Home Ec

Thanks to a post from Poppytalk..... I found this wonderful class and immediately signed up as a birthday present to myself. It's SO affordable at $60.00 usd...it's online and if you look at all the projects you will do it is a steal! Get it on the sewing action here..

Europe

This time last year I was coming back from a trip I took to Europe. Traveling alone is always challenging. It makes you appreciate the little things....

Germany

vintage toy museum

new friends and the most beautiful sunset (Spain)

Greece

Paris

coolest hotel in Paris

Traveling is fun but it was OH sooo good to come home

money saving tips for your wedding

We decided to splurge on the photographers and the food....so this is what we did to save on everything else. We had about 100 guests

DJ- had a friend DJ and we were able to customize the playlist which was SOOOO much fun.

splurged- $150 for 60 minutes of duo con brio ( live violin and cello )

Videographer: As you can see in the picture above we had a family member do that video...free!

 (it came out lovely too)

Food- Although it was a splurge we did save about 500 bucks by going with the vendor provided by the dance hall instead of an outside caterer which would have tacked on a bunch of fees.

       Dress: Davids bridal 300.00 (not bad!)

           Shoes: 65.00 (modcloth)

 Hair: 100.00

           Make-up: free because I did my own!

                                                        Favors: Candy buffet 100.00

Grooms cake: made by mother-in law (cute little owls cut out of angel food cake)

Flower girls baskets: bought two small plain wicker baskets at JOANN's fabrics for 1 dollar each.....bought some fake green moss and lined the outside of the basket with a glue gun. Filled with white hawaiian (fake) flowers. $5.00 for each basket!

Car: donated my my mother in law to drive off in

Florist: we lucked out....a friend who is a former florist offered to do it at cost. So for 300 buckaroos we got 5 corsages, 4 boutonnieres, 2 bouquets, flower girl head ringlets, and 10 arrangements for the church and reception.

All in all we saved thousands by asking friends to do things and had fun with our "do it yourself" projects.

some savings based on luck and the other pure determination.

All photos taken by somanymoments.com

How I love Oregon....let me count the ways

The anniversary of me moving to the lovely Northwest is coming up in less than two weeks and I couldn't be happier with my decision to move here.....however I can't believe its been 10 years!

Here are a few of the more recent reasons I heart this state of mine. (besides the fact that this is where I met my husband!)

1. Astoria ...about an hour's drive from our house....and also where goonies and kindergarten cop was filmed.

2. swimming holes

3. Dogs....dogs and more dogs....( I know Oregon has nothing to do with it....but I still love dogs!)

4. sparklers and pogo sticks

 

I love how you love me

Well, after posting the engagement shoot I can't leave everyone hanging .....so here's photos also taken by Samantha Yeakle. We had our ceremony at Oaks Pioneer Church and reception at the Dance Pavilion at Oaks Park all in Portland, Oregon. We made sure we had an hour to ourselves between the ceremony and reception to just acknowledge the fact that we were just married and have a little fun riding some old amusement rides. Click for all the photos. I plan to post all the money saving tips next week.

here we are

Earlier this year Rick & I had our engagement shoot. I couldn't have asked for a better photographer. Her name is Samantha Yeakle and her company is So many moments, check her out here!

The session took place in our home in Hillsboro. (Rick, his mom and I put that tile down....that's right this girl can work)

Dress: Gap circa 2001
Shoes: Aldo
Apron: homemade

Zucchini Bread recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups of flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

half teaspoon nutmeg

3 eggs

1 cup veggie oil (I like smart balance)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 shredded zucchini's

mix dry ingredients together

mix wet ingredients together

mix both together

pour in greased bread pan and bake on 325 for 55 minutes