Monday, September 28, 2015

Crafty Bastards at Union Market

I've been dying to go to a really good local craft fair (like the ones I see in Brooklyn all over Instagram!) and finally got the chance this weekend when the Crafty Bastards craft fair was held at Union Market in DC. This is the eleventh year the fair has been held and it has gotten bigger and better over the years. It was my first time to go though, and I will definitely be back next year! There were over 170 vendors and several food trucks, so something for everyone!

The various stands included lots of jewelry, woodworking, fabric arts, letter press and screen printing, several clothing stalls, t-shirts, artisan foods, and more. One of my favorite stalls was a modern quilting stall called Namoo. The fabric choices and designs were fresh and modern, not stuffy and grandma-like. Another favorite was Marcella illustration which featured food-themed prints.

We tried the empanadas from a food truck, loved the free soda from Izze, and finished up with lunch from the Takorean stall in Union Market. We made a few purchases, and gathered several business cards for some on-line shopping in the future. We also stopped in the Salt & Sundry shop inside Union Market, and let me say how much I love this store! Every single item in the store I'd be happy to buy or receive as a gift!

Here are some photos from our day:












Friday, September 11, 2015

Weekend Plans

Make this:
Smitten Kitchen's Pretzel Brioche via The Kitchn
Smitten Kitchen's Peach Dumplings via Blueberries & Basil

Do this:   Go to the Silver Spring Jazz Festival.

Watch this:  Finish watching season one of Girls

Read this:  The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

Weekend project:  Catch a groundhog in our yard and work on Apartment Therapy's Closet Cure

What are your plans for the weekend?!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! We are spending the holiday with family and hope that you are able to as well. I know it has been a year of few posts here (four total!) but I hope to get back in the blogging habit in the new year. Here are a few photos of our Christmas celebration:








Top to bottom: Our Christmas dinner: Raclette; Christmas layered jello and Hungarian Kifflies; Christmas morning aftermath; Christmas Eve; the boys dressed up for Christmas Eve services; Reindeer Crunch; looking festive; rousing game of Mexican Train.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Sandy Aftermath: NYC

I've seen this photo posted in several places, and it always makes me stop in disbelief. The destruction and devastation left behind in Sandy's wake is almost unbelievable. Not knowing exactly where it would hit or to what extent it would affect us, we were prepared for it in the DC area. We stocked up with water, got out the lanterns and flashlights, set up beds in the basement, and fixed up an alternate power source (converters in our cars).

Our neighborhood is full of old growth trees and we almost always loose power in storms. Luckily I had taken down two large trees this summer that were directly behind our bedrooms so I didn't have to worry about that. By Monday evening we were amazed and thankful to have pulled through with no damage and power still on. But as the images from NYC and New Jersey began pouring in, our hearts went out to those affected by the terrible flooding and destruction.

{image via Poynter}

See the full story of how the photographer took this photo here. And please consider making a donation to any of the organizations helping out in the affected areas.

San Francisco

Ahhh San Francisco! This beautiful, foggy walk makes me want to move there tomorrow! What is it about this city that pulls at the heart strings?




 {images via Laure Joliet}

See the full foggy walk here.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Photography: Behind the Photographs

I came across a really cool book the other day. Behind the Photographs, by Tim Mantoani, features over 150 photographs of famous photographers holding their most iconic photograph. Tim uses a large format Polaroid 20x24 Land Camera to take the photos. It is fascinating to see the faces behind some of the most well know photos of the last 50 years.


 {all images by Tim Mantoani}

The images are featured in two editions of a book that can be purchased here.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Must See Videos

As a result of my evolving interest in photography, I've been getting more and more interested in short, home-made videos. I've made a few of my own, mainly for recent vacations, but I love putting together photos, video clips, and just the right music to capture a moment time.

This first video, Made in Ireland, does just that. Beautiful music and video combine to paint of picture of Iceland that will make anyone want to visit.


The second video, Gimmie Shelter, is an amazing cover of the Rolling Stones song played by street musicians around the world, and put together by Playing for Change. Dare I say it's even better than the original?!


What short video's have inspired you lately?

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Spotted

Here are some sites and posts from around the web that have caught my eye this week.

{Photo via Tumblr}

Tara Whitney: catching my breath.

Milk and Bookies: throw a party, donate books!

Skillshare: have a skill? want to learn something?

About One: organize everything! on the web!

Tar Sophia Mohr: find your calling.


Well Grounded Life: acidic vs. alkaline body chemistry.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Beautiful Space: NYC Bedroom

My jaw dropped when I saw Joanna from Cup of Jo's bedroom makeover. While the "before" was calm and pretty, the "after" is perfect!  Cheerful and colorful with pops of yellow and red, I love all the little details. My favorite details are the curtains with the yellow trip, the gallery wall of photos, the red rug, and the black lamp and dresser to ground all the color. I'm thinking my bedroom needs a makeover now too!



{Photos via Cup of Jo}

Head on over to Cup of Jo for the full bedroom tour.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Beautiful Photos

One of my favorite things to find on the web is a beautiful photo. An amazing photo can capture so many emotions, and often says more then words ever could. As an amateur photographer, I'm always trying to capture that special something in each photo I take. Most of the time the perfect shot is elusive, but every now and then you see a shot on the screen that is even better than you hoped it could be.

These two caught my eye today.

 {The Milky Way. Photo by andyspictures via Flickr}


{Magical Sparkles. Photo by Images by John 'K' via Flickr}

Monday, January 23, 2012

Blogs I Love

I recently discovered two very addictive food blogs that I just can't keep to myself. The food photography is also amazing on both sites.

The first site is Gilt Taste. Gilt Taste is run by Gilt which is a free-membership shopping site. Gilt Taste has sections for recipes, gifts, and sales, but my favorite section is called "Stories". This blog has amazing stories about food and cooking written by some of the best food writers out there, including Ruth Reichl. These stories might make you laugh or cry, and I guarantee they will also make you hungry!

 {photo via Gilt Taste}

The second site is Food Gawker. Food Gawker is basically a photo gallery of some of the best recipes around the web. The site gets hundreds of submissions every day from food bloggers around the world, and only the best are chosen. Clicking on a photo takes you directly to the recipe. The site is mouth-wateringly delicious!

{photo via Food Gawker}