Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Announcing Pommel Lane!

SiteDesignPreview

I'm so excited to be announcing Pommel Lane! Formerly xoxohannah Pommel Lane is a lifestyle blog and soon-to-be opened print and custom hand-lettering shop offering everything from custom projects like birth announcements, save the dates, event collateral, invitations, and custom quotes along with beautiful prints and watercolor creations!

Click here to check out the new site and find out where to follow along for special deals and announcements before anyone else!!

xoxohannah

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

big things are happening



Hi guys!

Recently I have started working on some huge goals I have set for 2014. One of those goals was to finally create a home base, no longer just a blog but a website. In doing this I've created XOXOHANNAH. For the time being it holds my blog at www.xoxohannah.com/blog and I am finishing up the small corrections from the transfer of Blogger to SquareSpace (yay!). I wanted to write all of my wonderful signed, xoxohannah readers and invite you to continue on this journey with me. I am still talking about life, design, Abe, adventures, and cakes as well as some new content ideas! More recipes, goals, insights, and wonderful things are coming to XOXOHANNAH and I want to make sure I can keep connecting with all of my wonderful blog readers friends that have kept me going and encouraged me to start what I hope to be a wonderful business someday.

You can follow the new blog via Bloglovin'.
(If you just search "xoxohannah" make sure you follow our "xoxohannah.com/blog" address for all our post updates!)
All of my other social media accounts have stayed the same.
You can find me on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram via @andxoxohannah.
 
Thank you so much to each and everyone of you for being a dedicated follower! It means the world to me and I can't wait to see where this life will take us next :)

xoxohannah

Friday, September 6, 2013

the weekly - 36

Monkey Bread

I made this Monkey Bread like 2 months ago and was in the middle of my blogging funk. I was baking all kinds of cakes and treats and taking photos I just didn't have the muster to edit and craft posts. So here is a sneak peek. This week was short, mostly filled with work. If you follow me on Instagram then you know about my "blate" with the lovely Kate from Katelyn Brooklyn Blog. She is also a fabulous designer! In other news... I just realized we have to start house shopping in like 3 months. That crept up on me faster than I had realized. I am definitely excited and completely UN-thrilled about this realization all at the same time. I can't complain though, it was a great week.

Here are this week's links...

Roxanne is the gorgeous and talented blogger behind By Bun who just got back from her honeymoon and is showing off some of her gorgeous wedding photos. Go check it out!
Kate is starting a passion project over on her blog and I have a great idea to join in and make it my own at the same time. Seriously, I'm so excited!
This girl crush is quickly going to become my own. I can't wait to carve out some time to watch some of the talks and interviews mentioned! It is on the to-do list.
While I love the idea of being a vegan I just don't think I could do it. THIS RECIPE though makes me think I can incorporate things like that into my regular meal schedule, ya know, as long as I add chicken or salmon to it for James. :P
You know your a _________ when....
While I don't have any kids yet, these are things I think about now. It's an interesting concept.
This article really explains my thoughts on feminism. It is our right to make our own choices regardless if someone else agrees with them or would do it differently.
Art is art. This is beautiful.

This weekend is already proving to have gorgeous weather so we plan on taking advantage of it while we can! I hope that you all have a great weekend :)

xoxohannah

Thursday, September 5, 2013

a tidbit - take it or leave it

TODAY'S TOPIC IS...
Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered.

karma - what goes around comes around

I just recently finished watching the whole series of My Name is Earl on Netflix. GREAT SHOW. The macro storyline is all about karma. Karma is Earl's god. Well, karma is kind of my god too. This post isn't about to get into religious discussions because that isn't today's topic (nor a topic I have plans to cover anytime soon) but I will preface this with that I am not a God fearing woman, I am a karma fearing woman.

