What I'm Loving At The Moment

Hi all! If you're new here, welcome to my blog. I'm Diana Ascarrunz, and I photograph all kinds of things: people in love, my husband Mark and dog Moonpie, events, small businesses, and more.

Today, I'm sharing a few things I'm loving at the moment. Enjoy!

1. This article on my local Austin friend Kara's website, Bravely. Kara is an amazing human who talks about all things finance and holds workshops for women to help them with retirement, loans, business, and all other things money. She paid off $25,302 in loans on a salary of less than $30,000, the final $18,000 in just ten months(straight from her website), which is super inspiring, and she's really candid and amazIng.

This article is all about a budget for a wedding and how to have a wedding without breaking the bank. I love it because not everyone has parents who saved for their weddings their whole life (I didn't, either) or $40k+ to spend on their wedding. I also featured her on Latinx Voices, which you can read here. 

2. This recipe for banana bread blondies. I've been trying to find a good banana bread recipe that I like and that is also convenient. This recipe from Food52 is perfect! It's somewhere between a cake and a blondie, you can freeze them and carry them with you as little snacks. And it's so easy!    

3. Avocado pit dye. Um, yes. I haven't actually used this DIY recipe for dying fabric pink with avocado pits yet, but I have 4-5 avocado pits in my freezer and I'm saving more so I can dye. I can't wait! 

4. BossBabes ATX. To be fair, I'm never NOT loving BossBabes. But they're just so great that they had to go on this list. BossBabes ATX is always coming out with great events and they always have something for everyone. They have talks, an amazing music comedy fest coming up this fall, and events of all sizes for people who love intimate 20-people gatherings to people who love huge events. If you're Austin-based and want to meet cool people doing cool things in the world, go to a Boss Babes event because they're all there. I'll be shooting for them some more this summer (all the photos on this page are from their events!) so come say hi!

5. Ramen videos. I recently read a little about instant ramen and was horrified by how incredibly unhealthy it is, which of course cued a crisis: how do I make my own ramen?! I found this really funny and detail-oriented French guy on YouTube sharing so much information about how to make ramen yourself at home.

6. Kate Taylor Design. Everything she makes is magic and I want to buy all of it right now. I just love everything she makes-- do yourself a favor and check out her Instagram. 

7. This post from Katie Cowden aka Killer Queen Designs. I have her amazing cactus earrings that I've had her make more than once (because Moonpie ate a pair), and then she made these iridescent laser cut cactus earrings and I love them too. Every time I wear them everyone freaks out because they're just so cool and she's so cool and makes amazing stuff. She's Austin based, laser cuts everything herself, and does a lot of awesome witchy things too.

8. Meeting up with amazing people like Jmat Bernal and his work with Chula League. Chula League has a program that he helps with called Big Artist Little Artist that pairs a professional adult artist with a young student artist. They make pieces together and hold an art show and sell all of the pieces. I think that's so amazing and so community driven, and I got to meet him recently!

9. Photographer Charmi Pena. She's so so so good and I'm obsessed with her. She was recently named a Nikon ambassador, which is a big deal.  I'm so glad she was recognized.

Comment below and tell me what you're loving at the moment. And if you make those banana bread blondies or some homemade ramen, invite me over!