A few days ago I decided to start planning for Thanksgiving! Since we live 1800 miles away from our family and most of our friends here are transplants to Portland as well, we love to throw a Friendsgiving to still have that sense of family and togetherness! Last year we hosted our first Friendsgiving.. in our downtown apartment.. that didn’t have a dining room! Not to be discouraged by our… Keep Reading
We’re in November?! I could have sworn that I was just starting to get giddy about watching Halloween movies every night and now there’s Christmas music playing in the grocery stores?! I’m starting to feel the pressure as the end of 2013 looms before us. There’s tons of planning for the holidays, traveling, and some wedding details that I need to handle in a short amount of time! After a… Keep Reading
Tomorrow is All Hallows Eve! I slacked a little bit this year and didn’t get a costume made, but luckily my friend visiting from Iowa does an amazing job with Day of the Dead makeup so we’ll be doing a bit of face painting for tomorrow! Her first full day in Portland we grabbed a bite to eat at Rogue, enjoyed their delicious Pumpkin Ale and after we explored one… Keep Reading
Last Thursday on our friend’s birthday we decided to make another trip to Oneonta Gorge for some hiking! I’m sure you remember from my post a few months ago that this spot requires climbing over a huge pile of fallen trees and chest-high hypothermic water just to see Oneonta Falls. We decided to go as far as we could and then head back, grab some coffee, and hike around Horsetail… Keep Reading
It’s the season for pumpkin spice everything, so why not a pumpkin spice body scrub?! Pumpkin is rich in soothing vitamin A, the coffee grounds gently exfoliate and help diminish the appearance of cellulite, and the coconut oil will leave your skin smooth and hydrated. Need more incentive to try it yourself? The scrub leaves you smelling like an irresistible pumpkin spice latte!
I found this talented artist a few months ago through Instagram and I cannot wait to order some prints! She puts a wonderful new spin on the classic flash style of art. By far my favorite has to be the Norman Collins portrait she did. Any Sailor Jerry fan would love to have this on their wall! She sells prints, tote bags, shirts, and more! Head over to her Etsy… Keep Reading
Happy Tattoosday everyone! Just a quick and funny one today.. Tattoos are the EASIEST ice breaker, which is a blessing AND a curse. I’ve met some amazing people and learned some interesting stories just from someone noticing my tattoos and seeing a kindred spirit. Unfortunately those people are few and far between all of the others that approach you. A visible tattoo makes you highly susceptible to anyone who wants… Keep Reading
A few months ago I was having a discussion with someone who had recently dealt with a lot of negative comments regarding her tattoos. The usual.. “You’re going to look terrible when you’re older,” and “You’re not going to find a job because you’re tattooed.” It struck a chord with me because I’ve heard those very same comments firsthand about my own artwork. First off… can we all agree that… Keep Reading
What a whirlwind these last few days have been! My parents are here in Portland visiting and it’s been an amazing time already! We toured the International Rose Test Garden and Pittock Mansion on Sunday, which left me wishing I could move in there! They even had a huge painting of a white cat!! It’s just meant to be. 😉 Monday we celebrated my step-dad’s birthday with Maple Bacon S’more… Keep Reading
With shows like Tattoo Nightmares, a growing number of tattoo seminars for artists on cover-ups, and my fiancé’s own horror stories from the shop (he just did a half sleeve cover up OVER an existing cover-up..it was that bad.. TWICE!), it’s becoming quite clear that people aren’t doing the homework before getting the artwork. Whether it’s your 1st tattoo or your 61st tattoo, the most important decision you can make above… Keep Reading
I wanted to call this the Creature from the Black Lagoon mask because it’s kind of what I felt like running around with this on my face! Despite my terrifying appearance, my skin felt amazing afterward! The avocado is great for combination skin, the egg white tightens pores, and the lemon juice helps reduce redness! Take a day to relax and pamper yourself or save it for the next girl’s… Keep Reading
If you have any large scale, visible tattoos, you’ve no doubt experienced the stares, comments, and physical accostings from strangers trying to get a better look at them. I often joke that many people must think my tattoos are in Braille because they feel the need to run their hands up and down my arms to “see” them better. I’m accustomed to the stares, it comes with the territory, but… Keep Reading
