one stacked christmas tree & Giada's nail color

Merry Post-Christmas, kids!

Now that the cookies are baked & shared, the presents have been wrapped & opened, and the feast of the seven fishes is long gone, i thought i'd take stock of this year's festivities.

Did you get everything you asked Santa for?

i must have been a very, very good girl this year because i got everything i could have ever hoped for, and more! The Mister came through and (reluctantly) got me something i've been lusting after for months- a pair of converse all stars!



the last time i opened up a box of these was when i was in high school! oh well, old habits die hard.

Because The Mister was so dead set against something that he thinks is well, "just Miley," he had to off set it with something a little more glam..... and really, no complaints from this high schooler.



and finally, i first found this beautiful creation from the gracious nienie dialougues. i sent along the link to The Mister quite a while ago, and much to my glee, he surprised me with this!



Mister = Rocks!

One gift, however, did not make it to the front door... i have been trying to pinpoint the exact shade of Giada De Laurentiis' nail color. This quest has been going on since probably 2003 when i first saw her crushing garlic with the palm of her hand. Since then, i would go from salon to salon trying every shade of Essie & OPI pink and beige colors, never quite getting the match right... until i saw this!!!!! Capitol Hill Barbie saved Christmas! And confirmed Here. *it's "Bubble Bath" by OPI, by the way* unfortunately The Mister's order never came! (And all this after about 5 phone calls between FedEx and himself- apparantly the box was labeled "biohazard" because of the flamable qualities of OPI!) Have no fear, dear readers, because a re-order is en route, and soon i will have Giada Hands, too!

luck be a lady!

i am that lady! look what i won during Giveaway Day! a beautifully cute doll from Threaded Basil! and i couldn't be happier!

here she is!



And in case you're interested in welcoming one of these little guys into your world, you can check out the
shop!

Giveaway Day at sew mama sew is one of my favorite days of the year. Not only because of the chance i get to win some beautiful creation like Threaded Basil's, but because i am introduced to some pretty fun and creative blogs. Always an inspiration, especially around the holidays.

Sew Mama Sew's Annual Giveaway Day!

Probably one of my most favorite days of the crafting year! Last year i was introduced to many new and wonderful craft and bake bloggers by visiting them on their websites. I even won two beautifully handcrafted treats! what a surprise!! So, this year looks to be even bigger and better! crazy, i know! so check it out at sew mama sew and a shout out to the very talented sew i do!

Everything is Better with Bacon.

i don't think i've ever met anyone who does not like bacon. Well, with the exception of vegetarians.



So to revise, i have never met any carnivores who do not like bacon.



after spotting this recipe at food network's website for Maple French Toast & Bacon Cupcakes, well, i couldn't not give it the old college try.



after mixing the cupcake batter, i could not resist licking the spoon, and happily, to my surprise, it did taste like french toast! it is cinnamony, nutmeggy, mapley, and with the bits of chopped maple bacon, it honestly tastes like french toast with a side of crispy bacon!



i felt confident as i pulled the cupcake tins out of the oven. confident still as i was chopping up the maple smoked bacon for the "sprinkles." i did feel a little weird about them as i was frosting them. would people eat these? i mean, people seem to go nuts over crazy food combinations, but would they actually eat one if it was placed in front of them?? i'll find out tomorrow, i guess! overall? i think success. the flavor is total French Toast with butter & maple syrup. it's true to it's name, and the cupcake itself is dense, soft, and not crumbly. the bacon is not overpowering- both inside the cupcake, and placed on top of the frosting. i highly recommend using maple smoked if you can find it, for added flavor. the frosting was a bit runny, though, and i'd like to work out a few modifications, so i consider this recipe a work in progress... but a delicious progress...

summer sewing

it's funny. i knit in the fall and right through the winter, yet when spring comes around the corner (usually March) i break out the old Bernina sewing machine (well, i call her Bernice) and start sewing up versions of Amy Butler bags, headbands and totes.

So far this summer i've been kept busy with drawstring bags from Pink Penguin...



a little alteration project with Mom... Bought a Lilly Pulitzer Dress quadruple my size in a retired print (Shrimp Cocktail) and we altered it to fit me perfectly!



and something sweet for one of my dear friends who has made a few major life changes this summer: 1.) buying a home, and 2.) getting married Labor Day weekend. This super-easy ruffle apron can be found right here.



i love that it looks like a big frou frou cupcake



of course i had to play dress up before i packaged it up and mailed it off to Massachusetts...



i received a lovely package from hancock's with my Bari J fabrics for sew fest '09, and October cannot come fast enough! i'm ready to break into another Frenchy for my fall bag already! So, to satisfy the summer craving, i figured i'd do one more sewing project before it's time to bring out the knitting basket for the winter. (talk about reverse hibernation, right!?)

Inspired by the ever-crafty Carrie, i've decided to take the plunge with a Built By Wendy dress and shirt pattern in Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks Zinnia Print.



perfect pairing with my brown Tory Burch's, right?

free fun finds of the day.

While discussing summer reading at the tail end of the summer may not be all to relevant, it really doesn't matter because the cuteness factor of these wee penguin book marks make up for my lateness!



aren't they sweet? and they are free and you can make a set of your very own!

next up we have some wild horses. you need to seriously check these out and consider making a flock of your own.



Flock? well, maybe the proper term is Pack? not sure but they are a perfect free project to bring you into the fall.



So get out your paper & scissors, and get cute, kids!

paying it forward

so two summers ago when i sold my soul to the Connecticut Bar Examiners, ie: studying for the bar exam, a friend of mine from law school mailed me & the Mister a huge fun care package chock full of homemade star sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and other fun goodies. it arrived two weeks before the bar exam, right when i was weighing my options for a new career, because i was convinced i was going to fail. Well, the Mister & i took the bar, both passed on the first time, and the rest is history. i never forgot that random act of kindness from my dear friend. Because it would be impossible to thank her enough, i decided that i would pay the kindness forward and do the same for my cousin. She's studying for her boards right now, and she takes them in two weeks. She's going to be a registered dietitian at the end of all of her hard work, and i'm so happy for her! (Said cousin is also from the post below).

Here is what i made for her yesterday!

A reversible drawstring bag with Amy Butler fabric, which i know she loves! You can find the pattern for the bag from Pink Penguin.



And because she's going to be a dietician, a knit apple cozy! in case you're interested in knitting your very own fruit cozy, you can find the pattern on Ravelry.



No package is complete, of course, without food, a stuffed animal, and other goodies!