Archive for March 2011

A Red Rose - Minus The Thorns

By Unknown | Published Wednesday, March 30, 2011

With the Michigan weather playing tricks with my head, I decided this past weekend that regardless how cold it was, I was going to dress "springy." And nothing says spring better than pastels and floral!

$6.00 aviators, score.

I had a really refreshing weekend, despite a horrible long run and the chilly weather I had to endure during it. Zach and I took a trip down to Portage to visit with his amazing family and get some girl time in for me!

I've been so bummed lately since all of my close girlfriends live either an hour away or in different states.
Any chance I get to see them is so cherished.

My favorite.

Saturday I had the pleasure of making my veggie heart pizzas with my dear friend, Kenzie. Then, on Sunday I got a chance to catch up over coffee with the lovely Anna from Love Like Laughter.

I adore these ladies!

Sweater & Tank - Hot Mama, Skirt - Thrifted H&M
Necklace - jb&me, Tights - Kohls

"Molly" Groundhog Boots

To top it off, we finished all the wedding invites and just have to stuff the envelopes and send them out!

With Zach crafting up a sweet wedding favor for our guest, we are moving right along...which is a burden off of my shoulders. Did everyone have a great weekend? Plans for this upcoming one?

I am thrilled for the day when I don't have to sport the tights with my skirts and dresses. Not sure when we'll see that day, but I'm waiting. :) So when that warm weather finally hits, what will your perfect "spring time" outfit be?

-KateLainey

Posted in Garb | 11 Comments

Give Me Starchy Roots Any Day

By Unknown | Published Monday, March 28, 2011

Sweet potatoes might not be the sexiest of veggies out there, but I'm definitely attracted to them.

With my running steadily becoming more intense the closer I get to my marathon, I've tried to boost my calorie intake and make sure I'm getting all the necessary vitamins I can from my food.

The sweet potato has some amazing qualities and benefits that make this yummy root a win/win!

Here are just some reasons the sweet potato is the Top Tuber!

-Rich in beta carotene

-Lots of fiber

-Contains potassium and manganese

-Loaded with Vitamin A and C

-a great complex carbohydrate

Angela from Oh She Glows shared a lovely recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad on her website. After searching for a different way to serve sweet potatoes, I knew this would be a perfect meal after my long run. My version is pretty similar, just a few changes.

Ingredients

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (Juice of 2 limes)

1 tsp cumin

1 can of cooked black beans, drained

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. Place sweet potatoes (I added regular potatoes in as well), chopped onion, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Toss till evenly coated and season with salt and pepper. Bake on a cookie sheet for about 35-45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. The veggies should be tender and lightly browned.

While this is cooking, mix your dressing together in a bowl. Use the rest of the olive oil, a dash of salt, minced garlic cloves, lime juice, cumin, and cilantro (I didn't have fresh cilantro, so I substituted in oregano and basil). Mix in the beans and stir well. Once the potatoes and onions are done, mix the beans, dressing, and the veggies all together.

I paired this with one of the healthiest and easiest grains to make...couscous; along with some baked whole wheat pita bread! So simple.

Green Pepper Couscous:

Pour 2 cups of water or broth (I used vegetable broth) in a pot

Cut up 1/4 cup green peppers and put in broth

Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

Put 1 cup couscous in and cover.

Wait 5-10 minutes and fluff with a fork.

You're Done!

What is your favorite meal for after workouts or a long day?

Does anyone have a great recipe for sweet potatoes that you'd like to share?

Happy Monday!

-KateLainey

Posted in Spoon 'n Fork | 2 Comments

It's Mini...Therefore It's Cute

By Unknown | Published Friday, March 25, 2011

Is it just a girl thing to adore all miniature objects?

I tend to find myself drawn to such things, ohhing and awwing over how cute they are.

While scouring through etsy I found so many tiny loves...

