yarn&sugar

rain, rain, come to stay.

2010-08-02T14:48:00.001-04:00

We've been having some rainy weather recently. My absolute favorite. Problem is, it makes me start thinking about weather related clothing. And then this happens:

Besides the fact that oxfords are some of the cutest shoes around, these will be super practical for the upcoming school year. And really, how can you turn these down at only 15.00? I know they don't really have a ton to do with rain, but how cute would they look with a trench coat?

Colonial Williamsburg is one of my favorite places to visit, but it always seems to be raining. And heavily, too. Who wants to walk around a pretty historical site looking like a drowned rat? Not, I.

Everyone needs a good pair of rain boots. And if cute falls under your category of "good" these fit the bill.

(all images courtesy of Target.com)

twos

2010-03-30T20:17:00.002-04:00

Recently, twos have been catching my fancy...

Two pairs of shoes for the approaching summer:

Black classic TOMS. I would prefer real espadrilles, except I've had a problem finding them. But, I guess for donating a pair of shoes to someone in need and being too darn cute is as good as any substitute.

You know, the whole sneaker things hasn't ever really caught me. I only own one pair of sneakers, those are for running, but mostly I wear open and loose shoes. But I think these Keds just made me succumb.

And two songs from one really cool band:

(video from StinkUp)

(video from ajy1)

i-can't-believe-this-is-sugar-free hot chocolate

2010-03-03T21:25:00.000-05:00

Finally.

So, here's what you'll need to start:

Agave nectar, vanilla, instant coffee, cocoa, and milk (which I totally forgot to photograph.)

Before I heard of Babycakes NYC, I had absolutely no idea what Agave nectar was. I still can't explain it very well, so I'll let Wikipedia tell you: "Agave nectar (also called agave syrup) is a sweetener commercially produced in Mexico from several species of agave, including the Blue Agave (Agave tequilana), Salmiana Agave (Agave salmiana), Green Agave, Grey Agave, Thorny Agave, and Rainbow Agave.^[1]^[2] Agave nectar is sweeter than honey, though less viscous."

Agave nectar is low glycemic, so it's great for diabetics. Also, it's sweeter than sugar so you can use less sweetener in your recipes. It dissolves very quickly in both hot and cold beverages. Most recipes call for light agave nectar, but you can also buy dark.

So, ready to start? Let's go!

First, heat a cup of milk over the stove on low heat. While this heats up, make the chocolate syrup:

In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1-2 tablespoons of Agave nectar (depends on how sweet you like your hot chocolate,) a pinch of instant coffee, and a splash of vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Over the stove, stir the syrup into the milk until totally combined. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

spring wishes--again.

2010-03-03T20:47:00.000-05:00

::I know, I know, this was supposed to be a post about hot chocolate. That's coming tonight. I promise!::

It snowed here. Again. I'm sorry but isn't it March? Funny I thought spring started around this time. Silly me.

Anyways, the foul weather hasn't stopped me from more springtime wardrobe planning. Here are my latest ideas:

A cheery nail polish that will brighten up even the cloudiest day. I love the color--so fifties!

Black espadrilles for those days where you need some effortless but stylish shoes. I never really paid attention to them before, but I think they could really make an outfit.

A cute skirt to dress up or down. I would prefer a floral (duh,) but I couldn't find one that looked more fifties than eighties.

Some days you just need something to throw on, but you still want to look cute. Dresses are absolutely perfect for that. Throw it on and you look like you spent a lot of time on your outfit, but no one knows you rolled out of bed five minutes ago. Plus, dresses are the best thing for extremely hot days. Not like we'll have those here though...::sigh::

Now for my laugh-at-myself-later picks. I LOVE owls. Seriously. But any necklace (owls or not) can really dress up and outfit and make it look like you put a lot more effort into it. Just like a dress.

Now, I know these are slightly ridiculous, but I like them. The only problem (this might be a blessing, actually) is that I can't find a cheap alternative to these blue ray bans. I just don't want to spend 100 dollars on a pair of sunglasses. That's besides the fact that I have no money.

So, those are my picks. Now if the weather would cooperate, I could just start wearing all of this.

(image sources: sally beauty supply, china glaze, espadrillesetc.com, nordstrom, forever 21, altrec.com)

next post...

