New Wave Domesticity

Mandarin & Green Tea Hot Toddy Warm Up!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 22:12:00 +0000

It's a pretty rare sight to see my beloved city covered in a blanket of snow, but I guess those winter storms finally caught up with Portland. Today is a beautiful day for a snow day! The pup and I ventured out for a little snow play date, but mostly I've been really enjoying just cozying up inside and watching the snow fall

This is the perfect perfect day for a nice warm drink. I whipped up a little special version of the classic hot toddy and it is divine comfort.

This is a really easy cocktail to make and it's really a nice fresh, sweet take on the classic - a mandarin & green tea hot toddy! I used my yummy new Celestial Seasonings Green Tea (compliments of the fine folks at Influencer) combined with these beautiful seasonal mandarin oranges and a bit of spice and honey. It takes the classic toddy to a smoother, sweeter place while still having all the comfort and warmth of the classic. It also has all the great benefits of green tea!

Mandarin & Green Tea Hot Toddy

2 cups water

3 slices of mandarin

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon whole cloves plus additional to pierce orange and lemon wheels

2-3 thinly sliced pieces of ginger

2 ounces of spiced rum

1 bag of green tea*

1 tablespoon honey (or more for taste)
Combine water, orange, and spices in a small pot and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes to extract the spice flavor and then strain liquid into a mug. Steep green tea for 2-3 minutes. Add honey and rum and give it a stir. Garnish with half of a mandarin slice and cozy up to enjoy!
*Celestial Seasonings also makes a Mandarin Orchard Tea that I am excited to try with this recipe!

You can make this drink with or without the alcohol, either way, it's a sweet warm way to enjoy the snow.

What are your favorite snow day activities?

Creative Collective : A Winter Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 18:41:00 +0000

This week's challenge for the Creative Collective was to create a playlist of new music. I admit, I cheated a little on this one! I started to go through music on Grooveshark to find some new artists that I hadn't heard before, but I found myself also getting caught up with old artists from my past that I'd almost forgotten about and also a few that have been playing on repeat in my car this season. This winter has been full of ups and downs, cozy boring days of recovery and crazy adventures, horrible news followed great news...it's been a rollercoaster, but in the end, it's been about finding a place of contentment and learning to celebrate the little things. That is what inspired my winter playlist.

Winter 2014 Playlist by Sarah Sackett on Grooveshark

What are you listening to this winter?

Celebrating the Chinese New Year with Pork Goyza!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 20:12:00 +0000

Today is the Chinese New Year! Welcome the Year of the Horse!

To celebrate, I made one of my new favorite recipes - pork pot stickers (goyza)! Jiaozi dumplings are a traditional Chinese New Year dish in northern China and are often shaped into an ingot coin shape because eating them is said to bring prosperity in the new year. Mine might not be as pretty as traditional dumplings, but they are just as delicious and I am excited to make them again and get better at my folding skills!

This may seem like a daunting recipe because there are a lot steps, but they are all super easy and the results are fantastic. The dumplings are wonderfully filling these would make a real WOW for an party appetizer, or you could just make them for dinner as a fun way to switch things up for your family. My husband and I made these with a stirfry, but they were so good that we ended up just filling up on dumplings and just saved the stirfry for a massive left-overs the next night!

You can use premade wontons, or just make this 3 ingredient dough yourself. It is super easy to put together and really rewarding and I'm sure you already have all these ingredients on hand! The dough is nice and tender and a little thicker than the usual wonton wrappers. My husband & I both just loved them!

Chinese Pork Dumplings
makes about 30 dumplings

To make the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Using a dough hook on your stand mixer, combine ingredients and mix until a smooth ball forms. Mix on medium-high speed to kneed the dough for about 5 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix the ingredients using a chopstick and let them sit for a few moments until cool enough to kneed by hand for 5 minutes. Cover dough and let rest for one hour.

Divide the dough into 4 sections and the roll each section into about 1" logs. Cut into 3" pieces. You should end up with about 20-30 peices. Roll into balls, flatten, and roll out to about 1/8" with a rolling pin. Be sure to flour your surface to avoid sticking. As you work, cover your pieces with a wet paper towel to keep them from drying out.

Filling:
1 cup ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup green onion, finely minced
1 1/2 cups finely diced Napa cabbage
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger (or powdered ginger is fine)

Mix all ingredients by hand until fully combined.

Assemble the dumplings by adding about a teaspoon of filling to the center of each. Wet the edge of one side, fold over, and seal by pinching the tops.

You have several options when it comes to cooking, you could steam, fry, or boil them. I really love the traditional goyza option of frying & steaming...it gives a really great crunchy bottom and a soft pillowy top. To do that, put about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet, heat to medium-high heat until the oil is hot and glistens. Add dumplings and cook for about 3-5 minutes until the bottoms are browned. Add about 1/3 cup of water to the pan and quickly cover with a lid. Turn down to medium and allow the dumplings to steam for about 20 minutes.

Dipping sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sweet soy
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger

Whisk all ingredients together and serve along with your dumplings.

Enjoy and happy new year!

Sponsor New Wave Domesticity in February! Get 1 Month Free!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 17:51:00 +0000

I am so excited to be back to blogging this month and I am thrilled to be able to open up sponsorship opportunities! Blogging is all about community and support - I love being able to promote and share lots of amazing project, so I would love to feature your blog, etsy shop, business, or project on New Wave Domesticity! Next month I will also be opening up a new sponsor feature so that I introduce you to all my readers!

Your sponsorship dollars go directly into helping this blog grow and I appreciate your support & hope that we can grow together! I am excited to learn more about your blog and projects. If you'd like to swap ads, I would love that too, just get in touch!

I also love hosting giveaways and featuring guest posts when they are a good fit for my audience, so please get in touch if you are interested. In addition, I am happy to occasionally do reviews for products or businesses. Want stats? Click here!

I would be delighted to hear from you to get involved in other ways. I am always opened to teaming up with other bloggers for exciting new projects, guest posting, and opportunities - please get in touch! Email sarahswingset@gmail.com.

All ads are subject to approval.

We Are Mint to Be : DIY Buttermints for Valentine's Day + Free Printable

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 17:10:00 +0000

I have bit of a soft spot for buttermints. You know the ones...those baby pink, yellow, and green candies that used to be in your grandma's candy dish or in little tulle satchels as wedding favors. The ones that feel like little soft mint pillows melting away into your mouth. Sure, they taste a little like chalk, but they really bring me back to a sweet, child-like place.

Buttermints are really simple to make and they are perfect for Valentine's Day because you can cut them into any shape or color you want. Also, like many things, the homemade version will change the way you look at this candy - it's not chalky at all, but instead the homemade buttermints are softer and much more rich and decedent. I also experimented with another version - chocolate buttermints. They feel almost like minty truffles and are so smooth and luxurious, so if you are a fan of the chocolate + mint combination, these are perfection! And they make the perfect gift for Valentine's Day!

Homemade Buttermints
makes about 15 dozen mints

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4-1 teaspoon peppermint extract
food coloring

Beat butter in a stand mixer using the paddles attachment until smooth. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and mix on medium speed until candy is smooth. Taste the candy and add more peppermint as needed - the extract is usually quite strong, so start with a small amount and add more in 1/4 teaspoon increments until it meets your taste. Remember, you can always add more mint, but you can't go backwards - a little goes a long way.

