.classic beach bummin'.

{image found here}

it's amazing how one day at the beach has me craving the sand in my toes, hair, ass crack and everywhere else it so elegantly ends up. nothing like peeling your bathing suit off at the end of a long beach day, to reveal the sand bikini you have been wearing underneath.

to celebrate the start of this special season,  here are a few of my favourite beach images to get me by until the next glorious day in the sun. my god the 50's were good.

{images found here, here & here}

{images found here, here & here}

.put er' on repeat: grouplove.

{image found here}
even in the dead of winter, this song could make me feel like short shorts, bikinis and hot pink toes.

roll your windows down & turn the music up.

we got it all right here.

here is now and now is where i wanna be.

{view on vimeo}

.long weekend captured & 'the night sky' addicted.

{some weekend fun} chocolate & vanilla. a bird nest in our boston fern. the boy. 

windy loves summer. beach day. the big ol' tree in our backyard. 

wisteria in bloom. the life. drive-in season.

this 'victoria day not-so-long' weekend (i'm working the holiday monday) was actually one of the nicest may long weekends we have had in a looooong time. it's always a hit or miss weekend weather wise up here in the 'great north', and usually we bundle up in sweaters and blankets and sit around a fire drinking enough booze to stay warm. yeah. that's why we drink it.

friday night we sat outside at the drive-in with my brother and his girlfriend, had some drinks and cuddled with the pooch. she loves the drive-in, and i'm pretty sure if we ever dared to go without her, and she found out, shit would hit the fan. one of my favourite reasons for going to the drive-in, besides the nostalgia of it all (the intermission back flipping hot dogs, honking your horn when you want them to start the movie and fountain lemonade) is being out in the country and having the clearest view of the stars. up until this weekend, i had never seen a shooting star. complaining about it must have worked, as i spotted 4 of them during the first movie alone. my brother matty saw how pumped it made me, and pulled out his phone to use the coolest app known to man kind.

hello 'the night sky'. where have you been all my iphone life?

matt has an android phone, so he was using 'google sky map' (which isn't available for iphone), but 'the night sky' is equally impressive and nerdy. basically you scan the sky with your phone, and it identifies stars, constellations and satellites. you can use it during the day and even when it's cloudy at night, as it uses gps and the compass in your phone to track your location. paul is straight up chubbin' over the app, and can't get enough. we figured out how you can take screenshots of specific constellations you want to read up on, or you can tap the info button, and it will automatically give you a description of what you're looking at. it's 100% worth the $0.99 to purchase it. 

shit tonnes of fun.

saturday we pretty well overhauled our house inside and out, cleaning up the gardens and finally getting our spring cleaning done. yesterday was spent at the beach with friends, where i burnt to a crisp and will probably turn into a leather purse at any moment. we grabbed some drinks and dinner on a patio and met up with friends to watch fireworks to end a a really good weekend.

if you're off today, i hope you're enjoying this perfect holiday monday.

ya lucky bastard.

.because words mean everything.

couldn't have said it better myself.

thatta boy bobby.

happy fuckin' friday!

hearts & crafts: photo on canvas art.

i am a total slacker when it comes to decorating our home (back to the "i don't want to fall more in love with it then i already am if we don't plan on staying here forever" bidness), and considering it's been almost a year since we got married, and i still didn't have a single photo on the walls, it was time to do something about it. while visiting a friend in toronto, we stopped at an art supply shop to snoop around, and i snagged a 5 pack of 8x10 canvases for $20. i wasn't sure what i was going to do with them at the time, but i couldn't resist the deal and brought them home with me. fatefully, i came across this diy project on 'a beautiful mess' blog, and knew it would be a quick & easy project to tackle, and a great way to use the canvases. i may have even pulled off an easier project than the one that inspired me, 
and i am really happy with the finished product.

how we do: photo on canvas art

before i start, i have to say these would never have turned out as lovely as they did if it weren't for our photographer nataschia wielink. she captured our special day and all of it's important moments exactly how i hoped she would, and using high quality images is the key to making these puppies perfect. 

this project took me half an hour to make all four, plus about an hour for drying time. i'm a big fan of projects that are quick and satisfying, where in one afternoon you can go from a blank wall, to your own little gallery. use this technique with freebie prints off the net, images from glossy magazines or anything you see fit.

