On The Seventh Day...

Still trying to perfect the chocolate dipped graham cracker idea. I really want this to work. Basically, who doesn't love graham crackers and/or choclate? Besides, they look festive and will be quick and easy to whip-up. Tonight, I used Nestle's Bittersweet Choclolate chips and I wasn't thrilled with the texture. Quite thick and gloppy. The choclate slid off the cracker, too. Weird.

I'm going to try a different brand next time I make these. In the meantime, we'll enjoy the samples.

All the extra holiday shopping and crafting is starting to get to me. I'm tired. Really tired.

I think I need to post this very mundane list of things I need to do, so that I'll feel guilted into actually doing them:

Things I Don't Want To Do But NEED To Do LIST:

1. Pick-up all the clothes off of my bedroom floor and straighten-up in there!

2. Deep clean our apartment. Scub-a-dub-dubbing is in order!

3. Stop looking at all of the presents and begin some wrapping already!

4. Errands: Library, post-office, pick-up dry cleaning and laundry.

5. Take that adorable photo of Cub in front of the tree and make those holiday cards!

6. Pay some bills.

Yes, I've emerged from Winter Wonderland mode to face some reality for a little bit.

Now I'm off to find a good movie to cozy up to.

On The Sixth Day...

I took Cub to Michael's for "Santa's Workshop," a craft class for kids. We made lots of pretty holiday cards using soooo many supplies. It was great. She even received a free kit with a scrapbook, paper, and a mug to decorate. Fun.

When we returned home from a busy day out and about, I baked Peabody's Candy Cane Meltaways! So easy to make and quite tasty. Cub and her daddy gobbled them up while they were still warm. The cookies were supposed to accompany me to a holiday party in the evening, which I sadly, didn't get around to going to.

We also (finally) put up our tree last night and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. We received a very light snowfall.

On The Fifth Day...

Vintage Deer Ornament (imagemkr, flickr)

...Jenn came over for mulled wine, craft, and conversation. A lovely evening. We worked on silouettes and boomarks. After wrestling with the bookmarks for a bit, I think we were satisfied with our efforts.

Yesterday, I had to go into the city to pick-up my Master's degree. I didn't really think anything of it until the woman at the Registrar's office handed me this fancy folder with my degree inside. It was a moment for me, as they say. Eight years in the making. After everything I've been through in the past eight years, I did it.

Yes, I was proud of myself in that quiet moment. I told the kind woman who understood my combination of relief and pride that I was dedicating this degree to my daughter, but now- I think I'll dedicate it to the both of us.

One of the best parts of attending Baruch (for me) was the fact that is was located alongside one of my favorite areas of the city..."Little India."

Before and after classes I would wander around, zig-zagging in and out of the few blocks of Indian restaurants, clothing, and best of all...markets.

Kalustyan's is the crown jewel of this neighborhood. To say that I adore that place is an understatement. I spend hours there. Looking, shopping, learning, wanting a huge pantry just for spices alone!

Then it's upstairs to one of the city's best kept secrets. I mean, people know about it, but not really, if that makes any sense. Well, upstairs there is a tiny spot where they serve Middle Eastern/Indian food, deli style. There are a few small tables and I'm usually lucky enough to find one. And the food...is the best of its kind. They make it on the premises and it is super fresh, fragrant, and tasty.

I treated myself to lunch in celebration yesterday!

Then it was back downstairs where I bought some exotic teas, vanilla beans, and ground spices to make chai tea mixes for the holidays.

A busy, but all-around wonderful day-yesterday.

On The Fourth Day...

I began tackling a "To Do" holiday list that is a lot longer than I previously thought.

But I am smitten with our new garland. I made it out of glittery candy-cane letters

purchased at JoAnn's and threaded on (my favorite) red rick-rack. I wanted to hang it over one of the windows in our living room but alas, no more push-pins. I'll just have to add another lil' thang to the TDL! (bleh).

It's okay on the bookcase for now.

I finally unearthed all of our ornaments and holiday decorations. That was some job!
Here is one of my favorite decorations. Cub's Nana gave it to me last year. It was made by one of our favorite local artists, "Diana," who sells things at one of the best gift shops in the whole world...I don't know the name of it, but for locals, it's on Oakland just off the corner of Forest. I won't say anymore about it. Just go and see for yourself.
Thanks to my crummy photo, you can't see that little sign that says, "Hook Mountain 1 mile." Those are whiskers on the snowman. A total hoot! So imaginative. I wish you could be here to really see how great this is in person.
And here's my little gang from last year. I'm still so pleased with myself...'cuz I hand-sewed about twenty felt ornaments last year. Below are those I just
couldn't part with! I'm so happy to see them.

Today, I also ran around and started to gather ingredients for holiday baking.

I scored all of this sugar for $5.00!

My little fella here is doing the happy dance.

I'm using the two white sugars for cookies and vanilla sugar.

The turbinado will be used for the sugar scrubs.

Cub went to dinner and a movie with her Grandparents after school today. It's amazing how much I can accomplish solo. But my heart ached around 6pm. The house smells lovely from the cinnamon candles that are burning. It's lightly raining outside. So nice and cozy inside. I am content with the fact that my little one is safe and snug in her bed and that I will spend the evening working on creating things for those that I love.

