according to jackie

Just Be | A Christmas Story

2011-12-19T13:17:00.003-05:00

As I read this post from Shauna Niequist this morning I couldn't help but think about the Christmas brunch I had hosted just yesterday. It was a simple meal for six friends: french toast, bacon, spinach salad and egg bake. We enjoyed lots of laughter between bites (most at one very gracious friend's expense). After retiring to the living room, I couldn't escape the feeling that there was something else we should be doing. The conversation flowed, there was more hilarity, and yet a restlessness had struck me as well as at least one friend.

Should we play a game? Should we watch a movie? Should I have organized a craft project? In the end, the sunshine and forty degree December temperatures won and we headed out for a walk. Our destination ended up being a nearby playground. And so a simple meal led to a simple hour spent on the swings and slides recalling the recesses of our youth. The fresh air and clear skies were more needed than I knew. I love the little conversations that happen on a swing set and the hi-jinks that ensue when adults meet jungle gyms.

This season, when the desire for MORE of everything is tempting me, I hope I'll remember to seek the simple. To be okay with just chatting. To find the small joys. To just be. There is so much merry to be found when we accept where we are and stop searching for more.

note: these are all the photos i have of this day, thank goodness for words :)

the beginnings of a summer playlist.

2011-06-03T08:59:00.007-04:00

As summer kicks off, I find myself embarking on the annual tradition of creating the summer playlist. All spring my ears have been perked, waiting to hear the perfect beach song. Honestly, I'm still waiting. The radio hits have been disappointing thus far. (Although I will say that Lasers from Lupe Fiasco is very beach ready)

With that in mind these are the first few songs I've found myself wanting to listen to again and again. Thus, the summer playlist begins.

Departure - Mt. Desolation

{Makes me want to get away from it all}

Keep Your Head Up - Andy Grammer

{my income feels like bread crumbs too, he gets me & reminds me that it's all going to be okay}

Good Life - OneRepublic

{The first totally windows down, sunglasses on, drive to the beach worthy song so far}

What's on your summer playlist? Let me know what I'm missing.

mornings.

2011-03-16T08:38:00.002-04:00

mornings are for snuggling with the dog, granola, coffee and reading.

mornings are also for stopping by the post office and discovering new stamps.

don't you love a good morning?

best baby shower gift ever.

2011-03-14T07:29:00.003-04:00

i need a baby (of a friend of course) to buy these for. stat. the cuteness is killing me.

hello from nashville.

2011-03-11T21:19:00.002-05:00

tree in bloom - franklin, tennessee

i enjoyed blogging last week, but vacation has taken hold of me the past few days. hope we start to see some signs of spring up north soon!

back to the land of the long winter tomorrow. have a great weekend.

links i liked this week.

2011-03-04T21:47:00.003-05:00

recipes

balsamic chicken

blood orange salad

an eggless breakfast

homemade rainbow chip cake (who knew?!?)

blogging 101

how to credit photos

peeps joining pinterest

weekend project

tech news

inspiration

favorite habit

tripping over my awkwardness

a story about a dog.

2011-03-03T11:27:00.002-05:00

today marked the first morning that jack (that cute pup up there) was back home after a vacation at the grandparents. at 5:45 we marched out the door for our really early walk. after some recent rumblings in the neighborhood i was trying extra hard to be aware of my surroundings. while i'm noticing a noise in the distance and remembering it's that one guy on that one street who we always see on his way to work, the dog starts to pull on the leash. usually this means that we're about to meet up with another dog. i'm not sure who else is up walking their dog this early but i pull back a little and look up.

it's a skunk! a skunk is about half a block ahead of us and walking toward us. i am now officially awake.

and so we very, very quickly start walking backwards (yes i literally walked backwards down the sidewalk) and the skunk turned around and walked back up someone's driveway (lucky them!). we turned down a different street and continued our walk skunk free.

let's just say the whole experience was quite a wake up call.

the top of my most wanted list.

2011-03-02T20:40:00.004-05:00

via apple.com

what object resides at the top of my most wanted list? as of 1:30pm today, it's the iPad 2. i've thought of a million ways i could use it. i'm this close to being able to justify purchasing it. and then, and then... the smart cover?! it's perfection.

for those who didn't watch a live blog of the presentation, or have tickets to see it live, cnet.com has a nice summary of the new features.

if nothing else, new technology gives us something to dream about. and a good dream makes every afternoon a little brighter.

i need spring.

