unruly-things

I love these looks from Rittenhouse. so blue and gray and black. so perfect for my wardrobe.
{from rittenhouse}

I've just spent way too much time browsing through the vintage trimmings on etsy. I found these cute sets of trim and ribbon, but I can't think of any logical reason why I would need them right now so I have resisted. oh but I love rick rack and floral patterns.... resisting is hard when things are oh so cute. {dlb would be proud}
{from wirsmom}

Denise from d. Sharp Journal is having a giveaway on her blog for this cute glittery heart shaped box. if you know me, you know that I was immediately attracted to this when I saw that lovely skeleton key. rather than divulge who holds the key to your heart, she's putting a little twist on the age old saying by asking us a question from the other point of view - what is the key to holding your heart? leave a comment on her post anytime between now and Monday 9am {PST} to enter to win this sweet glitter heart box.
{from d.sharp}

I'm in love with tiny felted or fabric birds. I was already in love with the little ones from Ann Wood, but now I'm falling for these from Lauren Alane. she's got a shop update February 6. maybe the perfect little valentine comes in the shape of a bird with wire feet.
{from lauren alane}

oh my gosh, these look amazing. simply amazing. not to mention, these photos make me want to immediately go to the supermarket and buy grapefruit.
{via smitten kitchen}

I simply adore these earrings from sulu design. fellow Portlander and jewelry designer, Susan, of sulu design, creates gorgeous handmade, unique jewelry that's fun and affordable. how cute would these earrings be with a bright white or yellow shirt, a pair of dark denim jeans, and a fun pair of shoes. simply perfect for spring and summer. check out her shop here and her lovely blog here.
{from sulu design}

Robin's post yesterday about her apartment got my thinking about my own. actually, it got me thinking about how much I can't stand my own apartment with those ugly yellow/white walls, that yucky tan carpet, and the awful layout. when dlb and I first moved here, we thought finding a place would be really easy. we were quite wrong. well, at least in the price range we were looking, location, and the fact that we were driving around not knowing anything about the city. we had been staying in a hotel for 5 nights, and finally got desperate for a place and ended up taking the first one that we semi liked and could afford. and we're counting down the days until our lease is up. the only thing that keeps my happy about it is we are in a great location. and I have covered parking.
lately, we've been dreaming about having our own house. hardwood floors, a porch with real grass and plants, a garden, a big roomy kitchen with lots of cabinet space, two bedrooms, enormous windows that let lots of light in, and lots of space to decorate. I think I'd like this hanging ceramic planter for my porch. maybe two.
{from doe}

I used to hate socks. I still don't really like that seam down by my toes. it always seems to get in the way. so I don't have many socks. but my feet have been really really wanting some warm, fuzzy socks to cover them lately.
I like these. they remind me of that sprinkle cake my mom once baked for me that came in a package with sprinkles of all colors that you baked into the cake. mmm... it was so good and packed with sugar.
I also like these and these too.
{via jess}

wake up with a crick in your neck?
wish that you could go *poof* and be somewhere else?
get down in the dumps for no reason at all?
just really want to go home and curl up on the couch?
have those days when you just don't feel like blogging?


I do.
and I'll be back tomorrow.
but in the meantime, I like these.
and this.
and I want to make these
and this always makes me happy.

update: so we have this little candy dispenser at my office, you know, the kind where you put a quarter in, turn the knob, and like 10 pieces of candy fall out into your hand... anyway, since I was feeling a bit "blue" I decided to break the rules and get a handful of peanut m & m's, which I never eat.
do you think it means something that 7 out of the 10 in my hand turned out to be blue? {the other 3 were green} hm..... though I do have to say, it made me smile.

