Tie Rug

I'm saving this for a future project... and starting a tie collection the next time I visit Goodwill!

New Knittings :: Socks!

2-at-a-time Socks

This has become my bible, my reason for going home after work and inspiration for all 2010 Christmas gifts! I've always wanted to teach myself how to knit and become proficient reading but after years of making up designs that only got half done I set down my foot and told myself I MUST master this hobby! I have since knitted two hats for my fiance and a cute baby hat for his new niece. Finishing all three gave me the confidence that I could tackle more complicated things. I found a book on knitting sweaters, and realized that was a bit of a leap, and decided I needed to start smaller: socks!

Playing Catch Up

My goodness, the holidays flew by and here were are in mid-January!

Here's what I've been up to since Thanksgiving:

• Had Thanksgiving at our apt, I made all the fixing's (potatoes, stuffing, pies, etc...) while Mom & Dad brought the bird. It was delicious, of course, and afterward we completed our annual puzzle.

• Finished all my gift buying for my fiance's family on the east coast, wrapped, packaged and mailed the box of gifts with a shipping charge of $67! Good grief!

• Held a Holiday Party/Game Night at our place, biggest gathering yet! Roasted a whole chicken (so tasty, my kitty John insisted the whole night he needed to have some) and enjoyed an evening surrounded by friends. This was the biggest turn out for any of our gatherings, 10 or 12 people all together!

• Received an early Christmas/B-day gift from my parents: a new laptop! Its a Toshiba, and I'm in love!

• Last minute shopping on Christmas Eve for my parents. It was fun being downtown in all the hustle and bustle. Made me REALLY appreciate that I no longer work retail downtown.

• Christmas was spend with my parents, had to wait for Mark to get off of work, then hop a bus to Lynnwood to have them pick us up at the Transit Center. Enjoyed gift opening before a wonderful Prime Rib Dinner.

• Day after Christmas the four of us drove to Winthrop, WA. The drive was about 4 hours, over the pass and through the hibernating apple orchards of Central Washington. I loved waking up every morning to snow on the ground!
• *My birthday was spend wandering snow covered trails just outside Winthrop, then a walk through town and an AMAZING dinner at a local restaurant. I had my first Bison steak and am convinced its the best thing ever made!

I am now just finishing up my 2nd week back at the office and adjusting to the 'working life' again. Honestly, I'm really looking forward to the 3 day weekend (MLK Day weekend) ahead of me. I'm not sure if its the weather, or being chained to a desk and a computer that's really got me ready for bigger and better things.

I've also been making some lifestyle changes. The realization that my wedding is only 9 months away has given me the extra push to start losing weight. I've joined Weight Watcher, they have a great online/iPhone friendly program now that matches my way of doing things much better then their old system of writing things down and going to meetings. I've also asked my mom to help me acquire a new piece of equipment called the Bodybugg. Its a device that you wear around your upper arm and it counts the calories you've burned in a day. It is supposed to arrive today and I'm more than excited to start using it!

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!