decide which photos you want for your series, keeping in mind orientation, colour and variety. i chose some images that were landscape and some that were portrait, all with the same pop of colour and feel. once you're happy with your choices, the rest of the project is a breeze.
*please don't judge my unpainted nails. they needed a break to be naked & free.

because my photos were the same size as the canvas, i chose to trim a tiny bit off each photo to leave an edge around it on the canvas. it created a border that allows you to easily see the canvas sides, which is my favourite thing about the prints. using a ruler, mark off how much you need to cut off, and with sharp scissors cut as straight of a line as you can.

apply matte mod podge glue to the back of your photo, and using a sponge brush, spread it out evenly and fully. flip the photo onto the canvas, and adjust it until it's as square and centered as possible, smoothing over the image with your hands, pressing out any bubbles or creases. photo paper is thick enough that you don't get much creasing, but if you are using printer paper or anything less heavy than photo paper, it may cause you some grief.

once in place, apply a good amount of mod podge to the photo and smooth it out. it will look opaque at first, but within minutes it begins to go clear (dry, the glue leaves a matte and textured finish). make sure you apply enough glue along the edges of the image so it doesn't lift or peel up. i let the glue dry overnight before hanging them, but after an hour, they were  definitely dry enough to handle.

 they look so sweet grouped at the top of our stairs, and bring some much needed colour to a once very white wall. lennon watched me hang them, and gave them his yawn of approval. i plan on buying some larger canvases, to make some nice sized prints of the whole wedding party to add to the grouping. once i have children, i will have 6000 of these made up and hung on every inch of wall we own.

.paul & amanda's feisty fish tacos.

up until about a year ago, i hadn't tried (or wanted to try) a fish taco. ew, fish tacos? that just sounds dirty and wrong. and now i crave them about once a week. we gave them a whirl at home, and they turned out so good, that they have made their way into our dinner rotation. they are the perfect mix of spicy & smokey, with a creamy coolness that evens everything out. the ingredients are  healthy and fresh, and they are a great alternative when you're bored of the same old same old. if you're a fan of fish and tacos, give these a chance. you'll shit.

how we do: paul & amanda's feisty fish tacos

{serves one couple with a very healthy appetite.}

prep time: 15 minutes

cook time: 6-8 minutes

eating time: 1/2 an episode of wheel of fortune

you will need:

3 fillets of tilapia

chipotle chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper

1 tablespoon coconut oil

red cabbage

2 jalapenos

cilantro

2 heaping tablespoons of greek yogurt

2 avocados

1 clove garlic

1/2 lemon

1 small tomato

small whole wheat tortillas

*my brother has me addicted to phil collins right now. if my itunes is on, it's probably playing this.

first, pour yourself a glass of wine, and try not to make eye contact with the world's cutest pooch sitting outside the back door. she clearly wants you to stop what you're doing, and throw that damn ball to her until your arm falls off.

take your fresh tilapia fillets, and slice each one in half down the middle. this will give you 6 pieces, which will make you 6 really nice sized tacos. i am not a fan of really fishy fish, which is why we use the tilapia. you know what they say, "if it smells like chicken, keep on lickin'. if it smells like trout, get the hell out!" we have also tried this with monk fish, but it doesn't flake the same way, and they weren't nearly as good. 

to give the fish that smokey taste with some heat behind it, we use a combo of chipotle chili powder and cumin (about 3 tablespoons of each) and some salt & pepper to taste. throw your fillets into a ziploc freezer bag, coat with some olive oil and add your seasonings. massage the spices into the fish until covered, and pop your fish in the fridge to keep cool while you prep the rest of your ingredients.

to take away some of the heat (but not all, the spice is my favourite thing about these babies) we make up a simple slaw. we usually use about 1/8th of a red cabbage, a good handful of cilantro, 2 jalapenos, 2 heaping tablespoons of greek yogurt and some salt & pepper. combine it all and let it sit while you get your fish in the pan.

