bouncing around. part one.

It's been a busy, busy month! Isaac and I have been bouncing around all over the northwest side of the country, hiking, exploring, forgetting sunscreen (me), remembering sunscreen (him always, me after the fact..), enjoying our families, and taking LOTS of pictures!!! So many in fact that I haven't finished going through them all to get them posted! But here are some highlights from one of the most exciting summers (and busiest... oh my!) we've had!!

POST 1 of 3

san francisco trip... via the redwoods:

elk, elk, everywhere!

camping with my man!

camper's wine....

oregon dunes. stunning.

my handsome fiance/travel consultant!!

battle rock wayside park

collecting rocks...

so many sea stars!!

GIANT redwoods at Jedediah Smith State Park!!

Uncle Isaac meets Leo. :)

GG bridge!

josh, margot and little leo. cute little family...

palace of fine arts in san fran.

playing at the exploratorium -- fun!

yes.

Isaac and I are ENGAGED!! Just the thought of it melts my heart. To be able to say yes, scream yes, KNOW... with all my heart... YES!! This man... will be my husband!

It's been about a month now, and we've both been going, going and sometimes gone for the entirety of our engagement thus far. We haven't had even an hour to plan, but for fun and good reason. Just one week after the big day, we went to San Francisco to visit Isaac's sister, brother-in-law, and meet their three-month-old, Leo. Then yesterday, we got back from nearly a week of camping with my immediate family in Yellowstone National Park. Everyday in between, we've been working, working, working! But the busy-ness has been strangely great; While we'll occasionally discuss things like location, theme, venues, etc., we've just been able to take this time and ENJOY it. We've been able to celebrate with so many of our family members, and basically just have a blast as fiance and fiancee. LOVING it.

In March of 2007, I spent my spring break with Isaac in Georgia. While we drove out of the city for a camping/hiking trip, we listened to music (Isaac is notorious for amazing music mixes). This song was played, and while I loved it then, I might just like it even more now...

First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes

music monday: bon iver

Bon Iver. Thank goodness he has another album releasing. I needn't say more. Isaac and I got to see him open for a Wilco concert back in 2008... BAH!!... it was amazing.

From the self-titled album "bon iver", "calgary":

Listen to the entire album before it releases tomorrow HERE.

And stay tuned... the next post I do is going to be an exciting one, and that might be a promise. :)

Here's a hint....

addicted and can't stop

What? A blog? Who has time for blogging when there is Pinterest?! I'm addicted and can't stop...

Pinterest is a social sharing site, similar to twitter, only better... especially for people like me who appreciate aesthetics, design and visuals! It's a place to share things that you love! Interiors, fashion, books, food, photography and fun products! It's fun and easy to follow others and get inspired!!

Check out my profile (and the main site), and let me know if you'd like an invite to join the 'pinboard'! Happy pinning (as they say)! haha!

music monday: thurston moore

Thurston Moore. My first experience with his music broke my little heart. I remember it so well; better than yesterday. Back in 2007, I was packing up from a week spent in Georgia with my love. He was finishing grad-school there, and I was heading back to my school in Nebraska. We'd visit each other and go for MONTHS without seeing each other again. This time, I was silently packing my things, careful not to say anything because saying anything at all would just make me cry. And when Thurston Moore's 'Honest James' came on, all of that holding back... dissipated. I had never heard it before then, and even now, the association of this song with the event called, Leaving, continues to put a lump in my throat.

Thurston Moore: Honest James


But now, I don't have to say goodbye to him. I don't have to pack my things and board an airplane with tissues. :) You have NO IDEA how happy it makes me to be able to see him everyday...

