knitxcore.: 2013

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

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Saturday, September 21, 2013

Sleep-In Saturday: Stay at Home Spa.

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What's better than spending the entire day pampering each other? NOTHING. Pat and I luxuriate a lot more often than other couples; but to be fair we do use the term for everything from laying on the couch watching TV to getting really (insanely) long bubble baths.

I really love the idea of taking care of each other after a busy week, not only do we have time to reconnect and reflect, but it's also the perfect way to relax! Pick up (or make) a few bath bombs and a fun mask, put together a magical playlist, and spend the night making each other feel the most pampered!

BATH BOMBS + BUBBLE BARS WE LOVE:
-DIY Fizzies via Martha Stewart: We used Grapefruit Essential Oil because that was all I could find at the last minute, but they smelled amazing. Instead of using water, use witch hazel exclusively. The fizzies will be harder and dry more quickly

-Sunny Side Bubble Bar: This is our ABSOLUTE favorite!!!!!

-Blackberry: Pat ADORES this one! The scent lasts forever

-Mr. Bubble: Don't turn your nose up at this classic! SO MANY BUBBLES!

Create your perfect at home spa experience and  procrastinate for the rest of the day! Saturdays are for LUXURIATING!  

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Sleep-In Saturday: Paint a Wall.

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Painting a wall seems like hard work, but it's a cost effective and fun way to update your space! Pat and I have never painted a wall (alone or together) until last week, and we had THE MOST fun. There's something about working together and making a giant mess that is definitely more romantic than it sounds.

During the process we learned (and daydreamed) a lot. I came up with a list of Do's and Don'ts for first time painters looking to enjoy Sleep-in Saturday.

Do:

-TAPE EVERYTHING. Even if you don't think you need to. Pat taped a corner that I never would have thought to, and I'm so glad he did! Sometimes, you lose control of the roller or paint splatters from the brushes! Be prepared!
-PUT DOWN A DROP CLOTH. I didn't think it was necessary to buy one, but we did rip open trash bags and tape them near the baseboards. I'm really clumsy, so in the long run, this precaution was necessary.
-USE A PRIMER. Just do it.

Don't:

-Draw on the wall with sharpie because you think it will be a cute photo-op. It shows through. I promise.
-Try to prime the spots where the sharpie shows through after painting. You'll get shiny spots on the wall if you look at it from certain angles.
-Put a second coat in only one area. (See above). If you want/need a second coat, paint the whole wall.

But seriously, just have fun! Enjoy the process and enjoy spending quality time with your sweetie!


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Saturday, July 27, 2013

Sleep-In Saturday: Healthy Breakfast Edition.

sleep-in saturday

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, possibly even Twitter, you may have already come the conclusion that I've recently started dating the most INCREDIBLE man on the planet. We've been doing tons of really amazing and adorable things; each date is more magical than the last. But, I'm saving that for another series...

Pat and I are lucky enough to be able to spend Friday night and all of Saturday together. However, there is one caveat; we live in a suburban area and don't always have access to a car on those two days. Which means we're on own for 24 hours. We've taken it as a personal challenge to find fun, quirky things that we can do together on Saturdays that don't require driving or even leaving the house.

We decided to do this series not only to motivate inspire all of you, but also to keep us from laying on the couch watching reality TV all day (which we are pretty much professionals at, anyway).

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This week, I decided that we would experiment with insanely healthy breakfast options that include alternate, mildly off-kilter proteins like chia seeds and quinoa.

I made APPLE QUINOA BITES from And They Cooked Happily Ever After and they were devoured in mere seconds. We ate the first 12 in record time. I'm not big on breakfast, but I still made a healthy dent in the two dozen the recipe yielded. I skipped the maple syrup (because we were out) and used stevia in place of the white sugar because; why not? Honestly, we really did love them. I took the few remaining pieces to work the next where they were greeted once again by smiling faces.

I love smoothies in the morning, but feel rather neutral about peanut butter. I put my bias aside because I thought that Pat may enjoy the Peanut Butter Bomb Smoothie from Oh She Glows! and I'm so glad I did! We both adored it! I used natural, organic unsweetened peanut butter and extra chia seeds because I love them. I did skip out on the complicated topping. I'm not a morning person, so the fact that I cooked anything before coffee was a personal triumph. There was no need to show off.

All-in-all, our experimantal healthy breakfast went really well. Once of tummies were full, we did luxuriate for the rest of the day (and by luxuriate, I mean we-snuggled-on-the-couch-and-watched-Harry-Potter). It was perfect.

What do YOU do on Saturdays?




Saturday, July 13, 2013

Sleep-In Saturday!