2010-02-23T16:47:00.000-05:00

Yummy sugar-free hot chocolate. It's gonna be good!

what a lovely day for a book

2010-02-12T14:48:00.003-05:00

By now, everyone and their grandmother should know of my love of anything that comes out of an Anthropologie store. These are no different. When we visited an Anthropologie a few weeks ago, I found these Penguin classics.

These are my favorite covers. Don't they make you want to wait for the next rainy day, grab a copy, and sit by the fire reading while munching on a few cookies? Would you like to try to diagram that last sentence? :)

Anyways, you can find them on the Anthropologie website and store, or you can search DealOz or Amazon for some less-expensive ones. At Anthropologie, they're twenty dollars, thirteen at Amazon, and about eleven when you search DealOz. With savings like that you could definitely get a few more!

what?!

2010-01-30T09:21:00.000-05:00

Wait, you mean it actually is snowing outside? No! Let me go check...

It is snowing!

You know, when I heard it
s supposed to snow like crazy today, I seriously doubted it. The last time it was supposed to snow, everything closed down. All schools, businesses, and everything. We waited. And Waited. Not. a. single. flake. I was expecting that for this time too.

Imagine my surprise when everything outside was cloaked in a six inch layer! I'll be back later with pictures...

floral summer

2010-01-25T17:21:00.001-05:00

!!!Warning!!!

If you absolutely hate florals of any kind, stop reading right now. Really, it would be better if you just skipped this post and went to the kitchen and got a cookie. Trust me.

I go through a style change throughout the seasons. When it's approaching fall, I find myself drooling over modern fashions way more than vintage. Vintage practically escapes my wardrobe. However, in late January when all the stores start putting out their spring and summer items, I go NUTS. Modern styles fall by the wayside and I exchange the look for something straight out of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. My whole wardrobe becomes vintage with barely a pinch of modern looking styles.

So, during the dull fall/winter months, I normally don't really go for florals at all, but spring/summer, they're all I can look at. Now, I wouldn't wear a ton of florals together in one outfit. Just one dress with a solid sweater and shoes is just right for me.

I tried to find a picture to stick in the collage of some adorable floral shoes I saw in Urban Outfitters over the weekend, but I couldn't find one. I found a picture of them though in UO's website:

Cute, huh?

You don't have to answer that if you don't want to.

dinner party, anyone?

2010-01-18T11:49:00.001-05:00

I've been having so much fun exploring Polyvore recently. The bad part is that I keep coming across cute party dresses. With no place to wear them. The last time I tried I was sick. Remember?

::sigh::

where it's all from:

dress: Moschino

tights: A.P.C

shoes: Anthropologie

necklace: Kohls

clutch: Aspinal of London

(a girl can dream....)

hello! kitty

2010-01-12T15:24:00.000-05:00

Too bad I never really have to pack a bagged lunch, because with this bento box and my love of strawberries and all things fruit, I really would be in heaven.

And you always have to have utensils, right? What about these? When my sisters were living at home, they always used these sets at dinner. The table would always look grownup and polished except for those tiny little pink forks at two places.

Images found at Bake it Pretty and Amazon.

thanks a lot

2010-01-10T19:09:00.002-05:00

Thanks to you, dear computers, you have made paper writing that much harder. In the past two weeks you have swallowed four of my papers and refused to give them up. Years from now I will remember these moments fondly as I look back on my life before I was a Luddite, and how you encouraged me to become one. I owe you.

recipes!

2010-01-10T16:26:00.003-05:00

Hello next post! Here are the recipes I've tried:

If you're looking for a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, DEFINITELY try Alton Brown's The Chewy Gluten-Free. It's actually become my go-to for any chocolate chip cookie. My brother-in-law loves them. And he doesn't even have Celiac Disease. I have them in the oven now--be right back.

::CHOMP:::

excuse me.

If you follow Smitten Kitchen, you might have seen her Gluten-Free Chocolate Financiers. Go try them now. I made them yesterday and they're seriously good eats (oops, wrong recipe.)My mom loves them.

