I ♥ Fridays (a bird, some tips and an app)

Chick-a-Dee Smoke Detector

How about this for the cutest smoke alarm ever?

The Chick-a-Dee is apparently modeled after canaries that helped miners test shafts for poisonous gases. Now if we didn't just replace all of our conventional detectors...

17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier

He had me at no. 1 with a new way to reheat pizza.

Paprika Recipe Manager for Mac, iPad & iPhone

This app has made cooking more enjoyable for me. I use all three versions (iPad, iPhone & Mac). Syncing makes meal planning and recipe organizing seamless, easy and dare I say fun.

I ♥ Fridays!

The August Break

I participated in this two years ago. The experience was invigorating. I'll be posting August Break photos right here this year. 

Here's the scoop if you want to play:

"How it works: you simply share one photo (or more!) each day on your blog – Monday to Friday, or every day. Or whenever you feel moved to share. Using any camera – DSLR, compact, Polaroid, Holga, iPhone (my choice), Instax, film or digital – with or without words – anything goes! – for the whole of August. No pressure – just looking at August through your camera lens as a way to be more present this summer. And to have a little break from the pressures and expectations of regular blogging."

 

Author: Jane Cabrera

We recently fell in love with children's books by Jane Cabrera. The illustrations are adorable and the stories are a delight to share. Jane also generously created a few downloadable coloring pages. My girl is too cool for coloring right now so we traced them instead!

 

Doughnut Muffins

Looking for a simple, delicious recipe to make the weekend a little more sweet?

I dare you to try these amazing cinnamon sugar muffins. I came across the recipe over the winter and they have an amazing fresh from the bakery taste that has forced me (it's the only explanation) to make them multiple times since.

Photo Credit:
How To: Simplify (Jen Tilley) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

I ♥ Fridays

The Essential Geography of the United States of America

"The Greatest Paper Map of the United States You’ll Ever See" that's what Slate said and we agree. We added it to our living room and it is inspiring the whole space and maybe our lives (we plan to pin locations we have traveled to as a family). I can't wait to see where it takes us next.

 

Monkey & Squirrel Embroidered Wall Art

To add some kitsch to our newly travel/map themed living room I couldn't resist "Home is Wherever I'm with You" by Jenn Pierce. So much sweetness. It also happens to be a lyric from one of my favorite songs.

There's No Place Like Home

Home is Wherever I'm With You

Home Sweet Home

 

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros "Home"

Speaking of this glorious song... here you go. Wonderful. I've cried listening to it. Multiple times. Countless times. Best lyrics.

 

I ♥ Fridays

Fridays are awesome. Even all grown up with a job that never has true Fridays there is something about leaving the week behind good or bad that makes these days worth celebrating. In this space, I hope to mark the end of the week by sharing some things that caught my eye over the last week. Up this week ...

 

Bonnie Tsang VSCO Cam Feature

Visual Supply Co put out this video feature of photographer Bonnie Tsang and her adorable daughter. Putting the product placement aside, this type of video is exactly how I would want my time with my girl to be captured. The scene were the two are walking hand in hand and the girl is skipping wildly is so my life. 

Extra Credit: Video by Chicago based Brett Carlson. Go team!

 

Mophie Juice Pack Plus

Since I've been using my iPhone as a camera to a ridculous degree lately I've noticed I need to charge my battery for a bit at lunch to keep it charged through the end of the night. That's no way to live, so I bought a Mophie Juice Pack Plus. 

Since I never had a case on my iPhone before, I thought it might feel cumbersome. Turns out, it has such a nice weighty feel that I prefer to have it on all the time. It gives the iPhone a "real camera" feel that I never experienced before and now I can go two days without charging. Pretty exceptional.

Anthropologie Owls

At my house there is a very carefully curated collection of owls in progress. These delightful creatures make me happy in a way that's a wee bit embarrassing. Don't judge —you need them too. 

Wide-Eyed Cookie Jar

Bubo Cookie Jar

A Real Hoot Canister