 heat a nonstick pan on high and add a tablespoon of coconut oil. we used to use olive oil when cooking the fish for this recipe, but we tried the coconut oil, and it is delicious! it adds a nice flavour, and makes the fish perfectly crispy on the outside. once the oil is hot lay your fillets down and leave them be. the more you move them around, the better chance of them breaking apart. let them go for about 4 minutes on the first side, and then flip them with a spatula. let the other side go for around 3 minutes. paulie does the ol' fork trick to see if they're done. pick the thickest filet, and insert a fork into it, put the fork to your lip and it should be about as hot as a "cuppa tea" (as he would say).
if it is, they are done and you are golden. 

while your fish is cooking, you can whip up a quick guacamole. we use 2 medium avocados, 1 clove of garlic, juice from 1/2 a lemon and some salt & pepper to taste. mash everything together with a fork and voila! this guac recipe is also perfect with nachos, on a burger, in any kind of wrap or sandwich.

layer your ingredients on a small whole wheat tortilla, starting with a blob of guac, your fish, the slaw, some diced tomatoes and a squirt of lemon. they have a good amount of heat behind them, and are dynamite with a frosty beer. or 2. or 10. ole!

.pretty things for ma's day.

my mom has always had incredibly expensive taste (i swear i have no idea where i get it from). it's a bad thing for my dad, but a great thing for her, as she has always had really nice stuff, that she keeps forever. she is a fan of classic items that never lose their style, and hardly ever has to get rid of something because it's 'out of date' or 'not in style any longer'. i think this is one of the best qualities i have picked up from my ma, and is something i try to carry with me through all aspects of my life. she has also taught me to 'be the better person', 'make more food than you think you would ever need' and if someone is pissing you off and just won't stop, it's ok to tell them to 'eat shit and die'.

with ma's day just around the corner, i thought i would put together a selection of some of the prettiest gift ideas i could think of. i know it seems cliché to throw perfume, flowers and jewelry in there, but done well, they are some of my mom's favourite gifts to receive, and some of my favourite gifts to give. any woman who tells you otherwise, is totally lying to you.

fresh flowers/perfume in a lovely bottle/mk rose gold watch/rose gold stud earrings/

anthropologie floral notebooks/coral purse with gold hardware

.a sunday date with the world's tallest flower.

about a week ago, i got an email from paulie that started off "you're gonna love this you huge nerd", and with that, i was in love with it and i didn't even know what the hell it was. attached was this article, explaining that the floral showhouse (a greenhouse in niagara falls), was nursing two of the 'world's tallest flower', the titan arum, and one of them was on the cusp of blooming for the first time in canada. i followed the updates on the greenhouse's blog for a few days, and we made a plan to go see it yesterday.

even though i was slightly incredibly hungover, we got our asses  in gear and drove to the falls. it was a beautiful day, and we made it there early enough that there wasn't too long of a line to get in. the grounds surrounding the greenhouse itself are just as incredible as what's inside, a collection of japanese maples, crab apples in full bloom and the style of the greenhouse itself, i was loving everything. it reminded me of our first date, which was also in may, when we were babies. we started off at the butterfly conservatory, which is also on the parkway, and went for a walk on the grounds of the always lovely school of horticulture. afterwards, he took me to a diner for ice cream sundaes, it was so sweet, and so perfectly high school. until i spilled a giant spoonful of chocolate ice cream directly onto my hammers. while wearing a white tank top. i'm pretty sure that was the moment he knew i was the one. yes, the floral showhouse yesterday reminded me a lot of that day, sans the ice cream tits of course.

the flower was in the main entrance of the building, and you could smell a definite funk as soon as you stepped through the doors. it hadn't been in bloom for over 24 hours, yet the smell was very much there. the nickname for the titan arum is "corpse flower" because when it blooms, the scent resembles the smell of rotting meat. how romantic. it wasn't enough to keep us away, and i couldn't believe the sheer size of it when it was finally my turn to get up close and personal with it. the plant grew at a rate of 7" per day, but while blooming, the flower moves around 8cm every half-hour, so you can actually watch it happening. luckily, someone was smart and time lapse photographed (my fave) the flower blooming. i asked one of the employees why it had only lasted 36 hours in bloom, when they were expecting it to stick around for at least four days, and she explained that the bloom was getting too much sun, and as a result flopped prematurely and began to close. they have high hopes for the second bloom, and expect it to last longer than the first, blooming in about a week. if you live in the area, it's worth it to make the trip out to see this beast. once they update the blog that the flower has bloomed, i plan on going back to see her in all her pride and glory. fingers crossed this happens on sunday, nothing says 'happy mother's day' 
like taking my ma to see a giant flower that smells like death.

the spent bloom in front, and the second in the back. moi. adorable boy in plaid. 

malaysian orchid. the greenhouse that i want added as an extension to the back of my house.

