A December Day in Seattle

Yesterday morning CJ, Jamie, Dustin and I headed off to Seattle for a bit of cheer, some good food and Christmas shopping.

We hit Beth's Cafe first because the guys have never been there. Jamie and I have on a previous visit... so we know of its amazingness firsthand. We ate way too much, rolled ourselves out to the car, and found a place to park at the Market. They had so many wonderful soaps and teas and fruits and veggies and nuts and so on and so forth this year. I think I just about finished up my Christmas shopping. Some of the arrangements were so pretty this year. I especially loved the unique look of these cabbage flowers. I had to take a picture.

We visited the bakery (I can't ever go there and not have a bite of something sweet) and got four different things to try... apple fritter, coconut cream danish, giant jam thumbprint, almond cookie dipped in chocolate. Everything was amazing and washed down with some honey crisp apple cider. We stopped off at Kells Irish Pub where I had a pint of Guinness and everybody else drank something sissy ;)

My camera battery had gone out by that time so all the pictures there forward are on Jamie's cam :(

We stopped off at Red Light Vintage and the Seattle Goodwill, both of which had amazing treasures that I can't wait to post.

We went to dinner at the Pyramid Brewery where we tasted the Apricot Ale, the Snow Cap, the Hef, the Blonde, and the Pear Cider... each of which were quite nice in their own way. And we ate. A lot.

Lovely day, so much fun. How was your weekend?

Etsy Love

Lots of new goodies in the Etsy Shop. If you're a blog reader, let us know ahead of time and we'll give you 15% any store purchase and reserve the items you'd like.

LOOT

Wow, Jamie and I scored some awesome stuff today. We got tons of vintage patterns, lace and trims. A really cool canister/lazy susan. Some adorable jars with strawberries and mushrooms. Lots of fun teacups and saucers, some plates, melmac lunch trays... well, you can see below.

EEEEE, I'm so excited. "Most" of it will be up in the Etsy shop soon!

SHOP

Okay, so Jamie and I have been working really hard to get all our items up in the shop. It is possible that we may have gone a bit overboard, buying, buying, buying. But its just so much fun and really, how do you put a cap on fun?

Yeah, that's what I thought too.

But things are going good. The excitement builds as we get convo's and sales in the shop. I know that's ridiculous but its still new and fun and I just love it! We've been loading up on new items, here's a little preview:



Also, they want me to start the new job Monday. As in, I am starting my new job Monday. OMG, I just fainted.

A Lovely Morning

As I was driving to work this morning I noticed how gorgeous Mt. Rainier was. A dark jagged shape against a pink back-light. A partly cloudy sky just beginning to expose morning. I love that sight on my way to work. I love it so much I don't know if I could ever live anywhere else.

If morning Mt. Rainier had background music... it would be Colorblind by the Counting Crows... that harmony of the piano keys.

Ahhhh.

I do that a lot, put music to sights in my head. I also associate certain songs with a lot of times in my life. This song, Colorblind, reminds me of my old yellow jeep. My Counting Crows CD got stuck in that faulty Stereo for months. My friend Sean had to completely disassemble it to get it out.

Far Behind reminds me of my friend Jeff, from highschool. I wanted that Candlebox CD so bad, and he found it for me and got it for my birthday.

DMX reminds me of parties and taking shots of vodka...puckering my face up and chasing usually with a beer. Followed by a long night of dancing, the spins and a big greasy breakfast the next day.

The Eagles Hotel California reminds me of my dad and growing up. So does Desparado or any John Cougar Mellencamp song. Taking rides in his ElCamino to Dash Point Park or Never Never Land (not the MJ one...).

Tori Amos reminds me of a time in my life when I was sad a lot. Her voice and piano notes conjure up a sack of bad feelings I am lucky to have left behind.

Wasn't really going anywhere with that. I just love that moment when you hear a song you haven't heard in ages, a smile crosses your face, and you recollect the memory associated with that time period in your life. Music is so powerful.