I took the plunge.
365 of me for my 26th year.

joslyn of simply lovely! she said:
"i'm most proud of my husband's most recent b-day party...it was a milestone party and he had just begun woodworking, so we made handmade invitations using wood grain for the background, used wood veneer to make tons of hurricanes for candles and asked all the guests to bring him a piece of wood found or bought that he could craft something from. All our family members pitched in for the band saw and we served German food and red velvet cake (his favorites)...it was pretty swell if i do say so myself."
sounds pretty amazing huh?! thanks to dlb for helping pick the winner. I think you won him over with tools being involved. :) thanks to everyone for their great stories. it was hard to pick just one.
{joslyn, email me your info and I'll send out a special valentine's day set of cards which are available in my shop!}

if you haven't seen the collection series over at poppy talk, you're really missing out. I love seeing what other people collect and search for. I've never really had a collection to speak of, but I've always had ideas of things I'd love to have when I have more room to house them. like letters. I love letters and I love the idea of having lots of them on a wall or dresser, so needless to say I was very inspired when I saw the collections from Lisa Congdon and her collection of the letter E.
when I was at the craft store yesterday, I was tempted to buy some letters, but I knew I'd get home and not want to put them anywhere. so, they will wait for another day.
{from poppy talk}

I too have been completely in love with Jen's polaroids. the color, the styling, the simplicity. the way they are so over girly. the perfect pink hues and pretty props. so inspiring.
check out my polaroid blog, it's hers, not mine.
{via simply lovely and frolic}

• guiltless shopping
• manicured nails
• syrah and french onion soup
• finally hanging out with Jess
• receiving her awesome gift - it's in a frame, I'll photo it later today
• laying in bed while dlb made pancakes
• stumptown coffee
• antique shopping
• digging for more skeleton keys, and still wanting that giant one
• the photobooth
• thai food and a belgium strong ale
• once
• chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing
• grayson and super natural cooking
• going to bed, satisfied that I had the best birthday in awhile

thanks to those who wished me a happy birthday!

and I can't get over this song and this part of the movie.
her voice.
those slippers.

ah maze ing.

ok, since I've been tagged by three of you lovely bloggers, I thought what better day to do it than on my birthday, so... here goes:
01. I don't pay attention very well sometimes, and it gets me into trouble.
02. I'm mildly obsessed with Google. when I need the answer to something, I Google it. when I hear a song I like, but don't know who it's by, I pick out some lyrics and Google them. I've even Googled my name.
03. regardless of the situation, the first thing I do whenever I get home from work is change into a comfy pair of pants and a t-shirt.
04. I'm so vain. if there is a mirror, I can't help but look at my self in it. even reflections in windows. and I do think that song is about me.
05. I generally "look" at magazines. rarely do I "read" them.
06. I love to cook but I hate to clean. sometimes I literally have to plow into cleaning. I get myself worked up for it, and usually end up cleaning the whole kitchen or bathroom. I don't like vacuuming though. dlb does it.
07. I really really really really really really really really really really want to learn how to sew.
08. I once was de-shelling and de-veining shrimp and one still had the head on. I couldn't step into the kitchen until dlb got rid of it. all the way through dinner, I couldn't stop thinking about those ugly antenna. so, needless to say, I'm a little squeamish.

happy birthday to me!
so, I'm tagging Jess because you know you want to do it, Tiff because you could use a little sunshine, Pia Jane, because happy birthday to you too!, Rachel, Courtney, Sarah, and Amy. go for it ladies!

I'm looking forward to:
manicured hands.
a glass of wine with a friend.

I'm treating myself to:
a new little dress or something. yay!

I'm tasting:
the most delightful tarts made by my boss.

I want to read about:
grayson and lynne.

I'd really like:
to sign up for this garden party swap.
to have a garden like hers.

I can't wait:
to see what he's got in store for me.
{I hope it's tiny icing covered cakes!}

{image from gee nicole}

I always have enjoyed wrapping presents, and had quite a good time decorating my Christmas packages this year with ribbon, bows, berries, and little birds. I'm such a sucker for ribbon. I get trapped in the ribbon aisle at the craft store, and dlb always says, come on Alyson, let's go, while I ponder which colors I need and which ones I want. I could have spools and spools of ribbon, and do nothing with it. I like to look at it. and it makes for a pretty package.
{from broadway paper}

I've been on the hunt for a new pair of casual canvas shoes to go with my everyday attire that I can wear with socks. my Golas have seen better days, so I decided that one of the ways I'd spend some of my birthday money would be to buy new shoes.