.if all you did for yourself today was this, it would be enough.

remember that time i wrote about going to see oprah? i have thought about that day ever since, and will probably think about it everyday going forward, specifically the "emotional flooding" exercise tony robbins did with us. jules and i have been scouring the internet for a clip of this moment from the show, with no such luck. until today!

hellelujah!

i have a feeling oprah waited to post this until the lifeclass we attended aired on her network, which was this past monday, and almost as incredible to watch in my living room alone, as it was to be there. i took advantage of my empty house, and when it came to this exercise, i fully participated. without curtains on my front room window, anyone who may have seen me from the street would have seen me standing there, hand on heart, crying like an idiot, and i still wouldn't have looked out of place. not in my neighbourhood.

if today, all you did for yourself was participate in this for 5 minutes, it would be enough.

enough to change your state of mind. 
enough to get you through. 
enough to make you feel. 
it's just enough.

"breathe deep in your heart. feel the power of your heart. feel the strength of your heart. feel grateful for your heart, and what it's guided you to do in this life. to give and to be. think about how you didn't have to buy this heart, you didn't have to earn it--something thought enough of you, to give you this gift of life."

{view from original source} 
ps-if you can get past the semi-cheesiness of it, you will see what i saw.
pss-thank the lord the camera didn't find it's way to me during this exercise. not pretty. not pretty at all.

.because words mean everything.

something simple & sweet for your wednesday.

.april captured.

.this wild idea.

{image found here}

there are few things i love more than stumbling upon something that leads me to stumbling upon something even better, until inevitably, the stumbling leads to falling right into the thick of it. that thing, a good book, a new favourite show, the perfect little restaurant, changes so many things for you, you wonder why it took so long to find it in the first place. that thing you were meant to find, whether on purpose or pure happenstance, has made it's way into your life, and now you have no choice, but to do something with it; 

let it entertain you, let it change you, let it inspire you.

i stumbled upon this wild idea, and now i'm stuck in it, like 4' of thick, wet, lovely mud, and i don't really want to get out. it has me wrapped around it's pinky finger, in anticipation of what's to come. theron humprhey, the southern, beautifully bearded fellow fueling this project, quit his job as a commercial photographer (he has a master of fine arts in photography) because "one morning he woke up, and decided he needed to use photography to connect with folks and tell their story". the plan: travel to 52 states, in 365 days, with his pooch maddie, each day making a point to meet someone new, and share their story. he comes into their lives, just for one day, sees what they are all about, and then moves on. what he learns, he shares on his website day by day, and although they are only fragments and pieces of a much bigger picture, they have a beautiful way of showing how incredibly connected we all really are. we all leave dishes in the sink. we all have a passion for something. and we all, whether we want to admit or not, make mistakes.

along the way, theron started sharing photos of his pooch, and her amazing talents. i thought india was cool shit, but maddie, she's like an acrobat, a ballerina and a model all rolled into one strong, little body. the companionship between the two of them is my favourite part of the journey he is they are on, wherever he goes, she is right there with him, and the bond they have formed because of that, makes me feel like a terrible dog owner and seriously jealous all at once. love maddie here.

this wild idea has me changing my way of thinking. thinking about how beautiful it is to know that people i don't even know, are able to take hold of their lives and live them. thinking about how much i think about doing this for myself. and until i can get to a place within myself, where i can muster up the courage, the strength and the balls to do something about filling that space between my head and my heart, i will continue to live vicariously through the lives of the lucky ones.

you'll need more than a cuppa tea to enjoy this wild idea. make a pot, and get under a blanket already. 
let it entertain you, let it change you, let it inspire you.

love this wild idea here.