Once you have the right flavor, you can add your color and mix until fully combined. The dough will be very thick, but pliable.

To make the mints, the traditional way is to roll the dough into long cylinders and cut 1/4"-1/2" squares off. You can also just roll the dough to about 1/2" and cut out like you would a cookie. Use powdered sugar to cover your workspace and rolling pin to avoid sticking. I used a small heart cutter that I found at the local craft store with the clay supplies. There's no wrong way to cut and design your mints. Once they are cut, just set them on on a cookie sheet to dry for about 24 hours. They will harden on the outside, but the inside will stay nice and smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

To make mint chocolates : Follow the above recipe and simply add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder + 1 teaspoon milk or cream and omit the coloring!

I wanted to give these as little Valentines gifts, so I packaged them up in small cellophane bags and made up this little label for them!

Download the printable label!

Print the labels onto cardstock and cut into 1/4 sheets. Fold and staple over 3"x5" cellophane bags filled with candy. Give and spread joy!

Easy Valentine Gift : Sew Glad We're Friends!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 02:54:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I am excited to put together some sweet little cards and gifts for the people I love most over the next few weeks! The first is this darling little simple sewing kit valentine!

I just love these little inexpensive sewing kits. They are perfect for keeping at your desk or in your purse for an emergency, just a ideal little utilitarian item. I do so love the ability to combine a utilitarian, useful trinket gift with an adorable valentine pun and it was super simple to put together!

This little guy will be making a visit to the other side of the country to show some valentine's love to a friend that I have been missing dearly!

Thriving in 2014 : Recovering from Neurosurgery and Getting Creative.

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 00:16:00 +0000

It's been a really difficult few months, but I really want to focus my intention on not just recovering, but really thriving and growing in 2014. Even though I am a bit behind the ball, I am really excited to start participating in the new Creative Collective that the lovely Melyssa is running. The first project is to make a project of a word that represents your intentions for 2014. Well, this year has started off with a bang for me and it has made me do a lot of thinking about my aspirations for a better year to come.

Last week, I had a neurosurgery to repair an encephalocele (basically a brain hernia into my ear canal). I was hospitalized for a few days and it has been a really difficult process towards healing, but I feel optimistic. I want to focus my year on that optimism and my intentions to heal and grow in new ways this year.

There were a lot of risks and fears before surgery, but I am feeling really fortunate that not only did the surgery go well, but I also have had an amazing out pour of support from the people in my life before and afterwards. Sometimes the hardest things we experience are the things that teach us the most about gratitude and how lucky we are. Had I not had this dark, stressful time, I may not have taken a moment to really step back and see that I am incredibly lucky with the friendships and relationships in my life and those who really step up and are deeply impacted by what I'm experiencing. My husband has also been unbelievably supportive and patient with me through every step of this process. The end result of this surgery will be that I will find new ways to thrive and learn to be happy and healthy.

So, where do I go from here? I want to learn to focus on growing into the strong person that I know I am. I don't want to just live my life, I want to thrive. I want to grow and nurture those important relationships in my life. I also want to nurture my self and focus on self-care and know that it is not selfishness to be strong and take stock of my personal needs. This year, I intent to focus on that growth - on traveling, experiencing, loving, laying roots, caring, and not apologizing.

I bought this frame a few years ago and I have been meaning to make this bulletin board for my craft room, so I am so excited to do that as well as having a lovely place to display this banner! The banner is simple, but made from all sorts of maps reprsenting my hopes for the new year : maps of Portland, Europe, Paris subways, root systems, & a map of the nervous system. I am glad I'll have this up right in front of my sewing desk to remind me always.

I look forward to the 22 other challenges this year! What word represents your hopes for 2014?

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 17:32:00 +0000

2013 was a year of discovery for me. From the moment it started, I was in a process of transition. I learned to let go of my past and redefine myself without many of the things I had grown so attached to. I learned that my sense of self is not defined or shaped mearly by titles and badges that I wear. I also learned that those badges and titles are mine to invent and not anyone else's. I learned that I control my own destiny and I need to start making shit happen.

I traveled to many new places this year. I reached deep and really checked off things that had been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember and in doing this, I chose myself over my fears. There were a lot of ups and downs, but looking back, 2013 was pretty amazing.

Highlights of 2013...
Traveled to New Orleans (a dream of mine for as long as I can remember!) & spent time with a dear friend that I've been missing

Went on my honeymoon to Iceland - saw the Northern Lights, soaked in the Blue Lagoon, and saw some of the most amazing views I've ever seen

Learned a lot about blogging and met some amazing people through it

Reconnected with an old friend and mended a broken friendship

Fostered 2 little kittens - one of which has found a forever home with one of my closest friends!

Got a new tattoo across my back to remind me that the bad times are necessary and only make the good times shine brighter.

Visited Vancouver, B.C.

Held a baby kangaroo

Joined the Portland Preservation Society and found some amazing new friends and endless amounts of inspiration

Found a new job that challenges me in new ways and gave me a chance to give back to the community

Briefly got to met a musician who has had an incredible impact on my life and got to tell her that

Celebrated my first wedding anniversary in the Puget Sound

Harvested lots of amazing food from my garden

Made a dramatic hair change and went red

Turned 30 in the company of many amazing friends

I am looking forward to 2013. Though I am feeling a little intimidated by stepping into this next chapter of unknown, I am optimistic and I want to take the reins!

In 2014, I hope to...

Focus on my health and have a speedy recovery from surgery
Visit more amazing places I've never seen before
Get back to blogging
Possibly find a new home and explore what home means to me
Learn to embrace change more often
Get to a better place with my career and always strive for balance to prioritize myself.
Get more organized

I think my personal theme for 2014 for will be growth and I am ready for it.

Weekly Wishes

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 15:42:00 +0000

I missed a week on the Weekly Wishes, but I am really love the idea of publicly setting goals and I've been really grateful for the sense of community and support that come from this link up, so I am excited to pick back up again!

I set a goal to simply indulge in fall. That is exactly what I did.

I did a little fall crafting and this super fun dollar store skeleton wreath from Southern Scraps & hung it on my office door. I also added a a few more touches in the office with a sparkly skull and apple cider scented reed diffuser...it adds some fall cheer to my daily grind. I spent some time cozied up with a cup of tea (with my amazing mana-tea diffuser!) & I broke out the slow cooker for the first time made some big batches of hot soup to warm the chilly nights. When the rain broke for awhile, it gave me a chance to Saturday afternoon was spent driving out into small towns and beautiful landscapes and picking out the perfect pumpkin at a fall festival complete with hot apple cider. This all really made the changing of the seasons more of a celebration that an end of something.

Next week, I intent to:

Be grateful: Gratitude is a huge theme in my life all the time and I want to keep it at the top of my mind. These past few weeks have been full of a lot of stress and worry for my health. There was a potential brain surgery on the table & I went in for an MRI on Monday, but after a few worry-filled days I found out the results were clear! I've spent enough time on worry these past couple of weeks and I want to move on and celebrate how lucky I am to be ok after that close call.

