holiday cooking

if you were to ask me what are the holidays all about, i'd answer...

1) spending time with family and friends
2) giving
3) the days leading up to christmas
4) parties

...and 5) EATING

one of my favorite gifts this christmas was my kitchen aid.  i call it "my precious".  its everything i thought it could be and more!  i spent the holiday break cooking... and cooking... and cooking! and, here are some bits and pieces of what i put together (unfortunately i didn't get pictures of christmas eve dinner - sea bass and crab cakes!)

spaghetti bolognese

(made with ground beef brisket, cooked for 5.5 hrs)

orange zest cake

oatmeal peanut butter cookies with dark chocolate chunks and walnuts 

my precious & me

a little breakfast love

good morning!

and happy valentines day to you.

this morning i woke early to cook taylor french toast

as part of his valentines day gift

but not just any french toast - french toast made from fresh, buttery croissants!

i got the idea a week or so ago from one of my favorite food blogs, food coma blog

valentines day is a sweet day; a day to show that special someone just how dear they are

the boy and i like it simple on this day - a sweet note and extra hugs in the morning

are enough to make this gal happy

....and a yummy breakfast!

and okay, a few little gifts don't hurt...

but as long as theyre little...and thoughtful

hope you have a beautiful day!

christmast tree o' christmas tree

and this lovely long weekend must come to an end

but what better way to finish it off with a christmas tree shopping?

tonight taylor and i enjoyed a lovely dinner at an old time favorite, oliva

and picked out a christmas tree for the apartment

i sure do love christmas so much

and i love taylor for getting me the perfect tree

now we're off to watch my favorite christmas movie, love actually

and enjoy our pine smelling apartment

i can't wait to decorate the new tree!!

 the coutdown to christmas begins...

28 days to go!

sunday waterplay

sunday rainy days are meant for

laying in bed late with the boyfriend, listening to pandora's "jazz holiday station",

watching three season's of arrested development, market runs, hot chocolate;

folding warm, "out-of-the-dryer" laundry (while molly lies on top), tidying up the apartment,

 and....

arts and crafts!

i had a grand idea of making homemade holiday cards for friends and family

and spent part of my saturday morning perusing blick

holding myself back from buying everything

anyhoo, i went with watercolor paints, but didn't quite realize how difficult watercolor painting is!

the cards may look ameture, but i can tell you one thing...

i had a lot of fun making them!

and thats all that matters, right?

taylor even made one while channeling rothko

is it silly that i want to pin up our artwork on the fridge?

okay maybe it is...

hope you had a happy weekend!

reasons i love the holidays

the holidays are here 

and this christmas girl couldnt be more excited

i love gift giving, cold weather, hot chocolate, wood burning fire places, rain, dark nights and light mornings, hoiday jazz station on pandora, excuses to stay home, family traditions and many many more

but what gets me most giddy about the season is 

paper!

if you know me well, you know i am obsessed with paper

yup, thats right - letter presses and cards and gift wrapping

here are a few favorites that i wish to have...and a little christmas music to get you in the spirit

bespoke press

seasonal delights

satsuma press

bespoke press

oscar & ollie

karte paper

urban bird & co.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

flea market extravaganza

so of course i spend hours on blogs

bookmarking diy projects, "pinning" ideas to my pinterest boardds

and here i was, at a flea market, the crafters paradise

and i left with no vintage crates, mason jars, pens, old papers...

nada!

well except for a copy of the shining on dvd for $4

(just finished reading the book for my book club)

for some reason, i blanked on what i needed and wanted....

aside from the fact my hands were "tchotchkes" free

taylor and i had a fun time at the long beach flea market

i ran into a dear friend, april

and a dear coworker, maddie

and soaked up the socal sun

i caught a few good silly pictures of taylor at a vendor sunglass vendor

thought about adding to our typewriter collection...

(we already have 3!)

found that good ol' library card catalog

that i've so badly wanted for the past gawd knows how long...

and stood by as taylor spent time looking at hand tools

from a vintage tool vendor

all in all it was fun but i could kick myself for not getting any knick knacks

as soon as i came home i suddenly remembered all the projects i wanted to do

next time i will be more prepared

with a list!

christmas is just 10 weeks away and i need to get on making some gifts before its too late

bastille day

bonjour!

today is the french national holiday, bastille day

for a little history lesson:

bastille day commemorates the storming of bastille which took play july 14, 1789 and marked the beginning of the french revolution.

so go out and enjoy a macaroon, a croissant or baguette; watch your favourite french film,  listen to your favorite french tune... or enjoy a bottle of champagne

le jour heureux de bastille

photo from here