2011-03-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

i need spring because i need hope. i cannot take the death of winter any longer. i need to know that life is around the corner, that spring will arrive.

i see it coming. yesterday it was sunshine and blue skies at 5:30. i remember the dark of night that used to mark that hour just a few weeks ago. slowly, spring is coming.

i believe that out of death comes new life. i can't wait to celebrate the HOPE of the resurrection once again this Easter. i want so badly to squelch the death that claws at my door every day. i will myself to hold on tightly to the light that calls me forward. spring, come soon.

who wants to make freezer paper stencils?

2011-03-01T10:40:00.005-05:00

A new blog has entered the scene - Sally J Shim BLOG. Sally however, is not new to the blog scene. She's been blogging for years at Shim + Sons, but a desire to expand beyond the personal nature of that blog has brought her to this new space.

I'm really enjoying her freezer paper stencil t-shirt tutorial (that's a mouthful, isn't it?). My mind is running with ideas on how to use this technique. Monograms on aprons? Party logo on a tote bag? It seems like a fun and easy project, with possibilities applicable even to us single gals!

More than just a new blog, Sally has launched a whole site, featuring a portfolio of past projects, a link to other inspiring creatives and more.

Be sure to check out Sally's new blog and let her know how much you're enjoying this new venture.

obsessions

2011-02-28T19:22:00.007-05:00

it's nearly march and there are a few things i can't get enough of today.
1 - scarlett johnasson's hair from the oscars. my hair is too curly to really do this style, but i think the length might be what i'm looking for. i just love it.

2 - i can't tell you how many times i've listened this to video. i'm not really a huge adele fan, but this song is beyond good. can't get enough.

3 - my current favorite cd is barton hallow, by the civil wars. and as luck would have it, it is one of amazon's $5 cds for march. i highly recommend you pick it up!

because sometimes we need to escape our own lives.

2011-02-09T10:56:00.003-05:00

this list of my favorite blogs is dedicated to my friend elicia. who overzealously hacked her google reader and now needs some new reads.

these are some of my current favs, in no particular order.

- marta writes (who also recently hacked at her google reader)
- simple lovely... aka my all-time favorite blog.
- two ellie
- and kathleen
- dinner, a love story
- mackin ink
- green lemonade (ok, i just found this yesterday but i think it has great potential)
- b*spoke
- door sixteen
- for me, for you
- joy the baker

happy reading.

in 2011, i resolve to...

2010-12-31T16:50:00.001-05:00

adios 2010. you've had some good times, but i have high hopes 2011 will be a better year.

Roast a chicken.
Know what wine I like.
Be well (rest, move more/eat less, maybe even go to the doctor).
Read more, watch TV less.
Clean more and better.

favorite recent purchase.

2010-11-05T09:38:00.004-04:00

brown mocs on sale at dsw. look like i'm wearing slippers, but so comfy i find it cute.

what i want to remember.

2010-11-02T21:13:00.003-04:00

i've been writing out this blog post all the way home. i just got back from hearing shauna niequist speak at ada bible and my mind has been buzzing the whole time. november 2 is a date i have been looking forward to for weeks. and it was even more than i anticipated it would be. while i should probably let the night percolate a little longer, there are a few things i'd like to remember in the meantime.

- so much more is possible for my life than i imagine for myself
- discipline is important and necessary. (this point has been driven home twice so far this week and it's only tuesday)
- life is bittersweet... not just this season.
- when you're in a creative job, you need to be able to draw on inspiration at any time... you can't just wait for it to hit you. to do this you need to be really careful about what you fill up your life with, what you allow yourself to take in. this means reading good books, surrounding yourself with great people... making sure your life is full of inspiration from many sources.
- i want to read: a moveable feast by hemingway... and more ruth reichl... and i should definitely start reading the help... i feel like i need some kind of retreat where i just go somewhere and read and pray.
- it's just becoming very apparent that it's really easy to sleepwalk through life. (it's also becoming apparent that i'm big on superlatives tonight)

... there's more to say. i'm sure i could go on and on. but there's a taco truck calling my name. (and it's not every day you can say that in GR, so i will answer)

and the world spins madly on...