I wanted to share a picture of this awesome chair I found at a Garage Sale. Its so not for sale, I'm keeping it forever. I can't wait to start decorating for fall and put it on the porch to hold a pumpkin. Ahhh, fall. :) I'm so excited.

What makes you happy lately?

Vultures on My Birthday.

So yesterday I turned the big two seven. I love numbers that end in seven, always have. So I think this is going to be a good year. My favorite number is actually 97. There's a funny story behind it, but we'll save it for a rainy day.

Jamie Lou planned out the most fun day ever! We hit something like 7 or 8 estate sales. She had this little list with every address and what was at each sale. First stop was Starbucks... of course. Then we hit one in North Tacoma on the way up to Seattle. North Tacoma is the ritziest area of Tacoma... its where all the old money is. So I love going to estate sales there, they always have gorgeous old jewelry and furnishings. So since that was our first one, we wanted to get there in time to be one of the first group going into the house. We've done this before... sometimes they give out numbers, etc. We wanted a number. So we got there early, in fact we were the first ones there. But the notice on craigslist had said "ABSOLUTELY NO EARLY BIRDS, YOU WILL BE TURNED AWAY".

One thing about Jamie and I is we like to be really respectful to the family of the deceased (or whoever lived there). We are going into someone's home. This particular sale was actually run by the family... it was the man's mother. There were four older ladies in front of us who could be described by no other term than "VULTURES". Although they got there after us, they ran up to the door and waited to get their numbers first. (First Sign). They were laughing like hyenas and cackling and standing on tippy toes and looking into the windows, exclaiming about what they were going to take first (stuffed animals!!, go ahead ladies, eat your heart out). (Second sign). The wife of the man whose mother had passed, came to the door, asked if anyone else needed numbers, and wanted to make sure everyone was there, she'd let us in if that was the case. So then a chatter started amongst them. I looked at Jamie and pursed my lips together into a makeshift beak, bobbing my head like a vulture (or... a chicken to the naked eye). We both laughed.

That was when the screaming started. One of the ladies in the line was practically hoarse from screaming at her husband waiting in the car. He had to come in too, he had one of the numbers. Instead of going to get him, she screamed at the top of her lungs. He walked up, looking more than just slightly annoyed and said, "Do you have to beller like that?" This was the moment when I thought a high-five would be appropriate, but managed to keep my hands to myself.

We avoided hair-pulling and smashing crystal vases. But just by the skin of our teeth. (It was really hard to contain ourselves when Jamie was nearly bowled over for an ice cream scoop and then we were deafened by the sound of squelching "WHAT no flippers, no pancake flippers? no flippers?" over and over and over again.)

After a wrong turn, going over the Narrows Bridge, paying a $4.00 toll, and muttering obscenities under our breath we were once again underway on the treasure hunt, heading to Seattle to stir up a few more great finds.

Of course all treaure hunting works up a HEALTHY appetite. I've been hearing about this place and I figured it was time for us to visit. So Jamie took me there. And it was fabulous. I had this crazy omlette with chili, salsa, sour cream, cheese and hashbrowns. And a banana nut muffin that was homemade and seriously delicious. I think Jamie took a picture of it before I devoured it. But I got into her camera and had seconds ;)



And um, how cool is this sign?

Another interesting note about the day, ran into a friend of the family. Granted, I don't know him well, but I recognized him and he asked me (ironically on the day of my 27th birthday), "Do your parents know you're here?" I was slightly perplexed as he has to be aware that I am in my late 20's and no longer suckle the teet. I politely replied, "I haven't lived at home for five years..." and then Jamie piped in, "its her husband you should be worried about." We quickly paid our $$, laughed nervously, grabbed our stuff and ran.

WEIRDOS.

