grinch-like tendencies

After a quick trip to PA for Thanksgiving with the in-laws, we came home the first week of December feeling refreshed and ready for a relaxing, low key holiday season.

That changed quickly.

The last two weeks have been filled with way two too many projects that I didn't know or intend. I've had a two sheet to do list practically stapled to my hip. Christmas present making, family photo (make that 5 different families) taking, photo editing, photo printing, Christmas card making, addressing, sending, harp practicing, blisters forming, and harp performing - 3 times in one day. Compiled with the stress and anxiety of deadlines.

Along with this, add your usual Christmas shopping, Gingerbread house making, working like crazy to afford this holiday and all the Christmas work and family parties.

After today I'll feel better. Nate has declared that once Christmas Eve comes if they are done or not, it matters not. Once Christmas Eve is here I am free. It is our day with no one else. We can celebrate how we want with whom we want and all I want is a cute husband and a little orange kitty. We will eat fondue and most likely watch Lost. And right now that sounds perfect.

We were too spoiled last year. Christmas in Germany was a dream. We left the stress of presents, commercialism, over rated traditions (not all traditions are in this category) and saw how another culture celebrates. We had the simplest of Christmases. We ate delicious Indian food and watched Faulty Towers, Mixed Nuts and Creature Comforts. We went to the most amazing Christmas Market and ate the most decadent chocolate and gorged ourselves on exotic gummi things. We explored cathedrals and castles. I fully wish that we had the funds to visit a new country every Christmas. But even so, Christmas will never be the same for me. It was eye opening. I hope everyone gets to experience Christmas like this at least once to their lifetime. It was amazing.


Merry Christmas.
Lisa

a little fall treat

While perusing the internet looking for a fun Halloween treat, I came upon these lovies. I made them on Halloween and they got great reviews. They are moist and wonderfully delicious. I recommend you go bake them now, especially with this nice fall weather that contradicts my last post. :)

Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Cupcakes

2 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.

2. Separately, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree. [The recipe calls for 15 oz. of pumpkin puree, which is actually half of of the cans of pumpkin you find at most stores].

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway to 3/4 full. Bake approximately 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add vanilla. Add powdered sugar gradually and mix until well blended and smooth.

Note: The web log I found this recipe on said this recipe made 20 cupcakes and the frosting was just enough. I got 24 cupcakes and had extra frosting. She used a piping bag, while I just smeared it on with a knife. All my piping tips are for decorating and too small. Also she listed that they took 20 minutes, while mine took 23-25 minutes (depends on your oven).

Enjoy!

A few re purposed Guitar Hero stickers and you have one spooky Halloween treat!

Lisa

Fall & 23 before 24

Where is fall, you ask? It's going to bed for the year. It always seems a bit too short, but I almost like it better that way. There isn't ever enough of it to be sick of. But if you need a reminder of why it is such a wonderful and beautiful time of year, a few interpretations ala etsy. I wouldn't mind having any of these as part of my collection.

Tunnel of Fall painting found here

Blackjack Leaves and Ghord painting found here


Fall Fox print found here

Rustic Fall Tree painting found here

After reading KP's blog post recently it made me ponder my progress of the "23 before 24" goal list I made in February. I have less than 4 months to complete as many of these suckers as possible. It's a good review and reminder on what I *should* be working on.

1. Learn to use our sewing machine and use it on a layout.
2. Find a better living situation.
3. Attempt 10 of my favorite childhood recipes: - in progress
-Chicken Pot Pie
-Rod's Spaghetti Sauce
-Mozzarella Chicken
-Clam Chowder
-Rice Pudding
-Lasagna
-Canned Raspberries
-Pumpkin Cake Roll - this month
-Eber Skeebers
-Pink Popcorn
4.Go to Disneyland. - twice even!
5. Learn to play the harp.
6. Enroll in some sort of class.
7. Paint a picture.
8.Not cut my hair. - so far so good
9. Finish the Disneyland scrapbook.
10. Make a family member a mini album. - possible Christmas gift :)
11. Back up all photos to discs.
12. Take a spin class.
13. Partake in an Iron Chef home challenge.
14. Embroider something. - just purchased all items needed
15. Read something out of my comfort zone, like Russian literature or Jane Austen. - putting this one off
16. Take a yoga class with my husband.
17. Document our love story. - started
18. Send out Christmas cards.
19. Make a cake with fondant.
20. Pick up an unexpected hobby.
21. Save all tips.
22. Read The Doctrine and Covenants.
23. Make a mini album out of this whole list.

I have a lot of work to do before the big "2-4". Half the battle is writing them down though, right? 23 has been good to me thus far. Lots of exciting and new things are coming up for us.

Craft Lake City

Nate and I went to Salt Lake City on Saturday for the 1st annual Craft Lake City Festival.

The first annual Craft Lake City Festival will take place on Saturday August 8, 2009 from 2 p.m. - 10 p.m. at the The Gallivan Center in downtown Salt Lake City. This event will be FREE and open to the public.

This outdoor alternative arts festival will showcase over 80 vendors specializing in handmade goods such as: silk screened posters, progressive crafts, DIY designs, reconstructed clothing, knitted items, jewelry, letter-pressed books and more. Affordable prices and original, artful pieces will be emphasized in every merchant’s booth.