Growing up I did not have a bad childhood, we struggled and I started learning life lessons young. I believed in karma before I knew what karma even was. It wasn't until my dad remarried that this 'little tidbit' was pushed into the forefront of my mind. She used to constantly tout "What goes around comes around". Needless to say when the JT song came out, I was all about that shit. lol. She came into our family around the time I was just starting high school (she is no longer part of our family). I'm not sure why this one stuck, maybe it was because my dad didn't teach by giving us quote-like wisdom bits. I learned by experience, by listening to stories, by seeing others make mistakes. I figured out that I didn't have to experience it first hand to learn a lesson. Maybe she just said it too much, I'm not sure but it stuck. I think that fact that I could look back on past experiences and see karma cleaning things up made it easier to hold onto. Sure enough, those who did us wrong always got their just desserts and if they hadn't yet, they would.

Now I know what you are probably thinking... "Hannah, everyone has heard that saying time and time again. Was it really necessary to write an entire blog post about it?"

Probably not.

I probably could have talked about numerous things. I wouldn't have been myself though if I didn't write about karma. My Facebook about me page has always said one thing, "Karma is a bitch. Watch your back." It's been at least 5 years. It's just been that piece of advice I've always remembered. I'm not trying to tell you to fear karma because while that statement makes a point, it isn't entirely true. I fear a lot of things, karma isn't one. Karma isn't my god. The universe is. Mother Nature is. Life's little wonders are. Karma is that easy statement, that constant fall back, and that albeit corny, old as time saying that has always proved to have my back.

James has a shirt with a Japanese proverb on it that is something he has always lived by, "If you sit by the river long enough, you will see the body of your enemy float by." Same theory, different words. Chances are you have your own version of it too. I'd love to hear it if you do. Leave a comment if you feel like sharing :)

xoxohannah
[GRAPHIC CREATED BY & FOR XOXOHANNAH.COM]

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

my dream sabbatical

TODAY'S TOPIC IS...
If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do?

fall morn at the cabin
[CLICK IMAGES FOR SOURCE]

Honestly, any sabbatical I take would seem utterly boring from the outside but I suspect that many people may feel that way when they think about their own. If I could do anything I would have a small cabin that I could live in, fix up, and practice hobby after hobby. It doesn't need to be expansive, just some open floor plans and bare bones. It could be in just about any country as long as it was in the hills, mountains, water, or all three or any combination thereof. I would love to walk out the front door or look out the window and just be in awe of the world around me.

I would spend my days working on the home, gardening, cooking, baking, creating everything from watercolor art to furniture, and more than my fair share of time taking photos. I would have Abe and James there (obvs lol) and he would have an office to write in and Abe would play frisbee in the forest or on the beach. It would be amazing to have friends and family near to come together for dinner parties in the evening. Honestly, I would just want to get away from the hustle and bustle to connect with my soul, connect with the peace in nature, and wake up everyday knowing that money, politics, and unnecessary drama can't bring me down.

I had a great conversation with my dad at some point over the past year about how I would love to build a life in the middle of nowhere. I wanted to create only the relationships and stresses I wanted without the pressure of the world telling me to fight my way to the top, climb the corporate ladder, or bleed my knuckles to the bone trying to be what everyone else thinks my success should look like. His response was simple, chuckle-worthy, and as always, perfect... "Now you understand the 60s." I am my father's daughter :)

xoxohannah

get your plum on

Cinnamon Plum Cake with Brown Butter Frosting Cinnamon Plum Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Would you believe me if I said that I thought I hated plums? Realistically, I could say (and believe) that I've never had a plum before this past weekend. It's mostly because of this texture thing I have. By which I mean texture issue. I'm still working on getting the courage to each a peach that isn't canned. When it comes to things that squish when you bite in, I have a serious problem. It one of the major reasons I can't do blueberries. I love the flavor I just cant handle the texture. I know, the horror. A baker who doesn't like blueberries. What can I say? I am weirdo. That's besides the point though, the point is, I thought plums were squishy so I stayed away. What a mistake I tell you. What a mistake! I'm officially plums biggest freaking fan now. I could sit down and slice up a plum every hour and be the happiest girl in the world.

