We made it safe and sound to Europe. We haven't had much internet while we've been here, so my plans for blogging/updating along the way kind of went out the window! In a way, I'm kind of grateful...it means we have more time to explore. :)

We flew into Geneva, dropped off our stuff at the apartment and then caught a plane to Berlin. We're headed to Copenhagen tonight. We're staying with the lovely Brittany of The House The Lars Built. From there, we're headed to the UK where we're staying with the talented Kjrsten of Kjrsten Madsen Photography. Any tips or favorite places in Copenhagen or the UK, let us know! We've got a place set up for a quick trip to Bath, but other than that our plans are pretty flexible!

Hopefully we'll have internet again soon! In the meantime, feel free to follow along on our instagram account: @amandajanejones.

PS. My Better Half to be up and running again when I have more internet!

Mike is an electrician by day, and moonlights as a wedding photographer. Janis is in university to become a teacher, and will graduate this spring (Or did it already happen?). They like to eat crepes for breakfast, have dance parties in the kitchen, and invite friends over for dinner.

Janis and Mike are newlyweds! You can see their gorgeous wedding photos here and learn more about them both on their blog, My Suitcase Heart.

Thank you Janis and Mike for being a part of My Better Half!




MIKE
1. Loves old Volkswagens
2. Deathly afraid of heights
3. Can hold his own on a dance floor

JANIS
1. Is in the process of growing out her pixie cut of three years.
2. Is incredibly klutzy.
3. Has a scar above her lip from when she playfully snuck up behind her older brother while he was playing baseball with an aluminum baseball bat. You can imagine what happened.

THEIR STORY
We grew up 1.6 km away from each other (that's about a mile, for you American folk!), went to the same school together for three years, and had more mutual friends than we could count. It seems natural to assume that we were childhood sweethearts, but somehow we didn't get together until we were in our mid twenties. But once we started dating, we didn't waste a lot of time. We were married in a year and half!

Thank you Janis and Mike for being a part of My Better Half!

We had such a lovely family reunion...lots of fresh air. Just what we needed. Unfortunately, we all ended up getting the stomach flu, but it sure did make for some funny stories. Even with the sickness though, we still had fun being together. Cree and I just love our little nieces and nephew. We could sit and listen to them talk all day long.

6 days to Geneva! And we maybe have a house!

I first became acquainted with Rachel Castillero through her beautiful photography...and then we made the connection that she actually grew up with Cree in Burley, Idaho! Small world huh? Rachel and her husband Rico seem like a pretty great team—don't you just love this wall they found?! Here's to hoping we meet in person someday!

Thank you Rachel + Rico for being a part of My Better Half!




RACHEL
1. Believes in ghosts
2. A wiz at vegan cooking
3. Has never had a cavity

RICO
1. Can build anything
2. Loves to make up songs about Nina the cat
3. Eames Obsessed

THEIR BIO
We are picture taking, furniture building, tree hugging, cat loving, margarita making, story tellers from San Diego. We live in the neighborhood of South Park with our cat Nina in our 100 year old "fixer upper" craftsman that we are completely in love with. We started our photography biz 4 years ago and feel incredibly fortunate that our job means time spent hanging out with rad couples, telling their stories, making art, and becoming their bffs. Rico is a designer who loves architecture and spends many an hour reading Dwell Magazine and dreaming up remodels. Rachel is an artist who loves vegan cooking and has quite the collection of recipes involving siracha. Pretty much, we LOVE our community and we love what we do.

Thank you Rachel + Rico for being a part of My Better Half!

Photos by Rachel and Rico Castillero

Yesterday we said goodbye to our little home in Ann Arbor. I always feel melancholy when we leave our home behind whether it be for a weekend or for a whole summer. Now we're in Idaho with Cree's family for family reunion in the mountains. Looking forward to some fresh mountain air!

PS. In a week and a half, we'll be in Geneva!! (we still don't have housing, but we have high hopes that all will work out in the end.)

PPS. I'm on instagram now! and I love it. My user name is @amandajanejones, so feel free to follow along! We're excited to document our European summer using the Visual Supply Co Cam app. Have you tried it yet? We love it. All of the above photos were taken and edited with it.

Tee-hee... Click on over to Oh Happy Day to see my most recent printable - Mom Tatts!

PS. Cree is such a good sport.

We met Emily and Dan Kastner on St. Patricks Day, so we figured the green wall was appropriate. We met up at Zingerman's for a blind double date. I think it's safe to say we all hit it off from the start. Lots of laughs—these two have some great stories, many which revolve around their adorable little boy Jack. They are a self proclaimed "stay at home family" (Which is my dream!) from Kalamazoo, Michigan (Yay!). Emily writes and bakes for her yummy blog Tar-Tryin' and Dan runs an online moped shop (another link here) and makes lots of coffee.

