Good Morning Thanksgiving!

©photo by J. Dias

It's 25 degrees and the sun is shining, I'm so thankful for Saturday mornings! I had a great cuppa coffee and an awesome blueberry lemon scone while reading about Bjork's project.

Mr. Minimal(ist)

image found on Unhappy Hipsters blog

It's no secret that I love STUFF!!! but I do work at keeping my little problem in check.

I can appreciate the visual appeal of a minimal, mid-century aesthetic but I couldn't really live in it. More than that, personally I find that there is something museum like, cold, and even a little contrived about the modernist style. Still, there is so much beauty in that period of design, and I know for many it's quite a viable, comfortable lifestyle choice. "It's lonely in the modern world" caught my eye as it promises to be a useful and fun learning guide to living with less. I know I can learn from this minimal design approach to living and maybe this book will put me on that path. 

Talking Shop.

Being a home owner requires a certain amount of handyman skills, something I've always been a little bit (..well maybe a lot) intimidated by. It's funny but I still think twice before hammering a nail in the wall, "what if I do it wrong???". Out of necessity I've tackled a few things around the house and actually proved that I can do it. Simple logic and asking the right questions at the hardware store can prove quite useful. So this fall I've taken the next step and registered in a night school home maintenance and repair course.

So here I am, back in high school but this time I get to be one of the guys in "Shop class" (I was always more of an art geek). It's so funny how we limit ourselves and let fear get in the way of our potential. Sometimes you just gotta push through and GET ER' DONE!
(My shop class look like it's right outta the last mid century, I had to bust out the Instagram!)

©Photos by J.Dias

Living with Vintage, Artwork, and STUFF!

Images by © J.Dias

I moved from a condo into a bungalow a few years ago. It's been great having more room, however, I'm also a collector/hoarder. It's tempting to fill the place up with stuff, good stuff! but stuff nonetheless. It's still a pretty small place so I have to keep my "little problem" in check. I do like clean, neutral spaces but I also enjoy STUFF!!! there is nothing like the warmth of vintage or artwork to personalize a space. How do you manage collecting in your home?

Tim Walker's Portraits.

stunning images by Photographer Tim Walker

It's always been a dream of mine to work with creative people that have the talent, skill and access to make interesting work. I mean can you imagine waking up in the morning and this is the kind of work you get to make, sigh.... Tim Walker makes me want to be a better person.
p.s. that first image of him with the cakes (first seen on the peppermint bliss blog), well...that could easily be me.

Count my blessings.

So happy that I have such wonderful friends in my life. My friend Molly came over yesterday and taught me how to make her delicious apple crisp. Keep in mind folks I don't cook, in fact my toaster oven and microwave are the two most used appliances in my kitchen. However this particular culinary 'experiment' turned out really great! The crisp was unbelievable!!!
Then today my friend Jasmine, who just returned from her trip to Paris, surprised me with some Ladureé macaroons! only the best for moi. How awesome is that!
Seriously people, seriously... for this I'm grateful and I count my blessings.

Photos by J. Dias

Seen. Tasted. and Like.

image from the Kettlebrand site

Usually I crave something sweet but this evening it was savoury and crunch! as I came down the escalator at  Whole Foods my radar immediately picked up on the Kettle Chips display. THEY ARE BAKED FOLKS!!! yes that means they are better for you than regular chips. This also means it's lower in fat but better yet - no preservatives and nothing artificial. Lately I don't care too much about the low fat part but I am looking for snack foods that have fewer to no preservatives. When I was in Europe this past summer I found it easier to find low preservative choices.Whole Foods has a special on them right now so I bought two bags, the aged white cheddar which I loved, and Salt and fresh ground pepper which I can't wait to try. These chips taste AWESOME! This is my recommend this week folks, ENJOY!