Welcome Spring!

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Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is one of my favorite design elements of any wedding. 

The cake can be a snapshot of your wedding style in one tasty piece of art. Thankfully, my wedding cake was exactly what I hoped it would be: pretty and understated. My husband wanted a "tall cake" and I wanted something that fit our wedding style. Hence, we received this beautiful piece from Beaux Gateaux:

Photo by Vivian Sachs Photography

Book Review

I spent a couple of hours this weekend reading Kisses from Katie and so far so incredible! In general, I'm partial to inspiring stories about Africa and this book is just that. It's amazing how much good one person can bring to a group of children just by being open to God's calling. With Kony 2012 on our minds, it's so encouraging to hear about brave people who are doing what they can to bring hope to the kids of Uganda and who are making a positive change for future generations. I recommend a viewing of Katie's story on YouTube and maybe a visit to her blog. It may become one of your favorite stories too!

Shoe Love

Seychelles is one of my favorite shoe companies. They have such stylish footwear...girly and classic with a big twist of excitement. Here are some of their latest designs.

Pretty Rose

Happy Monday! I saw this super interesting ombre lampshade in rose and was inspired! Here are some other rose-colored finds. A girly collection is one of my favorite ways to start a new week.

Lamp  |  Bedding  |  Eye Glasses  |  Drinking Glass  |  Wrapping Paper  |  Necklace

Pinterest Favorite

I saw this spring coat on Pinterest and fell in love with the bow on the back. A perfect mix of girly and preppy. So very cute!

Happy Birthday Dave!

My favorite (and only) brother, David, would have been 31 today. I miss him and would have truly loved to bake him a birthday cake.

Photo Credit: Oh Happy Day

Wearable | Sunday Brunch in the City

I had fun using Polyvore for the first time! I entered an outfit for the ModCloth "Style It & Win It" contest and it was so easy! Polyvore may be one of my new favorite sites.

Sunday Brunch in the City by amanda-gomes featuring metal jewelry

Printable Valentine Card

We put a free Valentine's card download on the Rufflewood blog today. Head on over for a bit of cuteness just-in-time for the 14th! 

Pinterest Favorites

Ahh...Pinterest makes me dream about beautiful spaces. Here are a few light and airy favorites that make me excited for spring.

Design Within Reach | Better Homes & Gardens

Pinterest | Blondiensc

Small Rooms Tumblr

Urban Outfitters | Caitlin Creer

Music Monday

Happy Monday! 

If you like "whisper rock", then you might just enjoy some tunes by one of my favorite musical artists, Joshua Radin. You can listen to his music on his website or create a Pandora station. Give him a listen!

Condiments

I had a veggie burger for lunch today and was reminded why I love condiments so much. They turn plain into tasty. Let's just say the veggie burger would have been pretty dry and bland were it not for the ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos and pepperoncini I piled inside it. I've always been a big fan of the goodies that make sandwiches taste better.... I take after my dad on that one. His sandwiches were always a work of art. I thought I'd compile a list of some of my favorite sandwich additions. Obviously these shouldn't all be added to the same lunch, but whatever works.

1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7

Magazines

Who doesn't love thumbing through a beautiful magazine to find inspiration, knowledge and a bit of entertainment? It's got to be one of my favorite lazy day activities and Martha Stewart Living is one of my favorite magazines to peruse. I bought my first copy of Martha Stewart Living in January of my senior year in high school and that summer I hosted my first summer garden party thanks to the inspiration I found in those beautifully designed pages.

In college I would get so excited each month when I found a new issue in my mailbox. I actually disciplined (tortured) myself by waiting until the homework was done before I allowed myself to peek inside. Alright, maybe I'd allow myself a little sneak preview, but no more than a few page flips. Poring through the photos and reading pretty much every single line was my sweet reward. Those were the days. I think I might just revisit a few of those past issues (yes, I still have quite a collection) and start thinking about hosting another garden party...

Simple Asian Flavors

Yummy. I completely love the flavors of Asia and my husband completely loves soup. The other night we were craving an Asian noodle soup and I ended up putting something together that we both thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, I made it again tonight and thought I should write down how I made it so I could share. I hope you find it as easy and as tasty as we did!

Asian Noodle Soup

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Chicken

2 T Chopped Garlic

6 cups Chicken Stock

2 T Rice Vinegar

3 T Soy Sauce

1 t Fresh Ginger, grated

3 t Cilantro

1 t Chili Garlic Sauce

2 T Fish Sauce

1 package Maifun Rice Stick Noodles (6 oz or so)

1 Green Onion, sliced

1 Lime (optional)

Make

In a large soup pot, brown the ground chicken with the chopped garlic on medium high heat. When chicken is cooked through, add the remaining ingredients in no particular order. I do recommend, however, that you follow the directions on the rice stick noodle package before adding them to the soup. My package instructed me to soak the noodles in cold water for 10 minutes before using. I soaked them and then added them to the pot to boil until soft.

Divide into bowls and if desired, squeeze lime juice over soup before serving. Enjoy!

A Blog Favorite

My fun little past time, Rufflewood, has a new blog design! Pop on over to view: Rufflewood Blog. It's certainly a favorite!

 

Neighborhood Charm

My husband and I love taking walks in our neighborhood and exclaiming over the charming homes. We've enjoyed quite a few walks lately because the weather has been so beautiful! I took my camera with me on one of our recent ventures and thought I'd share some of the quaintness we found as we went from street to street. Enjoy!

Fall

I've never actually admitted that fall is my favorite season but I have discovered that when mid-to-late-September rolls around every year, I find myself lighthearted and excited about what is to come: pumpkins on front porches (and in lattes), the wearing of scarves, family gatherings, crunching leaves on the sidewalk, and chatting by the fireplace at my parents home.

This past week in particular I've been very excited about the new season. I will admit, however, that one might actually think it was spring the way I've been rearranging furniture, hauling loads of laundry, sweeping and figuring out what to get rid of. And while I do not come even close to being a seasonal decorator,  I do like to be festive in small ways. Today I hung my standard fall wreath (yes, it's fake) on the front door and my heart skipped a beat. What fun it will be to come home each day to a wreath greeting. Makes me feel cozy. Thank you fall.

Unexpected Flowers

This past weekend my husband surprised me with a small bouquet of flowers. Colorful roses to be exact. He and I both know that roses are not my favorite flower but we also both know that what I favor more than the type of flower is the thought. Cliche, I know. But so true, right? What a delight. I may hear an "I love you" from him about two dozen times a day but when that phrase is accompanied with a cheerful bouquet, I must say it sounds even sweeter.

[They brightened my day and my bathroom.]

Hello. Nice to meet you ...

My name is Amanda and I have quite a long list of favorite things. Since we've just met, I will give you the short version: Morning walks with my husband. Pretty dresses. Martha Stewart Living. Stories of Africa. Meals with family and friends. Bright pink hydrangeas. Scandinavian hospitality. Learning new things. Welcoming front porches. Clean design. Black coffee (decaf please). Sidewalk sales. Girly movies. Mexican food. Books. And stylish home decor. 

I'm glad you're here and I hope you'll visit again and again. I'm looking forward to sharing photos, stories, and how-to's on my long-time and newly-discovered favorite things.

Until next time...

*Amanda