Link Love for your Weekend

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Anne of Green Gables

 

I’m very excited that the NCAA is back in full swing.  I am definitely a Gator girl even though I’ve lived in 3 different football/basketball states since: NC (I love the Tarheels though), KY (only good thing about Louisville and UK was UofL’s head coach was Charlie Strong, but even he got smart and left for Texas), and now GA.  I’d also have to admit if there was one SEC school that I could cheer for other than Florida it would be UGA – and that should make my FIL very happy).  But,  GO GATORS!  Now, onto more important things…

Maybe you aren’t into football like I am, so here are some things you can do during the games, or you can do them and watch like I do – great multitasking.

BBQ chicken is usually for the summer – but now that we are moving into the fall and you might just need some food for a football party of something…make this to continue the summer

This was an amazing article in the NYT and we actually did this for our honeymoon.  Yes, almost 3 years ago, we took a road trip up the East Coast that the final turn around spot was PEI.  A dream come true.  And I loved falling in love with Lucy Maud Montgomery more than her beloved Anne.  You must go if you’ve never been.

Little known fact about me is that I adore US History.  I wanted to be a high school history teacher because I had a high school history teacher who was an amazing teacher.  So, I want to read more on the subject.  Add something to my reading list besides Christian books.

When I was growing up I loved the cookies in the mall and the little stand in most malls that served Orange Julius drinks.  I want to make my own.  I’ve found a few recipes but will try this one this week

I have a journal that I want to use to write down food memories for our boys – so they will hopefully learn to love to cook and enjoy food and family around a table just like I do.  One of the first chefs I learned to love was Sara Moulton and here is some of her words on the subject.

I’ve been thrilled with the depth, applicability, and pastoral heart of our pastor here in the ATL metro area – in his sermons that is.  He was talking about friendship within the body of Christ this morning and then I just read a great blog post by a friend of mine on the very subject.  Live authentic community with others.  Believe me, it makes a huge difference in your life.

Happy Weekend!

 

Link Love – Weekend Edition

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End of Summer Link Love

We are coming up on the end of summer.  So, I want to send some links your way on how to relish these last remaining hours in August.  8 links for 8 last days in August!

Here are some lessons someone learned while blogging for almost a decade.  I’ve been blogging for 9 years and here are my brief thoughts: Its fun.  Its challenging.  Life isn’t perfect.  And if you are going to be real and share life on your blog – then most likely you will offend someone.  Don’t let it stop you from sharing and being real!

Summer is usually a time to read books.  Isabel over at 9th Letter Press is reading and designing.  I love her covers – especially one of the ones she did for Jane Eyre.  You need to check out her whole store.  One of my favorite letter press companies!

If you are into theology and how loving God intersects with every day life – go check out Tim’s post on some great blogs by and for women.

While I won’t be doing these until 4 days after August, they just look too good not to share – and you can make them now if you want!

My husband and I adopt a debt free lifestyle: meaning the only debt we have right now is my college and a recent surgery I had to have – which is really so low.  That’s right: thankfully no house and no cars.  Hopefully we will have a mortgage again one day – but that’s fair.  No consumer debt.  I love this post that talks about a thankfulness in our hearts that we should have – and teach our children to have.

I will be making this in the coming week to put in some carrot and zucchini muffins for the Mister.

Given my love for egg dishes recently, think this might definitely be a go-to for the last week of Summer.

Speaking of reading – I love to sit down with a good cookbook and read it from cover to cover.  Here are some ones you can pick up this week and read before August gets away from you

 

Link Love for Your Weekend

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Destination Fall : Link Love

We are quickly coming to the end of summer – I mean soon Labor Day will be here then you will start to see ads for Christmas.  Crazy.  Fall is definitely my favorite season of the year, so I wanted to share some of my favorites I’ve found this week to celebrate the upcoming season!

The Nester’s house is always cozy but I love her glimpse into switching seasons.

Since I could eat tacos all the time – these will be perfect for cheap and Fall

And this time of year at markets or grocers there is an abundance of zucchini – why not make several of these loaves and freeze them – then you can pull one out on the chili mornings that are to come, toast it, and slather it with butter, and drink with a beverage of your choice!

The Fall is a great time for our family because there are two birthdays that we celebrate – and we have to have an amazing cake!

These blondies have almost everything I love about fall in one pan…I’m glad that I should have reasons to bake them!

What are your favorite things about Fall?  And how are you celebrating the end of summer?

Weekend Inspiration

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Blue Flower

Sometimes being a creative has its drawbacks.  For me, it really came this week as I thought about narrowing the fields for how I am creative.  But, all of it flows together.  And comparison isn’t good – but if you don’t see anyone ever better than you – how can you improve?