2010-11-01T22:40:00.003-04:00

tonight i saw the weepies in concert at calvin. while i had been anticipating the show for weeks, i didn't expect it to be such an emotional experience. it's hard to put into words why, but i found myself tearing up before every song. (sadly, i only got to see about 1/3 or 1/2 the show- however i was grateful to take part in the artist's conversation after the show as well.) calvin brings amazing artists into grand rapids and we are truly blessed to experience shows of this caliber. the respect they have for music is contagious. i especially loved what ken had to say in preface to the artist's convo. i highly recommend you seek out future conversations/concerts at calvin.

the weepies have been a favorite of mine since discovering them in this post by ali edwards back in 2005. and so for nearly 5 years now they have been a part of the soundtrack of my life. listening to them live tonight was like reliving so many stories. it was pure joy to experience the music, the art, the life of these two talented people... i didn't know how badly i had been waiting for this opportunity, but i'm so grateful for it.

i will not forget how fast i walked to make it to as much of this as i could. i won't forget laughing past the point of hysterics at the kid who was viewing a slideshow of best dressed celebs during the conversation with the artists. just when i thought i could do the laugh silently and rock back and forth thing, elicia rocked against me and i snorted so loud i expected everyone to turn and stare. oh the good times. God is good and He has greatly blessed my life.

nashville.

2010-10-11T19:39:00.004-04:00

nashville :: october 8-11
three friends from gr headed south to visit miss annie in the ville.
these are my favorite moments & a record of how we spent our days.

FRIDAY
arrived around 8:30. woke anne up from an accidental sleep.
breakfast at the pfunky griddle. not only does the restaurant boast the perfect quirky atmosphere & an incredibly clever concept, but our waitress was a gem. we were beyond grateful for her tips on what to see & do in nashville.
walked around the neighborhood. consignment and antique shops.
checked in at the hotel and checked out anne's new digs.
dinner at the local taco. lovely tacos and a cold tecate. this place is a real favorite of mine. and i hear it's even lovelier when it's dark and the lights twinkle above you.
enjoyed a fabulous concert at the ryman - sara bareilles, greg laswell and holly conlan. (we were there for this.) i believe half of us are now trying to recreate sara b's lovely sequin skirt, button down and a belt outfit. oh sequins, how you woo me.

SATURDAY
glorious sleep.
breakfast at the perch. a nutella crepe and iced coffee. outside under an umbrella in brentwood. the kind of meal you know you'll be trying to recreate for years. (which is true of most of the meals we enjoyed in nashville) this was a recommendation from our waitress kate (at the pfunky griddle). she had declared them stupid good and of course we agreed.
i think maybe then we did some shopping at green hills. there was anthro, and west elm (adding a few things to my christmas list now), and trying on various pairs of toms at whole foods.
snack break - fries at five guys. perhaps after this it was back to the hotel? oh no wait... then there was...
franklin. the historic downtown of franklin to be specific. my favorite stop was rock, paper, scissors. we jotted down some info about a free concert at a park on sunday, headed to borders for a bathroom break and made a plan.
life as we know it + pei wei = back to green hills we go. super cute (though still left me semi-sad) movie. delicious dinner.

SUNDAY
church at grace community church. recognizing our barista from the perch was an usher and learning a new way to think of repentance were the highlights.
lunch at loveless cafe. brisket that melts in your mouth. (and some pretty yummy beef jerkey from the gift shop)
scenic drive through parts previously unknown, including natchez trace pkwy (taking us high in the hills), then down the hill to franklin and back through brentwood. enjoying the fall colors and the sounds of norah jones.
napping, reading and checking email at the hotel. decided on more shopping (whole foods + target in cool springs), another movie (you again), and apps/cheescake at the cheesecake factory instead of a motown show in the park. after the movie our faith in humanity was restored when anne's ipod was found safe & sound in the cheesecake factory's safe.

MONDAY
home again, home again, jiggity jig.

things i love (thursday).

2010-07-22T20:42:00.001-04:00

today i love habit.

- july 21

- july 15

- july 19

things i love (wednesday).

2010-07-21T22:40:00.002-04:00

today i love it when other people do the work for you...

