Monthly Archives: May 2014

Pack Your Bags: Spring Backpacking

by Sarah | 1 Comment

Spring is a great time to hit the trails.  The weather is warm, but not too hot and the creeks are overflowing with water.  Lots of water is a good thing.  That means you’ll have enough to drink, cook and wash with.  Nothing is worse than hiking to a campsite and realizing the creek has run dry.  Backpacking may seem a little intimidating if you have never gone before, but by the time you finish reading this post, you’ll realize you can do it to!

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In this segment of Pack Your Bags, we’ll cover everything you need in your pack for a weekend trip.  In the future we will fill you in on some basic backpacking 101 information as well as what to eat on the trail.  If you are preparing for your first hike, make it an easy overnighter.  That way you will get a feel for hiking and have a better idea of what it entails for future weekend-long hikes.

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Pack Your Bags : Van Camping

by Katie | 1 Comment

Hey there, we’re gearing (pun intended) up for a summer of travel and thought it would be fun to do a series of posts that focus on our gear. We aren’t highlighting the latest line of ultra-light-weight this or that. As you’ll see in this post, what’s important to us is getting out the door, so we try to keep the gear simple, functional, and relatively inexpensive.  I’m kicking off the series with the essentials that Calder and I keep at the ready for our road trip and van-camping adventures. Check back this afternoon and Sarah will share what’s in her camping pack!

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Calder and I love a good road trip. Alex? Not so much, but we’re working on him. Cash? He’s our primary co-pilot and sticks to the van like glue the moment he sees us start to pack.

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In Season: Constellations

by Sarah | 2 Comments

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I think most of the U.S. was hit with a dose of summer temps this past week. Between warm evenings, the smell of neighbors grilling dinner, and the full moon, there was plenty of energy pulling us outside, and once there we immediately turn our heads to the sky. Spying the big dipper and Orion’s belt are easy, but this summer we’re making an effort to learn a few more constellations. And so, inspired by the hopes and wonder that fill our star-gazing evenings, we’ve found a mix of home goods to remind you that staying up last night to find Cassiopeia was totally worth it.

I’m a big fan of having educational artwork hanging up in my home.  A moon phase print and this constellation poster are on my wish list.

Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations seems like a great book for beginners and families that would like to know a little bit more about the night sky.  This book along with a handmade constellation bedroll would be a great birthday present for a summer baby.

Grab an old scarf, thread a needle and try your hand at this DIY constellation scarf.

How awesome is this DIY constellation light?  Make one and let us know how it goes.

Or you could buy one of these swoon-worthy pendant lamps.

I’ve been toying around with the idea of making constellation pillows for awhile.  I didn’t even think of doing this.

I’m not sure I have ever described a quilt as epic, but I have now. Look at that detail!

This constellation wall detail is so subtle that I didn’t even notice it the first time I look at this bathroom makeover.

See more constellation coolness here.

Image from the Library of Congress archive.

Rosemary Body Scrubs

by Katie | Leave a comment

Rosemary is our ingredient of the season. Today we’re using the same rosemary essential oil that we used to make those invigorating room sprays. Want the recipe for a perfect evening? Take a shower with these scrubs, pore yourself a Rosemary SAGE Fizz, and roast a plate of rosemary tomatoes. liveseasoned_spring2014_rosemaryscrub7-1024x768 copy

We are always down for making our own body care products. Sure, it requires time and sometimes a bit of experimentation, but it’s almost always worth it. Why? It feels good to know the short list of ingredients we use are nontoxic. It’s often cheaper than products from the pharmacy. The options for personalization are endless! And finally, when I’m in the kitchen mixing up a big batch of this or that, I love that Calder refers to them as potions. Silly, but fun.

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Sock Bun Tutorial

by Sarah | Leave a comment

Today I learned that a summer cold-front in North Carolina means low eighties. Oh. My.  This sweet little sock bun tutorial perfect for what are sure to be sweaty days ahead.  Sock buns are magical.  Why you ask? I’m surprised you don’t already know, but I’ll tell you anyway.  They have the power to transform dirty, unkept hair into a tame, polished mane in a matter of minutes, especially for those of us (looking into a mirror as I type this) who hate spending time getting ready.  Sock buns are also perfect for work and play because while they’re polished they’re also SO STINKIN’ CUTE (katie here : after reading this post, I noticed that Sarah thinks sock buns are just a wee bit cute.). We all need something cute in our lives and today it’s the sweetest little (or big!) bun that has a secret sock inside of it.

Our sister Kristin is the sock bun queen, and how great are those pink lips and hair tips?  She wears her bun like no other, so who better to show us how to rock the sock?  Kris also put a sock bun in Virginia’s hair, which is just past shoulder length, so don’t shy away from the sock if your hair isn’t quite as long as Kristin’s.

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Roasted Rosemary Tomato Skewers

by Sarah | 6 Comments

Rosemary is our ingredient of the season.  Sometimes we drink it, sometimes we spray it and other times we bake with it. Oh, and sometimes we water it too.

