Pretty Bird Press

2011-12-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

Grack Attack!

Lily's Birth Announcement

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Ok, I promise that this blog isn't evolving into a Lily-centered blog. It just happens that a lot of my crafty pursuits have involved our little Lily. I've been meaning to share this for a while. I've kind of been into infographics lately, so I thought creating an infographic birth announcement would be fun and a perfect way to explain our special situation. What do you think?

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Lily's Monthly Photo: Month Seven

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Seven months?!

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Monday Morning Fuzzy

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Fuzzy Trifecta

Flickr Friday

2011-10-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

So long, summer!

Two for One

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Oh, my! What a slacker I've been. My apologies. To make it up to you, here are Lily D's fifth and sixth month photo series. Enjoy!

Lily's Fifth Month

Lily's Sixth Month

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Lily's Monthly Photo: Month Four

2011-08-29T09:10:00.000-05:00

Oh, my goodness! I am so late in delivering this photo! Can't you tell that I've gone back to work? Here is Lily's four month photo (yes, it was taken on the proper day) and collage.

Monday Morning Fuzzy

2011-07-18T08:20:00.000-05:00

Soulmates

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Flickr Friday

2011-07-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Finally! After three years our pomegranate tree has pomegranates!

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Lily's Monthly Photo: Month Three

2011-07-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Lily D is three months old!

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Monday Morning Fuzzy

2011-07-11T09:00:00.006-05:00

I am Orzo, and I will destroy you. Well, your couch anyway.

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Lily's Monthly Photos: Month Two

2011-06-09T11:32:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe the two months have passed since Lily D came into our world. Here are her two month photos. Enjoy!

Flickr Friday

2011-06-03T11:04:00.001-05:00

Matt at the beach.

Monday Morning Fuzzy

2011-05-23T07:13:00.001-05:00

Lily's Monthly Photo: Month One

2011-05-17T08:30:00.003-05:00

In addition to Lily D's monthly photo collage, I am also going to do a monthly photo in the same spot in front of her chalkboard every month for her first two years. Across the blogosphere there are a lot of moms that do this, so I knew I wanted to do the same for Lily. The one that inspired me the most is Nicole Balch's Making It Lovely blog and the monthly photos of her children. I just love her blog and style. I also saw this blog post a while back and new I wanted to incorporate a chalkboard in the photo somehow. That way, I can write her age and any little cutesy quip that Lily might want to say. What do you think?

Monday Morning Fuzzy

2011-05-16T09:55:00.000-05:00

Orzo says, "No! I'm the baby!"

Monday Morning Fuzzy

2011-05-09T08:21:00.002-05:00

Precious Frances!

Four weeks ago today...

2011-05-06T14:58:00.026-05:00

our family became bigger and better. I know what you're thinking...we got another cat. No, not this time. While we have definitely met our fuzzy quota in our small home, we did have room for a little human. I am so very happy to announce that we welcomed Lillian DeAnne Lisle (aka Lily D) into the world on Friday, April 8, 2011. She is absolutely perfect. Here's a snapshot of Lily's first month with each picture representing a different day. I hope to do this every month for Lily D's first year, so stay tuned!

Matt and I are so very happy to finally be parents. We've been waiting a long time. Even though Lily is only four weeks old, she has quite a history. As you may know, Matt and I did IVF in December of 2009 in an effort to preserve our ability to have children before I went through a second round of treatments for breast cancer. The process resulted in five embryos, which we froze. At the time, we didn't really know what'd we do them. We knew that a pregnancy wouldn't be a good idea in the short term, and soon it became clear that I should never be pregnant.

So steps in our hero Lisa, Matt's sister. With true unconditional love, she volunteered to be our gestational surrogate. The process, which included countless doctor's visits, legal consultations, group counseling and of course a lot of love and hope, took over a year. We left for Georgia, where Lisa lives with her husband and two kids, in late March to wait for Lily. Matt and I along with Lisa's husband Steve were in the delivery room through the labor and for the birth. It was an amazing and intense experience that I will never forget. These words somehow seem inadequate in describing this experience and the gratitude and admiration we have for our Lisa. I think that I could write the world's longest blog post and still feel like I haven't covered it :) So I will simply say thank you, Lisa! Here's a shot of Lisa and Lily. Notice Lily's outfit says "I love Auntie."