(This is totally probably not funny to anyone but me, but I'm going to write it here anyway, so that I can remember it for all time. Jamie was typing a message to her mom on facebook with her new BlackBerry telling her we were just about to eat @ this fabulous restaurant (I was sending a picture via email). And Jamie makes funny typos. She always has. Sometimes we think she might be slightly dyslexic. (One of my favorite examples... for "EXPENSIVE" she occasionally types "EXPENIS" its happend more than once. It's not a fluke). Yesterday she types to her mom, "We're about to eat at Beths vag" I am serious as a heart attack. She had somehow gotten her fingers on the wrong keys. We both about died.

And all this before breakfast.

How was your weekend?

FTW, For the Win

Life has been so busy and inspiring lately. In the past two weeks I've gotten back to the gym, discovered a new love for thrifting and taking pictures of vintage finds, started gearing up for fall, drooling over old comfort food recipes, and spent a lot of quality time with the people I love and count on to get me through day to day.

Sometimes things happen in life that make us think, wait a tick, life's too short for all this malarkey. You have to live in there here and now, and keep you favorite people close. Don't bother with those that waste your time. Do what you love.

I talk a lot about things I want to do, things I'd love to do, etc etc. And I'm going to slap my own hand with a ruler here and say "KNOCK THAT SHIZ OFF". Seriously, stop talking, stop thinking, start doing. I know its not the New Year yet, but I'm making my resolution now.

So one thing I really enjoy is thrifting. Its like the thrill of the kill. Finding that hidden treasure. Uncovering a glorious vase, or plate, or teacup. I can't help myself, I could do it all day every day. And I always seem to buy too much, so Jamie and I have listed a few items in our etsy shop.



(we'd love it if you favorited us!!)

I have a bunch of stuff to finish up this week, including but not limited to:

* Purple Onion (omg, I'm such a slacker)

* cleaning bathrooms

* folding clothes

* harvest italian plums @ mom's house and hopefully make some jam and syrup

* send out Beth's package (SORRY BETH!)

* list some more items on etsy

* celebrate another year of life (ACK, I'm getting old).

* go to the gym

* grocery shop

I could go on for days. What's on your to-do list? Do you ever give yourself little rewards when you cross something off? Or are you like me and is just the simple act of crossing something off reward enough?

Got my Studio Calico kit yesterday, can't wait to play with that puppy!

Doggone Dog

We drove east of the mountains this weekend to spend a little time with my dad's family. The annual family reunion (seems to be a lot of those lately, but this one was spared the romper. Thank GOD). I haven't been to one of those since I was about 12 and honestly, it was more than a little weird. First, it was outside in the middle of the afternoon and about 95 degrees so I was sweating. Strike 1. Second, nobody was overly friendly and it just wasn't really a lot of fun. Strike 2. And thirdly, I'd over indulged in Pink Panty Droppers while floating in the middle of Deep Lake with my sister in our life jackets watching the guys jump off the 15' cliffs. Strike 3. You're out.

But there were a few highlights. Watching shooting stars with the hubs. Playing mini-golf with adult beverages and balls of all colors (including blue). Swimming in the lake. Good food. A surprise birthday tent all set up for me when we got there! (I've been wanting a new tent and this one rocks because even at nearly 6' tall, I can stand completely upright... it makes dressing MUCH easier).



CJ was making this COME ON face when I told him to be quiet as a gaggle of unruly kids passed us. One of them was seriously like three years old and his parents just let him go off with his barely older siblings. Cj was trying to teach them how to golf. I was more interested in letting them get ahead of us so I could take my time, shoot pictures, and be ridiculous while drinking my panty droppers.



Cj, Dan, and I thought it would be a good photo op to stand with our clubs crossed.



Jessie hates it when I tell her "that wasn't a good one, stand still for one more, I don't have the settings just right yet!" In fact, this one's still a little blury, but as you can see she was starting to get annoyed.



Dan doesn't mess around and gets serious, taking a belly shot and cracking us all up. Just after this he may or may not have crop dusted those poor little kids.

