tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39486576887909443592024-03-04T20:49:21.563-08:00The World Through Kaleidoscope EyesElla - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-39494803156690109712013-09-01T14:29:00.001-07:002013-09-01T14:30:05.355-07:00See ya later, Kaleidoscope Eyes.Sorry I have been MIA lately!...but it has been for good reason...I've been working hard on a new blog design! I decided it was time for a little change-- the content will all be the same, but I changed the name and look of my blog...hope you like it! <a href="http://paperumbrellablog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Click here</a> to hop on over and take a look :) Make sure you follow the new blog on <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/10353819/paper-umbrella-blog" target="_blank">bloglovin'</a> so you keep getting updates!<br />
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<br />Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-4661325561241875842013-08-20T10:15:00.000-07:002013-08-20T10:15:16.209-07:00Cucumber Basil Breeze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the first of five cocktails we created using<a href="http://kaleidoscopeeyesblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/adventures-in-infusing-alcohol.html" target="_blank"> the alcohols we infused</a>, and I think it is also our favorite! This drink is <i>so</i> light and refreshing -- perfect for a hot summer day.<br />
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For this drink you will need cucumber infused vodka, fresh basil, lemonade, lime and club soda. To start, put 1.5 shots of your vodka and 8-10 leaves of basil into a glass/shaker. Muddle the basil well using a muddler or spoon. Add in 2 shots of lemonade and shake with ice. Add 1-2 shots of club soda and the juice of a wedge of lime. That's it!<br />
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Last night we used the cucumber vodka, but didn't have the ingredients to make this drink so we mixed the vodka with tonic and lime juice instead. So yummy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTMPGJhtISr-52K_222lLv09Eb9nEfhm_j_OHjCHKZkH1jhcUigeEgirIyYNLVMwzEiu7joc5rgkw__3NLiUpthJziQ9QsOnRUJkgwicsFmKuP2-KgBSWW8dObxkqw1U1DtX8aeQcVaE/s1600/Untitled-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTMPGJhtISr-52K_222lLv09Eb9nEfhm_j_OHjCHKZkH1jhcUigeEgirIyYNLVMwzEiu7joc5rgkw__3NLiUpthJziQ9QsOnRUJkgwicsFmKuP2-KgBSWW8dObxkqw1U1DtX8aeQcVaE/s1600/Untitled-12.jpg" /></a><br />
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Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-62151979849442583652013-08-16T18:03:00.002-07:002013-08-16T19:10:12.647-07:00DIY Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lately this blog has been lacking in the DIY department. Last summer I was doing all sorts of projects, but this summer time and money have both been short and all of the projects that I have saved up have fallen to the bottom of the to do list. Recently I've gotten to urge to get creative -- I have a few projects in mind that I want to do so I can finally put the finishing touches on my room. I also <i>might</i> get to bring my mom's old sewing machine here after I visit home, so I am dreaming of all of the sewing projects I will be able to do! After looking through <a href="http://pinterest.com/ella_nimmo/boards/" target="_blank">my pins</a> I decided to throw together a bit of a DIY inspiration board with some ideas for future projects. Maybe some of these ideas and images will inspire you too! </div>
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1: I've always loved marquee lights as statement pieces...There are lots of tutorials out there for how to make your own. Figuring out a DIY that is in my budget/works for me has been on my to do list for ages // 2: I've been thinking about all sorts of ways to display plants and flowers in my room lately. I have a project in mind that also uses a series of glass bottles // 3: Have you seen the tutorials out there for decorating your own dishes? I love the design on this mug // 4: I have been lusting over this bag ever since I pinned it. And a couple of months ago they got it in stock at a store a few blocks away from my house. It has taken all the will-power I have not to buy it. Once I get ahold of a sewing machine I want to try my hand at creating something similar // 5: Love this colorful swing. We have a few trees in front of my house that would be perfect for something like this! // 6: Surprise! Another plant project. There are so many cool hangers out there that I want to try and recreate // 7: Another sewing project on my list is to make some colorful pillows to brighten up my bed.</div>
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I'm hoping to finish up a couple of projects in the next few weeks to post up here. Do you have any projects you've been wanting to do? Items on your wish list you wish you could recreate for less? I'd love to hear your ideas.</div>
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Image Sources: <a href="http://designismine.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-01-06T12:59:00-08:00&max-results=11" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="http://www.duitang.com/people/mblog/30761635/detail/" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="http://fab.com/sale/19169/product/357767/?usid=6&fref=hardpin_type57&frefl=Pinterest_Hardpin&lg=1" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="http://www.frolic-blog.com/frolic/2013/04/anna-joyce-summer-2013.html" target="_blank">4</a>, <a href="http://www.designlovefest.com/2013/07/make-it-37/" target="_blank">5</a>, <a href="http://sundaymarket.bigcartel.com/product/suspension-noix-de-coco" target="_blank">6</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/decor8/8531514444/sizes/m/in/photostream/" target="_blank">7</a>. </div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-6243119995944395872013-08-16T08:52:00.000-07:002013-08-16T19:10:33.027-07:00Italy VideoHere is the video we made about our time in Italy! The first song is "You Don't Know How Much You Can Suffer" by Jan Morks Quartet, and the second is "Tintarella di Luna" by Jenny Luna. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-42921464797829510782013-08-15T10:03:00.000-07:002013-08-16T19:10:59.508-07:00Eurotrip: Rome, Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our last stop in Italy was Rome. We had both been to Rome before and had very different experiences: I went with my family when I was younger and fell in love. Taylor went during a school break while he was abroad and didn't have the greatest experience (let's just say his bunk bed was shaking all night long thanks to some very oblivious/intoxicated guests in the sketchy hostel he was staying in...awkward). I was determined to change his opinion about Rome.</div>
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Rome was quite the change of pace after being in Modena and Bologna -- there were so many tourists and so many things to do that at times it was overwhelming. We decided to only do a couple of the big sights and then explored other parts of the city where we could breathe and relax. We ended up seeing the Colosseum/Roman Forum and the Vatican/Sistine Chapel, and then dropped by Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona. </div>
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Each day we explored a different park. We found two different spots with beautiful views of the city - an endless landscape of buildings the colors of sand and sunsets, dotted with the occasional ruin. It's a pretty unique city to see from above. Both parks felt like a quiet oasis above the city where we could people watch and take in the city from a different perspective. One day we took sandwiches and beer up for lunch.</div>
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We also spent a day walking around the Jewish Ghetto. It was nice to explore some quiet, pretty streets. We didn't have any particular destination in the neighborhood, so we just let ourselves get lost! On our last day, Taylor decided to get his haircut at a barber near our Airbnb, which ended up being a fun adventure. The shop was run by the sweetest old man and his wife. Neither of them spoke any English so it was pretty funny trying to communicate with them!</div>
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TO DO & SEE: Beyond whatever tourist sights you want to see I would recommend taking walks up to see the parks I talked about above. The one near Travestere is up on Gianicolo Hill -- this one is a longer walk. There are a couple of monuments and a botanical garden to see on your way up the hill. Villa Bourghese is the park near the Spanish Steps. It is not so far removed from the city, but is a good place to go for a little break from everything. Definitely spend some time in Trastevere -- it is full of sweet little streets and piazzas (I'm a sucker for narrow, cobblestone European streets...have you figured this out yet?) and a couple pretty churches. Like I said before, the Jewish Ghetto is also a nice place to explore.</div>