If you're interested in hearing the story at-length, please listen to a radio interview we did with our fertility clinic. Here's the link (our interview is the February 19th podcast).

Flickr Friday

2011-04-01T08:42:00.000-05:00

Matt walking around the grounds after a yummy dinner at Sereneb's Farmhouse Restaurant.

Flickr Friday

2011-02-11T09:13:00.000-06:00

Snow Day!

Monday Morning Fuzzy

2010-12-27T09:51:00.000-06:00

Fresh puppy prints in the snow on Christmas night

Flickr Friday

2010-12-17T10:13:00.000-06:00

LBJ Presidential Library and Museum at the University of Texas

Cookies!

2010-12-15T09:25:00.001-06:00

I love to make Christmas cookies. But, through the years I've realized that when baking multiple batches of holiday cheer, simplicity is key. Gone are the days of floured surfaces, rolling pins and cookie cutters. This year I stuck to four cookies, all of which are easy to make. Here's a shot of the baking in progress:

Along with my two favorites that I do every year, Grandma Donnell's Sand Tarts and Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies, I set out to find two other recipes that didn't have an exhaustive ingredient list and didn't require too much work. Here's a shot of the Molasses Cookies and one of my new favorites, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies.

Now, I don't make all these cookies just for me and Matt. I love giving them to family, friends and neighbors. When I saw that Martha Stewart Crafts came out with cookie packaging, I had to to get some. They are so cute!

Besides eating the cookies, my favorite thing is to package and send them on their way. Aren't they lovely? Clockwise from the top left: Lemon Wreath Cookies, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies, Grandma Donnell's Sand Tarts, and Chewy Molasses-Spiced Cookies. Happy eating!

Monday Morning Fuzzy

2010-12-13T10:24:00.000-06:00

Frances says, "Take me with you."

Flickr Friday

2010-12-10T10:06:00.000-06:00

Sunflowers at Sunset

Mission Accomplished!

2010-12-01T16:12:00.002-06:00

Look! It's December. I completed my mission of posting a blog everyday in December. While some were not as long as others, I'm happy I met my goal.

Pins for Santa

2010-11-30T10:43:00.000-06:00

I am really loving Pinterest! It's so easy to bookmark the things I love in my internet meandering, and I love the way the bookmarks are organized visually. So, in honor of the season and the inevitable question "What do you want for Christmas?" I have created a pinboard for Santa. Enjoy!

Monday Morning Fuzzy

2010-11-29T09:00:00.002-06:00

Here's Hurley doing what he does best -- enjoying the moment with joy and happiness.

Sunday Share

2010-11-28T20:45:00.000-06:00

Tonight I am sharing a book I made called "Four Walls and a Floor." It's not a great photo and certainly doesn't show all the book. But, it's an accordion book made with handmade paper. The book also includes text transfer on contact paper and woven photographs. One day I will take a better picture of this book. It's really one of my favorites.

Cinnamon Bubble Buns...A Few Days Late

2010-11-27T19:02:00.000-06:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances (well, I had a little too much fun at the Highball singing karaoke with family and friends Wednesday evening), my Thanksgiving morning cinnamon bubbles buns didn't get made in time for a Thanksgiving breakfast. Finally this morning, I made these delicious, warm pillows of cinnamon, sugar and frosting. It was definitely worth the wait.

Flickr Friday

2010-11-26T19:43:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T20:25:00.001-06:00

I'm sure that Matt will say that this doesn't count as a blog post, but Happy Thanksgiving to all. We have so much to be thankful for.

New Tradition....Why not?!