Roasted Rosemary Tomatoes are a great addition to any meal! Seriously, they’re the best.  The rosemary skewers also make presentation a breeze, which is why I used mine as a cheese plate accompaniment.

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Packed full of flavor, but not overpowering, roasted rosemary tomatoes are delicious in couscous, quinoa and lettuce salads.  They also make a yummy topping for crackers and melba toast paired with some crumbles of cheese.  Roasted rosemary tomatoes are especially delicious in fettuccine alfredo, pasta primavera and margarita pizza or as a dinner side. Enough about how they taste, let’s talk about how roasted rosemary tomatoes are prepared.

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Intermission

by Katie | 2 Comments

Hey Everyone, excuse us while we take this Monday off to collect ourselves. It’s been a busy few days week around here, and I think Sarah and I would benefit from a day of drinking coffee (or tea!), scribbling in our planners, and loading up the fridge with fresh veggies. Once we’ve done that, we’ll be back with a full week of posts!

Of course, I couldn’t leave you without a little nugget of fun to start your week.

We are suckers for cute planters, but those faces above aren’t really planters. They are egg separators! That link will take you to the artist’s Etsy site. When I saw the separators, I knew they would make great containers, so I picked up a bunch at our local Christmas Market.

I wanted to give them out already planted, and knew that they would only be frowning if they had a cactus coming out of their noggin. While these planters don’t have a hole on the bottom, their mouth provides a great drainage zone. I started with a layer of small river rocks, being sure to slope the rocks up to cover the mouth area. Then I added my topsoil and the cactus. My trick for transplanting cactuses is to get a thick wad of old tissue paper that’s been bunched and crunched a few times, I put that over the cactus and am able to gently pick it up and position it in the pot without getting hurt.

Nothing helps with a case of the Mondays like looking at one of those guys and being thankful that I don’t have a cactus growing out of my head.

See you tomorrow!

In Season: Publications

by Sarah | 1 Comment

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As we’re gearing up for a spring and summer of fresh veggies, we like to turn to our cookbook shelf for inspiration, and over the years, have come to realize that our favorite cookbooks are the ones that are organized by season! It makes dinner (and dessert) planning so easy when you go to the farmers’ market, pick up a pile of fruit and veg, and then open your cookbook to spring and see that you have the ingredients for a handful of recipes! Today we’re sharing the publications that we love, and they are all united by their seasonal organization.

 

We love Marisa, the creator of the blog Food in Jars.  She’s a food writer and canning teacher, uh, hellllllo, dream job!  Her books, Food in Jars and Preserving by the Pint, are both laid out by the season, making them great canning guides throughout the year.

From the Cook’s Garden is the perfect source for your evening dinner dilemma.

Rustic Fruit Desserts will inspire your desserts (and breakfasts, if you’re like us!) throughout the seasons.

 Taproot is a seasonal quarterly that screams (or maybe gently sings) local authentic living and community connectivity.  It is a beautiful publication from start to finish and as of one minute ago, I ordered my yearly subscription.

Planning a potluck? Pick up Handmade Gatherings: Recipes and Crafts for Seasonal Celebrations and Potluck Parties.  It’s another goodie by Ashley English that offers up party ideas, arts and crafts and recipes that are meant to build community via collaboration.

Keep your container garden growing all year long with Continuous Container Gardens.

Do you have any favorites we didn’t mention? We would love some new leads!

Image from the Library of Congress archive.

Splitting Up

by Katie | 40 Comments

Plants are our favorite subject. We hang air plants in the shower and on walls.  We plant indoor gardens and outdoor gardens and we also use plants to keep mosquitoes away.

We’ve talked before about the many ways that bouquets and houseplants are good for you. I’ve also mentioned the challenges of living with a husband that doesn’t love big, overflowing houseplants as much as me. Today I’m back with another houseplant post, because they really are good for you, and because this is another easy compromise for plant lovers living with the plant “eh”-ers.

The plant in the crosshairs this time? A split-leaf philodendron.

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Welcome May!

by Katie | Leave a comment

On the first Wednesday of every month you will find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar and what’s going on outside. 

I almost started this post complaining about our long cold spring, but caught myself in the nick of time. Most days it still seems to be unseasonably chilly. Case in point, we walked down to the baseball fields for concession-stand-dinner tonight (our new favorite dinner “out” with Alex), and I found myself bundling up in my vest and cozy winter hat! So while I could grumble, I would be doing just as much complaining if the weather were warm, because we don’t have time to enjoy this year (apparently I’m a complaining ball of fun these days). There’s packing to do! As I got ready to write this post, thinking about all of the creatures just ending their spring migrations, I’m reminded that we’re just starting our migration west, and at least for the next month, I hope time stands still outside so I don’t miss all of the action.

Of course, I want to quickly point out that while I’m calling this an unseasonably cold spring, it’s just that I’m used to the warm, early springs we’ve experienced over the past few decades. Records show that spring is arriving an average of 25 days sooner than it did a mere 40 years ago!

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