Mama & Baby Hedgehogs by doodlebirdie

Square Inch Art - Yellow Series by palimpsestic

Tiny Tea Time Teacup Necklace by Penelope's Porch

Miniature Robert Burns Poems Book by Dreaming of Vintage

And my favorite...

Little Mossy Guy by Tortoise Loves Donkey

Since I've been collecting so many random bottles for the wedding, I've decided that it wouldn't hurt if I used one of them to make my own little mossy guy! It was super easy, anyone can make one.

1. First, you need a container to put your moss in. It can be almost anything.

I've seen light bulbs be used, get creative!

2. Layer pebbles or sand in your container for drainage.

3. If you have an enclosed container, then you need to add activated charcoal to help filter the air.

You can purchase this at any pet shop that has aquarium supplies.

4. Add soil

5. Pick your moss or succulent. I just searched by trees and found my lovely moss, but many terrarium growing kits recommend using Irish Moss.

6. Add sticks, stones, or terrarium accessories like tiny mushrooms or animals.

And that's it!

They are low maintenance, just requiring sunlight and a light mist of water every 2 to 3 weeks.

Do you like him?

Now he just needs a name. Yes, like to name my plants. Any suggestions?

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I'm planning on heading down to Kalamazoo to meet up with friends and Zach's family...that is after I've ran my 18 miles tomorrow morning. Yikes!

-KateLainey

Posted in Adorn Home | 14 Comments

Right On Rogue River

By Unknown | Published Wednesday, March 23, 2011

One of the top reasons why I love Zach is that he is the perfect complement to myself. As a very organized individual, I'll have a whole weekend planned out...lists and all. Zach on the other hand is a care free bird. He usually just goes with the flow, no plan in mind; which can be nerve racking at times for me, but it is this attribute of his that I've come to treasure.

So going to Rockford on Sunday wasn't on my list, but when Zach threw it out there, I decided to go with it.

Regardless that we should have spent the afternoon finishing the wedding invites, it was really nice to have an afternoon date walking the streets of downtown Rockford. We checked out the local boutiques, found some great treasures at a resale shop, chowed down on some Mexican, and walked around the Rogue River.

Zach even had fun taking pictures of me! They must have put something in his food...

Sporting my Dooney & Bourke handbag from One Girls Treasure

My thrifted "old lady" shoes. Everyone needs a pair.

I love this top from Urban Outfitters. The bow and little buttons sold me. I got it a while back on sale and used to have the hardest time styling it, but I think it works best with this high waisted skirt. Any other suggestions on what to pair this top with? This Tulle skirt was purchased from a consignment shop in Grand Rapids called, Rock Paper Scissors. A lot of their items had price tags still on and everything was in mint condition. Plus it's right next to Marie Catribs, so it's a win/win shopping trip!

After we got back to Grand Rapids, we actually got a ton of other things done, the most important being that I purchased Zach's wedding ring! It was so cute watching him try them on and knowing that in about three months he'll be wearing that ring forever. :)

Now, the moment you've been waiting for...

We have a winner for last week's "Toby the Owl" Giveaway!

Congrats CJ! Please send me an email to claim your giveaway.

Posted in Garb | 10 Comments

Wedding Invites = A Tidy Sum

By Unknown | Published Monday, March 21, 2011

I'm not sure if you know this or not, but according to Bridal Association of America, an average bride will spend $659 on wedding invitations and reply cards. Granted this information hasn't been recently updated, but still....

$659.00 on just paper.

I was in shock when I read this. Seeing as I've been trying my hardest to make my wedding a budget friendly event, I was not about to spend that much on invites that 99% of the receivers will throw away. This weekend was designated "Domination Wedding Invites" with Zach. I was prepared to dive in and get these babies done and sent out this weekend. Hah! My, what big expectations I had.

Dreams of designing and putting together my own invitations had been dashed by my busy schedule and the desire to save even more. So, a couple of months ago I purchased my invites and reply cards from Target on a whim....they were cute, reasonable, and I wanted to get this over with. This Saturday, Zach and I headed out to Office Max to get the invites printed and get this marked off the Knot checklist.

