Happy Fourth of July!

Hope you have a lovely weekend with friends, family, fireworks, and food (how about that alliteration, huh?)!!!!

 

Be safe out there and enjoy your long weekend!

 

❤️ The Blue Typewriter

 

100 Happy Days — Week 1

Well, I sure picked a hard week to start the 100 Happy Days challenge! But that's the challenge, right? to find something that makes you happy even though you're stressed out the door, have an extra heavy work load, and a dead treadmill....

Day 1: home. 

After a crazy long day, coming home and crawling into bed was pure happiness.

Day 2: a letter from a friend I hadn't heard from in a very long time!

It was wonderful to find such a sweet note in the mail, and to know that she was ok.

Day 3: having awesome texts waiting for me when I get off work. 

Sara "attexts" me all the time. I can always count on her to make me laugh. 

Day 4: signs of spring.

Winter is still my favorite season, but I'm looking forward to sunny days and milder weather.

Day 5: reading.

With another long day crossed off the calendar, my bed and a book were an excellent way to unwind.

Day 6: SUSHI!!

Sara and I spent Saturday shopping, laughing, shopping, drinking coffee, shopping, getting more coffee, and finally capped off the day with sushi. The perfect Saturday? Indeed. 

Day 7: protein plate for lunch.

Think of it as a DIY Starbucks Protein Box.....minus the box.

On to week two!!

— Courtney —

Courtney's Top 5: Greek Yogurts

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE Greek yogurt. No, you don't understand . . . I can't live without it. I HAVE to have it. It's a staple in my fridge, my cooking, and my number one go-to snack food. Here are my top five favorites:

1. Fage Cherry Pomegranite: Cherry is always a top yogurt flavor choice for me, but combining it with pomegranite takes it to a whole new level! Great flavor, and no artificial cold medicine taste — Fage nailed this one. Plus, Fage is so rich and creamy — never watery. 

2. Stonyfield Chocolate: Chocolate and Greek yogurt? How can you go wrong!? It's like a healthy form of pudding. Rich, satisfying, and the perfect base for a multitude of mix-ins! 

3. Chobani Simply 100 Blueberry: A new product by Chobani, "the only 100 calorie yogurt made with only natural sweetners." My only concern was that, being made with stevia, it would taste like stevia! Don't get me wrong, I like stevia. But sometimes you get that signature aftertaste. However, Chobani came through with their Simply 100 — all flavor, no aftertaste. WIN. 

4. Chobani Blackberry: Creamy and sweet, this blackberry yogurt is great topped with cereal, or even a broken-up graham cracker for a faux-blackberry cheesecake. 

5. Chobani Bites Coffee with Dark Chocolate: Yes, more Chobani. I guess you can tell which brand is my favorite! This coffee flavored yogurt is WAY MORE dessert than anything! Rich and decadent, reach for this next time instead of that pint of ice cream. You won't regret it!

On the Needles: Boat Neck Faux Rib Pullover, Part 1

I'm excited to start sharing my knitting (and sometimes crochet) projects with you in my "On the Needles" blog series!

Meet the Boatneck Faux Rib Pullover (pictured on cover). This is my first sweater project, and so far, it's knitting up like a dream. The pattern is from the Boyfriend Sweaters book, by Bruce Weinstein. 

I chose the Boatneck Pullover for a few reasons:

1. Who doesn't love a slouchy, oversized sweater?

2. The skill level of the project is easy.

3. The stitch is stylish and unique, while being simple. I really didn't want a sweater in garter stitch. The garter stitch is lovely, but it's not what I wanted in a sweater. 

4. The finished sweater will be reversible. Two styles in one!

5. Since it's an oversized sweater, it's a more forgiving project. It doesn't have to fit exact measurements. 

I chose Patons Classic Wool DK Superwash yarn, in Dark Grey Heather. Since this is my first sweater project, I wanted a fairly inexpensive — but not 100% acrylic — yarn that I could buy at my local craft store. Also, by not making a sweater that cost $100+, I will actually feel like I can wear it without fear of messing it up!

Here's a shot of my current progress. You can see what a nice texture the faux rib stitch creates!

So those are the details on my current project. I'll keep you updated as it progresses. 

What are you currently knitting or crafting?

— Courtney

All photos taken by Courtney and edited with Afterlight and Instagram.

Courtney's Top 5: Healthy Snacks

1. Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp: Think giant Kit-Kat that's all delicious and waistline friendly. Available in chocolate, peanut butter, and raspberry. I'm all about the peanut butter!

2. Boom Chicka Pop: Popcorn, sunflower oil, sea salt — that's it!!! No preservatives, no fake stuff, no greasy gross-ness. Just fluffy, perfectly salted popcorn ready whenever the craving strikes. 

3. Tribe Zest Lemon Hummus: The lemon really brightens up the natural flavor of the hummus. Add a generous dollop to make your raw veggies wayyyy more exciting!

4. Skinny Cow Divine Filled Chocolate: Anytime you can put cow and skinny together and make it yummy, it's a good thing. You get three chocolate in each pouch! And not skimpy, tiny chocolates — three large scrumptious chocolates with filling in every bite! Available in carmel and peanut butter, both are a satisfying treat. 

5. VitaTops Deep Chocolate Muffin Tops: Healthy chocolate cake. Nothing more needs to be said. 

— Courtney —

I'm not affiliated with any of the companies or products. I just like food. :)

Snow Day!

SNOWWWWWWWW DAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell I'm excited?

I spent my snow day watching the Olympics and knitting my sweater (more on that in the future!) . . .

I did do a little work, so I wasn't totally unproductive. But that's not entertaining, so I didn't take pictures. 

