DIY Recipe Box

Remember that time I wrote an entire post about recipe cards? Good times. Well, I continued my search for a recipe box, but couldn't find anything that just sent me over the moon. When it comes to shopping, I'm notorious for hatching an idea of what I want in my head, with no clue whether or not that item or style actually exists, and will settle for nothing less. (Sometimes that leads to a major find, while other times I search endlessly for something of very little importance. Time well spent? Not usually.) And then it dawned on me: I have two capable hands.

And so crafty commenced. I gathered a few supplies to create a recipe box to my liking:

~ Pre-fab wooden box
~ Screwdriver (to remove hardware from the box)
~ Craft paints
~ 1-inch paint brush
~ Detail artist's brush

I had a few paints and brushes leftover from previous projects (custom light switch plates in college, holla!), but I picked up a bottle of Martha Stewart Craft paint in Root Beer Float for the base color and an unfinished wooden box from the craft store.

To get started, remove the hardware from the wooden box. If you're not completely lazy, I'd recommend using spackle or wood filler to correct the holes from the hardware. But if you're like me, just squeeze out some paint and go to town!

I painted three coats of Root Beer Float on the box, letting it dry for at least 30 minutes between coats. I let the whole thing (including the bottom of the box) dry completely before proceeding to the next steps. (Waited approximately an hour and a half and it was totally dry.)

I actually planned to just leave the box plain, but I couldn't resist a chance to hone my artist skills and add a little customization. Since I heart my cutie Rifle Paper Co. recipe cards so much, I used their design as inspiration. I freehanded the design, but you can easily sketch it out with pencil first and simply paint over it.

After giving the whole box another hour to dry, I nested the cards inside the box and felt quite pleased with the outcome. (Granted, I wish I had taken the inner measurements of the box into account when selecting my piece, since the cards are actually a little bigger than the dimensions of the box. But they stay in place at a slight bend, and it even helps out with holding a card in view while I cook. Happy accident!)


Hearty Veggie Stew recipe

Total cost: $6
Sense of accomplishment: Priceless

Have you crafted anything fun lately? Do tell!

If you're feeling crafty, be sure to check out my DIYs for Coffee Filter Flowers and an Ikea Hack bookshelf makeover!

{Northwest Coast Road Trip} Day 6: Au Revoir, Pacific Northwest

On the final day of our road trip, spanning over 1,150 miles and 3 states, we spent a few more hours at Pike Market and finally enjoyed a proper overcast PNW morning. We grabbed some drip coffee and split a breakfast sandwich at Boticelli Cafe. (Why have I never thought to combine an English muffin, eggs, fresh tomato and basil? It's genius!) There might have been another piroshky in there somewhere, too. And spanakopita for the road. (I was on vacation! Calories don't count!) We also loaded up on some fresh produce for plane snacks, and grabbed a few more souvenirs before packing up to fly home.

This was an amazing adventure with my hubby-to-be, and I hope it'll be one of many special trips we have in our future. It's a blessing to be able to see the world, and there's no one else with whom I'd rather see it.

{Friday's Fancies} Short & Sweet

I am not exactly what you'd call a shorts girl. I'm wicked pale, y'all, and growing up in Southern California, surrounded by bronzed bodies, I covered up my pasty stems on the regular. However, I live in Texas now. It is a special kind of hot up in here. So like or not, I sport shorts from time to time. When I do bare my lily white legs, I opt for comfy shorts that ride lower on my hips and cover more of my leg, creating more of a casual vibe. (In fact, I often buy shorts in a size bigger than I usually wear to accomplish this fit.) Paired with a cute, summery top and some sassy accessories, a well-balanced warm-weather look can make you feel like a million bucks...even if you're quite certain you're blinding folks with the white bounce from your shins.

Sunnies // Bangles // Bag // Top
Shorts // Studs // Ring // Sandals // Polish

Happy weekend, y'all!

