cupcake flower bouquets

these bouquets are just as pretty as real flowers, but they're edible too!

link

link

i found this picture demo of how to assemble a cupcake flower bouquet :

link

the bottom of the cupcake is poked through a toothpick and then secured to the foam ball.

genius!

my nice laptop bag

i just bought this laptop bag by STM. i'm happy with it so far. i was just getting sick of those big, bulky, black laptop bags.

it has a compartment for the battery and an area for folders. perfect for a student.



good thing i decided against this one, huh?

jeans, jeans, jeans!

i'm not too excited for the new baggy-distressed-rolled-up jean trend:

link

i like a more polished look. i think a flattering skinny jean can look very chic. and you can never go wrong with some boot cut jeans.

i actually look forward to colder temps when i am able to tuck my jeans into my knee-high boots.

i just love this look.

jessica simpson shoes

sometimes i feel like the shoes from the jessica simpson line look like hooker shoes.

exhibit A:

white patent heels with gold cork!

Exhibit B:

the boots would look perfect over some fishnets and paired with a miniskirt!

gone baby gone

i recently rented the movie GoneBabyGone. it was directed by ben affleck and based on a book. casey affleck, morgan freeman, and ed harris are among the main characters. i thought the movie was well acted. but just as warning, it is a bit graphic and has lots of swearing. i mean, they really love dropping the f-bomb in this movie...i'm talking every other word. the movie makes you think though! after it ends, you find yourself wondering what you would do in the situation. what decision you would make...and just for the record, i agree with the ultimate decision that was made.

i'm tellin' ya...the ending makes you think.

i've had enough of tyra banks

tyra just really annoys me. everything about her. how she wants to be the young oprah, her annoying voice, and the way she "softens" her voice when she is about to deliver the bad news on america's next top model. oh, and lets not forget how her eyes dart back and forth a million times when she is talking to someone. just shoot me.

she totally walks around like her sh*t doesn't stink, and frankly, i can't take it anymore.

in my opinion her best piece of "work" was the book she wrote back in the 90's:

since then, she just gets more and more annoying. please stop. please go away.

got my Ray Lamontagne tickets!!!!

so excited, so excited, so excited!!! i love his voice.

listen to one of his songs here. it'll change your life :)

my document laptop case

how clever.

my laptop would be oh-so nerdy chic in this case.

link

lets take a little quiz

what do these words have in common?:

• arguement
• twelth
• judgement
• truely
• occured
  

ready for the answer?...they are all examples of common spelling mistakes*.

ken smith of Bucks New University believes these spelling mistakes should be accepted as "variant spellings." he proposes that these words be included in the english language and no longer be viewed as wrong. supposedly, the misspelling of the word "judgment" as "judgement" has already been widely accepted as a variant spelling.

this sounds like a lazy person's excuse as to why they can't spell. sooner or later, if this trend keeps up, words like plz and thanx will also be accepted as variant spellings.

actually, i can think of a lot of things that could become the variant of its original.

the full article can be found here.

*correct spellings: argument, twelth, judgment, truly, occurred.

different shades of red...dresses

link

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different dresses. different price ranges. different styles. but all pretty.
red dresses are just fabulous.

quote

"remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

-dale carnegie

truck antlers

seriously?....this is just borderline white trash:

but if you think you + your truck can pull it off, here is the link

some reading material

the story of how a cute couple met in medical school, fell in love, and then got married: link

morgan freeman is in serious condition after getting in a car crash: link. i think he is just brilliant, i hope he recovers soon.

for those interested in learning some basic Persian words, persiantea recommends: link

wanna know how much Obama and McCain are worth?: link

the university of washington has made the honor roll for "green rating": link. woot, woot!

wall decal for girls room

this is such a cute idea for a girls room! a pink room and barbies...what else does a little girl need?unfortunately, i don't remember where i found this pic.

my weekend went a little something like this...

weekend round-up:

• i saw the movie p.s. i love you and i cried every 15-20 minutes. like clockwork. i kid you not. get the dvd and a box of tissues and allow the movie to melt your heart away!
• my best friend from high school got engaged this weekend and i am SOOOO incredibly happy for her. she is one of those genuinely kind people that loves everything....you can't help but love her back.
• my ex-boyfriend also got engaged this weekend. it tugged at my heart just a little...i'm not gonna lie. oops.
• i totally treated myself to a nice (and successful) day of shopping on sunday. got some nice pieces for this autumn (can you believe fall clothes are out already?!).
• i am finally jogging and it feels great! it has been my goal to do so for the longest time, so it feels fantastic. it's almost a bit addictive. each time i jog i want to beat my previous time or distance. i think the key to becoming a jogger is learning how to breathe and pacing yourself.
• i made an entire pan of brownies and ate the entire thing myself this weekend...no, actually i lied...i gave two pieces away.
• it's really difficult to get through the weeks between wax sessions...unwanted hair just sucks. i never thought i would become one of those people that would routinely get my legs waxed. it's so high-maintenance. i can hardly believe my first wax session was only a little while ago!

beautiful and afordable furniture

you like?...

white bed $539

button-tufted headboard bed $699

desk chair $99

tufted headboard bed $649

all furniture from jcpenny! i'm serious.

poor bear

a black bear got his head stuck in a jar. the poor thing wandered into town out of desperation and was eventually shot by police. how incredibly sad.

the jar was the type that holds sweets or popcorn.

please recycle!