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TO EAT & DRINK: For lunch on our second day we went into a little meat and cheese shop on a side street intending to buy materials to make our own sandwiches, but the guy inside offered to make them for us. We chose everything and he threw it together for us. We grabbed a big Perino beer and took everything up to the park. I would definitely recommend doing this for lunch over trying to find a good restaurant. When you're out seeing tourist sights it's hard to avoid crappy/overpriced food. </div>
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On our first night we went to a great little restaurant in Trastevere called Meridionale. The walls are covered in old magazine clippings and it is furnished with retro, mis-matched tables and chairs. Aside from the meal being amazing, it was also a nice place to eat because it was away from the busiest parts of the neighborhood. By far the best meal we had was at Il Duca, which is also in Trastevere. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Taylor got carbonara and I had the best lasagna of my life. We also got fried artichoke and prociutto e melone to start. I still dream about it. After dinner at Il Duca we popped into a tiny little convenience store to get beers and walked around the streets with the crowds of young people. We liked doing this at night rather than finding a place to get drinks, but we did go out for drinks one night in Trastevere at a place called Nylon. They had good drinks, a cool atmosphere and nice outdoor seating that was perfect for people watching. </div>
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Oh, and I can't write a post about Rome and not mention gelato. We had amazing gelato at Il Gelato di San Crispino. It's all homemade and doesn't have gross artificial colorings and flavorings. We read somewhere that it's a bad sign when gelato is super colorful. </div>
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Look back tomorrow for the video we made about our time in Italy!</div>
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Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-56462511315566425952013-08-11T11:17:00.002-07:002013-08-16T19:11:30.566-07:00Adventures in Infusing Alcohol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4QnHyCFFd84nn-bjTRlZL7q-opZ1NUTxjYGyI6qzYH5QND2dzOfZx34hznerySMN87OoPJvzDxkts4BGeqbwlLudrCUrpyvvwuiSG5sRY8zBMleSBGeb2nHwggJiqGwoC3AVpN95qDE/s1600/title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4QnHyCFFd84nn-bjTRlZL7q-opZ1NUTxjYGyI6qzYH5QND2dzOfZx34hznerySMN87OoPJvzDxkts4BGeqbwlLudrCUrpyvvwuiSG5sRY8zBMleSBGeb2nHwggJiqGwoC3AVpN95qDE/s640/title.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A couple of weeks ago my friend, Caroline, and I decided to give infusing alcohols a try. This has been the summer of cocktails -- all of our friends are finally 21 and we've been enjoying experimenting with different ingredients in mixed drinks. We decided to make 5 different infused alcohols using both vodka and tequila and were super happy with the results. Over the next couple of weeks we will be sharing 5 different yummy cocktails we came up with using these! See below for the details of each infused alcohol!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6X5P2x-btELYz0ojlX-WG9bOA8l7qx6osCf1x45HHTTjYmT4e7PuVtK8W8OpRBW6cKVVkE8m2qYxUqfarhgRo0_yzTu4ALssIQhYj4zfQpggKTzlr9kSAwQTaDjzzVzR3rfrgjv6oMQ/s1600/jasmine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6X5P2x-btELYz0ojlX-WG9bOA8l7qx6osCf1x45HHTTjYmT4e7PuVtK8W8OpRBW6cKVVkE8m2qYxUqfarhgRo0_yzTu4ALssIQhYj4zfQpggKTzlr9kSAwQTaDjzzVzR3rfrgjv6oMQ/s640/jasmine.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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1) First, we made a small batch of jasmine tea infused vodka. We just threw in a couple tablespoons of the dry tea (see above) with the vodka. We left it in for 3 days but this made it wayy too strong...because it's tea...duh (honestly we kind of forgot about it...). It worked out ok because we can just dilute it with plain vodka. We mixed about a third of a shot of this with 2/3 of a shot of plain vodka to get a good strength. If you just leave it in for 24 hours it should be fine to use on it's own.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpP6e_VZTiy8ixYEs_IZPRRnFzCRoV1bN0r6oM8nvKBhj1KeS5qFrZ2oQTr8dgAAQyMdqLUpijSE-AUTG6ygzkTbrpoBuE2nY6MEcmbOWvQ584e86Ch3cylJR-RSD30E5bmqC_G9xBv1A/s1600/rosemary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="957" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpP6e_VZTiy8ixYEs_IZPRRnFzCRoV1bN0r6oM8nvKBhj1KeS5qFrZ2oQTr8dgAAQyMdqLUpijSE-AUTG6ygzkTbrpoBuE2nY6MEcmbOWvQ584e86Ch3cylJR-RSD30E5bmqC_G9xBv1A/s640/rosemary.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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2) One of the riskier concoctions we threw together was jalapeños and rosemary in tequila...In the end this one ended up being one of our favorites, even though it took a bit longer to perfect a cocktail using it since the flavors are a little different. First, we put around 5 or six sprigs of rosemary in with a little tequila and muddled it. Then we added in a couple chopped up jalapeños and the rest of the tequila. Definitely take the jalapeños out after 24 hours or it will get too spicy. We left the rosemary in for 3 days which may have been a little too long--it is a pretty prominent flavor. I would suggest taking it out after 2 days, but if you want it to be a very subtle flavor you could take it out on the first day with the jalapeños.</div>
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3) We also made some vodka with just jalapeños. Just throw in a couple of chopped up peppers and leave them in for a day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFIMRKR4xORRtSR0bwvMqJ2K4vYBTPG1CsoM8OeyxIL624XKJn6vtUEBvQpkPmuymCEf-m0-3rbzm4YQUkB42YaLrBG_7SWIe0P6-6lWlrHYPyKCd1zj136SEvKD2L3LsHdzH0pf4NTo/s1600/cucumbers_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFIMRKR4xORRtSR0bwvMqJ2K4vYBTPG1CsoM8OeyxIL624XKJn6vtUEBvQpkPmuymCEf-m0-3rbzm4YQUkB42YaLrBG_7SWIe0P6-6lWlrHYPyKCd1zj136SEvKD2L3LsHdzH0pf4NTo/s640/cucumbers_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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4) One of our favorites was cucumber vodka -- so refreshing and summery (quick, go make it before summer is over!). We just threw a chopped up cucumber into some vodka and let it sit for 3 days.</div>
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5) Last but not least was ginger pear tequila. We cut up a pear and a couple of inches of fresh ginger and let them sit in the tequila for 3 days. The flavors weren't super distinct so I would suggest muddling the chopped up ginger in a little bit of tequila to get the juices out before you add in everything else.</div>
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Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks for some yummy drink recipes using these!</div>
<br />Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-85304734356520298072013-08-10T10:54:00.000-07:002013-08-16T19:12:11.459-07:00Eurotrip: Modena & Bologna, Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGL-0tiOHBLc8g9yrL2Fz5WyyUzTmqEhVT6QnubFiSK87pQpFR5MA24gd6EfbZRn2J7dYwUQZT3b0tPTgoCAYiep3NEYkNuSMdJtL4H8-zSdL8qIgOC69ynayIldleO4aH3WvYZHHbkA/s1600/title_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGL-0tiOHBLc8g9yrL2Fz5WyyUzTmqEhVT6QnubFiSK87pQpFR5MA24gd6EfbZRn2J7dYwUQZT3b0tPTgoCAYiep3NEYkNuSMdJtL4H8-zSdL8qIgOC69ynayIldleO4aH3WvYZHHbkA/s640/title_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After our time in Strasbourg, Taylor and I took the train to Italy to spend some time with some of his family friends in 2 smaller towns/cities in Italy. We started in Modena, and then went to Bologna. It was great to experience Italy from an Italian's perspective for a few days and get to know Taylor's old family friends -- We had the most wonderful hosts and were sad to leave! (<i>Thank you Laura, Gianfranco, Maurizio, Massimo & Wendy!</i>). This is a collection of pictures from both places -- they are pretty similar, but Bologna is bigger. They both have the most beautiful sunset colored buildings and little cobblestone roads. We spent most of our time wandering around and eating lots of amazing food.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkwwvjbgIWS0JHrlFnYYvo6GfdRXT554QH0eCWO2Nh_UcMEUKuUcQoldrJGxAOepy03kbA6mo5JzRcpovX-KMMnNhf14riPhnGs2hzIRghbsa-DjBuasIoV89f0F9riM5vSS9yeI219U/s1600/t+and+e_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkwwvjbgIWS0JHrlFnYYvo6GfdRXT554QH0eCWO2Nh_UcMEUKuUcQoldrJGxAOepy03kbA6mo5JzRcpovX-KMMnNhf14riPhnGs2hzIRghbsa-DjBuasIoV89f0F9riM5vSS9yeI219U/s640/t+and+e_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In Bologna we took a walk up a big hill along the worlds longest continuous portico to see Il Santuario di San Luca -- the view from the top was beautiful! Afterwards our hosts, Maurizio and Massimo took us for a little drive around the hills and we went to a super yummy restaurant tucked away above the city. </div>
