Yes, please.

Do you ever wish you could smell like the most amazing Christmas tree ever? 

Well now you can with Winter from an LA-based company.

State Plates

The State Plates Project is simple--designers from each of the 50 states were asked to redesign their state's license plate. The MN plate is a bit overwrought and has the typical Allan Peters badge-ness. I'd like to see a simpler version.

New Human

On August 5th, we were joined by this new human. My human. Levi August. Holding this tiny, fragile person, knowing all the joy and pain he will experience, can be overwhelming. So I mostly just stare at him (and play, now that he's older) and marvel at his cuteness.

Photo credit: Alex Dubrovsky

The BEST maternity shirt

Dressing for pregnancy is HARD. Who knew? This shirt has been a life saver. It's the best maternity shirt I've found and it isn't even a maternity shirt. It's a viscose/linen blend T from Madewell and it's so comfortable and drapey. I wish I could wear it every day.

Mojito Monday

Nothing goes together like a summer evening and a homemade mojito. And though it's not summer yet (and it barely feels like spring), I'm focusing on warmer days. Mojitos are the one mixed drink I can make with any confidence, which means I make them all the time. Pro tip: they're even better with pureed strawberry, mango, or watermelon.

A couch that won't kill you

Okay, I'm being hyperbolic. Your couch can't kill you, but it can be a very unhealthy addition to your home. Ever since seeing this documentary about the toxic chemical flame retardants injected into foam in furniture and lots of baby products, I've been obsessed with finding a healthy couch. The 1975 California law that effectively required manufacturers to include these chemicals was changed late last year, which means in the next couple years more and more couches will be made without these chemicals. But I needed a couch now and it turns out most couches are still made the toxic way. I looked everywhere and made lots of inquiries. My saving grace ended up being a new, online company called Joybird. I was blown away by their customer service and the functionality of their website. They make their products in the US, without toxic chemicals, and they have an amazing return policy. So I bought this couch and it couldn't have been easier.

A February Resolution

I think I would benefit from a tattoo that says this. I have a bad habit of eating to capacity 

which is just so unnecessary! I also need to eat more veggies.

Analog Childhood

I played with LEGOs a lot growing up and I still love them. Sometimes I'll swing though the LEGO aisle at Target just to see what they've been up to. Too many movie-based sets in my opinion. Anyway, these ads from the early 80s have been floating around the internets and I think they're pretty great.

Winter Whites

Here's a little treasury I made on Etsy.

Soft Light

This might be my favorite picture of my mom, ever. South Korea, 1992

A Film About Coffee

Filmmaker Brandon Loper is working on a beautiful feature length film about coffee, 

a favorite topic of mine. It's still in post-production, but you can watch the trailer here.

L'etoile Du Nord // The Star of The North

It delights me that the Minnesota state motto is in French. So I made this. 

We really are the star of the North—since 1858.

Yes, please

For the child or designer who has everything, for $250 you can get them
this amazing font alphabet from Looodus on Etsy.

Let's do this (turning 30)

In two days, I turn 30. And I'm feeling a little anxious about it because I feel like I haven't done ENOUGH. I need to remind myself that it's okay that I didn't make a "30 before 30" list in my 20s and it's okay that I don't have an epic check list of accomplishments. Sure, there's stuff I want to do, but comparing myself to the overly ambitious ladies of the internets isn't a healthy way to approach this milestone. I'm turning 30, I don't have all my shit figured out, and that's totally fine. 

yes, please.

This. Beautiful, functional, handmade. From Tesler+Mendelovitch on Etsy.

Treats and Hugs

TGIF

Rhubarb season

Ah, rhubarb. I'm learning to really appreciate you. 

We picked some up at the St. Paul Farmer's Market today and made a custard crisp. 

I'm a sucker for custard. Here's the recipe:

First, the filling. Mix together in a bowl, pour into lightly greased 8x8 pan.

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. cream

1 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 tbsp. flour

4 c. rhubarb

Mix topping (hot tip: use the same bowl!), top filling and bake for 45 min at 350. Enjoy.

1 c. oats

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. softened butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

(image via Modern Taste)

The Honeymooners

Lately I've been busy planning our San Francisco honeymoon. We've never been and 

we're super excited to take in all the sights (and flavors) over our 9 day trip in August. 

I'm using Airbnb to book rooms and Pinterest has been useful for finding things to do and see. 

Next on the list is to buy a new camera so we can take some kick-ass pictures!