Entertainment will be provided throughout the day and will include: vendor demonstrations, street performers and local musicians.

Inspired by national craft festivals such as the Renegade Craft Fair and the Bazaar Bizarre, Craft Lake City will prove to be an exciting festival—showcasing crafters from all walks of life for shoppers of all-ages. Craft Lake City is the first of its kind to hit the Wasatch front.

Whether you are head of your homemaking night or an emerging DIY artist, Craft Lake City is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in the local handmade community.

Here are a few of my favorite vendors from this years festival (click on each banner for links to their etsy shops):

These awesome prints from Candace Jean, I thought were beautiful! They also had them in magnets, pocket mirrors and stationary at the festival.

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I really loved a lot of this jewelry. It is really fun and unique. Here are a few that I am thinking about purchasing.

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I LOVED Sorry Clementine's clothing, especially one plum hoodie with a yellow octopus on it imparticular. They didn't have my size, so I will be trying to buy it through her etsy shop. Right now the shop is being updated so nothing is up, but check it out when it is updated.

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Cute, cute, cute rolled silk headbands. I will definitely be getting one of these. They didn't have the colors I wanted available at the show. I really like the white and black one. She also has really cute cocktail hats with veils.

* * *

Isabell's Umbrella had the cutest stationery at the whole show. I especially love the octopus and hedgehog. They are adorable! I will be getting some of these to help fulfill my "write more handwritten letters" goal.

* * *

Lisa

July Findings

Be Inspired By This...

I stumbled across Josh Goleman's photography website recently and ended up spending a few hours drooling over his amazing photos. He is so very talented. I love his style of wedding photography. If you need some eye candy, head on over there.





Read This...

This is a great short read, even more creepy and enthralling than the movie (which I loved as well)! Be sure to get the copy with illustrations by Dean McKean. They are very haunting and just by principle the original artwork is always better than from the film.



Shop Here...

Nate and I have been looking for a good local used book store for quite awhile. We were pleasantly surprised to find The REaD Cat Bookstore in Clearfield. They have a really great selection of books in amazing condition. We were amazed to find that you can bring in your unwanted used books and receive 1/2 off a hardcover book or 2/3 off paperback! And their prices were extremely low to begin with. With the books we brought in, we got 12 books for $20! I recommend highly.




Eat This...

My sister, Jill, and brother in law, Matt, introduced me to what I now lovingly refer to as the best ice cream flavor invented. Ben & Jerry's Raspberry Peach Cobbler. It is raspberry and peach ice cream with shortbread pieces and a raspberry swirl. It is amazing. It is beyond amazing. The perfect ice cream flavor combination. AND of course it has to be a limited batch flavor! We have been stocking up and savoring each bite. Get it before it's gone! You won't regret it! (Oh, Key Lime Pie is reallly good too!)



Read This...

I just finished this lovely book a few weeks ago. This is not your typical love story. I found it very refreshing and heart warming. I really love how much you have to think while reading it, it will keep you on your toes. I'm very excited/nervous to see how the film is portrayed. Read it, you'll laugh and cry and want to give your husband a big hug when you're through.

Strawberry Swing

Happy Monday! Coldplay's 'Strawberry Swing' video debuted today. Stop what you are doing and see it here. They are amazzzzing. 'Strawberry Swing' is one of my favorites on their latest album. It's a breathtaking video. Nothing is better than beautiful 2 dimensional drawing + Chris Martin as a superhero, oh and an evil squirrel.

Chris Martin is my superhero of choice.

T's, please.

My wardrobe is not exactly what I'd call exciting. About 3/4 of my closet is taken up by a black mass, which I love and wouldn't have any other way. It's a wonderful "uniform", to wear all black, logoless items for my job. As a result, I find myself wearing black on my days off, to the gym, to family get togethers and most other functions, as well as work.

Because of this, any time I am shopping for clothes I go straight to the black. It makes the most sense because that's what I wear (with the exception of my last shopping trip to Park City, where I purchased 3, yes 3, turquoise items - a shirt, dress and shorts). I like my color to be in my accessories, an accent if you will.

With that said, I have a confession.

One day while perusing on Facebook, an ad on the right bar caught my eye (you know what I'm talking about). Normally I have no problem completely ignoring them, but this one caught my eye. www.snorgtees.com is where it started and now all I want to do is wear and buy these fun shirts.

So my latest thing is t-shirts. You know, the funny ones. Those are the ones I like. And want to buy loads of.

I know there are numorous stupid, annoying, eye-rolling shirts out there. Those are not the ones I'm talking about. Let me make that clear.

For your viewing pleasure, a few I've had my eye on.

Magic!

Actually medicine is the best medicine.

A hug is my favorite adhesive.

Screw vintage. This shirt is from the future.

Real bear hugs are often fatal.

All these lovely vintage 80's t's from www.80stees.com

Platypus, the left over parts animal.


For him it is hardly ever TGIF.

It's too bad that poaching has made it so that the
few remaining unicorns can only be found in zoos.

My Grandma is old school.

Knowing why this shirt is funny makes
all those extra math classes worth it.

I mean, I like NY. I just don't LIKE like NY.

The perils of life as a chocolate bunny.


Don't worry about it Pluto, you'll always be a planet to me.

Lisa