Thursday, December 29, 2011

docked

Loving all of the retro-inspired accessories for new technology these days. Because everything doesn't really have to be shiny and silver (or gleaming white) and BORING. Good design is good design and these things work.

The clock dock for iPhone
 
 
The V-Luxe iPad dock for ease of video watching.


Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas traditions

Being our first Christmas as married folk, the mister and I have been busy discussing holiday traditions we grew up with, talking about what we want to carry on for our little family and coming up with new traditions that are our very own.

First, let's just get this out of the way, but presents are to be opened up on Christmas Morning. Not Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day. Christmas Morning. I have fond memories of waking up at approximately 4am (sometimes probably even earlier), sneaking down the hallway into the living room to see all the presents under the tree. My siblings and I would try to locate all of our gifts under the tree (this became such a problem that my parents actually stopped putting names on the gifts, making for some awkward moments when they realized they had given you someone else's present to open), we would peek in our stockings and usually fall asleep on the living room floor before we would dare try to wake up the parents so we could open presents. Those are my memories of Christmas. Those are the memories I want my children to have. So. Christmas Morning.

The next one we decided on is Christmas breakfast. Today it was more of a noontime Christmas brunch, and that is fine by me. It was delicious.

But the most exciting Christmas tradition is the Christmas lights tour. The mister found a website that tracks crazy lights and displays, and put together a map for us to go out and track them down. And let me tell you, there were some beauties.


These people kind of blow my mind. The time, money, and imagination that go into these displays is like nothing I will ever have so visiting these houses is like going to another world. I love it. And it was the perfect way to end our Christmas day.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

it's beginning to look a lot like...


New garland I made from pages of an old encyclopedia (they do have a use after all!). Gingerbread shakes, gingerbread lattes, cranberry bliss bars, oh my. Decorating the tree, undecorating the tree, bowl full of balls. The nutcracker gang. Foggy winter mornings. Sugar cookies in my beloved KitchenAid.

It's beginning to look a little bit like Christmas around here. Now if only I could put presents under the tree without the puppy eating them all.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

greetings

I can't believe it's just a few weeks until Christmas and I haven't posted a single Christmas card! I'm still not really in the holiday mood, but I saw this card today and just loved it so I had to share. The owl and fox are pretty cute, but the mouse just slays me. Precious.



Wednesday, November 30, 2011

let's get out of this country

I've been reminding myself that the mister and I promised we would take a real vacation for our anniversary. A delayed honeymoon if you will. And that anniversary is coming up quickly enough that it's time to do some serious prepping. For starters- figuring out exactly where we're going, doing the research, booking, and getting passports. I for one have sadly never been out of the country. No, scratch that. I went to Canada when I was somewhere around 10 years old. Just to the other side of Niagara Falls. I remember seeing black squirrels there. That's about it.

Anyway it's time for me to get a passport and take a good European vacation already. So I've been doing what any reasonable person would do. Looking for accessories for the passport I need for the vacation I hope to take in the near future.

I could go trendy:


Or cute


Or classic:

But I guess the important part is just that I GO.

Monday, November 28, 2011

hoop dreams

I don't even know what to say about what I'm about to show you. There is apparently so much talent out there that this one person can create something every single day for an entire year. And none of them suck. They are all perfectly composed using materials practically made for this purpose and oozing with charm and personality. 

Lucky Jackson has unfortunately stepped away from her Etsy shop in order to dedicate herself to the 365 day project, and thank goodness because if she could maintain them both at one time I might just throw up my hands and wonder why I even bother waking up in the morning if I can't be so inspired and productive.

I want to line a long hallway with these embroidered portraits. So Much Love.


Wednesday, November 23, 2011

pucker up!

Just a little something to make you smile today, spotted on A Cup of Jo.


Getting ready for our trip to the grocery store, doing some prep for Thanksgiving dinner! How are your plans coming along?

Friday, November 18, 2011

Shop Update!

Yes, the long awaited shop update is here!

I just listed three new knit hand muffs in my etsy shop today, and of course I wanted you guys to be the first to know! It's just the first batch, and as I have ironed out some kinks I should be cranking them out a little bit faster from here on out. Please let me know if you would be interested in any holiday gifts ASAP so I can make sure I get them out in time. Custom orders are welcome.



You've seen this one before

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

bah humbug

I've been talking about this at work for a couple of weeks now, but somehow no matter how many times I admit it (isn't that the first step?) I still can't get myself out of it. Denial. Complete and utter denial. 

I have put up festive decorations, photos of people all bundled up with their stacks of Christmas presents or the tree on top of their car. I have hung ornaments and peppermint candies and Christmas crackers in all the windows. Christmas music has been on our playlist for at least a week now, and I even caved and put the She & Him Christmas album on my iPhone last week (and have listened to it exactly once because I realized I just wasn't in the mood).

Yesterday someone reminded me that Thanksgiving is next week (well, they were talking about Black Friday, but same difference) and I was FLOORED. I had to check the calendar. It's true. Thanksgiving is NEXT FREAKING WEEK! And it still doesn't feel like the holidays. Normally at this time of year I'm getting anxious to put up the Christmas tree and being forced to wait until after Thanksgiving, and frankly this year it feels like it's just coming and I'm trying not to think about it. I should be watching The Grinch and Scrooged and A Christmas Story. I should be cutting paper snowflakes. I should be buying presents. Holy crap I haven't even thought of buying a single present yet! I understand this is normal for many people, but it is not normal for me.