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Above: First, the streets of Bologna. Second, beautiful buildings in Modena. My camera was full of pictures like this -- I can't resist those colors!<br />
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Maurizio and Massimo's sweet furry daughter, Wendy. We were both pretty smitten with this pup.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6iHIIZ_bxvIr8Bp1bqFP45Hz1IDRQY969OOUIT97toCNrUofSIGPQrx2dWrsXdDMfS_zLV25LSMACnomFRdyD3j6Doe35pbMrUAYiiMzWwG7MZi3fDztBZpLFtzy14MxTlenpOXpV_s/s1600/me_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6iHIIZ_bxvIr8Bp1bqFP45Hz1IDRQY969OOUIT97toCNrUofSIGPQrx2dWrsXdDMfS_zLV25LSMACnomFRdyD3j6Doe35pbMrUAYiiMzWwG7MZi3fDztBZpLFtzy14MxTlenpOXpV_s/s640/me_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQh7rrRt8kcl9GKmGv9CKaL6Zj3UXZELx62d-VSKL-DigFv3zkseNRk2jUIGg2545mxQk4Dc06o7iyA8RYVMWEK3-q1ZdCikK7t2QnIyTpLSNGyTOXgtwILQqIGs9VyKubUvYVm4ehU8/s1600/bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQh7rrRt8kcl9GKmGv9CKaL6Zj3UXZELx62d-VSKL-DigFv3zkseNRk2jUIGg2545mxQk4Dc06o7iyA8RYVMWEK3-q1ZdCikK7t2QnIyTpLSNGyTOXgtwILQqIGs9VyKubUvYVm4ehU8/s640/bar.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">>Modena</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TO DO AND SEE: Modena is a super small little town--we just had one full day there which was really plenty of time to do a little exploring. We started in the center of town and walked around from there. There are a couple of churches to take a peek into (such as the Duomo di Modena), but what we enjoyed most was just finding interesting streets to walk around and little stores to pop into (our hosts recommended walking down Via Taglio). There is a Ferrari Museum nearby for car lovers -- I guess a couple of famous car designers grew up in the area. When we were there all of the piazzas were filled with displays of super expensive cars -- there was some sort of convention going on. Didn't interest me much, but I made sure to send lots of pictures to my car obsessed brother!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TO EAT AND DRINK: We didn't actually eat out in Modena so I don't have much to say about restaurants -- We were lucky enough to have an amazing cook as our hostess! But, let me just tell you now, don't leave Italy without eating prosciutto e melone. This is what we had for lunch on our first day, and I was addicted for the rest of the trip. In terms of places to grab a drink--we were wandering around in the rain on our one full day in Modena and stumbled across the coolest little bar called Juta Café (on Via Taglio). It actually really reminded us of Portland--the picture above (with the quote) is from there. I would definitely recommend stopping there for a drink.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">>Bologna</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TO DO AND SEE: Definitely take the walk up the portico to see San Luca. It is a pretty long walk but definitely worth it. Or if you have a car and want to drive up I would recommend driving around the area afterwards to find a place to eat among the hills -- unfortunately I can't remember the name of where we ate, but we passed a lot of restaurants in the area that looked nice. While we were in town we saw a lot of monuments and really beautiful churches around the city--I don't remember all of their names, but that is something you can find in a guide book! We also enjoyed walking around the student quarter--it was a nice little area to explore. Do a little shopping if that's your thing -- There is a <i>big</i> Zara and an H&M that is way better than ones in the U.S. There are also quite a few boutiques that have beautiful locally designed clothes...fun to look into but a little pricey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TO EAT AND DRINK: Oh my goodness guys. We had the best food ever in Bologna. Apparently it's the place to go for Italian food. Two restaurants I would highly recommend: Casa Monica (on via San Rocco) was a little more fancy and not strictly traditional (still Italian but with a fancy twist). It's a beautiful little restaurant that is family owned. On our last night we went to a restaurant called Tratorria della Santa (on via Urbana) that was very traditional Bolognan food. I had ravioli the way it is traditionally eaten--in a broth--and an incredible tiramisu. So yummy. The food is reason enough to stop in Bologna for a day or two. In terms of drinks, we went to this really cool place that our hosts recommended called Le Stanze (on <em style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Via Borgo di San Pietro)</em> in the student quarter. The drinks were pretty good but they also gave us a strange (free) plate of random (slightly stale) nibblies...Which were not so good. But it is a really neat spot---apparently it<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> was originally the 16th-century private chapel of the Palazzo Bentivoglio so it is painted with really beautiful frescoes. </span>They also have a couple of tables outside--great people watching spot. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">It sounds like the actual meals there are quite good so I would still recommend giving it a try.</span> On our way back we stumbled upon what looked to be a pop up bar in the middle of Piazza Marco Biagi. Unfortunately we needed to get back for dinner so we couldn't stop, but it looked like a fun place to check out. I'm not sure if it happens everyday, but if you're interested maybe drop by around dinner time--that is when they were setting up!</span></div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-892127710027817252013-08-01T19:41:00.000-07:002013-08-16T19:12:33.810-07:00Confessions of a succulent addict<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Guys, I have a confession to make. I'm a succulent addict. I can't help but buy 1...or 2....or 10 every time I go to New Seasons for a few groceries or <i>on accident</i> end up in the plant store down the street...they're so cute! And only one dollar! How could I resist the little green guys?</div>
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Part of this addiction means coming up with fun ways to display all my succulents (I'm slowly running out of space in my bedroom...<i>ruh roh</i>). I have been collecting fun little vessels to put some of them in, but ever since I saw <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2013/03/a-vintage-planter-cacti-garden.html" target="_blank">this</a> I've been wanting to find something to put a little garden of succulents in. I don't have room for something so big, so I was trying to find a suitable container for the longest time. But no luck. I ended up deciding to use a regular pot for now, and I'm actually really glad I did because I love the way this one turned out! To do this I first spray painted the pot with white. Then I used painters tape and a paper bag to cover the top portion of the pot and spray painted the bottom half gold. Done! When you're moving your plants into their new pot just be very careful with their roots and make sure you are using special succulent soil -- they don't like regular soil. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQb9P7hdv13Wlrap-SpN4vO8Ah4fYe0rwkj4kFvYhtgn7cmxkItg-R6r5HUQ5vUc0LOG0yz-0yR5RXjSWkB_PBWCzjxO_6zK5Knfa34EQE9Io_D5sUadRZHJCQs0-cdJoHOAMPEbPfIMM/s1600/DSC_0761_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQb9P7hdv13Wlrap-SpN4vO8Ah4fYe0rwkj4kFvYhtgn7cmxkItg-R6r5HUQ5vUc0LOG0yz-0yR5RXjSWkB_PBWCzjxO_6zK5Knfa34EQE9Io_D5sUadRZHJCQs0-cdJoHOAMPEbPfIMM/s640/DSC_0761_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-88037686918069588272013-07-27T14:27:00.001-07:002013-08-16T19:13:01.166-07:00His & Hers: Summer Playlist [His]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5Oca8WuP4vePukgXjJo6b2-AHSK5U4jSpz3myY1H267YWRAcGztiTXXXLoBX7ZZattXQ3Qyh89X0PuYLaVel69XE5C-tp4TzevcpBxnlcGjvtWZSe4ys9lXuJvTVD4oJY3JFn6qKSJQ/s1600/his_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5Oca8WuP4vePukgXjJo6b2-AHSK5U4jSpz3myY1H267YWRAcGztiTXXXLoBX7ZZattXQ3Qyh89X0PuYLaVel69XE5C-tp4TzevcpBxnlcGjvtWZSe4ys9lXuJvTVD4oJY3JFn6qKSJQ/s640/his_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Here is the Summer Playlist I promised you from Taylor! Here's what he had to say about it:<br />
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<i>There
are a few artists on this playlist that I am currently obsessed with. For example, The National has seen a
lot of playtime on my iPhone and computer. Their new album, “Trouble Will Find Me” is great. I listened to it everyday in France on
my 20-minute walk to and from school.
Perfect walking music. But
I also think that their music is great for summer evenings with the speakers on
and maybe a [insert favorite cocktail] in hand. At the same time, music like that can be a little
melancholy, so I tried to find a balance with some more upbeat stuff. For example, Fitz and the Tantrums is a
band that I just discovered (I know I’m behind on this one). They are very fun and light. And of course, Daft Punk’s new album
“Random Access Memories” can’t be left out. I also put in a tune off their older album, “Discovery.” Both songs are great for getting funky
in a digital way. Anyway, I’ll let
you navigate your way through the rest, but those are some of my highlights. I hope you enjoy the music—happy
summer! </i>-Taylor<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:user:1229182290:playlist:59g50cgmiecvrL7ISfmk1w" width="300"></iframe>
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Does any one else make playlists for different seasons or occasions? It's fun to have music that reminds you of a specific time in your life :) Hope you have a great weekend!<br />
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(<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stcroiss/5216341560/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_blank">original photo</a>)Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-21222160203020582992013-07-24T18:30:00.001-07:002013-07-24T18:30:55.090-07:00His & Hers: Summer Playlist [Hers]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMTBGsRIiG5XkoAQQQ1LxyAC504PDoAZA-B9-09c4JUC3JZ6uhwv9PIwSxfdR7Wv0sg3PSU7nF0bAcJX_P2tMl2_QP2Wd9s3uR-p5rf_PM7x3spPL8qsUXVUkPF6KnYpxCc1mqLjy9Gg/s1600/hers_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMTBGsRIiG5XkoAQQQ1LxyAC504PDoAZA-B9-09c4JUC3JZ6uhwv9PIwSxfdR7Wv0sg3PSU7nF0bAcJX_P2tMl2_QP2Wd9s3uR-p5rf_PM7x3spPL8qsUXVUkPF6KnYpxCc1mqLjy9Gg/s640/hers_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last year I shared a <a href="http://kaleidoscopeeyesblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/summer-sunset-playlist.html" target="_blank">Summer Playlist</a> that Taylor and I made together, but this year we each made our own. They're both pretty different, so I thought it would be fun to share both of them this week. Here is my mix--Taylor will share his later this week! </div>
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:user:1213998046:playlist:5n5lLNhrHBCXTR3HbBr9jY" width="300"></iframe></div>
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(<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stcroiss/5216341560/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_blank">original photo</a>)</div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-18850997109584973602013-07-21T15:27:00.000-07:002013-07-24T18:31:10.410-07:00France VideoBefore we began our trip in Europe Taylor and I decided we wanted to try to make short videos from our time in each country we went to. Neither of us are particularly skilled videographers, but it was fun none the less! (The parts where you feel like you're in an earthquake from all the shaking are by yours truly...). Anyway, here is the video we made for France! The songs in the video are "Si tu vois ma mere" by Sidney Bechet, "Moi Je Joue" by Bridgette Bardot, and "Elle Me Dit" by Mika. Hope you like it!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='480' height='399' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/r9Iln6ou3kg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-8403977874294908822013-07-20T11:31:00.001-07:002013-07-24T18:31:22.672-07:00Eurotrip: Paris, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Paris was the last stop of our trip in Europe, and definitely one of our favorite cities. Taylor had already fallen in love with Paris on a program trip during his semester abroad, but this was my first time in the city. Even though it was a bit cloudy and on the colder side, I also fell in love. How can you <i>not</i>? We stayed in the <a href="http://instagram.com/p/a6ofdTgtRK/" target="_blank">cutest little apartment in the 14th arrondissement</a>, near a subway stop that got us to all the sights easily. Every morning Taylor went and got the yummiest pastries from a patisserie down the street, and we ate breakfast out on the porch connected to our room.</div>
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Each day we went to a different market street where we walked around and got supplies for lunch. On our first day we went and had our lunch in the park near the Eiffel Tour in a rare spot free of crowds of tourists. On our last day we got rotisserie chicken and fat soaked potatoes to go with our bread and cheese and wine in a water bottle. SO GOOD. On our second day we went and locked our love on Pont des artes (we're corny like that...)</div>
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As we explored the city we quickly saw lots of the sights, but stayed away from going into most of them. The only museum we went to was Musee de Orsay. I felt crazy not going to the Louvre, but with so little time we didn't want to deal with the crowds and long lines. Next time!</div>
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TO DO & SEE: The two streets/markets we went to that I remember were called Rue Cler and Rue Montorgüell. Both were nice but we liked Rue Cler better. It was definitely less touristy--lot of locals buying an armful of baguettes for the week!</div>
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Montemarte was one of my favorite neighborhoods. There were lots of cool boutiques with locally designed and made clothing (some really great dress stores). On our last night we went to dinner in Montemarte and ended up walking around as it got dark. After hearing some people talking about a beautiful view near by, we walked all the way up to the top of the hill that the area is situated around and found a building/church (?? our tour book probably knows what this building is but I don't feel like looking it up...it's the building pictured above). Anyway, below this building were stairs filled with people looking out on a beautiful view of the city. It was super full of tourists, but worth a few minutes to take in the twinkling city lights.</div>
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Musee d'Orsay-- we chose to go here instead of the Louvre because honestly, most of the art at the Louvre isn't really our thing (<i>gasp!</i>). We especially enjoyed seeing art by Dega and Van Gogh. Would highly recommend it! </div>
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TO EAT AND DRINK: On our second night we set out to go to a taco place called <a href="http://www.candelariaparis.com/#" target="_blank">Candelaria</a>. It is a tiny little place with a small area to order tacos (there is one table and a little bar space to eat at) and a really cool bar in the back. The door to the bar is at the back and looks like it leads to a back room for employees or something. When we got there the line was super long and we were hungry so we decided to skip the tacos and come back for drinks after dinner. The tacos looked <i>really</i> good though so I would definitely recommend giving it a try.</div>
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We ended up going to the restaurant right next door, called <a href="http://www.clasico-argentino.com/" target="_blank">Clasico Argentino</a>, which was an empanadas place. So good. And so cheesy. Afterwards we went to Candelaria for yummy cocktails.</div>
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On our last night we went out for a fancier meal to end the trip. We went to <a href="http://restaurantmiroir.com/" target="_blank">Miroir</a> in Montemarte which was amazing. I had fish and Taylor had lamb. Everything we saw people order looked amazing.</div>
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We also found <a href="https://plus.google.com/105470894183834621532/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">La Famille</a> (also in Montemarte) when we were looking for nicer places to go. Apparently they have really fancy, interesting drinks. Unfortunately we didn't end up being able to go there, but it would be a good place to check out.</div>
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Check back tomorrow for the video we made about our time in France!</div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-73090694867846704742013-07-16T17:33:00.000-07:002013-07-24T18:31:31.723-07:00Butter Chicken + Roti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Who doesn't like butter chicken? I'm pretty sure no one is raising their hand right now. Even when I was vegetarian I would sneak spoonfuls of sauce from my brother when he got butter chicken (I was an undisciplined vegetarian...). This past weekend a friend came over and taught my roommates and I how to make butter chicken and roti. We were in heaven. It was so good I even forgot to take a pretty picture of the final product on my plate. Oops. </div>
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Our friend taught us how to make everything based off of watching his mom throw ingredients into a pan ...so the measurements are approximate. Taste as you go to decide if you need to add more of anything!</div>
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<b>Roti</b></div>
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2 cups whole wheat flour</div>
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4 tsp olive oil</div>
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A dash of salt</div>
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3/4 cup water (might have to add more)</div>
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Combine all of your ingredients, using your hands to mix. Mix as little as possible. Slowly add more water until all of the dough can be shaped into one big ball--but don't let it get too sticky! Cover and let sit for 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle a clean surface with white flour. Separate your dough into small balls (like, golf ball size-ish). Roll the balls of dough out with a rolling pin so they are super thin. About as thin as you can get them. Heat a pan and coat with butter. Cook until the roti starts to bubble and brown and flip. Make sure to coat each side of the roti with a little butter while it cooks. Mmmmm. Put the roti on a plate with paper towels. Put your stack of yummy, buttery bread in the oven on low to keep warm while you finish up your curry!</div>