2010-11-24T18:37:00.000-06:00

Today I took the family to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area for a pre-Thanksgiving hike. Some think that 80 degrees at Thanksgiving is a bad thing. Not me! It was beautiful day for a hike.

Thanksgiving Traditions

2010-11-23T11:19:00.000-06:00

Last year I made these delicious Cinnamon Bubble Buns for the first time. Since they turned out great, I decided to start a new tradition by preparing them only at Thanksgiving. Don't they look delicious? Believe me, they are. I can't wait!

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2010-11-22T09:59:00.002-06:00

Sunday Share

2010-11-21T22:47:00.000-06:00

This evening we spend a wonderful evening with my family in rural Smithville, Texas -- just 45 minutes from Austin. My grandfather was born here, and we still have a family home to visit when we want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Austin. Tonight we had the loveliest sunset, the yummiest dinner and a whole lot of fun playing Trivial Pursuit and Cranium.

Thanksgiving Starts Now!

2010-11-20T18:55:00.001-06:00

Even though I have a day and a half of work left before my official holiday begins, my Thanksgiving festivities start shortly with the arrival of my brother, Tim. Tim lives in the middle of nowhere, literally. He's a fish biologist and works deep in the woods at a fish hatchery in Eastern Oregon. I look forward to reintroducing him back into civilization with some delicious food, city fun and maybe some Karaoke at the Highball. He's here....YAY!

Flickr Friday

2010-11-19T09:16:00.000-06:00

2010-11-18T21:37:00.001-06:00

So I recently stumbled upon this great new social bookmarking website called Pinterest. It's a great way to track things that you find on the internet that you love by categorizing them into thematic boards. You can follow other peoples' boards and create as many as you want. It's super cool. Check out my boards here. I'm still getting starting so there's not a lot to see, but I hope that I will have more pins to share soon.

Special Project

2010-11-17T22:40:00.001-06:00

I've got a very special project in the works. I can't talk about it right now but I can give you a little preview of it. It's super cool and I can't wait to tell you all about it. Stay tuned.

Project: Found Object Jewelry Organizer

2010-11-16T09:00:00.001-06:00

Until recently, I faced this mess every morning when deciding which earrings to wear. It always happened -- I wanted to wear a certain pair of studs. Instead of finding that perfect pair, I had to go without because the earrings I wanted were impossible to find in this tangle of bangles. So, I decided that I needed to do something about it. I first I thought that I could go thrifting to find little vintage trays and such, but that meant that I had to go out and buy stuff. So, I decided to solve the problem with some things around the house.

So, I gathered the items above to start the project.

Wool Felt Scraps
Double-stick tape
Coke Bottle Caps (preferably of the Mexican variety)
Paper punch

Basically, I took a piece of felt and cut it to fit it in these bamboo drawer organizers that I put in the top drawer of my dresser. Next, I took the paper punch and punched out several felt circles and placed them in the bottle caps. They fit quite snugly so I didn't need to glue or tape the circles into the bottle caps. Once I created enough bottle caps, I used the double-sided tape to stick the caps to the felt. I left enough room in the center of the tray for my larger earrings.

Voila! Isn't it cool? It's working out very nicely. Now I have little trouble finding earrings in the morning and the rest of my jewelry is nicely organized too. This was a fun, easy and expensive project!

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2010-11-15T09:16:00.000-06:00

Iris loves to watch TV with the family.

Sunday Share

2010-11-14T21:47:00.000-06:00

It's Sunday so it's time to share another book. I created this one, entitled "Flash, Flash, Tap, Tap" after a road trip in 2000. Three friends and I drove non-stop from Athens, Georgia to Livingston, Montana. It was an amazing experience which ended up changing my life forever. It turns out that I developed feelings for my future hubby during the trip. :) Anyways, this is a mixed media accordion book with watercolor, colored pencil and charcoal drawings. They overlay hand-written excerpts from my travel journal. I intentionally obscured the text because I didn't want the audience to see everything. As you will see in my other work, this is a common element. The cover is made from a map that we used along the way -- before google maps and GPS :)

Testing

2010-11-13T17:43:00.000-06:00

So I've never blogged from my phone before, so I am testing it out now. It seems to be working well so far. Now, let's try a picture. Oh, wait. There doesn't appear to be an option for that. Bummer.