I got a little off task.
and I found these.
I'd love to snatch these up for my hopefully-soon-to-be-sunny-and-warm-outside attire.

birthday parties are always fun. cake, presents, decorations, and memories. I always enjoy a theme party when everyone dresses up and wears funny hats or makeup. some of my parties included dressing up like pirates and dancing with our pirate booty on, singing into a karaoke machine {I think Love Shack was sang at least 5 times}, or a makeup artist, who outfit us tiny 4 year olds with dresses and makeup built for tiny southern belles.
so I'm curious, what has been your favorite birthday party? tell me about a smashing party you threw for your sister, a custom shaped cake you had designed, or the biggest surprise party, that fooled even your hard to surprise mother. post your comments by tomorrow, 5:00 pm PST and the winner, chosen at random, will receive a special set of Valentine Cards which are now available in my shop!
{image from martha stewart}

while browsing through my reader this morning, I stopped immediately when I saw these taffy-looking things from Milk and Cookies roll across my screen. in her post titled "cake without the bake", Jen writes about these delightful looking Filipino treats called polvoron, which are little toasted wheat cakes compressed using a polvoron press! they consist of flour, powdered milk, sugar and melted butter. the chocolate version has hot chocolate milk powder! since my Dad lives in the Philippines, I emailed him to see if he's ever heard of these taste looking treats, and to get a first hand account on whether they really do taste as good as they look. I'll let you know what he says.
as anything sweet and original always sparks my interest for birthday treats, these would be a great alternative for a gift. a touch of handmade goodness right from the kitchen is always special. maybe for my pasalubong next time you come to the states, right Daddy?
{image from milk and cookies, recipe here}

last weekend, dlb and I went to Pix Pastisserie. I've been wanting to visit this little pasty shop ever since Chelsea first mentioned it to me waaaaay back when I first moved here. after a delicious Milk Stout at Roots Organic Brewery, we decided we were in the mood for something sweet, and I suggested Pix because it's open late! I adore the floral decor in the interior and the quaint, semi-romantic setting. Pix has lots of tiny treats, chocolates, and home made ice cream. we tasted the Ambrosia chocolate, Incognito lemon cheesecake - which was amazing, and despite the cold, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
birthday bonus - add a chocolate Happy Birthday plaque to any custom order!

got a blooming love? call yourselves a perfect pair? show them how much you care this Valentine's Day with a special card, created with love in mind.
now available in my shop.

hanging a banner for that special birthday person is just one of the important decorations for a party. when I turned 20, my friends threw a party for me at our apartment complete with letters cut out from construction paper and glued to a bigger sheet on the wall. it read, "Happy Birhday, Alyson" and yes, Birthday was spelled wrong. needless to say, we started over.
I loved stumbling across this photo. it's the sweetest birthday banner creation.
{photo from brittneybush}

hope to see you there!

while this card is cute... I'd prefer the real thing.
{from broadway paper}

red velvet cake is quite possibly my favorite cake ever. I can't decide if it's the decadent red color or the cream cheese frosting that I like the best. last year for my birthday, dlb spent all day baking this amazing cake. mmmm... what are you making this year babe?
{image from epicurious}
{btw, my birthday is Saturday. I'm such a big birthday fan, as my friends and co-workers can attest so I decided to do a week of birthday related posts. but thanks for the early birthday wishes!}

I'm a big sap when it comes to love songs. there is just something about listening to a love song that has a different feeling than other songs. so when Jess told me about her upcoming love song swap, I fell in love. literally.
Jess, who's delightful blogs Heartthrobs and Villains and Unique Eggbeater always have excellent fashion finds, witty remarks, and yummy recipes, is hosting a love song swap. it's a collaborative compilation of our, as readers, bloggers, and friends, favorite love songs. she is collecting love songs to be put together in a set of love song mixes to be sent out by her to anyone who contributes.

sound like fun? read more here. sign up and send her your songs by February 5th.

Chelsea posted pictures from her really cool valentine/birthday party last year. I love this idea, complete with a polaroid photobooth, red velvet cupcakes, and a showing of The Red Balloon.
I love theme parties. one year for my birthday, which always seemed to fall right around Gasparilla, I had a pirate party, where all of my best friends came dressed as their favorite swashbuckler. my mom and I carefully burned the edges of the paper invites, to create the perfect treasure map look. then we rolled up the invitations and sent them out in a cork sealed bottle. one of my friends even had a pencil thin, curled up mustache painted on her face to complete her pirate attire.
{pics from chelsea}

since my birthday is this week, I thought I'd do a little ode to birthdays blogging. not really stuff all about me, per say, though some great birthday related stuff I've seen and loved.