Thank you Emily + Dan for being a part of My Better Half!



DAN
1. His degree is in ceramics and metalsmithing. (I wish he had time to make me more ceramics!)
2. He broke both of his arms when I was pregnant.
3. Has a real weakness for Thai peanut curry noodles.

EMILY
1. She makes the most amazing croissants.
2. Gets very excited to point out when clouds sit on the horizon and can be mistaken for mountains.
3. She's a great writer—even birthday cards and notes are the best.

THEIR STORY
Dan owned an adorable coffee shop here in Kalamazoo, the Rocketstar Cafe. I was in my last year of college and would pass by on my way to and from class. After a few visits, my roommate and I both had crushes on him, and we found that we were heading into the shop more (and more!) frequently. Months of visiting him at the Rocketstar with nothing more than bashful, flirty small talk passed. Dan insists this was because one of his employees was interested in me. Seeking an end to conversations of "Should I just ask him to dinner or something?" my roommate finally took the initiative for me. She threw me a small surprise birthday party and had invited him! He couldn't come, so he gave his phone number to her to give to me. She made a big to-do about the birthday card she was giving me, and made everyone watch me open it. Since we'd been jokingly competing for him, the inside fo the card read, "Happy Birthday—you owe me big!" and it had a post-it note that he'd written his number on. I literally almost threw up, couldn't stop giggling, and I turned every shade of red. I was so embarrassed, I resolved to never call or go back to his coffee shop, and ended up stopping by the coffee shop that night. In November we'll have been together for eight years and married five.

The lesson here: Stalking people pays off. Just kidding, don't stalk people! The real lesson is be quietly persistent. Nope. I don't know what the lesson is.

Thanks Emily + Dan for being a part of My Better Half!

Photos by Amanda Jane Jones
Midwest is Best t-shirt from Megan Lee Designs.

Adam Patrick Jones is a freelance video editor/photographer living in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Rachel Brown lives in Bushwick and works in Advertising. She is the Pete Campbell of the digital realm minus the receding hairline and shameless ambition. Together they share the B38 and a lifestyle blog that documents what people wear Monday through Friday.

Aren't they as cute as can be?! Thank you Adam and Rachel for being a part of My Better Half!



ADAM PATRICK
1. Has a true love affair with chocolate croissants. I've never met a man who relishes a croissant with such gusto, no matter the time of day.
2. Is bound to be layered up. I have found him to wear up to 5 layers (from undershirt to overcoat) at one time. And yet, the man doesn't shed a drop of sweat!
3. Once grew a beard that was the envy of all male-dom.

RACHEL
1. Has a sweet tooth like no other (Chocolate, Diet Coke, and Chai Lattes included).
2. Is a speed-reader.
3. Has an undying affinity for tall shoes and pop music (i.e. Beyonce).

THEIR STORY
Adam Patrick Jones, man of few words and a strong penchant for used smelly books met Rachel, never one to shy away from conversation, Brown at church in the Upper East Side. It was a rainy day and Rachel shuffled down the aisle loaded with bags (a soon to be recurring sight, her nickname remains Bag Lady Brown) and when faced with choosing one of many open seats (both were early, a rare feat) she chose to sit next to Adam. They smiled at each other that evening and went on their first date two months later. The relationship officially became solidified the day Rachel, impulsive and trusting, put a pair of scissors in Adam's good hand and a glass of red wine in the other and told him to cut her hair. Compliments from strangers and friends later adorned his ego and the event has become a monthly happening; complete with a soundtrack that often includes Simon & Garfunkel, Fats Waller and Beyonce (when Adam is feeling generous). Adam and Rachel remain smiling, well-groomed and positively in love.

Thank you Adam and Rachel for being a part of My Better Half!

Credits and fun photo extras after the jump!

Click on over to Brooklyn Bride for a new set of envelope liners I designed. The perfect way to dress up your envelope!

Happy May Day!

A couple weeks ago, I was asked to participate in Visual Supply Co's new series, 'One Day.' I was honored to be included and I highly recommend documenting your day...it was a really eye opening experience!

Cree and I always say, Don't we have so much fun together?
But really, when you take a look at our days...it probably looks boring to an outsider looking in.

Before we got married, my sweet dad said, 99% of life is mundane, so it's important to remember to enjoy the everyday. Isn't that the truth?

Click here for my 'Day in the Life' feature for Visual Supply Co.
All photos edited with VSCO Film for Lightroom 4. (I highly recommend it...my new favorite!)