Dismantling a DIY

You know I'm a sucker for a fun and easy DIY project. And when I came across these adorable magnetic bulletin boards, I thought, "Hey! I could do that!" (Plus the IKEA Spontan board is already hanging in the office. That counts as kind of free, right?).

So I visually ripped them apart, thinking how I could achieve the same radness. And this is what I concocted. If you'd rather drop the cash and go the pre-made route, here is where you want to be. Do you ever visually dissect stuff to see if you could make it yourself?

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1. Magnets / 2. Acrylic paint / 3. Burlap / 4. Paint brushes / 5. Magnetic board / 6. Grommets

Five for Friday: Still no house + more cool ish

Another week has passed and still no new house. The fiance and I checked out a potential on Tuesday. He is really amped on it, but I'm still on the fence, so we'll see what happens. Even though I'm slightly bummed at the lack of casa searching results, these little nuggets of joy are keeping my spirits up. Happy Weekend!

1. Ryan Korban

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2. Shop Ten 25's travel cases

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3. The view from my desk

4. Anthropologie's dot & zig serving spoons

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5. Perfect Phoenix forecast

Get more Five for Friday in your life here.

In the kitchen: Nuna's Mediterranean couscous

Remember how I said going local pays because you can find out a little more about your city? Well, you can also acquire yummy recipes and meet interesting people. Such was the case during a visit to the Phoenix Public Market two weekends ago.

One of the fun things about the market is the samples (free food? yes, please). And on that day, a really cool lady named Nuna was hawking her yummy wares, which included vinaigrettes and marinades.

The fiance and I were only going to buy a bottle of her marinade when she enticed us with her coucous recipe that came with the purchase of two of her products. So of course we caved because she was super nice and the sample couscous was delish. And now it's your gain, too, because it was too scrumptious not to share.

Hungry? More yummy for your tummy awaits here.

50 states: Back where I come from

When people ask where I'm from, the standard answer is "the Seattle area." The general response isn't because I don't want people to know where my hometown is, but more that I'm not sure anyone could locate it on a map. It's small-ish. Not Midwest tiny. But it's not exactly a thriving metropolis. So you can understand why I don't initially say "Spanaway, Washington." 

Spanaway's rural areas provide many opportunities to shoot pretty landscapes, which are my fave. These are some of the images I captured during my visit at Christmas ... A digital homage to my roots.

See more of my travel photography here.

Fashion to furnishings: The Oscars ... again

Mila Kunis' Oscar gown is still on my mind. So to celebrate the lingerie-inspired lace dress by Elie Saab, I saw it fitting to compile another "Fashion to furnishings." The muted purple and shiny accents are a perfect way to usher in spring, which looks like it's here to stay in Arizona.

1. Home ORB sunburst mirror / 2. Amazon.com lamp  / 3. Blu Dot Strut Table / 4. Kate Long Stevenson: The Mirror / 5. Purple Capiz Lotus candle holder / 6. Grasset handmade rug

Exploring Arizona: Going local

Supporting local businesses and events is important to the fiance and I. And there's no shortage of either in Phoenix.

It seems like the past few weekends have been full of local fare and festivities. Some of the highlights have included celebrating Arizona Beer Week at Sun Up Brewing Company (our most fave local establishment), buying fresh salsa, organic flax crackers and other yumminess from the Phoenix Public Market, people watching at the m7 Street Fair and supporting our Cougs at their road games in Tempe and Tucson. 

More go-to area spots include Stinkweeds Records, Papago Brewing Company, Short Leash Hot Dogs, the Rhythm Room, La Tolteca, the Parlor and the Wild Thaiger.

Even though we've lived here for a year now, there are still so many places to check out, and the Phoenix Art Museum, Pizzeria Bianco, Schnepf Farms, Revolver Records, La Grande Orange and the Arizona Science Center top the list.

Next time you're trying to pick a restaurant, bar or event, skip the chains. You may just find out a little more about your city.

See more of my Arizona adventures here.

Sneaky peek

Keeping a fun secret isn't one of my strong suits, so I'm giving you a little preview of a project I hope to finish next week. I've never been good with surprises (one of my best friends from high school and I unwrapped her Christmas presents, checked out the goods and wrapped them back up one year). But I'm doing my best to keep this under wraps.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend full of DIY fabulousness. 

Peep the revamps that aren't a secret here.

Five for Friday: House hunting + more love list

Priority number one this weekend is continuing the search for a new place of residence. The fiance and I visited a few possible home-sweet-homes last weekend with no luck. 

In between the house hunt Saturday, we're going to the Melrose On 7th Street Fair, which features local crafters, live music and yummy food. Supporting local businesses is super important to us, and I can't wait to see the different Arizona vendors. 

Even though this isn't a list of local things, I've been loving them all this week, and I hope you will, too.

1. J. Crew Jersey Lomellina top and bottom

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2. Me, You And A Wiener's dresser revamp

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3. Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand Creme

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4. Everything LEB's rock box DIY

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5. Art XL abstract painting

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Want more Five for Friday? Check out the series here.

A match made in design heaven

What happens when you combine lyrics and typography AKA two of my faves? Oh, just the design goodness that is Music Philosophy. The brilliant brainchild of designer Mico Toledo marries the words of artists such as Johnny Cash, The Smiths, Jay-Z, The Beatles, Radiohead and The Strokes with vibrant colors, type and images. Score limited edition posters here.

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In rotation: Radiohead + Vivian Girls + Adele + La Sera

Radiohead's new album, easily the musical event of the year thus far, didn't impress at first. But after listening to "The King Of Limbs" nonstop, my mind has been changed. It's not their best work, but it'll do. "Codex" is giving my repeat button a run for its money.

Rounding out the acquisitions are the latest offerings from Brooklyn garage rock trio Vivian Girls, British soul singer Adele and La Sera, the side project of Vivian Girls' bass player Katy Goodman. 

Who are you currently rocking out to? Check out these suggestions as possible additions to your sound library. Happy listening!

Radiohead: The King Of Limbs

"Codex"

La Sera: La Sera

"Never Come Around"

Adele: 21

"Turning Tables"

Vivian Girls: Share The Joy

"I Heard You Say"