I'm gaga for these tiny tapers. petite and brightly colored, they are perfect for dressing up a special cake.
{from crane and co.}

I'm head over heals with:
this idea. {via rachel}
bright, springtime, shoes... oh warm sunshine.

I'm totally excited:
to wake up with light coming in through my windows because I've slept later than usual.

I just filled out:
my vacation requests in pencil. it's exciting to think about a vacation.

I enjoyed:
our senses shoot.

I cooked:
this. again. and really, it's amazing.

I've got:
a shop update planned for next week.
a little something special up my sleeve.

{photo from rottielover}

I know I've been complaining about it a lot lately, but seriously, this is what I love about rain. romance. drama. wet eyelashes. kisses in the rain.

as I said before, I'm really into plaid and checks right now, so it's no surprise that I immediately fell for this dress. too bad even on sale the price tag is way over my budget.
{from apc}

these wellies are just what I need for these dull and dreary rainy days.
{via, from anthropologie}

I really don't particularly like Ikea. the product isn't quality made, using particle board and laminate rather than real wood, and things just don't feel sturdy. {not to mention, every time I step foot in the store, my blood pressure rises a few levels due to the stress of feeling like a cow among a gigantic herd} now, that being said, the design quality of some pieces is more than excellent, enough to make me forget about my fear that everything I buy will scratch easily and break after a year or so.
since I purchased a new, giant printer, embarrassingly enough, it sits on the box that it came in because it's got nowhere else to go! thus, the hunt for the perfect drawer/desk/cabinet began. I need something to set my printer on, and to house all of my crafts and other miscellaneous goodies that are spread all about the apartment. I saw this at Ikea and it's really great, but I'm still on the hunt for something even better.
I've got a modest price range and not too much space, any suggestions?

I know I said I wasn't big on hearts and pink and fluffy things, but I do enjoy a project, with found hearts and collaboration. Pia Jane Bijerk, a lovely blogger who I just discovered a few days ago, has announced an art project on her blog where everyone is invited to participate. each individual is encouraged to submit images of found or handmade hearts for her collection titled, "my heart wanders". it sounds like an amazing project and a fun idea that I look forward to participating in. check it out here
{via pia jane bijerk, image by janoid}

since we appreciate lots of styles of beer, dlb and I have been on the hunt for beer glasses. not just your typical pint glass with a brewery logo on it, but simple, clear glasses for each specific type of beer. depending on which source you look at, there are at least 10 or more different glasses that are used to drink different styles of beer. after doing my research, I think that there are really only five different ones that we would need to complete our glassware selections.
a. flute - typically used as a champagne flute, this glass is used for lively, more carbonated beers. long and narrow bodies ensure that carbonation doesn't dissipate too quickly. best for drinking American Wild Ales, Gueze, Fruit Lambic and Unblended Lambic.
b. pint - your all around, standard glass. seen mostly at bars because of it's easy to drink out of shape and because you can drink mostly anything from a pint glass. a British-style pint glass, like the one shown, is bulged near the rim and will serve better for pale ales, bitter, porters and stouts.
c. weizen - these classy glasses, with their slightly bowed-out shape and narrower top will showcase the yeasty, fruity aroma, associated with most Weizenbier, or wheat beers. use this glass for American dark and pale wheat ales, Dunkleweizens, and tasty German Hefeweizens. and contrary to popular American traditions, forget the lemon garnish. the citric will kill the head.
d. snifter - remember your first lessons in wine tasting where you learned to literally stick your nose into the glass after swirling the wine? that round, bubbled shape of the wine glass contributed to the range of aromas captured within. a snifter, commonly used for brandy or cognac, uses this same principal to capture and enhance the aromas of strong ales. use this glass for American Double IPA or Imperial Stout, Barleywine, Belgium Strong Ales, Quadrupels, and Triples.
e. pilsner - tall with an inverted cone shape, this glass focuses the hop aroma of a beer. It allows for zesty carbonation and a robust head. perfect for American Lagers, German Bocks and Pilsners, Japanese Lagers, Witbier, and other low alcohol beers.

