oh hello sweet sponsors

Because you know you'd love a few more blogs to read and shops to discover, check these ladies out.

Lindsay of Orginally Me 

Hi there! I'm Lindsay! I blog over at Originally Me where I share all sorts of randomness about my life and what inspires me. I also run a little jewelry shop by the same name. You should come visit! Let's be friends :)

blog :: shop :: twitter :: facebook 




Angie of Lariats and Lavendar

Hi! I'm Angie, I'm 22 and I live in Utah with my gorgeous wife and soul mate Jen, our kitties Wedge and Mau and our cockatiel, Jango! I'm a gamer, geek and artist with a passion for blogging, photography and spending lots of time on Twitter!
 
blog :: twitter :: pinterest




Heather of Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

Hi, I'm name is Heather! I blog over at Finding Beauty in the Ordinary-- a lifestyle blog about life with my best friend & husband of 5 years, Joshua, and our German Shepherd puppy, Hartley. We found out awhile ago that we are expecting a little baby in August and we could not be happier! We recently relocated to Tucson, AZ, from San Diego, CA, and are enjoying exploring our new city.


blog :: facebook :: twitter :: bloglovin'


 

 Virginia Davidson of Geeky and Sassy

Geeky and Sassy is where I blog about my not so perfect journey with my faith, family & crafty endeavors.

blog :: facebook :: twitter :: pinterest




 

Nora of Two is Better Than One

Two is Better Than One is a love, life and marriage blog that follows our day to day life and I participate in link ups and questionnaires often. Please come and see what my blog is about!

blog :: facebook :: twitter :: pinterest 




happy tuesday (just 'cuz it's not monday)!

xo, erika

p.s. I had this crazy idea where I answer your (random) questions. Would you guys be into that? Let me know :)

little getaway

sometimes you have to get away from it. away from the city. And even though Seattle is not that big, and we live on the very northern outskirts, it felt good to drive the two hours north to a tiny coastal town.

hotel lobby and dining room. i love that fireplace (our room had one too!)

 we love exploring local breweries. 

 always a good sign

 the husband loves vintage sports stuff-- especially if its his favorite sports teams

if only I had somewhere to wear it to!

 what did you do this weekend? 

xo, erika

p.s. it's not too late to sponsor! i have one small ad left, and a few medium and large.

how could you say no to this face?

I can't. 

join us for March!

sponsor details here

or email us at rougeandwhimsy [at] gmail [dot] com.

there is one more large ad and four medium ads available. 

p.s. are you Mrs. Baker of babybakerlove.blogspot.com? You just won the giveaway! email me girl :)

chop suey

 blouse: thrifted  // belt: no idea  //  jeans : Gap  // shoes: Wanted

Did you know that chop suey means odds and ends in Chinese?

So that is what this post about... odds and ends... and a random craving for Chinese food. (However, I do prefer Thai food to Chinese food-- jus' saying.)

Do you guys plan your outfits in the morning or at night? This girl here is NOT a morning person. Actually, for the longest time, the husband thought I was mad at him every morning... then he just realized I'm just "not friendly" in the morning.

It's not that I'm not friendly-- I just can't speak before I've had some time to adjust to being vertical rather than horizontal. (Coffee speeds up the process.)

Anyway, this means I lay my clothes out at night. Or plan my outfit at night. Honestly, and we're being real honest here, I get a nerdy sort of pleasure of staring at my closet, imagining outfits before bed.

Luckily the husband lays out clothes too so he doesn't think I'm too weird -- but usually that just means he lays out running clothes and a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. The husband wears the same thing everyday, (which is another post for another day.)

This morning I put on the outfit I had planned but then I second-guessed the belt.

Bright red? Really? Does it work?

And I decided yes, yes it does work. It makes me happy and if it makes me happy, it works.