Flickr Friday

2010-11-12T08:56:00.000-06:00

Martha is Everywhere

2010-11-11T20:56:00.000-06:00

You might know that I am a huge Martha Stewart fan -- not necessarily a fan of Martha herself but the general Martha Stewart brand and aesthetic. I have been really tempted to buy the new Martha Stewart Cooke iPad App but at $8 it seems pretty steep. And, honestly, I don't need any more excuses to bake cookies. I learned today that they've just released a Martha Stewart Living iPad app as well at only $4! So right now I am secretly downloading it on Matt's iPad. I hope it's as good as all the reviews say. I will keep you posted. And, don't tell Matt :)

Tis the Season

2010-11-10T21:26:00.000-06:00

Isn't tonight's dinner festive? It reminds me of the holidays. In fact, I can't believe the holidays are approaching! We will be stuffed with turkey and dressing before we know it!

ATX Link Love

2010-11-09T08:50:00.000-06:00

Many of my Austin friends blog about their lives, hobbies and goings-on too. So, if you have a moment, check out the following blogs. The links along with their "About Me" blurbs are below. Enjoy!

Not A Fortune

"I am a happily-out-of-her-20s Austinite who loves to eat Asian food and be overly critical about the fortune cookie inserts. (In all reality I'm overly critical and analytical about much, much more than just cookie inserts.) I am an academic, an amateur cook, and an avid reader."

Single Blond in the City

"I'm a thirty-something (used to be single, then not so single, and now single again) gal living the life in beautiful Austin, TX. I began writing this blog after receiving a rejection email back in October of 2009, with the intent of sharing my adventures in dating. Little did I know that just a week or two later, I would end up going on a date with (who I thought was) the most terrific guy and end up dating him for 9 months until it abruptly ended. This blog is my attempt to chronicle the ups and downs of dating in your thirties. I hope it inspires, helps, or humors anyone who comes across it."

Pardon My Dust

"Who Am I?

1. My name is Erin.

2. I'm 29 1/2 years old.

3. I live in Austin, Texas.

4. ~~In about 5 weeks, I will be divorced.~~ I am divorced.

5. My marriage lasted less than 2 years before we separated.

6. I used to blog over here.

7. This blog is the story of the next part of my life."

Where Sweet Meets Sassy

"About Me

Wow, there is a lot I want to tell you about me but then I have to ask myself, what all do you really want to know about me?

Let’s start simple, I am a stay-at-home mom of a 3 yr old son who drives me crazy and makes my heart sing all in the same sentence. I really got serious about paper crafting about 2 years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and decided it was time to follow my dreams.

I love all things cute and colorful, I hate computers and technology but understand they are so important, I don’t know how to load my MP3 player (hey, hubby can do that!), I am convinced I have a disorganize gene but haven’t been able to prove it yet and most of all, I love my family and the life they bring to the world."

I Love Baby Quilts!

"I'm a mother of two beautiful kids and three gorgeous stepkids living in Austin, Texas. I do everything by hand, in fact I don't even own a machine! So everything you see was done the slow, old-fashioned way. If anyone wants to commission one from me, I do custom baby quilts also. No, they are not very expensive."

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2010-11-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

Oh, Orzo.

Book Makin'

2010-11-07T21:26:00.001-06:00

I used to make artist books. In fact, I almost decided to pursue an MFA in Book Arts instead of Historic Preservation. But, I opted for a field that had more practical applications and figured that I didn't need a degree to be an artist. I certainly haven't made a lot books since I made this book over ten years ago when I studied in Italy for a summer. But, I have a mind full of ideas and a craft room to clean out.