Create: I haven't been doing very much crafting lately and this week I want to at least just create one new thing. And I want to blog about it. I also hope to amp up and create more content for the blog this week since it's been a bit neglected.

Eliminate extra spending: It's been an adjustment to change jobs and wages and I need to focus on my financial goals. I am going to make a promise to myself this week that I need to cut out all the extra little things and stop eating out and instead work on maintaining and building my savings. I am setting some savings goals that will hopefully allow me to make some of my big travel dreams happen in the next year.

What are you guys planning this week?

Thai Curry Corn Chowder!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 13:19:00 +0000

The air is starting to get a chill and the rainy season is coming in with a vengeance. It's the time of year to cuddle up under blankets with a good book. It's also the time of year to when few things really hit the spot for me like a big warm bowl of soup. Soup is such a versatile thing that is ripe with endless possibilities. Soup season is a time to get creative and find new ways to break out the stockpot and experiment with finding that perfect match up of flavors and textures that just hit that spot right down in your soul.

This week, I happen to have found one of my new favorite comfort foods - Thai style curry corn chowder. It combines two of my greatest loves (classic corn chowder + curry) into a dynamic, spicy, creamy bowl that is sure to warm even the coldest of nights. I will never look at corn chowder the same!

Obviously coconut milk is a tried and true paring for curry because it adds that sweet creaminess that cuts the spice just a bit and makes it balance. Add some sweet corn & potatoes, and you are in for a bowl of magic.

I am sometimes a little overwhelmed by heavy cream-based soups, so I really love that this recipe substitutes the traditional heavy cream in corn chowder for coconut milk and you really don't miss the dairy one bit. The coconut milk creates a beautiful thick, sweet creamy texture when your puree it with the corn and potatoes that is just about identical to the traditional American recipe. It's hearty and filling without being so overwhelming. The fish sauce is added to pair with the curry take the sweet corn and coconut milk flavor down to a more savory and complexly layered flavor in the soup.

Thai Curry Corn Chowder

Makes about 8 servings

6 cups vegetable stock

3 ears of corn (or 4 cups frozen or canned kernals)

1 large russet potato - peeled and diced

1 red pepper - diced

1 small onion - diced

1 can (14oz) coconut milk

1 tablespoon red or green curry paste

1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional - replace with 1 teaspoon hosin sauce or Braggs for a vegan soup)

cilantro & jalapeno to garnish

Cut the corn kernels of the cob (here's a tip to make that a cinch!).

Add your stock to a large pot and bring it up to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan, add butter and saute all your veggies for about 10 minutes until they brown up and get soft.

Add 1/2-3/4 of your vegetables, the coconut milk, fish sauce, and curry to the stock. The fish sauce adds a savory element to the sweet corn and coconut milk, but you can omit that if you want a sweet soup. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Use a stick blender or food processor and blend your soup until you get nice smooth consistency. Add the remaining vegetables to add texture. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and/or jalapenos.

You can also add shrimp or shredded chicken if you'd like, but I found it just perfectly hearty without the meat. It reheats really nicely, so it's a perfect make ahead meal or you can freeze individual portions. Enjoy!

What are your favorite fall/winter comfort foods?

Weekly Wishes : Hello Autumn!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 01:09:00 +0000

Yesterday marks the official day of fall. It has been an amazing summer full of adventures and beautiful moments, but I am really looking forward to quiet fall afternoons cozied up under blankets with a cup of tea. For me, fall also means welcoming the rainy season back to Portland and pulling out my rain boots and pretty umbrellas.

I have been wanting to participate in the amazing Melyssa's weekly wishes link up for awhile now and today seemed like the perfect day to start a new tradition, particularly since this next week's theme is happiness.

This week, I want to embrace the changing of the seasons with open arms. Instead of resisting the end of summer, I want to be excited about the months to come and I want to enjoy all the little things autumn will bring. I want to decorate for Halloween this week and get into the spirit of chilly nights and warm colors. I also want to take the time to decorate my new little office and work and make it a space full of celebration and happiness.

Simple fall pleasures I am looking forward to right now...

fall scents
cardigans & scarves
warm colors and decorations
chai tea
baking season
cozy slippers and blankets
picking the perfect pumpkin
cute umbrellas
dog snuggles
breaking out the crockpot
apple picking
warm pie
cute dog costumes
starting holiday crafting and gift shopping

This week, I am going to embrace all of these lovely things, decorate, and make plans for cute fall activities. It's a really simple thing, but I want to start this season off on the right foot!

What are you guys looking forward to about fall?

Wedding Detail: "Take Care" Basket

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 16:24:00 +0000

One of the things that I value at a party is that my guests are happy & comfortable. In order to be able to do that and make sure any need that could arise was covered, I decided to make a little "take care" basket for my guests. It was one of my favorite little details for the day and it was simple to put together with a big impact on making guests feel welcomed and cared for.

Nothing is worse than being at a lovely event, but having a nagging problem that you just can't fix, so we tried our best to cover everything from aching feet to broken nails.

The basket was simple. It was an old picnic basket that I linked with pretty lace and made a little banner on the front that said "take care" with some cute little bird cut outs. The contents are really anything that you think would make your guests most comfortable at your event.

Here is what was inside:
-bug spray
-sunscreen
-several pairs of flip flops
-paper fans
-hand sanitizer
-a collection of medicines (I used a collection from Help Remedies because their packaging is darling and they offer everything from allergy tabs to blister pads)
-a stain stick
-a small first aid kit
-nail files

It was a big hit and most importantly I think it really sent a message of caring and support to our guests.

Wedding Detail: DIY Painted Wedding Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 22:09:00 +0000

One of my very favorite details of the wedding was my shoes. I really wanted to take my simple white shoes and turn them into something unique and special that would be a little added surprise when I walked down the isle. I decided to enlist the help of my amazing artist husband to be and made these really simple, but amazing custom wedding shoes!

All you need:

A pair of shoes of your choice : canvas or satin will work best

a pencil

an oil based paint pen

acrylic paint & brush

This is kind of a percarious task, it takes a little bit of gusto to just go ahead and just do it and paint on those beautiful shoes, but you have to just dive right in! I chose simple and inexpensive shoes because I really felt like rather than splurging on fancy shoes, I wanted my WOW to be in the personalization and it made me less nervous to make a mistake ;)

We started by using pencil to outline the design. In our case, we kept it simple with the heart and banner that matched our theme and was kind of reminecient of classic tattoo art that I love. The heart was filled in with a simple inexpensive acrylic art paint. Next, we used the paint pen to outline and write the text out. We found that the paint pen was the easiest way to get a nice fine controlled line.

That's it! Its actually quite simple to make some amazing showstopper shoes that reflect your personality!

Do they last and hold up? I don't really know. I can't promise that if you wore them many times or took a dip into a deep puddle that they wouldn't run, but they are perfect for that one special wear.

How I Had the Wedding of My Dreams for Less than $5,000 : Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 14:24:00 +0000

Yesterday, I shared a bit of the ways that I was able to balance my budget for an amazing wedding for a small fraction of what the average wedding costs. I really believe that you can have an amazing wedding with any budget.