Also -- random confession -- sometimes I tuck my shirt into the waistpant of my underwear so it doesn't creep up on me. I find it to be a much more secure tucking-in option. My mom taught it to me. And I'm sure some of you guys do it too -- but you wouldn't admit that on the Internet, would you?

happy friday friends.

xo, erika

chatting w/ paige of artsyanthropology

So it's funny but it's the second week in a row where my little interview is with someone I've met in real life. Real life-- isn't that a funny thing to say-- as in this blog is not real life. 

But you guys know what I mean-- Paige and I met outside of typing or skyping or texting. Real face to face life. (shoot-- it sounds like I play a virtual reality game.)

We went to the same college for undergrad-- University of Washington (go dawgs) -- and she is good friends with a friend of mine!

Anyway-- grab yourself a beverage--whatever you want-- and sit down to meet Paige!

<><><>

Who are you? 

I am a graduate student, who loves to craft and create things! I love bright colors and the idea of making something from nothing, or making something old beautiful.

 

How did you get started blogging and with your shop? 

I started blogging to increase advertising for my shop, and I started my shop because I had built up quite the collection of crafted items that I needed to "get rid of."

What does the "average" day look like for you?  

I either have class or work... or both - so as of lately I don't have very much free time... which is unfortunate because I want to work on my shop and blog but just don't have any time.

If any celebrity could own one of your products-- what would it be-- and who would it go to-- and why? 

Zooey Deschanel, because she is too cute (totally agree) and would look adorable in some of my bows!  That or Rachel Berry on Glee - ditto on the bows.

 

What is your favorite way to relax? 

A glass of wine or a beer, and a movie in my sweats :)

 

 

now what are you waiting for? go hang out with Paige! :)

blog:: shop :: twitter

and if you see something you like in her shop-- use rougeandwhimsy for 25% off :)

 

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also-- last day to enter the giveaway with Mama Marchand, Rellas Bellas and Sew Beastly!

xo, erika

p.s. wanna be featured on this here blog? Email me for sponsor details. :)

what we wore

I have very fashionable, very beautiful friends who were kind enough to pick me up (early!) from work on Friday to window shop and go to happy hour downtown.

betsy (left): sweater: nordstrom rack //  necklace: handmade gift from a friend (it's a copper pipe on a navy ribbon) //  jeans: nordstrom rack //  boots: macys  

me: denim shirt, thrifted // striped shirt: gap //  necklace: nordstrom // skirt: anthropologie  // boots: macys     //  socks: fred meyer

katie (right):  shirt: nordstrom rack // necklace: heather hansen designs // skirt: boutique in maui  // tights: jcrew // boots: nordstrom rack  

And because the husband and I are instituting a strict budget, it made me want to buy things all the more. Does that happen to anyone else? That feeling of wanting something you can't have even more?

happy wednesday friends!

xo, erika

p.s. I'm a little used to outfit posts now, but I really had to convince one of my friends to take photos in public. She was definitely a little bit self-conscious -- and may be even more so now that I've posted them here. ;)

sponsor love & giveaway [closed]

Happy tuesday-- and mardi gras! do you do anything for mardi gras? I think I'm going to make sweet potato hummus, which is really unrelated other than it sounds delicious. 

Today I have a few sweet sponsors to introduce you to.

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"My name is Citlalli, and I am the over-caffeinated gal from Sew Beastly.  Sew Beastly is my  biz where I create unique handmade accessories for the unconventional gals of this world.  I also have a blog by the same name where I share my life, what inspires me, and the handmade goodness that surrounds me.  Stop by and let's connect!"

shop :: blog :: facebook :: twitter

Citlalli is giving away $20 credit to her adorable shop filled with beautiful clutches and bags!

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 "Mama Marchand's Nest is about the life of this creative mama. I write, honestly, about mamahood, marriage, faith, health, fashion, and everything in between!"

 shop :: blog :: facebook :: twitter

Tricia is giving away your choice of earrings!