Saturday mornings are my favorite thing ever. EVER. The boyfriend and I can stay up as late as we want on Friday nights, binging on baked goods and watching Bob's Burgers without any threat of forenoon obligation. 

Waking up slowly and naturally (and quite happily) is almost akin to nirvana (the euphoric kind, not the flannel wearing grunge kind).

I wouldn't trade a sleep-in Saturday for anything in the world. This is living.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

WIP WEDNESDAY: ADA

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Pattern: ADA (Mollie Makes; Issue 11)
Yarn: Quince & Co. Puffin (Honey)
Needles: ADDI TURBO US SIZE 11 CIRCS

This pattern is really simple, so I can knit it anywhere. I pretty excited about that.
Quince & Co. yarns are becoming one of my favorites. I love really squishy minimally plied yarn and they do it perfectly!

What are YOU working on?



PILLBUG.

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Dani doesn't really need an introduction, I'm sure youve seen her posts on this blog in the past, and she's a familiar face on my Instagram account as well.I'm really excited to share this post with you about her new self-published book! Her work is so raw and honest; really moving stuff.




Pillbug2

i’ve been holding out on everyone and working on a secret project and it’s finally finished and you can hold it in your hands - a collection of poems i wrote from the perspective of myself if i were my ‘alternative.’ addiction, withdrawal, despair, hallucinations, near-death experiences, throwing up in parking lots. all of it is previously unreleased material that is sickening and dark like my…released material?
this project has actually proven itself to be quite a controversial one...but i challenge you to actually READ the book, before passing judgement on the theme. before making assumptions about what i have and haven't been through, or survived.
i’ve seen a lot, and sometimes i write about it. last thing i want to do is appear to be taking addiction lightly, or mocking people who have dealt with or are currently dealing with addiction. but addiction is such a broad term, and while i may not have struggled in the particular way i’ve portrayed in my writing…i sure have struggled.
i am currently working on two other books that will both be released in upcoming months, as well as a collection of super gut-wrenching zines available via my etsy!!

pillbug



Monday, June 24, 2013

MUSIC MONDAY: DIY RECORD WALL



I know I've touched on the subject, but for those of you that didn't know; I've moved into a new place! It's so full of exciting new opportunity and positive energy. Some days, I wake up and I feel like my heart is just going to explode from symptoms of extreme jubilation. Of course there are other factors that have been making things incredibly blissful, but right now we're talking about the physical space.

I've moved into a much smaller room and have been working hard to find creative and visually appealing space saving solutions while buying as little furniture as possible. It's been tricky, but I love the way things are shaping up.

One of my first DIYs in my new bedroom is this fantastic record wall, I have a growing collection and my record console can only hold so many.



This DIY really is as simple as sticking a binder clip on either side of the record, and hanging it on two clear pushpins. Of course you get get really fussy and measure everything out, probably do some tricks with a level and string or something, but I just lined everything up with the baseboards and the corner of the wall and filled in the negative space. I don't like over thinking projects or waiting too long to see my vision come to fruition.

You really don't need to buy those fancy record frames to show off your collection. You can just go to the office supply store and buy a few bags of binder clips.

I just saved you $100. You can Paypal me the difference.


Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Music Monday: Jens Lekman

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Gosh! I'm finding it really difficult to get back into the swing of things!

It isn't even Monday!




Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Butterfly's Webinar: The Mantras to Create

Hey Kids!

One of my oldest and dearest friends, Bryan, has put together a really exciting e-course/webinar to help you tap in to your creative potential! I'm really excited to see what he does with it and I'm offering my unwavering support (much like a hirsute Dance Mom) to his new venture. Below he'll explain exactly what the course entails, and provide you with a coupon code to get started!

Do me a favor and check it out!




butterfly jumps

We genuinely get stuck in the creative process when we rely on others for our passion. When we can’t articulate our end game based on our desires, we might as well forget about creating anything. Period.
ARTICULATING WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T IS HALF OF THE BATTLE.
There’s some resounding truths and hot fires that genuinely tick—they’ve been constants in my creative life (and in my life as a whole) that drive my own core sense of being and my muse. I’m thrilled to share these mantras to create with you and to start a bit of a collective jam session on how to keep ourselves honest, alive, and truthful in the creative process.
Join me on Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 6:30PM EST for my webinar “The Mantras to Create.” Registration is only $5.00 with promo code “BBFriends” and it includes a hour and a half webinar, a digital workbook, and a private “members only” Facebook group to continue our discussion after the webinar is over.
For more details, or to register, please visit my webpage,www.bryanbuttler.com, and click on “Workshops and Webinar Schedule and Registration Information” at the top. 
You can also follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bryanhbuttler or via Twitter @bryanb82.