Photography

We scored a groupon for our photobooth. I was going to try to DIY one to save money, but in the end, I am really glad we splurged a little to have it just taken care of and the photos were so special to me.
Plus it gave our friends a bunch of ridiculous props to play with throughout the night

I also was able to find a great photographer who was able to make a special package for me once I told her my budget. We decided to limit our time with the professional to save money - she did our official family & couple portraits, the ceremony, and then just the first bit of the reception. We also asked some of our talented photographer friends to try to take some shots and focus more on the fun candids from the reception. We ended up with so many amazing and beautiful photos.

Favors
I am really big on gratitude. For me, the wedding was not only about my husband and I, but also about our friends and family that had supported us and taught us how to love...without them, we wouldn't really be what we are as a couple. I wanted the wedding to be about showing them gratitude and celebrating them as well as our marriage, so the little touches of favors were a big deal to me.

We did favors in two ways, the first was that as soon as the guests arrived, I wanted to set the tone of fun, playfulness, and appreciation. I decided to get a water ice cart to come out and serve treats to the guests as they arrived. In case you don't know, water ice (you say it "wooter ice") is a Philadephia version of italian ice - it's like if sorbet and sno cones had a baby, it would be water ice. It was not only a treat to my guests, but also an homage to where I grew up. We had little wooden spoons stamped with our initials to serve with it. Our guests loved it.

The other favor was jam. Obviously if you read this blog, you probably know that canning is near and dear to my heart so it seemed only logical. Rather than make 70 small jars of jam on my own, I reached out to a few friends who I had taught to can and they each agreed to make a couple dozen jars that summer for me. It was a really lovely way to have them participate and celebrate a shared love. I printed custom little "spread the love" jar toppers for each one and put them out for the guests to take.

Flowers

I like flowers, they are pretty, but they are so expensive and they die so quickly so I just couldn't justify putting much into a floral budget. I had an amazing contact that is a florist, so he took me to the wholesale floral market the day before the wedding and we just bought some inexpensive wildflowers in our colors. I stocked up on mason jars & pretty miscellaneous vintage glassware before the wedding and my mother took on the project of making mixed bouquets to put around our tables. Nothing about it was very preplanned, but the results were lovely.

Rentals & Thrifting
Always be sure to ask your venue what kind of rentals are included! Renting chairs, tables, linens, and so on can really add up quickly and can take a huge chunk of the budget. We were lucky to have a great budget venue with ample tables and chairs that came with it, so I know that saved us quite a bit in the long run. We also opted to buy inexpensive linens and then resell them after the wedding, which saved me about $75.

I am a thrift store addict and I gave myself a lot of time to plan in part so that I had time to identify what kinds of things I wanted for the wedding and get great deals on them. I was also so lucky to be have Something Borrowed in my city. I was able to get tons of amazing vintage style details without having to buy all of it. The key was getting creative and thinking about how to use simple, inexpensive items and make them part of a special display. We used vintage books to add height to the dessert table and an old suitcase to hold the plates and cutlery.

Music

Instead of a DJ, Bryan and I created a Spotify playlist for dinner and dancing, borrowed a PA system, and asked a groomsman to be our MC and take care of the music for us. I was worried about this a little, but it ended up being amazing! The songs that were played were exactly the offbeat things that we both loved, there wasn't a stranger being really cheesy and asking us to do the YMCA, and it was awesome!

DIY
A lesson I've learned - DIY doesn't always mean cheaper. If you are going to spend 10 hours and $10 on supplies rather than $15 for something premade, that might not be worth it. Sometimes the handmade details are the most special, but there is only so much one bride can do. I tried very hard to pick my handmade details very carefully. I am sure that there were plenty of things on my Pintrest list that I thought I couldn't live without that just didn't happen and I didn't notice one bit. The handmade details that we did focus on were absolutely perfect and made our day more special. I will share a few of my favorites later this week.

Grand Total : >$5K

That's it! Event planning has a lot of things that go into it and it can be overwhelming, but in the end, when we were really thoughtful about each and every piece of the puzzle and we had clear priorities, we had an amazing wedding for a fraction of what might be expected. Again, I am not sharing this all to gloat or talk about money, but instead to just offer a little perspective and share what I've learned.

How I Had the Wedding of My Dreams for Less than $5,000 : Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 00:37:00 +0000

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm really excited to share a bit about my wedding. Even though it was a year ago, it was still a really amazing important memory that I'll always hold with me and I treasure every little detail about it.

I thought maybe I would just be really bold and start by talking about money & budget . Money is a hard thing to talk about, it's something we kind of all try to keep to ourselves and I know that there is a lot of complications around the subject related to socioeconomic class structures and just even around individual morals. I am not trying to minimize those things, but a good budget is just a key to any event. And really I think it's something most brides struggle with. I genuinely believe you don't need a lot of money to have an amazing wedding...or an amazing life for that matter.

The average wedding in the US costs over $25,000. That just was not a reality that I could afford nor feel that I wanted. I'm frugal and I have a lot of other priorities to consider. Instead, after a lot of hard work, I was able to have the wedding of my dreams, give my guests an awesome time, AND spend only a fraction of that. Sure, we probably could have spent more or we could have spent a lot less, but that budget is what worked for us.

The most wonderful thing that I learned in our budget wedding planning process was how important clearly defining our goals and priorities for our wedding was. There are so many sources of inspiration, so many things to buy, so much pushing you in many different directions when you are planning a wedding, but by having our priorities written out I was able to avoid those traps and keeping myself sane. It was sort of like writing a mission statement of the wedding. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, had trouble deciding on something, or just felt a little stuck - I referred back to our priorities and asked myself if my choices were aligning with them and if not, then I didn't need it.

I also learned that you should use what you have! Let your amazing and talented friends and family do what they are good at! Let go of the control and just realize how special it is to have their participation - in doing so, we got some amazing invitations, thoughtful handmade favors, beautiful decor, gorgeous hair and makeup, and an rad one of a kind manatee cake topper as a gift from my friends!

Here is the basic breakdown and where our costs were and how I saved money:

Venue

The venue is the biggest challenge, it will set the mood for the event and also set your budget in many ways. We wanted to find a venue that was outdoors, had space for both ceremony & reception (to save $ and stress over having two spaces), had a flexible policy on food and didn't require certain caterers, and also didn't break the bank. Not a very easy task, but this is the thing I probably put the most time into researching and it really paid off for us.

We found an amazing venue that was just a bit outside of the city, so it was much more affordable than most of the other venues we looked at & it also had a special amount of charm that I really wanted. I also loved that it was a B&B so our families and friends could spend the night and celebrate our first day as a married couple the next day. As an added bonus, it came with all the tables and chairs we would need for the reception which probably saved me hundreds in rental costs.

As an added bonus: there were llamas.

Invitations
My husband is an artist, so I asked him to design our save the dates. He made these amazing little cards and I scored a groupon for vistaprint, so we decided to just turn them into magnets so our friends could just toss them on the fridge and really save the date. With the groupon, we got 100 of these for $20.