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"I'm a dreamer, a coffee lover, a cupcake addict, a navy wife, a child of Christ, mama to my baby Khloe {fur baby} and I am positively obsessed with accessories! Earrings, belts, necklaces, hair baubles— I can't get enough! Spunk, sass and a hint of class describes me to a T."

 shop :: blog :: facebook :: twitter

Jen is giving away one of her cute blossom belts!

<><><>

so how do you win?  

mandatory:  follow my blog in someway-- via email, google reader, blog lovin

 whatever

extra entries: 

 entry: go visit each of their shops & tell me what you love!

entry:  follow each of them on blog-lovin' or google reader

entry: follow each of them on twitter or facebook

that's four ways to win & one winner. :)

you have until friday february 24!

good luck!

xo, erika

color crush: mint

I've always loved turquoise. And aqua. And in high school and early college I wore it all the time, to the point where I think I overdosed a bit on the color. But I'm ready for a revisit-- especially in a fresh, soft version of the color. Mint is a delicious option-- lighter, softer, and delicious-- like my favorite ice cream flavor. 

Here's some of the mint pretties I'm craving lately (besides the ice cream):

1. darling mint hearts by dariami on etsy

2. perfect colored pants 

3. alice dress by shabby apple. 

4. color blocked tank in an effortless shape

5. wouldn't these bowls look adorable with little candies in them?

6. i love love love this belt (and the entire vanilla and lace shop) 

xo, erika

p.s. i was so inspired by this collection that I painted my nails mint :)

coffee date friday

I just asked my husband a blog question. I had some design- pretty images to blog about or, I asked him, should I do a coffee date post and blog about my week?

"A coffee date-type post," he told me. "People like to hear about your week."

Is that true? I mean, while I do write this blog mainly for me-- I also like you-- the reader-- to enjoy what you see here. So let me know what you like sometime. Maybe I'll take what you say into consideration... ;)

 via

But today we're having coffee, tomorrow I'll share pretty inspiration.

If you'd like tea, that's fine too-- I have lots of good options in the cupboard. I wish I could take you out to coffee and buy you a muffin too, but it turns out that the IRS man wants some extra money from us this year... so the husband and I are trying to cut back wherever we can.

This week has been long. I've had this minor flu-bug that's left me achy and feeling gross-- not enough to really keep me down but enough where I'm not very happy. I get cranky when I don't feel good-- is anyone else like that?

I have to tell you that I'm feeling so inspired lately-- by a lot of things. I'm continuing to work on a project that I want to share-- but part of me is afraid of failure. What if it's not as good as I think? I know that that's not the way to live life, but sometimes I let those little negative voices get to me.

How's your week? And how's your coffee-- or tea-- or glass of wine? Or beer? (no judgement here! I'm totally a beer girl!)

Despite feeling yucky, I'm feeling oh-so grateful that I have a wonderful husband and family and friends who support me so much. Thanks for reading my blog, running to the fabric store, and responding with encouraging texts. You know who you are and you are awesome.

happy friday all. You know it's my favorite day of the week. Enjoy.

xo, erika

p.s. how i could i forget to share some of my internet favorites?

- i just discovered hellocotton.com It's another good way to read and connect with blogs.

- moorea's post has me convinced that neons are pretty great.

- only leonora could write a post about balancing your time that would make me laugh out loud.

- oh my gosh you can search by color on design-seeds.com! And you can slide a little slider to make the color darker or brighter before you search. there goes hours of my time...

chatting with alissa of rags to stitches

I am pleased as punch-- tropical punch in fact-- to share with you one of my sponsors and dear blog friends alissa. I love her style, her heart and her bubbly personality. I also have had the joy of meeting her in person and she is as gracious and funny as she appears online.

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 Who are you?

I am:
a wife of one, a mom of two.  

someone who can’t start my day without coffee and make it through the day without chocolate

is growing my hair for the first time ever. It’s the longest it’s ever been.

a Mom who loves to snuggle and kiss my children.
A mom who realizes that I need a break from being a mommy sometimes to reconnect with myself and my hubby.

I have a blog and a shop ,and when I'm not blogging or shopping you'll find me soaking up every ounce of time I have with my family. I hope you'll pop by sometime and say hello.

