irresistable

If you look at her eyes too long your heart will melt.

my weekend in pics

I am so in love with this last weekend. Hopefully you were too.

distorted

I hope every girl watches this!



Originally posted here. Thank you Bethany for posting this.

friday... finally

I hope you're all doing at least one thing this weekend that makes you crazy happy.

Somethings that have made me crazy happy lately? I'll tell you:

I don't know how I didn't tell you this... or maybe I did and I'm losing my mind... anyway...

A few weeks ago I got to assist Rachel Thurston shoot a wedding at the Biltmore in Santa Barbara. It was awesome. I was so impressed working with her and the wedding was beautiful and it was a blast! Thanks Rachel!

This recipe for banana pudding is calling to me.

I want a little lamb of my very own.

And this etsy shop is pretty cool. (thanks Suann!)

The new album from Arcade Fire.

My sister gave me a 6 months subscription to Netflix.... uh oh!

And Fieryeyed's shop update is so good. I want to buy one of each.

Other non-internet related things that are making me crazy happy include: Harlow (duh), the sunny weather we've been having, going to the temple, a friend asking me to take some family pictures for her, my nephew's upcoming 5th birthday...

Life is sweet. See you Monday!



photo by littlemisspatricia

joie butter (joy butter)

I finally changed the name of my blog. I've been wanting to for awhile since everything else was "Joiebutter" anyway. Pois-Rouge was nice but didn't roll off of my very American tongue.

Why Joiebutter?

Joy is one of my favorite words. It's better than, more than happy... it's joyful. But I do think it looks prettier spelled "joie". When I was little I wanted a nickname and the only thing I got for Vanessa was "Vanna" and "Vinesse" (you know, like the shampoo, Finesse) so I picked Joy... and spelled it Joie.

Butter ... oh butter. I used to think it was the grossest thing ever. But I soon wised up and going to France sealed the deal. We ate amazing meals every day but the bread and the butter was enough to keep me happy. SO GOOD. But no, this is not going to become a blog about butter... seriously.

And I like the way they sound together. Joie and Butter. That's all. Basically me, just needing a little change in my life so I'm starting with the blog.

That's all.

xo

confessions on a tuesday

I consider myself a true Californian, but want to abdicate when it gets over 90 degrees. It was 107 today... no good.

I've never had a professional pedicure. Ever.

I'm completely addicted to Twitter... and Angry Birds.

Every morning I fight a ruthless battle with my alarm clock.

I just got called as a Nursery worker at church ... and I MISS my 5 year olds so much.

I always watch way too much Law & Order and lately my dreams are full of creepstars.

Lately all I want to eat is cheddar cheese and fresh tomatos. And figs. I always want figs.

I fell in love with this little lady.

My friends' mothers are all threatening me with blind dates. Meanies.

When Harlow does her little puppy snort/sigh I DIE. I really hope my kids are this cute.

Okay, since I'm confessing... I should admit that Ben & Jerry's Phish Food to the list of things I want to eat.


photo by me

august break, day 24

Our first morning in Beynac-et-Cazenac, Nicole and Candice took us to the market. The soaps were sweet smelling (I wish I'd bought some!) and the strawberries and peaches tasted like nothing I've ever had. Can I go back now please?

Also, if you want to swoon over the loveliness of Beynac check out Trisha's photos. They're incredible.

august break, day 19

Lately I have ZERO ideas when it comes to food. None.

Got any good ideas?

This actually looks pretty tasty.

august break, day 18

Lately I've taken to (along with everyone else it seems) taking photos of my feet/shoes. I mean, I have a lot of shoes and my feet hardly ever look like they've had one cupcake too many. It's pretty much win, win.

This is a picture of my feet on the lawns of the Chateau de Marqueyssac in France.