{Northwest Coast Road Trip} Day 5: Pike Place Market and Coffee Heaven

It always surprises me how much a travel companion can shape your experience of a given place. I've been to Seattle before, mind you, but visiting the city with M, I felt like I saw it with new eyes. It was as though I could see myself actually settling in there, imaging what life would be like in this thriving city, hitting up the market on a regular basis for fresh produce and spending hours in one of the dozens of local cafes. Le sigh.

We were fortunate enough to have nabbed a room at the very charming Mayflower Park Hotel, situated mere blocks away from Pike Place Market, which served as the anchor point for most of our stay here.  

We headed out from Portland around 6am to beat the epic morning commute in Seattle (well, most of it), so I was pretty excited when I found myself with a legit excuse to indulge in second breakfast once in town. My must-eat spot in Seattle? Piroshky Piroshky! This Russian Bakery is located just a few doors down from the OG Starbucks on Pike, and their potato, onion and cheese piroshky is one of my absolute favorite treats.

My other favorite noms while in Seattle: Rainier Cherries from the market. We enjoyed several bags of these while perusing the fresh offerings of local vendors. M was in awe; meanwhile, I had to restrain myself from jumping headfirst into the glorious spread of veggies.

And the flowers. Oh, the lovely flowers. Pale pink peonies were my favorites.

After a brief cat nap, we grabbed some lunch at Sound View Cafe, which is nestled in the market and overlooks the waterfront. It is a great, low key spot to grab some tasty fuel. (I splurged on this trip and ate some seafood. Gasp! I know, but when in Rome...)

We ventured a bit north to Lynnwood to visit M's homeland: Seattle Coffee Gear. This place is quite a gem. The staff is super sweet, and you can sample the impressive variety of coffee gadgets available for purchase. (M decided on a classic vacuum pot to round out his own impressive collection.) 

Primed for a proper cup of Seattle coffee, we visited Victrola Coffee Roasters downtown at the recommendation of another local roaster. It was a good recommendation, indeed, and nice to watch the city roll by for a bit from our table near the window.

M and I wanted to splurge on a romantic dinner to celebrate our trip (and our engagement), so we spiffied up a bit and trusted good ol' Yelp with leading us to a great dinner spot. We ended up with reservations at Il Bistro, which could not have been more lovely for such an occasion. Located just off a cobblestone alley near the market, we were welcomed into a dimly lit bistro which we shared with just one other couple. I enjoyed a glass of Prosecco and the Ravioli di Pera (pear and gorgonzola...oh. my. stars.), while M opted for some Chianti and the grilled salmon with marscapone and English pea risotto. (The lighting didn't accommodate food photos without being totally obnoxious, so trust that it was lovely and delicious.) We grabbed a slice of marscapone lemon cheesecake to enjoy back in our room, tucked into bed, and happy as clams.

It was a very, very good day.

Next: Au Revoir, Pacific Northwest...

{Northwest Coast Road Trip} Day 4: Portland Must-Do's

If my dear family didn't live in DFW (or, more precisely, if I didn't cherish living close to these folks), I'd be calling Portland home in a hot second. Waking up to the clean, cool air coming in through the cracked window (no A/C needed up in here) is not a bad way to start the day. But for a straight up excellent PDX morning, you've go to hit VooDoo Doughnut and Stumptown Coffee Roasters downtown. (That bacon-maple number obviously belongs to M; my vegan maple bar didn't photograph as nicely. Or I bit into it too quickly. Whateves.) 

Tummies full (and suffering from a mild case of eater's remorse), we headed east to check out Multnomah Falls. During previous visits, my schedule hasn't permitted exploring the falls. But as we were already on a total nature kick at this point from our experience with the Redwoods, the falls became a must-see for this trip. And they did not disappoint in the slightest.

We climbed a mountain, y'all. Like, legit hiked over a mile up a zig-zagged trail (with 11 total switchbacks) at a pretty steep incline. There was some huffing and puffing happening, not gonna lie, but the sights were incredible. And when M and I made up it to the top of the trail, we were rewarded with an incredible, secluded oasis. We sat beneath the shady boughs of the local flora, listening to the clear water rushing by, then stuck our toes in the cool spring and refilled our water bottle for the rest of the trek.

