Fridge

Wednesday while I was waiting for pies to come out of the oven and doughs to set I rearranged the photos on my fridge. What a struggle. Trying to make sure they are all level and that there are enough magnets to actually hold everything and that those magnets aren't wimpy and only hold 1 single paper. I finally got it done. Last night when we arrived at my parents my dad asked me to help him do their fridge. I stumbled across these cute little magnet frames that would make the job so much easier. They are from Moocha and would look cute and make the job easier. Happy Black Friday.

Desserts

I am always in charge of making the desserts for Thanksgiving so this year I held a vote (by hubby's brothers) and the winning desserts were Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie from Martha Stewart
Carmalized Apple Pecan Pie from Bon Appetit (by the way this is an awful picture. Mine better look better than that or I will have failed big time. I think cutting the apples differently will make all the difference)
And my favorite of the bunch (which didn't get voted on because I just picked it) All Grown-up S'mores from Sticky Chewy Messy Gooey

I have only made the S'mores before and trying new recipes is one of my favorite things. Plus I have to pack for my parents house so tonight is going to be busy. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.

Treasury

I did another treasury list on etsy all about coats, scarves and other warm you up items. Check it out. I featured one by my friend (and girlfriend of my brother-in-law) can you figure out which one?

Baking

As we draw closer to the holidays the overwhelming desire to bake (at least for me) gets stronger. I in past years I have baked up thousands and thousands of cookies. When I was a nanny I took orders from the family I worked for and another family and baked dozens and dozens and dozens (enough for 4 families). They had frozen cookies for months. I have given them as gifts and taken them to parties and horded them away for myself. I found this picture and thought that is exactly what I need for this years cookie mania.

Break

I will be taking a few days off from blogging. We had been going through the process of adopting our son and the birth mother changed her mind 2 days ago so yesterday he was taken from us. We are overcome with grief to have lost him and to have lost another child. I will hopefully start blogging again soon but for now I am not inspired by anything and not wanting to blog.

Ruffle-y goodness

I stumbled across these super cute aprons by Pleated Poppy and had to share. So girlie and cute. I want one.

Hope you are having a great weekend.

Sprig

Sprig came out with their 10 best holiday dresses list and I have to say I agree on a few of them.

These two dresses by Meiling Chen counted as one on the list. I love them both

A berry dress by Sublet also made the list. It's a bit casual but so pretty. And with patterned tights..perfect.


My favorite is this black cotton dress by Fin. I can see it with hot pink or silver heels.

I wish

I wish I had a fireplace so I could buy a ton of these beauties from Jayson Home and Garden. I can just imagine them as my holiday decorations with a roaring fire sparkling off of them. Maybe my next house will have a fireplace and I will get my wish.

More Christmas Cards

Here are a few non-Etsy sites for Christmas cards.

The first is from Blonde Designs. This company is run by two former art directors from Martha Stewart Living. Their designs are perfectly simple.

This beautiful wreath card from Paper Cafe who I have mentioned before.

Beautiful wooden letterpressed cards from Cotton Idea Studio

Tiny Prints always has great cards. I had a hard time just picking one that I liked.

Last but not least, this pretty card by Cocoblu Studios

Cards

Someone asked what Christmas cards I had found. I am looking at a few different ones but wanted to share some of the best from Etsy.



From Ink Drop Design a set of 8 cards for $12. Two of each design



Customized Photo cards from JAlan Photography

Six letter pressed cards from Old Tom Foolery for $15

From The Paper Peony six letterpressed cards for $16. I will try to post more sites I am looking at over the next week or two. Also I will be posting my own Christmas cards on Etsy so I'll make sure to share them with you.

3rd post

This post is going to be quick because I have laundry to fold and a dishwasher to empty but I thought this site was well worth posting. It is called DonorsChoose. Teachers from high poverty areas ask for supplies that they need for their classroom. You choose a classroom to help and donate to that specific teacher. You can pick your state and read all the proposals from teachers. What an amazing way to help out.

Dress me up

I am always looking for an excuse for a great party dress. Not only are the holidays approaching but I have a wedding to attend next weekend and another in January. If that isn't a good excuse I dont' know what is. Check out Shabby Apple's holiday collection (and a few others)

So classic and pretty and not black. I seem to always want black so it would be nice to have another color.

Suprise, suprise a black dress. It's antique lace (hard to see in this photo) but pretty much fabulous.

Not so good for weddings but great for holidays (and they have it in green and yellow)

I feel like I would have to party in this dress. You would have to drag me off the dance floor.

