A Recent Custom Portrait

Late last week I finished up this custom illustration for the loveliest lady, Edie. She is a customer at my work and a couple of months ago she asked me about one of my tattoos and the conversation led to how I studied graphic design and love drawing custom portraits of people. So for her son's birthday she was putting together a photo book of all the travelling they have done together and this illustration is going to be on the cover of the book. I think it is going to be such a sweet gift and I can't wait to hear about it when she gets home from giving it to him. Edie & her son are from California, so it is also exciting to think that one of my illustrations will find a home half way across the world! 

That Time Of The Month

Would you like to swap buttons for the month of December? I'd love to hear from you! Send me a 230x110 size button to laurenemily[at]y7mail[dot]com

Start Your Week Off With..

Simplicity by Time After Tea

Our Little Thanksgiving by The Charley Girl

The Wolf's Side Of The Story by Bouquet Of Bee

Thrifting 101 by Mermaidens

I'm sure you've all started your week off just fine by now, so here are some posts to enjoy on your Tuesday afternoon! I had such a great start to the week, I spent yesterday morning reading with cups of tea, thrifted some great pieces of clothing before lunch, visited my parents for afternoon lemonades, and made a quinoa dish for dinner. Mermaiden's thrifting tips definitely inspired me to make the most out of my day off and I'm so glad because I'm still excited over what I bought. I can't wait to share my purchases on here in the next few days. Have a great week! 

Story Time With Chestnut Mocha

Today Katie & Ben from Chestnut Mocha are sharing their delightful story behind one of their favourite photographs. As soon as I finished reading this gem, I had to read it again because I loved it so much & I couldn't stop smiling! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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This is a photo of Katie in Montana, taken by Ben when she was far away.

Ben went to school in Bozeman, Montana. I studied Hotel Management in Russia and went to Montana for an internship for two summers in a row. Ben and I might have met earlier, but the first time I came to Bozeman, Ben was studying abroad in France. We finally met on my second summer and became really good friends. When the summer was over, I went back to university in Russia and Ben (who had just finished university) went to South Korea to teach English to kindergarteners.  Just after he arrived there, I had a chance to take a trip to visit him.  We had a really good time, and although it was a little crazy, we started dating long distance, visiting when we could.  There were long spaces of time between our visits and it was really hard to miss each other so much. As soon as his teaching contract in Korea ended, Ben moved to Russia to be with me, but after just a couple of months, he had to go home to the US for six weeks to get a new work visa.  We had spent so much time apart that even the short trip was a wrench. While waiting for his documents in Idaho, he took a trip to Montana and brought this photo of me along. He posted this picture on Facebook and wrote: "Thanks for coming with me :-* " This April, three years after meeting each other, we got married. We moved to the US in June and took a trip back to Montana. We took new photos in the same place, this time together. 

Thank you Katie & Ben for sharing this little sweetheart of a story!

If you would like to share your favourite photo + the story behind it on Tastes Like Love, send me an email!

Little Joys In A New Purchase

After we had our scan last Thursday Luke & I stopped by the shops to get some sushi rolls and so I could quickly look for a new everyday bag. Until I can choose the right satchel from either The Cambridge Satchel Company or Bohemian Living, I settled for this navy Agent NinetyNine Oxford satchel. We were on our way back to the car park when I quickly looked in General Pants on a whim and saw this satchel sitting by itself on the bag rack. I was already in the best mood after seeing my baby for the first time, so I quickly snapped this up and made a beeline to the counter. As I was waiting to be served I was giving the bag a last minute once over to make sure I was making the right choice as the side stitching looked a little shabby. I justified my decision by how delightful it was going to be to see the bright and happy pink lining every time I would open my bag. And if the pink lining wasn't a good enough excuse, the surprise $30 mark down sure was! The tag read $49.99, and I ended up only paying $19.99 which totally made my day even better than it already had been. It is these types of little joys and ones similar that happen often, and often go unappreciated. So lately I have been making a conscious effort to appreciate the little joys like successfully making dinner without Luke's help or finding an item of clothing I thought I had thrown out last spring clean. Because little joys make every day life exciting. 

Start Your Week Off With..

When there is snow, there is by Him & Her

What I Wore: College Days by Chestnut Mocha

Apple Banana Coffee Muffins by IROCKSOWHAT

Cat Lady Problems: Yarn by Old Red Boots

I was pleasantly surprised to wake up this morning and find I was headache free after having a horrible one all week. So my day is already off to a good start! I have a lot of catching up to do around here, and my to do list for the week is already looking pretty scary. Enjoy your Monday!

Did I mention I'm Having A Baby?

