manzanita

stand alone

Some things can stand alone. Our peony plants are still getting established so we have only gotten a few this year. This little pink one bloomed a few days ago and I brought it inside to enjoy. A simple mason jar was the perfect home for it I think.

This weekend was fast and fun. My dearest friend Amelia came to visit from Boston and we laughed and ate good food and spent time with friends and took many many photos.

There are only a few people in my life who I can spend time with and still feel as rejuvenated as I would be if I had spent that time alone and being creative. Amelia is one of these people and it breaks my heart that we don't live near each other anymore.

We spent yesterday in Nederland and we did a little portrait shoot. These are photos that I will give to her children one day and they are ones I will frame and put on my wall. I will be posting them sometime this week. I have never felt more blessed than I have been lately about photography.

besitos,
rebecca

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in the garden

If you follow me on instagram you may have noticed my new obsession with flowers and arranging them. This isn't the cheapest hobby so as soon as I started getting into it Dustin has been pushing me to plant a flower garden. We made a veggie garden last year, which he has essentially taken over because my schedule is so busy it is hard for me to get outside.

Well, this past weekend I decided it was time to go for it so I spent the weekend outside clearing the space and laying out rocks to form a little U shape bed around our cherry tree. My sweet and crazy strong little brother David came by to help me dig the holes for all the flowers and shrubs, thanks Dave! 

Dustin installed an irrigation system in the veggie garden while I was working on the flowers this weekend and last night he brought it over to the flower garden. It is amazing to wake up in the morning and already have everything getting water! I didn't really help much with this, but he made it look pretty easy!

I planted mostly perennials with just a few annuals and a couple of shrubs because I love how branches look in arrangments. I really want things to boom more and more each year. Here is a photo of the first arrangement I made entirely from the garden. My mom is a pretty amazing vegetable gardener so I have been around this stuff for a long time, but I've never really given it the attention it deserves. I love how it gets me outside since most of my hobbies are indoor hobbies. Do you have a garden? What is your favorite thing to grow?

 

besitos,
rebecca

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little things

This post was almost going to be a new studio tour, but I don't think it is quite ready. I have a few things I know I would like to finish before giving the the full tour. It has been in this almost finished stage for months and while I was studying I pretty much just used my desk for that. Since I have been able to use the space for what it was intended I can't tell you how nice it has been. More on that later.

This last weekend was full. Dustin and I cleaned the house from top to bottom getting ready for a guest this week. We rearranged the bedroom and got it prepped for a paint that I hope will happen in the next couple of weeks. White, white, white. On Saturday Alysia and I ventured to CO Springs to meet the lovely Rachel of smile and wave and her adorable family for a photo shoot. I can't tell you what a treat it was to meet Rachel and pick her brain about blogging and life, we had a such a nice time! More on that later as well.

I have been loving flower arranging lately. Sometimes I think if I find another hobby I might explode, but they keep coming and I am still here so I guess I just have to chill and do what I can, when I can. The flowers in the bouquet above are ranunculus, stock, eucalyptus, and hypericum. This and this lady have been blowing my mind with inspiration in this area!

I also started a new painting project. Acrylic sort of intimidates me so we will see if it ever gets finished. I got a few new teensy succulent plants, and felt so overwhelmed by the fact that my baby sister Alysia will one day grow up and get a life and she won't want to be my manzanita assistant anymore because she will be busy traveling the world and doing amazing things. Sad and lovely.

How was your weekend?

besitos,
rebecca

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little things

After ten days of traveling around the beautiful Oahu we are back home. Today I am resting up after the all night travel, cuddling with the poogles, and editing photos from our trip. Can't wait to share them all with you! For now you can check out the hashtag #drhawaii on instagram to get a sneak peek of our little trip.

Just wanted to give a little check in and say hello! How has everyone been?

besitos,
rebecca

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little things// old and new

I have thinking a lot about this little space of mine. The things I might like to change in the future and the things I really lovely about it. I was going through my computer a few nights ago and feeling really grateful for all the photos that manzanita has motivated me to take.

Some of these shots are from the fall that I never got around to posting and some are from recently. It is so nice to see the season's change in my photo library, to remember what it was like to have visitors, and to see our little home transform slowly through time.