Gypsy Picnic Fail

2010-11-06T16:17:00.000-05:00

Matt and I were super excited about todays' Gypsy Picnic where over 30 of Austin's beloved trailer eateries were gathered at Auditorium Shores to sell special bites for $3. So, we had an extra hard workout this morning, fasted all morning and early afternoon in preparation for our feast. Unfortunately, it was PACKED and rumors swirled about hour-long waits for a $3 taco and trailers running out of food. While it was a gorgeous day, we couldn't bear the wait because we were starving! So, we opted out and finally wound up at Taco Deli -- a very satisfactory replacement. The good news is that every trailer at the feast serves their food every day, so we can go and enjoy it any time we want.

Flickr Friday

2010-11-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Foreign & Domestic

2010-11-04T22:29:00.000-05:00

I just had the most amazing meal and fantastic conversation at my favorite neighborhood restaurant Foreign & Domestic. I had the Wagu Beef with some crispy fried deliciousness and a sweet potato sauce of some sort. So good!

Life, Laps & Laughs

2010-11-03T14:41:00.000-05:00

Last spring I was asked to contribute to a new blog called Life, Laps & Laughs for Capital of Texas Team Survivor (CTTS). CTTS provides women cancer survivors with free exercise and triathlon training programs. CTTS has given me so much so I was honored and delighted to give back. In the blog, we cover topics in health, healing and fitness after cancer. So, please head on over to Life, Laps and Laughs to see what Capital of Texas Team Survivor is up to!

2010 FreshlyBlended Holiday Ornament Swap!

2010-11-02T10:08:00.000-05:00

Last year I missed out on the FreshlyBlended Holiday Ornament Swap. I was seriously disappointed that I missed the deadline. So this year I made a real effort to stay updated FreshlyBlended to make sure I didn't miss it. So, yesterday I signed up. Yay! While I really love making the ornaments, the best part of this swap is getting handmade ornaments from around the world! I will have to share my favorites when I pull them out of storage. I'm not sure about what I'll make this year, but I think it will go along themes from my previous year -- sewn paper ornaments.

http://prettybirdpress.blogspot.com/2008/11/holiday-ornamnet-swap.html

http://prettybirdpress.blogspot.com/2008/12/ornaments-are-complete.html

http://prettybirdpress.blogspot.com/2009/11/holidays-are-coming.html

NaBloPoMo

2010-11-01T14:55:00.000-05:00

Wow! Is it time for National Blog Posting Month again? I'm certainly up for the challenge for my third attempt. The first one was a success (by my measure at least), and last year I was one post shy of the 30 days, 30 postings challenge. So, one of 30 done. Until tomorrow....

Under Construction

2010-09-13T12:15:00.002-05:00

It always happens...I stop blogging for one reason or another. Then, I get board with the blog's look. So, I'm in redesigning mode. Please stay tuned. I hope to have a nice new look and brand new content coming soon to you. Until then....

Flickr Friday

2010-07-16T08:40:00.000-05:00

This is my mom. She is pretty effing awesome.

Flickr Friday

2010-07-02T11:05:00.000-05:00

Flickr Friday

2010-04-30T12:06:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Orzo!

2010-04-29T11:52:00.000-05:00

This sad little kitty baby is what we scooped up from Manor Road one year ago today. She was in such a sad state -- malnourished, dehydrated and saw her sibling run over by a car. On top of that, she had friends -- maggots (ever wonder where the name Orzo came from). The vet said he wasn't sure she'd make it. But, she did! Now, she's a lovely, large kitty that is loving life and the new kitty door. I think we have a lot to learn from her.

Flickr Friday

2010-04-23T09:10:00.000-05:00

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2010-04-19T08:54:00.000-05:00

Orzo's best impression of a snake.

My Support System

2010-04-15T10:12:00.000-05:00

Finally! I have finished my art bra for this year's GRAPHIC IV. I think that it turned out really well. The title is "My Support System." So, here's the story behind this bra. In my former life, I was a book artist. I thought that a book would be the perfect thing to make into a bra for this event. After my second breast cancer diagnosis, I received many cards from friends, family and even strangers (thank you, all!). I kept every card and used them to create the book part of the bra. Since I had to have my implant removed, I'm flat on my right side. The book in this bra creates a breast shape. The rest of the bra is made of paper. I hope you like it. I do!

