will it fit?

♥

gifts and giving {two revelations}

this is one of my favorite gifts from last christmas {from emily}.

a french grammar book that is falling apart
in the most charming and elegant way.

i've been thinking a lot about gift giving, but in a new way.

last december, two things happened that really changed they way i think about gifts.

one of those things was a gift exchange with 22 other women across the united states.  women i love, but have never met.  {one of them is coming to visit me next week!}  our gift exchange had six categories {leopard, holiday, nature, candle, book, tray} and a $20.00 limit.  it was like an imaginative scavenger hunt, and "shopping" for it was so much fun.  in the box i sent, i included a birdnest {found on the ground} for the nature category.  we even shared the fun of unwrapping by sharing photos of our boxes.  it was a revelation for me.  it was everything i love about holiday giving.  {and we've had three more gift exchanges since then.}

the other thing that happened was that i read the article, honey, guess what i got you for christmas?, by susan dominus.  {real simple 12/09, p. 254}  the author explains a new tradition of giving between her and her husband. instead of buying gifts, they searched their home for treasures to give each other.  the idea was born as an effort of frugality, but turned out to be so much more fun, more creative, and more meaningful than simply buying gifts, that they aren't ever going back.  here is as excerpt:

I came to see that some things should be wrapped and examined regularly, the better to appreciate them...that screwdriver, which we use to replace the batteries in the kids' toys, would be revealed as more than just a tool; it would be a symbol of all the joy and frustrations of parenthood, a shorthand joke {we} would both immediately get.  Same goes for the two wrapped matchboxes saved from the restaurants where we had had our very first dates...Despite the fact that they had been gathering dust in a junk drawer for years, I knew {he} would find them (and the gesture) romantic.

another revelation.

have you had gift-giving revelations?
are you doing things differently this year?
i would love to hear your ideas.


♥

just a grainy picture from today

♥

new :: vintage book stacks on etsy

freshly listed...

stack of 5 vintage books
in a gorgeous color
$35.00 {free shipping}

in my etsy shop

 

 

 

♥ 

sour cream coffee cake

{this just might be the best coffee cake ever}

sour cream coffee cake

ingredients

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (3 sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sour cream
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2 Tablespoons vanilla

2 Tablespoons water

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

powdered sugar to dust before serving

directions

1.  preheat oven to 325°

2.  butter 10" bundt pan {or 2 standard loaf pans}.

3.  mix together dry ingredients {flour, b.powder, b.soda, salt}.

4.  beat butter & sugar until light & fluffy,

     then add 1 1/2 t vanilla, add eggs, add sour cream.

5.  add dry ingredients to butter & sugar mixture.

6.  spoon 1/3 of batter into bundt pan {or divided into 2 loaf pans}.

7.  mix together nuts, cinnamon, brown sugar,
     then sprinkle 1/3 over batter.

8.  spoon next 1/3 of batter into pan,
     then sprinkle next 1/3 nut mixture on top.

9.  spoon last 1/3 of batter into pan,
     then sprinkle last 1/3 nut mixture on top.

10. mix together remaining vanilla & water, then spoon over batter.

11. bake 60 - 70 minutes, allow to cool before removing from pan.

12. dust with powdered sugar.


note: i think these amounts should work for a 9 x 13 baking pan.
         just do 2 layers for this size pan.

♥

kids workshop at home depot - tomorrow!

the first saturday of november is tomorrow!
that means it's the

free kids workshop
at the
home depot
9:00 am - 12:00 noon

click here for more information

and to see this month's project

{a spice rack ~ perfect for giving!}

here are the pictures from last month

when ned made...

~ a fireboat ~

he also got to sit in the fire engine

and meet smokey the bear.

♥

do you ever... make a dinosaur sandwich?

ned had a friend over to play today,

and this is what they had for lunch...

made with one of these...

what shape is your sandwich?

♥