I learned a very important lesson - if you have a friend who is amazing at something, let them help! For our invitations, I enlisted the help of one of my talented friends. I told her that instead of a gift, all I wanted was for her awesome creativity to be part of our day. She designed our invites and printed them onto simple and inexpensive cardstock and they were lovely. We skipped the RSVP cards in favor of an RSVP on our wedding website which saved some postage and some sanity.

Ceremony
For the ceremony, we kept it really simple. I lined the isles with cute little pinwheels to add color and a bit of playfulness. At each seat, was a "goodie bag" - complete with a hand drawn comic/program, candy, bubbles, and a drink ticket.

We aren't religious, so instead of paying a few hundred dollars to hire a stranger to be our officiant, we asked a friend to get ordained online and do it for free. It was more special that way because I felt so surrounded with people I adored when I said "I do."

Dinner
This is a huge part of any party budget and it was important to us. We knew we didn't want to pay $30 per person for a boring plate of chicken and we wanted the food to be really special to us.

We live in Portland, a city known for the food cart scene and that is something we both really love, so the answer was pretty obvious to us. We choose one of my favorite food carts, Koi Fusion, to serve dinner. It was a really fun treat for our guests to be able to customize and order whatever they wanted and it also took care of all the special food needs (vegan, gluten-free, my picky eater of sister, etc) & gave the guests an activity and allowed them to serve themselves. The best part was that we got our costs down from the traditional catering cost of $30+ per person down to less than $7 per person while still having an amazing meal.

To keep the line in check, we had them make up a bunch of tacos & a bowl of kimchi, so that our guests could grab and eat right away (which ended up being inadvertently great for the budget because the tacos were so much cheaper than other menu items and many guests just got hooked on those). We also DIY-ed some appetizers and snacks. We got an amazing cheese selection from Trader Joes for less than $20. Also from Trader Joes, we got a few packages of broccoli slaw mix and just added their peanut sauce dressing and some raisins & peanuts to make a fresh side dish for $10. Chips & salsa are an easy super cheap addition.

Dessert

For dessert, we didn't get a fancy $500 cake, instead we opted for cupcakes from my favorite cupcake shop because a) they are amazing and I'm really into cupcakes and b) they don't require any cake cutting service or extra plates. We did have the cupcake shop make a small cake just so we could show off our cute manatee cake topper made for us by a talented friend and get the whole "cutting the cake experience". I like dessert a lot, so in addition to the cupcakes, we added some variety to create more of a dessert buffet. We ordered several dozen of Portland's famous Voodoo Doughnuts in all of their amazing & weird varieties. They even let us special order a bride and groom and custom heart doughnut. A little outside the box perhaps, but every one of our guests loved, it felt like us, it and it saved us a bunch over traditional wedding cake.

Drinks

We struggled with the bar a little. I wanted our guests to feel treated and like they were able to party down, but I also wanted to stick the my budget. In the end, we decided to do drink tickets, but to make them really special and cute. We got tiny key charms and attached a note about it being the "key to your first drink on us" & then got a little nerdy by putting a T.A.R.D.I.S. on the bar for our guests to put their key into. We also went with beer & wine only because it was less expensive for set up. I worried a lot about this, but in the end everyone had a good time and my friends ponied up a few bucks (or did some pre-gaming in the parking lot, who am I to judge?) to get drunk and understood that we had a budget and we all had a good time.

For non-booze, we had 3 kinds of beverages (cucumber water, lavender lemonade, and iced tea) in big self serve pitchers and had some metal ice buckets full of water and cute sodas to match our wedding colors.

Attire

I really thought this would not be an area I would splurge on. I really like cute clothes, but I am really frugal - pretty much all of my clothes come from thrift stores and I generally hate to spend more than $20 on any one thing. I looked and looked for used dress and I did not find the perfect one, so in the end I spent $500 + some altering on a new dress that I fell in love with that really fit my style and the feel of the wedding. I know $500 is on the low end of the world of wedding dresses, but it seemed insane to me. I am really glad I went a bit out of my comfort zone on this one though because as a plus sized woman with some body issues, it was really amazing to find the exact right thing that made me feel beautiful and I never once worried about the way I looked or posing for photos. Money well spent.

We didn't pay for much of our wedding party attire, instead we kept an open mind and let go of the need to have the matchy matchy styles...or even the even wedding parties for that matter (I had 5, he had 3) and we were really supported with that choice. We asked his groomsmen to wear grey parts with a white button-down (figuring they all had at least one of both of those things anyway) and we bought matching ties and suspenders online for all of them. I wanted my bridesmaids to feel comfortable and to be themselves, so I let them pick whatever they wanted to wear. I told them to pick something teal and they all choose things that fit their style and their budget.

Along the same lines, I had two of my gorgeous friends take care of hair and makeup. They both did amazing things with their own style, so I asked them if they might consider doing the same for my big day. I had a pre-wedding wine and hang out session with each of them to test some things out so we were ready and then on my wedding day I felt so lucky to be so absolutely surrounded with people I loved and trusted so much.

...stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow! <3

One year

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 01:30:00 +0000

This weekend, I celebrated my one year wedding anniversary!

It's been an incredibly hectic few weeks for both of us, so Bryan & I took a trip to the Puget Sound to explore some cute little towns and just get away. It's been a really wonderful weekend and a nice reminder of how lucky I am to be married to my best friend. We have been together a total of over 7 years and although marriage hasn't really changed us much, there is a nice comfort in it and a year is still a very special milestone for our relationship.

I have been meaning to post things about our wedding on the blog for a long time, but it just seemed like the longer I waited, the less relevant it would all be. So maybe this is the perfect excuse and a perfect way to celebrate one year. This week will be my wedding week on the blog, I am just going to share a few of my favorite lessons, DIY projects, and budget tips in the hope that it might inspire others in the same way that all of the amazing wedding bloggers inspired me!

Zucchini Recipe Round-up

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 16:21:00 +0000

It's time for the last harvests of summer! I'm finding myself knee deep in a few of my big producers - zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers! It's lovely. I adore each of these amazing things and I'm passionate about eating in season, but what to do with all that zucchini? How do I take it beyond the boring old zucchini bread route and really make use of this incredible vegetable? Here is a round up of my favorite recipes from around the web!

sweet zucchini pancakes

grilled zucchini tacos

zucchini cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

zucchini & goat cheese stuffed mushrooms

zucchini noodle salad with spicy peanut sauce

curried pickled zucchini
(I made these last week and they are lovely!)

italian style zucchini cups

zucchini latkes

baked zucchini chips

black bean & zucchini quesadillas

What is your favorite way to use zucchini?

Bloggers Give Back Giveaway! Win a donation to your favorite charity!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 15:37:00 +0000

I am so thrilled to be able to participate in this amazing giveaway that was put together by the lovely Lesley at By the Porchlight! Being an employee of a non-profit organization & an avid volunteer with the humane society, I can honestly tell you that every single dollar counts and can make a major difference. I can't wait to find out which amazing charities you all would support!

It's no secret that bloggers are amongst the most caring, giving people on the internet. However, sometimes our budgets don't allow us to donate as much to our favorite charities as we'd like. Well, here's a unique giveaway that gives you the opportunity to do just that - donate a bunch of money to a charity of your choice! One lucky winner will have a donation of $120 USD (or equivalent) made to the charity of their choice in their name!