Anyway, back to to the story about getting this cake together. I made the decision to buy two plums at Target almost two weeks before this cake was made (I'm utterly impressed at how long the kept in the fridge. Making mental note!) so I figured I should whip these bad boys out and make something. I was in the mood for a recipe I knew worked like magic and could be more fun to decorate than mixing. I went with my favorite fluffy white cake. This cake does take some time to put together properly but the batter tastes better than any box mix on earth. And that is saying a lot because, while I shouldn't, I'm a diehard box mix fan. It has been rooted in me since long before I knew what was being started. I decided to try a new frosting recipe since the cake was an old standard. It tastes great but the consistency is a little different than I'm used to using. Despite my picky consistency note this Brown Butter Frosting was definitely the perfect compliment to the white cake and sweet crunchy plums on top.

Cinnamon Plum Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Now I should clarify that there are two "versions" of this cake pictured - with and without cinnamon. I married a man in love with Cinnamon. The spice. Not another woman. lol So of course this was topped just for him but I can assure you that regardless of whether you include it or not, it will be delicious. Cinnamon naturally pairs well with plums so it was a no-brainer. (I googled it. Don't worry. lol)

Cinnamon Plum Cake with Brown Butter Frosting Cinnamon Plum Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Since I have a puppy that can't seem to leave my side and must be involved in every single thing I do, I manage to get photos of his cute butt in some of my photos. I have created a jump for those of you who are sick of me blabbing on about my dog. Feel free to click down and see some extra cake photos and adorable Abe pouts if that tickles your fancy!

xoxohannah

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

i hail from...

This month I will be following along and posting with Blogtember hosted by Jenny over at Story of My Life.
If you are a new reader, WELCOME! Thank you for coming by. You are starting off on a goodie :)

TODAY'S TOPIC...
Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

600dpi

I hail from a little place called Las Vegas. I was born and raised in a city that was constantly changing and growing. I can tell you so many stories from my childhood growing up on railroad tracks that are now overpasses and ranch style homes with horses that are now track developments. I can tell you stories about all the great spots to get away from the madness that is Sin City, the best mexican food in town, and show you both what it is known for and what it isn't. Being from Las Vegas is a big part of who I am but so is my family or, as you will learn, my lack thereof.

Las Vegas At Night from Space

I was very fortunate to have been born from two healthy parents with good genes and lots of love. I have an amazing younger brother who is smarter than anyone realizes and could be the next Steve Jobs if he really wanted to. (Big sister gloat, sorry I'm not sorry!) By all accounts my life was set to be pretty normal, until it wasn't. The funny thing is... nothing about my life feels un-normal. What was two healthy parents became one when my mom walked out on the three of us and took my oldest stepbrother with (she went on to have 3 more kids - that's 6 total - but that is a story for another time). To make a long story short, real life came early and while I grew up really young I think it taught me how to be both a responsible person and a fun-loving dork regardless of my age.

Not knowing 50% of my relatives meant that I always had a really small family. Growing up we were the 3 Musketeers - my dad, brother, and myself. Is it any wonder I was a tomboy? haha Beyond that was a short trip over the hump to Pahrump (yes, that is a real place and something said by Las Vegans) where my dad's parents lived. Many summers, spring breaks, and weekends were spent at their house building forts, getting yelled at for laughing too loud, and later in the years... for fighting too much. Those were the good ol' days until I turned 16 and I really began to understand people the way I thought I always had. When my grandfather passed away it was a door that couldn't be closed. True colors started to show.

I quickly realized that I was who I was because I was raised by my dad in a single parent household and the life experiences that happened as a result. It wouldn't be for a couple more years when my mom's side of the family found me through Facebook and the course of events from age 18-24 that I would really understand that my dad wasn't just the best single parent on the planet but probably the most amazing human being I'll ever know.

My dad taught me that breaking the cycle is possible, that you can overcome pretty much anything, that budget shopping is a way of life to be learned young, and that no matter how many people are in your family that there is no limit to love. I grew up one of the most provocative cities in the world having to face life younger than most and grew up to be a responsible, well-rounded, level-headed, smart, sassy, and all around decent human being. You are where you come from. You are who you come from. But you can also be who you would want your kids to come from. That is really what my dad taught me.

xoxohannah


[CLICK IMAGES FOR SOURCE]

Monday, September 2, 2013

labor day

wrappedsteaks redumbrella bbq bbqsteak yellowwall rockgarage buildingumbrella

I hope everyone had a great weekend. If it was long for the Labor Day holiday I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the weather (if it was nice). We had great sun but man was the humidity through the roof. I've been spoiled most of August with this fall like weather and I wasn't prepared for it to get 'meh' again.