Flickr Friday

2010-02-26T11:08:00.000-06:00

Snow day!

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2010-02-22T09:10:00.001-06:00

Seriously, Orzo is the weirdest cat ever!

Flickr Friday

2010-02-19T09:44:00.001-06:00

Courtesy of a super cool new app for my iPhone: Hipstamatic. Seriously, the best $1.99 I ever spent!

Valentine's Recap

2010-02-18T09:31:00.000-06:00

Matt and I have a Valentine's Day tradition. Instead of battling crowds at restaurants and movie theaters and struggling to come up with the perfect gift, we do it DIY. We each make each other a handmade Valentine. I cook dinner, and Matt is responsible for dessert. Of course, I always make a paper Valentine but Matt is more creative. One year he put a video on my iPod. This year he painted me a picture. So sweet and thoughtful! Here's what I came up with this year.

I took a small jewelry box, covered it with some paper and attached a little heart chain to the top of the box. It was fun watching him open it up.

On special occasions I usually make steak since we rarely eat red meat. This year I made Ina Garten's Steakhouse Filets with Roquefort Chive Sauce, Anne Burrell's Pommes Chef Anne and home Caesar Salad. Of course, it was tasty! I only wish that the sauce was thicker and the potatoes looked nicer. Behold:

In making Matt responsible for dessert, I always hope that one day he'll be adventurous enough to actually make dessert from scratch. However, when he comes home with delicious cake balls, I don't mind that he lets someone else prepare our Valentine sweets. Yum!

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2010-02-15T08:46:00.000-06:00

Flickr Friday

2010-02-12T08:53:00.000-06:00

This is the view from my office on occasion.

Art Bra

2010-02-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

I've decided to make an art bra for this year's GRAPHIC IV event for the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas. I'm vert excited about my idea! While I won't reveal too much, I've decided to incorporate a book into the bra. Here's a peek at an early sketch. This kind of feels like a Project Runway sketch, doesn't it?

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2010-02-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Iris had too much cake.

NaBloPoMo FAIL!

2009-11-30T12:11:00.002-06:00

Oh, geez! Just as I am approaching the end of this month's blogging challenge, I failed! I just plain forgot yesterday. I didn't do anything terribly distracting yesterday so I have no good excuse. Oh well!

Giveaway!

2009-11-28T19:16:00.002-06:00

Well, I'm not giving anything away at the moment, but my friend Wendy is. Stop by I Love Baby Quilts! for your chance to win a straight quarter of American Jane's Peas and Carrots. I just love this print. It's very mid-century modern, an aesthetic that I'm really into. Thanks, Wendy!

Flickr Friday

2009-11-27T18:37:00.003-06:00

Pre-Feast Feast

2009-11-26T20:22:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! We have much to be thankful for, indeed! I will post more tomorrow about our actual feast. For today, I will share our pre-feast feast. For breakfast (well, I'll call it brunch-ish since we ate around 11:30 AM), we had pomegranate bellinis with prosecco and lime and cinnamon bubble buns. OMG -- so good. Even though the buns were kind of a pain, they were so worth it. Behold:

For an appetizer, I threw together some deviled eggs -- one of my favorite things to eat. Oddly enough, I have never made deviled eggs before. For a first time and no recipe, I think that they turned out well.

More to come tomorrow!

Thanksgiving Preview

2009-11-25T18:49:00.002-06:00

I've been busy today working and getting things ready for our Thanksgiving at home tomorrow. I found some lovely flowers at Central Market and decided to do two monochrome flower arrangements using some silver pieces. I really like the way it turned out. What do you think?

Circa Ceramics

2009-11-24T22:53:00.002-06:00

In my daily internet perusing, I stumbled upon esty seller Circa Ceramics and fell in love with their colorful, screen printed wares. I collect handmade coffee mugs, and I think that this lovely cup featuring a bike will go nicely with my collection.