 {images found here}

.i learned how to make a gif.

that's right. gif.

what the hell is a gif? 

no one knows.

but it has bad news written allll over it.

         

happy fuckin' friday!

ps-i would also like to thank everyone who has 'liked' pretty things & potty mouths on facebook this week. so much love for all y'all.

.paper anniversary: this is when shit gets crafty.

framed vintage map hearts.

{image found here}

june 11th will be our 1st wedding anniversary. 

they say time flies when you're having rum fun, so we must have had a lot of rum fun this year, because it went by let me tell you. with this special day only a few short weeks away, i thought i would get the hamster on the wheel and plan a special gift for paulie. 
he deserves it for having put up with me for a year and for not going bald in the process. he's the best.

now i would be lying if i said that having paper as the 'gift item' for one year anniversaries didn't make me pee in my panties happy, because it sure as shit does. as a fan of pretty paper crafting, i love the endless possibilities when it comes to making something special, personal and unique, so i have perused pinterest for some inspiration, and am very happy with what i have found thus far. there are so many amazing ideas in fact, i  had to create a board specifically for the amazing stuff that could inspire something really perfect to make. i am leaning towards using maps in some way--either to note where we got married and where we honeymooned, to use as a representation of the places we'll go, and/or to wrap the actual gift with. maps could be a cost effective, but still interesting way to use 'paper'. i have also seen some beautiful projects that could be done with the lyrics of our first dance, meaningful quotes & phrases and personalized silhouettes. paul's heed may be a little too large to attempt the silhouette projects, however it would certainly be identifiable. i can promise you that.

in the next little bit, i will form a plan and start gathering my supplies, but in the meantime, 
here are some of my favourite inspirations for paper anniversary gifts so far.

where we met. where we married. where we honeymooned.

{image found here}

well isn't this friggen' perfect?

{image found here}

simple. clean. beautiful but still masculine.

{image found here}

.pretty things & potty mouths on 'the facebook'.

i have wanted to make a facebook page for 'pretty things & potty mouths' for weeks and weeks now, but because i'm a giant weiner, i have been holding off until i was ready. the other night while drinking rum and cokes and watching movies with paulie, i told him i was a bit scurred to take this step. the convo went a bit like this:

"paul. i want to make a facebook page for my blog"-amanda

"ok"-paul

"but i'm scared to"-amanda

"then don't"-paul

"but i want to"-amanda

"then do it. what's your problem?"-paul

"i have no fucking clue"-amanda

and with those prophetic words of encouragement from my hubby dearest, i give you pretty things & potty mouths, facebook lovin'. whether you want to 'like' the page yourself, share it with friends or any pretty things and potty mouths you think would enjoy what's going on around here, i would really love that. i would love that a shit load. and if you don't, that's ok too. but i would prefer if you did.

.the meanest mac salad.

now that the warmer weather is here, the bbq's are just rolling in, and i am lovin' every minute of it. growing up, i could always look forward to my ma's mac salad as part of our family meals, and i have sort of adopted the recipe as my own. since the beginning of time, every bbq, picnic, cottage meal or party with friends, has included this mac salad. it has become a staple, and some friends know i will be bringing it without even asking. it's quick, easy and super delicious--just how your summer mac salad should be.

how we do: the meanest mac salad

{serves 10 hammered friends.}

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 10 minutes

chill time: 2 hours (if you can wait that long)

eating time: faster than you could drink a beer. well, maybe.

you will need:

1 x 900 g package of 'scoobi do' pasta

2 tins of flaked white tuna

1 vidalia onion

5 stalks of celery

1 cup of real mayonnaise-miracle whip will not do

2 tablespoons of milk

2 tablespoons pickle juice (to be discussed) 

salt & pepper

alright, i already know what you're thinking. a} what's the deal with the 'scoobi do' pasta? well, it's what my mom has used my entire life. we have tried other pastas, and it never, ever, ever tastes as good. so just use the 'scoobi do' already. b} mayo vs. miracle whip. mangia cakes use miracle whip (no offense to any mangia cakes), and the mayo makes all the difference in the world. extra creamy, and more calories, so obviously it's going to taste better. and 3} pickle juice? yes. pickle juice. i usually don't tell people it's in there, because they get all weird about it, but this little tip here is what separates my mom's recipe from my recipe, and a good mac salad from a fucking fabulous mac salad; the meanest mac salad. i learned this little tidbit from a few of the girlies i work with, and because i'm osbessed with pickles, i had to try it for myself. it adds a bit of tang & saltiness and brings out the flavour of the tuna and celery. you can use this trick for potato salads, pasta salads and pretty much anything in the world.

