Blog of The Month Scathingly Brilliant

Holy smokes! I forgot March's blog of the month! I must have been super busy and didn't even realize it. So here is April's blog of the month...... Kate of Scathingly Brilliant. I've been following Kate's blog for quite some time now and am always excited to see her new and creative posts. Not only is she a cutie pie but she is a full time illustrator that owns her own business called Flapper Doodle. She has the most unique fashion sense and a serious love for cats. 

Here is a Mad Men inspired piece of art work from Flapper Doodle. I love this cute and clever illustration of Betty, Joan and Peggy. I just started getting in to Mad Men recently and am currently on season 3. It's getting really juicy!

This is just one of my favorite outfit's of Kate's. She has so many adorable outfit posts it's hard to choose from them all. I love her whimsical, feminine style and the fact that her hair is pink or platinum blonde makes my heart smile. Whether they're in milk maid braids or a bee hive I adore it all. To view more outfit posts click here.

Besides Flapper Doodle Kate also sells cute little hand made goods and artwork at Sweet & Lovely. 

Check out these adorable collar clips she sells. Eeeeeep!

My favorite part of Kate's blog are her clever DIY's. This girl is on fire! She has the most creative ideas and executes them perfectly! For example..... how cute is this Cat toe DIY?

 Oh! This is another all time favorite. I know I've posted about this before but I'm still on the hunt for the perfect thrift store dress to complete this 3D embellished dress DIY.

 She is just so creative that Kate. I highly recommend checking out Scathingly Brilliant. 

It's on my list on "daily reads." There is so much more to explore and find on her blog. You can also find Kate on Instagram, twitter, pinterest, facebook, youtube,

lookbook and tumblr.

xoxo

Indian blanket flowers

Hey there! I hope everyone is having a good weekend. I know I am. Last weekend I got a bunch of stuff done and this weekend I plan on being just as productive. I'm crocheting animal heads in preparation for First Thursday. I'm really focused and really motivated after talking to some of my craft riot girlfriends about their businesses. I'm thinking about my next plan of attack. Ha! I don't want to mention anything yet because I'm not sure what road my little crochet business will take me. I'm open to many possibilities. Other than that the Mister and I have been getting our butts kicked at boot camp, but we love it though. I've never worked so hard in my life and am so sore all the time but I happy knowing why I'm sore. I know that I'm doing something good for myself mentally and physically. I haven't noticed any changes yet.... a few people have mentioned that they can tell I've lost weight in my face but I don't see it. I feel different though. I know with dedication and time my body will slowly transform. I'm really excited.

This dress that I'm wearing is a few years old... never the less it's one of my favorites. It's one of my "go to" dresses in the summer because it's easy an convenient on oh so cute. I don't usually gravitate towards red but I had to make an exception in this case. I love the ruffles and flouncy layers..... it makes me feel very feminine. 

 It's hard to believe that last year around this time, in this very field I was snapping pictures of my very pregnant and very beautiful friend Dominique. She delivered her baby boy "Howie" a little over a year ago! I still can't believe she is a Momma now but she is the best. Howie is just adorable..... check out her baby blog One Flew Over..... kicking, screaming and raising a baby. Her last post is so very sweet.

This weekend hopefully the Mister and I can finish up the chicken coop. Matt started on it last weekend but he ran out of time. The little chickadees are getting so big, it's time for them to move out. I think we may try to make a little day trip on Saturday to Brenham, Texas. After I saw Mandy's post with the Antique Rose Emporium I knew I wanted to see it for myself. So we will see how much "play time" we have in order to do that. I always like to see different parts of Texas. 

Hopefully the weather will hold out for us this weekend. The last few days it's been rainy and gloomy. I don't mind the rain though.... we really need it, plus I don't have to spend hours watering the garden! Which by the way is growing very well. I can't wait to get fresh green beans and tomato's.... not to mention my fabulous herbs. Our lavender has actually got it's first real bloom! Eeeeeep!

Dress: Target

Cardigan: Francesca's

Boots: Dots

Hat: thrifted

Ring: Christmas gift 

Belt: Thrifted

Sunday brunch at Contigo

Hello there all my little lovies! Sunday Matt and I had the best brunch ever at Contigo Austin. We've been there a few times before but never for brunch. We were actually on our way to our "usual place" to grab a bite to eat and I saw that they were on face book reminding there followers (me) that they were serving brunch any moment now. Eureka! We were headed in that general direction anyhow so it worked out perfectly.