[read more]

for your summer feet

cute flats:

gladiator inspired sandals:

all these pretty sandals from here

pretty dress

i'm always on the look out of modest dresses because i'm not very comfortable wearing revealing clothes. it has nothing to do with my body image. i'm quite comfortable with my body. i eat healthy, have an active lifestyle, and fairly good genes so i'm happy with my overall appearance. i contribute my preference for modest fashion to the way i was raised. i was never allowed to wear tank tops, short shorts or even nail polish to school! i can still hear my mom saying "modesty is the best policy."

i'm my own woman now and i agree with my mom...to an extent, of course. i believe dressing a bit more modest, yet stylish, gives a woman a lady-like, classy appearance. if you stop and think of fashion icons of the past, such as hepburn, grace kelly, jackio o., they all had that image. however, striving for a more modest style also presents one with challenges. there are a lot of frumpy, ugly clothes out there! sheesh.

that is why i get so excited when i find a dress like this:

i want it! i mean, i really, really, really want it! why does it have to be $550, jcrew?

batman has been arrested!

christian bale (aka Batman) has been arrested on allegations that he assaulted his mother and sister. he is denying it, of course. i loved the movie so much that i hate to even think that he would do something like that! who knows what type of guy he is like in real life. he could be the epitome of white trash for all we know!...but he could have also been set up.

marinated mushrooms

how good do these look? also, pretty inexpensive and easy to make. you can get a package of small cremini mushrooms from trader joes for around 2 bucks!

1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2–4 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste
1–2 cloves minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 teaspoons fresh minced oregano
2 tablespoons fresh minced Italian parsley
sea salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon each black peppercorns and coriander seeds
Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Simmer mushroom caps in salted water for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red onion, oregano, parsley, salt, peppercorns and coriander. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

(found recipe here)

moive review - Batman

i saw the The Dark Knight (aka. the new batman movie) last night and it was sooo good. very action packed! the plot moved quickly and it was well written. i also think that it's one of those movies that must be seen at the movie theatre.

other thoughts on the movie...

• i thought Heath Ledger was brilliant in the movie. great acting. RIP.
• i'm confused why such a popular indie actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal, would stray so far from her roots and star in one of the biggest blockbusters of the summer. (well, i suppose money is a good reason)
• i love Morgan Freeman's voice. i could listen to him talk non-stop.
• i never noticed how cute christian bale was until last night.
• i thought some of the make-up the actors were wearing in the movie was too obvious...and i'm not talking about the joker's makeup. when you watch the movie, notice the bronzer christian bale has on to accentuate his cheek bones...it's too obvious.
• how is batman's voice so drastically different than when he is just a normal guy?
• there are other things i want to talk about but it would give away some of the plot line...darn!
• go see the movie. you'll like it.

can you believe these are dolls?

these are dolls!!

this is amazing work. they are called Destinys Reborn Babies. each doll takes up to 40 hours to make and no two dolls are the same. the skin, hair, feel and weight of the dolls are made to resemble that of a real baby.

what's especially interesting about these dolls is that there is quite the controversy surrounding them. it seems that many of the buyers of these handmade dolls are parents who have experienced a great loss and are looking to fill that void. a couple of department stores have excluded these dolls from their shelves because they are too life-like.

here is the link to the company that makes these dolls. and here is the link to an article speaking of the buzz surrounding the dolls.

willow tree wall decal

if only i could find the guts to paint this on my walls:

[link]

Happy Hour in Seattle

i found this very helpful website to find happy hour spots in seattle (and greater seattle). i've been looking for something like this for quite some time now. i thought i'd share!

expensive pillows

i was at the downtown REI this weekend. i don't know why. i am totally not your typical REI-fleece-and-croc-wearing-seattleite. i like my heels, dresses, and everything girly! so i spent 15 minutes in there and walked out empty-handed. i wandered across the street and into the velocity store. OMG! totally overpriced! don't get me wrong, i thought a lot of their stuff was cute but i could never justify spending $98 on a freakin' pillow! but for those of you that can, check this stuff out:

i'm pretty sure my parents have a chair that looks like this sitting in their garage gathering dust...but hey, it's good to know that i can buy another one for $225!...are they being serious?

great belltown spot!

we stumbled across cellars restaurant & lounge in belltown on thursday night and i absolutely loved it! we were there for happy hour and i was pleasantly delighted by the cocktail menu. i had a watermelon martini and it was great. the food menu was good too. we ordered the crunchy polenta fingers and we liked it. what i loved the most was the overall ambiance of the place. there were white shear curtains hanging from the ceiling, modern leather chairs, and tons of chandeliers on big wooden dinner tables and hanging from the ceiling. outside seating is also available...perfect for a summer night with tons of people watching opportunities!