Now I can listen to Thurston Moore's newest album without crying. haha. 'Demolished Thoughts' (releasing next week) includes a few lovely musical ideas from his other albums, but not overwhelmingly so. The opening track reminds me so much of 'Honest James':

Thurston Moore: Benediction


Thurston Moore: In Silver Rain with a Paper Key


Get a first listen of the entire album 'Demolished Thoughts' HERE via NPR.

music monday: ellie goulding

Tina Fey hosted SNL this past Saturday (yay!). It was sooo exciting, but I was sooo tired and kept falling asleep during all of the skits. But when Fey announced the guest musician "Ellie Goulding!" (an indie pop artist from England), there was something there that kept me awake. It was a strange thing; during her entire performance, I thought "do I like this? I like this! Do I like this? I love this!" Ellie G. has this incredible precision that is almost haunting as she gets higher in her vocal range. I downloaded her album, but I have to say that the differences she made in the live performance rock so much more than her studio recording... definitely more of a raw sound which I LOVE in female singers. And her vocal licks and runs sometimes sound digitally created, but they're NOT... it's just her, and it's awesome!!

This is the live performance she did on SNL Saturday....

Ellie Goulding: Lights


And another, live at The Cherrytree House. Lovely.

Ellie Goulding: The Writer

the articles worn

Happy day. I got the Anthropologie catalog in the mail today. It's the only catalog I look at (ok... I look at their sister store's, too [Urban Outfitters], but it's not as thrilling). Last summer, I got to work (play?) at an Anthropologie store, and it was so inspirational. Walking into new things, new surroundings, new ideas every day... it was a perfect environment for a girl like me. And about the catalog; even just since working there last year, I feel it has evolved. It's not about the individual items available for purchase... it's about art, photography, color, composition, travel and beauty. The models become a part of the composition and the articles worn become a part of the environment, the surrounding architecture and societies. Sometimes, I'm sad I don't get the everyday inspiration from the cute little eclectic store like I used to, but the booklet that comes in my mailbox is enough inspiration to fill me up. LOVE it.

{don't get the Anthropologie catalog in your mailbox? Not to fret... CLICK HERE and skim through the catalog on their site! Your welcome.}

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music monday: fleet foxes

Guess what is releasing tomorrow!! A new Fleet Foxes album titled, 'Helplessness Blues'!! You can get a bitty sneak-listen by clicking here, but I can guarantee you'll need to just buy the album because it's a GOOD one!! They've stayed true to both their distinct sound and cool album cover art, so check it out!! Sooooooo good....

My personal favorites from the album:

Fleet Foxes | Battery Kinzie


Fleet Foxes | Lorelai

to visit family

I love photography. Love it. Right now, my only camera is a lovely 35mm film sort, but I'm attempting to save up for something fancy, and the more I learn, the more I can't wait for the day I can get one. I absolutely adore the texture and color that comes from film, but it's scary for me to take photos with it because a) I can't see the "immediate" result on a 2x2 inch screen and b) I truly only get one shot! But I'm learning, and quite honestly, the unknown is a quarter of the fun!! I went home to visit family back in February, and already, I wish I knew then what I know now about exposure and light (like how to photograph in a bathroom?? haha). But with such a cutie pie niece to photograph, I can't help but show you some of the fun I had with my film during my visit.....

cutest bath baby...

my niece, leah. she's a cute, clever one.

bath buddies...

dry up!

mommy!!

bed-time story books... her favorite book about animals!!

it really is time for bed. cute little elephant pj's.... haha.

sweetie!!

she'll read books anywhere she can... just hop on pop!

one of leah's favorite animals... the 'affe!! so cute.

she fell asleep in the car and woke up in a ZOO!! lucky.

More photos from my visit to come! I had a lot of fun with "landscapes of the great plains". :) It's so different from the city, and I always forget that until I go home after being gone for so long...

play, create, edit and design

I love getting to work on my computer. I don't have as much time to do it as I would like, and I don't have as many specific projects as I would like, but when I do, I just like to play, create, edit and design. Sometimes I forget that I reaaaaally enjoy this...... and looking back at a couple of fun projects from a few months ago is a great reminder....

a save-the-date mail-out -- Rachel and Brenden are getting married in less than a month!

the save-the-date design the couple chose and mailed out.

Taylor and Jamie, getting married just before the 4th -- Celebration themed with a hot fuchsia, gray and black color pallet! :)

Let me know if you have any specific projects you'd like created for you!! I just love working on special things like this!!

color inspiration: fashion magazines

As far as graphic design and interiors go, I work best with neutrals and a punch of color. I realized that lately, I've been going back to the same color pallets, and needed some fresh inspiration that wasn't too cliche (for some reason, I think almost everything is cliche these days).

