☼cheers!☼

i had a day today

where everything i did

went just a little bit wrong.

not a completely crappy day,

just an irritatingly irksome day.

no one was injured,

nothing broke,

but each hour came and went

with it's own measure of 

disappointment and tedium:

curls that went flat instantly,

a forgotten appointment

{remembered at a most inconvenient time},

trouble with addition {as in, 2+2},

potatoes that were never mashed,

a bouquet of unmet expectations 

resulting in 

several flavors of guilt.

that sort of thing.

i feel fatigued.

so,

to cheer myself,

i am throwing a little party.

just for me.

and you, too.

i am serving this, in a fancy glass,

and these

and some of this topped with this,

on a fancy plate.

later,

i might even have one of these.

☼cheers!☼

on this bummer of a day

♥

:: complete healing for missy ::

today is missy's last day of chemotherapy.

{missy, on her wedding day, looking positively radiant}

please hold her in your thoughts

and lift up a prayer on her behalf today.

{emily took these photos when i visited in october}

she will have surgery next week

to mend her lungs.

that would also be a good thing to pray for.

complete healing for my sweet friend.

♥

:: mason jar travel mug ::

a mason jar

it can be a snowglobe {source}

it can be a lantern {source}

and with it's water tight lid

and sturdy construction,

it can also be

a travel mug.

at $8.00 a dozen {that's the price at my grocery store},

it can be a really affordable travel mug.

hot tea

ice water

green juice 

green juice stored for later

mason jars are perfect for storing leftovers

or extra coffee {think: iced coffee}.

glass is almost always a better choice

than plastic, especially for hot foods.

other mason jar

portable possibilities include:

bowl of cereal

{with milk in a separate jar}

cup of soup

saucy noodles

beans & rice

cream of wheat

try this:

bring your eco-chic mason jar & lid

the next time you stop for a latte.

☼cheers!☼

♥

:: bountiful baskets ::

do you ever...

order food from

bountiful baskets?

they are a nationwide food co-op

{including 17 states}

run by two gals named sally & tanya.

here is more information from their website:

Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op distributes produce baskets, organic produce baskets, artisan bread and sandwich bread every other week.  BBFC is a group of people who work together for mutual benefit. This is a grassroots, all volunteer, no contracts, no catch co-operative. Since there are no employees at Bountiful Baskets, we as a group pay rock bottom prices on your food. This also means the co-op would not happen without volunteers. If you are interested in the co-op continuing, please volunteer occasionally. All it takes is a little time, energy and a smile. Volunteer opportunities include helping prepare the baskets, breaking down boxes, assisting with the distribution, and packing up.

a conventional basket is $15.00,

a 100% organic basket is $25.00.

we have tried this three times

{all three times upgrading to organic}

and have been really happy with our produce.

here's the basket we picked up this weekend:

we've also tried several of their extras:

organic 9-grain bread

pre-baked gingerbread houses

banana bread

cinnamon bread

"hostess pack" extra fruit & veggies

{among other things, the hostess pack included squash, eggplant, chestnuts, and a pineapple}

a big box of fuji apples

here's a list of bountiful baskets FAQ's.

i am really happy to have found them

and thought i would share.

{and i'm not being compensated to do so}

♥

art-paper-scissors :: braided friendship bracelets

today on everythingeagle.com

you can find my project for

do-it-yourself boho-chic jewelry.

no expensive materials

no special tools

no sewing

just

easy, cute, comfy, eco-friendly

:: braided friendship bracelets ::

in every color of the rainbow

make some ~ give some ~ keep some

☼here☼

come see all fifteen of my

art-paper-scissors projects

☼here☼

♥

:: family resemblance ::

get yours at

☼stachebash☼

♥

:: baked apples with mexican chocolate ::

i made these on new year's eve,

timed to be done just after midnight

this was warm & festive,

perfect for new year's eve.

mexican chocolate looks like this

i had it on hand

{because we love it - we used to drink it here},

but this recipe would be delicious

with any type of chocolate.

or nutella, for that matter.

keep in mind, though, that mexican chocolate is not very melty,

so a softer chocolate might be better to add

when you add the marshmallows at the end.

want more?

how 'bout them apples?

♥