I am in study mode again. I can't tell you how hard it is to sit at my desk and be surrounded by all my cameras and craft supplies and not feel like I can play with any of it!! But, time will make this situation better. I am retaking the test next week and assuming I pass I just keep reminding myself that I will be rewarded with ten days in Hawaii!!

besitos,
rebecca

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little things

Some snap shots of my little family. These poogs and this man are the sweetest part of my life. 

Have you guys joined Vine yet? I am sort of addicted. You can follow me there at the username Rebecca Caridad.

besitos,
rebecca

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little things

Just a little check in. Today is crazy at work. The "Dead" time is over and its time to kick into gear!

Our home is almost at the point where I could call it done for now. I am working a pretty cluster wall of prints that I have slowly been collecting. I have one more coming and that needs to be framed, can't wait till that naked wall is decorated!

How is your week going?

besitos,
rebecca

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music this way

Up until about 2 and a half years ago I was very transient most of life. You know how it is when you are a student, you move every time your lease is up. So, because of that I only ever let myself have one real collection. Books were the only object I let myself aquire knowing that I would take them with me where ever I went. And, except for a couple of years while they lived in portland, or with a dear friend that is what I did.

I have always been really intrigued by vinyl, the idea seemed to always carry this very romantic and classic air. I never let myself get into collecting them because I knew once I started I wouldn't want to stop and lugging a small library of books around the country was hard enough as it was.

Just this year I realized that I am more stable now than I have ever been in my entire life. We own our small home and we are acquiring small things that I hope to pass on to our children one day. So, this year for christmas I asked Santa (and by santa I mean Dusitn) to buy me a record player.

We got picked out this adorable brown crosley player with built in speakers and with it I also received records by some of my favorite artists: Bon Iver, Basia Bulat, The Civil Wars, Neutral Milk Hotel, Radiohead, and She and Him.I can't tell you what a treat it has been to put one of these on and work on a painting or drink a cup of tea.

I have missed listening to full albums and with Spotify being so available I couldn't remember the last time I actually purchased music. This is something I have been meaning to change for some time and now I have the perfect reason to do so!  I plan on buying myself no more than one record a month, unless I hit the jackpot and acquire someones collection. So excited to be more interactive with music again!

Do you have a record collection, what are some of your favorite and where do you like to buy them?

besitos,
rebecca

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around the farm

My moms chickens were recently killed off by a mean skunk:( Since I was about 14 years old my mother has ALWAYS had chickens, so it was weird visiting her home and not walking by the pen and peeking a glance at the hens. It was sad actually, like something was missing. Well, the other day she called me up and some sweet man gifted her these beautiful little chicks. The family is complete again! The kids, rabbits, dogs, and chickens:)

Happy Friday everyone! What are your plans for the weekend? Dustin and I are trying to organize our home for the holidays. My sister Pam will be getting into boulder in about ten days and I CANNOT WAIT! With all the construction happening at our house we haven't found the time to put our tree up, but I am hoping to do that next week. Have you put yours up yet?

A few links for you lovelies:

My sweet friend Krystin opened her shop back up on Etsy! So excited to do some holiday shopping there!

Also, I don't know about you but I am an extreme Mortal Instruments dork and the trailer for the first movie of the series came out recently. I can't stop watching it, so excited!

And, hey look my little cocktail hat was featured on Modcloth's gift guide on the etsy blog. I wish I had time to take orders right now:(

 

besitos,
rebecca

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come on home

I am getting on a plane in about three hours to head back to Colorado. I spent this holiday week eating good food, drinking wine, meeting lovely people, and having my favorite person show me where she grew up, which just happens to be one of the most beautiful and relaxing places I have ever visited. 

Have you ever been to Martha's Vineyard? I was feeling a lot of envy for those lucky people who got to grow up there. Seems like such a nice to place to raise a family. 

With any trip comes the familiar longing for home and mine is here. Unfortunately my sweet hub won't be back home until Friday but tonight I get to go home and see some of these pretty faces and ofcourse I get to cuddle with the poogs!

How was your holiday/weekend?

besitos,
rebecca

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