My Summer uniform

My Summer uniform by nsaich featuring white shoes

      Ever since this post, I've been wearing variations of the same outfit. To me, blazer plus shorts plus converse always equals a win. 

Yours,

Nico

Small Morsels

(Pink Hydrangea in a milk jug vase)

(I've already eaten 7 of the dozen donuts...)

(A fun summer inspired colander)

(Still sporting chucks for adventurous activities)

(Snap shot from last summer during a hiking trip at Yosemite)

(Hilarious photo taken while shooting this outfit post)

(Bridal shower decor idea: wine glasses used as votive stands/ rose display domes.

(My friend Maria makes this for her son for breakfast
 all Summer when fruit is at it's freshest!)

(New/handmade accessory: woven anklet)

D.I.Y: Refrigerator Magnets

      When I was a little girl, my dad would take me to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row to see all the marine life. As a frequent visitor of the area, I became familiar with the names of hermit crabs and various seashells and Cowry shells soon became my favorite variety to collect. Each time my father and I visited Monterey I would pick up a new and unusual Cowry shell from one of the local vendors. Soon enough I developed quite a assortment. Until recently, I had thought that I had sold my precious array of shells by accident in a garage sale. Imagine my surprise when I unearthed a box of sentimental Cowry shells while rummaging thru boxes of old things at my dad's house. Turns out, he had saved them for me. Each time I look at one of these seemingly insignificant shells I am instantly reminded of some of my favorite childhood memories. 

      Although it was nice to rediscover my collection of cowries, I knew I couldn't just leave the shells in a box somewhere unable to enjoy their nostalgia. I thought about glueing them to a board and framing them.... But I wanted to create something that had a little more functionality. That's when I decided to make my own refrigerator magnets! Perfect for attaching memos, grocery lists, or photos to the fridge. I spend a lot of time in my kitchen so I know I will be enjoying these sentimental magnets each and every day! Here's how you can make some of your own as well:

You will need: A collection of similar items 
(Objects with a flat surface tend to work best).

Using a Krazy glue pen (regular Elmer's glue would work
as well) I attached a small magnet to each Cowry shell. 

I then let the magnets rest in an egg tray for a
few minutes until the glue had set completely.

Do you have a collection you want to display in your kitchen? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments section!

Yours,

Nico

Vegetable Pot Pies:

      I realize that spoonful of gooey mush doesn't look all that appealing... but rest assured that my recipe for mini pot pies is delicious as can be! Not only does this taste good, but the entire recipe is very simple to prepare and so inexpensive. I mixed cream of chicken soup with an assortment of vegetables. I used boiled potatoes, frozen peas, and asparagus for my pot pies but feel free to use any combo you'd like,  just be sure that all veggies are precooked before adding them to the soup. Fill small serving dishes with the soup/vegetable mixture, top with piecrust (I used home made pie crust but the prepackaged kind works too!), brush the crust with raw egg, and bake in a 375 degree oven until the crust is golden and crisp! 

Tip: Be sure to cut slits in the pie crust before 

baking, this allows hot steam to escape.

Yours,

Nico

You're Invited!

      The one thing I really have loved about having a blog is being able to virtually "meet" so many new and exciting people. For example, I don't know what I was doing with all my spare time before I found Gracey's blog or Heather's! It's been so nice to see into the lives of so many other bloggers out there but I realized that it is kind of sad that most of us will never be able to spend time together in person. Rather than pout over this fact, I have invited my readers into my apartment for a quick little virtual tour. Maybe next time you can stay awhile and I can bake up a batch of these served with this cocktail!

A lamp I've had since childhood experienced a recent
 makeover with gold paint and a new lightbulb shade

Bathroom decor: Fresh flowers and succulents live in vintage milk glass.
(You may have seen another peek of this decor here.)

Media cabinet that has been paper mached with the pages of To Kill A Mockingbird,
ceramic white boots that hide stray chords and outlets, and an old moroccan pouf.

Decorating tip: cover books that you are ashamed of (hello World of Warcraft
 book series!) with  upcycled grocery bags for a more uniform and polished look.

New and vibrant leafy plants!

Herbs sprouting from seeds I planted weeks ago. See how much
they have grown in comparison to the photo from this post. 

Yours,
Nico

Hairstyle Tutorial: Easy Updo!

      Some of you may recognize Bridgett from this style feature or you might remember that she shot these photographs of me a few weeks ago. Bridgett is a close friend of mine and she also has her bachelor's degree in fine arts and works in the photography industry. This girl is pretty busy most mornings preparing for potentially very hectic work days. But just because there aren't enough hours in the day doesn't mean Bridgett won't have time to defeat bad hair days. She and I came up with this simple three step hairstyle that will transform less than perfect hair days and keep you looking fresh, put together, and ready to start your day!

Finish with hair spray and you're good to go!

Yours,
Nico

Small Morsels:

 (Festive Father's Day gift wrap)

      Today is Father's Day and I am so grateful for  the Dad that I have in my life. Always there for me with love, support, and knowledge to pass on. Whether he's is giving me advice or teaching me the basics of grilling and gardening, my father is a fantastic person to have in my life and I just wanted to send out a special thank you to him today. Thanks dad, for being my parent and most of all, my friend. 

      I also wanted to share a couple of photos from this past week as well as kick off the start of a new one:

(Preview of an upcoming style post)

(It is my firm belief that all homes should have a lazy
 susan filled with personal favorites)

(Simple bathroom decor: old beer crate turned table/place for towel storage)

(Local art)

(A local retail store I wish I could live in)

Yours,

Nico

Perfect pork chops:

      Much like last week, one of my personal favorite recipes is up on Minted Magazine's Blog. If you have ever thought that pork chops were bland, dull, or lacked flavor then this recipe is sure to change your mind (I promise). These babies taste like thick cuts of crisp on the outside and tender on the inside bacon steaks! I also recommend using very thin cuts of pork, which are more budget friendly anyway! To view the full post, please click here : )

Yours,

Nico

Small Morsels:

(Floral arrangement resting on a stack of books)

      Just a few bits and pieces from my life. A "sampling" if you will. Only scratching the surface:

(A painter's retreat)

(Cutting violas for pressed flowers.)

(Gilded radish leaf in my backyard. A happy accident from this DIY lamp project)

(Mocha from Verve.)

(Decorating inspiration, leopard print stairs! Pseudo neutral +
won't show stains and tread marks as easily.)

(Outdoor fabrics I loved!)

(Mustache magnets from Stripe Men, they look pretty cute tacked on my refrigerator photos!)

(Painted picnic tables at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk)

Yours,

Nico