And here's a little picture of part of the gardens... kind of trippy and very awesome:




first photo by me
second photo found here

august break, day 17

We walked by this house probably a hundred times while we were in Beynac. An elderly couple lived here and we'd see them eating breakfast on the porch and the old man tidying up his flower boxes in his pj's. Next time I go back I'll speak enough French to talk to them and find out their names.

photo by me

a great escape

I just read this by Anais Nin and thought maybe she was writing this to me. I don't really have anything to say about it or to add to it. I'm just posting it for me. If it speaks to you too then that's an extra bonus.

"One word I would banish from the dictionary is “escape.” Just banish that and you’ll be fine. Because that word has been misused regarding anybody who wanted to move away from a certain spot and wanted to grow. He was an escapist. You know if you forget that word you will have a much easier time. Also you’re in the prime, the beginning of your life; you should experiment with everything, try everything…. We are taught all these dichotomies, and I only learned later that they could work in harmony. We have created false dichotomies; we create false ambivalences, and very painful one’s sometimes -the feeling that we have to choose. But I think at one point we finally realize, sometimes subconsciously, whether or not we are really fitted for what we try and if it’s what we want to do.

You have a right to experiment with your life... You came out of an education and are supposed to know your vocation. Your vocation is fixed, and maybe ten years later you find you are not a teacher anymore or you’re not a painter anymore. It may happen. It has happened. I mean Gauguin decided at a certain point he wasn’t a banker anymore; he was a painter. And so he walked away from banking. I think we have a right to change course. But society is the one that keeps demanding that we fit in and not disturb things. They would like you to fit in right away so that things work now."

photo by me

august break, day 15

If you've spoken to me in the last 24 hours or if you follow me on twitter you'll know why I had to eat a cupcake for breakfast this morning. This picture is borrowed from the very talented Mathias because I ate mine before it even occured to me to take a picture of mine.

august break, day 13

Have a happy weekend!

photos of Beynac-et-Cazenac by me

august break, day 12

Polaroid from Beynac-et-Cazenac, France

august break, day 10/11

Yesterday I got to spend the afternoon at Hearst Castle with Krista and it was such a treat! I admire her so much for following her dreams and moving across the country. She's brave and loves life... it's sort of contagious!

I snapped this with my iPhone.

august break, day 9

October is for visiting Utah and these crazy chicas. And Billie too. I plan on eating a lot of Cafe Rio and cuddling lots of babies and maybe apartment hunting?? It's no fun living far away from so many of my favorite people.

I'll visit more people but these three are about to (or have just had) babies so I've got dibs on them.

Naomi tweeted a great quote: "It doesn't matter where you are, it matters who you're with." I'll keep that in mind.

august break, day 8

The saddest day is the day that you get released from Primary. I have no doubt it's the right thing but it didn't stop me from instantly bursting into full on tears the second I was told. I have the most wonderful, smart, funny, loving 5 year olds in my class. I can't help but be a little heartbroken.

photo by Rebecca

august break, day 7

I ended up with a four day weekend this weekend. This is the best news ever. On Tuesday I'm meeting Krista at Hearst Castle and spending the day with her. I'm so excited.

I took this during a break in shooting The Monstrosity Movie this week. I have a weakness for magnolia blossoms.

august break, day 6

Don't you love carousels?

The filming for The Monstrosity Movie finished up this week. It was a blast.

ps - 8 more followers till I do a little giveaway for all of you pretty people.

Have a wonderful weekend! xo

graffiti in Paris

Some pretty graffiti on Rue des Rosiers in Paris.

I'm starting the August Break... 5 days later... whoops.

photo by me

at the Sacre Coeur

Before I hiking up the bazillion stairs I watched this guy feed some hungry birdies. He didn't just throw food for them, he'd call to them and they'd land on his hand to take the tiny pieces of bread. It was pretty awesome but my fingers weren't fast enough to catch him in action.

Just a note on my last post about France - I forgot to mention how AWESOME Trisha was for the whole 10 hours we were driving around France. I probably would have had a tantrum or burst into tears or something if she hadn't been with me. She's a superstar!