Bob's Gluten Free Red Mill Chocolate Cake mix is definitely worth the price. In fact, if you can shop at your local Military Commissary, try looking for gluten-free flours and mixes there. At my local grocery store white rice flour is about $6.00. At the commissary it's about $2.75.

Let's see, what else. Oh! I still would check out the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free mixes. It's a great way to get your feet wet. My one reservation about them is the grittiness of the rice flour. I didn't really notice how gritty it really is until I made Alton Brown's chocolate chip cookies, and compared it with the mix. The rice flour I bought was definitely of a better quality. I guess when trying to make gluten-free mixes close in price to regular you have to cut corners somewhere.

Well that's it! Hope it helped in some way. I'll keep you posted about new recipes I try.

gluten-free findings

2010-01-09T14:38:00.002-05:00

I don't have Celiac's disease, but I know quite a handful of people who do. I had no idea such a thing existed until about 5 years ago. When I found out that it meant you couldn't eat regular baked good made with flour, I was shocked. I've been baking since I was six and I go through a withdrawal if I'm not able to bake or eat sugar. And this means you can't eat every baked good that comes in your path? A world where you had to pass up a baked good was not a world I thought any one should have to live in, I mean, no baked goods? The end of the world might as well just come now.

Just in the past months though I've had a lot of fun baking gluten-free cookies, cupcakes, and muffins. It's so much fun to experiment! Now I'm no expert, and half the time (okay, 3/4) I have no idea what I'm doing. But I have come up with some tips and recipe along the way that you might enjoy:

Always keep rice four on hand. Unlike a garbonzo/fava bean flour, it doesn't have any sort of weird smell. So far I have found that white and brown rice flours can be used interchangeably.
Only use garbonzo/fava bean flour when the product you are making is strongly flavored. Chocolate works well for masking the flavor. If it isn't strongly flavored, your baked good is going to smell like a garage. Really. I guess that's why Babycakes NYC uses so much vanilla--to mask the flavor.

If you make something with garbonzo/fava bean flour that isn't strongly flavored, it is good straight out of the oven. But in five minutes, the smell and taste get very noticeable.

If you're just starting out in baking, I would definitely try the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Mixes. They're fantastic! I've heard of one person with Celiac who loved them. It was her first cupcake in 20 years.

If you need a place to start looking for recipes, try The Gluten-Free Girl. She's got an amazing story and amazing recipes as well! I just tried her Chocolate Financiers recipe and I'm in love.

Next post.....recipes I've tried!

here we go, here we go, here we go again....

2010-01-05T14:23:00.000-05:00

     Here I go again. Apparently the whole fashion let's-get-everything-planned-for-summer-now thing has gotten to me. For the past two days I've really been wanting to sew, which I guess means the end of my knitting kick.
     I think as many knitters/sewers get this. you start a project sewing, then before you know it you haven't picked up your knitting needles in at least four months. You then see a cute sweater pattern, and before you know it you're going, "what sewing machine?"

     oh no.

Anyways, here's the list of things I want to try:

This I want to make two of. One in a dark floral print, and one in a light yellow with white piping details on top band, straps, and the hem. I'm super excited about the yellow!

The other shirt I want to make is a little hard to explain. But it might look a but like a Tova Top. Maybe.

Hopefully.

ah

2010-01-02T17:20:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite songs to listen to. I hadn't heard it until a few years ago when my sister was telling me about this great song she had heard. She wanted to walk down to it at her wedding.

And she did. It was beautiful.

Okay fine, back to paper writing I go. Happy now?

note to self

2009-12-24T13:14:00.001-05:00

Remember to smile in a school picture. And to get my hair off my face.

I really was a happy little child, I swear.

Merry Christmas.

and to all a good night

2009-12-24T08:56:00.000-05:00

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Happy Christmas to y'all! I hope it's filled with lots of laughter and fun!

breathe in, breathe out

2009-12-19T21:52:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to the sound of Reggie hitting the deck boards. His legs were all over the place, his head was shaking, his eyes were twitching. A flurry of movement later and before I knew it, Dad had called Kristen and Valerie home and Reggie was being hoisted by Dad into the van.

All I could do was cry. (I've been doing that a lot this week, haven't I?)

Kristen and Valerie came home and we drove off to meet Mom and Dad at the animal hospital with Reggie.