 

How did your blog and shop get started?

 I started blogging when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I wanted to document our journey so I could someday share it with her. From there the blog grew, as our family grew to a blog about our life, love, journey and faith. My shop started a couple years later. I had taught myself how to sew when I was pregnant and what began as sewing gifts grew into a small business called Rags to Stitches Boutique. Currently you'll find me making Snuggies to keep your favorite electronics warm and snuggly.

You are obviously an accomplished sewer-- how long have you been sewing and what's the hardest thing you've ever sewn?

I would call myself an accomplished sewer per say. hehe But I think the hardest thing I've ever sewn was a dress for myself. I'd share the picture with you but well.... it doesn't fit anymore. hahaha 

What does the "average" day look like for you? (And I know that there are probably no average days for you or anyone!)

Well, you're right, I'd love an "average" day. On a typical day you'll find me snoozing till the last possible moment to savor every extra minute of sleep I can before the morning rush begins. We get up, eat, get ready and we're usually out the door to Disneyland, play dates, preschool, gymnastics, dance or swim lessons. phew and that's all before lunch most days. Then it's home for lunch and nap time. I'm a huge fan of nap time, it's when I get my emails returned, blog posts written and sewing done. Then after naps, we snack, play, make dinner, and get ready for bed. Once bed time rolls around the hubs and I play catch up from our day, work on our computers a little and head to bed. Boy, writing that down sure makes me sound boring huh? haha (nope! not at all!)

If any celebrity could own one of your products-- who would it be, and why?

Ummm I would say Ellen DeGeneres. I love, love, love her and I would pretty much buy any product she endorsed so I'd love it if she'd endorse mine. :)

So I'm considering a swap to Store Envy-- as a Stove Envy shop owner-- sell me on their awesomeness in two sentences. :)

Hmmm, I would tell you that Storenvy is a great online storefront for people who really want to start a handmade business or have a handmade business and are tired of paying all those extra listing and transaction fees. Also, they have amazing customer service, which in my book, is a total plus!!

What is your favorite way to relax? 

I love being pampered. So my idea relaxation day would be a mani/pedi, followed by a massage. Oh and can I have a Starbucks with that? ;) 

<><><>

 

Alissa, I would have a Starbucks with you any day-- or any old cup of drip. In fact, speaking of that, Alissa has a Friday post called Coffee Date where she shares about her week-- serious and lighthearted things-- over a virtual cup of coffee. I told her she should make it a linkup... and I'd join in.  Anyone else who wants to follow suit, the more the merrier!

Thanks, Alissa, for sharing! I'm so glad you were over at my little space today.

Connect with Alissa here:

blog::shop::twitter::facebook

xo, erika

p.s. it's almost FRIDAY! haha I'm excited. :)

handmade (and edible) stamps

I'm guest-blogging over at Oh, Sweet Joy today about hand-carved stamps. Go check it out! :)

xo, erika

jean on jean

some fashion rules are made to be broken like white after labor day and mixing brown with black. 

But one rule I'm really having a hard time adjusting to...

jean on jean.

That, for as long as I can remember, was the biggest fashion don't. It's akin to wearing a denim tuxedo ala Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake circa 1999. 

In college there was a guy who wore a jean jacket with jeans and we always told him that he couldn't do that. It wasn't allowed. (Jon, I'm sorry for being so hard on you about that.)

And of course now I see people rock jean on jean like this:

 via kendie everyday

via the daybook 

I'm not sure if I'm ready to break my rule all the way... so I'm taking baby steps.

jean shirt: thrifted   green jeans: urban outfitters   shoes: wanted shoes

xo, erika

trends: color-blocking

One of my favorite trends right now is color-blocking or pairing two or more solid colors together in an outfit.

Mixing prints may be challenging, but mixing bright solid colors is sometimes even more difficult.