We continued up the mountain a bit on the hiker's trail to take in another lovely waterfall before finally heading back down. The experience of making it up that mountain together was really special for M and I, and I know we'll hold on to precious memories from our little oasis among the trees.

Freshened up a bit and changed into clean clothes, we met our friends for dinner at Vita Cafe. I opted for the seitan cheese steak and a root beer, which was quite satisfying after our active day. M's buffalo tofu wrap was also a winner. Once again, hunger triumphed over the photo op, but just imagine the yumminess as you take a gander at Vita's menu. (You may need a bib.)

After dinner we headed over to Powell's Books to peruse the countless shelves and for my yearly stock-up on handmade and letterpress note cards. We could've spent hours there, reading up on home design, recipes and coffee lore, but our tired feet beckoned us to take a seat and relax for a bit.

Just a short stroll from Powell's, Henry's Tavern invited us in with its comfy booths and low lighting, not to mention a great selection of local beers. (I went with the Widmer Hefeweizen. Delish!)

Tuckered out and knowing an early morning departure for Seattle was in our future, we made our way back to the condo to visit with our friends and their sweet munchkin before falling fast asleep.

Next: Pike Place Market, we heart you...

*I realize the apostrophe in the title of this post isn't grammatically correct, but "Must-Dos" had an unintended latin flair to it, so we're just gonna have to deal.

{Northwest Coast Road Trip} Day 3: Redcrest, CA to Portland, OR

Monday (Memorial Day) was our big driving day. It took us about 11 hours (including stops for sightseeing and snack) to make it from NorCal to PDX. The drive was beautiful and we were more than willing to put in the miles for those vistas.

We pulled off the 101 to check out one of the secluded coastal coves along the way. The wind was cool, the air smelled salty and clean, and the shoreline was comprised of beautiful dark sand sprinkled with large wood slabs, perfect for resting and enjoying the view.

As we neared the 5, we pit-stopped in Crescent City for some Dutch Bros. My soy Cocomo was awesome, as always, but I couldn't resist sneaking sips of M's Annihilator.

Eugene, OR was a good stopping point to stretch our legs and get out of the car for a bit. Unfortunately, some of the places we wanted to check out were closed in light of the holiday (planning fail), but we stumbled upon Cafe Soriah while in search of some healthy noms. I didn't even get to snag a picture of our Baby Mazzah platter because I dove head first into this Mediterranean platter o' flavorful goodness. We intended to take our snack to-go, but they had a Ninkasi beer on tap (which was recommended to us by the very friendly cashier at Dutch Bros.), so we grabbed a table in the bar and enjoyed this lovely local ale with our meal. Charming and unexpected, this was a great moment and fantastic eats.

We made it to Portland later than expected, but were warmly welcomed by our sweet friends with whom we stayed while in town. It was nice to catch up a bit, but it wasn't long before we washed up and passed out, tuckered out from another wonderful day of exploring.

Next: We climbed a mountain and turned around...

{Northwest Coast Road Trip} Day 2: Humboldt County Redwoods

The time gain when travelling to the west coast is always a bit of a treat, and it worked out especially well when we were able to sleep in on Sunday and still be up by 9am. Now that the sun had risen, we could finally take in the sights surrounding our cozy little cabin, #9 at Redcrest Resort.

Adorable, right? Oh, and hello, giant Redwoods. Not too shabby a backdrop. We packed our trusty French Press so that we could enjoy the crisp morning on the porch right proper. We also brought some disposable to-go cups, allowing us to bring along our brew as we played on the property's swings, flung some horseshoes and smacked around the tetherball. (No, you cannot see those photos. Oh, the gracefulness...)

The playground antics worked up our appetites, so off we headed to Eureka, CA (a brief drive north of Redcrest up the 101) for some breakfast. We discovered the website for Golden Harvest Cafe while researching good eats in Humboldt County, and we simply couldn't resist trying out this unassuming cafe that caters to veggies and meat-eaters alike.

Y'all! So. Nom. The fresh squeezed mimosa should have tipped me off that I was about to experience a straight up party in my mouth, but there was just no preparing for the out-of-bounds tofu scramble, breakfast potatoes and biscuits and gravy. I wanted to absolutely roll around in it. If you're ever in the area, you want to go to there. (Hippies included at no charge.)