bring a large pot of water to a boil, add kosher salt and a splash of olive oil. the olive oil is optional, but we do it so the pasta is silky and doesn't stick together. you will be rinsing the pasta anyways, so the oil will not affect the taste of your mac salad.

while your pasta cooks, you can get your celery and onions chopped into small, bite size pieces. i like using 'vidalia' onions because they add the onion flavour, without being so strong and stingy like a cooking onion. add as much or as little of the veg as you like. i prefer to have some celery and onion with every bite of pasta, so i use the whole onion and at least 5 stalks of celery.

once the pasta is cooked, get it into a strainer, and run cold water through it, until it's chilled. you don't want to add your veg and sauce to warm pasta, so running cold water over it works like a charm. once the noodles are cool, strain the pasta really well. water gets into the crevasses of the scoobi do, and if you don't strain it well, the mac salad will end up soupy, watery and caca. 
shake that shit until it's no longer dripping.

put your strained pasta in a nice big bowl (i use the one i serve the mac salad out of) and add the celery, onions and tuna. season with some salt and pepper, and mix well. if it's easier to add half the pasta to the bowl at a time, do your thang, you just want it mixed well.

now it's time to make your mac salad sugo. instead of just adding the mayo to your pasta directly, my mom always prepares the sauce or dressing in a small bowl beforehand, this way, you can control how much you add, and can get it to a consistency that is creamy and smooth. add your cup of mayo, 2 tablespoons of milk, and  2 tablespoons of pickle juice in a bowl, and stir until smooth. at first it will look like chunky cottage cheese, but once you stir it for a minute, it smooths out and is the perfect texture to fully cover your noodles.

add you sauce to the pasta, season with a little more pepper, and you have the meanest mac salad ever. i promise that everyone will have some, and you will most likely have enough for lunch leftovers the next day. enjoy as a side with burgs and dogs, steak and corn on the cob, or any other summer meal you prepare on the bbq. life is good.

.instagram love. my favourite follows.

throughout my time on instagram, i have found a few really amazing people to follow. sometimes it's because they have commented or liked something i have posted, or were someone a person i follow liked, either way, i'm glad to have found them. my favourite thing about the app, is getting to see little moments in people's everyday lives, through something as simple as a photo. although i become slightly jealous that some of these instagrammers live in such beautiful cities, that they could photograph pretty well anything in front of them, and it turns out picture perfect, it's still a great way to get inspired. can i do that here in welland? no, not so much.

so, to share the love, here are 3 instagrammers i currently adore following.

a fellow canadian, his feed is probably my favourite. he calls himself a "toronto art director/iphoneographer/traveler", pretty much all my favourite things. his main subject is his french bulldog 'ernesto', and this pooch is ridiculous. ernesto? really? i want him and india to date. he sounds like a rico suave spaniard, who could sweep her off her paws. i thought india was a model (we have started calling her 'windy crawford'), this pooch blows her skills out of the water. these are a few of my favourite photos of his.

this gentlemen currently resides in london, who loves to cook, and photograph the things he makes and the places he has been. he is really good at snapping a pic at the right time, and easily captures the special moments in his life. everything he makes looks delicious, and he makes me want to visit london more than i did before discovering him on instagram. he also writes a great food blog, with pictures that look as lovely as the food he makes.

and of course one of my favourites lives in paris. they are actually a couple, that describe themselves as "a creative couple, in love with provence, with lots of projects in mind". every morning they post their breakfast (which is usually set up to resemble a face) and continue to share the prettiest pockets in paris throughout the day. i adore them.

if you use instagram and are looking for some inspirational, creative people to follow, please check out these peeps, they are worth checking out! and if you follow someone you think i will love, feel free to share! i love that kind of shit.