Welcome September! Fall, here we come :)

xoxohannah

Sunday, September 1, 2013

the end... of august

Monsters Inc Birthday

While it has been pretty quiet around here during the month of August it has actually been a busy month in the real world. August is my birthday month... wooo! Another year bites the dust. James and I celebrated and kept it fairly simple. I'm not a fancy-schmancy party person and honestly, I stayed home and organized the house. It was AWESOME :)

Birthday Present Wrapping, Peacock Notebook, Organized Bookshelf & Lizard Stapler, Anthropologie

So between celebrating my birthday, organizing the house and using my new peacock notebook to get going on blogging again I also said goodbye to our intern at work. She was awesome, hilarious and a nerdy at heart just like me. She gave me this adorable lizard stapler as a going away present and it is sitting on my desk as a little reminder. I hope that someday I can work with her again. Good luck to next year's intern, she'll be hard to beat!

Getting Healthy, Booty Sweat, Working out, P90X

Another thing that has been going on this month is a renewed motivation for taking care of myself. If you have followed for a long time it really isn't a surprise that this comes in waves. I decided to start on P90X again and as you can see, it's working! lol I totally hashtagged this picture on Instagram with #bootysweat. I couldn't help myself, it happens.

Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3 Cupcake Toppers

Besides being my own birthday month I also share August with two coworkers and my nephew, Brayden, among many other friends and acquaintances. My sister-in-law asked me to help with his birthday party and while shipping a cake to Florida would not be a good idea, making cupcake toppers was definitely an option! I think that I hit the Toy Story 3 theme right on the head. It felt good to be back to making art with fondant. It has been 2.5 years and I'm glad I didn't lose the knack.

DC Weather, Northern Virginia Weather, Rainbow, Ovvio

I really wanted it to be a double rainbow. Nuff said :)

Abe Update, French Bulldog, Puppy, Frenglish, English Bulldog, Freelance Bulldog

Abe. Oh Abe. Isn't he adorable? August has been a rough month for this kiddo. Not that his life is ever hard but in doggy-world, it was a doozy. We were gone more than usual on the weekends plus the normal week day schedule. Lots of organizing and furniture rearranging turned his world upside down. Lastly, it was finally decided that Abe has outgrown his dog bed. Obviously he was hiding his face in shame at just how much he has outgrown it. Can you believe that this was 5 months ago?

All in all, it was a great month. How was your August? Are you ready for fall or would you hold onto summer forever?

xoxohannah

Friday, August 30, 2013

the weekly - 35

the weekly collage - 35
[ left to right; top to bottom - 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 ]

It feels like I haven't blogged in ages (ya know, beside the Abe post yesterday). I think my subconscious really needed me to step away and focus on real life. I am noticing an urge to blog, an urge to create. A spark is lighting again and I intend to take advantage!

Lately I have been doing quite a bit of daydreaming. Not the stressful, day-mare kind of scenario run through I feel like my normal tendencies are. No, this is real daydreaming. This is my current obsession with picturing our first home and renovating it to be a safe haven. Picturing what the future could look like.

Dreaming for another vacation on the water. It's been a year, we have a lot to celebrate. Getting excited for Fall and all of the clothes and things I could want to buy (but wont). I've been narrowing down my "beauty" stuff (not that I had much to begin with) but I'm coming into my own in a way I haven't before. Less is more they say.

I've also been thinking a lot lately about the whole "do what you love" thing. I've also had a thing for quotes lately but I've really been imagining what my dream field and "work life" would be like. I'm just full of all sorts of dreams lately, huh?!

