blog love: sprouted kitchen

this morning i have been drooling over sprouted kitchen, a heavenly foodie blog. it's one that makes me want to hop in my car and speed over to the closest farmers market to snatch up some fresh fruits and veggies.

feast your eyes.

little lamps

it's day 38 of above 100 degree weather in texas. picture the scene from wizard of oz with the wicked witch melting...that's what i feel like.

one way i try to keep cool is by closing all my windows and relying on simple lamps in my room for light. (note: i would much rather sit in a semi-dark room with natural light than having to bear the fake-yellowish tint from lamps...anyone else feel me on that one? one of my college roommates thought i had a weird thing for dark rooms.)

one of my favorite lamps in my room is a blue vintage teacup lamp. it has added it's little charm to the 3 different houses i occupied in college.

just look at this anthro teacup lamp. it's sublime.

one blogger created her own rendition of the lamp. (plus a DIY "how-to").

"i will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; i will counsel you with my loving eye on you."

psalm 32:8

morning treats

i love breakfast. take that back, i love food in general. sometimes i'm excited for bed at night because i know that breakfast is right around the corner. feel the same way?

i could eat waffles, pancakes, granola, cereal, and toast all day long (note the all-carbness of those foods). but every morning i try to start it off right with a creamy bowl of oatmeal and steaming cup of coffee.

here's a blog dedicated solely to breakfast. awesome, right?

“'so may all your enemies perish, LORD! but may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.' then the land had peace forty years."

judges 5:31

through his lens

3 years ago today i became a new little pi phi angel. it's crazy to think that time has flown by so quickly and we will be getting a new pledge class today! lots of time and effort goes into rush and i'm happy to say i am finished. forever.

i can't stop watching this video on the sartorlialist. the sartorialist travels across the world to photograph the unique and stunning street styles of an array of different people. this video is a beautiful inside into this creative's mind.

"let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."

proverbs 3:3

fossil

if i could pick one style to perfectly illustrate me, it would either be anthropologie or fossil. have you ever visited fossil's life style page? it's magical. they have free winter wallpapers, sneak peeks into what's new, gift guides, and their fabulously cute blog.

and look at these cute holiday cards they crafted up on their blog. learn how to make them here.

"she will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. then she will say, ‘i will go back to my husband as at first, for then i was better off than now.’"

hosea 2:7

new blog obsession

when i get married, i want to have a forever-long trip just like this couple.

after their wedding day, mr. and mrs. globe trot (as they are dubbed in the blogging world) decided to take half a year off to travel the world. and since both of them are talented photographers, their pictures are phenomenal. i can't stop poring over their blog.

"but since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

2 corinthians 8:7

dudecrafting

how marevelous. a guy made an old ladder into a new bookshelf.

who says dudes can't craft? this guy proves it's possible through his ultra-manly blog.

"great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble."

psalm 119:165

3191 miles apart

ever since this summer, i have been waiting for half price books to get a copy of the book a year in mornings. i really should get it from amazon, but i love the feeling of picking it up and buying it from the local bookstore.

it's a photographic collection from a shared blog of two friends that live 3191 miles apart. they like to get up early, don't stay up late and prefer to get snail mail instead of comments. and their photography is captivating.

hopefully my next visit to half price books will end with this lovely book in my bag.

"with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD : 'he is good; his love to israel endures forever.' and all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid."

ezra 3:11

choco peanut butter crunch

it's been quite some time since i made granola and i think it's about time for a new recipe. i don't think i could go wrong with this one - chocolate & peanut butter granola!

deliciously organic's recipe for chocolate peanut granola

ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
• 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup white sesame seeds
• 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup organic whole cane sugar or sucanat
• 2 cups raw peanuts
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

directions:

1. preheat oven to 300°f and adjust rack to middle position.
2. mix everything together very well in a large mixing bowl.
3. spread the mixture evenly on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 45 minutes, turning over half-way through baking.
4. cool completely before serving.
5. crumble and store in an airtight container.

"for i, the LORD, love justice; i hate robbery and iniquity. in my faithfulness i will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them."

isaiah 61:8

oh the things we forget

it's so easy to get carried away with our busy lives and forget about the simple things in life. (can i get an amen?)

this blog sums up the things we forget on simple little post-it notes. these small reminders are left at random spots all over the world. maybe you will be a lucky person to find one someday. i hope i am!

"rend your heart and not your garments. return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."

joel 2:13

guitar makeover

funky before & after of a guitar. who knew a guitar could be in need of a makeover!!

"there is no fear in love. but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. the one who fears is not made perfect in love."

1 john 4:18

street style

do you ever see people on the streets and just want to stop and stare at their fab style?

thanks to the sartorialist, you get just that. he perfectly captures the personality and style of chic individuals all over the world.

"though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy"

1 peter 1:8

foodie photos

this blog makes my mouth water every time i look at it.

beautiful photography + delicious recipes = my weak spot.

browse these enticing pictures on flickr.

"because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of egypt by his presence and his great strength."

deuteronomy 4:37

bloggie love

so i can't stop looking at this blog. i'm in LOVE with their pictures. he's a photographer and in school for medicine, she's an artist. and they live in hawaii...could life be any better?

"sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you."

hosea 10:12

smart, pretty, and awkward

one of the pool clubbers, caroline, introduced me to this blog: smart pretty and awkward

everyday, a new tip of how to be smarter, prettier, and less awkward is posted. they are like write-on-your-mirror-because-they-are-so-useful kind of tips!

so here is a tip from each category that i have particularly enjoyed:

how to be smarter: you’re not getting any younger. if you want to write a book, you better start today. if you love someone, you better tell them now. if you want to be healthier, put down those sweets in your hand. whatever you’re afraid to do, it’s certainly not going to be easier to start tomorrow.

how to be prettier: shake up your style: follow the most stylish girl around the store or flea market and see what she picks up.

how to be (less) awkward: recently someone asked me why i was wearing mint green nail polish because “it matches nothing”; but if it matches nothing, doesn’t it match everything?

"but the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine."

psalm 33:18-19

p.s. these smartypants glasses are chic! and this christmas card pic went a little overboard on the denimwear