I want a greenhouse.

Yesterday, we went to the local arboretum and saw beautiful, flowery plants growing inside the warm walls of the greenhouses.  It was refreshing to see a place filled with life and color in the peak of winter. 

I found this website that gives instructions on how to build a greenhouse out of old windows. Wouldn't that be lovely?  I have little inclination to take on a project anytime soon, but having my own greenhouse is definitely on my "list".

Something pretty

Thought we could all use a touch of color today. 

Is it Friday yet? 

Have a fluttery weekend

Most of the time, one would have to go outside to see pretty things like this, a big yellow butterfly on a colorful thistle.  So I recommend you do exactly that, go outside.  Enjoy a butterfly's fluttering wings.  See a purple flower. Enjoy your weekend.

xoxo

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Shark Week Craft

Ahh, Shark Week.  We've all seen it at one point or another, but it invokes different memories and meanings to each of us.  I think of my older brother laying on the couch for days on end, blood and teeth on the TV screen, and nachos between commercial breaks.  I can't say it was my favorite type of TV marathon (Law & Order SVU is more my kind of thing), but it is a true television phenomenon whether you love or loathe it.

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My fiance says the the movie "Stepbrothers" made Shark Week famous, but I'm convinced it's been a phenomenon long before Will Ferrell started watching.  But, I've never seen the phenomenon of Shark Week turn into what is has this year, though...

AllisonBook

Handamade

ThePigAndThePeacock

RubADubBuddies

JessWitaj

Dedalo

BerkleyIllustration

UnfinishedWood

BeanyTink

BakersWife 

There's really something for the whole family in this set.  And if you can't get enough Shark week craftiness, be sure and check out the Etsy Treasuries featuring Shark Week related awesomeness.  It's an impressive list, to say the least.

Happy Shark Week!

Pennsylvania, again

This week... another road trip -spontaneous in some ways- to Pennsylvania.  Pittsburgh, Altoona, Ligonier, Tyrone and everything in between. 

What are the odds that The Sartorialist is in PA this week, too?  Check out these great shots he took while on the road in rural PA on Route 45.

P.S. Last night I had Lavender Summer Ale at Church Brew Works.  How nice!

Feeling Green

1. Absinthe Dress 

2. Seed Bombs

3. Pyrex Beaker Vase 

4. Evergreen Pendant

5. Tree Place Card Holders

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Have a great weekend.

Pennsylvania, my latest crush

Hello and Happy Friday!  I'm really excited to share this post with you all.

This week I went on a bit of a spontaneous Pennsylvania road trip, tagging along with my travelling salesman fiance from account to account across the state.  I need no further convincing, I'm rather keen on this state. 

Things I love about PA: craft breweries, rolling green hills, luscious and seemingly never-ending corn fields, Amish horse-drawn wagons, art and culture in the cities, and the abundance of wide, open spaces. 

Let me share with you a few things that make me love Pennsylvania even more.

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Lancaster Brewing Company.  How's this for a combination: Strawberry Wheat + Milk Stout = Chocolate Covered Strawberry Beer.  At Lancaster Brewing Company, when you order the beer sampler, this delectable combination is just one of over ten tasty brews you get to taste.  All the beer is brewed on premises and many of the bottled and canned beers are available in the small gift shop on site.  The Strawberry Wheat?  It's even more delicious than it sounds.

What could be more tasty in summer than Strawberry flavored beer?

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Philadelphia Museum of Art.  I'm not sure which room I like more, the imported Japanese Tea Houses, the French Cloister dating back to the 1270's, or the Temple Hall from India dating to 1515. The Philadelphia Museum's greatest advantage is its sheer enormity. With 80,000 square feet of gallery space, it makes sense that entire rooms rooms are filled with life-size imported temples from across the globe. The latest rotating exhibits featuring Picasso and Renoir have been extensive and impressive.  The Contemporary Art and Impressionists wings are curious and significant.  And the architecture of the museum itself is beautifully classic and entirely striking.  The PMA is a must stop in Philly.

While no one from Philadelphia seems to do this, walking to the museum from downtown is a lovely and lengthy stroll down this tree and fountain lined drive.

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Church Brew Works.  You're probably sensing a theme by now.  We like beer.  And Pittsburgh has got it, too.  At Church Brew, there's not only a unique craft brewery and a gourmet kitchen that makes a mean Pittsburgh Salad, but it's all inside a beautifully renovated Catholic church.  Have you ever been to a church that has two-story tall brass brewing containers at the altar?  Exactly.

At Church Brew Works, it's as good as it looks.

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Friends near and far, if Pennsylvania is in your future, make sure these stops are part of your tour.  For now, have a happy weekend! Stay tuned on Sunday for another city-themed storyboard...xoxo.

Back in Balmy Bawlmer

Monday night I took the red eye from Seattle back "home" to Baltimore.  As expected, I'm not sure I would recommend flying overnight, but since it was the cheapest option, it worked. 

After getting off the plane around 5:50 am, I stepped outside to sunny 75 degree temperatures, complete with healthy dose of humidity.  Luckily, the last few days have been in the lower 80's and not as oppressive as the 90+ degree heat I missed while trolling through the Pacific Northwest. 

I guess I never realized or fully appreciated, having lived in the PNW my entire life, just how crisp the air smells.  I forgot how cool the evenings feel after sunset, how breezy the wind carries itself through the trees, and yes, how low those damn gray clouds press down from the sky like a smothering pillow of existential oppression.  I don't miss the gray, the rain, or the constantness (is that a word?) of the gloom.  But, the sunny days are incomparable. I'll give you that, Seattle.

Nothing beats an afternoon of pondering at Gasworks Park

In other news, I'm happy to report that upon arrival, there are no visible signs of our kitchen mouse!  Sadly though, my radish crop looks horrible.  I'm not sure how it's possible to grow radishes improperly, but somehow my radishes are tiny, chewy and horrible.  Maybe there's hope for the beets?

Looking forward to a long, warm and sunny summer.  But definitely missing those I love.

xoxo

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I (heart) City Life.

City living is rough sometimes.  The traffic, the litter, the junkies...sometimes it can just get to a gal.  Recently, our car was broken into while parked right near our house. My next door neighbor and I both had potted plants stolen off of our stoops. The rats have even made a home outside of our kitchen.  A mouse just ran across my floor as I wrote this. 

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Here in Baltimore, there is an infamous bumper sticker that says (across a happy, yellow background) "I (heart) City Life". 

While I wholeheartedly agree that living in the city has advantages galore in terms of art, music, food, and culture, I'm almost sure it was the Baltimore Police that devised the bumper sticker as a means to propagate urban living in this, a widely depressed city.  But, I digress...

The one thing most cities are missing? The thing I miss most living in a city?  Clean, green, quiet, open space. 

Sometimes, when all the frustrations and annoyances of urban life begin to mount, open space is just what is needed. 

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Any chance Ryan and I can get to see a little more green and a few less people, we jump.

This weekend we hopped, skipped, and drove to Loch Raven Reservoir for a little nature hunting.  Not even 10 miles from the heart of the Baltimore lies this fantastic nature reserve.  Brimming with fresh spring foliage and the sounds of baby birds, it was a perfect way to start the weekend.   

There's a little speck of blue in the middle there, that's Ryan.

We saw a herd of baby deer on the trail , very sweet!

Green trees and fresh air!

Thank you nature for replenishing me with healthy oxygen levels and allowing me to re-enter the urban landscape feeling renewed.  Sometimes it's just what a gal needs.

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How did you spend your weekend? Was there any nature involved? I'd love to hear, so leave a comment below, if you like. 

xoxo