The giveaway entries work just like any other around the blogosphere but this time all of the money donated by our wonderful sponsors will serve a greater purpose!

Please take a minute to check out the giveaway sponsors and their favorite charities below.

Learn about World Wildlife Fund

Learn about The Girl Effect

Learn about Cause for Paws Utah

Learn about Ottawa Humane Society

Learn about Alzheimer Society of Canada

Learn about St. Jude's Children's Hospital

Learn about Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research

Learn about Make a Wish Foundation

Learn about Humane Society of USA

Learn about Girls on the Run International

Learn about RAINN

Learn about Chai Lifeline

Learn about GLAAD

Learn about Mollie's Dream TNR

Enter below for a chance to have $120 donated in your name to your favorite charity! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Boysenberry & Greek Yougurt Popcicles

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Boysenberries are a cross between a blackberry, raspberry, and loganberry...and they are delicious. They are sweet with a delicate complex flavor. They don't have the same kind of acidity that you'd expect from a raspberry or blackberry and they are really unique and have a flavor all their own. How have I lived 29 years without discovering these beautiful berries?

I decided that the perfect accompaniment to these lovely berries would be a touch of greek yogurt. The natural tartness & beautiful thick creamy texture were perfect with the sweet, fresh flavor of the boysenberry. As an added bonus, greek yogurt adds a great punch of calcium and protein to this sweet summer dessert.

Here's what you need:

1 pint fresh or frozen boysenberries

1 cup of yogurt (I used non-fat vanilla greek yogurt)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Toss the berries in a blender with the sugar & water. Blend until smooth. Stain the juice from the seeds using a mesh strainer or a foodmill.
At this point, you could just add all the yogurt for a quick and lovely pop, but I decided to add it in layers to get a beautiful ombre effect.

For an ombre effect:

Fill the mold about 1/3 of the way with pure boysenberry puree & let freeze fro about 15+minutes.

Stir half the yogurt into the berries and fill another 1/3 of the way full, freeze for about 10 minutes (if you are using a mold that has a base on the stick like this you don't want to let this layer fully freeze because you need to add your stick through it when you add the last layer)

Add the remaining yogurt to the puree and pour your top 1/3 layer.

Add the sticks and freeze for at least 3-5 hours.

Remove from the mold and enjoy!

Jam Sessions: Ginger Blueberry Butter

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 14:55:00 +0000

Late July & early August is blueberry season in the Pacific NW. Fresh picked blueberries in the peek of season are heaven to me. The simple pleasure of making blueberry muffins or just sitting on my patio and apologetically eating an entire pint of blueberries are a special part the joys of summer for me.

This year, I decided to try something a little different with my blueberry haul - blueberry butter. It's something I've been curious about for awhile and I'm glad I finally tried it. By taking pureed berries and cooking them for hours with ginger and sugar, it transforms the traditional blueberry experience. Blueberry butter is a deep, rich sauce-like condiment that is a perfect accompaniment to cheeses or ice cream and also lends itself beautifully to meat marinades. It is also really easy to make.

You will need:

5 cups washed blueberries (about 2 or 3 pints)

1/4 cup lemon juice

2-3 cups of sugar

3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger*

Puree your berries in a blender or with an immersion blender. Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and mix. Cook on high for 6-12 hours, stirring occasionally and leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. The longer you cook your butter, the thicker it will become, so the cooking time is entirely based on your preference.

Once you have reached your desired consistency, you can ladle into hot, sterilized jars and process in a hot waterbath canner for 10 minutes.

*The spices that go into blueberry butter are entirely up to you. I chose ginger to brighten the blueberry flavor and give it a bit of zing, but make what you like to eat. By adding 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon of cloves will transform your butter to that traditional beloved fall flavor similar to traditional apple butters. You could also experiment with curry, pepper, cardamom, or anise to make something completely your own.

30 before 30 : Update

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 22:33:00 +0000

I have just about 4 months left before my 30th birthday and my 30 before 30 list is going really well and I figured it was a good time to revisit it and update.

It has been an amazing few months since I started this list. I did some truly amazing things that I had been dreaming of my whole life (like seeing the northern lights in Iceland!) and it reminds me that I sometimes really need to let myself dream bigger and really take risks to make those dreams a reality. At the same time, it's a way for me to celebrate the little things like a new tattoo or refinishing the prefect desk.

Here's a little update:
~~1. See New Orleans~~ - check!
~~2. Eat an authentic New Orleans poboy (& also try either crawfish or alligator)~~ - check!
~~3. Go on a swap tour~~ - check!
~~4. Travel outside of the US~~ - check - Iceland & Canada!
5. See the Northern Lights - check!
6. Soak in the Blue Lagoon - check!
7. Say "yes" to new adventures and experiences - always a work in progress, but I think I am doing pretty well so far!
~~8. Find a new job that makes me happy and leaves room for a work/life balance~~ - I have taken a position in a non-profit eldercare organization as of July 1 & I am really enjoying my work!
9. Continue writing this blog - I know that I've been a little behind on how often I update, but I adore this blog and I adore the people it has allowed me to meet, so I am not giving up ;)
~~10. Refinish my new desk~~ - check!
11. Try more recipes that intimidate me
~~12. Get another tattoo~~ - check!
13. Get my craft room fully organized - so close! More work this weekend!
~~14. Make an effort to declutter my life~~ - Several carloads of Goodwill donations have been made as well as a massive yardsale. I am going to continue this project to create better habits!
15. Work on connecting more with my sister
16. Be better about keeping in touch with people & sending mail
~~17. Grow at least one new thing in the garden that I've never tried before~~ - This year, I am trying a few different radishes, carrots, and pattypan squash.
18. Finish an embroidery project
19. Pay off all my outstanding medical debts
20. Design and create a ton of custom jar labels for all the canned goods I have made
21. Continue doing the 52 Lists Project - I love this project! I hope it comes back soon!
22. Attend GeekGirlCon 2013
23. Keep working on maintaining my savings account balance - I have been rocking it. It's a huge deal for me to say that I have been accomplishing this through a bout of unemployment, travel splurges, and a new job!
~~24. Visit Vancouver, B.C.~~ - check!
25. Go bungee jumping - I really hope to plan this soon!
26. Express my gratitude for the people in my life more often - a never ending quest, but I feel like I've been really focused.

27. Start an Etsy shop for some of my thrifting finds
~~28. Volunteer more often & take on more fosters -~~ check!
29. Be less afraid of the unknown
30. Plan an awesome 30th birthday party

My life has changed so dramatically since the day I turned 29, I have lost a job & started a new one, made some amazing new friends, created beautiful things, saw places I've only dreamed up, and I've learned so much about myself in the process. It's been a series of ups and downs, but I am really excited about where I go from here.

Jam Sessions: Pickling Basics : Spicy Pickled Asparagus!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:18:00 +0000

Let's talk about pickles, shall we? Pickling is the act of perserving food using a high acid vinegar solution. Pickling is really easy. If you have never canned before, pickling is a great first project because it not very temperamental & it's pretty close to fool proof. You can pickle just about anything your heart desires - fruit, veggies, eggs, shrimp...ALL THE THINGS! Let's focus more on the simple veggies and fruit pickling today though!