We got there and got Reggie's diagnoses.

All this time I was seriously thinking we wouldn't have Reggie greeting us Christmas morning. Hence the sobbing.

Turns out what he has isn't nearly as scary as it look, and it's treatable.

About three medications later Reggie seems to be perfectly normal. Thank you God!

You know--when I was thinking Reggie was a goner--I realized why exactly I had gotten that darn cold. If I hadn't gotten sick, then I would've been gone Saturday morning, wouldn't have charged by cell phone, I would've been at a strange place, and missed Reggie's passing. (Luckily that last part didn't happen)

Ah, there really is a method to the madness.

to.do

2009-12-18T22:37:00.002-05:00

Ravelry is addictive. Thanks to browsing I know have ~~three~~ four sweaters I want to try.

Well, at least I know which ones I want to do first:

(photo credit: Berroco on Ravelry)

Not exactly this, but the basic idea of a grey pullover with a neat collar. Forget the pockets. I already have the yarn which is awesome!

(photo credit: Debbie Bliss on Ravelry)
Okay, this is a little hard to explain. Mine will have the same collar and sleeve length, but no cables. And a bulky weight yarn.

(photo credit: j.crew online)

I really really want to copy this exactly, but using my own pattern.Still have to find the right yarn though.

(photo credit: waxx on Ravelry)
And this because, well, it's just adorable. It's kinda Anthropologie!

So that's my list.

I'm going to have to hire people to help me knit all of these.

::cough cough:: ::sniff sniff::

2009-12-18T16:28:00.002-05:00

For the past several weeks my sister Kristen and I have been planning our cookie exchange. It starts at 7.3o tonight and we're all wearing are pretty cocktail dresses.

Well, everyone except me. Because I'm not going.

Yes, the co-host of this shin-dig is out sick. ::cough cough::

Excuse me.

I really have no idea how I picked this up so quickly. I come in contact with a lot of people on Tuesday, but Wednesday I had absolutely no symptoms. Thursday however I woke up with the worst sore throat ever.

Oh dear.

So here I sit, Netflix just shorted out--again. I'm achy, coughing every few seconds, I still have a sore throat, and sniffles. It's now 4.27, and I should've been getting ready.

Thank you, dear mystery illness, I owe you a ton.

NOT.

out with a cry

2009-12-17T00:04:00.002-05:00

so i had this editorial i needed to turn into my writing class today, right?

no problem.

i finished it, proofread it, saved it, and went to send it in.

i couldn't find it.

that's when tears began to pour out and i dragged my poor dad out from his bed to the laptop to try to find it.

did i mention that the deadline was fifteen minutes away?

oh yes.

dad heroically searched until miracle of miracles, he found it.

with a minute to spare.

so apparently (and i have NO idea how) the file somehow got converted to another type of file (temp something?) and that's why i couldn't find it.

but dad could.

love you, dad!

quiche

2009-12-12T09:40:00.001-05:00

I think quiche is best served cold, so when I make at night, I always wait until morning to have it for breakfast. It can be served as breakfast, brunch, lunch or supper easily--quiche is so adaptable!

Ingredients::
one pie crust (I make my own, but store-bought works like a charm)
three eggs
one cup of either milk, half and half, or heavy whipping cream. (I always use half and half. recently though, I used heavy whipping cream and it was the best)
pinch of salt
half a cup of finely chopped onion
a cup of a cheese of your choice
and mix-ins like::
bacon
asparagus
other veggies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare crust by placing it in a nine inch pie pan.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the cream or milk. Add in the salt and a dash of pepper.

Dump in all of your mix ins. Stir thoroughly.

Put the filling in the unbaked crust and place in oven for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the

center comes out clean. Enjoy!

and now a break from our regular news...

2009-12-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

So I guess you guys are pretty tired of torture posts, aren't you?

Time for some real updates. Saturday I'll try to post a recipe I've just done. Quiche and smoothies are on their way.

And they're seriously delicious.

why must you torture me so?

2009-12-10T10:16:00.001-05:00

That Toast. At it again.

christmastime is here....

2009-12-05T12:26:00.001-05:00

So what's on your Christmas wishlist this year?