What am I turning to? Fashion magazine covers! Brilliant! They always have the neutrals of flesh and different hair colors, with the font colors and clothing for the punch of color! Now I can't stop looking for inspirational magazine covers and can't wait to start working with the various pallets I've been able to pull from them!!

Elle | January 2011*

Elle - France | March 2011*

Elle - UK | January 2011

Elle - UK | February 2011

Vogue - Turkey | March 2010*

Vogue - US | January 2011*

Vogue | January 2011

Vogue - Spain | April 2011

*My favorite color pallets! Love 'em.

music monday: say hi [to your mom]

Say Hi to Your Mom!! Apparently the 'to your mom' portion was dropped at some point, and the band now simply goes with SAY HI... which I like better. Their album "Um, Uh Oh", released about two months ago, is quite nice for those of us in Portland who get rainy, lazy days and need some music that feels the same way. (Maybe they sound like rainy, lazy days because they are based out of Seattle?) It's pretty easy listening that reminds me a LOT of a less angry Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and even perhaps a little of the Sabastian half in Belle and Sabastian. haha. Enjoy a couple of tracks from their album, "Um, Uh Oh"...

Say Hi: Dots on Maps


Say Hi: Trees Are a Swayin'

music monday: the temper trap | adele | the dodos

It's sooo not monday, but who cares! Music Monday lives on!! And instead of featuring just one artist, I'm going to let you in on what I've been listening to all month! I've got opinions....

Let's start with the oldest to newest releases.

The Temper Trap. I downloaded their album, Conditions, which actually came out almost a year and a half ago! But I had no idea, so it's new music for meeee!! They remind me of some sort of combination of Kings of Leon and the Bee Gees... haha - I'm so serious!

I LOVE this video -- it cracks me up then breaks and melts my heart all at the same time!! love it...
The Temper Trap: Love Lost


The Temper Trap: Fools



Adele. Her album "21" -released last month- is definitely a step up from her previous album, "19", but I have to admit that I was a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong... she's a diva, but I guess I was expecting something a little better than what she gave us! She can ROCK, no doubt about it, but I think the biggest let-down were her ballads. They seemed sooo cliche and like so much of what has already been done and overdone. Blah. Buuuut, I still like it (when she rocks out) and listen to it - I just skip the boring tracks....

Adele: Rolling in The Deep


The Dodos. They are just so great. Isaac found them for me - he's so wonderful about keeping me in the know with the things I should probably know about... :) and I just love bands that make complex rhythms work and make it awesome. This is The Dodos. Their album, No Color, came out just a couple of weeks ago, and Isaac downloaded it to share with me. :)

The Dodos: Black Night


The Dodos: Going Under

music monday: jonsi

This album is for the soul. From start to finish, it inspires me to live my life with purpose, away from the mundane tasks of everyday things and expectations. To Go Do. The past couple of months, I've been doing some serious soul searching for the sake of my career and the happiness that stems from that portion of my life. I'm a happy, happy girl, and in it all, I've got a pretty wonderful life. But I want more. I need more. More creativity. More life. More passion. And this album, I swear, is the soundtrack for this quest of mine... as cheesy as that may sound.

Jonsi's album, Go, is where the better parts in the melodic tendencies of Sigur Ros and Coldplay meet the driving beats of The National. It's a pretty wonderful combination; both moving and beautiful. And most of the songs are even good for a motivated work-out too! I'm not kidding! Check out the videos of the first two tracks in the album: Go Do and Animal Arithmetic. (I was told that this album has to be listened to in order, and it's true) - chronologically, it'll take you through life.

Jonsi: Go Do


Jonsi: Animal Arithmetic


Also...

click here to Watch Jonsi live (it's pretty awesome, and the differences from the studio recording rock!!)

click here to listen to Jonsi in Concert!!

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out with my 35mm

I went out with my 35mm camera the other day. It was a fun and much needed day!! I want to do this every day.

At Stumptown.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Henry's Tavern. Never been because it's always filled with frat boys. This day, it was pretty.

String lights and the threat of rain.

A dressmaker's store front.