Pickling requires 3 basic things:
1. Vegetable or fruit to pickle - cucumber, asparagus, cherries, etc
2. Pickling liquid - generally a mix of vinegar with water, perhaps also sugar
3. Seasoning - additives that pack the flavor, mostly herbs or garlic

There are a ton of variations on each one of these components, but you will generally find all of these parts in each pickle recipe. There are two methods of pickling and each recipe varies on which one to use. The first is the hot-pack method which involves heating food and putting it in the jar while hot - this menthod expels the air from the food and allows a tighter pack in the jar. The other is the raw-pack method or cold-pack method which, as you may have guessed, involves not heating the food prior to packing it in the pickling liquid.

The process is pretty basic and the same no matter what you are picking:
1. Sterilize jars & prep your vegetables or fruits (clean & cut them to fit the jars and heat them if hot packing)
2. Put your seasonings in each jar
3. Add vegetables/fruit
4. Fill with hot pickling liquid
5. Process in hot waterbath

Once you have these steps down, you can pretty much pickle anything. You could also even skip the last step and make refrigerator pickles.

Oh, one more note about pickling! All vinegars are not created equally. Each time of vinegar has a different acidity level (white vinegar is much more acidic than champagne vinegar for example), so always use the type called for in your recipe.

Got it? Great! On with the recipe!

I love asparagus! Spring and early summer are the perfect times to find these little spheres of deliciousness at your local farmers market or in the grocery store. When you get tired of roasting or grilling them (but really, how could you get tired of that?), try making them into easy pickles! I like a spicy pickle, but feel free to omit the pepper flakes if that is not your think. The herbs added to a pickle can be customized safely.

Spicy Pickled Asparagus

Liquid ratio: 2 cups white vinegar to 1 cup water.
Depending on how many jars you are filling you will need more or less of this liquid mixture.

Per Jar:
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 sprig fresh dill (or 1/2 dill seeds)
1/4 tsp salt

1) Wash, snap and trim your asparagus to fit into the size of you jars (I'm using half-pints). Peal the garlic cloves and have them ready to go.

2) Sterilize your jars by dipping them in boiling water for about 5 minutes or use your dishwasher's

3) This recipe calls for raw packing, so snatch up your hot jars and put in all the spices, peppers and garlic at the bottom. Next, pack them with the asparagus, pack as tightly as you can.

4) Once that is done add the liquid heated to just pre-boil, or boil in a large pot on stove (careful - that gas is not something you want to breath in!). Pour vinegar and water mixture over the asparagus leaving just about 1/2 inch head-space (meaning don't fill all the way up leave 1/2 inch).

5)Heat the right amount of lids in boiling water on the stove, when they are ready place them on the jars and screw on the rings. Process in a waterbath canner for 10 minutes.

6) Remove from canner and place on a counter to let them cool. Wait at least 2 weeks for the pickling juices to take effect and enjoy!

10 Flea Market Tips & Tricks

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 19:24:00 +0000

One thing I often miss about living on the east coast is the abundance of flea markets...every weekend you had multiple flea markets in PA or NJ to choose from and they all were filled with gems and deals to be had. When I was a little girl, my mom would always take us with her to the flea markets on the weekend and it was something I always looked forward to. It was my mother that really taught me the art of the flea market deal & the thrill of the chase. Now that I live in Oregon, we sadly don't really have those amazing weekly flea markets. We do, however, have one that happens two weekends a year and I look forward to it every time!

This weekend was one of those rare & coveted weekends and I had an amazing time with my favorite yard sale co-pilot! Between the two of us, we scored a hodgepodge of really cool items and we had a really fun day of exploring the piles of treasures. I came home with a strange mix that included vintage posters, art supplies, a seal vertebrae bone, an old metal test tube rack, & a collection of Star Trek ornaments.

I thought it might be nice to share my top 10 favorite insider tips to having a successful flea market trip...

Wear comfortable shoes. It's a lot of walking around, so get ready for it and dress for the part. The more comfortable you are, the more focused you can be.

Choose your companions thoughtfully. This may sound a little odd, but if you are going to shop with friends, it’s important to pick a flea market buddy that can match your stamina. You should try to decide in advance if you want to leisurely peruse for an hour or if you want to go all in and spend hours digging through every booth. If you go on your treasure hunt with someone who’s expectations are not at all like yours, you are both in store for a rough day. I am always up for hours of digging and I need to look at every single booth, so I’ve learned who in my life can hang with that and who will hate me at the end of it. I consider myself pretty lucky to have an amazing friend that I often refer to as my “yard sale soulmate” because we are perfectly matched on our yard sale aspirations & stamina.

Bring an extra bag. I like to bring a messenger bag that can be thrown over my shoulder and loaded up so that the weight of my buys is easier to carry and I also bring another smaller bag that is easy to carry (a tote bag with long handles or one of those lightweight backpack totes are perfect) so that I can keep buying without being too weighted down with the purchases. If the flea market is on even ground like asphalt or inside, you might even consider a rolling suitcase or cart to avoid carrying anything. I have one like this for just such an occasion.

Bring small bills and change. Cash is king at the flea market and the ATMs there will have huge fees, so come prepared. Making exact change is always helpful for the sellers. Plus, if you are going to haggle a price from $3 to $1, don't be the jerk who then ask for change for a fifty.

Get ready to haggle. A lot of vendors price items a little higher to leave room to haggle and if you have a price in mind that you want to pay, it doesn't hurt to ask. Bundling items is also a great idea - if the seller has multiple things you are interested in, ask what they could do on the price if you bought all of them or make an offer. It helps the seller move more items and you get a great deal.

Be nice. No really, be nice to the vendors & make a connection. If you walk up to their booth with a big smile and say hello to them, more often than not, they will be much more opened to making you a good deal. It's human nature to be a bit more generous with people we like.

Timing is everything. There are pros and cons to the time of day you go to the flea market. If you are the first wave of people there, you get the first pick of the goods and may find more gems, but the sellers will likely be a bit more firm on higher prices. As the day goes on, later shoppers may find that things are a bit more picked over, but sellers are much more interested in moving items that saying firm on prices, so you are likely to get a great deal.

Watch out of knock offs. Don't get me wrong, I won't judge you for getting that really cute purse that says "Coach" on the tag for $20 if you just like the way it looks, but don't think for a minute that it is really Coach. There are fakes of almost everything from MAC makeup to vintage reproductions at the flea market. Just be aware of it and check the quality of the items carefully before you buy.

Think outside the box. If you find something that catches your eye, but you hate the color, you can always repaint it. If the glass for that beautiful frame is missing, maybe it would make a great art piece or boarder for a bulletin board. Be open minded because you never know what you will find at the flea market.

Most importantly, have fun! Enjoy being outside and learn new things about history through the items you find. Sometimes you hit score after score and sometimes you come home empty handed, but if you set yourself up to have an adventure instead of creating a rigid agenda of must haves, you are sure to have the perfect flea market day!

What are your favorite flea market tips? Have you found anything amazing lately?