I love that they are conveniently located on the east side of Austin close to our home. I often pass by there on my daily jog in Mueller and drool when I get a whiff of whatever is on the grill. The last time I was there was with Matt for happy hour and it was at dusk as the sun went down. We were sitting on the patio with the twinkly light all a glow. It was so romantic... they even have little blankets for you in case you get chilly.

There set up is modern yet rustic. Metal, wood and woven rugs....simple and elegant. Their patio is amazing, especially in the summer time in Austin when you want to sit outside and relax with a nice cool drink. This is the place to be.

It seems that there are a bunch of "little gems" popping up all around east Austin and this one is definitely a diamond in the rough. 

A view from the patio looking out.

Here's a little glimpse of what is on their brunch menu.

They have the chillest patio ever. Check out this awesome fire pit... and they even have woven blankets if you get cold.

The most interesting bloody mary I've ever had..... and I've had a lot. I can't say that I liked it all that much but it wasn't disgusting. Those aren't olives in there either... it's a pickled tomatillo. That was the best part.

Matt ordered the eggs Benedict. It was a perfect rendition of what you would call a "classic egg Benedict", but a little too mild for Matt's liking.

I ate quiche and a little dandelion salad. I pretty much felt the same as Matt did about his meal.... it was very bland. There were supposed to be shiitake mushrooms in it and shiitakes normally have a very earthy/woodsy taste to them but I could hardly tell.

They do however have a beautiful little garden mixed with flowers and vegetables.

All in all it was a good brunch..... a little too pricey though. It didn't blow my mind but it was very fine weather and I have been there before and have had different food and I enjoyed it much more. Maybe next time we go it won't go for brunch.... possibly happy hour. It was a good weekend with the Mister and I can't wait till this coming weekend to have more adventures.

xo

Purple flowers..... purple socks

Happy Monday everyone! This last weekend was very, very busy but it was also packed full of fun. Friday I hosted my very first "Game night" for the Austin Craft Riot girls. I should say girls and boys..... all the Mister's came along. I was really anxious at first because I didn't know anyone but It ended up being the best night ever! I met so many kind and talented people. It was a potluck so everyone brought over a yummy dish and their choice of beer and wine. It was a fabulous spread indeed. After chatting and eating we settled down to start playing some games.... we ended up not playing a board game but something new I had never heard of called "Mafia". It's basically a game of strategy with a little bit of a twist. Everyone loved it! Slowly people trickled off and we said our last farewell a little before midnight. I was so exhausted but glad that it all came together so well.

I was supposed to run in a 5K called The Diva Dash but I was too tired from game night that I ended up sleeping in. I am only a little upset that I didn't make it to the run.... only because I felt like I needed to do it for myself... to prove to myself that I still can do these types of things. Oh well..... I am however in Boot Camp so I think that is proof enough. Ha! 

The Mister  was kind enough to take photograph's of me in one of my favorite dresses. I purchased this little frock at Forever twenty one right before Christmas and rang in The New Year wearing it.  I wanted to capture the brightness of the yellow and purple flowers in the pattern... luckily there just so happened to be a field of purple flowers up at the top of our street. Perfect!

I'm not quite sure what type of wild flower these are but they certainly are picturesque. There are so many beautiful fields of flowers all over Austin right now that it feels like we're living in a painting sometimes. 

Saturday was so beautiful... there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Matt and I decided to go to the Mall 

(which  we both hate doing) but to our surprise there was a wonderful Farmer's Market right in the parking lot. I had totally forgot about this Farmer's Market! So we decided that we would take a peek at what there was to offer. We ended up buying some fresh veggies and goat milk soap and something to eat at Zilker Park picnic style. (More on that later) After that we went to Sephora so I could spend my  gift card and then dropped by the Mac store and then headed straight to Zilker Park with our goodies.

The Park was full of people with the same idea as us! Picnic's everywhere. I truly miss that side of town... Zilker Park and Barton Springs are the main reasons why I fell in love with Austin. There is such a "chill" vibe there. Nobody is angry, everyone is having fun walking their dogs and playing Frisbee with their friends. The food was delicious and the sun was warm on our skin. We dozed off for a little bit and then packed up to go home. I just got the 2nd season of Downton Abby and wanted to cuddle up to Matt and Lucy with a glass of wine. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day. It's moment's like these that I am so thankful for everything that I have. I know that sounds weird but with recent events in the news it's hard not to think about what is important to you. I am so grateful for this wonderful weather and look forward to many more awesome weekends.

