New 40mm Lens

I got a new lens for my birthday, a 40mm Canon "Pancake" lens and it's become one of my favorite lenses already. After reading about it in Elsie favorite camera gear, I added it to my wish list and so happy I got it. I took some Easter inspired photos from a popular franchised donut shop (sadly, the donuts didn't taste anything as good as they looked- this is why I always do local!). The lens is so light, it has replaced my Canon S95 and 50mm lens. The lens is sharp, great in low light, and unlike a 50mm, you can do wider shots with bokeh and focus. It's inspired me to take photos of what I love- the mundane. Yes it sounds boring, but I get to discover beauty in the everyday things. 

Birthday Wish List

My birthday is tomorrow, and I'm sharing my birthday wish list from one of my favorite shops, Emerging Thoughts. 

The Polka Dot socks from Basel are adorable. I'm suffering from morning sickness (ugh, still) and the best view I'll have is of my feet. Why not make them cute while I'm lounging? They would look really cute peeking out of my Doc's, too. 

Polka Dot vinyl wall for a nursery!! This photo is actually from Ashley's bedroom but I fell in love with the idea.

Cat Tattoos are a great way to look like a bad ass with a kitty on my hands or face. I've always wanted a face or hand tattoo since I'll never work in a library again, or ever get a job as a bank teller. 

If you love how Lauren curates her shop, you'll love her tweets even more. Follow her here and shop here. 

Scarves by Karen Mabon

Karen Mabon is an artist who designs unconventional silk scarves. They're not Hermés (or priced as such!) but like the iconic brand, they're so unique and beautiful. She runs an etsy shop called redbricknorth from England. I couldn't just share one, here are a handful I would love for myself. 

found via howkapow

Until Next Year

I've been putting away my Christmas decor s l o w l y.  My home is a little empty, it's like my kid went away to college or something way too dramatic. Instead, I'll just stare at these beauties. They're so ridiculous, I can take Christmas with me all year long. Charlotte Olympia can do no wrong in my closet. 

Em & Sprout Shoes Giveaway

Last Summer, I purchased one of the cutest pair of shoes I own. I loved the pair so much, I got a "Christmas" pair.

The comments online I got from the shoes were great- there's a love of kawaii out there from head to toe and Em & Sprout can provide.

I'm giving away a pair of shoes of your choice and size (you can check out the selection of sizes and styles they offer) from Em & Sprout! 

In order to enter, you must "Like" on Facebook, and leave a comment on the Facebook wall post.

The winner will be chosen from the Facebook wall posts. (Also, if you're curious about the past two giveaways, the winners have already been contacted. Congrats to them!)

The Marimekko Napkin

This napkin gets more attention than any photo I've ever posted on Instagram. Every time I post it, when it's meant to be a decorative piece in the background, it becomes the main subject. Never fails! I get the same questions- where did I get it and can I still purchase it? To answer both, I bought it from Hanna's Boutique, an etsy shop last September. The napkins are still available here but there's only one set available. Good luck to the lucky person that gets it!

Smeg Fridges for a Pink Kitchen

Here's a sneak peek of my pink kitchen. It's been Hello Kitty'fied over the past couple of months, you'll either love it or hate it. Why a pink and Hello Kitty kitchen? My least favorite place in the house is a kitchen. I dislike cooking, cleaning it, so why not make it as lovely as possible for me? My husband is a huge help but since I've agreed to cook more, I wanted to enjoy it as much as possible. It's become one of my favorite places to hang out, and yes, I've learned to love cooking.

There is one major accessory I'd love to have in my kitchen. It's a luxury and as much as I love my stainless fridge, I'd love a pink fridge. After looking at the sizing, it's large enough for a small family, and the specs and details look like something that would go with my lifestyle. If you're in the UK, you're in luck because they are readily available here in all colors. I did find one place in OC that's down my street that sells the brand.

Fridge; Hello Kitty saucepan; rug purchased at Target.

{Appliances Online is a paid endorsement, but let's be honest- paid or not, they're adorable!}

Much Love Monday: Silk

I know silk is really high maintenance (especially with 3 cats), but it's my favorite thing to wear. I can't say much for how easy it wrinkles, and how I can't wear it unless I'm freshly manicured (a nail snag on silk? I may as well have given it to my cats to play with). This silk robe was on sale from HauteLook. Normally I'd pass up a silk robe, but if the price is right (and has a heart pattern), 'add to cart'!

Learn more about Much Love Monday here.

Much Love Monday: Mini Vegan Donuts

Every Friday night, Scott and I would walk down to the donut shop down our street to pick up a dozen donuts. Yes, one box of donuts for two people. It's as disgusting as it sounds. On Saturday mornings, I would wake up in pain and groggy from the wild night my body experienced with the calorie-filled donuts. I know those donuts are horrible for me, but I still miss them. After trying all kinds of vegan pies, cupcakes, muffins and tarts, it could never replace the donut for me. Thankfully I came across VeganYumYum's Mini Donut recipe. I changed a few things around the recipe, to make it a bit healthier for my family. Here is my version:

First, I used a non-stick heart shaped donut pan. I wouldn't recommend using a KitchenAid mixer for this, all you need is a whisk, a couple large and mini mixing bowls, and a saucepan.

