We Interrupt This Unscheduled Blog Break

Miss me? Miss you. I didn't know I was taking a blog break but here we are. My break will probably continue until my house empties out completely on January 5th. That is 7 days from today. I'm not counting down or anything. I just thought you might want to know.

 We've been busy doing lots of things and also doing nothing at all. We've been reading new books like this wonderful one pictured above that Sweet Hubby got for me.

We've been watching lots of things like this (Another gift from the Sweet Man).

We've been playing lots of games like Monopoly Deal, Uno, War, Uno Attack and Boggle. And eating super healthy stuff like carrots and apples. When we're not eating fudge, macaroni and cheese and cinnamon rolls.

We've been traveling in blizzards to visit friends that feel more like family.

 

We've been drinking lots of this. You know, to keep us warm.

 

We've been spending lots of time in this position, too content to move. Or to change out of our pajamas unless absolutely forced to. Apparently he's content all of the time. So you can see now why this little break happened and why it will likely continue a little longer. I'm not gonna lie, I love you guys. But I love these guys even more. We'll catch up soon friends.

December

Oh, good gravy! How did it get to be December 17th already? It's all going much too fast for my liking, but I'm trying to savor every moment. This is some of what I'm enjoying this holiday season, in no particular order:

1) The cutest felt ornaments ever, sent from a special blogging friend. Thanks, Linda!
2) The discovery of Starbucks Christmas cd's. I will buy one every year from now on.
3) To-go cups with the cutest little gingerbread cottage to hold my hot chocolate.
4) My Birthday in 3 short days.
5) Sweet Hubby being off for 18 days in a row!
6)Felt projects in progress (pictured below), that may or may not be finished this Christmas.
7) So much snow on the ground that you can't help but feel the Christmas spirit.
8) Dinner with friends that I haven't seen nearly enough of in the last year.
9) Cats that curl up in my lap every time I sit down.
10) A teenager with a much improved attitude.

Sweet Inspiration for the Holidays

I'm staying so busy around here. Cold days filled with Christmas movies, knitting, snuggling, sewing, baking and making. I'm working on a felt advent calendar that I hope to have ready for show in tell in a few days. While I work, I'm listening to my newest holiday CD, Christmas Songs by Diana Krall. I try to buy at least 1 new Christmas CD every year and this one is swonderful! You'll want to own it.

I thought I'd share a little decorating that's been happening in Miss Emma's room and share some wonderful inspiration pictures for the child in your life or just the child inside of you.

I think we will make some more paper chains to decorate her room before the holiday season is over.

Love this doughnut from Mahar Dry Goods. I gave little miss some vintage pink ornaments. Most people would think 6 is a little young for that but this girl so values things with a history. I love that she will grow up her whole life with things that are old and special.

This guy has been hanging on Emma's door every year since she was born. I can't believe this is his 7th year. Where does the time go?

(marthastewart.com)

I'm not too grown up for a tree full of ballerina ornaments.

Emma has a version of this on her dresser. You can see the pink star in the bottom of the top picture. It's a staple in our house. (from bhg.com)

I hope you are enjoying this holiday season and that your days are full of merry making.

Gifts I'm Giving

Hi. I'm Jen. I used to blog here. Remember me? I know many of you are enjoying my new banner and wondering what creative genius is responsible for it. It's all the hard work of the very sweet, patient and talented Ashley Draper. Thank you, Ash, for making my blog look as pretty as it felt!

In the wee hours of the morning I finally finished the last of the aprons. I love how they turned out and since I wasn't working from a pattern, they got easier as I went along.

I thought I'd share a little bit of what else I'm giving this year. I'd love to hear what you are giving.

If you've seen Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium you understand. I really wanted one for myself too but I guess I'll have to be content with sharing. From Target:

For the smart guy in my life. From The Discovery Store:

A one year subscription to my favorite magazine.
There's a rumor that Santa might bring this to our house for one lucky little lady.
For the daring girls in my life. And maybe a little bit for me too.

For the Man in the Yellow Hat wannabe.

Christmas Gifts for Kids and Kids at Heart

From Bikes 4 Families:

This one may be at the top of my wish list for Santa to bring $200

From Pottery Barn Kids:

The perfect jewelery box for little girls. It comes complete with ballerina inside. Just in case your little girl just saw the Nutcracker for the first time like mine did.  

From Amazon:

Musical Hand Bells $28

 

From Uncommon Goods

$10 each

 

From Paper Source:

Robot Sharpener $8

 

Japanese Erasers (more toy than eraser!) $9

Mushroom Bank $14

Smencils $16

From Target:

This family favorite has been redesigned and after buying it on Tuesday we have already played approximately 572 games.

 

From Pink Loves Brown:

To carry all their treasures in $24.50 for 2.  These are also good for Mommies to keep their treasures in.

Pretty Pages

I love giving my business to individuals whether it's online or in town. It's inevitable that a certain amount of my money must go to big box stores but when I can, I like to shop with real people.

This wonderful magazine is from Tracey at French Larkspur. She has a wonderful online store where the customer service is 1st rate (a big pet peeve of mine) and the attention to detail is top notch. You can find her store listed on my sidebar under Places To Go. And I want to tell you guys something. Those are all places that I love. Not because anyone has sent me anything for free or offered me something in exchange for featuring them there. I get a fair amount of those requests, believe me, but I'm not that kind of girl. I'm not going to recommend a website, blog or store to you for any other reason than because I believe in it and I want to share it with you.

 

Here's a peak into this wonderful Danish (I think) Jeanne d Arc Living magazine. This one is in English I am happy to report. It is a delight from beginning to end. Lots of beautiful Christmas inspiration to be had here. I'm going to go curl up with mine right now.