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<b>Butter Chicken</b></div>
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Olive oil</div>
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1 Yellow Onion (chopped up small)</div>
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6 cloves of garlic (minced)</div>
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1 tablespoon butter</div>
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Roughly 2 inches of fresh ginger (grated)</div>
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1 tsp cumin</div>
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2 tsp coriander</div>
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2 tsp tandoori masala</div>
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1/2 tsp tumeric</div>
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1/4 tsp cayenne (this batch wasn't super spicy, so if you like your food spicy I would add a little more--add slowly at the end so you can make sure it doesn't get too hot!)</div>
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1 can of diced tomatos</div>
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A little over a pound of chicken breasts (cut up into bite sized chunks)</div>
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A few large spoonfuls of plain greek yoghurt (you could also use cream instead)</div>
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Salt to taste</div>
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Coat the bottom of a large pan with olive oil. Add in your minced garlic and cook on medium heat until slightly browned. Add onions and heat until slightly browned. Add in butter, ginger, and all of your spices and cook for a couple minutes. Next, add your diced tomatoes and let what you have so far sit on medium heat. When the oil starts to separate from everything else it is time to add in the chicken. Make sure the chicken cooks all the way through! You can also add in your yoghurt at this point. Once everything is in, cover your curry and let it sit on medium/low heat until the sauce is thickened...or really as long as you want. Our friend said the longer you let it sit, the better it gets. Ours probably sat for around an hour, with us checking on it every so often.</div>
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Serve your curry over rice with your roti! We also made some raita to have on the side (this is good to cool your mouth down if things get too spicy for you). We made a quick version by mixing a small bowl of plain yoghurt with some chopped onions, garlic, cilantro and cucumber. Maybe add in a little cumin and coriander for some extra flavor.</div>
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Next time I want to try making this with paneer (indian cheese) instead of chicken--this would be a great substitution for any veggies out there. Hope you all enjoy this recipe!</div>
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<br />Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-31418877176401130892013-07-15T00:25:00.002-07:002013-07-24T18:31:41.963-07:00I'm Thinking It's a Sign...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Remember that tutorial for how to make simple quote wall art that I posted <a href="http://kaleidoscopeeyesblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/give-me-splendid-shining-sun.html" target="_blank">here</a> a while back? Well, my roommate/partner-in-crime Sydney recently made some art for her room using my tutorial that I thought I would share. She used smaller letters and spread her quote across 3 different smaller canvases. I love how it turned out...the quote she used is also one of my most favorite lyrics (if you don't already know, it's from the song "Such Great Heights" by Postal Service. And if you have never heard of that song go do yourself a favor and look it up). Has anyone else tried this tutorial? I would love to see pictures! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyrbJY4Hq5s1jJZHCmut2L5YLur_BGtmTIp_dhNSWQv1_xKkzJqHvpfywj1vWW6LkNmJUEcrwBPns8CDet15cdvE1CJaFcxKaa1V7OXNNLAaveriIMNGld1Ulxtpk1ogszHIZRvL-Ym4/s1600/DSC_0750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyrbJY4Hq5s1jJZHCmut2L5YLur_BGtmTIp_dhNSWQv1_xKkzJqHvpfywj1vWW6LkNmJUEcrwBPns8CDet15cdvE1CJaFcxKaa1V7OXNNLAaveriIMNGld1Ulxtpk1ogszHIZRvL-Ym4/s640/DSC_0750.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-66096735911164968452013-07-12T17:43:00.001-07:002013-07-12T17:43:11.118-07:00EuroTrip: Strasbourg, FranceHello, blog friends! Long time, no see. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! Summer has given me a new burst of inspiration (and a little more free time) and I'm ready with lots of fun posts for your viewing pleasure.<br />
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As some of you may know, Taylor and I just got back from a 3 week trip around Europe. Taylor was studying in Strasbourg, France last semester, so I met him there and we travelled around France, Italy & Spain. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing some photos, videos and recommendations from our trip. It was an amazing trip, so I am excited to share with you all.<br />
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Today I'm going to share some pictures from our time in Strasbourg and a few bits and pieces about what we did/recommendations, in case any of you ever decide to check it out! I will share the video we made from our trip soon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhskMOxElQ_K9YeRC60R4KIjtmbEXAZXCzJLmKT1WUCE_uDq_md4jBIkbPR-BkOggJBolRB-oazLtBCLPQU2HLX41qxFb5tHONN4JJY-fRYJ_T2d-jouc46UQOuwwVrMs4hAoFCfsNvA/s1600/title_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhskMOxElQ_K9YeRC60R4KIjtmbEXAZXCzJLmKT1WUCE_uDq_md4jBIkbPR-BkOggJBolRB-oazLtBCLPQU2HLX41qxFb5tHONN4JJY-fRYJ_T2d-jouc46UQOuwwVrMs4hAoFCfsNvA/s640/title_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
After one of the longest, rainiest winters in France, the sun finally came out the week I arrived in Strasbourg. We spent most of our time wandering around, exploring the city--we walked along the canal, went to the park, explored "petit France." We ate our fair share of pastries, tarte flambe, café, and Alsatian beer (Alsace is the name of the region Strasbourg is in). While we were there we also got to have dinner with Taylor's host family--it was nice to be able to see what he had been experiencing over the last 5 months.<br />
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<img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAk7VAc2G5PNcSwCK1EfSXkZ4bzRaSNKEqM8IqiyMTAkmQKpyKuFDa7XvJJGkETbvTiRh_R8wtmiEcyI8xiNV2GjGRuGgil3NNHyzCi8xd58RItrbeH-GYNnBHR2_mnciKx6gedi7iN0/s640/DSC_0039.jpg" width="640" />
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We stayed in a room in an apartment that we rented out through airbnb.com. I would <i>highly </i>recommend using this site when you travel anywhere! We used the site throughout the trip to rent out rooms and loved every apartment we stayed in. It was nice having hosts to give us advice (the people who own the apartments are also usually living there), and by only renting a room it was just as cheap as staying in a hostel. Our apartment in Strasbourg was a perfect little place with a tiny little kitchen, creaky floorboards, and windows looking down into narrow cobblestone streets. Our hosts were wonderful and very interesting-- we shared a bottle of wine with them one night and learned about the man's job as a circus clown! </div>
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We spent one day seeing a few of the bigger tourist sites. We went to Rohan Palace where we saw a couple of impressive exhibits, and then we went to the cathedral and climbed to the top for a beautiful view. [Below: The view from the top of the cathedral, stained glass in the cathedral, and German style buildings lining the river]</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzy2bKJwkOc0shwmPd3F-JAzOlyC1rAsUTUjL84Zx8CguuZ6kYLSaKq39KePiRC0G3wWICyFAHicirvZazAOCdfLTDuN5HJvX73V5jfMnogVmniwzaIuCijYZqhcziRB7XEQ4waNBFzpo/s1600/DSC_0073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzy2bKJwkOc0shwmPd3F-JAzOlyC1rAsUTUjL84Zx8CguuZ6kYLSaKq39KePiRC0G3wWICyFAHicirvZazAOCdfLTDuN5HJvX73V5jfMnogVmniwzaIuCijYZqhcziRB7XEQ4waNBFzpo/s640/DSC_0073.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZTpXjFPULWGEMwXsmlN7O4eCwKu6xcsZiBGr92RzY_g2uW-LTiYwl9NDDqdqYQ5k6U1jtk6GcWJ1hzXnO5R3NnIeOTtiwgW3x4b1sz8KGSA3hEy5XL7nxDUosNXnMmJ-pEGObvEDyyY/s640/DSC_0097.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rxvU399vaVNu_Qgl9HK4Fkj-duc3nIU_o6-jSg65RxngtWkchbtJqvScRSFbhLhdzEV0XVSfFa37VriQ6OJzGOJnUwQdYXWWMtFcyzaYBgI5rMvfqX87Z8EkH0MR1GPjq9MAstPOg3U/s640/DSC_0117_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /><br />
With each of these posts I'm going to share our recommendations for things to see, places to eat/drink, etc. We stumbled upon some really fun places along the way that we want to share!<br />
<img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbhl424W9e4UoZv2i2Sfm3hfCQrYNAxjoiU7hc09DxFrTZmNwoHKaT17jRaglzpH0sX6aiyz3Pl7I5DSzLtERIdBmqwEUcrjdyjnVxCQhZS4Zlmta9mh4XMnSAdXvieCfpbvuNAZtflI/s640/WHAT+TO+DO+IN..._edited-2.jpg" width="640" />
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Strasbourg is a pretty small place and while there are a number of interesting (more touristy) sites to see, the best way to experience the city is by just walking around and getting lost...here are a few places you might want to check out along the way... </div>
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TO DO AND SEE: Grab some bread and cheese and walk to the parc de l'Orangerie for a picnic. </div>
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In the evening walk along the canal and stop by the boat bars for a drink on your way back.</div>
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Climb up the cathedral for a beautiful view. If you go to the cathedral at midday you can buy a ticket to see the astronomical clock at work. Be sure to go back and see the cathedral at night as well. </div>
