Monday, December 31, 2012

☼ happy new puppy & happy new year ☼




on this new year's eve,
wrap your happy memories around you,
and let the rest fall away.

in memory of the beautiful children and brave teachers
who lost their lives in connecticut just 17 days ago,
and the families who miss them beyond measure,
please practice random acts of kindness
in the coming year.
help make our world a better place.
heal the brokenhearted.


so here is a hand, my trusted friend,
and give me a hand of thine.
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.




Sunday, December 30, 2012

Saturday, December 29, 2012

art-paper-scissors :: new year's noise makers


make your own
{pictured above are 2 different versions}
whether you are
ringing in the new year
at home or at a swanky party,
you will need to make some noise.
get the supplies ready and make yours
while you are counting down to 2013
right here


Tuesday, December 25, 2012

merry christmas




Sunday, December 23, 2012

Saturday, December 22, 2012

art-paper-scissors :: homemade coupons


get creative with your holiday presents.
make some holiday coupons!
{right click the image above, save, then print}
head over to everythingeagle.com
to see my list of coupon ideas
right here


Thursday, December 20, 2012

feels like christmas


i have my whole family here together,
so i let ned & marian skip school yesterday.
we did fun holiday stuff.
we had brunch at goldy's
{i recommend the veggie benny ~ it has asparagus!}
we stopped in to the city peanut shop
{handmade peanut brittle}
and the chocolat bar
{handmade chocolates}.
then, we cuddled with chameleons


Monday, December 17, 2012

shower the people you love with love


i think it's more important than ever
to find simple ways to slow down
and let your loved ones
know how special they are to you.
read a book together.
bundle up and go for a walk.
hug.
wrap someone in a warm-from-the-dryer towel
as they step out of the bathtub.
play a game.
do a puzzle.
make some tea.
{i'm loving this tea}
make a pot of soup.
make some play-dough


Sunday, December 16, 2012

art-paper-scissors :: cup of kindness


searching for the perfect present?
well, dear reader, search no more.
i have solved your gift-giving conundrum.
head over to everythingeagle.com,
to make a
full to the rim with the rich taste of
fun gift-giving ideas.
30 {thirty!} perfect present suggestions
right here


Saturday, December 15, 2012

heavy heart


i am praying for the parents
who lost their sweet, innocent, beautiful children
in yesterday's tragedy.
as i hug my own children,
my heart aches for them.

please read this post.

Friday, December 14, 2012

snow maiden


my new treasury
have a closer look
right here


Thursday, December 13, 2012

- glowing miniature houses -


again, for jan...
pretty houses to look at,
not so much to read.
{here}

{here}

{here}

{here}

{here}


Wednesday, December 12, 2012

- flying houses -


dear jan,
to entertain you
while you are on-the-mend...

- flying houses -
{all from here}

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

♥ jan ♥


today,
my dear friend
♥ jan ♥
{who was by my side at each of my babies' births}
is having surgery.

i have been watching the calendar
as this date crept nearer,
and holding her close in my heart.

tomorrow will be
12.12.12
which seems like a fine time
to start fresh.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

dear jan,
this post is for you.
here are some photos for you to enjoy
as you get back to being
my loyal reader.
{here}

{here}

{here}

{here}

{here}

{here}

{here}

{here}

i love you, jan,
more than words can say.


p.s. remember when you sent me this?
p.p.s. i'm making this in your honor.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

art-paper-scissors :: picture frame ornament


give a plastic lid a second chance.
transform it into a
{that's little marian, back when she had cindy-lou who pigtails}

i made these with ned's class on friday.

ned's teacher saves these
to use with watercolor paints
so she had a stash of these 
perfect.

we talked about reusing and recycling.
we talked about holiday colors
{traditional and non-traditional}.

find a plastic lid and make your own
right here



Friday, December 7, 2012

ned's party favors {and invitations}


ned's birthday party was two weeks ago.
and i have been meaning to show you
his unbearably adorable party favors
and his homemade invitations.

can you stand the cuteness
of these tiny crocheted chameleons?
they are from etsy seller happy squid muffin.
they are made here in idaho.
{i'm pro-handmade, and i vote}
his little thank you's were attached to paint chips
{attached to chameleons}.

his invitations were also on paint chips.

for this side,
he wrote come to my party
on a regular sized piece of paper.
then, i scanned it and reduced it
and used washi tape to attach the copies
to larger paint chips.
easy, homemade, & practically free.


p.s.
i have read some internet scuttlebutt about using paint chips
for craft projects.
these paint chips were left over from a previous project.
and, yes, i did ask permission before taking them.
the home depot in eagle told me to take as many as i wanted.
thanks, home depot.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

all i want for christmas


this week has been full to bursting.
yikes.
christmastime is busy-time.
like, making-me-crazy time.
what do i want for christmas?
i want to sleep in...
and wake to blowing snow,
french pastries and hot tea.


i'm holding a few dear friends
extra close in my heart.
especially jan.
i love you, jan!!!


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

dear take & bake pizza, you saved the day.


today was extra busy.
at 7:00,
after marian cheered at a late basketball game
{ned did his homework on the sidelines},
i flung this beauty into a 400° oven.
at 7:30, we were eating dinner by the fire.


Monday, December 3, 2012

:: pie ::


at thanksgiving,
we were inspired by this cookbook
{the cover photo especially}
to give homemade toaster pastries
{pop tarts}
a try.

i cook.
i bake.
but,
pie crust intimidates me.

easy as pie?
i'm not so sure.


since homemade toaster pastries
are really just tiny pies,
we had to make pie crust.
and guess what?  it was easy.

we even tweaked it a bit
by adding some whole wheat pastry flour
and ground pecans {yum!}
and it turned out perfectly.

the recipe made 2 discs of dough.
we used the first disc later that night
{it was thanksgiving, after all}
with a pumpkin pecan filling,
and powdered sugar
and fresh whipped cream.
this was our pumpkin pie.

we used the second disc a week later
with nutella filling
and fresh whipped cream.
both times,
the crust was flaky and amazing.
this basic recipe
has demystified pie crust for me.

homemade pantry is a book about
making food, instead of buying food.
even things like pop tarts.
and ketchup.
every recipe has a story
{toaster pastries -or- the taste of apology}
{ketchup -or- love}.
it is a book i keep borrowing from my library.
it is a book i want
permanently on my kitchen counter.


p.s.
alana chernila, the cookbook author,
has a snappy food blog:

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