Dress: Forever Twenty One

Hat: Forever Twenty One

Socks: Target

Shoes: Macy's

Cardigan: Target

Earrings: Francesca's

Sunnies: Target

The chicks first day outside!

Happy hump day everyone! Friday April twelfth the chickadees had their first big adventure! They have been growing and growing like little weeds and we have been slowly introducing them to the outdoors and to Lucy. We make sure to hold them everyday and expose them to Lucy just so the are used to humans and dogs. At first they wanted to be held and now they are getting to the stage that they run away from you. They are getting so quick and are really hard to catch!

For the past week we have been letting them run around in our screened in porch. The weather has been very fine and they love the sun. They have been testing out their new wings and are hopping and fluttering all over the place. It's too funny! They are at the stage where they are loosing their fuzz and their adult feathers are poking through.... they are very awkward and very gawky.

Penelope is the yellow chick. She is a Mottled Java. Eventually she will loose her yellow fuzz and will become a beautiful speckled black and white hen. Betty is the dark brown one. She is a Dutch Leghorn and will grow into a lovely brown hen that lays white eggs. Look at Betty's tail feathers... she seems to be developing her feathers faster yet she has remained smaller than Penelope.

They pretty much always stick together. This was the first time we introduced them to grass. I think they really loved it. They were picking at the grass and trying to catch bugs. It was really cute. They were trying so hard to catch that last ray of sun in order to stay warm.

Lucy just loves the chicks. I wasn't sure at first how she was going to react to them because she is technically a "ratter" and her instinct is to attack these types of little creatures but she has been surprisingly gentle with them. I think she learned her lesson when Penelope took a dump on her nose. It pretty much traumatized Lucy.

So this coming weekend is going to be busy busy! Friday night I'm hosting my first Austin Craft Riot (ACR) event. We are having a potluck game night. Hopefully I don't get too nervous..... there are lots of members that I don't know and haven't spoken to yet. I'll try to put my big girl pants on and be the best host I can be.

Sunday I have to run a 5K! I'm actually not looking forward to it simply because I'm still not in the best of shape and am hella sore from Monday's workout. I thought I would be able to take a spinning class today but I'd better not make things worse. So this 5K is called The Diva Dash. I ran the same course 3 years ago (before I was diagnosed with Epilepsy) and made it through the whole course in good time. I think in a way this is me trying to prove to myself that I can still do it even though I've been out of commission so to speak for the past few years.

The Mister and I are still working on the house and trying to finish up things here and there before the game night this Friday. Eeeeeep! Matt finished painting the downstairs bathroom for me. I had painted two coats of Go Go Lime and had tried to make the edges as neat as I possibly could but botched a few areas. Matt went back and touched it up but I'm such a perfectionist and want to go back in again and make it even more crisp and clean. I totally don't have enough time before Friday....I'll just have to make due for now and hope nobody notices.

That's about all I have to report about for this coming week! Hopefully Matt can finish up the coop soon so we can get these little stinkers out of the house. It is starting to smell like a petting zoo inside. Ha!

xoxo

Adventures in floral jeans

Happy Monday! The weather has been so lovely the past few days. The Mister and I survived our first official week of boot camp. Yippee! We were so sore...it was painful yet hilarious now that I'm not sore any longer. I'm so excited that we are actually getting our act together and are "doing something." We have a week off until the next boot camp starts up. In the mean time I'm going to take full advantage of this fine weather and go jogging.

Speaking of jogging...I came across this beautiful field of wild flowers one afternoon while running at Mueller Park. They are so many flowers popping up everywhere in Austin that it's hard to to smile and feel happy. The Mister was nice enough to meet me at the park after work one day and snap a few pictures of me.

He has been working so hard on finishing up the final touches on our new screened in porch which he designed and built himself! I'm so proud of him and am such a lucky girl that I have such a "handyman." He is also starting on our chicken coop.... which is going to be awesome! I'm soooo ready to get the chicks out of the house! I love the little guys but they are growing so fast and don't smell so good.

Besides getting back into shape and being the momma to two baby chicks, I've also been working on myself. Not just physically but mentally as well. I've been taking the time to smell the flowers...if you know what I mean. I'm slowly learning to take a step back and really focus on what is important to me....and am also learning to not get so worked up over small things. It feels like a weight has been

lifted off my chest. Sigh of relief.