Aside from having a persistent headache since Wednesday, this week has been fantastic. I slept in on my days off, the days I did work went really fast and I finished off a drawing that I've been working on for what feels like forever. Thursday was a particularly exciting day for Luke & I. I had morning tea and a much needed catch up with my friend Holly before a much anticipated appointment - our 13 week scan where we got to see our baby for the first time! Even though it was too early to be told what we were having, I have a feeling we're having a girl. It was such an amazing experience to see how big our little baby has grown since the first scan we had where she was just the size of a tiny little rice grain. Because this is such a new experience to me I had no idea of what to expect, so when our little baby started to do summersaults and cover her eyes with her little hands it genuinely surprised us both! Everything was measured up and photographed, and so far everything looks good. Now that we've heard the heartbeat and seen our little babies organs and movements, it feels like it is actually happening and we both couldn't be more excited about everything that is going to happen!

My Monthly Agenda / November

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Last month just happened so quickly, it slipped my mind to post last month's agenda! New month, new needs! I've been waiting for ages for Lisa Mitchell's second album, and a couple of days ago I treated myself to it. She definitely isn't every bodies cup of tea, and although I totally get her, most of the people I talk to don't. Whenever I get a second release of one of my favourite artists, I always find it really hard to warm to their new albums. I've only just realised how fantastic The National's High Violet is, and its a couple of years old now. But I'm already really loving Bless This Mess just as much as Wonder. It is less cutesy, and more open minded. 

Now that the warmer weather is upon us, I've decided to try and give up my daily stocking addiction. I'm starting to think I have one. I actually don't wear anything that I can't finish the outfit off with a pair of black stockings. So in an attempt to ween myself off them, I need to build a collection of longer t-shirt/tunic style dresses that I can wear cute sandals with. I've been wanting to do this for a while, and a pair of salt water sandals will be the greatest motivation to do so. Something else that I have wanted to do for a while is read another novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, and I liked the sound of The Marriage Plot so while I was at the shops a couple of weeks ago I picked it up. If you've read it, let me know what you think. And this month I want to give in and make (or get Luke to make it!) a vegetable frittata. They seem to be everywhere lately, and Luke is always offering to make me one, but I just haven't been drawn to them. I'm really motivated to get everything on my list made/read/bought this month! 

Start Your Week Off With..

Seaside by Two Happy Hearts

Keeping Promises by Maiedae

You & I Misbehaving by Midnight + Dawn

Because Love Is Cool by Vanagon Champion

Good morning, good morning! This lovely sunny Monday of mine is going to be spent doing very little. While my boss was overseas for two weeks I spent a lot of my time at work, so today is going to be one of those catching up on emails & cute blogs, starting new custom portraits, tidying my desk, painting my nails, and drinking pineapple juice kind of days. 

Young One, Theres A big Sun!

Oh, November so far you've been kind! In the short week and a half you've been here lovely, every day sorts of joys have happened. I won my first giveaway! After blogging for a year and half, and entering countless awesome giveaways for things that I didn't actually need, I won one that was delightful and practical. Peta from The Sea & Me Change's giveaway was an awesome bike helmet from the helmet company Nutty Helmets. I received a $5 voucher from price line in the mail, which is always a good thing because who doesn't like buying things and having $5 knocked off the price! I received another gem in the mail from my cousin, her save the date for her overseas wedding next year. Even though Luke & I won't be able to save that particular date to go to the wedding, it was still really exciting to get something about it in the mail. Luke & I have something as equally exciting planned for that week, but more on that later! 

This past week has also seen the return of my energy, and good moods! I haven't been posting very much for the past two months because to be completely honest - I've been asleep most of the time. When I get home from work I've been afternoon napping well into the evening, waking for dinner and then clocking in some more z's. Its been a horrible pattern that I am beyond thrilled to get out of. And now that I have more energy, I'm in a better mood. I may as well have been napping in our bin because I having been acting like a petulant Oscar the Grouch. It hasn't been pretty. And I also changed my hair style a little with some layers and a straight across fringe. And I found a packet of fingerstache rub on tattoos that were a lovely distraction today while I was working on some custom portraits. So if this is how you're going to roll November, I'm happy you're here!

Start Your Week Off With..

My Birthday Part Two by Little Henry Lee

Hello, I'm An Adult by Sometimes Sweet

Tasty Tuesdays by Brazen Vox

Picnic Lunch In The Yard by Chestnut Mocha

I had the loveliest little Monday off work with Luke today. The past week or so I've been getting up early each morning for work, and luckily my body clock didn't fail me this morning. I avoided checking the time because I didn't want to know if it was after 10 am, which is generally the case when Luke & I have days off together. Lucky it wasn't, and it was a nice sunny day outside to wake up to. We went for breakfast at this gorgeous new breakfast & lunch restaurant The Lakehouse. The interior is a perfect mixture of natural woods, creamy whites, fresh flowers, old fashioned jars, sweet treats & natural light over looking the lake. After breakfast we made a quick trip to the shops where I got a long summery dress and some cds. Our trip was cut short as we had to attend a house viewing because our current lease ends in a couple of weeks. If there is one thing I am sick of doing it is moving. Luke & I are being extra picky this time around as we intend on staying at our next place for as long as possible to avoid the constant hassle we bring upon ourselves once a year. Anyway, check out these bad boys - theres a dinner idea, birthday drooling, something to read and the cutest couple + the cutest cat doing their own lunch thing. Enjoy!