What's everyone up to lately?

On The Third Day...

"...of Christmas my true love gave to me..."

Three Button Riiiings.

I actually made them late last night. Now that I have a huge button stash, crafts like this

are quick and easy. It's so much fun to play with color combos and design. And it's a lot of fun to wear them all on one hand, too!

Here are some record bowls I made. Warning if you decide to do this: the old Columbia records don't bend very well because they have a hard reinforcement surrounding the center. It just wouldn't melt. So, now I know to look for records without that. These will be just fine anyway. There are so many music lovers and musicians in both of our families, so these are my official "go-to" holiday gift. I'll fill them with homemade treats and goodies and then wrap them up all pretty and topped with lots of Vintage ribbon and bows. When the treats are finished, they'll have a nice bowl for storing just about anything that fits inside.

Isn't that a lovely Nutcracker album cover? I bought this record because I wanted to make a journal with the cover. Now I'm not really feeling like cutting it up anymore.

I am just overflowing with inspiration and motivation these days. Everywhere I look, there is something to fall in love with.
Just look at what Lupin did today. I tell you, she is unstoppable!
Last year, Cub, Daddy, and I sat and cut up many, many, paper snowflakes and then taped them to every window in our apartment. However, they were NOT fun to take down. These are so practical the way they hang from a thread. But honestly, I'm just not feeling the snowflakes this year. I will cut a few to decorate some packages. Again, Lupin's idea!



And I finally found the adorable and easy to make treat that I've been waiting for to jump out at me. Because of my limited time (and patience), quick and easy are requirements for basically anything I make. Although, I'm sure that's obvious by now!
I can't wait to make these. Move over Starbucks!
I have tons of colored sprinkles, coconut, and chopped nuts, too.
Oh, this is going to be good!

How crazy (good) does this Red Velvet Cheesecake look?
I'm a big red velvet fan. Yeah, the food coloring does freak me out (more than) a bit, but I'll sacrifice a little red dye coursing through my veins, for the rich cocoa flavor and texture that is distincltly Red Velvet.
So happy this caught my eye, 'cause that's how I discovered the Super Adorable
Culinary Concotions by Peabody.
I have already added her recipe for Candy Cane Meltaways to my "Holiday Baking" list.

And speaking of Red Velvet...I'm loving this wreath. Ah...so much to make, so little...
Nope! I will find the time. There are still 21 days to play, create, explore, and most of all...
ENJOY!

Now off I go to string some glittery candy cane letters onto some red rick-rac...A new garland for our happy home!

On the Second Day...

I wrapped one (The Making of Star Wars) video tape for a certain someone.

I topped the prezzie with my very first pom-pom made from a Key Food bag!

It could be a bit "poofier," but I'm happy with the overall look for a first try.

This present isn't finished yet. I'm cutting out the letters of this person's name out of vintage holiday wrap and I will paste them on a la Lupin! She has really inspired me this holiday season with all of her simple and creative ideas. Love 'em all, Laura!

The little boxes in the background...They were my thing last year. I made gift boxes out of Stove Top stuffing boxes and old holiday cards. This year, they will be used to give some vintage pins and earrings to a friend.

This evening Jojo reminded me of these cookies...Oh, yessssss. I have been thinking about them since Alicia posted this photo. They are the most divine looking sugar cookies I've ever seen! And I have to add, I am not exactly a fan of the sugar cookie. But I'm going to try my hardest to recreate these heavenly looking confections.

(Above photo by Alicia Paulson.)

Jenn and I have a date to create (bake&craft) this friday night. Today, she reminded me that we need to figure out what we're bringing to a co-workers holiday party the following evening.
I've been doing my homework on the sugar cookies and I found a recipes for these babies on tastespotting.

They give me that same, "I have to eat you NOW!" feeling in my solar plexus. The texture of the cookie and frosting seem similar, too. Maybe with a little tweaking, they'll come close to Posy's mom's. Anyway, they sure are pretty.

I also found these beauties (judging by the photo only, they may actually come closest) and these, too. They all look so good, don't they?

On the first day...

Oh, what an interesting day I had. I was called in for (Grand). Jury. Duty.

Very surreal experience, but most enjoyable...Now a detour, but not really...

Since the summer, I have been creating these little story maps. I am working on two short stories, both have to do with the link between animal-human behavior and environment. Well, after today, I now have the third story for my trilogy! I'm very excited. I read a lot while I was in the juror room, which was huge and quite comfy. Mostly, I listened. I also took lots of notes and made some lists while being all-around fascinated.

Speaking of animal behavior, here is one of my favorite owlies. The local flower shop owner gave him to me after I had finished interviewing him for my thesis paper. "Stapleton" is posing with the swatch portrait I made for Cub's Nana over the weekend.

And here are a couple of simple ornaments I sewed. The one on the right will go to Cub's cousin. It's made from a very long piece of Michael Miller fabric I bought myself right after Cub was born. I had high-hopes for making her a super-long alphabet garland. I'm finally ready to start cutting it up, but I think these will make sweet gifts. I put a little dab of cinnamon oil on a cotton ball and placed it in the center of the polyfil stuffing, so it smells like gingerbread.
I'm going to try to post something I've made (or am in the process of making) for the holidays each day. I'm so thankful for a place to share!