homemade art.

With all the fun vintage toy cameras and photography apps out there, pretty much everyone feels like a mini photog these days (sorry to those pros out there, i know you're cringing!). Why not turn your family snapshots - yes, even the iPhone ones - into meaningful decor and art around your home? I think the traditional posed family portrait above the mantle is becomming a thing of the past.

Apartment Therapy recently featured ideas to display your hipstamatic prints. Neat idea. I love homes filled with familiar faces and memories. More ideas for your hipstamatic, holga, instagram, etc. prints here.

Here's another fun idea. Why not turn a fond memory into large canvas art? This just goes to show they don't have to be professional looking, but rather fun family photos. Idea first seen here.

While we're talking about wall art, in our next home I really want to do a wall of frames. I saw this particular one on my friend Ashley's design blog, Orchard11. I'll finally have a use for the old wooden frames I've picked up at vintage & antique stores over the years.

p.s. you can follow my Instagram photos via @teribockting

other photography apps i love...

Camera+

Hipstamatic

Polarize

Phonto

PS Express

Photosynth

what about you? what am i missing?

guilt-free dipping.

Ting and I love us some ranch. Salads, pizza crusts, buffalo wings, veggie sticks... you name it, we'll dip it. But unless you choke down watery, disgusting, bitter tasting low-cal/fat-free ranch, each dip comes with a side of guilt as you feel your pants getting tighter. Until now...

Get excited ranch lovers because we're in love with Walden Farms zero calorie ranch! There are no calories, no fat, no carbs, no sugars, no gluten and it's actually thick, creamy and tastes good - swear! Trust us.

We figured it was too good to be true and assumed the dressing was filled with bad chemicals, but Danny's sister, who is a professional nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic, read the ingredients and gave it her blessing. It's made from a bunch of natural ingredients and flavors like organic soy sauce, ginger, mild chipotle, lemon juice, cracked white pepper, garlic, minced onion, natural blue cheese, sour cream, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, herbs, spices and vinegars.

We found this new staple at our local Sprouts Market and plan to try more of the 19 dressing flavors (list here). Don't have a Sprouts? Can't find  this magical dressing? You can order it online at Walden Farms. Enjoy & Happy Dipping!



delicious berry dinner.

I've been looking for recipes that use all the fresh berries that are in season (and so cheap) right now. I was flipping through a new healthy cooking magazine (thanks for the subscription, mom!) when a recipe for Blueberry & Herb Pork caught my eye. It made me think of a delicious blueberry filet my girlfriends and I had years ago at a little restaurant in Florence, Italy called Acqua Al 2 (strangely it's also in San Diego and DC). 

Vicky, D and I made this last night and loved every bite of it! It was easy, healthy, seasonal, light &  delicious.

Super simple directions, ingredients plus a short prep-time. Here's the recipe or click photo to enlarge & print.

 

hog happy.

while we were on vacation in san diego, hunter was in tucson and found a new way to have fun and stay cool - splash in a muddy tree well and roll around like a pig. he loves to "side dive" where he just pushes the water around with one side of his face. we were cracking up when we got these pictures from b-joe. too funny. nerd.

double scoop date.

When it's brutally hot out, eating big meals just isn't fun. So last Friday's hot date was happy hour cocktails & clams followed by a trip to ice cream. We capped off the night at home in the chilly AC with backgammon.

a pretty penny.

there's not much you can do with just one penny these days. when checking out with a bunch of tulips today, the clerk told me that putting a penny in the bottom of the vase would help the tulips stand up better. something about the copper. have you heard of that? i hadn't, but we're giving it a whirl. any other flower tips?

double the digits. double the fun.

Tonight, a big 'ole group of us are celebrating Aunt Chilada's birthday at eh, Aunt Chiladas. Yup, many of you know I call my friend Angela "Aunt Chilada" so it's fitting that we're heading to her namesake for  birthday margaritas. After the margs, we're hitting the dance floor at Rips, a dive bar with an awesome DJ the second Saturday of each month. Last month's Rip adventure got a little nuts (it started with a Taco Bell robbery, a pit stop at Shady's for a giant drink, Filibertos twice in one night and a few too many shots), so I'm curious to see where this night goes.

Because Angela's ringing in her 33rd, it made sense to celebrate double. So, Aunt Chilada and I had a private birthday party earlier this week at Postino. And obviously we cashed in her complimentary dessert. Chocolate covered corn nuts? Yes please.