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2009-11-23T09:49:00.001-06:00

It's not a surprise that Hurley loves the Snuggie my mom bought for me. After all, one of his favorite things to do is snug!

Thanksgiving Menu

2009-11-22T19:34:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving is a few short days away. Matt and I are spending Thanksgiving alone at home for the first time. We are very excited. After eating and drinking way too much we plan to finally get caught up on Mad Men Season Two.

So, here's my tentative menu. I have opted out of a turkey this year for two reasons: 1. It's kind of a a pain for just two people 2. Honeybaked Ham is available and freaking delicious!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Pomegranate Mimosas with Prosecco

Deviled Eggs

Honeybaked Ham
Mac and Cheese
Sweet Potato Casserole
Blue Cheese Turnovers
Green Beans
Bonterra Zinfandel

Pumpkin Spice Four Layer Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Icing

Yum!

Cancer 2.0

2009-11-21T19:35:00.003-06:00

Guess what? I have breast cancer -- again! That's right. I'm 31 and have had breast cancer not once, but twice. I just wanted to write this quick post to let you know that I have another blog dedicated to all things cancer, so take a little trip over to The Tit Offensive to learn all about my old and new cancer.

I'll be back tomorrow with lots of happy, crafty stuff to share. Until then...

Flickr Friday

2009-11-20T08:23:00.003-06:00

I want to go to there...again. Canova, Italy

Free Advent Calendar from Mibo

2009-11-19T09:44:00.003-06:00

I love advent calendars! They remind me of my childhood when we used to get those cardboard and plastic calendars filled with chocolate from my church. My brothers and I would always fight over who would get to eat the chocolate each day.

I just got an email from Mibo with their free advent calendar for this year! Isn't it cute? This looks like a perfect Thanksgiving weekend project to do between cooking, eating and catching up on Mad Men.

Swoon Worthy

2009-11-18T17:23:00.002-06:00

I opened up my inbox this morning to find an email from Paper Source (one of my favorite stores) to find this beauty -- an at-home, tabletop letterpress! It's too good to be true! I don't know if you know, but I'm into paper, bookmaking and printmaking, so this is a dream come true (at a reasonable price to boot). In my five years of art school as an undergrad, I always wanted to take a letterpress class but never got around to it. Then, in graduate school, I tried to take a class as an elective but found that I didn't have the time nor the money to take the class. So, I'm going to put in a request to Santa and hopefully I'll be letterpressing by January.

New Esty Purchase

2009-11-17T21:12:00.002-06:00

I've been eying a ceramic travel coffee mug at Starbucks for a while. But, I decided that I wanted to be more original and support an artist. So, I searched esty for a hand-thrown ceramic travel mug. As some of you know, I collect hand-thrown mugs, so I decided it was time to have one as my travel mug too -- especially since I use one almost every day.

Voila! Isn't it lovely? I can't wait to start sipping from this. I purchased it from esty seller A Piece By Denise. She has many more mugs if you're interested.

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2009-11-16T09:33:00.000-06:00

No matter what is going on in my life, kittens falling asleep always makes me happy. Enjoy!

Cookbook Club!

2009-11-15T21:04:00.003-06:00

Today, I had a lovely meeting with my Cookbook Club. Every month or so we choose a cookbook, try out the recipes on our own and then meet to discuss the book and share recipes that we've made. It's a great time to sit with friends and do one of my favorite things: eat good food.

This month's book was The Way We Cook by Julie Riven and Sheryl Julian. I didn't make too much from it this month, but after hearing the feedback from others and trying some of the dishes out, I will definitely make more recipes from it -- especially the Curry Deviled Eggs. So good!!