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If you are into museums, check out Rohan Palace, which has a few different collections to choose from, though nothing we found particularly exciting.</div>
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Walk around petit france for a little shopping and to see a nice part of town.</div>
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TO EAT AND DRINK: Taylor's favorite place to go for coffee during the day or drinks at night was a cute little spot called Jeannette's in Centre Ville. They have delicious mojitos. </div>
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Try some Tarte Flambe while you are there (sort of like the French version of a pizza). </div>
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Taylor also recommends a place called La Lanterne for drinks and tarte flambe. He says they have a happy hour on Wednesdays that includes specials on both!</div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-56165193583344895632013-05-10T15:27:00.001-07:002013-07-24T18:31:54.842-07:00San FranciscoA couple weeks ago I popped down to San Francisco for a weekend to visit my dad and brother while they visited colleges. I'd only been there one other time, but fell completely in love with the city! Needless to say I was pretty excited to get back there. We didn't have very much time there so we mostly just explored the city and ate good food when we weren't visiting schools. We went to an amazing French Vietnamese restaurant called <a href="http://www.lecolonialsf.com/" target="_blank">Le Colonial</a>. So good. We ate so much we basically rolled out of there (the yummy cocktails didn't help either...). Go there if you're looking for a fancier restaurant and are into that kind of food! Anyways, here are a few of the pictures I took while there!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiKo27dcWOSFbTxQmiscNla5JgZRrXkCF0ScZpAJjG9dZPbgvcu9W0oFuQHK3KRPMMX4WvBA494HbRYKkK7dmeKZ5VWghtSTzP-ixx8NmhCPcKGScEIXR3zYb6nvTXghfEzpZhdkWp7w/s1600/Foggy+Skyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiKo27dcWOSFbTxQmiscNla5JgZRrXkCF0ScZpAJjG9dZPbgvcu9W0oFuQHK3KRPMMX4WvBA494HbRYKkK7dmeKZ5VWghtSTzP-ixx8NmhCPcKGScEIXR3zYb6nvTXghfEzpZhdkWp7w/s640/Foggy+Skyline.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEioXFu5-X8wwW-xXRkpfdqb04B8Kbnntze05CJx-KtmcPSy5KQLwQLMT6YIMPkakEdop4VhYnrmrh4AkCl1nRzl8DsrAJExSDvI2r7zSb4BMH_VtKxFwHQ1r2o24IAS53hmTFsgCtKMs/s1600/art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEioXFu5-X8wwW-xXRkpfdqb04B8Kbnntze05CJx-KtmcPSy5KQLwQLMT6YIMPkakEdop4VhYnrmrh4AkCl1nRzl8DsrAJExSDvI2r7zSb4BMH_VtKxFwHQ1r2o24IAS53hmTFsgCtKMs/s640/art.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilRAE08m10wS4le5_ZlFIadrFHBZhRNN1ex_HsVtxU3iVJ8mixJ7YSalRCLNprVPsWLYRc4C-YxN9-TB6sbIAjEoLTTb56o60nbjGvOSxa_ZDlt11aoZqednfMlHDn9Cq1vUUXcKg_ng/s1600/Mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilRAE08m10wS4le5_ZlFIadrFHBZhRNN1ex_HsVtxU3iVJ8mixJ7YSalRCLNprVPsWLYRc4C-YxN9-TB6sbIAjEoLTTb56o60nbjGvOSxa_ZDlt11aoZqednfMlHDn9Cq1vUUXcKg_ng/s640/Mural.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6lpHJz8LznettxT_xZEFDRZUHp_XSaRvlQiFD2LKpJvZO5KXa6VeSmiDycks7vWEp_umwRH-oNXcQ0ITQAEMral3wcNnUpKzH9RRfq3v1MdYf5-AkxW1vVS8h77cyfBGofXEdiJJbQw/s1600/buildings+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6lpHJz8LznettxT_xZEFDRZUHp_XSaRvlQiFD2LKpJvZO5KXa6VeSmiDycks7vWEp_umwRH-oNXcQ0ITQAEMral3wcNnUpKzH9RRfq3v1MdYf5-AkxW1vVS8h77cyfBGofXEdiJJbQw/s1600/buildings+2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCFtQrq7mj5Wki8MWa1UKx-5I_qRtrx486OpbTsNDJZIWMvXu6S1Fnn7DSjZvOoOusq8mFKD7_L4W0psb1LzUNr_y6-_WhZtZpRb9XJJghjGpofcjz1q-sT4VoWd8j6sEhiO6cpR0lmg/s1600/With+Jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCFtQrq7mj5Wki8MWa1UKx-5I_qRtrx486OpbTsNDJZIWMvXu6S1Fnn7DSjZvOoOusq8mFKD7_L4W0psb1LzUNr_y6-_WhZtZpRb9XJJghjGpofcjz1q-sT4VoWd8j6sEhiO6cpR0lmg/s640/With+Jack.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Foggy city skyline//Fun art at one of the schools we visited//Graffiti art in the Mission//Prettiest buildings in Haight//Me and my brother...when did he get so big?</div>
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Hope you're having a great weekend! xx</div>
<br />Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-3144512234389182022013-04-07T15:13:00.001-07:002013-07-24T18:32:07.400-07:00snail mail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Does anyone else get super excited when they get mail? I love getting letters...In high school my best friends and I used to send each other mail just for fun even though we lived minutes away from each other. I like having something physical that I can hold and put away to read down the road. The other day I got a letter in the mail from a friend I went to summer camp with years ago, and it motivated me to send out a few letters of my own...I used this as an excuse to break out my Martha Stewart glitter and some new washi tape. Thought I might share a couple of the cards I made!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYyzPgD-5s9e2e0xq8bTgJkU9xtpwVhQUpIXcGCMqovlLvbIzVU9naR8jToH3E9vpJv1YjoOLXt6coHiAWyLgzWqF-bcAgrlGYR6EFeCVECDlZ6hDqMKmgIDLkOUf2FcldLFey-a_9WY/s1600/envelopes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYyzPgD-5s9e2e0xq8bTgJkU9xtpwVhQUpIXcGCMqovlLvbIzVU9naR8jToH3E9vpJv1YjoOLXt6coHiAWyLgzWqF-bcAgrlGYR6EFeCVECDlZ6hDqMKmgIDLkOUf2FcldLFey-a_9WY/s640/envelopes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I got these pretty semi see through envelopes a while back at a paper store sale...I cut magazine clippings/fun papers to twice the size of the cards then folded them in half around the cards and slipped them into the envelopes to hide my letters and customize the envelopes. Super easy and pretty!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fXSyky5lc6B3oLfOClL6bnhiwnZfPG0IjK4h96VebaTEncznIZYnv87KLLqrmOq5w2FHa4p0ZfBaACOK9jKb9b9lAcDgYxVsQjLC9vntMbAE1G3UaN-BB2H2kjSZjp0jYE8DENTMhY4/s1600/LOVE+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fXSyky5lc6B3oLfOClL6bnhiwnZfPG0IjK4h96VebaTEncznIZYnv87KLLqrmOq5w2FHa4p0ZfBaACOK9jKb9b9lAcDgYxVsQjLC9vntMbAE1G3UaN-BB2H2kjSZjp0jYE8DENTMhY4/s640/LOVE+close+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Do you send letters to friends or just stick to email/facebook? I'm going to make it a goal to send one letter to a list of friends/family I don't see much before the beginning of summer...we'll see how that goes! If you have any questions about how I did the cards pictured here just post in the comments!</div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-85888798147955941862013-04-04T19:41:00.000-07:002013-07-24T18:32:21.721-07:00(belated) easter carrot cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8__IBoM_trr44ieAse4p7oLhTHCWbu4GGfi9PpJY-W1Ut3YVsc3zLO-m0_5drvk-zyMKYSqcmsw4ygTxUGqx0pi86tbUC1SWOMQM6eIIv6ddrY37ox5JfH7cL-hWglzHrjPrakVdue9Y/s1600/CARROT+cake+title_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="971" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8__IBoM_trr44ieAse4p7oLhTHCWbu4GGfi9PpJY-W1Ut3YVsc3zLO-m0_5drvk-zyMKYSqcmsw4ygTxUGqx0pi86tbUC1SWOMQM6eIIv6ddrY37ox5JfH7cL-hWglzHrjPrakVdue9Y/s640/CARROT+cake+title_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This year I had grand plans to make cute carrot cake cupcakes dressed up like rabbits for Easter for everyone in my house...Lucky thing no one really pays much attention to such holidays around my house because my plans got delayed by a few days. This weekend was <u>beautiful</u>, and since I had workshops both days I wanted to soak up the sun when I got out, not stay inside and bake. The sun has since left to hide behind the clouds again, so I finally made some time to make this cake. This is a recipe from my all time favorite cookbook, <a href="http://www.theppk.com/books/vegan-with-a-vengeance/" target="_blank">Vegan With a Vengeance</a>. I'm not vegan (I'm just a very undisciplined pescetarian) and I used to stay away from vegan food--especially baked goods (love me some cheese/butter/eggs/etc)...BUT, every recipe I have tried from this book has been amazing. Also, the recipes are super easy to un-veganize if you want to do that, but that really isn't necessary. Anyways, this is the best carrot cake I've ever had. So. Good. Click <a href="http://unrelentingambiguity.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/delicious-ginger-macadamia-coconut-carrot-cake-recipe/" target="_blank">here</a> for the recipe (or go buy the book). The only note I would make is that if you use sweetened shredded coconut (I've found it's near impossible to find unsweetened here) use a tiny bit less sugar than the recipe calls for.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-37998238144230590052013-03-09T13:36:00.000-08:002013-07-24T18:32:29.712-07:00Anthropologie Inspired Necklace Display<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'd been meaning to make this necklace display for a while before I finally did it this Summer. It's inspired by one they used to sell at Anthropologie (which I can't find online for the life of me...). There are also a ton of versions being sold on Etsy. It prevents my necklaces from becoming a tangled mess in a box somewhere and goes nicely with the <a href="http://kaleidoscopeeyesblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/diy-earring-display.html" target="_blank">earring display</a> I made. Also, it's pretty cheap and easy to make.<br />
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You will need:<br />
A piece of scrap wood (I got mine from the <a href="http://rebuildingcenter.org/" target="_blank">Rebuilding Center</a>. They have so many pretty scraps and saws for you to cut them with.)<br />
Mismatched knobs with the backing screws to attach them--make sure the screws are the right length so they don't stick out of the back (I got mine from <a href="http://www.hippohardware.com/index.htm?lmd=40605.680382" target="_blank">Hippo Hardware</a>. There are also lots of pretty ones on Etsy and at stores like Anthro and Urban.)<br />
A drill (I borrowed a friends tiny, cheap battery operated drill. It took a while to make holes but worked out fine.)<br />
<br />
If you don't want to make holes in the wall to mount it you will need: thin pieces of wood (I used popsicle sticks), wood glue and command strips.<br />
<br />