A few weeks ago I went berry picking with some friends at Columbia Farms and Kruger Farms here in Oregon. We loaded up on tons of fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and boysenberries! It takes a little bit of work, but it was a great experience and I’ve been able to whip up several new recipes using the fresh berries! I made my Mini Fruit Tarts for my friends in exchange… Keep Reading
Here are some of my favorite photos from our trip to Lost Lake a week ago! If you’re looking for the ultimate camping spot to disconnect from the world for a few days, this is it! I will admit that I had Instagram and indoor plumbing withdrawals after the first day, but I quickly got over it and embraced the peace and quiet and rustic appeal of this Pacific Northwest… Keep Reading
Is anyone else out there scared of a fresh pineapple?! Maybe it’s their spikey texture and knife-point-like leaves (which I was stabbed by several times carrying it around the grocery store), but I’ve always chickened out or went the lazy way by buying pre-cut pineapple slices. Well no more! Not only is it cheaper to buy a whole pineapple versus the slices or chunks, but it’s also juicier and fresher!… Keep Reading
Summer is here (although you wouldn’t know that in Portland!) and everyone wants that summer glow! So why spend upwards to $40 for a body scrub that you can make at home?! The sea salt exfoliates your skin, organic coconut oil moisturizes it, and there’s just a hint of lemon juice for a fun citrus-y scent!
Today is special for a few reasons.. one being that it’s my last day in Iowa to see friends and family before I fly back to the wonderfully weird, Portland, OR tomorrow morning and two.. It’s my one year blogging anniversary!! I doubted myself a long time while doing this, but with the encouragement and support from friends, family, and all of my amazing readers I kept working hard and… Keep Reading
I look like the Jolly Blonde Giant.. Today I’m writing my Daily Life from Starbucks while I watch planes land at the airport. I find comfort in being this near to the airport since they sometimes feel like a home away from home anyway. I decided to take a few hours to myself to work on the blog and write since my trip back home so far has been pretty… Keep Reading
I’ve been really into at home beauty products lately and apparently so are all of you! I’ve received tons of requests to start posting recipes and tutorials for scrubs, face masks, hair treatments, etc.. So here you are.. a delicious smelling body scrub that will leave your skin incredibly soft! A bonus for all my tattooed readers; I noticed that my tattoos were even more vibrant after using this! Give it a shot… Keep Reading
Last year I painted labels on my terracotta pots, but since I switched up the herbs I planted I needed a new way to tell them apart. I painted the entire pot (before and after photos follow) and made these simple and cute rock plant markers instead! Find out how to make your own!
My hair is naturally stick straight, which might sound great to everyone else, but not when all you want is curly hair for just ONE night and you’ve spent an hour curling it only for it all to fall flat 10 minutes later! My girlfriends can attest to this! I love beachy textured hair in the summer, but I can’t seem to find a good spray in the stores. My hair either… Keep Reading
My goodness! What an amazing week back home! Saturday I got to meet up with my girlfriends and check out the opening exhibit at the Science Center of Iowa for Sue, the T-rex! Brittney’s son loved it.. and so did we! We scoped out some of the other exhibits and then the four of us (plus a baby!) crammed into a photo booth to take goofy pictures! You can’t ever… Keep Reading
Today’s Daily Life post is special in many ways. It’s the first one of the New Year, its tattoo related, and it’s my mom’s birthday! About a month ago I asked my followers on my Facebook page what they would like to see more of on the blog. One of the more popular suggestions was to see more of the tattooed aspect of Tattooed Martha, so here you are! Before… Keep Reading
Today I decided rather than my typical, “This is what we have been doing over the past week…” Daily Life post, I thought I would tell you guys a bit more about why this blog even began. To make a slightly long and complicated story short, I lost my job in March. It was the same day my boyfriend was flying into Portland to finally move here after 6 months of long… Keep Reading