Mix all the dry ingredients together: 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour 1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp Sea Salt 1/4 tsp Nutmeg 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Add wet ingredients to saucepan and warm 'till the butter melts 1/2 Cup nut milk 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract Egg Replacer for 1 Egg (I used Ener-G) 4 Tbs Earth Balance Vegan Butter

Add dry ingredients to saucepan and mix. It'll have a wet-dough consistency but don't overcook it or you'll ruin it (like I did the first time I tried this).

Add to pan. Just a little warning- don't overfill and smooth out. The original recipe warns about this or you'll come out with a muffin top. I see this daily, I don't need to see it in my actual donuts.

Bake for 12 min, let 'em cool and mix the toppings 1/2 cup powered sugar 1 tbs nut milk now, dip them in the glaze, sit for a quick second and then dip them into sprinkles!

That was my favorite part other than eating them. You can also find a cream cheese glaze here but alternate the dairy cream cheese with Tofutti's.

So there you have it, mini vegan donuts. Mine are a lot darker because of the ingredients I used, but I recommend checking out the original from VeganYumYum.

and remember- the more dishes you have to clean, the tastier it will be!

To learn more about Much Love Monday, read about it here.

Rilakkuma iPad 2 Case

Remember this post? Well, I've been on the lookout for a Rilakkuma iPad 2 case since and after searching the web, I found it in the last place I thought would carry it- Amazon! Yep, it's $13, and that's with Prime free-shipping. Most iPad 2 cases cost twice as much, and are not as cute. I use my iPad mostly in the kitchen, and this will get dirty quickly but it's easy to wipe off. I also love that it's customized to the iPad 2. The speaker, camera, and each function of the gadget is enhanced rather than hidden or awkwardly placed like some cheap covers.

iPad 2 has a horrible camera but this is what it looks like. Excuse the dirty mirror and closet. It's perfect and I can't wait to show it off! Although, it wouldn't really be showing it off when you're 30, right? ;) You can buy it here for $12.99

Much Love Monday (on a Thursday)

For 2012, I haven't been updating Much Love Monday, but just because my blog was down a few weeks doesn't mean I want to skip on this year! I'm playing a little catch up for the past 3 Mondays. I felt a little dirty buying this from j crew. Especially since Liz showed me a DIY (and they are all over the web), but by the time I purchased a decent quality sweater plus the supplies, I was out almost the price of the original sweater. I've been wearing it at least every other day since it came in the mail. It can be layered, worn alone or just pretty to look at. Classy meets kawaii? Yes, let's go with that.

I've been eating more raw eating and greens in my diet, and following a strict no cheese and dairy routine. I miss mac & cheese most and I've found a delicious alternative, Road's End Organics. It may not be the healthiest pre-packaged meal, but I add a little nutritional yeast and I can eat the whole box, shamelessly.

Every season, Target sells the cutest items according to the holiday. I left the store with tablecloths, regrettably. I wish I would have left with the whole Valentine's section. Everything just looks better with hearts, guys.

I know it's only been 3 Mondays in, but here's a bonus. I love these gloves- they keep my hands warm and I don't have to take them off because they are touch screen-friendly! Gadchick is doing a giveaway this week. Click here to enter!

To learn more about Much Love Mondays, read it here.

Much Love Monday 2011

Anna had an awesome collage for Much Love Monday. Her commitment to the photo project is inspiring, I'm excited for her photos in 2012.

Much Love Monday 2011

I couldn't choose just one favorite from MLM. I have two- the thank you post, and the frocktober post. They had nothing to do with heart shaped objects, but everything to do with heart.

Here's to more love in 2012.

I'll Have Pink Christmas

For the past 3 Christmas', I've been collecting pink themed ornaments. It's not exactly an inviting color for the traditional holiday, but it's a conversation starter. Sadly, when my in-laws cleaned out their garage, they cleaned out my decorations and ornaments. The only thing salvaged was the pink tree. It was bittersweet- I loved shopping for new ones but I missed our old decorations.

I thrifted great ornaments, but I also treated myself to one from an artist I've had in mind forever, my very own Skunkboy Creatures ornate bird. Katie did a wonderful job and it'll be something I'll treasure for years.

Another thing she did a wonderful job on? Raising her daughter, Hope, to be so sweet. My heart grew ten sizes larger when I read her note and saw her handmade ornament. It's one of the most adorable things I've seen and the story behind it makes it extra sweet.

We have a few Kate Gabrielle pieces around the house (a calendar, a Diana camera painting, her Flapper Doodle prints and color books to name a few), we've added this house she modeled after ours. Look at it! The details are spot on, from the house colors to the color of the roof, the exact house address, and our pink Christmas tree! The only thing missing is the California snow (haaaa, I wish!).