Cut your scrap of wood to size (mine is about 10 inches long). Drill the appropriate number of holes, making sure they are evenly spaced. Screw in your knobs. I attached mine to the wall using the command strips that are for hanging framed pictures since I'm renting and can't make holes in the wall. I used wood glue to attach pieces of popsicle sticks to the spots where I needed to attach the command strips (this was so the display would lay flush against the wall--attach pieces until they rise the same distance from the back of the wood as the screw heads from your knobs). Attach your command strips and hang up your new display! Super easy.<br />
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<br />Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-63006486421812987302013-03-06T14:34:00.002-08:002013-07-24T18:32:38.714-07:00Currently<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Reading: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Silver-Linings-Playbook-ebook/dp/B001ANSSDC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1362608405&sr=1-1&keywords=silver+linings+playbook" target="_blank">The Silver Linings Playbook</a>. I've been trying to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo since the end of the Summer, but no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to make myself get into it. Anyone else feel that way about this book? Anyways, I decided to just stop forcing it and move onto something different. So far I'm loving this book. Also loving being able to read for pleasure now that I'm no longer reading hundreds of pages of academic literature a night!<br />
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Listening to: Lots of Camera Obscura. I recently bought more of their music and have been listening to it non-stop. Especially love <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzWlg3JFFTU" target="_blank">this song</a>. (Also, try listening to the Camera Obscura playlist on Pandora. So good).<br />
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Eating: Healthy. I'm trying really hard to cook <i>real</i> meals rather than pasta every night. It's going ok. I made a variation of this <a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/vegetable-chili-polenta-10000000633298/index.html" target="_blank">vegetarian chili with polenta</a> the other night and it was really good and easy to make.<br />
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Loving: Yoga. I started going to Power Yoga at a "yoga by donation" studio downtown and I <i>love </i>it. I come out feeling so productive and relaxed. For those who live in the area, <a href="http://yogaonyamhill.com/" target="_blank">this is the one I go to</a>.<br />
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Drinking: Specialty cocktails at Happy hour with my girlfriends. We went to a place called <a href="http://www.saucebox.com/happy-hour/" target="_blank">Saucebox</a> in downtown Portland twice within a week. If you ever visit Portland definitely go for happy hour. I would recommend the Pad Thai ($4!) or Steamed Clams ($5!) to go with their "cocktail of the day".<br />
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Looking forward to: The weekend! I have Friday off this week, so I get an extra long weekend. Also, one of my best friends from home is visiting on Sunday. Can't wait to see her and show her my city.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*inspiration for this "currently" post came from <a href="http://sometimessweet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sometimes Sweet Blog</a>!</span>Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-30587270922184100902013-02-24T19:10:00.000-08:002013-07-24T18:32:51.226-07:00easiest butternut squash soupHello friends! Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine went a little too quickly and wasn't all that productive, but I got some much needed downtime, which was nice. I mentioned in my last post that I would share a recipe for the soup that I made to go with my bread, so here it is! I think that squash is quickly becoming one of my go-to foods. It's so yummy and super easy to incorporate into meals. When I made this soup it was already 9:30pm (woops) and I was looking for something easy that I could make with what I had on hand. I looked around at a few different recipes and then threw together my own simplified version...and amazingly it turned out great! Depending on how much you eat this recipe makes enough for 1-2 servings.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 tablespoon butter<br />
Half an onion<br />
1 clove of garlic<br />
Half a butternut squash, cut into small cubes<br />
3/4 cup stock (vegetable or chicken - whatever you prefer. I used bouillon cubes to make mine)<br />
1 cup milk or half and half (I used 2 percent milk)<br />
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if you don't like it too spicy)<br />
1/4 teaspoon dried sage<br />
Salt and pepper to season<br />
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Heat the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook for around 5 minutes. Add the spices and sage, stir for a minute or so. Add the squash, stock, milk/half and half and a cup of water. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the squash is soft. Put in a blender and puree until smooth. I prefer a thick soup, but if it's too thick add a little more water as you blend. Season with salt and pepper, and maybe a squirt of lemon juice. Eat up!<br />
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One of my goals for this year was to start eating better and cooking real meals (rather than making pasta or heating up frozen food every night). Problem is, it's a huge bummer trying to cook for one person and I really don't feel like I have <i>that</i> much more time to cook than I did before. I'm trying to figure out meals that are healthy but still quick and easy to make in smaller portions...So hopefully I will be sharing more of these types of recipes on here!Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-91519980022531989482013-02-19T23:12:00.000-08:002013-07-24T18:33:00.256-07:00rosemary wheat bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">Ever since my sophomore year I've had the same bag of bread flour </span>(guys, I'm graduated now...)<span style="text-align: start;">. Every few months I would say that I was going to use it and my roommates would all laugh and go, "yeah right!". Well, this weekend I </span><i style="text-align: start;">finally</i><span style="text-align: start;"> made that bread and it was so good! (I may or may not have had to buy new flour because the bag I already had was expired, but let's not get caught up in the details). In recent years I have made bread a few times while visiting home and I always love making it. It takes a long time to make but it's really not that hard and it's a nice project to do when you just want a relaxed day at home. Also, it makes the house smell amazing.</span></div>
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This recipe is adapted from a simple whole wheat bread recipe from <a href="http://bethhensperger.com/thebooks_cb.htm#oldandnewtraditions" target="_blank">this book</a> (see the original recipe <a href="http://bethhensperger.com/docs/recipes/Beth%20Hensperger%20Recipe%20-%20Baking%20Bread%20-%20Old-Fashioned%20100%20Percent%20Whole-Wheat%20Bread.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>). It's a really good jumping off point for experimenting with different flavors. This time around I chose to add rosemary, which works really well with the subtle sweetness of the bread. </div>
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First you will need to make a sponge, which I guess is also sometimes called a starter (more info <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge_and_dough" target="_blank">here</a>).</div>
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For the sponge you need:</div>
<div>
3 cups warm water (105 to 115º)</div>
<div>
1 cup dried buttermilk</div>
<div>
2 tablespoons active dry yeast</div>
<div>
3/4 cup honey</div>
<div>
3 cups whole‐wheat flour</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Mix together all of the ingredients until smooth. The sponge should be thick but still liquidy (not doughy). Cover with saran wrap and let rise in a warm place for an hour. It should double in size. Stir it carefully with a wooden spoon.</div>
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Once your sponge is ready you can begin adding the rest of the ingredients to make your dough.</div>
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You will need:</div>
<div>
1/2 cup vegetable oil </div>
<div>
1‐1/4 tablespoons salt</div>
<div>
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary</div>
<div>
2 to 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat bread flour</div>
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3 cups white bread flour</div>
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Sprinkle the oil, salt, rosemary and 2 cups of the flour over the sponge and beat hard until smooth. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time with a wooden spoon until a soft dough is formed that just clears the sides of the bowl. NOTE: The original recipe uses all wheat flour but I prefer using almost half wheat and half white. You may not need to use all of the flour so alternate between white and wheat flours. Next, begin kneading the dough on a lightly floured surface. Be careful not to add too much flour as you go because the dough should remain a little bit sticky. Place in an oiled bowl, turn once to coat the top, and cover with saran wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1‐1/2 to 2 hours.</div>
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Next, divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Shape into 3 round balls and place them at least 4 inches apart on an oiled or parchment‐lined baking sheet that has been sprinkled with rolled oats or corn meal (I like cornmeal because it gives it a little crunch). Cover loosely with saran wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes (or what I did was refrigerated over night and then took it out for a bit the next morning before baking it). When the dough is almost ready to be baked, preheat the oven to 375º.</div>
