The Plans of Mice and Men...

My Sweet Friends,

It is Sunday afternoon. I am writing from the far reaches of the local "hippie internet cafe," as my friends call it. I feel like it has been ages since I last touched hand to computer key...But it's only been three days. Oh, yes...I am truly addicted. Now I know for sure.

Anyway, I returned home from work on Friday night to find my "triple play," (internet, cable tv, phone...all digi) had become a "triple threat," and died on on us sometime earlier that afternoon.
My knee-jerk reaction was to flip-out, lose it on the innocent customer service rep over at Time Warner...But, I took a deep breath and realized that there may be something to this business of being unplugged for a few days. The earliest they can send someone is Monday evening...Breathe...Lots of late-night reading and movie watching. Always nice.

Well...it's been a good weekend,though not exactly as I had originally planned. That's what I get for planning ahead!! Friends, lots of shopping, cooking, chores, a dinner party at the neighbors--all filed our weekend with loveliness...When we return home I have some baking planned- Peanut-Butter Jelly Bars, Eggnog Pudding, and possibly a "fake" Pineapple Upsidedown Cake. Mmm. And I am just loving this overcast, chilly weather.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.

INspired

photo courtesy of http://www.delicousdays.com/

The rain and cold have left me feeling groggy tonight, not much like posting. But I'm in for the long haul that is NaBloPoMo. I said I would and so I am!

While browsing around on tastespotting this evening, the above photo caught my eye. Deliciousdays had the inspiration I'd been looking for...these delicious frosted cookies and a "To Do Before Christmas List." Funny, I've been thinking about frosted cookies for the holidays since last year. Pink frosting makes everything look so tasty, too.

1. Make these cloth napkins for Cub's Nana and Auntie. I absolutely ADORE this fabric. I think Nana will appreciate it, too. I'll order extra yardage for some throw pillow covers for moi!

2. Make the Vanilla Sugar and Hot Chai Tea Mix. These are going to be my Edible gifts this year for extended family on Cub's Daddy's side. There are so many of them and I think this will make things nice and easy for me.

3. Buy some cute little jars for the above gifts. Dollar stores, Baby!

4. Start planning and gathering supplies for the embroidery hoop portraits with vintage buttons...a la Whimsy Love! They are adorable and I have some killer buttons I can't wait to use.

5. Make some handmade journals using those old album covers I've been collecting.

The list could go on for a bit more, but I think I'm done with links for now!

It may seem early, but now is the time to start planning. The holidays will be here before we know it. Also, I didn't really forget about the postcard swap idea. I had lofty dreams for the fall, but if I can get my act together to make about ten winter-themed cards...We may have a postcard swap happening here after all!

Off to read The Monsters of Templeton. I started it last night and it is soooooooo good.

And since I'm thinking ahead...My Weekend Plans: A long walk in the park with Cub to take photos of all the gorgeous leaves as they fall, a long overdue hair cut at the Paul Mitchell Academy (excellent btw for all of you SI people!), Holiday Fair/Grandma's Attic, Farmer's Market, evening mass and Caramel Apples...Finally!

I Can Dream...

I'd like to share a little fantasy. It was spurred on by reading The Food Section, (a long time obsession) this evening. For me, Blue Hill at Stone Barns is a little piece of paradise.

I haven't been there yet, but I've fallen in love with it a million times already-since first hearing about it from Cub's daddy. You just have to go here to find out why I'm so enthralled with the whole idea of a "...Center for Food and Agriculture." If you are even remotely interested in food, you will be intrigued, at least. I have to get there soon. Until then-

Back to the fantasy...On my dream date, he (NOT Cub's daddy) picks me up and we drive here:

Blue Hill, NY

...for the final installment of this dinner series, which features the sense of "Taste."

They have a restaurant in the city, too. But it just wouldn't be the same.

Gentle Day

No other way to describe it. We woke-up at our leisure and cuddled for a while in my bed.

I think that's my favorite thing in the whole world. Cub crawls in and just snuggles against me gently, to wake me.

Then we were off to my parent-teacher conference. Yup. She's aces, but I already knew that! Hee, hee.

We celebrated afterwards with a trip to Michael's and out for Chinese food.

Then home for Mama and Cub playtime. Crafting for me and dramatic play for my girl.

The second best part of the day had to be snuggling on the couch for a late afternoon viewing of The Secret Garden. This was one of my favorite books growing up. I love the movie, too. She fell asleep wrapped in a bundle of blankets next to me as the sun settled down through the windows of our apartment.

I sipped big mugs of organic black tea with lots of honey and lemon.

Feeling a bit under the weather.

I thought of my brother today and two of my uncles that served our country.

I keep a photo of my Uncle Richard on my dresser even though I never had the chance to meet him. He was my grandpa's youngest brother (out of six kids).

My grandpa didn't come from the happiest of homes. Not such a nice family life, unfortunately.

My grandfather told us that Richard ran away from home to join the navy. He lied about his age because he was too young. But he did it because he was extremely patriotic and he used to tell my grandfather, "I just feel something when I see that flag waving."

He died serving the country that he loved in Pearl Harbor.

Love and Blessings to all who have sacrificed for our beautiful home.

Beautiful Birdies

Drinks after work followed by an enormous Indian meal with Cub and her daddy have left me too tired tonight for a long post. Yay! So I just thought I'd pass on some lovely

bird-themed talent this evening. I love both of these artists so much. Enjoy~

This collage belongs to the talented Paula Swisher. You can find lots more of her birdies here.

This birdie brooch was crafted by the lovely Lupin. I found her last year when she was a featured etsy seller. I love felt and she is a "master" (mistress?) of this material; not to mention her handsewing skills take my breath away. Just look at those stitches. Ahhhhh.