2132 First Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 448-8757

(where jai thai was formerly located)

pasta with tuna tomato herb sauce

i saw this on the rachael ray show the other day and it looked SO yummy. it looks fairly easily to prepare as well. i've always wanted to cook with anchovy filets!

Ingredients
1 pound medium shell pasta
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 tablespoons anchovy paste or 4 to 5 anchovy filets
1 pound fresh tuna steaks, chopped into small pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 sprig rosemary
1/4 cup (about half a handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup (about half a handful) chopped basil, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper

Preparation
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring it to a boil.
When the water has come up to a bubble, add some salt and the pasta, and cook to al dente according to package directions. When the pasta is done, drain it and reserve it in a colander until the sauce is ready.
While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Toss the garlic and anchovy paste or filets into the pan and cook until aromatic and melted, about 1 minute.

Raise the heat to medium-high then add the chopped tuna, tomatoes, white wine, lemon zest and juice, rosemary sprig, parsley and basil to the pan as well. Season everything with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened up and the tuna is cooked through, 5-6 minutes.
Add the reserved pasta to the pan with the tuna-tomato herb sauce and give everything a good toss to evenly coat the pasta. Serve immediately.

watch her prepare the meal. here is the link to youtube.

i want to run!!

i've always wished that i could be a jogger. someone who gets relaxed after a 20-30min run. unfortunately, i always feel like i'm going to die after a run. i run 11 minute miles. i feel like i'm going to faint and i have tremendous pain while i attempt to jog. but i want to change. i want to train myself. i want to become a jogger damnit!

i did some googling and found these steps to becoming a runner:

• Week one: Walk for 6 minutes, then jog at an easy pace for 1 minute. Repeat 3 times. Aim for three sessions with that same sequence for week one.
• Week two: Walk for 5 minutes, then jog for 2 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Aim to do three sessions in week two.
• Week three: Walk for 3 minutes, then jog for 4 minutes. Repeat 4 times. Aim for four sessions in week three.
• Week four: Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 5 minutes. Repeat 4 times. Shoot for four of those sessions in week four.
• Week five: Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 8 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Do four of those sessions in week five.
• Week six: Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 9 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Try to do four sessions for week six.
• Week seven: Walk for 1 minute, then jog for 11 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Do four sessions this week.
• Week eight: For your first run this week, try walking for 5 minutes to begin and end the workout, and run for 20 minutes in between. By the end of the week, try to run for 30 minutes without stopping. Aim to run for 30 minutes four times a week, and you'll notice that your stamina and fitness will continue to improve.

ummm....i'll let your know if they work. *fingers crossed*

baby blue

wouldn't it be sweet to drive this:

wear this:

live here: eat this:
and have this on your finger?

let the reading begin!

so i've finally healed from the two weeks of tortuous finals i had a couple of weeks ago. i can talk about it all now. i am also to the point where i can look at books and not feel like i'm going to get sick. it feels good. i can't believe that i finished my first year of grad school. only 3 more years to go!

this past year i have been continuously adding to my summer reading list. topping the list is the book that everyone, it seems, has read: Eat, Pray, Love

i've only read about 20 pages or so, but i like it so far :) please let me know of any other recommended must-reads!

p.s. happy 4th of july!

red velvet cupcakes

oh my goodness! these look beautiful and delicous. amazing!

buttermilk red velvet cupcake recipe:

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temp
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons Red Food coloring
1. Preheat the oen to 325. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the kosher salt after sifting and set aside. Measure out the buttermilk and red rood coloring. Add the die to the buttermilk for easier incorporation later.
2. Cream the butter and the sugar using an electric mixer, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, letting the eggs beat for 1 mintue in between additions. Scrape down the bowl in between additions.
3. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients. Start by adding one third of the flour mixture. Mix just to incorporate. Add half of the buttermilk. Add another one third of the flour mixture. Mix to incorporate. Add the last half of buttermilk, followed by the last third of flour.
4. Spoon into paper lined cupcake pans. Check the cupcakes after 12 minutes. Makes 12.

(found this amazing recipe here)

greatest american dog...waste of tv time.

this show is ridiculous. i understand people can get close to their dogs, but is it really necessary to have a show about owners and their pets? with the present state of the world and the economic struggle our country is facing, i just don't understand why this show is necessary.