Pre-Thanksgiving

This is one of my favorite times of year, but not only for the great food and excuse to eat in excess. I love the colors of fall: bright, bold and vibrant, on a crisp day, against a strikingly blue sky. It feeds my soul and calms me.

With that said, I must share one of my favorite recipes that I make:

Pumpkin Muffins

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 cup butter, melted
* 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/3 cup buttermilk
* 1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 400° F. Grease or paper-line 12 muffin cups. (I like to make mini muffins. Cook at the same temp, just bake a few minutes less.)

COMBINE flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and ginger in large bowl. Combine butter, pumpkin, eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture, stir just until moistened. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

And now some Etsy finds:

Turkey (shaped) Soap

Felted "Snow Pumpkin"

Cute Mini Rainbow Wreath
(I love the idea and may have to make one for myself.
I also like that its rainbow, aka: all-season)

Pumpkin Shadow Box

Full Size Fall Wreath

I Heart Cats!

Threadless :: 'I Got Another Whale'

Snuggle Cat Bed
(I am in awe of these beds and have drooled over them since the first day I was on Etsy.
If she made a tutorial I think I would die!)

The Original UglyKitty Fund :: $10 Donation
(I love this kitty! And yes, while it is not the prettiest of kitties,
I'm sure it is the sweetest thing ever!

Assorted Catnip Donuts

Guinevere - 8x10 - Art Print

...and if I was rich...
I would spoil my babies with awesome futuristic furniture

*spray, wipe, repeat*

I'm spending my weekend cleaning our apartment since my parents are coming to our place for Thanksgiving this year.

Print :: Laundry Day Babushka with Kitty

Crochet Cotton Dishclothes

Fruity Retro Full Apron

Hanging Clothespin Bag

DIY Wool Dryer Ball Tutorial

Coffee!

Being born and raised within spiting distance of Seattle has made me an a java lover and unbelievable coffee snob.

Happy Coffee Mug Necklace

Door Handle Coffee Mug

Reusable Cup Cozy

Cutest damn Creamer I ever saw

Coffee Maker Print

If you ever find yourself in the Seattle area and want to taste the BEST coffee on the plant visit Vivace. They roast their own beans, which makes for a more sweet tasting coffee that is not bitter and simply to die for. They don't have fancy, crazy drinks like some other, larger, corporate stores (who the hell needs a 'quad, venti, half-caff, one pump sugar-free vanilla, two pumps sugar-free hazelnut, extra-hot, ristretto latte, with half soy, half lowfat organic milk, with two paper cups' anyways?) and I'm happy to order one of their few special drinks: a 12 oz white chocolate americano, aka 'crack-a-cano'. It's the perfect treat for a Sunday morning while wandering around my local farmers market.

Kitchen Dreams

I want all the following in my kitchen:

Magnetic Spice Rack

Reusable Kitchen Towels

Recipe Cards, Dividers & Box

Reusable Produce Bags

Wine Bottle Cheese Plate

Living in an apartment with one of the smallest kitchens I've ever had to work with has been more than a little frustrating, almost all of the time. I shouldn't complain, since we are blessed with a dishwasher, but the apartment size oven/stove, refrigerator that's only as tall as me (and that's not saying much!) and the lack of counter space, I want to scream! I would love love love to have any one of these awesome items in my kitchen (especially the Magnetic Spice Rack), in hopes of improving my life while whipping up a batch of cookies.

In all honesty, I'm a closet OCD'er. I strive to one day nitpick about every speck of dirt in my home, while currently I trudge through my own piles of filth (dish piled in the sink, mounds of dirty laundry mixed in with the clean and a inch of cat hair covering every inch of our hardwood floors). Its a true oxymoron.

This desire to live OCD is lived vicariously through one of my favorite vices:

This magazine gives me hope: one day I will own a house that will be filled with clear storage containers for every item we own and those containers will be color coded and placed neatly in drawers/closets/shelves and I will simply marvel at my well organized life. Yes, I dream big!

So until that day comes I indulge my fantasies with articles like this one:

The Well-Organized Kitchen

more beautiful than fiction

My fiance is a talented photographer who has recently finished his second book: "more beautiful than fiction" and I couldn't be more proud!



You can purchase his book at Blurb for only $24.95!

To see more of his work please visit www.marklaubenheimer.com.

Prior Engagement!

Yes, I've been neglecting my blog, trust me, I am aware...

Life's been keeping me pretty busy! My big news is I'm now happily engaged (since August) and am currently working on wedding plans! Here are some awesome wedding related items I've been drooling over on Etsy:

Custom Wedding Cake Topper

Just Married Party Banner

Custom Heart :: Tree Print Pillow Cover

Vintage Inspired Metallic Silver Lace Necklace

Felted Rose :: Corsage Brooch Pin or Hair Clip

This last item, the felted flower, is similar to an item that I found via another blog that has been my inspiration to create my own felted flowers for my wedding party and center pieces at our reception.