I'm now going to get up from this computer chair, put on the kettle for a big cup of tea and
do something I rarely do...Lay down on the couch for some bad TV!
Tomorrow I have the day off. Whoo-Hoo!

Colors

To make a long story short, so much about me changed after my daughter was born.

Actually, the change started while I was pregnant. One of the most interesting

changes that I noticed had to do with my personal color palette.

Maybe it had to do with being a teen in the eighties, but I was always partial to black. Lots of black. Up until Cub's conception, most of my clothes were black. I was not really a "color" person. I noticed when I was a few months pregnant, I went sneaker shopping and ended up with a pair of bright blue Saucony sneakers with light pink trim. What?

I did think it was a little odd at the time.

I finally chalked it up to "the baby," when I left Macy's later that spring with a bright pastel colored Le Sportsac! Uh...very strange.

And so now I live for colors; just one of the many gifts

she has given me.

On that note, today was a colorful day!

Our sweet neighbor came up to play in the morning. After Cub had enough of him and retired to her room for reading time with Grandpa, F. and I sat down and colored together. He always goes for the art supplies when he comes over. He likes to talk about how Cub's daddy is an artist. Very cute.

Daddy brought this book back for from his camping trip in Acadia National Park recently.

Before our joint coloring session, I was sitting at the table, drinking coffee and working on a felt flower brooch from this lovely little tutorial. He was pretty interested in what I was doing, too.

He asked questions while watching and even made some suggestions.
I topped this off with another little vintage button. These are really sweet and fun to make. So many different combos and looks are possible. I can't wait to pin this one on to that blah-blue cardigan I almost gave away last year.
Next, I'm going to make a mini flower brooch for her sweaters.

And to top off our day in color...Ta-Dah! My Naked Funfetti Layer Cake!
Yes, it's of the boxed variety, but I'm gonna totally make up for it with
a REAL old-fashioned buttercream.

We just couldn't wait that long.
Now off I go to frost this cake.

Have a great week everyone.

A Super Scrumptious Day and Super Long Post!

You know when you just have one of those unplanned perfect days...totally unorchestrated, but one activity just segues into the next in the most harmonious of ways? What you have is

a beautiful symphony of a day, one that you never want to end. I think the weather has a lot to do with it, for me. I just love dark, damp, days in autumn. They are the epitome of "romantic" to me. (That was just one of the many reasons I loved living in pdx.)

Yeah. So Cub had her very first dentist appointment early this morning.

Tell me this photo isn't a complete hoot. Who's she tryin' to kid? "Yeah, I'm Joe Cool. I'm not worried or anxious at all...Nah, not me." (Yeah, right.)

She was a champ in that chair. Not at all like her mama! But we found out she has two cavities. Blah. The dentist looked at me like I had three heads when I refused the flouride treatments. We debated a little bit back and forth before she gave up. Ah, whatever. I no longer let the medical profession get to me. Yeah, I'm a freak. Deal with it.

Today was the first day of the official holiday fair season. Yup. This is my thing. Poor Cub gets dragged around to at least two per weekend until all the hooplah is over and Mama has all her shopping completed. Today was the first and BEST one. I do so well at the St. Nicholas Fair and it's right here in my 'hood, too. This is our third year in a row. I clean up there. Seriously. And we have a blast.

Looking up!

Best part there is the most awesome craft table for the kids. So smart, really. While parents shop, kids get to create and play. This year they had a gazillion yummy supplies. It was all I could do to keep from jumping in there myself. But I had serious work to do.
Here is just some of what my girl crafted while I went into a frenzy over in "Grandma's Attic."

No, kidding aside...I was so proud of my little one. She made about six things. One after the other and she was so focused and into all of it.

She is a natural born crafter. That's my Girl!

Okay, I really wanted to take all these pretty little photos of the booty. I wanted to organize it all into little sections 'cause I'm just so proud! Hee,hee...I pretty much tackled all of those people who are so hard to shop for, which was nice. Here is some of the hall:


Those cigar boxes are from Cuba. Yes. The tray up front from Paris. Two tin heart pans, those mugs are very cool, both from Japan, tons of handmade ornaments but you can't see 'em properly cuz I'm too impatient to do it right, a morroccan style ashtray of sorts, two stain glass decorations - one is a unicorn, an apple tree trivet from the 70's, lots of vintage jewelry and pins, a yogurt recipe book from the 80's, Beatrix Potter collectable ornaments, two vintage double frames, and a mini nativity set for us, because I've always wanted one. All this for less than $20.00!!!

Then, the show-stopper. I saw these glasses and I swear everything started moving in slow motion as I discovered there were three. How cool are these?

That's Tom Sawyer on the far right in red. The woman told me these are seriously collectible and practically gave them to me for free. I'm sorry I'm gloating. But I'm just so excited about all of this and I know most of you understand. My friends and family do not get this at all. I promise I won't do this again for the rest of the season!

And the best part of the day...We finally made it back to this lovely place for 5:00 service.

Since I was a child I have always loved evening mass. To me, it is more low-key and peaceful; more meditative. Cub protested tonight. She was exhausted. It was embarrassing, she slept curled up on a chapel chair during most of mass. Her heavy breathing was heard by all.

Turns out after the service there was a spaghetti dinner. Yay! So much for my split-pea soup simmering away at home in the slow-cooker! We went down into the beautifully haunting and cavernous lower level for the most delicious supper. It smelled just like my grandma's and tasted (almost) as good. Great food and great company.

Cub was too tired to stay for the live music, but we still had such a nice time.

I enjoyed the drive out of St. George, down Richmond Terrace along the waterfront, and back into our neighborhood tonight.

The lights shining out of the houses and reflecting from the dark water

made me feel like we were home.