- a quick, but helpful, review on a new hair clip.
- the best guide to reese's fabulous style that i've seen.
- well written thoughts on turning 30. sure to resonate with those who are approaching the age and those who have surpassed that particular milestone.

things i love (tuesday).

2010-07-20T22:00:00.002-04:00

- realizing a favorite has found his way back to my tv.
- ny strip specials.
- interior inspiration from sweden.

things i love (monday).

2010-07-19T22:20:00.004-04:00

tim riggins, so wrong you don't want to be right.

- splitting a bottle with a friend.
- essie nail polish. (the perfect pink/gold).
- friday night lights.

three things i love about summer.

2010-07-18T07:53:00.001-04:00

- the beach
- going to the movies because i need to escape the heat but really i just like going to the movies
- fruit (plums, raspberries, peaches, blueberries... ahh!)

things i love (thursday).

2010-07-15T11:00:00.002-04:00

A Must Watch Spoof from the ESPYs
today i love:
- dry humor
- steve carell
- paul rudd

things i love today.

2010-07-14T13:26:00.003-04:00

- thinking about summer stories
- the abundance of good, quality friends whose kindness inspires me
- sara bareilles' king of anything video

living room inspiration.

2010-05-27T23:32:00.003-04:00

with the addition of my sailing poster (top left corner below), i'm really starting to feel a nautical theme developing in my living room. my inspiration as to how to continue with this theme is pictured below.

sources: Martens Printworks - Sail Lake Michigan Lithograph, Ikea Striped Rug, Thomas Paul Scrimshaw Melamine Plates & Tray, MAV's Summer Postcards, Side Table, Table Lamps

find me on tumblr.

2010-01-30T14:31:00.001-05:00

i haven't done a great job of keeping this blog up (at all). but i have been trying to collect a few favorites here and there on tumblr. if you want to see what i'm enjoying lately, check out collected.

you had me at backstreet boys.

2009-10-08T11:56:00.001-04:00

via little brown pen

i'm pretty sure i have no choice but to listen to my best of nysnc & the bsb playlist now. i should enjoy having an office to myself, right?

best ever.

2009-10-04T20:26:00.002-04:00

the best cookbook i ever bought was most definitely the weekend baker. it contains my favorite recipe for biscuits and scones... which i make all the time. it also contains recipes for delicious things i don't make quite as often but enjoy just as much. like these double decker brownie/chocolate chip cookie combos. and this pretzel crusted lemon chiffon pie. i could go on and on.

what's really great though is the way the cookbook is organized. it's all about baking in stages. the author recognizes that not everyone has time to bake. or at least they don't think they do. but by breaking up your recipe into a few days work, pretty much anyone can find time to bake.

if you're looking for a cookbook to add to your collection, or if you're just getting started baking and want something that will help you get started with some basics... pick up the weekend baker.

tonight i'm making the lovely buttermilk biscuits, because they're the perfect side to this delicious soup.

buttermilk biscuits

1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 T granulated sugar
1 T baking powder
1 tsp salt
8 T very cold, unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
3/4 c buttermilk

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder & salt. Whisk until well blended. With a pastry blender or 2 table knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are no larger than peas. Add the buttermilk and gently toss with a rubber spatula just until the dough comes together.

Dump the shaggy dough onto a work surface- no need to flour the surface. Gently press the dough into a thick rectangle about 6x4 inches. Using a large, sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal squares. Arrange the squares on a cookie sheet spacing them about 3 inches apart.

Bake until puffed and light brown, about 18 minutes. Transfer the cookie sheet to a rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temp. ENJOY!

inching my way back.

2009-09-30T20:28:00.002-04:00

i am inching my way back to this blog. i don't know how i know that, but my room is cleaner than it has been in months. so clearly, things are changing. and if i don't have that mess to tinker with, i think i can turn my attention back here.

yesterday, i went to the beach. it was windy and cold and awesome. i love the smell of lake michigan. i love how when we turned around we could see the sand blowing across the beach like i imagine it does in the dessert. it was like the wind was pushing us forward. it all seemed sorta magical.

on the way to and from the beach, my friend and i listened to a fine frenzy. today i downloaded the cd and it was like reliving the whole night. perfect autumn music.

this was a good day because...

