:: subtlety ::

a very subtle snowstorm

yes, our lights are still up.

every time we get a little snow,

i run outside and turn them on.

a very subtle haircut

◄before►                  ◄after►

i always say, "cut it long."

we just don't want the boy having a mullet.

♥

a fussy guest

marian had a guest this weekend.

a very fussy guest.

her name is emma.

have you ever had a guest that

required a set of keys?

{including a panic key?}

we were fortunate in that emma's battery pack

ran out of juice on sunday.

therefore, we all got some sleep.

night-night, emma.

read more about emma

☼here☼

♥

warm & cozy sunday treasury

i hope you are having a

:: warm & cozy sunday :: 

come enjoy it

☼here☼

♥

art-paper-scissors :: paper curls

today's craft at everythingeagle.com

is really a jumping-off point for your creativity.

:: paper curls ::

discovered & invented by ned

he found the thin strips of paper that 
marian was using for a collage project
and just started curling them with a pair of scissors.
i really can't believe that it works,
or that he came up with this completely on his own.
we are cuh-rafty over here at our house.

paper curls can be used in lots of ways

and are so satisfying to make.

come see more

☼here☼

♥

:: reminiscing ::

♥

here, kitty kitty...

it's high time we all got up to speed with

cat breading

not that i recommend or condone it,
but if you're going to bread your cat

you might need this step-by-step

cat breading tutorial

{contains the warning: some cats are not breadable}


cat breading piece is at the very end {3:27}

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

♥

just a whiff of the weekend

jasmine

chocolate cake

hazelnuts & dried cherries

online reading quizzes 

sweet & spicy tea

mmmmmmmmmm

♥

"four score and seven years ago

our fathers brought forth on this continent,

a new nation,

conceived in liberty,

and dedicated to the proposition

that all men are created equal."

i had to memorize and recite 

lincoln's gettysburg address

when i was in high school.

{or was it junior high?  i can't remember that,

but i still have the part above committed to memory}

as much as i agonized over it at the time,

because of it, i have always felt like 

i have a special connection to abraham lincoln.

almost like he and i are friends.

it inspired me to learn more about him.

perhaps that was the point.

what a great man.

this knitted cowl is from an etsy seller in italy

i applaud her presidents' day enthusiasm.

♥

extra credit:
do YOU know how many four score and seven is?
{yet another bonus to memorizing the gettysburg address}

february 18th

this little baby

is 18 years old today

happy birthday, emily grace.

i love you to the moon & back, nine times.

♥

art-paper-scissors :: tiny stamped notecards

today at everythingeagle.com,

make something super cute

out of boring office supplies

:: tiny stamped notecards ::

look how adorable!

what are you waiting for?

get going

☼right here☼

and you can find my step-by-step photos
to make a tiny envelope
☼here☼

♥

:: treasury times two ::

:: collections and containers ::

{dedicated to my friend, emily, on her birthday}

come see it

☼here☼

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:: verdigris ::

come see it

☼here☼

♥

deer-friendly antlers

i've been researching wall-mounted antler options.

the kind that don't involve any animal cruelty.
you know, 
deer-friendly antlers.

a few options to consider:

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which antlers are your favorite?
which are you least favorite?


♥

beecher's "world's best" mac and cheese

a couple months ago,

i saw this in a holiday gift guide

{best of beecher's handmade cheese}

i followed the link to beecher's,

where i found this

{world's best mac and cheese kit}
{and, may i just say that i adore the idea of a gourmet dinner "kit"}

and after a quick search,

i found the cookbook at my library.

i have made this recipe twice, and,

while our family will always love

jan's mac & cheese,

this recipe from beecher's is crazy-good.
you really must give this one a go.
{click on the images for a readable close-up}

as usual, i didn't follow the recipe to the letter.
my first recipe deviance was to quantity:
i used a full pound of penne 
{the recipe calls for only 6 oz},
and used the whole batch of sauce
{the recipe calls for 2 cups, or half a batch}.
{they recommend this as a side dish - um, not at my house}
my second recipe deviance was to ingredients:
i didn't have chipotle chili powder,
so i used a combination of
regular chili powder + cayenne,
which worked out deliciously.
my third recipe deviance was to the method:
since i was using the entire batch of sauce,
i just added the cooked pasta to my saucepan
{it's le creuset, so it's oven safe}.


the recipe calls for some "semihard" cheese
and some "semisoft" cheese
there is a list of cheese categories on page 23.
my semihard choices were:
cheddar, gouda, and gruyere.
my semisoft choices were:
jack and fontina.
after using this combination, i would say that
my results were good enough to repeat.

amazingly good.

♥

p.s. we woke to this