Here are some links I want to share this week:

This... will make you cry. Bring tissues and your heart. It will burst!
Pranks, gotta love them. Please, can I scare the crap out of someone? Pretty please!
Laicie started a great discussion about millennial kids. She linked to some of my favorite articles on the subject.
The August Break is coming to an end. Sad face.
I definitely took most of August off. I will be talking more about my month of August in a wrap up.
This wilderness garden is straight out of my dreams. My daydreams I tell you!!
Jenny is hosting another monthly blogging event and I'm definitely going to participate this time, I think. lol
I have fallen absolutely head over heels in love with the blog, Smitten Studio, and Sarah's cabin renovation.
I've been seriously throwing this around in my head. I think it's time I push myself into fight or flight.I work best under pressure.

I hope that if you are celebrating Labor Day this weekend that you have great weather and good times planned. It's the last hurrah of the summer and we can't wait to get our BBQ on! If you aren't in the US celebrating then I hope you have a fantastic weekend! See you in September!!!

xoxohannah

Thursday, August 29, 2013

abe is bad to the bone

abe

I love Abe. He is the greatest, until he isn't. He is the cutest, sweetest, friendliest dog until he decides that he isn't getting what he wants and then he isn't.

*Now I want to preface this story with I don't believe Abe is a bad dog. He isn't spiteful (despite his stubborn style) and that the following story is the effect to a lot of cause building up over the past month.


abe abe abe

Abe is really well behaved, generally speaking. We have done all of his training on our own, no classes. We socialize him, potty train/housebreak him and most days are great. He has grown up on the top floor of a high rise apartment building so potty training and housebreaking isn't his best subject. He knows that he gets taken out at certain times and we know that he goes at certain times. It's a schedule and we've gotten lazy(ish) in his good behavior. His schedule has relaxed and his freedom has increased. We should have seen the signs.

After rearranging the furniture in our living room (ie. our whole house lol) Abe was anxious. This is normal and I was expecting it. He also gets anxious when I do severe cleaning and organizing. Moving stuff around is NOT his favorite thing in the world and that reaction is a dog thing. I understand. It just so happened to be the final straw for Abe. That evening Abe decided as we climbed into bed at 9PM that he was going to express his displeasure with his "oh so horrible life". He climbed up in bed as James and I tucked ourselves in and peed, followed by quickly scampering back off the bed and out into the living room. Clearly he was NOT happy with how easily we were adjusting to our new surroundings.

It seemed spiteful at the time but it was his natural reaction to the large amount of freedom and change happening. James and I have been busy on the weekends which resulted in Abe not getting his dedicated cuddle time. He is mostly French Bulldog and a very clingy breed. He was unhappy. Needless to say I screamed a couple cuss words and swore if he did it again I'd start crating him overnight again. Fast forward to the next night....

Yea, you guessed it. Abe now sleeps in his crate at night. He was telling us he was unhappy and we listened. We have cut back on his freedom and given him dedicated love time. We were always home but our attention was elsewhere and this was simply unacceptable for him. haha

We love our Abe-rton and believe me, he has an easy life, but sometimes you just have to know your pet. Get past the bad behavior and to the root of the problem. Regardless, Abe will always be BAD TO THE BONE, dun nunna nuhnuh. ;)

xoxohannah


abe abe abe

Check out other great BAD TO THE BONE stories:

Friday, August 2, 2013

dress up your desktop - august

Dress Up Your August Desktop - Candle Confetti

Being my birthday month I decided to do a little something extra with this month's background. I am sharing only one theme but there is a variety of colors for you to download for your desktop, iPad, or iPhone.

To Download on a PC:
- Right click on the wallpaper size below the theme you would like. The image will open on a black screen where you can right click 'Save As' to your computer. Once saved, set as your desktop.

To Download on a Mac:
- Drag and drop the image to you desktop OR use CTRL + click and it will allow you to 'Save As' to your computer.

First up! Teal, because it is my favorite :)

Candle Confetti Desktop Background Preview in Teal

2560x1440 / 1680x1050 / 1440x900 / 1280x800 / IPAD / IPHONE

You can check out the rest of the colors (and download them) after the jump!