2009-09-14T23:06:00.003-04:00

so i realize i'm getting away from the point of the blog a bit, but some things need to be noted. and good days fall on that list.

+ today included a lunchtime trip to target that cost way too much but found me cute dresses and belts and a bright yellow purse... not to mention reese's pumpkins.

+ i made a delicious dinner and ate it at my very own table, while reading entertainment weekly's fall tv preview.

+ comcast is installing cable and dvr on wednesday.

+ the cw continues to provide not so classy but oh so enjoyable drama... via vampire diaries and 90210.

+ good things are happening to people i love.

+ i'm checking things off my list.

+ who can complain about the lovely summer weather we've been having this fall?

and now the day is done. here's hoping for more good days to come.

had the best day.

2009-09-05T17:34:00.003-04:00

via

-breakfast with a dear friend who doesn't live quite as close as she used to.

-watching the spartans win big- live from spartan stadium. my first msu football game did not disappoint. and nothing beats a trip to the dairy store on a hot afternoon.

go green, go white... here's hoping the rest of fall is just as awesome.

today i'm loving....

2009-08-25T08:40:00.003-04:00

barnes & noble's new "pick me up" feature. because i need them to make it easier for me to buy books.

the new ingrid michaelson cd is out today!

the gap's new premium jeans are just as amazing as they want you to think they are. try a pair on, you won't be sorry.

click here. do you see that yellow belt, with the blue sweater? love it.

happy tuesday.

Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody - Aug 25 - Get the Widget!

2009-08-19T13:13:00.001-04:00

everyone really does love rachel mcadams.

2009-08-14T16:12:00.001-04:00

and jon stewart is hear to remind us why.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Rachel McAdams

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Spinal Tap Performance

via entertainment weekly

loving the rain.

2009-08-08T09:11:00.003-04:00

going to the farmer's market in the middle of a thunderstorm is quite an adventure. thank goodness for tarps. and for kind people who urge you not to get struck by lightning as you purchase their raspberries. but when you haven't been to the farmer's market in three weeks you'll do anything for those raspberries.

plus if marie can handle a rainy farmer's market, then so can i.

love rainy saturdays.

let's go to the movies.

2009-08-07T12:29:00.000-04:00

coming this Christmas.

what i'm loving this week.

2009-08-06T19:58:00.007-04:00

sorry to have abandoned my blog. know that i think of you often, but have yet to figure out how to turn those thoughts into actions.

here's a little collection of loveliness to make up for my absence.

a super hot photo shoot from vanity fair. honestly, i have tried to get into mad men and failed. but it's hard to deny the appeal of jon hamm. (via simply photo)

molly irwin's 100 reasons to love summer album. words cannot describe how much i love this. it just might inspire me to scrapbook. (via ali edwards & elise blaha)

the good life for less video series

simple lovely's fashion confession.

the stripey goodness in this collection from smoky alice (via simplesong)

can't believe how long ago it feels like i was here.

back.

2009-07-25T13:55:00.002-04:00

back from vacation. back from the land of the sparkling lake. back to reality.

many blogs to catch up on. but first a shower and some food.

it's good to be home.

rereading.

2009-07-14T22:34:00.002-04:00

while at the library recently, i picked up an interesting set of essays called rereadings. in each essay a writer revisits a book they have loved. having always enjoyed rereading, for the sake of pleasure more than to gain new insight from the text, i am excited to dig into the book. not long after discovering rereadings, i came across an article in newsweek on the pleasures of rereading. in explaining why he finds pleasure in rereading the same books time and again, author David Gates writes: "They fill me with the voices of people I know, thousands of them—many times the number in that old Dickens print—the real and the imagined, the living and the dead. Heaven may be like this eventually, but why wait around when it's right here, right now?"

some might say that rereading is a waste of time, especially when there are so many books out there to still be enjoyed. but Gates states that rereading is tantomount to finding a piece of heaven here on earth. in some ways, i agree with him. for awhile i would reread the nanny diairies each summer. in one way i was reconnecting with characters i had come to love over time... like a little reunion with old friends. at the same time i was also connecting them to my life that summer. a life that had changed since the last time i cracked open those pages. each summer i brought a new perspective to the story, simply because i was in a new place in my life. for me that's just one of the benefits of rereading. i'll be honest though, sometimes rereading fails me. i try to reconnect with a book i loved the first time i read it... but the magic is lost. sometimes you just can't go back.

so do you believe in rereading? if so, what do you reread? i'd love to hear about your favorite books.

a peak inside j.crew.