Bellies full with a delicious breakfast, we headed into the woods. Our necks were sore after a few minutes because you simply can't help but look up, open-mouthed, starting at the gorgeous giants that are the Redwoods. Photos can't do it justice. But here's an idea of our view:

I'm pretty sure they go up forever. And the loveliness just goes on for days, trees as far as the eye can see in every direction! But there were a few "celebrity" trees to which we were directed to by the Redcrest Resort folks, and we so enjoyed getting up close and personal with some particularly amazing specimens.

The Giant Tree (below). Y'all, this beauty was truly awe-inspiring. I had a hard time keeping my composure, to be honest. This tree is majestic. Being in its presence feels  like a gift, and I felt truly ministered to in beholding such a sight. I felt so small, so young, and it drew me straight to the Lord in thanks and amazement. I could've stayed there, seated on its intricate roots, for days. Examining its bark, I felt like I had read a thousand stories without resting my eyes on a single word.

And then we proceeded to get lost in the wilderness at dark. No joke, I was about to record my parting words with what little battery life we had left on our video camera, Blair Witch style. But then M led us back to the trail and out of the woods, and buckled safely into our rental car, my mind quickly became preoccupied with food. Which was a whole other adventure seeing as there is no food in the vicinity and everything closes early on Sundays in surrounding towns. But we managed. And I learned a valuable lesson: the unexpected adventures are really what you remember and what make a vacation special.

Next: Portland or bust!

{Northwest Coast Road Trip} Day 1: San Francisco to Humboldt County, CA

I'm going to try to keep the vacation recaps short and sweet. It's all about the photos and food anyway, right? Right.

On Saturday, we flew into SFA via Virgin Airlines. This was our first Virgin experience, and I must say, it was a great one. The little touches, great customer service, and in-flight snack options were sweet. I was a bit miffed prior to my flight because M and I were not seated together despite being on the same reservation, but that was Priceline's bad and we were thankfully able to snag two seats together before take-off, and in an exit row to boot!

We had just a few hours in San Francisco as it was the cheapest city to fly into to begin our six-day road trip, but not formally part of the journey. We did at least grab a delightful meal on the embarcadero at Pier 23 Cafe. We dined overlooking the ocean, shielded from the chilly wind by a clear patio cover, and embraced our first opportunity to rock the hoodies.

Pier 23's Fish & Chips and Fish Tacos, complimented well by Henry Weinhard's Root Beer.

We headed north via the Golden Gate Bridge, which was even cooler than I remember. As it neared dusk, we stopped in the precious city of Novato, CA for some Peet's coffee and marveled at the Pleasantville-like perfection of this quaint locale. This country is rich with hidden gems, and I adore stumbling onto places like this.

Delirium set in as night fell and the day of travel was catching up with us. Giant trees seemed to jump out from the darkness as we twisted and turned our way up the 101 en route to Redcrest.

Pretty sunset and trees for days on the 101 North.

We arrived at our cabin on the Avenue of the Giants around midnight, and passed out not a moment too soon. A day of exploration and wonder waited for us with the sunrise...

This Little Girl is Going to be a Wife!

On May 13, 2012, my darling M asked me to share life with him as his wife. The Lord cultivated the most perfect moment and blessed our relationship in the midst of a prayer. I wanted to shout this wonderful news from the rooftops (and the e-rooftops, so to speak), but it was important for us to honor those closest to us by telling them personally. It's been so nice to savor this season in our relationship, and our vacation this past week was the perfect way to celebrate our engagement.

The ring.
{Redcrest, CA}

Now that we're back in DFW, we will begin planning our wedding. Not many details to share just yet except that we're thinking late winter/early spring. I hope we can enjoy this process and not get overwhelmed. We want to plan this special occasion together and ensure that we focus on the elements that really matter to us, so any advice that y'all have to offer on this front is greatly appreciated.

I can't believe I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. Y'all, there is a lot of happy dancing going on up in here!