It's too bad that wild flowers don't last all that long. This is truly my favorite time of year in Austin. I wish it would never end.... but the temperature will slowly start creeping higher and higher and before we know it summer will be upon us. But for now I'm enjoying life and am soaking up the sun before it gets too hot!

 There are so many new and exciting things ahead for the Mister and I this spring. I can't wait to watch the chicks turn into chickens. They are already in their "awkward phase" right now. They are shedding their baby fuzz and have started to get their adult feathers. They are bouncing around in their little cage and are testing out their wings. It's hilarious to watch. The other day the Matt and I took them outside for their first time on the grass. They loved it. More on that later.....

That's about all the news I have going on in my little corner of the world right now. I hope you enjoyed this weeks posts. I'm happy that I'm actually getting around to taking more pictures.

Blouse: Target

Jeans: Target

Earrings: Emeralds

Ring: XXI



Spring time is the right time....for gardening

It's hard to believe that it's almost mid April already! The weather is getting warmer and our backyard garden is taking off! Matt and I love our backyard, especially our garden....that's where we spend most of our time. We like to plant veggies and watch as they grow! We are also very good at it...well Matt is. He is the green thumb in the family. I actually helped a bunch this year, I got out there along with him and got dirty.  We started planting our garden late February.... we had a bit of a frost and lost some green bean sprouts but it actually worked out. Matt had to go back and re-plant the summer squash and zucchini. It's growing very well I must say.

These aren't the most beautiful pictures in the world but it gives you an idea of what we are working with. Our backyard and Garden are fairly large so it takes awhile to get everything into shape. Matt had been tilling the yard weeks ahead of time to prepare that dirt. He finally splurged and bought an electric tiller instead of using a ho like he had been in the past. It is back breaking and brutal. Seriously.

We actually bought tomato plants this year.... we do have some that we grew ourselves out on the porch ready to be transplanted but they thought "what the heck". I love cherry tomatos the best. There's nothing I find sweeter than walking out into your garden and picking your own fresh cherry tomato's and popping them into your mouth. Straight from the vine. I love the smell and love the taste. It's truly the best. The same goes for green beans.

This year for "row markers" we decided to use some of Matt's many fossils. He literally has tons! He is such a collector. I don't know how he finds them so fast.... he really has a hawk eye. There are shoe boxes full of them stored away in our house and some that we have on display. He is so cute... he can tell you facts about every single one of them.

Here is a before picture. We planted two rows of corn on the far right hand side, followed by four rows of green beans along with zucchini, summer squash, tomato's and my favorite.... my herbs!

Just some of the wild life that you will find in our back yard. I love grass hoppers! I always giggle when they bounce around. Now that the chicken's are growing Matt is working on building the coop. These little grass hopper's are going to be a tastey treat for them!

Flash forward to mid April.... here are some zucchini sprouts! As you can see the ground is in need of a good watering. It's been raining like cats & dogs here recently but the dirt just sucks it all up!  

Here's my glorious herb garden on the left side. I have parsley, cilantro, sage, mint, thyme and basil! I'm so excited... this is the biggest herb garden I've had yet. I love that I can just walk out the back door and clip fresh herbs for cooking. I have two different types of mint. I have chocolate and orange.... and they smell surprisingly just like that!  I use a ton of basil and cilantro in the summer and have recently started putting mint on a ton of stuff. It's soooo refreshing.

Look at our little baby corn stalks! Aren't they so cute? Hopefully this year they will actually produce an ear of corn. Last year we got one little baby corn. It was cute but not edable.

Beans beans and more beans!

One of my favorites! Dill. Some people can't stand dill. I guess you either love it or hate it. Same goes for Cilantro. I've heard people tell me that it tastes like soap to them.

Check out our crazy Bamboo! Matt bought this tiny bamboo plant online. It's been over a year now and it finally just starting to get bamboo shoots. I didn't even know this is how it started to grow. Lol

Once again....my lovely herbs. Check out the Sage on the bottom next to the Parsley.

My little Gardening helper Lucy! She loves to soak up the sun.... she will just sit in the Garden and lay there while we dig around in the dirt. She is really good about not eating the plants and not scratching around. She loves to eat fresh green beans straight off the bush just like me. Like mother like daughter I suppose.

That's it for my first garden post of the new year! There will be more to come and hopefully the pictures will be more lush. It doesn't stay that green here in Austin. What veggies are you growing in your garden this year? Any herbs?

xoxo