'Tis the Season for Sharing

I think this is a good time of the year to give some great people and causes a shout out. Hopefully it will be of use to you this Christmas season or in planning an upcoming wedding or event.

Caron and Chatham- My Atlanta friend Caron has recently opened up a letterpress and stationary shop on Etsy, specializing in beautiful note cards, stationary, gift tags, recipe cards, and much more. Check out her work!

Sweet-Peanut Designs- Rachel Hudson, my dear friend old roommate from Chicago, started a wedding invitation business last year and she rocks! Her work is stellar and the pricing is competitive.

World Concern- My mom works for this fabulous Christian relief and development organization. They have published their annual Christmas Global Gift Guide. Give a gift that keeps on giving this year!

Noel Bradac- My incredibly talented brother-in-law is having his Semi-Annual Pottery Sale & Open House on Saturday, December 5th from noon-5PM. It will be held at the Skelton Residence (6N338 Ferson Woods Drive, St. Charles, IL 60175)

Beautiful Endings Photography- Holly Strand, such a great sista-friend of mine, does beautiful photography. She's based out of Seattle and does weddings (including ours!), engagement sessions, senior photos, family photos, and event photography. In 2007 she won "The Knot Best of Wedding Pick." Holly's a joy to work with, has such a great eye, is reasonable, and will travel to make your day extra special!

Mostaza Seed Designs- Okay, now I'm going to shamelessly plug myself!
A couple of months ago I made myself an earring rack that was big enough to display and organize my entire earring collection. I was sick of loosing earrings and having them tucked away in my jewelry box. Earrings can be such works of art, they deserve to be shown off! Nick thought I should make more earring racks for gifts and also encouraged me to list them on Etsy. Check out my shop for fun Christmas gifts. I've named it Mostaza (Spanish for mustard) Seed-- from small beginnings come great things!

Fashion Crimes of the OC

So, I spend quite a bit of my work life on different college campuses and California schools, by far, deliver the most interesting fashions. This week I've seen a whole lot of craziness... Maybe I'm just getting old, but I find a great deal of it completely hideous!

I can remember being in 7th grade and so embarrassed by my dad for loudly exclaiming in Brass Plum, "Fifty bucks for ripped jeans?! I could make your jeans look like that for free!" Sadly, people pay way more than $50 to look like a hobo these days!

The look that seems to be all the rage in Southern California right now is what I call:

"Homeless/Hippie/Surfer/Lumberjack at a Water Park in 1989"

Check it out and get with the program ;)

Fashion Crimes of So Cal by gringa09 featuring Dorothy Perkins

Aw Chucks!

I think I was a senior in college when I purchased my first pair of Chuck Taylors. They were a fabulous canvas cream with forest green laces and a mustard yellow logo on the back. I didn't, however, truly begin to break them in until after graduation.

That fall was a fall of firsts. It was the first time in sixteen years that the changing leaves did not signify a return to the books. I moved into a big old house in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, becoming the sixth roommate in a house that affectionately came to be known as "the Haven."

At first I actually disliked my shoes. They were kind of stiff and too clean... Unfamiliar.
The transition into real adulthood was not without turbulence, but my Converse sneakers became more and more of a comfort as I kicked off working girl heels each evening and laced up these quirky kickers-- learning quickly that late night concerts and ice cream runs were at odds with my five o' clock alarm.

These shoes accompanied me to the cobblestoned streets of Spain and then a year and a half later made the trek with me to the Windy City. It only took one or two slips, and a handful of bum bruises, for me to realize that they weren't the best at gripping on to rock-hard, frozen sidewalks.

Last September I finally retired my beloved shoes, now a grayish cast with the left heel detached. I probably wouldn't have thrown them away, but after spending a second humid and stormy Chicago summer in the closet of my Oak Park apartment, they developed a suspicious pattern of black dots that looked to be mold:( I know that's gross, but it happens! It was time.

So in October of last year I purchased a new pair of Converse All-Stars. These were a nice chocolate brown, the rubber and laces a blinding white. I can't say that they have felt comfortable or broken in until now. Funny how last year at this time I was in Atlanta, visiting Nick, not realizing that he would soon be my husband this would soon become my home:)

Here I am now! It's been four and half months since this became home and five months since we were married. It took putting away the summer flip flops and bringing out my brown Converse to remind me that just about any place and any season can become home-- no matter how new and stiff and clean they may seem at first.

We are marvelously able, as humans, to assimilate this thing we call change-- on this side of heaven it is inevitable. It doesn't mean, however, that we will ever really become accustomed to it or even like it. We much prefer what we know. The Lord has set eternity in our hearts! We are designed for a never ending, dynamic relationship with the Father-- our only true constant! It's just how we are wired. No wonder so many people, after 50 years of marriage, say they love their spouse more than they did the day they were married.

So, I continue to break in my Converse, and I continue to fall more and more in love with Nick, and Atlanta is becoming home. I will hold all of this for as long as the Lord allows, knowing that it's His love that never wears out and, thankfully, won't get moldy!

Owllike it!

Last week we took part in a family pumpkin carving contest, via Skype! Below are the photos that chronicle our creative process and at the end you will see the video we made, in the hopes of cinching our win! Turns out it was one of those "everyone wins" kind of contests, but we had great fun nonetheless. Enjoy!

Ma and Pa Bradac pay a visit

Arg matey! We've got some parents here and they come bearing booty!

Nick's Raggedy Andy came with them!

Below, I appear to be pledging allegiance to the flag, but I'm really just enjoying time w/ the 'rents in the warm evening air!

Good morning! Pops enjoying our cafe space.

World of Coca-Cola. Let the indoctrination begin!

Taking in canine craziness at Piedmont Park

{love}

Above, my friend Charlotte and her web.

Below, my handsome husband;)

We found this squirrel statue in our yard and it now serves as guardian of the stoop. This pic is especially for Tara:)

And so, we bid adieu to our fabulous parents and sent them on their way to Savannah.

And then there were two!