Monday, June 03, 2013

Music Monday: Ducktails.

MUSIC MONDAY

My life has been insanely busy lately. So many things are happening; a giant project (that most of you know about), a new house, and a little bit of dating  have had me feeling overwhelmed in the most positive ways possible. I'll talk about all of these things really soon, I promise.

That being said, I've been gravitating towards really somber music in my down time. I've been exploring the Songza app on my phone/iPad and it has introduced me to tons of bands that I would have never heard of.

Ducktails is one of them and they are magical.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

What I Wore: 4/16/13

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Sweater: JCPENNEY (IKNORITE?), Striped Tee: TARGET, Pants and Vans: PACSUN

I just pulled this chair out of someones garbage.I want to spray paint it gold. I want to spray everything gold.



Monday, April 15, 2013

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

FRED FLARE FASHION SHOW!

fredflare Untitled PicMonkey Collage On the 14th of last month, I had the privilege of hanging with the folks from FredFlare at their super fun spring launch!!!! I was on the fence about taking pictures, so I only have a few sloppy instagrams and a handful of dicey Instaxes.

(If you want to see high quality photos from the event, check out the Guest of a Guest blog.)

The day was super long. The three hour bus ride trashed my hair. I had to put myself back together in a bus station bathroom, before being insanely early for the taping. Luckily, I wan't the only one that was early and I made fast friends with a make-up artist and a filmmaker (among others).

The show itself was adorable (OBVS); lots of quirky accouterments and adorably curated ensembles! I clapped until I couldn't feel my hands! At the end, I had a quick opportunity to chat with Chris (half of FredFlare) before grabbing a slice of Earth Mother pizza from Two Boots and rushing back to catch the bus back to Jersey.

The day ended as perfectly as it began, but we'll save that story for another day...

How was YOUR day, today?



Monday, April 08, 2013

Music Monday: Alex Winston

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Hey Kittens!

I'm back! It's been a little while, but I assure that only the most exciting things have been happening. This week, I'm going to try to catch you up on all of the amazing events, projects, and monumental  changes that have been taking place.

To get back into the swing of things, we'll just pretend that it is business as usual and start the week off with some music. Sound good? I knew you wouldn't complain.

Alex Winston has the most magic inside of her.I adore her, really. Not just because she has fluffy hair, either. It does help, but she really is just so good.

You really should just watch both videos, right now. Perfect eye candy for a slow starting Monday morning. The first one was shot in the Heidelberg Project in Detroit. I'm obsessed with that place; it's definitely on my travel wish list. YEP. Detroit is on a list of places I want to go to.

It took me almost an hour to get out of bed and now I'm sitting in front of an open window with honey on my face (I have an underground pimple I'm trying to teach a lesson).

What are YOU up to today?



Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Herbal Medicine Workshop @ Evermore Herbs

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This weekend, I had the opportunity to attend an herbal medicine workshop at a nearby modern apothecary.  It was really exciting. We learned a lot about a myriad of herbs and their medicinal properties, and different simple preparations to those properties to work.

The instructor demonstrated how to prepare teas, tisanes and salves to cure/treat a ton of ailments. Upon leaving the shop generously provided with a fantastic gift bag containing herbs we would need to get started. The instructor was just as generous as the shop, and gave us each a samll aloe plant from his personal garden and a small container of rose salve.

I can't wait to put this knowledge to good use, and hopefully come up with some unique recipes to share with all of you!


Thursday, January 31, 2013

What I Wore: 01/31/13

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SCARF: Irish Hiking Scarf
TOP: Denim Western via Modcloth (SOLD OUT!)
KHAKIS: GAP
BOOTS: Steve Madden (They're really old!)

I was really excited to dress like a human and do one of these today! I may go back to doing them weekly. I always search blogs for outfit ideas, but there only a handful that blog at all, let alone doing WIW posts.

It's funny. I wear this scarf a lot. A LOT. I never put it on Ravelry and the yarn is pretty basic Araucania stuff from AC MOORE, but I really do love it.

I bought these boots about three years ago but didn't actually start to like them until this winter. They're so warm!

I scored this shirt at the Modcloth 70% sale, the khakis are wardrobe staples.

Hopefully, us boys can get the ball rolling. We like to look nice sometimes, too!




Wednesday, January 30, 2013

365; 27-30

365/27
365/27 -moving stuff around on the walls because why not.

365/28
365/28 - finn is my bestie.

365/29 + a haiku about dental hygiene
365/29 - insanely white teeth after a dentist appointment.

365/30
365/30 - my little sister is in the hospital. i've been thinking about her a lot today. On the left is a picture of us as littles, on the right one from my mom's wedding.