After almost an hour of proof-reading, margin checking, and one CAPS freak out, we left with our finished invites! We just need to go back and get the reply cards printed. Let's hope that won't be such an ordeal.

To think, all this stress for pieces of paper...

These are the invites before we printed on them. What do you think?
We are planning on punching holes in the top and tying a decorate bow using jute.
I'm going to be handwriting all the addresses in calligraphy, but will be utilizing return address labels to save my sanity... I do want to get these sent out on time!

After crunching numbers, here is the estimate of how much everything will cost after we are done:

Two packages of invitations (with reply cards) = $70.00
To print about 80 invites and reply cards = $60.00
Stamps (reply cards included)= $90.00
Jute Bows = $2.00
Labels = $16.00

Total = $238.00
(Plus Zach had a Office Max gift card for $40!)

I think we did pretty good considering we have 155 people to invite! That's about $1.50 per person.
Has anyone done their invites for cheaper? I'd love to hear how they did it! We also did save the dates via an e-card and I'm so glad because that saved so much; trees, money, and time. At the time I felt like this was a "scandalous" idea because it was so cheap and I have never heard of others doing this...have you?

Hopefully everyone is having a great week so far!
Make sure to enter in my Owl Necklace Giveaway before Wednesday.

-KateLainey

Posted in Tying the Knot | 11 Comments

For Japan With Love

By Unknown | Published Friday, March 18, 2011

To help out Japan in this devastating time, please click here for more information on how you can get involved and donate to the Japan Disaster Relief. If you cannot donate, please take a moment to send your thoughts and prayers to those in Japan. Every little bit helps.

4 Comments

Well Owl Be, Spring Is Here...With A Giveaway!

By Unknown | Published Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Spring, you have finally arrived and I could not be happier.

With birds chirping their heads off every morning this week, it's nice to know that warmer days are definitely here. My mood always seems to brighten with the renewal of Spring; when nature becomes green and alive with growth. With the change of seasons, come a change in wardrobe and I'm so excited to put away my down coat. To honor this lovely weather, I thought I'd do a giveaway of my latest pursuit in jewelry making.

Can you see him?

My love for little birdies has transcended into the owl trend as well.

When I saw this piece at Hobby Lobby, I knew I wanted to make a necklace out of him.

Isn't he cute with his big 'ol eyes!? His name is Toby and he can be yours.

To enter:

1. Please be a follower of With a Heart Full of Daisies

2. Write a comment about what outfit you would sport with Toby!

For bonus entries (leave additional comments for each):

1. Like this post on Bloglovin

2. Follow me on Twitter

Giveaway ends on March 23rd at 8pm EST.

-KateLainey

Posted in Giveaway | 26 Comments

Mini Pizzas Steal My Heart

By Unknown | Published Monday, March 14, 2011

If you ask any kid what their favorite food is, they will usually say, "Pizza! Pizza!"

Fond memories of family dinners centered around mom's huge homemade pizzas always arise when I'm making my own pies. Nowadays, pizza still ranks pretty high up there as a favorite food of mine.

What can I say, homemade pizzas share a soft spot in my heart.

Over the years my taste in pizza toppings have changed from just cheese, to veggie max!

This little guy is vegan delish!

Here are the fixings:
Whole Wheat Crust

Olive Oil
Vegan Parmesan (Nutritional Yeast, Sesame Seeds, and Sea Salt blended together)

Tofu

Shiitake Mushrooms

Red Peppers

Corn

Kale

Sunflower Seeds

I love experimenting and putting unlikely toppings on my pizza.
I know this pizza looks a little crazy, but it was so good!

What is your favorite kind of pizza? Have you ever tried any bizarre combinations of toppings?
Let me know, I'm always up for trying a new combination...like artichokes and tortellini!
YUM!

Posted in Spoon 'n Fork | 7 Comments

Saturday Sightings - Send Spring

By Unknown | Published Saturday, March 12, 2011

Good morning lovelies.