A few weeks ago I tried color-blocking for the first time and got a few questions from some of you on how to do it in your own closet.  I'm no expert, but here's a few tips:

1. pick colors either next to each other or on the opposite side on the color wheel. (for example: pink and orange or blue and orange.)

2. pick colors in similar shades-- i.e. don't mix pastels with brights.

3. balance the look with neutral accessories

Here I chose to mix magenta and orange in similar shades:

And my last tip-- have fun-- play around!

And if you don't feel like you can color block something in your closet, there's always the option of buying something that's already color-blocked for you:

Mod Revival Colorblock Dress via Ruche

xo, erika

friday coffee date

 source (via pinterest)

hi friends.

if we were on a coffee date, we wouldn't go to starbucks. we probably would sit in my kitchen and the coffee I made you wouldn't look like the photo above. I'd probably just offer you some milk and maybe some sugar, if you would like it.

I'd tell you that I drink coffee every day and that first sip is one of my favorite things ever. I'd tell you that my work has this fancy espresso machine so I usually just drink my coffee there in front of my computer but I relish weekends when I make it at home.

I'd tell you that I am so excited for my blog, for my shop-- that I have so many ideas and a huge project I'm working on, but sometimes I feel like I have so little time. 

I'd also tell you that I feel so grateful that we're talking and that I have people that have been encouraging me. I'd tell you that I am so blessed to have a husband who is one of my biggest cheerleaders.

I'd tell you that I want a clean house but I'm not always sure how to balance everything. Leaning across the table, I'd whisper that my vaccuum doesn't work and hasn't worked for awhile. 

Then I'd feel old and boring because we were talking about vaccuums. So I would ask how you were doing-- what you were excited about. 

We'd probably have a second cup. My dog would beg for attention and I'd have to reach down and scratch his ears. I'd tell you that I never thought I'd be one of those crazy pet parents... but that I probably am one. 

I'd confess some weird things about me-- that I recycle and compost with conviction (so Seattle)-- that my thighs are super sore from working out yesterday-- and that I've been wanting to bake cherry pie. 

So how are you doing? What would you tell me if we had a coffee date? If you blog it-- go link up with Alissa at Rags to Stitches. 

happy, happy Friday friends!

xo, erika

what I've learned from 5 year olds

 $15 via wonder forest

Nearly every Sunday I drag myself out of bed and drive over to my church where I teach sunday school to a group of energetic five and six-year-old girls. 

What's brilliant about my church is that they seperate the boys from the girls so while the girls and I are coloring, the boys are wrestling.

Although, more often than not, a few of my darling girls decide that wrestling and chasing is for them too. 

When I started teaching, I wasn't too sure what to expect. The lessons are all planned, so I just show up and guide the activities, which depending on the day and the girls present, can be incredibly easy or incredibly difficult.

It's just an hour of time-- give or take a few minutes-- and in that time we talk about a lot and I hear a lot about the girls' fears, excitements and goals. 

What is amazing about these girls is that many of them are very sure of who they are and what they want to be. 

One sweet girl named Norah tells me every week that she's an artist. She says it so matter-of-factly. Last week she told her dad made her an art studio-- a little place just for her to do her art. 

"It has an easel and a curtain for privacy," she tells me. 

While I love hearing her tell me that she's an artist every week, I fear for the day when she'll question herself or the day someone tells her that her art isn't as good as she thinks. Because those days happen-- they happen to all of us. Then we suddenly decide that we aren't artists, or singers or fire fighters anymore. That was just something we thought when we were little kids.

Teaching these five-year-olds each week reminds me that I, like so many others, am too quick to give up on my goals and my dreams. What if I still was five and could tell people with conviction who I was?

$24 via vol25

My goal for me this year is to live life more like a five-year-old. I want to be like Norah and tell people with absolute conviction who I am. 

Who did you believe you were when you were five? 

Long ago, I said I was a writer. 

xo, erika

p.s. if you want to read more of my writing, I'm sharing a somewhat silly story about marriage on Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson. (It's a story about my wedding...and puke...)