Tradition

I adore traditions. They get me excited for the approaching holidays. I hold on to them tightly and try to do things the same way each year. Yes, I am a creature of habit and yes I hate change. I like to know what to expect year to year. Here are a few of the "traditions" we have started (or continued from our childhood)

I started a "Thankfulness" journal. Each year I find some of my favorite photos from the year and mount then in my journal then take the journal to whatever Thanksgiving events we go to and ask everyone to write the thing they are most thankful for. I love looking back over the last few years and seeing what everyone is/was thankful for. Any blank journal works great for this project.

We have dinner at my in-laws house and so I make the desserts each year. I try to go as over the top and as creative as possible. I have made maple bourbon pecan pie, double apple pie, chocolate pumpkin pie, chocolate trifle, double chocolate brownies, and a bunch of others I can't think of off the top of my head. I try to find 5 or 6 great recipes then let hubby's brothers vote for the ones they want. Some form of pecan almost always wins and a fruit pie and I always make chocolate for those of us (mainly me) who don't really like pie. I have to start looking for recipes this week.

A few years ago we started to "pick names" with James' family at Thanksgiving dinner. Because he has 4 brothers the family is steadily getting bigger and bigger. We decided a few years ago that it would be better to each pick and name and just buy a gift for that person (my family did this when I was growing up) that way you buy one nice gift instead of trying to spread out and buy a bunch of little gifts. We put a cap on the amount you can spend and it has worked out great so far. We all buy for the neices and nephews also. I'm sure as time goes on we may change that to the kids picking names also.

We always go to visit my family the day after Thanksgiving. So we get to have a second Thanksgiving-ish meal the day after. Lots of Turkey sandwiches and left overs. Yum.

What are some of you favorite Thanksgiving Traditions?

All Business

Whenever hubby and I talk about business cards I always want him to do something super creative and cool. Of course, usually he ends up with normal ones. Last time we talked about it I found a few really cool photos on flickr of creative cards others had made.


Designed by Funnel Paper Goods

Also by Funnel Paper Goods

Designed by GRRR design

Designs by Fabrice Praeger Designed by Design Ranch



Don't these make you want to ditch your old white business card and get creative?

Stockings

I am a big fan of Christmas stockings. They were always a huge tradition in my house growing up, and one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I love all the little things you can put in a stocking. We always went to my grandma's house for Christmas and she would hang all the stockings (17 or so of them) on her giant fireplace mantle. We each had the same one each year and on Christmas morning whenever you woke up (even if it was extra early) you were allowed to open the stocking. It was great as a kid because then waiting to open presents wasn't a big deal. I hope to continue that tradition with my kiddo.

I have to find one for Baby G and I'm looking on etsy (of course) here are a few options.

I love some of these cute felt ones from RikRak

Beautiful monogrammed linen stockings by Ludwigas linen

Not so traditional by Spongetta

This one by Ahna Holder doesn't work as a little boys stocking but I want it for myself. Isn't it beautiful.

Cozy

As winter approaches I am looking forward to cozy sweaters, scarves, hats and mittens. Luna Gallery has some amazing options and also some cozy bedding that looks perfect for cold winter nights.

My winter coat is black and white houndstooth. Wouldn't this be the perfect pop of color?

They have a great section for my pregnant friends. Cute sweaters like this one. I would definitely wear this.

Wouldn't Baby G look so sweet in this hat? Love the colors.

I just want to curl up in this bed with hubby, Baby G and a good book. Perfect.

I love throw blankets and like that this one has a pillow to match.

Amazing Portraits

I love pictures and take a ton (when my camera is working). I think this artist is amazing. Figment takes one of your favorite pictures and turn it into an amazing work of art. I would love one of A and one of baby G for over our bed in the master bedroom.

Another post

Shocking, I know. Needed a moment to myself after a long day and thought I would post again. I found Mahar Drygoods through YouData. First a few words about YouData. This is a site that you sign up for a take a survey and then they pick advertisments for you too look at and you get paid to look at them. It is not a lot (10-20 cents per ad) but if you do it each day you can make some money. The money is then deposited into your paypal account at the end of each week. The idea that is you should not be forced to look at ads (like pop-ups) but should get to choose what you look at and be paided for your time. I love the idea and check it out often.

YouData every once in a while send me to a site that I just love. Today was one of those days. Mahar Drygoods is a great site for handmade kids items.

Cute Chipmunk blanket. It looks so cuddly.

We all know how I feel about birds and what a cute bird chair.

I like the idea of kids magnets but get tired of the plastic alphabet magnets. I would so much rather these cute magnets. Just another way to entertain baby when I'm cooking dinner (in the future...2 week olds should play with magnets)

Such sweet suitcases. I like them for decorating or for the baby to take to visit grandparents. Aren't they cool and what a great color.