mallows.

Marshmallows are probably one of my favorite foods on earth... seriously. They rank up there with avocados, cheetos, and cake. So I went on a mission to get the ingredients to make these delectable delights tonight... we have been popping them nonstop around the office, so I was inspired to make a batch at home.

Here is Ina Garten's recipe,
Homemade Marshmallows:
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Yummm Yummmm...

maps.

All due credit goes to Jordan for such a cute idea over at Oh Happy Day... I have seen this idea, but never executed so perfectly. I would love to put a map up, like this, in our office of our travels, as well as pins for wishful thinking in the future. Its just mounted on foam core... and she found graphic push pins to add some interest. I love the look of maps... and this just seems to personalize it just right.

Leroy. {for dayday}

Leroy Grannis has an exhibition at the Dallas Center for Architecture... go check out his amazing surfing photography. {June 22, 2009 - August 21, 2009}
Dana, I can wait & go with you? This is right up your alley... and for that alone, I am jealous. :)

buckets o' fun.

No worries, I could find plenty o' things to fill up these suckas.

Find them here, at Casamidy Designs.

yves.

Hey you, hot shoes, come live in my closet... puhlease. I will give you a really great home.

On the road again...

"We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment." ~H. Belloc

Road trippin' it tomorrow for 14 hours to see some of our dearest friends in Vail, CO. Ry and I are making it a little adventure along the way... movies & books on tape, spontaneous fun stopping places, homemade sustenance to munch on, and all-around great convo time with the hub... can't wait!

Anyone have any fun road trip ideas?

Hermione.

Many of you know, I have always had a thing for Harry Potter. "Thing" might be an understatement, more of an obsession of sorts. The writing is incredibly creative and imaginative; and quite honestly, I believe J.K.Rowling is a absolute genius. The 5th H. Potter movie is coming out July 18th, (this was part of my Father's day gift to my dad... we love these movies and have been anxiously awaiting.) While I am not as big of a fan of 'books made movies'... David Yates, and now Mike Newell, have done an incredible job of portraying Harry & his antics via film. Hermione, who is played by Emma Watson... is one of my favorite to watch.

Teen Vogue did this amazing shoot above... enjoy.

Gimme some Polyjuice Potion so I can look like her... :)

via Deb.

2 cents worth of thoughts.

{For your Monday:}

"The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." - C.S. Lewis

{Today:} I am attempting to make every effort to be in- the- moment, grateful & optimisitic about my surroundings, circumstances, & survival.

Happy, happy Monday.

lovely.

Oh what a lovely, chic venue in Napa, Valley.... how beautiful would a wedding or anniversary party be here? B?

Erin Martin from St. Helena is the designer... I would like to meet her.

love. {sigh.}

m is for monique from M A Welker on Vimeo via Naturally Nina.

pretty little ditties.

Talented, fabulous Sarah Jane is my little etsy find of the week... her illustrations are so honest & sweet.

g.g.

Just thought you should know, I still swoon when I see them...
and I don't even really watch TV... but, this thought-provoking, deep, intellectual, sophisticated, worthwhile, and wholesome show happens to be the only thing I will. not. miss. Go figure?
Here's to my Pointless Post of the week.
xoxo.

Vena Cava.

Vena Cava zip dress for the Gap, (available Today!) for $88.

The Gap will unveil its new khaki-theme Design Edition collection designed by 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner Alexander Wang and runners up Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava, and also the hat designer Albertus Swanepoel.

Love that high end fashion design is available at any price point...

my dream, circa 1989....

"Barbie Foot" was designed by Chloe Ruchon. It's a hot pink indoor football game that pays homage to every little girl's best friend and her brother's fuse ball game. It is part of the DMY childrens exhibition at the Berlin design festival this year.

For a girl who at one time had 81 Barbies, and the Mansion, Convertable, Minivan, McDonald's, Swimming pool, and hand sewn designer couture gowns created by her aunt, for Barbie, this would have put the cherry on top... :)

p+b

Ruffles & bow ties today to celebrate a much loved couple....

B & P, sitting in a tree....

CONGRATS Brit & Paul on your Engagement!

We are all so excited for you two...

xoxo.

3.

These two girls are nourishing to my soul:

a) They have the ability to make me feel so at home and so understood.

b) They make me laugh till I have tears in my eyes.

c) They view, do, and get life the same way I do.

d) They sometimes seem to just complete me.

e) They are some of my dearest and best friends.

f) They sometimes feel like clones of myself.

g) They frustrate me because we don't ever get to spend enough time together.

h) They are going to kill me for posting this picture.

i love you two more than you know.

foodies.

Julie & Julia was previewed before my mom & I saw Valentino about a month ago.

"Meryl Streep is Julia Child and Amy Adams is Julie Powell in writer-director Nora Ephron’s adaptation of two bestselling memoirs: Powell’s Julie & Julia and My Life in France, by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme. Based on two true stories, Julie & Julia intertwines the lives of two women who, though separated by time and space, are both at loose ends…

until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible."

I couldn't have said it better, myself.

My mom and I turned to eachother after the preview was over and really didn't have to say anything... we will be waiting in line August 7th. This movie looks right up our alley...

ahhh...

Just loving white, {sigh}.... thats all.

images via brown button.