Campbell makes me happy!

sunday supper: harry potter party

My birthday is in 5 days and my day of birthday fun will include seeing Part Two, going to a British pub for some traditional English grub, then having friends over for some Honeydukes treats and sweets. It's pretty much going to be an awesome day!

butterbeer via bakingdom

acid pops via tradewindtiaras

drooble's best blowing gum via blowoutparty

licorice wands via thepastryaffair

dessert table inspiration via allfortheboys

you've been mooned!

Let your imagination run wild this weekend!

{images via risingstardom}

one more week

Next Friday is going to be amazing, I can hardly wait! It will be a double rainbow kind of day- the final Harry Potter movie comes out and it's my birthday!

via nanlawson

via fuckyeahmovieposters

via minimalmovieposters

summertime

via laurageorge

This poster pretty much sums up how awesome Chicago is during the summertime!

cooking inspiration

beet cake from tiger in a jar

What a beautiful, inspiring video. Doesn't it make you want to bake a cake? Or at least eat one.

patience

via pinterest

"All human wisdom is summed up in two words - wait and hope."

~ Alexandre Dumas

happy monday!

"Being united in a common interest" makes me happy!

via youtube

Happy Independence Day!

sunday supper: red, white & blue

Some colorful recipes for your Fourth of July celebration. Happy Independence Day!

blue velvet cake via onefortheoven

red, white & blue pops via youaremyfave

watermelon & feta flag via wenderly

red, white & blue strawberries via scrambledhenfruit

etsy love

Le tour has begun and what an exciting day of racing it was. In honor of today's first stage I thought I'd share two of my favorite things - etsy and bicycles.

via vital

via uncommon

via cuftlynx

via bmused

via buttonempire

Here's to 20 more days...

staying creative

Just because school's out for the summer doesn't mean you should let your creativity go on break too. At least that's what I'm trying to remind myself.

via messystuffs

Here's to a fun and creative holiday weekend!