My Inspiration

I've since purchased a fancy die-cutting machine that cuts through felt, among other things, and am experimenting with a variety of felts and soda cans (my fiance has a passion for coke, so I'm trying to find a way to incorporate his passion). It's an exciting endeavor and more eco-friendly to boot!

Needlepoint Inspiration

This is pure inspiration, enough to make me want to run out to Micheal's this very moment and buy as much embroidery floss as my bank account will allow:

Taking Flight Needlepoint

D-Day...

In honor of my personal D-Day I've found some fun Diet stuff on Etsy:

White-Washed Wooden Sign


Food and Exercise Diary or Tracker


'He Who Indulges Bulges' Pillow


Humorous Lunch Bags


Printable PDF: Weekly Diet & Exercise Tracker

Hairy Situation

This is the reason there were hairs in my dinner last time I made Grandma's Rice & Chicken:

I need to cat-proof my kitchen better...

Vacation: 4th of July Weekend

I'm back at work after being on vacation for almost a week. I find it so hard to sit in front of a computer all day after having the luxury of sleeping in, cooking breakfast (not have stuffing something in my face and grab a coffee cup while running out the door) and asking the wonderful question: 'What shall we do today?'

Me and my wonderful beau both had last Thursday off and had the privilege of borrowing my Dad's trusty Subaru Outback. Now with the proper means we were able to journey down to Ikea. (Oh Ikea, how you inspire me and feed my desire to own a house one day...) We had a mission of making me a craft table to replace my current dinning table/tiny desk set up. We were victorious, finding bright yellow counter tops (under $40 for enough to span 100 inches!) and we got three kitchen cabinet cases, with shelves, to use at the 'legs' on either side and in the middle. Its fabulous! :)

Once all the craft table bits (some assembly required) were unloaded it was off to the Pioneer Square Artwalk! Our tiny little studio at the 619 Western Building was filled to the brim with sweaty and slightly intoxicated art seekers. Since we were on 'vacation' at this point there was little to no effort put forth, and still quite successful! I sold 5 wallets and got some awesome feed back.

The next morning we were off to Oregon in the Outback, armed with classic CDs, snacks and good company (each other). The usual 3.5 hour ride turned into 6 hours (*groan* holiday traffic) to Astoria, Oregon, where we ended up following a nutty local, to avoid more traffic, who gave a quick, whirl-wind tour of land mark Astoria: the 'Goonies' house and the 'Kindergarten Cop' school! Once safely inside the condo my Grandmother had bought back in 1982, with my parents, favorite cousin, aunt and her husband, our vacation truly began.

Honestly, there is no better place to take a deep breath and relax at than the Oregon condo. Sitting in the bay window, over looking the bridge that connects Washington to Oregon over the Columbia River, it puts my mind at ease. The condo is a work in progress, slowing shuffling out Mimi's, my deceased Grandmother, decor, and replacing it with hodge podge updates, (i.e. new kitchen counter tops and various walls painted pastel attempts to make the place more cheery.) Most of the old decor is a combination of rust red/orange, nautical blue and ivory and can be seen on all 4 levels of the 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath tower. In the 'kids room' (the room with two twin beds) on the top floor there is a 15 foot tall wall covered in dotted fish wall paper next to the toilet, and behind the toilet a framed drawing of a wide eyed owl. Needless to say, this place has character!

The rest of the weekend was spent visiting garage sales, thrift shops, outlet stores, windy beaches, beautiful bike trails with wildlife (a herd of elk!), fresh fruit and delicious dinners. Really there wasn't much more I could ask for! (Except to have it last forever... who wants to buy me the winning lotto ticket?)

In Honor of Pride Weekend

Last weekend was the Gay Pride Celebration in Seattle. I had to work at a booth (to promote my Non-Profit:The Deaf-Blind Service Center) and once my shift was over I had the chance to wander through all the booths. Not being gay myself, but a big supporter of equal rights and a lover of all things rainbow I thought this would be the prefect place to spend a little dough on some fun stuff. Unfortunately I was very disappointed with the quality and quantity of the vendors there. First and foremost: 5 food vendors is unacceptable! Especially since my favorite strawberry shortcake seller was not one of them (*super pout face*). Secondly: enough with the "Informational Booths", maybe they would've appealed more to me if I was gay, but really, I'm here for the merch. Finally: the Merchandise (or lack there of), come on! I want to spend my hard earned cash on pretty little rainbows, and you'd think that this would be the perfect place to do so! Boy was I wrong, they had a few so-so t-shirt booths, a Palm Reader and a booth selling paddles and cuffs (which is fitting, but not my style).
So when I arrived home that night I decided I needed to fulfill my rainbow cravings, so I hopped on Etsy and found these fun things:

Rainbow Door Sign

Rainbow Felt Soap - Lavender Scented

Rainbow Wrist Cuff

Pair of Rainbow Soup Mugs
(& one Coffee Mug, not shown)

Rainbow Shorts