I also got a heart plate set from Ana B. from On Dressing Up. I loved the mini plates, but I loved the card she wrote me even more. It reminded me of the amazing power the internet carries to hold friendships and memories even from miles away. Cheers to handmade and loved gifts!

Greedy Wishlist 2011

Wishlists are fleeting for me, but these are the things I've had my eye on throughout the year. It sounds silly but wanting things makes me feel guilty. It doesn't help that I have ridiculous taste. Buying for myself makes me feel worse. So let's hope Santa can smooth out that detail by getting a thing or two on the list for me. From my 2010 Wishlist.

2011 Christmas Gift Guide

1. Corner Store Leather Bag I love a good cheeky gift. This has luxury and novelty written all over it, and with the black color adds a tinge of sophistication.

2. Momiji Mugs- Gigi, Astrid, Chihiro, Stella. I'm slowly building a kawaii themed kitchen and these would be perfect.

3. KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment. My white KitchenAid was a wedding gift almost 4 years ago, but I'm just using it for more than baking. Ice cream is a bit chilly, but not in California. I'd love to make my own ice cream all year 'round.

4. The Karaoke Singer's Guide to Self-Defense Tim Kinsella is big brother to Mike Kinsella (Cap'n Jazz,  Joan of Arc, American Football, Owen, to name a few bands he's been in...) and just released a novel. From the reviews I've read, his MFA in writing has paid off.

5. Doxie. Doxie is a portable scanner, not just a small scanner like some scanners claim to be portable. This can be thrown in my bag with my computer for travel, client meetings, and scanning my film.

6. Jawbone UP. I've had my eye on this for some time, and sadly it's sold out but I'm impatiently waiting on it's arrival on Jawbone's webiste. It's a tracker to help with weight loss, has iOS integration, and it's stylish, unlike those bulky weight loss arm bands.

7. Big Bow Scarf by susanahbean. I love this scarf, and kudos to the handmade craft! It can be chic as it is fun.

If you've had a wishlist, link it, I'd love to see it. Maybe I can get some ideas for next year!

Much Love Monday: Baking

With some minor details like lighting fixtures, and curtains, my kitchen is officially done (pics soon, promise!). I christened it with baking a rich chocolate cake! I didn't bake much in my apartment, I was limited on space and patience with the small space.

Baking

I used Le Creuset French oven enameled cast iron, I haven't used it enough to season the pan, but I don't want to buy a cake pan when this will do just fine. I used a gluten-free recipe, doubled the time for the enameled cast iron. {The bowls were purchased on sale from Joss & Main, for the curious. Cute, right?!}

During

The cake came out fluffy, and moist. The texture was soft, nothing like I've ever baked before. I drizzled some white honey on it, and yes, I did have it for breakfast. And some after lunch. Maybe dinner if you promise not to judge me.

Finished

I'm excited to bake, and spend some time in the joys of cooking.

{Much Love Monday is an online photo project started by Anna, from Much Love Anna. It's open to everyone. If you'd like to participate, click here for more details.}

Much Love Monday: Anna

Photo by Anna
Photo by Anna, with my revisions.

Yes, this is meta at its best. Using Anna, the creator of Much Love Monday for Much Love Monday (you following?) Anna is one of the sweetest bloggers I know and naturally, she's participating in raising money for ovarian cancer in a program called Frocktober. For a few days in the the month of October, she'll be posting wearing a dress everyday to raise money for the cause. You can see her past posts here. She's asking for either sponsorship to raise money or you can help her by doing a fashion post with pic from head to toe. I'll be donating funds rather than an outfit post on Anna's behalf and I'd love to spread the word of supporting the cause. Read all the details here.

Cancer can be a really uncomfortable topic but when a familiar face in the blogesphere is personally dealing with it, the best of the community really pulls through. Kate's boyfriend who was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer, blogs at For Me, For You is raising money for his health bills. Another familiar face is Amit Gupta, founder of one of my favorite companies, Photojojo. He was diagnosed with Leukemia and needs your help. You can read all the information on how to help here.

I know Much Love Monday is usually a topic of tangible things, but every once in awhile we're reminded that it really isn't what we love, but how we love.

Hello Kitty at Thirty

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When it comes to Hello Kitty or anything kawaii, I compromise everything. I told myself I didn't need a new pair of shoes this year, but I bought a pair of the Hello Kitty + Vans collab pair (even if I already have the Dr. Marten pair. Tsk, tsk!) I'm also really against using anything that has chemicals (at what I could best control at least) on my body and in my home, and of course, I had to pick up this toxic-ridden glue nail set. Yes, they feel a little funny typing this, but they also match my shoes.

I've questioned having "cutesy" things many times, I remember reading many, many "fashion don'ts" and Hello Kitty is one of them, and I've wondered if growing up (or lack of) has ultimately lead me to this obsession. It doesn't matter. They ultimately make me happy to look at them and to have them.  Now why on Earth would I deny myself happiness?

Are you a Sanrio/kawaii fangirl like me?