Well, I wanted to share some websites with you – ones that inspire me to be better at what I LOVE to do.  I am a creative person in most every field: from parenting, our weekly and daily schedules, photography, cooking, handlettering, cards, etc.  So, enjoy these websites and let me know some ones I can look at too!

Griffin Gibson Photography – a local to me photographer that I hope to contact soon (a friend mentioned her name to me) and take some lessons from.

Mallory Ward Photography – another young photographer that has an eye for special people and the every day.  I am having time with this girl this week.

Holly and Flora – this budding wine expert and foodie takes beautiful photography of the special and unique and fresh and local foods and spirits she makes in her home in Denver.  I always love any time I get to chat with this long-time friend.

All She Wrote Notes Calligraphy – I get the honor of hanging out with this girl in Chapel Hill in July.  Looking forward to a mini photo shoot and learning about her craft!  I love that she does it all free hand – she doesn’t print out what she does.

Adventures in Cooking – Her photography and inspiration behind her food is amazing.  Simple, rustic, beautiful.

Elyse Fitzpatrick – Her writing.  Straight forward, gospel centered.  That’s how I like to write.  Oh, to write like her (one day, maybe, ha!)

Laura Hooper Calligraphy – The travel, the style, the flare.  Love it.

 

One other note:  You’ll hear more about this in the days ahead….but I love living creatively.  I have thought about that this year – fighting the mundane, living and dwelling in creative beauty.  There is beauty all around us – so make every moment beautiful.  Glimpses of our Creator are all around us.  And beauty reflects him too.  I’ll be doing a series of blogs and photo sessions that reflect this theme as I introduce a new direction for this blog.

Be inspired.  Live Creatively.  Dwell in Beauty.

 

 

June 4: Link Love

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Back in the Day Bakery

I haven’t done a link love in a while – so much going on and I’m finally getting around to blogging more now that I’ve got a schedule mostly figured out with two boys for the summer.  Thankful for a block of time to be creative in the middle of the day!

Here are some gems found around the internet:

Dr. Moore speaks to writers – and really other creative – about “cultivating creativity – or imagination”  Love it!

Joining up with Jess Lively to take 30 photos of things I’m grateful for throughout June.  Sometimes when it is hot my patience wears thin – so I’m thankful for this little exercise!

Think I’m going to be making this soon for a cheap meal!  As always we are trying to cut back on our food budget!

Since we don’t have a fire pit in our backyard this summer, might have to settle for these!

 

Link Love Creative Weekend Edition

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link love

My older little is sick (as well as us parents), so I’m home with him his morning while the hubs is at church with our younger.  So, I’ve journaled some, listened to praise baby, and wiped up snot.  All in a days work.  When I’m at home a lot my creative juices get going.  Actually, this happens a lot anyway.  On this rainy Sunday, I thought I’d give you some links to look at and get your creatives flowing as well!  Enjoy!

To get your creative writing and typography juices going – I think these pens would be beautiful and practical.  The interchangeable covers and the different tips would make typography and sending letters so much fun.  And they are cheaper than fountain pens!

On a rainy Sunday morning, don’t you think your breakfast table would like to have these scones adorning it?  Maybe with some pretty spring napkins, fresh squeeze juice, and some scrambled eggs?  Maybe my breakfast table will look like this soon!

My son found a caramel from Christmas in our tea drawer and it got me craving some vanilla sea salt caramel sauce.  So, maybe if I can find some vanilla beans I’ll be making and giving some sauce this week.

My husband will be the first to tell you that I love a fried egg on top of anything.  This would be so yummy!

Since it is St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow…I ought to make these for our dessert of the week.  What’s not to love?

I’m trying to cook from my pantry/freezer.  And I think I have everything to make this warm-to-the-soul vegan soup this week.

My Little Rock friend Heather inspires me to make simple, cheap, delicious, homey food.

What a handy list of articles that I’m going to have to write to get to be more handy and creative with typography 

I’m usually inspired by my friends over at Pretty Philosophie even if it is just to pull out blank cards and pens and jot some notes to people.  I’ve got 5 thank you cards left to write and I’ll be caught up for the first time since August!  I’ve never been so far behind on thank you notes!

Well, I hope some of these thinks inspired you to be creative.  I love being creative in whatever avenue that takes me.  Enjoy you Sunday!

 

 

Link Love

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link love

I’ve skipped a few weeks of this – not for shortage of wonderful things to look at – but pure busyness and my mind employed elsewhere.  Here are some goodies for you:

For all of us getting nervous about spring and summer (and bathing suits oh my) coming – hear these words of kindness from a friend of a friend over at Pretty Philosophie

I love having this reading list for your children to read before they are in high school, I’m hoping we can get through some of them.