I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.

photoshop elements
gap sweater
old navy pajamas
small red dangly earrings
toms shoes

Isn't Christmas just the best?

I think so.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T09:20:00.001-05:00

I hope y'all have an awesome holiday! Eat as much as you like--Thanksgiving calories don't count.

(photo from Emerson Merrick on flickr)

hello, toast

2009-11-22T10:21:00.003-05:00

Why must you be so expensive?

I guess with prices like 239US dollars for that lovely dress, and the same price or those too cute shoes, Toast clothing and I will maintain a long distance friendship.

babycakes

2009-11-17T16:42:00.016-05:00

"refined sugar free--gluten free--wheat free--soy-free--casien free--egg free--vegan--kosher"

If they have any more "frees" they'll be baking styrofoam.

Recently I've really been into gluten-free baking (by the way, the gf Betty Crocker brownie and cookies mixes are AMAZING) and I've had an interest in vegan baking too. While I was at Barnes and Noble yesterday, I happened upon the Babycakes cookbook.

Do you know what this means? A trip to NYC is what it means.

Luckily, they've got their cookbook, which is filled with delectable treats anyone can appreciate. The owner, Erin Mckenna was on Martha Stewart and has the videos on her website's blog

Second chance

2009-11-17T16:20:00.000-05:00

You know, Michaels has never been my choice craft-store.

In fact, I always go screaming away from it.

But you know, this is pretty neat:

Dare I say pretty?

I think along with the sweater ornaments (they're coming!) pipe cleaner garlands might just decorate my room this holiday season.

(image from Design*Sponge--the coolest decorating blog out there.)

oh boy

2009-11-12T09:55:00.000-05:00

Going into Anthropologie online is a dangerous thing. All sorts of lovely things to make you wish you had gobs of money to buy everything in the store. Then, like Etsy, you start thinking that two hundred dollars for a skirt isn't really all that bad.

Oh dear.

Lucky for you however, I will just include one picture from Anthropologie:

Hopefully with the sweater I bought at the thriftstore I can make this happen.

zooz jewlery is the coolest

2009-10-28T19:23:00.000-04:00

I know I already mentioned their amazing store in my last post, but they really are the best. Here's just a peek at their other things:
(all photos credit zoozjewelry)

See what I mean? These would make awesome Christmas presents for a certain ::ahem:: someone.

Hello? Anyone there? Hello? Anyone?

Hello?

etsy, words can't explain just how neat you are

2009-10-26T22:35:00.012-04:00

The one problem with Etsy is just how addictive it is. Seriously, if you spend too much time there you end up hearing yourself say things like, "Oh, $8o isn't THAT bad for a purse." "Sweet! That ring is only 3o bucks!"

Really.

But, Etsy never disappoints because you find stuff like this:
(picture and shop credits: whitneydeal, ekaa, fortandfield, and zoozjewelry)

My April Snow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-02T16:57:00.001-04:00

My April Snow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Ooo, pretty. Don't you think so?

As always Grosgrain is holding another amazing giveaway, this time from My April Snow. Check it out!

olive wheeler

2009-09-27T22:22:00.000-04:00

I was browsing Ravelry tonight and happened upon this interview.

Doesn't she sound absolutely amazing? I can't even imagine what it would be like to grow up in such a different time in history.

four

2009-09-27T14:15:00.003-04:00

Necessities for fall:

pair of jeans for layering,

Comfy sweater to dress up or down,

Dress for warmer fall days,

black tights for layering and for warmth on cooler days,

autumn is upon us

2009-09-26T08:51:00.004-04:00

What reminds you of fall?

triple chocolate layer cake

2009-09-24T15:27:00.010-04:00

Oh boy. I was browsing How to Eat A Cupcake today, and I saw she had posted this cake recipe. Long story short, I'm now making it for tomorrow night. No special reason really, but from what it sounds like this cake alone is cause for a special occasion. I'm going to be baking the cake layers tonight, so I'll keep you updated through the whole process like I did last week,(that was seriously a week ago? Yikes.)

3:31 pm:: Off to bake the layers.

4:30 pm:: Actually just getting started on the baking--I get distracted okay!

5:00 pm:: All done baking now for the day, I tied a bit of the cake, but I'm not letting you know what I think until it's all complete. Tomorrow we start the frosting!