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Before you put the dough into the oven you want to <i>very gently </i>(so you don't deflate them) brush the tops of the loaves with a generous coat of rosemary infused oil. Then sprinkle with large grain sea salt (be generous with this too--it's the best part!). To make rosemary infused olive oil, put 1 cup of olive oil and around 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat for around 5 minutes. Let it cool a bit and put it into a small container with the rosemary. This should last in the refrigerator for about a month.</div>
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Bake your loaves in the center of the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are</div>
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deep brown and hollow sounding when tapped. The author recommends putting aluminum foil over the tops to control browning, and I would definitely suggest doing this. Also, keep an eye on your bread and make adjustments as necessary, especially if this is your first time baking bread or if you have a finicky oven. My oven is a bit hard to control so I had some trouble getting my bread to bake evenly (also, one shelve collapsed and a loaf fell to the floor and deflated...ugh). When your bread is done, enjoy as much of it as possible while fresh and warm! I would highly recommend eating this with some sort of squash soup (later this week I will share a simple recipe that I used). Happy baking!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2wWZfkSPygkcHC7jAuDTiXDSLvjfoMrCNpBIzshqsXHOlOw5Eh1CNPdWZciBwsX8NrP-Z3qzKSzSny4AHVlQ72r7fpIHhLNwNN-NRKwecDlGZ0ApeNCaacfsSXD0huLdng0oFebg1tI/s1600/bread+and+soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2wWZfkSPygkcHC7jAuDTiXDSLvjfoMrCNpBIzshqsXHOlOw5Eh1CNPdWZciBwsX8NrP-Z3qzKSzSny4AHVlQ72r7fpIHhLNwNN-NRKwecDlGZ0ApeNCaacfsSXD0huLdng0oFebg1tI/s640/bread+and+soup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-86071455676886343482013-02-14T22:46:00.002-08:002013-07-24T18:33:09.720-07:00happy valentine's day!<div>
Happy (late) Valentine's day! I hope your day was great. My day was filled with extra cuddles from my little Valentines at work (I work at a pre school), lots of chocolate, and some face-timing with Taylor. I wasn't going to but Taylor insisted that I post this little (corny and slightly embarrassing) Valentine's day video that I made for him since we were far apart this year. Sometime I'll share a bit about how I made it!<br />
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Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-14485771784614025132013-02-12T22:15:00.000-08:002013-07-24T18:33:19.311-07:00easy valentine's day gifts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">Usually I spend a lot of time making personalized Valentine's day cards for all of my close friends...but this year I'm a little carded-out so I decided to try something else. Here are a couple of easy projects that I've done that I hope will inspire you! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXomMk5-ZM8a6jdhWk0tODA5pJJILczRJ4VsXMih2V1_UcEdDCbvs-2Ry1yHusroQv5Eykf5nQLUXWJBGCjjYYEWiDyr6Txl7NMxEF3Zt4elPL7Djs3tyYIuejuMvn7PZJaem8r7li_U/s1600/Title+NEW_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXomMk5-ZM8a6jdhWk0tODA5pJJILczRJ4VsXMih2V1_UcEdDCbvs-2Ry1yHusroQv5Eykf5nQLUXWJBGCjjYYEWiDyr6Txl7NMxEF3Zt4elPL7Djs3tyYIuejuMvn7PZJaem8r7li_U/s640/Title+NEW_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
My friends and I are a little bit tea-obsessed--we spend so much time at a local tea house that they all know us (and how we like our tea), and some of us <i>may</i> have tea hoarding problems. So, I thought something tea related would be perfect. This project can be a little bit meticulous/time consuming if you don't have a sewing machine, but it's easy enough that you could post yourself in front of the TV tomorrow night and finish them in time for Thursday. Here's what you need for this project: Coffee filters, embroidery thread, a thick needle, card stock, a pen, scissors, and loose leaf tea (you can also always cut open tea bags and take the tea out).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqZcJFmW7BJon46Is_pxuLTjflplIibJiwBxH4Xm43JTT9hyIOo30qgYi4vco9atE3NAh2QexFOupvJKwb5fv8QpNtjcohGxh3cIiefRBSuBF1vrTvsBPM0TU-6aOvkf9C4zZcFJ9EkY/s1600/full+tea+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqZcJFmW7BJon46Is_pxuLTjflplIibJiwBxH4Xm43JTT9hyIOo30qgYi4vco9atE3NAh2QexFOupvJKwb5fv8QpNtjcohGxh3cIiefRBSuBF1vrTvsBPM0TU-6aOvkf9C4zZcFJ9EkY/s640/full+tea+bag.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wNjJRlXUrPPRPXeHO_sFF8OYvQr0kl8Jr_OhFoLW2_uzxKfn17Iy1DOVDjCqPyAZs2sZmli4XnzQp9gEXoGKjYaTpur7NzOQuJwg3AggF5BUwMwdJib5BaokkQ_FdFoUzgFPbLvXPVU/s1600/tea+tags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wNjJRlXUrPPRPXeHO_sFF8OYvQr0kl8Jr_OhFoLW2_uzxKfn17Iy1DOVDjCqPyAZs2sZmli4XnzQp9gEXoGKjYaTpur7NzOQuJwg3AggF5BUwMwdJib5BaokkQ_FdFoUzgFPbLvXPVU/s640/tea+tags.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Steps // 1: Cut heart shapes out of your coffee filters // 2: Line them up and carefully sew the edges with your embroidery thread (or, if you're lucky, complete this step with a sewing machine and some colored thread) // 3: Before you close up the heart, fill the bag with loose leaf tea // 4: Thread a short piece of embroidery thread through the top of your tea bag. Thread the opposite end through your tag, which you will make out of card stock // 5: Write a sweet message to your Valentine on one side of your tag and write the type of tea in the bag on the other side // 6: Put the tea bags in a pretty bag or tin (see <a href="http://kaleidoscopeeyesblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/chai-tea-gift-diy.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> for some ideas) and give them to your friends to enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE5oiwgzP45AlmpDVRudRU3VkcmYv3IvWNm0wkM2Q6ABFa0WCxvigVqY52iedfhf5WOL7re56YrtW2C2Z5Ye6jw4HFTd72mmTxuhdUcYuAniRMsNw4Nr9OwbB7fXA-DLCrIgP6s_AKcM/s1600/treat+bag+collage_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE5oiwgzP45AlmpDVRudRU3VkcmYv3IvWNm0wkM2Q6ABFa0WCxvigVqY52iedfhf5WOL7re56YrtW2C2Z5Ye6jw4HFTd72mmTxuhdUcYuAniRMsNw4Nr9OwbB7fXA-DLCrIgP6s_AKcM/s640/treat+bag+collage_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Another super easy idea is to use embroidery thread to decorate a craft paper bag filled with treats. <a href="http://kaleidoscopeeyesblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/cutest-paper-baggies.html" target="_blank">Here is a tutorial</a> for making these little baggies. I just filled this one with conversation hearts, but if you have more time you could fill it with these <a href="http://melissascuisine.blogspot.com/2012/02/homemade-gumdrops.html" target="_blank">home-made heart gum drops</a>, or you could make a larger bag and give your Valentines delicious heart-shaped baked goods, like <a href="http://www.6bittersweets.com/2011/01/chocolate-nutella-alfajores-dessert.html" target="_blank">these Nutella treats</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQY0KJJd167x6ew-tCsRI5W8Pjse1csmk79nmlGE1AiDbmEQGQ4Y2FuDd2uqF_IBNxSC9vKDmnPx1Hu3yA8gii-k4gYTDRgXpwGeG_XeDOEJWD9_tN74bgEzWAZxYzc_b_lg-eoxVxpc/s1600/185601_1606759411965_7806363_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQY0KJJd167x6ew-tCsRI5W8Pjse1csmk79nmlGE1AiDbmEQGQ4Y2FuDd2uqF_IBNxSC9vKDmnPx1Hu3yA8gii-k4gYTDRgXpwGeG_XeDOEJWD9_tN74bgEzWAZxYzc_b_lg-eoxVxpc/s640/185601_1606759411965_7806363_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Two years ago my roommate and I made a bunch of pink cupcakes and put these little heart labels on them for our friends. This is a great idea if you have a lot of people that you want to give something to, but don't have much time. Just cut out heart shapes, write names/messages on them, glue two heart pieces together with a toothpick between them, and stick them in your cupcakes! (credit for this picture goes to my lovely housemate Caroline).<br />
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What are you making for your Valentines this year?Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948657688790944359.post-79451068350569094052013-02-10T19:16:00.002-08:002013-07-24T18:33:31.536-07:00valentine's day outfit inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love Valentine's Day for many reasons...First and foremost, it gives you an opportunity to slow down and show those you love how much you care (the way we really <i>should</i> everyday, yet often forget to)...and reminds you of the people you have in your life to be thankful for. Less importantly, Valentine's day is an excuse to do lots of fun crafting, make sweets, and get all dressed up to go out on a romantic date, a girl's night out with your single friends, or just stay in (I like to get dressed up either way!). With Taylor gone in France this year my Valentine's day will most likely consist of a Skype date in my pjs, but I thought it would be fun to share what I <i>would</i> wear if he was here to go out on the town with for dinner.</div>
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This<a href="http://www.freepeople.com/clothes-dresses/lace-dream-dress/?cm_mmc=GAN-_-Affiliates-_-rewardStyle-_-Primary" target="_blank"> romantic red lace dress</a> from Free People is the perfect Valentine's day dress. I would pair it with <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/tights/knee-d-your-lovin-tights" target="_blank">heart tights</a>, <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/steve-madden-prizzze-boot/3395571?origin=related-3395571-60135750-1-1-WOM1-RR-You%20might%20also%20like:&BaseUrl=Women&pprd=0" target="_blank">comfy black booties</a>, <a href="http://www.dearswallow.com/" target="_blank">gold</a> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/94271946/giant-dwarf-heartlette-crown-gold?" target="_blank">accessories</a>...oh, and my black pea coat...'cause it's freezing here right now. </div>
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Sometime in the next few days I'll share some quick ideas for Valentine gifts for friends that I'm working on. They will be pretty simple, so make sure to check back if you're strapped for time!</div>
Ella - Paper Umbrellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07905955135742622772noreply@blogger.com