Do you want your children to think rightly about food?  Here is a great place to start.

I really really want this book.  Though its not in the budget right now, I’ll just vicariously live through others (and I’ve checked the library, there is a massive wait list)

These bars and the photography skills to go with them would be an amazing enhancement to my Wednesday!

I really want to take a class by her and have the skills to do what she does so I can make others the pretty things that she does.  Maybe some of this tracing paper would help?

Enjoy.  What sites do I need to look at and get inspired for something to cook or a way to beautify our lives?

Link Love

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link love

There have been so many wonderful items I have found on the internet this week that I thought surely you all would love to know about them.  I did my Valentine’s Day Link Love yesterday so you can go take a peak, but here are some regular day link love!

I have found I truly love French silk chocolate pie.  I’ve not attempted to make one, but now that Michelle has put a recipe for it on her blog – I might be making it soon!

If anyone knows me at all they will tell you I love Dark Chocolate.  I almost don’t mess with it or waste the calories if it isn’t.  But these cupcakes…dark and white and caramel.  Screaming my name!

For Valentine’s day night we are going to be doing dinner in.  I’m thinking of doing a trio of desserts – not at all sweet, just simple – for my husband since he is cooking me dessert.  I think I’ll be adding these to the menu!  (Oh, sorry, I snuck in a VDay one on you – but these look so yummy)!

I have a box full of sweet potatoes to use up and this will be very light for the grocery budget for the rest of the month, so this chili will be getting made next week.  And its healthy and good for you!

This may be my favorite one this week.  I love Amanda’s photography and that she is fun and creative and introduces me to beautiful things – but really this post about her heart and her Maker really make me like her more.  And her photography makes you want to love snow!

You know I’m hurting for anything avocado…and here is something I WILL BE EATING when I get done with grain free days!

J I Packer is one of my favorite authors.  And though he is getting older, he still offered to speak and I’ve been watching the video on personal holiness.

My husband is a huge fan of Bach and therefore we named our second son after him.  But, I’ve been learning more about Sebastian’s namesake from watching this video about the composer.

 

 

Link Love Special Edition: Valentine’s Day

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Valentine's Day Link Love

The internet is ablaze with all things love, pink, hearts, chocolate, red, wine, romance, etc.  Perfect timing as this week is Valentine’s Day.  How do you intend to spend Cupid’s Day coming up at the end of the week?  Here are some delightful things that have caught me  eye.

These Yes MaAm notecards made especially for Valentine’s Day. All of them are wonderful but I’m especially attracted to the gold foil hearts!

You can make these in any shape you want – and I’m going to be decorating them with pink icing to take to some widows in our church on Valentine’s Day.  Who doesn’t love these.  And yes, they may be as addictive as crack (though I wouldn’t know).

I am making these on Saturday for a brunch with some single ladies at our church.  They are perfect for brunch and include delicious red raspberries perfect for the special day of love.

My friend Laura has more card creativity in her little pinky toe than I have in my whole two hands put together.  Here are some of her ideas for Valentine’s Day cards for the loves in your life.

These truffles would make any fine chocolate lover swoon.  Make them soon.  I think I might.  Just to say I’ve made them and to take pretty photos of them!

Candy Truffles

If the special one in your life loves chocolate and cake – you can’t go wrong with this one for dessert any time you want to express your love.  Unless they are on a diet – then have them make an exception!

Why do all things chocolate and peanut butter scream my name?  I guess there is protein in peanut butter right?  Check out this delicious torte by Michelle over at Brown Eyed Baker.

So maybe you aren’t a chocolate fan (anyone out there, I know of at least one), so maybe lemon and raspberries are more your thing.  Light.  Springy.  Delicious combination.  And pie crust to add the borders of a scrumptious filling.

lemons

I hope I have inspired you with some of these Valentine’s Day treats.  There is still plenty of time to plan something for your love!

 

Link Love

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link love

There have been a lot of fun pictures and tasty recipes this week in the blogosphere.  So, grab the keyboard and hold on – here we go!

If you do Lent (a spiritual season coming up) or don’t do Lent – or just want a new journal to pray through – here is what you need to get.  I also would like just a smidge of talent like that.

Who doesn’t like DumDums?  I mean bite size lollipops that instantly transport you to being a kid again.  Here is a small craft you can do with them, here a big craft you can do.  Go ahead – make someone’s day!

Her site is fun and creative and always makes me want to cook or bake or be artsy!

This was a great post by my friend Sharon.  On dreaming and marriage and contentment and living the dream and doing big things for Christ.

You can bet this will be better than generic coc- and that I’ll be making it soon!

Coconut and cream in the same sentence – you are calling my fork! 🙂

These will keep you busy.  Enjoy and happy blog-hunting!