{I found all these at Crate and Barrel, but I'm sure there are lots more out there. so until we have a bigger house with a bar or more kitchen space, we'll stick to our pint glasses and tulips. info via here and my brain.}

it's not too late to get a special calendar to adorn your wall. there are just two tiny calendar's left in my shop. after that, they will not be reprinted.

I'm planning for a shop update on January 23 at 10:00am PST. prints, cards, and more. be sure to check back in!

a smile brushed across my face when I saw these delightfully funny Valentine's cards. I like that skunk... as if skunks could be cute.
{from mew paper arts}

this 3 pound package of thin goodness just came out today. holy moly....
{image from apple}

I've had my eye on these for awhile now.
{from urbn}

as you know, I have a major thing for black, but lately, other than my recent obsession with stripes, I've had a thing for checks. maybe it's partially due to working at a company where checks, tartan, and plaid are everywhere I look. but... at any rate, I'd like to add these shirts to my closet.
{shirts from orla kiely}

it's that time of year again. with Valentine's Day a month away, I know that little hearts will be popping up everywhere. ya know, I really don't like hearts and pink and fluffy things associated with Valentine's Day, but I thought these little sachets were cute - valentine-ish or not.
{image from nest, where it appears that everything is on sale}

this adorable pleated dress.
{from BR}

when I was a little girl, I had a globe in my bedroom that lit up at the flip of a switch. I can remember running my fingers over the exaggerated topographic bumps which made up various mountain ranges. I would spin it, then stop it with my finger mid-turn, and say that I'd travel to where ever I was pointing. I wish I knew what happened to that pretty globe. I loved it.
ever since then, I've had a great appreciation for globes, even maps. I could stare at a map for hours, peering over unfamiliar city names and countries. I've had this dream of setting up a shelf of globes or maps. I told dlb I wanted a light up globe, and he laughed and called me cute. but I think one would be pretty neat. check out these cool vintage globes here.
{photo from miss col. reminds me of New World Brewery and all their globes. I hope to make a trip to Astoria so I can see these globes too.}

I'm so glad:
that I'm finally over that nasty cold.

but I wish:
that I hadn't gotten dlb sick too.

this weekend, I enjoyed:
r & r.
stuffed red peppers, ala jess.
abandon buildings and lotsa graffiti.
playing a little guitar with dlb.
photos, photos, and a weird, almost ghostish-crown-like polaroid that I promise I'll scan this week.
a walk in forest park.
chocolate kozy shack. good for sore throats.
working on the 5 senses.

and I'm glad:
to be back in action.

gosh, it seems like I was just sick... and here I am, sick again. but this time, I've caught a nasty cold. it sucks. terribly. I simply can not stand being sick, especially when I know that there is lots of work that needs to be done. all I want to do is curl up under the covers and go back to bed. uggg.... but on a better note, I did have a little fun with our new camera today. and more more more to come.

yaaa hoo! due to the overwhelming popularity of In Rainbows, Radiohead has confirmed the cities to be visited on the band’s upcoming North American tour. the cities in alphabetical order are: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Seattle, St Louis, Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington DC. exact dates and venues will be announced at a later date. looks like a trip to Seattle is in my near future. :)

thanks tiff, for the mega exciting news!!!
{via reax music}

I posted about Brooke Medlin when I first started this little blog of mine. I loved her ring necklace, and now, I'm in love with this Delicato ring. it's pretty and tiny and everything I love about jewelry.
{from gemmafactrix}

here they go, killing me with their still shots of shoes again.
*sigh* if only my wallet could afford them.

I wish I was on a ship, sailing somewhere in the Caribbean. but until then, I'll just dream about vacations and wearing nautical things like this and these.
{from anthropologie}

I loved this cute email I got from kate spade this morning. it brought a warm smile to my face!
{from kate spade}

Amy's got a design up for voting on Threadless. check it out, I think it's pretty swell. $5!

I love this.
{from 100kr}