The Holidays are Coming

2009-11-14T16:04:00.002-06:00

Wow! Christmastime seems to have arrived quite early this year, don't you think? With commercials, store displays and magazines reminding me of the the impending season of cheer, I have to start thinking of all the tasks I must complete. The first thing I need to do is decide what ornaments to make. For the past two years, I have participated in the Holiday Ornament Swap and plan to do it again (if I'm not too late!). Then, last year, I started a new tradition and made my holiday cards ornaments as well. I recently bought these cut-out mittens from Papersource to create my ornaments. Now, what should I do with them??

Flickr Friday

2009-11-13T08:46:00.002-06:00

Project Runway!

2009-11-12T18:54:00.001-06:00

I am so excited about tonight's Project Runway. It's part one of the finale and I can't wait. Yay!

Who Needs All this Glitter?

2009-11-11T09:44:00.002-06:00

Apparently, I do (it is essential after all). Every time I go to Michael's, I see this 24-piece glitter set from Martha Stewart Crafts, pick it up and inevitably put it back because I have no idea what I would do with it. But, it's just so pretty and sparkly. I must be like a raccoon -- attracted to shiny things. Lucky for me, The Crafts Dept. is giving away a set. I think I'll try my luck.

Something to Celebrate!

2009-11-10T17:26:00.002-06:00

I'm about to head out to celebrate the inaugural Mamma Jamma Ride Against Breast Cancer! Over 500 riders raised over $500,000 to support women in Central Texas who are living with breast cancer. Not bad for a first try, I must say.

It was a cold but great day to ride for this cause! Thanks to all of you who supported me. I truly appreciate it. Wanna join us? It's not too early to sign up for next year.

Monday Morning Fuzzy Funny

2009-11-09T08:00:00.001-06:00

Kitty baby is:

A. Half awake and half asleep.
B. Giving me the stink eye.
C. Winking at me for an unknown reason.
D. All of the above.

Upcycled Bookmark

2009-11-08T20:03:00.006-06:00

Matt gave me the most beautiful letterpress calendar for Christmas last year. Each month is a work of art on it's own. I hated the idea of throwing away artwork every month, so I decided to take my favorite ones and upcycle them in some way. I made these two beautiful bookmarks. All it took was a pair of scissors, a paper punch and some pretty ribbon I had on hand.

I can't wait to see what December will bring!

Flannel and Vinyl, Oh My!

2009-11-07T18:29:00.006-06:00

I love it when my favorite fabric designers decide to make their new lines in vinyl and flannel. It opens up the possibilities for projects! I am very excited about Amy Butler's new LOVE fabric. She has prints featured in both flannel and vinyl. I've been wanting to make a new bathrobe for a long time and I think that her flannel line will be perfect. Now, I just have to decide which one...

Image from Amy Butler Design.

Flickr Friday

2009-11-06T17:39:00.003-06:00

Must.Stay.Awake

2009-11-05T21:02:00.001-06:00

Ooops! I almost fell asleep before posting today. I'm trying so hard to stay awake to watch Project Runway. More tomorrow.

Collaborative Crafting

2009-11-04T19:27:00.003-06:00

Recently, my friend Wendy of I Love Baby Quilts! and I joined crafting forces to create a perfect little baby gift for a friend. Wendy created these cute little blocks to match the quilt that she made, and I embellished them with embroidery and sewed them on two onesies.

Cute, huh?

I heart Jonathan Adler

2009-11-03T19:49:00.002-06:00

And, here is one more reason why -- Free, modern wallpapers for my iPhone. I'm in a gray phase so this one is my favorite:

Jonathan Adler's Shop
Jonathan Adler on Twitter

What am I going to do with all this kale?

2009-11-02T11:17:00.002-06:00

After finishing Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, I dedcided to finally join a CSA. Lucky for me, Green Gate Farms is close to my house and work so it's an easy detour to pick up farm fresh vegetables every week. I was worried that I would have too many veggies and some would go to waste, but so far, we've been using most of them. It's a real challenge coming up with menus for the week, but I've enjoyed trying new dishes and vegetables. I hope to document some of my culinary adventures as the season progresses.

For those of you that live in Austin, Green Gate farms still has winter shares available. I highly recommend it!