Eastern Market

A couple weeks ago Saturday, we went to the farmers market for flower day. I found a lot of unusual plants and herbs that I wanted to build a greenhouse for. I want to fill my house with succulents, or large pots filled with a collection of them. Unfortunately, I tend to over water them. I will try and be more gentle this year. 

I am ready to jump back into these summer excursions for coffee, vegetables and plants. There's a community building in these weekends, and it feels good to come to this main vein in a city that can be so desolate in so many other parts. 

In the city of Detroit.

perhaps one day, I'll end up here. 

bridesmaid dresses.

I need a dress for Laura & Mr. W's wedding and haven't really found the one I want. The idea was that we were each a different gem color, which I think is a great idea. It's fun and allows for creativity and freedom to pick one that we will actually wear again! And I think it will look really pretty.. so my color was canary yellow or emerald green. Which dress do you like the best? And please let me know if you see something else!

L's Grandma has a beautiful vintage dress that I would love to wear, but it's brown. I don't think she's is too into that.

Here's some others that are either just solid colored dresses (that L said said I could resort to, if canary didn't work out), or just ones that I like:

These dresses were from: Banana Republic, BCBG, & Anthropologie

fashion from Spain

This was a busy weekend, so I may be back several times with a montage of photos. These are of my friend, Laura who had her wedding shower in style. She dressed in all her beautiful new finds from Spain. (Laura, you will have to tell me exactly where that is that Dianne lives, because all I know is from your pronunciation. Guadelesenuaiu. ha! I honestly don't even remember). Here's a lil peek into the amazingly fashionable life of Laura. She also has a great style blog here. enjoy!

wait, here's a better look: 

when summer starts...

Miss M* came up with a good plan to have people over for a taco party, (turned bbq once we found a grill). I will have to invite my other lovely friend embee, to share her amazing cookie recipes. I think they were the hit of the party, especially being vegan and delicious for all to enjoy. 

I especially love the non-ice cream version of the chipwich. 

She found these recipes in Babycakes, a new amaaazing vegan & gluten-free dessert cookbook you can buy here. 

Or take a look at their cute : website 

(where you can even order from their menu that ships to 48 states!) 

Or you can just have embee make them for you, because everything she makes is amazing. 

Look at her blog with lots of fantastic recipes here!   

Here are some photos from this weekend.

An Artist on Etsy

I found this artist on Etsy, who's shop is called The Foundling. The designer, Betsy Carr uses recycled and vintage materials to create these beautiful and simple pieces of jewelry. I love the little rings.  Visit her blog here!

Esmee dress

What's my dress doing at Anthropologie? 

I would love to have this stormy sea necklace... ($48). 

this one is neat. The coyure necklace for $158! Maybe I could figure out a DIY style one.

 I have always loved having either really deep bowls (Fiesta Ware at Macy's) that can hold all of my noodles or a low bowl like this one. It's made from an organically grown bamboo, made in Vietnam with fair-labor practices. They're $34 each from Branch, but you'll have to check back because they are currently out of stock. 

summertime limeade

I think it started with the Honest Tea, Limeade. The Honest Ade is an organic drink with simple ingredients that I can make at home easily. So I bought some organic limes, and sugar and made my own. It's a perfect summer drink. mm...

INGREDIENTS 

• 3 limes
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 quarts cold water

I add the lime juice to the sugar,  stirring it until it dissolves, and then I add the cold water and chill it. And I also found some cute drink dispensers: 

 

Crate&Barrel

These are from Branch for $168. They are made from recycled glass.

Happy Birthday Tex!

Another May Birthday this past weekend. I attempted to make Vegan no-bake cookies, but because I used non-cooked oats, the cocoa mixture never was really absorbed and they remained kind of gooey. I did do a follow-up attempt on sunday during the basketball game party and they came out delicious! The peanut butter adds a lot, so try this recipe (using Quick oats!): 

Vegan Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

2 tablespoons of E.B. or another butter substitute
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar 
1/4 cup soy milk 
dash salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter (optional: add more to taste and increase the oatmeal) - I personally used soynut butter - but any nut butter will do.
1 1/2 cups UNCOOKED oatmeal

heat butter until the butter is melted. Add 1/4 cup cocoa and blend until the cocoa is dissolved into the butter.

Add the sugar, milk and salt. Blend well.

bring ingredients to a full boil. You want a full boil, but because it will continue to cook for awhile once it's removed from heat, heating it too long can cause the mixture to scorch.)

Add the vanilla, peanut butter and oatmeal. Stir well. Drop by tablespoon-full on waxed paper and allow to cool.

Makes 12 cookies.

Here's a couple more photos of D's birthday of dinner, and roller skating. The drinks afterwards didn't get documented:

Animal Collective

Last night z & i went to see the Animal Collective at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. I am still hitting myself for not bringing my camera because the show was so beautiful with it's lights and everyone's hands in the air. I will have to remember it, rather than document it this time. Although I prefer their older records, from what I've heard so far of Merriweather Post Pavilion, the show was still so lively and fun. It felt good to be in a sea of people dancing, and immersed in the glow of their music. I felt suddenly as though I were somewhere else completely, and that felt amazing, especially whilst holding your hand. 

Check em' out here! And listen to Avey Tare's side project Panda Bear ! I love his album..

designing your home.

I have been struggling with a way to design my house, even after looking through my large collection of design magazines on a regular basis: Elle Decoration UK, Budget Living (no more), Domino (no more), Dwell, ReadyMade etc. And even still with so many DIY & design blogs being so accessible, I still find it difficult to make something fall into place. 

Craft night usually just means I'm going to run around all night collecting my supplies. I need to put these ideas into action now. I have a couple projects started that I will photograph and show you, but for now I'm going to show you Z's new home designed mostly by his new roommate, Danny. It's truly an amazing place with a kind of museum feel. I don't want to disturb anything. It's fascinating, none-the-less.