9.25.09 12:22 pm:: Going to make the filling right now. Wish me luck!

12:59 pm :: all finished with the filling; it seems a little on the thin side right now, but we'll see what happens tonight.

3:20 pm:: Making the chocolate outside. We're getting closer!

3:42 pm:: all done with the chocolate. Now only to decorate it...

5:02pm :: My masterpiece is finished. oh, and you know how I said it's a triple chocolate cake? Well, that's for amateurs--mine is a five chocolate cake.

what if he's got a whole bunch of them?

2009-09-24T14:58:00.004-04:00

Monty Python has some hilarious sketches, especially when it comes to defending yourself against fruit, see it for yourself:

birthday

2009-09-17T00:00:00.012-04:00

(image discovered at nikilynn on flickr)
12:07am:: it's my birthday! now off to bed to dream about cake and today's adventures.

9:22am:: woke up, opened my door and bunch of balloons sailed into my room. so pretty!

11:15am:: a bit disappointed; i went to take a polaroid of the balloons on my room only to find out i don't have any more film in the camera. :( oh well, they's always christmas.

11:24am:: received two birthday cards; one from scholar's online, and one from papa and pat. i love birthdays.

12:04pm:: panera here we come!

5:13pm:: just got back from an awesome day of shopping--black skinny jeans, grey dress, black jacket, and cowl-neck sweater. blog post on goodies coming soon!

6:02pm:: finished putting together my cake, it looks just lovely if i do say so myself. (pictures promised!)

6:50:: heading to irish dance class. cupcakes were promised.

9:17pm:: out of irish dance. the person who promised cupcakes was sick, so she didn't come, but the class and people there were great--totally worth going!

9:40pm:: get home and was greeted by valerie! two cakes and presents are coming...

11:00:: presents were opened, (blog post coming!) cake was devoured, and balloon animals are being made. sweet.

11:59:: savoring the last minute of my birthday. it would be amazing if every birthday could be this amazing.

festivities ahead

2009-09-16T17:36:00.006-04:00

(my cake guts--pumpkin chocolate cake and cream cheese cinnamon frosting)

tomorrow's my birthday! in honor of the day's events, i'm planning on updating throughout the day--live-blogging to an extent. hopefully it'll all work out. the best part is that i get to blog about every little bit of the day, and this here blog gets updated--super!

sin the meantime i thought i'd tell you all the plans: rebecca, kristen, mom and i are all heading to panera for an early lunch and then off to shopping (always my go-to for birthday plans.) then, my other sister, valerie, is coming in from north carolina! i'm so excited, i haven't seen her since the very beginning of august, so we've got lots to catch up on. since valerie isn't going to be here for the initial celebration, we're all heading out to the williamsburg outlets on saturday. tons of pictures, money spending, and laughter ahead!

i give up

2009-09-15T19:36:00.004-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, it had now become clear to me that no one will ever be able to rid the world of horrendous items. No hope remains. Pack it up What Not to Wear, you're fighting a loosing battle.

Behold:

You know what bothers me about these? Instead of offering a footless pair of colored support hose and having you pair it with the flip-flops in your own hopeless ways, it offers them together like that's a normal thing. Like a personal service, "Oh, now I can color coordinate my hose with my flip-flops, thanks Sanuk! It's always been a bother before!"

If this is where fashion is headed, kill me now.

p.s.
Oh! To make you feel good about this purchase Sanuk has made them vegan. I guess just in case you had any doubts this means you can shop with a clear conscience. Super.

almond joy

2009-08-31T15:36:00.004-04:00

I made my own almond joys. No I'm not a weirdo--why do you ask? For a while now I've been thinking about making an almond joy cake, but today I figured it would be fun to try the actual thing. They came out wonderfully but I'm not quite happy with the chocolate coating on these, though nothing a little modifying wouldn't fix! Here's the whole recipe:

Chocolate coating:

6 ounces semi-sweet baking squares (4 squares)
1 -11/2 teaspoons of paraffin wax, (it's really important that it's wax.)

Over a double broiler begin to melt the chocolate, add vegetable oil and stir to combine. Continue to melt until only a few lumps of chocolate remain. Remove from heat and stir until the heat from chocolate melts the last few lumps.