Collage of Candle Confetti Desktop Background

Happy August & Enjoy!

xoxohannah

Monday, July 29, 2013

Homemade Vanilla Creme Filled Donuts

Homemade Vanilla Creme Filled Donuts

I love donuts. Really, who doesn't?

Okay. Maybe some of you out there don't...

Krispy Kreme was always my favorite. They were the best treat because I rarely got to have any. They don't have many locations on the east coast, it was a west coast thing I guess. Especially with the explosion of Dunkin Donuts over the last couple years. Dunkin just isn't the same. It just doesn't hit the spot like Krispy Kreme.

I think it was back in high school the first time my dad taught me to make homemade donuts. In the effort of full disclosure I don't actually "make" the donuts. I cheat. I use pre-made biscuits from the can. They are so quick, fluffy and make some of the best donuts around. Someday I will put the effort into making yeast donuts. I'm sure it will be worth it. Making cinnamon rolls from scratch with yeast is one of the greatest things I ever did. It is now a yearly tradition from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. But for now... canned biscuits it is!

It wasn't until our cabin trip in June that I made donuts again. Truth be told, it was only a matter of time. Sure it's nice and all to have a Dunkin Donuts at the bottom of the building but they are far from the "A" team. Mine are just so much better and, well, closer! Personally, I'm a glazed girl through and through. If I'm making cinnamon sugar donuts holes out of the center scraps I will definitely pop a few in my mouth but my true preference will always be glazed. James on the other hand is a creme filled kind of guy.

This weekend he was craving donuts (I guess I was too...) and neither of us were willing to walk to Dunkin. He was really craving their vanilla creme filled donuts so I offered to give making them at home a try. Since I keep every basic baking item in my house it wasn't difficult to google a recipe and come up with what looked like the perfect vanilla creme filling for our homemade donuts. Sure enough, it was a success. A resounding success!

Homemade Vanilla Creme Filled Donuts

Homemade Vanilla Creme Filled Donuts
creme filling adpated from cdkitchen


Ingredients

- one can of Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits (I like the size of the 4 pack biscuits but Grands work just as well for full size donuts.)
- 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 32-oz bottle of vegetable oil
- cinnamon sugar mixture

Instructions

1. Pull out a large pot and fill halfway with vegetable oil. Turn on your heat medium-high and use a candy thermometer to measure to 350 degrees. Pop open your can of biscuits and separate them from each other while your oil heats up. For the purposes of these creme filled donuts I recommend not punching out holes as you would to make normal donuts.
2. Once your oil is heated to temperature carefully place in your whole biscuit using a slotted spoon so you don't splash and burn yourself. You want to cook each side for 30-60 seconds until golden brown and then remove from oil. Let your donut cool completely before moving to your bowl of cinnamon sugar mixture. 3. While your donut is cooling combine shortening and butter in your mixer and cream. As they combine, gradually add your powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Stop and scrap sides as needed. Once all of your sugar is combined add milk and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Put into frosting bag with a tip.
4. Coat your donuts in cinnamon sugar but you can also used powdered sugar or glaze. (hint: I will be sharing my favorite glaze recipe here tomorrow!!) Once you have your outer coat on use a knife to make a small X or + on the end of your donut. Stick the frosting tip in your small hole and fill it with vanilla creme until it slowly presses your tip out of the donut. Practice a couple times and you'll get the hang of how much pressure and creme to use per donut.
5. Creme recipe fills 5 small biscuits donuts. I usually make half creme filled and the other half round glazed.

Homemade Vanilla Creme Filled Donuts Homemade Vanilla Creme Filled Donuts

Friday, July 5, 2013

the weekly - 27

theweekly_27_2

THIS WEEK'S IMAGES*:
a pretty cake: fourth of july inspired with sparklers!
style swoon: sweaters with buttons up the back!
daydream scapes: always daydreaming of nature + homes!
newest read: Lovely Indeed! Hey, that rhymed :)

OTHER ARTICLES:
This article about being an introvert in an extroverted world.
Kate has assembled an amazing selection of wallpapers you can download for free from various graphic designers.
If 6 year old Hannah could see this, she'd die. Mermaid finds love with Merman.
Cuteness found here, here, here, here and here. That last one makes me think of Roxanne's adorable pup!
I am yours alone. A sweet, sweet blog about a love 70 years old. A MUST READ!
Ask yourself, "Why is that so bad?"
Can I pack up everything I own and move here
Jenni shared this hilarious video this week and I'm sure us Instagram-ers will be bellylaughing right with her!