So I'm determined to find the time to dive head first into this holiday season in the next week, and come out of next weekend officially ready for it to begin! And I have found the first project on my list over at How About Orange:


I'm hoping they are a little bit easier than they look because they sure are cute!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

new tunes


So it's been nearly a month since my birthday and I'm just now getting around to sharing some most excellent new records that I got for the occasion. I go through record buying spurts sometimes where I just need to have them in my life. I don't necessarily think this is one of those spurts, rather, these two albums happened to come out at roughly the same time and this is how I choose to support my favorite bands. I refuse to purchase MP3s. I just won't do it. And what's the point of owning a CD anymore? Records are prettier and come in limited edition colors (I am such a sucker for colored vinyl) and  they come with a free digital download most of the time, so it's a win/win situation.

I have been holding out on listening to the She & Him Christmas album, but I have to admit I just put it on my iPhone today. So. We all know where this is going. Christmas music for the next two months! Yeah!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

baby love

I'm sorry I haven't posted much lately. Things have been bananas over here. I'm exhausted. I'm getting ready for the holidays at work (!!!), and also I haven't slept for more than 4 hours at a time thanks to this thing right here.


Doesn't she look peaceful? Don't let her fool you. She's crazy.


Except when she's not. Aw.


She certainly has her moments. In between the biting and chewing and barking and pooping in the house. And hating everything we buy for her. Eating the mail, our shoes, hands and feet, my hair, but never her chew toys. Puppies are great, aren't they? 
Truth be told, it is pretty satisfying to see her learn commands. She's getting pretty good at sit and sometimes I don't even have to ask her to sit before I feed her, she's just sitting and waiting instead of jumping and trying to dive into her food container like she used to! And we have even found a toy that she seems to like!


The tennis ball is almost the size of her head, but she is somehow able to pick it up and carry it around in her mouth and she LOVES IT! But she still confuses my foot for the ball sometimes and goes after it with unmatched ferocity. Darn those sharp puppy teeth!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

the mister thinks I don't need a new jacket

I happen to disagree.


Piccadilly Coat from Modcloth. It's dying to be worn with a skirt, tights, knee socks, and boots. And a hand muff. Of course a hand muff. So cute!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

notes on creating a monster

When I was in high school I encountered what I will refer to as the Hallmark Mom. You know you are dealing with a Hallmark Mom when there is a collection of cards for various occasions, not because there are immediate needs for such cards, or even plans to use them. They are there so that one can be prepared for anything, and have a card at hand to commemorate it. The Hallmark Mom will also decorate for any reason at all. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, birthdays, whatever. Groundhog Day and Election Day probably. They will literally take any excuse to decorate, and they must have an entire guest house to store their goods. Or so it seems.
Anyway. My point is: I used to think the Hallmark Mom was crazy. Why would anyone want to decorate for Halloween? Halloween is for dressing up and eating candy. Carving pumpkins and corn mazes. That sort of thing. Who needs all the extra work of decorating? (unless we're talking about haunted house-eque props for your front yard if you're welcoming trick-or-treaters. I always loved those houses)
But. I see it happening. It started with a few cute little wooden props. Some craft pumpkins I covered in glitter. Some of those old plastic trick or treat pails. I'm not sure where to draw the line, and I'm not sure I want to anyway.

So, accepting the fact that I just might be turning into a Hallmark Mom, let me share with you one of my most favorite Halloween displays ever, from Thompson Family Life.


Super cute, right?

So what is your stance on holiday decorating? Yea or nay?

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

rare gems

Our plants need some new homes, and while I don't think these are quite right for us I do think they're quite lovely. Don't you think?


Sunday, October 23, 2011

Meet Sophie



This girl.
I don't even think I can properly describe how precious she is. I fell in love with her the moment I picked her up and she nuzzled her little head in my neck (she has since decided that nuzzling is not enough and chewing on my ears is better). She is bouncing around one minute, boxing and playing, and fighting sleep the next. She doesn't really like falling asleep it seems. Fights it to the last second where she simply cannot stand anymore. It's pretty much the cutest thing ever.

Here's a little video the mister took on our trek home from picking her up.



She's also costing mama quite a bit of sleep, and keeping us on our toes making sure that she doesn't chew on everything in sight. For reals, Day One included the things one might expect (shoes, table legs, fingers) and lots that maybe you wouldn't expect (books, carpet, power cords). Anything. Doesn't matter. But only mildly interested in her own toys. Figures. 

And the kitties are doing alright I think. Molly is very curious. Winston is suspicious and scared, but I'm impressed that he's not just staying under the bed and is venturing into the living room more than I expected him to. I think they will get along. I love our growing family. :)

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

mama's got a brand new bag!


Thanks to the lovely ladies over at Ellington and Unruly Things who generously offered up a free bag to one lucky winner... ME! Just in time for my birthday, and seriously, just a few days before I entered the giveaway I was telling the mister how I needed a new bag (I basically have 2 bags that I have been using for the past 3 years and they are quite dirty). And here it is. The leather is beautiful, the details are perfect, and the size is great. It holds my knitting and has enough pockets to keep everything I need to get to without digging into the bottom of my bag.
I'm feeling some good blog karma, and loving it.