friday present: sweet vintage love nudges.

This week's dose of gratitude goes a little something like this. Thankful for...

streusel, 

{photo by elaine ashton}

First the word streusel throw me off a little. It sounds wet, like a drizzly goo. But it comes from the German verb streuen, meaning to scatter or sprinkle, (similar to English's strew). Contrary to its juicy name, struesel is more or less dry (with a healthy punch of sugar, butter and flour), and I think it's best with brown sugar. Real brown sugar--the kind you can "pack" down--is hard to come by here. But this week I found me some brown sugar, baby. So I can perfect my blueberry coffeecake with streusel topping, a recipe my dear friend Jen sent me a while back.

vintage clutches, 

{from YellowBirdd Vintage via From Skirts to Skillets}

And good luck! I won this giveaway from Lynzy at From Skirts to Skillets. A floral clutch with gold chain courtesy of YellowBirdd Vintage. I'm diggin' this floral affair dress too, though I won't be able to fit in anything like that for a while. Incidentally, Lynzy is having a closet sale right now. Get in on the action!

heart hangers,

{my love hanger preview : photo by serkan yalin}

Once upon a time Micaela from Dolce Vita posted about a love hanger art project that Kat at Fritzi Marie is hosting. A few nights later, I found myself on the floor collaging and stringing up pieces of my life. It's a simple, meditative project that, I think, helps us reunite with ourselves a little. For me, writing about my dangling vida took me a little deeper into the love hanger journey than its initial creation. Read more about Kat's inspiration and how you can enter your hanger here. (Note: Kat has extended the deadline for entering.)

a safe haven... 

{photo by melina souza}

For (sexy) trash. Yep. Garbage. Basura. It's a real problem here, compounded by several factors. 1a.) The city does not provide garbage collection bins. 1b.) All stores give out flimsy plastic bags in horrifying quantities. Almost everyone uses these leaky, holey bags as their trash receptacles come trash day. Some toss them out as-is on the curb; most try to hang them on fence posts or in trees. 2.) Street dogs are a real problem here. They're feral, they're hungry, garbage day is thanksgiving--twice a week. 3.) Patagonia is windy. Every place has a main character, and wind is ours. 100 km/h winds are summer's norm. End result: a bloody mess. Plastic bag flags more prevalent than the obligatory Chilean flag.

The trash situation here has always stressed me out, but not in our current place. Our tiny front patio area is gated, and comes complete with a raised metal basket to safely stow our trash. Whew.

+ baby belly. 

{circa 23 weeks}

Lots of kicks and nudges these days (sometimes, we can even see the squirmer through my clothes). Of the five sense, he can now hear and he's working on his sense of touch. When he pokes, I poke back. 

What are you thankful for right now?