2009-07-13T20:17:00.003-04:00

pretty j.crew dresses, perfect for summer

winter, spring, summer or fall... every season is perfection when you're dressed in j.crew. okay maybe that's a bit over the top, but everyone loves j.crew today. i've loved the store, known for its classic fashions, since i bought my perfect sky blue high school graduation dress there nearly ten years ago... needless to say i'm glad to see it getting the love it deserves.

already this week i've had the pleasure of finding two articles on the people responsible for j.crew's current resurgance in popularity. via a tweet from simple|pretty i found this piece from cbs sunday morning on ceo Mickey Drexler. i love this quote: "a special color, a special this, that creates a detail... so, you know, it's a small detail, but everything we do is a detail." while i think you can see this in just about all their clothing, this season's floral trend has gone above and beyond. from the silk embroidery on this t-shirt to the lovely corsage detailing the shoulder of this tee... each piece has that extra something that really elevates your look.

and my lovely friend elicia was kind enough to email me this piece from the huffington post on creative director, jenna lyons. jenna's picks are something i look forward to each month. i enjoy seeing how she combines elements and appreciate her details on those certain items we all just must buy.

peaking behind the scenes of j.crew... what a great way to start the week.

too busy living life.

2009-07-09T23:11:00.002-04:00

today i was too busy living life to blog. a random stop to check in with a friend turned into a night of celebrating. celebrating new beginnings with raspberry mojitos and martinis... gelato in the backyard... and of course a game of loaded questions.

i had great plans for today's post... but they will have to wait for another day.

a few links for the night-

demo from ingrid michaelson that i'm loving.

collection of great links from marta.

inspiration for bike riders everywhere.

a favorite peek into the daily lives of others.

2009-07-08T12:00:00.001-04:00

habit is a simple collection of daily photos collected by various women to reflect the habits of their daily life. in their welcome the creators share that-

in some small way, we are hoping to capture the collective life of a community of women who are artists and writers, photographers and bloggers, mothers and sisters and daughters and granddaughters, and thinkers and seers and wonderers.

i definitely believe that they achieve this goal. i enjoy seeing the collection each morning pop up in my google reader. it inspires me to capture a bit more my own daily habits. as this quote suggests, there is certainly something to be celebrated in these moments that make up our life.

Anything one does every day is important and imposing and anywhere one lives is interesting and beautiful.

Gertrude Stein

have an hour? read a story.

2009-07-07T23:00:00.005-04:00

apparently harper perennial has declared this the summer of the short story. i'm assuming this has something do with the fact that all year long they have been celebrating the short story on their site- fifty-two stories. the introduction reads:

This year we're celebrating the thriving art of the story by sharing a new one every week: most of them new, a few of them classics, from authors you know and some you don't, each of them treasurable in its language or wit or human insight. And we'd love to have you join us! Watch this space and enjoy.

as is mentioned by pop candy, short stories are perfect for summer reading. i love to take a nice collection to the beach. you feel like you're actually able to accomplish something between chattering with friends and pausing to dip your feet in the lake. i have fond memories of reading through this alice munro set a few summers ago in traverse city.

be sure to check out the stories they've added so far this year. and in case you aren't inspired yet, this quote by neil gaiman is sure to do the trick.

A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.

a picture is worth a 1000 words.

2009-07-07T21:33:00.003-04:00

on the tenth day of each month, husband and wife team David and Hannah put into practice the idea that a picture is worth a thousand words. Hannah provides the picture and David provides the words. each piece is a lovely morsel of art that i devour and savor until the next month roles along. i am looking forward to checking out their latest creation on friday. until then, be sure to check out their archives.

style on a budget.