I needed a last minute Valentine Gift, so I whipped up this little trivet. Thank you, Wild Olive, for your incredibly easy tutorial!

The finished product! I had a great little stash of fat quarters that I bought from The Quilter's Haven in Menominee, MI. Their fabrics are outstanding in quality, and they were perfect for this project!

So my snow day consisted of Olympians and crafting, with lots of eating in between. 

How did you spend your snow day?

 - Courtney

All photos taken by Courtney and Sara and edited with Afterlight and Instagram.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

 

Whether you're spending your Valentine's Day with your boyfriend, the bestie, family, or that cute boy you're following around the book store (We won't tell), we hope your day is great!

 

 

How are you spending your Valentine's Day?

 

♥ Courtney and Sara

 

All photos taken by Courtney and Sara and edited with Afterlight and Instagram.

Courtney's Top 5: Stocking Stuffers

It's more fun to give than to receive, so let's stuff those stockings!

1. Nail Polish: What girl doesn't love a stylish new nail color? Revlon is winning with the winter hues this year! Cayenne looks gorgeous!

2. Tea: It's the time of year for curling up with a blanket and drinking something warm. I've always been a fan of Bigelow's teas. They're affordable and full of flavor. Another perk: each bag is individually wrapped. If you have multiple stockings to fill, split up the tea bags and pack them in sheer, sachet bags (available at craft stores).

3. Hand Sanitizer: No matter what line of work your recipient is in, they can use a mini hand sanitizer! The seasonal scents at Bath & Body Works make this little gifty feel more festive. Plus they're 5 for $5.00 — a very stuffable price! ;)

4. Eurasia Cafe Frac Packs: Sample bags of Eurasia Cafe's Signature Medium coffee. This is my favorite coffee. Any of my friends who have tried this blend all use the same word to describe it: smooth. It's a fantastic breakfast blend — full bodied and sweet. You can buy Frac Packs for $2.00 a piece, or a case of 24 for $40.00 (an excellent party favor option!). Plus, when you order from Eurasia Cafe, your coffee dollars are helping to fight extreme poverty, human trafficking, refugee displacement, and more.

5. Travel Size Items: Shopping the travel-size aisle will help stretch your Christmas budget and help fill your stocking to the top! Most items are between $1 – $3. The selection usually varies from store to store, so don't assume Target will have the same things as Walmart!

What are you favorite goodies to find in your stocking?

♥ Courtney

Courtney Is: Loving Winter

Most people don't like winter. It's a time of extra clothing, chilly wind, chapped lips, and grey skies. Not me. I LOVE winter! 

I love the crunch of the frozen ground beneath my favorite pair of boots.

I love mittens. 

I love naked trees.

I love being ushered into the coffee shop by a frigid wind, then wrapping my frozen fingers around my gingerbread latte.

I love winter skies with leaden clouds that randomly sprinkle snow.

I love sweaters, Christmas, and cookies.

I love winter.

What's your favorite season?

♥ Courtney

All photos taken by Courtney.

November: Concerts, Coffee, and Leaves

What were some highlights for you in November?

Sara and kicked off the month by attending Toby Mac's Hits Deep Tour. It was such a fun evening!

Artists that performed were Jamie Grace (above), Colton Dixon, Capital Kings, 

Chris August, Mandisa . . .

. . . Brandon Heath — one of my favorites!  . . .

. . . and Toby Mac & the Diverse City Band. 

It was an evening full of dance-until-you-drop music and confetti cannons! You cannot have a bad evening when confetti cannons are involved — trust me on this.

We got to meet Brandon Heath, Jamie Grace, and Mandisa after the show.
An unexpected and awesome way to end the night!

Gingerbread Lattes have returned! Yummy to drink, and pretty to look at!
What's your favorite winter drink?

We put our Christmas tree up. I know it was early! But Thanksgiving was late this year, and I wanted to enjoy my tree! 

Meet Hector, guardian of the candy canes. He has a pretty mean 'stache.

Fall brought some gorgeous shades of red this year . . .

. . . as well as some beautiful photo opportunities. 

I had a lovely Thanksgiving, and a November full of fun times.

How about you?

♥ Courtney

All photos taken by Courtney on the iPhone and edited with Instagram. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy your time with your friends and family!

♥ Courtney and Sara

Let's Catch Up.....

How was your October?

Mine felt like August! I should be wearing boots in this picture! The weather finally turned chilly towards the end of the month, but it's like we skipped autumn and went straight to winter! But I like my nose pink and a cup of hot cocoa in my hand, so I'm not complaining. 

I sewed a skirt from a large, men's dress shirt! The skirt needs a few more tailoring tweaks before it's photography worthy, but it IS wearable! This was a huge accomplishment for me, as most of my garment sewing ends up in the scrap bin. I also discovered that a white crayon is a fantastic substitute if your dress maker's pencil decided to go on vacation without permission.....

My favorite barista is back! She is so incredibly nice, and makes each customer feel like they are number one. Plus she makes the best cappuccinos — extra foam, every time!

My Dad had a birthday! I always bake him a fancy-smancy cake or pie. This year I baked Boston Cream Cupcakes from this recipe. There were a lot of steps, but they were fairly easy to make. 

The finished product! They were promptly devoured. 

I've been on a tea kick lately. It's a fall thing. 

Sara surprised me with this amazing trail mix! It's addictive. And those innocent looking chocolate-covered coffee beans? They pack quite the caffeine punch!

Sushi! So. Good. 

Coffee and cookie runs with Sara are always highlights in my week. They usually result in laughing until my sides hurt. 

Lattes and letter writing: a perfect way to spend a chilly, autumn afternoon!

What were some highlights of your October? What are you looking forward to this month?

♥ Courtney