Coconut filling:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup coconut oil
½ teaspoon coconut extract
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons half and half, milk, or heavy cream
1 ½ cups shredded coconut

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine butter and coconut oil until smooth. Add extract, sugar and milk. Beat on high until fluffy. With the mixer on low add the shredded coconut. Reserve for later.

Almonds:
Toast 1/4 cups of almonds in oven at 350f for about 7 minutes. Pull out of oven and let cool.

Assembling:

With a spoon pour about a teaspoon chocolate coating onto wax paper and spread in an oblong shape. Continue for 15 bars. Place in freezer for 5 minutes or until hard. Using a teaspoon, spread the coconut filling evenly on the chocolate base of the joy bar. Place two almonds on the filling and freeze for 3-5 minutes. Either drizzle the rest of the chocolate on the spread it thickly on each bar. Freeze for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

h&m

2009-08-18T15:52:00.007-04:00

Today while I was at the mall I stopped into H&M--boy do they have great stuff! I love all the colors, the patterns, and styles there. I tried on a few things and ended up buying a few as well.

All in all I ended up getting the blue scoop-neck shirt and the blue skirt, love them both! I wish the dark grey shirt-dress had worked but the pockets kept bulging out at the exact the wrong place. The more I look at the white shirt and button down the more I like them though. What do you think?

fall

2009-08-17T16:31:00.003-04:00

My absolute, hands down, favorite season is autumn. Love it. Dream about it.

Not really on the last part.

But anyhow, Wikstenmade (as always!) is really my go-to for fall clothing inspiration. Just look at these photos! Today I actually got so excited about fall I tried on my fall coat. Never mind the 90 degree weather.

this season

2009-08-10T21:54:00.004-04:00

(Rubbish Roll Sleeve Plaid Blouse discovered at Nordstrom Bp)

(Women's Weekend Jeans discovered at Old Navy)

(Love Squared Pintuck Roll Sleeve Blouse discovered at Nordstrom BP)

(Madison Plaid shirt discovered at Delia's)

See? I actually do update my blog! Anyways, this summer has been one of the best fashion wise I think, the trend of effortless weekend clothing is just the greatest! Button down shirts and loose straight-leg jeans are the highlight in this post, all what the trend is about and it also happens to be what tends to be flattering on shapes like me.

What is or has been your favorite trend this season? Vote in the poll on the sidebar, I want to hear back from you!

checking in

2009-08-09T21:04:00.002-04:00

Hi all!

I'm really sorry for my lack of blogging recently--okay, the last two months. Everything around here happened at once and I never really found time to keep this place current! I will be back tomorrow though with my adventure in Ikea, and my room redecorating news. I promise!
But while I'm here, I might as well tell you what I've been doing this past week. My friend's church just had their VBS for this year and several of my friends and I helped with the four year olds in preschool. It actually was pretty fun, it's always a blast seeing everybody shouting, "One way, Jesus!" It's always been the highlight of my summer. This was the first year I helped and was not actually in it, but I do hope I'll be there helping next year!

room inspiration

2009-07-18T10:23:00.005-04:00

(image from Amy Shutt of Day-Lab)

(image from Amy Shutt of Day-Lab)
I was searching design*sponge a while ago and came across this room from Amy Shutt of Day-Lab. Isn't it the greatest? When I redo my room this summer I'm planning on painting my bed yellow and taking inspiration from her. What do you think?

cookies

2009-07-16T14:13:00.004-04:00

Over the last few days I've been baking Chewy Chocolate Ginger cookies for my sisters, and I thought I might share the recipe. It's from Martha Stewart Living 1997. Try them some time!
* 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
* 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
* 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Roll dough into 2-inch balls; place 2 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll dough balls in granulated sugar and return to baking sheets. Transfer to oven and bake until surfaces crack slightly, about 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
(recipe from Martha Stewart Living December/January issue 1997)

Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-07-06T15:21:00.003-04:00

(image from Grosgrain blog)

Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain did it again. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, go now--I'll stay right here.

See?