*So I've been wanting to start a round up for awhile but have just been, well... too lazy. Combating my lazy has finally brought you a round up on week 27 of 52 (just over halfway through!). I love finding new articles and things to feature so if you have a great link or find something super-cool, send it to me via Twitter (@andxoxohannah), comment or email so I can check it out!

Have a great weekend!

xoxohannah

Thursday, July 4, 2013

fourth of july

fourth of july

To all of my American and US readers, Happy 4th! I hope you are spending time relaxing and celebrating with good food and great weather!

To those of you not celebrating in the states today, have a fantastic Thursday! I'll be back tomorrow with a new feature :)

xoxohannah

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

dress up your desktop - july

Dress Up Your July Desktop - Watermelon

So I know I've missed a few months but the bug has bitten and I'm back on the wagon. I was brainstorming about what to make July's wallpaper about and nothing says summer, BBQs and Fourth of July quite like watermelon, if I do say so myself! This month I am sharing two themes, Watermelon & Watermelon Chunk for you to download for your desktop, iPad or iPhone.

To Download on a PC:
- Right click on the wallpaper size below the theme you would like. The image will open on a black screen where you can right click 'Save As' to your computer. Once saved, set as your desktop.

To Download on a Mac:
- Drag and drop the image to you desktop OR use CTRL + click and it will allow you to 'Save As' to your computer.
A Free Wallpaper by xoxohannah - Watermelon
 
2560 x 1440 / 1680 x 1050 / 1440 x 900 / 1280 x 800 / IPAD / IPHONE

A Free Wallpaper by xoxohannah - Watermelon Chunks
 
2560 x 1440 / 1680 x 1050 / 1440 x 900 / 1280 x 800 / IPAD / IPHONE

Happy July & Enjoy!

xoxohannah

Friday, June 28, 2013

snip, snip

abe_little_1

Guys, last night was rough but I'm holding it together. With James working late and Abe laying next to me in bed while I put together images for this post I was a mess. I kept picking him up (which woke him up) just to hold him. He's in that stage so let me just say that he was NOT having it. I then proceeded to google the death rate for French Bulldogs under anesthesia. BIG MISTAKE.

Horror stories + emotional Hannah = Abe get squeezed and told he can't die on me.

Yea. It happened. No shame. He's my baby and he can't go anywhere*. So... this morning at the buttcrack of dawn we got up and drove Abe to the vet and handed him over to the nurse. I won't ever forget his little "MOMMMM!!!!! DADDDDD!!!! What's happening?!" face was she took him away. They will be keeping him for the next 24 hours for surgery and observation. The only thing calming my nerves is that we go to a 24 hr vet hospital/doctor office so I'm telling myself that even though they are pricy it's because he will have constant supervision.

We are totally supposed to go out tonight since it is our first sans-puppy night since we got him in March but I can foresee us being the (puppy) parents who won't stop talking about the damn (dog) kid all night long. Don't even ask me what I'll do with real kids, that's too much anxiety and stress right now. I have to get through this surgery and I'll come back to you in 10 years when it's future Hannah's problem.

For the time being I will leave you with some of our favorite pictures of Abe through his 4 month life with us.

abe_little_rounduo My guys

Damn this cute-ass-booger. I love him.

xoxohannah

*While I'm not really superstitious or religious, if you are the type to send well wishes and good juju I would love to have you keep Abe in your thoughts. He is a very healthy and happy baby bulldog but in all seriousness, he IS a bulldog. That means exponential risks during anesthetic procedures, including routine snip-snips. We thank you <3

ps. I totally cannot wait to share pictures of Abe in his Elizabethan cone!!! hehe