2009-07-06T16:39:00.003-04:00

great quote found via isuwannee via jill's tumblr

like everyone else during these "difficult economic times," i'm always looking for the latest on how to have great style with a virtually non-existent clothing budget. one of the perks of the recession is the number of style-saavy, spend-thrifty blogs that have emerged. a recent discovery (thanks to jackie of sweetie pie pumpkin noodle) is the blog - the good life for less. jill's style minded blog has many great features, but my favorite is her good LOOK for less posts. like her recent set for jennifer from nashville, jill has a knack for finding clothes to fit your budget. but she takes it one step further by showing you multiple outfits that can be made from the pieces she selects. the real key to having great style on a budget is making use of what you already own. jill's blog is the perfect inspiration for those looking to mix up their wardrobe this summer. be sure to check out her side project - 100 inspirations for even more great fashion advice.

one final plus about the fabulous good life for less... jill's located in west michigan. always fun to find a local who's doing awesome stuff online.

happy fourth of july.

2009-07-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

love this photo from randi brookman harris via frolic.

here's hoping you have a lovely holiday.

ode to the indie.

2009-07-03T14:00:00.000-04:00

via a cup of jo via oh

truer words have never been sung. if you enjoy a good indie film, be sure to check this out.

away we go.

2009-07-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

i pretty much love going to the movies. i'd probably go every weekend if i could. the more movies you see, and this feels especially probable in the summer, the less likely it seems that one will really stick with you. there is something about away we go that has stuck with me.

from the very first scene (a highly awkward sexual scene that ensures you will never watch this movie with your parents), i knew i would not forget this movie. but it was more than the experience of a few awkward moments when my own morals clashed with that of the characters... it was the story that struck a chord with me. it made me think about home, about change, about why we make the choices we make... i love walking out of a movie and having something to chew on with my viewing companion.

i also love a good laugh until you cry moment... and this movie was not without one of those. combine that with the super great soundtrack and i can't help but recommend this movie.* in fact, please won't you take me with you this weekend?

*however, if you have a sensitive conscience to things of a sexual nature or repeated usage of the f-word i'd avoid this film.

new favorite recipe.

2009-07-02T18:00:00.001-04:00

nothing complements the abundance of greens available at the farmer's market like a nice simple vinaigrette dressing. this recipe from the barefoot contessa has quickly become a staple in my meal planning since i found it a few weeks ago online. as it would turn out it's actually in the barefoot contessa family style, which i've owned for quite a while... but i digress.

here is the recipe.
(note: champagne vinegar is out of my budget so i substitute it with a little balsamic.)

raising foodies.

2009-07-02T16:00:00.001-04:00

While I may not be raising children, Joslyn's original blog Simple Lovely has been a favorite of mine for a long time. And cooking is pretty much my favorite pasttime, so the lack of a child to cook for was no reason not to check out her new venture "Raising Foodies." I love the concept of mindfully crafting the meal experience for your family. Apparently all parents must accept that their children are born with an intense love for chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese... but this doesn't mean you're forced to a life of hiding spinach in your child's brownies. Despite the fact that the failures seem to outweigh the successes, Joslyn tirelessly offers her children the opportunity to enjoy food of all kinds. I've certainly enjoyed following along with their journey.

The best part of the experience has been trying the teriffic recipes Joslyn shares on a near daily basis. I was instantly won over by the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Last weekend I baked my second batch of the cookies while also trying the cheese straws (I modified them a bit, omiting the red pepper and cutting them into squares instead of straws). No surprise, this recipe was just as delicious.

interior inspiration.

2009-07-01T08:00:00.003-04:00

via bliss - may 13

via bliss - june 23

i tend to believe that our homes reflect who we are. i consider it the highest compliment that someone feels "at home" in my living space. i want my friends to know where the glasses are, to feel free to put their feet up on the couch, to enjoy their stay.

in attempting to create the kind of space that elicits these feelings, i have found inspiration in many places. one site that provides weekly inspiration (in many areas) is bliss. each tuesday mrs. french posts her happy place- the blissful inspiration of the week. i have found many of my favorite interior shots via these posts. hopefully you can find something of your own to delight in.

re-launching "according to jackie"

2009-06-30T20:28:00.005-04:00

some days it seems not a conversation goes by where i don't mention my latest internet find. from a great new recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to a great source for party planning tips, the internet abounds with goodness that i'm dying to share with others. and that's what "according to jackie" aims to do... share the goods. in the past this has been a place with a scattered purpose. in the future, you can expect a more focused approach and consistent updates. i appreciate you stopping by. here's to new beginnings.