Well anyways, she's hosting yet another giveaway right now for this cute apron, and who doesn't like aprons? Go enter!

polaroid

2009-07-06T14:35:00.003-04:00

I've been eying Polaroid cameras now for the last few weeks, so last night when Dad found his old Polaroid camera I was ecstatic! I only have nine photos left, so they'll be used sparingly. This photo didn't really turn out as well as I hoped, but I love it anyways.

independence day

2009-07-03T11:46:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Just popping in to wish you a great weekend. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programing on Monday--I promise!

greenfinch shrug

2009-06-24T14:54:00.005-04:00

CO 83 stitches and work Stockinette stitch for 3/4 inch. On next purl row:
knit 2, purl 10, YO, pm, purl 1, YO, purl 14, YO, pm, purl 1, YO, purl 28, YO, pm, purl 1, YO, purl 14, YO, pm, purl 1, YO, purl 10, knit 2.
Next row: knit
next row: knit 2, purl to first marker, YO, slip marker, purl 1, Yo continue from bold across until last 2 stitches then knit 2.
Continue last two rows until work between first and second markers are 1 1/2 inches shorter across than the circumference of you upper arm. (for me, when i continue until it is the same length as the circumference of my arm it turns out way too big.) then, continue as follows.
Knit 2, purl to first marker, slip stitches in between first and second markers on scrap yarn. purl across to third marker and slip stitches in between third and fourth marker on scrap yarn.
Back and front finishing
continue in stockinette (but don not forget to knit those pesky first and last two stitches) until 5 1/2 inches long. then knit 1 purl 1 rib for 1 1/2 inches. BO
Sleeves
work stockinette for 5 rows and then switch to ribbing for another inch. BO and seam up sides. put it on and then tell everyone you meet you knocked this off for a fraction of the price.

fashion of the moment

2009-06-20T21:42:00.008-04:00

You know how in every magazine and store we're told that every trend is "new and original?" Well, it really isn't. It has been done before, would you like me to show you?

Let's start here:

Now this is obviously 5os, you can tell by the full skirt and wrap top--both very popular.

Here we have the early 6os--the Sabrina neckline and slim details, even her hair is late 6os.

Okay, so here we have...7os. Do I really need to explain?

Now this is just ugly... Urm I mean, 8os, down to the short bubble skirt to the color.

See isn't this fun? All of these dresses by the way are from Nordstrom.com

hello.

2009-06-20T21:39:00.000-04:00

I guess after several posts I may need to introduce myself, right?
Right.
So anyways, I’m Kathryn, I live in Virginia, and I happen to love any vintage style, especially the 4os, 5os and early 6os. I started this blog to hopefully to inspire you or at least help you find some other interesting places you might start frequenting. The whole purpose is mostly just a public journal of my findings, and accomplishments, so I hope you enjoy!

Hopefully this is what I’ll be bringing to the table::
Sewing projects
Some tutorials (not that I actually know what I’m doing most of the time, but I can at least share what I’ve learned)
Baking
Hair tutorials
Product reviews
Knitting projects and reviews
Vintage inspiration

So as you can see it’s a mish mash of creative outlets. Hope you enjoy this as much as I will!

P.S. See that picture over there? That’s not current.

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-06-19T18:32:00.003-04:00

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Isn't this dress drop dead gorgeous? Some serious inspiration there! Grosgrain is hosting a fabulous contest for one of these dresses and you should really check her and the contest out at Grosgrain.blogspot.com. You can also check out Shabby Apple here.

sleep

2009-06-18T23:04:00.002-04:00

Don't you wish you could sleep this comfortably and soundly?

hairstyles a plenty

2009-06-18T18:28:00.004-04:00

I love YouTube, it's just so easy to find videos on new hairstyles and techniques! There are several channels I always head to when I need help with a style, or at least to inspire me with new ideas.

(Pursebuzz Classic Hair)

(LisaFreemontStreet Pinup Hairstyle-Pearl Frush Inspired Victory Roll)

(LisFreemontStreet Pinup Hairstyle-Vargas Inspired Hairdo-Easy!)

(Hair Tutorial: Beachy Waves w/ Flat Iron)

anthropologie

2009-06-17T14:25:00.003-04:00

Have you heard of anthropologie? Here's just a glimpse at the wonderful items they have!