Irish Red

Tonight we are enjoying Chris's latest batch of beer, a lovely Irish Red that fermented in our kitchen and bottle aged in our cupboards for the last three weeks. It is as close as we come to celebrating St. Patrick's Day.

This beer is an incredible improvement from last batch's Breakfast Stout, where the lack of stirring the wort led to an overcooked, charcoal aftertaste that was hard to stomach, all 30 bottles of it. :)

My Favorite Pet Costume Ever!

courtesy of Shannon Marie Kimbrough

I spotted this on Facebook and couldn't resist sharing. Isn't this the most clever/cute pet costume ever?

Espana!

I'm going to Spain and I am so excited!

Off to go practice my Rosetta Stone while drinking a lovely Tempranillo....

The TV Guide of Cardio

My workout routine is really hit a major hiccup. I now base when/if I go to the gym based on television schedules. I reflected that it is for two reasons, cardio has been challenging without some gossip tv and since I don't pay for cable, it is the closest I can get to it.

Tonight, Kim's Fairytale Wedding and The Rachel Zoe Project.
Tomorrow night, I have yet to find a Wednesday show shallow enough to hold my attention.
Thursday, Project Runway.

Oh my, what has my life come too? I hope I don't get fat once it is rerun season.

50/50

50/50 is a fair title to the movie, but I'd actually rename it 40/60. That is 40% laughs and 60% cry fest. I knew I'd have tears rolling down my face, but I still couldn't resist. Why is it that on some days watching sad movies (although only 60%), listening to melancholy music and pondering the scope of yourself in the universe is so appealing?

Anthropologie gets Creative with Corks

REPOSTED from CasaSugar:

If you've been shopping at Anthropologie lately, you might have noticed a jar on the checkout counter soliciting wine corks. As it turns out, the store clerks aren't hoarders, but they've been collecting those bottle stoppers for a special window display project to celebrate Earth Day (April 22). The bohemian retailer has teamed up with the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance (CFCA) to promote the use of natural corks and educate shoppers about the sustainable resource. To spark the dialogue, it'll be using more than two million corks in its famously creative window displays this month, and each display will be unique to the store, created by its in-house, visual artists. In addition to staff and shoppers, Whole Foods has also hopped on the bandwagon and agreed to donate corks.

But what, you ask, is to come of these millions of corks when it's time for Anthroplogie to wow us with another jaw-dropping display? The installations will actually be available for "adoption" after Earth Day, in exchange for a contribution to CFCA. Remaining corks will be returned to the organization and recycled through its Cork ReHarvest program.

Want to get creative yourself with all those spare wine corks you have laying around? Anthropologie will be hosting a free workshop series at more than 60 locations during Earth Week, where kids and adults can learn to make cork animals, craft recycled cork planters, and more. Just head to the shop's Facebook page to learn more details.

Come along and check out some of the outstanding cork window displays Anthroplogie's artist have crafted!

Reposted from CasaSuagr

Reposted from CasaSugar

Reposted from CasaSugar

Reposted from CasaSugar

** It is so incredible to see what beauty they created. Sigh... I didn't know I could love Anthropologie anymore than I already did. I had the pleasure of working at Willamette Valley Vineyards when Cork ReHarvest was founded and it is a hardworking non-profit advocating for sustainability, the Portuguese cork forests, workforce and wildlife. 

Quilted Perfection

My Mom came to visit for a few days and bared many gifts including this quilt she made. We originally chose the fabrics together and I'm just in love with the color combinations. She even had a woman stitch flowers and a whimsical design as a finishing touch. Isn't it perfect? I think it looks great on my sofa and it is equally as great to snuggle with. 

Thanks Mom! I love you.

Here's what I know:

When a wind turbine gets knocked over or even explodes, they don't have to evacuate 500,000 people.

- via Grant Butler

My 'Modern Family'

I am a truly amazing. I've somehow managed to squeeze all of Season 1 (and some of Season 2) of Modern Family into a few days. But, I'm not alone, we are all addicted!

My chubby kid got to the top of the rope

My cat Tula is such an inspiration. She has been working at climbing the curtains since she came home with us, and finally she made it to the top!

Then, once she made it up there, she swung around for a few seconds like Tarzan. 

You go girl!

My Valentine's Day 'Enchantment'

Chris and I aren't very into Valentine's Day. I guess you could say we went on a date on Friday, but our date consisted of Mexican food and a visit to Corks Wine Bar because we had absolutely no food in our house and it's against our nature to walk past a wine bar without going in.

But, what I really consider my Valentine's Day treat was last night when Chris started reading Guy Kawaski's new book, Enchantment, to me.