Speaking of crop dusting, that brings me to a funny story about the weekend and about my dog. Gunther is a bit of a spaz... as has been proven time and time again by his never ending antics. Some of which include, running so fast that he can't stop and sliding to catch balls, meanwhile ripping the outmost layer of skin off his feet pads. Waddling through the house like a duck because he's afraid of the hardwoods, barking in his sleep, farting out loud, generally being an idiot on a leash, etc etc. And now we can add a new one to the list. Pooping in water.

Park Lake has been kind enough to sanction off a swimming area just for the poochies. And I was very thankful for this, Saturday morning about 10 minutes into our swimming venture (well, Gunther was swimming, I was standing on shore hucking his ball into the water) when to my utter embarrassment and disgust we had run into a moral dilemma. Gunther, having jostled something loose no doubt, squatted, looked around sheepishly, and then squirted the most nasty looking mustard runny mud skipper out his butt I have ever seen. Of course I was mortified, wildly flailing my arms and hollering through clenched teeth as quietly as one can yell while embarrassed to the gills for Gunther to get the hell out of the water. Of course, he did not.



It stunk a bit, unfortunately squinting your eyes and licking your nose doesn't make it go away.



Moments later he'd forgotten the whole charade, meanwhile I was still mortified, attempting to get under the dock, muttering something about wishing I'd had my very small screened kitchen strainer. But then... who the hell thinks they need to carry a kitchen strainer along because their dog is going to take liberties and shit in the lake? Yeah, I didn't think I'd need one either. Unfortunately I was wrong.

Buford didn't really like the water. Especially after it'd been a dunged up. But he made the best of it.



And then Saturday night the unthinkable happened. Yes... he crapped in the lake again, and this time it was a log.

Is there etiquitte to when your dog craps in the lake? What is a responsible pet owner to do? Should I really carry a strainer with me? I don't know if I could handle that. He's my dog, not my kid.

How was your weekend?

I also wanted to post a few recently thrifted finds Jamie and I are just giddy over:

Prosperous Weekend

A peek into my foliage (ha, that sounds dirty)...






I did so many things this weekend that I've been meaning to do forever. I went junking and found lots of fun goodies. The loot included an antique window (SQUEAL OF DELIGHT), some fabulous milk glass containers, a milk glass vase, some vintage Pyrex, and a vintage aluminum pitcher. I'm going to hang the window in my bathroom in the alcove above my soaking tub, I think it will look so cool and I can't wait.

I planted flowers in beds, pots, and hanging baskets. I fertilized them all too.

I scrubbed down the deck and deck furniture from the winter's rain and algae.

I made a lovely fruit salad.

I made a batch of strawberry rhubarb jam which I'm thinking about posting in my etsy shop. I love making jam so much we won't ever be able to eat it all...

Flowers and dirt and cooking and good friends and junking make a weekend compete and delightful. They set my soul at peace and make me happy. Oh the joy of simple pleasures. What are your simple pleasures?

(Oh, and a funny aside for those of you who read to the bottom... speaking of bottoms, I was at the gym today and rode the bike for 45 minutes and of course was sweating like a pig. ---Funny note, pigs don't actually sweat--- Okay I was sweating like a fat man in a sauna and every few moments wiping beads of sweat off my brow, behind my neck... i feel that trickle going down between the girls

**note, the first time I read this through I thought some of you may think "the girls" were my bottom cheeks... and this is not true. I hope it is mutually understood that the girls are the "tits" ... **

and I have that moment of fear. You know, that moment when you think, "will I have sweat through my gray sweatpants and will people think I've urinated on the bike?" Yes. Today my fears were realized. Today I sweat through my pants and it did indeed look like I'd done something foul... my sister confirmed that the sweat had seeped through my pants and it was not just my over-active imagination. Then she calmly asked if I'd like to go do weights now. Yeah, let me just bend over, lift weights and give everyone a better look at what they think is a little dribble of piss on my pants. I opted to pull my t-shirt down as far as possible and attempt to pass everyone on the way down the stairs and out to my car from the front and with my dignity in tact. Note to self, when riding the bike for 45 minutes, wear black pants or suffer the detrimental consequences, end note.)

