it's becoming a jungle in here

the tulips "conditioning" - and taking over my kitchen table

Every spring the Easter Seals of Oregon sell adorable, colorful tulips as a part of their "Bloomfest" fundraiser. That means I get to buy my favorite flower for a really good price and the money goes to a good cause. I bought 30. And now literally every table in my apartment will have a vase of blooming flowers on top of it. Luxury ;)

Personal Project: Art Wall

One of the home projects that I keep putting off is creating an art wall above my bar table. It's something I've wanted to do for a while because bare walls bugggg (I just can't do minimalism - if there's nothing on my walls, I'll have stuff all over my floor) but for some reason I haven't focused on getting it done. Maybe it's because the task is a little daunting? Art can be expensive, creating a collection - that you love - can take a long time.  

I am most inspired by those bold walls of art that at first glance seem to have no rhyme or reason: random frames, unpredictable colors, unbalanced placement, and a smorgasbord of subjects. I'm really into these photos below:

I am obsessed with this art in the bathroom. Feminine, sexy, and dramatic. There appears to be a common theme: portraits of fierce females. 

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First of all, those chairs. Now, back on subject: there is a ton going on here which I love, and the look of painted canvas gives a bit of a country vibe. Like.

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I am digging how there is absolutely no symmetry or calculated balance going on here. Just boom, boom, boom - there ya go! I do notice that all of the photos appear to be sun-faded though, which does create a nice amount of sentimentality.

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This screams "CREATIVITY" to me. 'Nuff said.

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Classy. I am really drawn to that color palette and then the random blue-hued photograph. 

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For some reason this is what I imagine Gertrude Stein's house to look like. This is one of the few photos in this collection with colored walls, and I think it mellows out the artwork a bit, in a good way.

via Domino Magazine (RIP)

I think the thin frames and white matting really unify this art collection, and it makes the hallway actually look bigger.

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Getting a fantastic retro feeling from this room. Notice how diverse the art collections is, yet the colors flow so well.

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Do you see how the artwork provides the only color in the room? I think this looks sooo good.

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So, feeling inspired? Now it's time to think about what look to go for (if any). In a near future post I'll share some great places to find affordable art to jump start a collection...

Recipe: Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

I adapted my family's prized chicken tortilla soup recipe into a vegetarian version that, believe it or not, has just as much flavor. I love this soup because it's spicy and flavorful, easy to make, healthy if you don't go cray on the cheese (it happens) and can be played around with quite a bit.  It is now my go-to recipe when I want to impress. This recipe makes roughly 4-5 bowls of soup.

Ingredients:

1 large green bell pepper

1 large yellow onion

3 cloves of garlic

10 jalapeno slices (from a jar)

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 can of whole tomatoes, with juice

4 cans of vegetable broth

1-1.5 tbsp. chili powder 

1-1.5 tbsp. cumin

1.5 c. corn (I use frozen, thawed)

avocado

mozzarella cheese 

corn tortilla chips

cilantro (optional)

lime (optional)

Optional but You Won't Be Disappointed Secret Ingredient: Muzzy's Magic Jalapeno Seasoning. I special order the stuff and put it on everything!

Okay, so:

1. Thinly slice the green bell pepper and onion, mince the garlic. Put vegetable oil in the bottom of a soup pot and place on the stovetop at medium heat. Add garlic, pepper, onions and jalapenos (a little jalapeno juice is a good thing) to the pot. Stir until onions begin to caramelize. 

2. Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, chili powder and cumin to the pot. Use a spatula to sort of cut the tomatoes into halves. Add about 10 shakes of Muzzy's Magic. Bring soup to a barely-there boil and then turn down to low and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Add corn. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and see if you want to add more cumin / chili powder / Muzzy's Magic. Simmer for 5 minutes longer if you do. 

3. Place a handful of tortilla chips in a bowl, top with mozzarella cheese. Fill the bowl with soup and top with avocado slices, lime slices, and cilantro.

Could it be any easier? I don't think so. Enjoy with Mexican beer!