Today I'd like to bring to you my Saturday Sightings. This Saturday's collection was based off of the Etsy photograph below. This past week I've had to keep reminding myself these very words; I can only tackle one day at a time. With Spring coming, this color scheme is a tribute to the lovely feelings the warm weather and atmosphere will bring.

I can't wait.

Encouraging words by Simple Hue

Essie's "Mint Candy Apple"

Happy nails, happy girl.

Library Card Notebook by crabappledesign

Jotting down creative ideas, lists, and those pesky thoughts that keep stressing me out.

Anthropologie's Morning Glory Trinket Dish

A safe haven for my rings when I'm making homemade bread.

Vintage 70's Chevron Dress by SassySisterVintage

The perfect Spring dress.

Jeffery Campbell "Pefect Photo Op Flat in Wingtip" at Modcloth

The search is over for the cutest oxford.

Antique Brass Owl Necklace by FairiesnBerries

Why are owls so dang cute?

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Any exciting plans?

I'm off for a quick run before the rain hits!

~KateLainey

Posted in Saturday Sightings | 3 Comments

The Getaway

By Unknown | Published Thursday, March 10, 2011

Oh, to escape away as newlyweds to a beautiful, remote vacation spot...the peace, serenity, and romance.

Sounds lovely doesn't it.

Out of all the wedding planning you wouldn't think that the honeymoon would be the most source of stress and tension, but it has been. This past week we have gone back and forth between whether we can afford the dream honeymoon or not.

Both of us had already envisioned a perfect getaway; conjuring up images of what a honeymoon should be.

Basking in the sun on a secluded island.

Hiking through uncharted jungles.

Taking bike tours through Italy.

Snorkeling in the waters of the Caribbean

(man, I sound like a Sandals commercial)

With buying a house in the near future, we have decided that we will not be taking the fantasy honeymoon that society tells us we should take. Instead, we are heading out west and staying in the good 'ol USA. At this point I'm glad we are fortunate enough to even make a honeymoon happen. Regardless of what I had dreamt about when I was younger, I know that we will remember this trip for a lifetime.

Our destination as of now - Monterey & San Francisco.

Here are a few things we'd like to do at each place:

Monterey

Drive out to explore and hike Big Sur

Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Kayak through the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Stroll down Cannery Row

Vineyard tour & wine tasting

San Francisco

Ride on a cable car

See the Golden Gate Bridge

Baker's Beach

Chinatown

Fisherman's Wharf

Shop at Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange

Visit the Golden Gate Park for tea in the Japanese Garden

Run through the unique neighborhoods
And of course finding local coffeehouses

Blue Bottle Coffee

For me, an ideal vacation would mostly entail absorbing the culture around me.

I adore exploring cities by shopping, tasting the local cuisine, photographing the beauty, sampling coffee, visiting vineyards, and finding those hidden hot spots that only the locals know about.

As a typical man, Zach craves adventure with his lady. His wish list contains anything from hiking, kayaking, mountain climbing, eating, drinking local brews, seeing sea lions, exploring and getting lost along the way.

We'd love to combine our ideas for the ultimate honeymoon.

Has anyone been out to Monterey or San Francisco and have recommendations for us?

I'd appreciate any help seeing as there is so much to do and we only have a week to enjoy ourselves!
Thanks! :)

Posted in Tying the Knot | 11 Comments

Tribal In Michigan

By Unknown | Published Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Keeping up with the latest trends can be an overwhelming task...

With more important tasks filling my plate; work, wedding planning, running, time with Zachary, hanging out with family/friends, and let's not forget sleep, things like "trend research" are not exactly on my to-do list.

But I do like to be stylish, so when particular photos catch my eye, I usually put them in a folder to think about and use later. This darling Anthropologie picture below has been at the bottom of my pile for a while, begging for me to take inspiration from it. I love the tribal trend that emerged last year and has stayed in various forms into this year as well.

Tribal Print Meets The Max Dress