Liebster Award : Probably More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Me!

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 20:53:00 +0000

The always lovely & inspiring Sarah @ Exploring Woods nominated me for a Liebster Award! I can't say no to a list and I really love the idea of the Liebster, so here we go!

If you aren't familiar with the Liebster Award, it recognizes new and upcoming bloggers with less than 200 registered readers who deserve some kind of recognition and support for their contribution.

In order to accept this prestigious award, one must abide by a list of rules. Here they are:
Each person must list 11 things about themselves.
Answer the 11 questions that the tagger has set for you PLUS you MUST create 11 questions of your own for the 11 people you will nominate with this award, which brings me to rule
Choose up to 11 bloggers linking them to your post.
Go to their page and inform them of the nomination.

11 random facts about me:

1. I really like Dr. Who...like so much so that our wedding party walked down the isle to the Dr. Who theme song.

2. There was a brief point in my childhood where I wanted to be a llama when I grew up. My mother loves to tell that story to people. Then I wanted to be a veterinarian, but as an adult I realized that career involved too much poop and blood to be realistic for me.

3. I'm a tornado of clutter. I can't help it. I've been working on being better and getting more organized. My husband is amazing at wrangling it all in so that our house isn't a disaster all the time, but if we clean on the weekend, I will create a mess by Wednesday. I have to remind myself a lot when I yard sale that there is a fine line between treasure hunting and hoarding.

4. I don't really love photos of myself, but I can't resist an old fashioned photobooth.

5. I really love fancy pens. A good pen makes me want to write lists and fill up pages and it's so much more gratifying when I do. If I can't find a good pen, it kind of bothers me to be using a regular ballpoint in my beloved day planner. My favorite are Papermate flairs.

6. I don't want to have children. It's just something that has never appealed to me and I'm also not very good at interacting with them...probably for that reason.

7. Growing up, my mom never used spices in her food, so my first experiences with herbs and spices only happened once I moved out on my own. Now, I am always super excited about trying new herbs in the garden or adding new spices to our overflowing spice shelf.

8. I don't like garlic. Sad, but true.

9. I still have a PA/Jersey accent sometimes and I really hope it never goes away. It tends to come out more when I'm drunk. I can't say "dog" without the "w".

10. When planning a vacation (of just dreaming of one), I often plan around what kind of animals I will get to see or interact with. For our 5th dating anniversary, Bryan and I drove 6 hours just to hold a baby tiger. Worth it.

11. I over-explain things frequently.

Sarah's questions for me...
1. If you drink, what's your all time favorite drink?
Oh! This is hard! My go to is a vodka-7 or a vodka soda. If I'm feeling fancy, I love infused vodkas with a splash of soda. My favorite beers are Pyramid Apricot Ale & McMennamins Ruby Ale.
2. Are you growing any plants inside or out?
I am growing so many plants! I have a massive container garden on my deck, a few small beds with tomatoes, rosemary, and cucumbers out front, and 3 beds on the side. We also have some raspberry and blackberry bushes around the house. The harvests are starting up right about now!
3. What would you bring in your picnic basket?
Good question! I adore summer picnics. I love caprese salad this time of year with the fresh tomatoes and basil in the garden, so that would definitely be there. I would also bring fresh fruit, sweet tea, sandwiches (my favorite is goat cheese, ham, and fig jam!), and maybe something sweet like homemade cookies or cupcakes.
4. What's the last book you read?

I wish I read more books! I often pick a book up and start to read it and never finish. The last book I read was A New Orleans Voudou Priestess by Carolyn Morrow Long - it's an interesting read about the legend and life of Marie Laveau. I was inspired to read more about her life after my trip to New Orleans and it was pretty amazing.
5. What color is your bathroom?
We rent, so we left our bathroom the beige color it was when we moved it and instead spruced it up with a nautical themed collection of paintings, ships, and a bright green diver shower curtain.
6. Favorite mythical creature?
Probably a Phoenix. There is just something so beautiful about their mythology and rising from the ashes and all that. Life lesson to be learned?
7. Early riser or night owl?
I'm an early riser! Even when I am not working, I am always up no later than 8 am. I feel like I just get the most done in the early mornings and I love that.
8. What's a word or phrase you use a lot?
Rad, lovely, & dude.
9. Current desk top picture?

At home - this adorable July calendar & at work - a photo of my dog snuggling with a baby goat on my lap*

10. Do you like watching and or playing sports? If so, what's your favorite?

Not really. When I was little, I was tomboy and a daddy's girl so I would go to Phillies games and I played softball for a few years in middle school. I was also on a kickball team a couple of years ago and that was fun, drunken silliness...but I am not really a sporty kind of girl.

11. If you had to choose between a million dollars and the ability to fly, which would it be?
Oh! So hard! If I could fly, I could travel without needing a million dollars and it would just be amazing. I guess though, I would choose the million dollars so that I could travel AND own a dreamy house.

*My work desktop photo.

I nominate these amazing bloggers:

My Life South of the Mason Dixon

And here are the 11 questions for you guys:

1. If you could have any super power, what would it be?

2. What was your favorite book as a child?

3. What is your favorite thing that you've ever made?

4. Who would you say is one of your greatest inspirations?

5. If you could have trade lives with one person for one day, who would you choose?

6. What is your idea of a perfect Saturday?

7. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

8. Favorite ice cream flavor?

9. Where do you most want to travel to?

10. Why did you pick the city/town that you live in?

11. What song do you blast to pick yourself up out of a bad mood?

Thanks for thinking for me Sarah! And thank you all for sitting through a little self-indulgent blog session! <3

A New Tattoo & A New Outlook

noreply@blogger.com (New Wave Domesticity) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 22:05:00 +0000

It has been a huge couple of weeks for me. I started a new job & it feels a little like a new chapter of my life is about to start. It's a bit intimidating, but my coworkers are lovely and I am full of hope and optimism about what it will hold for me. I've never worked in the non-profit world before and it hold it's own challenges, but I am absolutely ready to be part of an organization that makes a difference for the community. That explains my absence from the blog for a bit, but I am doing my best to find new footing and find the balancing act.

This week seemed like the perfect time to add some art to my skin as well. I am really excited about my lovely new tattoo. It still has another session for shading and touches of color, but I am absolutely in love with it.

My tattoos are the story of who I am. Each piece represents something significant about where I was, where I am, or where I hope to be. I've been thinking about getting this new tattoo for awhile now and this week seemed perfectly fitting to have it done. It's inspired by my favorite Dolly Parton quote: "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”

This tattoo is a reminder that life is going to have a lot of rainy days and even quite a few thunderstorms that knock us down, but it's the beautiful calmness and the amazing miraculous things after the storms that are what make life so worth living. The rain is sometimes necessary and when it breaks, the most amazing things can happen. It's a source of hope. When I left my previous position at the beginning of this year, I felt really lost and hopeless, but the past few months have been some of the most amazing months of my life. I needed that storm to see that.

I am getting settled into a new schedule and I will be getting back in the swing of the blog-o-sphere very soon, but I want to thank all of you so much for following, commenting, and always offering your support and encouragement - you all are absolutely part of that rainbow after the storm. <3