Enchantment is an incredible marketing book. So, maybe marketing books aren't your idea of a wonderful read, but to me, its perfect. I found myself reaching over to doggy-ear a handful of the pages. Chris read for two hours before realizing that I was no longer just "resting my eyes." I can't wait to continue reading this book with him tonight and adapting Guy's advice to our wine brand, Cipher Cellars. 

When was the last time someone read aloud to you? It is extremely cool.

The taxes of a poor entrepreneur with student loans and stock options

Tonight Chris and I buckled down and did our taxes. After reading all the instructions and filling out all the schedules and forms that go with cashing out stock options, startup business losses and student loans, I sincerely hope that you'll vote for our business plan in this contest, so that next year we can afford to pay somebody to do them for us!

I can't believe that I was an accounting major for a year. I'm horrible at following directions (shhh... don't tell the IRS). 

I've Got a Plan! Please Vote for It, So I Can Launch it!

I recently wrote a 400 character plan and entered it into the Dockers "Wear the Pants Project" for my chance to win 100k and launch my business.

Here is my entry:

At 24, I’m the youngest person in Oregon with a winery license. I’ve poured my meager savings and energy into my wine brand, Cipher Cellars, and am awaiting my 1st release of 100 cases this summer. With this money, I’d not only like to increase production and marketing, but I’d launch Southern Oregon as the next BIG wine region. Raise a glass to no longer making wine paycheck to paycheck! 

Please vote DAILY here: http://apps.facebook.com/dockerswearthepants/entries/7671

Piggyback Rides for Crazy Cats

Yes, this is my boyfriend giving our cat a piggyback ride :) 

Is it time yet to rename this blog Crazy Cat Lovers? 

On a cuteness scale of 1-10, these are a 10.

This little girl's mother is a computer specialist from Helsinki, Finland. While her daughter is sound asleep, she creates a the most imaginative photographs from items around her house. PRECIOUS!

This one is my favorite. 

Living Room Makeover

This past Fall my boyfriend set out to build a new TV entertainment center. I don't know where he got the itch, but I thought it was just a ploy to go out on Sunday afternoons to watch football games. I figured, give him until playoffs, then he'll cave and we'll go shopping for a new one.

Then, last weekend I went to see his progress and found a beautifully crafted piece of furniture stained in a dark walnut. 

We jazzed it up with knobs from Anthropologie. 

And viola! here it is. 

(Imagine there is no xbox cluttering the shot.) 

It is such a dramatic improvement from our hideous glass table that showed all the cords. 

Good work, Chris! Now that I know you're so handy, I'm thinking I want a shoe rack...

Warm Hands are Happy Hands

My boyfriend's mom is the best at making gifts. Remember those amazing yellow socks last year? Well, she followed it up with purple fingerless gloves this year. Could she be any cooler?

Fingerless gloves are perfect for blogging on your iPhone :)

Portlandia

A new 6-part comedy series draw viewers into "Portlandia," the creators' dreamy and absurd rendering of Portland, Oregon. The show premieres Friday, January 21st on IFC.

Portland is so special. Here is proof:

Top 10 Wish List- Olivia Clare Designs

With 168 items in the Etsy shop, Olivia Clare Designs does not make it easy on a girl to pick her favorites. Somehow I managed. 

10. Antiqued Leaf and Organic Pearl Earrings. ($35) Romantic. Don't they just look so fun to wear? 

9. Metal Mix Up Labradorite Bracelet. ($38) I actually already own this, so my wish is to wear it more! 

8. Double Trouble Gold Hammered Hoops. ($28) I tell myself over and over to wear more hoops. They are a staple.

7. Winter Green Rustic Emerald Studs and Holiday Red Rustic Ruby Studs. ($28) The daily go-to.

6. Vintage Snowflake Hair Clip. ($28). One-of-a-kind. 

5. Green Freshwater Coin Pearl Ring Wrapped in Gold. ($45). Gold will surely keep my fingers warm this winter.

4. Twisted Swarovski Stack Earrings. ($36). Are my ears worthy?

3. Romantic Rose Necklace. ($28). Delicate beauty.

2. Antiqued Brass Filigree Flower. ($28). Definitely a statement piece.

  

1. Ocean Bubbles Chalcedony Onion Teardrop Necklace. ($75). The only words that come to mind are "YES, please."

So, who wants to be my Santa Claus?

Olivia Clare Designs offers free U.S. shipping. Stay up-to-date with new releases, sales and other news on Olivia Clare Designs facebook page. 

Christmas Stockings

I've been in the arts and crafts mood lately. Though I have yet to finish a project (or really start one), I sure love buying the materials.

My next aspiration is to make stockings replicating this one I saw on Etsy. Christmas will be too tight of deadline for my wandering attention to complete four of them (yes, my kitties will each have one), because first I need to learn to sew better (this includes threading the bobbin correctly). I'm sensing my mom will be getting more than one "PLEASE HELP" phone calls before they are hanging (should I even venture to guess... in two years?).