Can't Pie Me Love

Okay, well maybe you can. Do you remember awhile back when I mentioned the movie Waitress? Well, the long awaited day came and the DVD was finally released. This time I was prepared for the craving that I knew would come, and baked a pie to enjoy hot out of the oven while we watched the movie. I highly recommend purchasing this movie but you might want to consider the consequences of your expanding waistline beforehand. Here is a recipe for those of you brave enough to watch it.

Oh Me, Oh My, Oatmeal Pie

9 inch pie crust (I usually use Martha's recipe)

3 extra large eggs

1 stick butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 1/3 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup chocolate chips

(edited to add the amount of chocolate chips!)

Add the eggs, butter, vanilla, sugar and corn syrup to a large bowl and mix well. Add oats and chocolate chips and stir until blended. Pour into unbaked pie shell and cook 50-60 minutes or until the filling is firm and set. Let cool 20 minutes and serve with ice cream if desired. It is also really cold straight out of the fridge the next day.



If you are looking for a great pie cookbook try Sweety Pies by Patty Pinner. You will want to run straight to the kitchen and start baking.




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Thank you for all the wonderful comments on my last post. I'm so happy to be in the company of so many like minded people. I want to make it clear that both of those pictures were inspiring my simple decorating and are not of my home. I wish! I believe they were from Country Living and BHG respectively. I would love to make a wreath like that some day though, and have been gathering the materials. I don't think that will happen this year.

Gifties

I'm just dying to share some studio pictures with y'all, you know in the interest of getting back to decorating talk, even though my heart is all about creating right now. Sadly, we have been having cloudy days. Well, actually I love cloudy days but they're not conducive to pretty pictures. So today seems like the perfect day to share with you some recent gifties I have received.


This banner above and this beautiful journal below were both given to me from my best buddy, Cammy. Y'all she has so much talent. She doesn't know it. She's so modest which just makes her that much more likable, but she's amazing. She has a gift and I was so happy to be on the receiving end of it. I was totally embarrassed about the gift I gave her when we were at Silver Bella. I feel like my skills have already improved dramatically though and I vow to make it up to her next year!

She was also sweet enough to give me a hand towel with my favorite quote on it and some lemon soap because she knows I am a lemon fanatic. Isn't it lovely to have friends that pay that much attention to you?

This was a gift from my new, soon to have a blog, friend Kelli. Don't you l-o-v-e it? Look at her attention to detail! I'm pretty sure Kelli has more patience in her pinkie than I have in my whole body. I adore her work and love that she was so kind to gift me with this when she had never even spoken to me before our weekend in Omaha. Of course, now we are forever friends and I'm not saying that this gorgeous gift didn't have a little something to do with that. I adore surprises and presents. I'm not gonna lie.

Speaking of surprises, I've been remiss in not mentioning that I was so happy to receive a call from the owner of one of my favorite local shops, A Corner Cottage, about the time I was getting ready for Silver Bella. She knew I was in the market for a crinoline and she picked one up for me and refused to let me pay her for it. How sweet was that? I took it apart and put it back together and paired it with a crinoline that Cammy had to give me just the right amount of pouf for our Prom Night. Thanks Peggy, you're the best!

And speaking of gifties. I really think it's okay to get them for yourself occasionally if it makes you happy. Especially if you have a birthday coming up and you usually get the short end of the birthday stick because your birthday is only 5 measly days before Christmas and maybe you have a little chip on your shoulder about it but not really because at almost 38 you are too old for that nonsense anyway but you have to keep repeating that to yourself to try to make it really true. So anyway... I treated myself to this lovely bird necklace and can I just tell you that it is so awesomely cute? I got it from this awesome lady on Etsy and I promise I'm going back for another one. Maybe around Valentine's Day because I usually get the short end of the Vday stick because my husband thinks it's a made up holiday and no card company is going to make him celebrate love if he's not good and ready and doesn't he already do that on any given day anyway so why do I have to worry about such nonsense, especially since I'm an almost 38 year old girl...

McMaster & Storm

I recently placed an order at McMaster & Storm. If you don't know about them, you are missing out on one of the greatest shopping experiences of all time. I first discovered them at the Country Living Fair in 2007. It was one of the highlights of that trip for me.

 

This wasn't my first order but it delights me just as much as if it were. Opening one of their packages is like opening a gift on Christmas morning. Only I already know what's in it. Which is even better because I know I'll love what's inside. Their attention to detail is enchanting.

A couple of these Petite European Staplers were given away at Silver Bella this year. I wasn't lucky enough to win one so I decided to treat myself. You know as a reward for leaving the glitter and all nighters behind. I justified this by assuming another year would pass with Sweet Hubby ignoring this item on my Christmas wish list. I'm sure he would think it was a silly thing to get your wife, not realizing just how much joy a little stapler with brass staples could actually give a woman.

 

Picking a color was hard. I chose the green but I was torn between it and the pink. You can see the other colors in their photo below. I'm thinking I should get the pink for my other work area in the studio. I mean why should I have to walk 5 feet just to retrieve my stapler? And shouldn't I have a backup in case something (Emma) happens to my green one? How's a girl supposed to own just one color?

So if you're looking for me this week, I'll be in my studio fastening things together, walking around clutching my stapler to my chest and muttering like that crazy guy in Office Space. I bought 10,000 extra staples so that should keep me busy for awhile. And don't even think about borrowing it.

A special thank you to Kara for the extra little yummies in my box and for being patient with me when I thought something was missing from my order when it was there the whole time. You just can't find customer service like that anymore.

Books I'm Wishing For

One of my favorite gifts to receive is books. I thought I'd share some books you might like to add to your own wish list. I'd also love to hear what books you are wishing for.


Decorating:

 Creating:

Cooking: