instagram says so

According to instagram I've kept myself busy exploring the city (typical), enjoying good coffee, buying pretty plants, shop visits, meeting new friends and enjoying the days with old ones.   I've been trying so hard to re-open my shop, but as you can see I'm easily distracted whenever I leave the house!

Here are a few of the stories to go along with the photos:

top left photo- In case you missed it, I shared a shop visit with Artemisia here in Portland.  Its a beautiful retail plant shop and workshop space that I've been a fan of since moving here. 

top center photo- I freelance for a couple of local shops here (running their social media and offering marketing strategy advice), I recently picked up a new client, Menagerie, and have been so excited to have a new excuse to visit their shop more often. 

bottom right photo- Renegade Craft Fair was in town last weekend and of course Portland decided to have some random ass weather.  For last years event it was probably the hottest weekend we had had all summer, this year it rained!  We didn't care, we are oregonians after all.  The market was full of amazing talent and goods and I wandered around every booth with my best gal Andrea and her tiny human Ruby, who is way cooler than us! 

As the summer winds down I'm looking forward to cooler days, new to me places (& visiting old favorites) and of course taking pretty photos of it all- if you aren't already, follow me on instagram, I'd love to have you!

life lately

I'm trying as much as I can to get settled in our new place, but with so many ideas for projects rolling around in my brain, its been hard to focus, unpack or even rest.  I'm okay with that though because it just keeps me busy and seeing the end result of all the crazy ideas I keep coming up, sounds more fun anyway!  This last weekend my mom came up to visit and help me with a couple of the projects I wanted to tackle.  It was the first time she has visited without my dad and for longer that two days ( I had her for almost 5!) and we tried to stuff as many things into each day as possible.

We hit up the Milwaukie Farmers Market, which is one of my top favorite markets up here (i vote it 2nd to psu), its so adorable and packed with goodies- plus its just 5 minutes from my house.  I showed her a few shops I adore, took her to the pearl, we ate all the foods and each day tried to explore as much as possible for the first half of the day.  The second half, well into late night, was spent working on the house.  I mentioned on instagram that I wanted to have open cabinets and paint my kitchen white and I'm happy to say, with her help, its almost done.  It's my first project as a home owner and I can't wait to share the progress!

With my husband being gone in Peru still and my mom visiting without my dad, we took full advantage of having a girls weekend.  It was exactly what I needed to feel just a bit more settled.  Having my mom see our new house for the first time, feeling comfy in our home and having the first official guest... I think I can get used to this!

Thats life lately, hows yours?

lets park it..

Yesterday when I shared my road trip with you I also mentioned that we had some big news to share.  This is the part where I clarify that I'm not pregnant -because thats what everyone assumes.

Feel free to ask yourself WTF?!  I did.  Well after ugly crying for 2 days.  Usually people do this the other way around while The Jeffersons 'moving on up' plays in the background.  Naw man.  Not us.  Somehow in less then 3 weeks we will have sold almost all of our processions and downsized to a much simpler life.

and thats it. talk to you later.

Ok Ok let me explain.  So the husband works away, a lot.  In the winter time he will be out of the country for 3-4 week tours and although I get sick to my stomach thinking about it (gah planes!!), I will more then likely be on one of the tours with him in Australia for 3wks. So we had to ask: why do I practically live in the big home that we rent, all by myself?  Makes no sense.  This way its sorta like my cute retro trailer that this hot guy (the husband) gets to visit me at every 3 wks .. when you look at it that way its a pretty good deal.

So we concocted a plan.  Well ok my husband did as I was dragged along sobbing, but then realized its actually genius.  And really stupid and scary and random and rad and all that mixed into one.  Basically my parents have a cute little farm out in the county and on that farm they have a cute little vintage air stream trailer.  Score.  So this winter I shall annoy the crap out of my mom and be there every day [enter evil laugh here].  Really the plan is that in doing this for just 6mo. (oct-mar) we will walk away practically 100% debt free and with a pretty damn nice down payment to purchase our first home.  Seems pretty swell, yeah?

Technically we don't have to live in a trailer, my parents do have room in their house.  We just want to.  We don't have kids and when else will we ever get a chance to do something like this? You might be curious about my studio and all that, well its taken care of and I have a spot ready at the old folks home.  And by old folks home I don't mean retirement center, I mean my parents house. badabing shes got jokes today people.

So there you have it.  We're selling anything and everything that has no meaning to our life, packing up the rest and when we are ready we will start over.  In a more simple and conscious way. The best part is that we will start somewhere new.  I feel surprisingly calm about it all and am pretty stoked to see what its like to not pay bills anymore, I hope I dont like it so much that I live in this thing forever. Ha. Joking.

I will totally keep up with things here so you can follow along on the ride, wish us luck!

{photo sources 1 2 3}

Insta: July

So is it just me or is summer going by quickly?  I'm not complaining I actually don't like sweating for not particular reason at all and I'm a big fan of fall here in the Pacific Northwest.  So bring it.  I'm no party pooper so if I must enjoy summer I will.  Life according to instagram this month has been pretty good, follow me @thingslovely =)

JULY WAS FOR:

sweet games (that I'm actually decent at) and even sweeter treats

growing and using (some!) ingredients from my own garden

camping on my parents farm and beautiful country sunsets

color changes and cutting bangs

ohhhh the arm candy overfloweth 

creating and making

... lazy days

fresh farm market eats & treats

summer accessories that make my heart happy 

working on my fitness. ha

running errands and soaking up the sun 

fresh family dinners on our patio

What have you been up to according to instagram?  Link up below!

photodump instagram style

I love being able to capture the little things in life everyday and instagram is a great tool for that.  Sometimes these days just pass so quickly, that it is so nice to be able to reflect upon the things that add up to a great life.  If you are on instagram come find me: @thingslovely or online through followgram here.

getting back to the grind // photobombs courtesy of arthur

discovering new plants in my garden // lunch time dates with mom

sweet gifts from a friend // organizing my desk area

getting recognition from hard work means a lot! // updating our other shop

husband heading home from the Colorado fires // hanging with my boys makes life good

arthur getting spoiled while i get a break from work // crazy (yet normal) oregon weather

my favorite new recipe // a cute spelling error

evening walks around our neighborhood // pretty colors in the things we eat

my favorite past time, our local police reports // farm sitting for my parents (this is leo!)