Only Slightly Naughty...

I have a confession to make. I'm on crack. And by crack, I mean Pioneer Woman Actions. I don't know if you've noticed, but I can't get enough of her Seventies action... you can see proof here, here, and in my avatar. Do any of you watch "How I Met Your Mother"? I think it may be time for an intervention.

Lately my crafting and thrifting interests have peaked. They're like crack. I can't get enough. I was at the thrift store yesterday and I came across a lovely bag of thread spools, three of which were WOODEN VINTAGE GOODNESS and I quickly snagged them up for Miss Stephanie, who just adores them so. I love to surprise friends with little bits and baubles I know they'll love. In fact, I love it so much I can't ever even keep my big trap shut long enough for it to be a surprise!

I couldn't resist yesterday and bought these adorable Pyrex plates! I'm really not good with dates, but I think they're from around the sixties? Kinda funky mod... I like them!



And... the Old Red Barn Co. is having a a Sew-A-Long... so I think its time I quit talking and start sewing. I've wanted a quilt forever. So today, I splurged and bought this pattern:


and I've been collecting some fabrics... I think yellows/browns/greens/ and rusty oranges. What do you think?

Oh... and who watched Grey's...damn ... it was a good one...

And it ended with a moustache...

What a crazy-fun weekend! Friday we went out to see Wolverine. I'm a fan of the X-Men movies, but the real truth of the matter is, the only thing getting me overly excited is Hugh Jackman (commonly referred to in the Westcott household as "Hugh Hotman"). I think the highlight of the entire movie was when he jumped off the building and you could see his buns clenched through his tight jeans. Yeah, I'd have to say that probably made my weekend. Thank you Hugh, you made this weekend a "tight" one. HA!

Saturday we celebrated Mother's Day with Mom. We took her to get flowers, out to breakfast @ Mrs. Turners, and then back to the house to plant everything. We had a really good time, it was nice just spending time together.

I came home, took an hour power nap and headed off to Seattle for a Bachelorette Party. We had dinner at a little Italian place and then stopped off at Twilight for a few drinks. It wasn't really my kind of place ... and... I found a shard of glass in my COSMO! That is the second time that has happened to me in a year. LAME. But, I got a free drink out of it, so I suppose that's something. Cut up intestines... Free Drink... yeah, I'll take the free drink. We spent the night up in Seattle because after all this hilarity ensued, we were in no shape to drive home.

This morning we made it to breakfast @ the Skylark and then I came home and finished my mirror (remember what it used to look like?) and Hubby helped me hang it! Here are a few shots. How was your weekend!??

cooking, thrifting, crying

man, what a week. it was so nice sleeping in this morning and yesterday. i love weekend mornings. yesterday i got up, made oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon for the hubby and i. then i started a pot for this week. a recipe i've heard about and been wanting to try... steel cut oats, apples and cinnamon in the crock pot. it made the house smell MARVELOUS.

i also went to see Marley & Me. holy shitballs. okay... so my nickname is "stone cold". my husband thinks its hilarious that I almost never cry (because he cries enough for the both of us, no joke). seriously, i wore no mascara just in case and boy, as i was walking out of the theater still sniffling and carrying a sopping tissue, i was glad i'd had the foresight. such a cute little movie. very funny, very sad.

we had some friends over for homemade stew and i made a cheesecake. my second ever and it turned out! i was so glad cuz the last one was an ooey gooey disaster. i hate that feeling... when you work really hard to make something pretty and perfect and then its crap.

yesterday i was at the goodwill and found this beauty (not gunther, just the mirror)



i want to take down the mirror (stock ugly thing) in the guest bath and put this up. I was thinking i might change the color a bit... either rub something over it or spray paint it.

here are a few new ones i've done lately:

week 2 project 52


week 3 project 52


my thoughts on the crazy washington flooding this year.


how was your weekend? what did you cook?

xoxo,
aimee