Oh So Springy

I am oh so ready for spring. When I walked outside this morning and realized my winter coat was totally unnecessary I actually jumped out of pure joy. Spring, with all of it's lush freshness, has only just started to flirt with us here in the northeast, but I have a feeling she'll be sticking around for a while very soon. Here are just a few things that I can't wait to enjoy this season...

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Spring cleaning! Or, as I like to think of it, spring simplification. More details on that to come, but after hunkering down (with all of our stuff) all winter, who isn't ready for some simplification and organization about now?

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A pink lipped look. I don't tend to wear much in the way of makeup, so I love this fresh clean look with just enough color.

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Smoothies! Lately I've been totally into oatmeal for breakfast, but as the weather warms up I'm ready for smoothies to take center stage for the most important meal of the day.

Lazy Sunday: Grocery Shopping

It seems to be on nearly every American's weekend to do list, a task some of us love while others loath - grocery shopping. My boyfriend falls into the later category, but lucky for him I'm an enthusiastic member of the former. While I tend towards the European grocery shopping model (buying my fresh foods throughout the week) there's something about toting home a trunk-load of tastiness and the sight of a fridge bursting with variety and flavor that can't be denied. This week I've got special motivation for my regular Sunday trip to Stop & Shop and I am positively giddy with excitement - my brand new blender will arrive tomorrow! This is no ordinary counter ornament kids, it's a 64 ounce Ohio-made VitaMix industrial strength food pulverizer! Stay tuned for my personal review to find out whether or not this kitchen crusher lives up to its reputation....

Spring Dress

The weather is starting to warm just enough to make me think Spring may really be on the way, and that means it's nearly time for dresses again. How cute is this floral flock? I like that it's not overly flower powered, and it looks perfect for a Parisian printemps* stroll (that's spring in french... at least according to Google translator).

Bathroom Blossoms

Looking for a little floral inspiration? Check out what my friend Donna's done with her beautiful flower garden. She used old bathroom fixtures (otherwise headed to the dump) to make creative flower beds and a major statement. I especially love the use of the toilet next to the shed. You could always paint your fixtures for a pop of color or embellish them like Donna's done with the bathtub (using paint and glass craft stones) to add a bit more visual interest.  

Dumpster Chic

I admit, I am not above hand-me-downs, seconds, freebies, coupons, or the occasional dumpster dive. The end of the school year marks the height of dumpster diving season on any college campus - and if you are in the market for a curiously stained futon, makeshift beerpong table, or a variety of soggy bed pillows then now is the time to strike! But do not worry; for those of us with slightly more discriminating tastes, there is hope. Yesterday I proudly carried a perfectly squat little cube table up to my apartment that had been left by the dumpster, destined to pack a landfill (while its ex-owner, no doubt, went off to buy a newer version of the same product to serve the very same purpose). 

Well ex-owner's trash has become my treasure and the little table is now a perfect nightstand for my bed-less mattress. With finals complete and my trip to the East Coast on tap for tomorrow, today will be filled with cleaning, errands, and planning... and maybe a leisurely stroll or two around the local garbage bins ;) 

Cute boot

Boots by Chooka found on What a Pair

It's a rainy Monday and even though I've been inside all evening with laundry, emails, and cleaning, if I had a reason to be out these would be the boots to do it in. I love the color combination and the print would definitely brighten up even the gloomiest downpour. For now, however, it's a few more hours of work before I escape to the cozy confines of my mattress... no boots involved.

Spring Outfit: Smart in Brown

More snow in Denver today! You can tell the air is warming now because the snow looks less like flakes and more like fluffy, mounded lint globs falling falling from the sky. I'm summoning the effort to head back over to the library for round two of homework and admittedly my outfit leaves much to be desired (grey athletic pants, multiple layers of fleece pullovers, and a periwinkle baseball hat... none of which could be described as fitted or flattering).  

However, if I were not spending my day working in the retro revival that is Penrose Library (think orange walls and globe chairs)... and assuming I had a positive cash flow... this outfit would be just the perfect choice.  

Spring Cleaning

Photo found here

I spent the afternoon engrossed in some major spring-cleaning and I am already feeling the positive effects of a cleaner space.  I’ve never been one for clutter, so getting rid of the little trinkets that pile up over the nesting winter months is always an enjoyable and cathartic task. 

As I toss out old magazines my heart begins to lighten as if the unrealistic female images emblazoned on the pages are also leaving my head once and for all.  I skim through every issue one last time to see if there are any articles worth saving.  The answer is a resounding no. 

Expired bottles of a salad dressing I didn’t really care for fly into the trashcan along with a small bag of nutritional yeast I never got around to using in that long-lost recipe. I begin to realize how much I prefer simpler fare these days anyhow. 

One sock with no mate has been lurking at the bottom of the sock bucket for countless months.  I feel a pang of guilt as I hurdle the limp little woven fellow towards the growing heap by the door.  Perhaps if I didn’t have so much clothing to begin with I could have kept track of his partner instead of letting her go MIA.  

I rediscover a note Tim left me the last time he stayed at my apartment.  Well, perhaps not everything needs to be discarded.  It finds a new home tucked safely in my journal, awaiting the next night I need to be reminded how lucky I am.    

Resting on the couch now, exhausted, I stare at the bags destined for the dumpster and those for the donation bins.  It turns out my castoffs had more to teach me than I could have imagined.  

Pasta Fresca Salad

My newest culinary creation has quickly become one of my favorites - I'm calling it Pasta Fresca Salad.  It's super easy to make whether you're preparing it for yourself or a whole group - and from start to finish it takes less than fifteen minutes!  I made mine with whole wheat pasta, slices of yellow bell peppers, Greek olives, baby greens, and slices of fig, all drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.  It has a great combination of flavors and packs a ton of antioxidants onto one plate.  It's also perfect for experimenting with seasonal fruits and veggies as they come into their prime and a good way to get some greens into your diet if you're not a fan of plain green salads.  It'd make a great side dish, but I've been devouring a whole plate for lunch and it's just right for getting me through four hours of class in the afternoon!

Spring: MoMA Style

After another freak snowfall this morning in Denver it’s hard for me to believe we’re knee deep in spring. But skimming through the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) website I came across these absolutely lust-worthy buys, all of which might just hold me over until the rest of the snow melts.

SunJar by MoMA

It seems like it should be filled with lightening bugs, but the SunJar is actually solar powered.

Giggle Gift Wrap by MoMA

  I want to sink my toes into this wrapping paper.

Bird Bowl by MoMA

I love the simple design of this serving dish.  It's perfect for filling with some Easter jelly beans!