desperately seeking {gina}

I'm It.

2012-02-08T05:00:00.000-06:00

Kelly, from Simply Kelly, tagged me in this little meme that's going around the internets and I'm going to try to come up with 11 fun facts about myself that I haven't already shared these last six years. Should be interesting...hmmm....

The Rules:
1. Post the rules
2. Post 11 fun facts about yourself
3. Answer the questions the tagger gave you in their post & then create 11 new questions for the people you tag.
4. Tag 11 people and link them in your post
5. Let them know you've "tagged" them

Eleven Fun Facts:

1. I've just sat here exactly 10.5 minutes trying to come up with something that's new-something not of risque or medical nature.

2. I buy a new toothbrush every three months and I floss a few times a week.

3. I truly am that boring.

4. I "fold corners." Napkins, pillow cases, paper. I fold, fold, fold these things to a point and then dig that point into my index fingertip. It's comforting, I suppose.

5. I have to clean my craft room every single time I want to use it because I never put anything away.

6. I don't like to garden but I love to buy pretty pots.

7. I've become a plastic container/glass jar hoarder. Seriously, it's becoming a problem.

8. I refuse to blow my nose in public.

9. I'm very easily influenced by internet trends and very aware of it. I spent a good half hour of this morning's commute trying to figure out something to be "into" that I hadn't seen on the internets. I still haven't come up with anything.

10. Cheese is one of my favorite foods. And I only came up with that because Thom is reading about cheesemaking on the internet. We're going to make our own {mozzarella} soon. Like, probably this weekend.

11. I secretly wish I could be a performer~ Singer, actress, Broadway star, dancer. J-lo. hahaha

And, now...

Eleven Questions from Kelly:

1. Where is the coolest place you have traveled? Italy! Florence & Rome and Paris

2. What is your favorite book? Willing to admit: Harry Potter or Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.
Ashamed to admit: American Star by Jackie Collins

3. What are you most thankful for in your life? Family, a job, friends

4. What is the best concert you've been to?Ummmm...New Kids on the Block pretty much made my life at 15.

5. What is your favorite Superbowl party recipe? Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

6. Why did you start blogging? I was looking for Thom. Seriously. The original name of this blog was Desperately Seeking Thom.

7. Did you have any resolutions for 2012? Nope.

8. Who is your favorite author? Sophie Kinsella

9. If you could switch careers and have your dream job, what would it be? Party Planner!

10. Whats the best movie you've seen lately? Water for Elephants

11. Charlie Sheen or Kim Kardashian? Ughhh..Neither, but if forced, Charlie Sheen.

Eleven Questions for my Tagees to answer:

1. Who has influenced you most in life?
2. What's your earliest memory?
3. Team Edward or Team Jacob?
4. What's the last thing you think about before sleep?
5. Do you wish upon falling stars?
6. What sounds/sights/tastes are most comforting to you?
7. What did yo want to be when you were young?
8. Toilet paper roll over or under?
9. Who, from history, would you most like to have over for dinner?
10. Jazz? Hot or Not?
11. Will you still love me tomorrow? {after answering/typing all these ??}

Tagging:

Sarah @ Shades For Every Adventure

Okay...honestly...I don't know 11 bloggers well enough to tag...so consider yourself tagged if you want to play along and let me know in the comments. I'll add a link to your blog. Ha! Total Meme Cop-out, I know!

Love Notes

2012-02-07T05:00:00.000-06:00

Well, looky here! A whole week before the big love day and I have my Valentines ready to go! I'm the girl with a craft room bursting with papers and embellishments {specifically with A TON of heart-related stuff} who forgets about the holiday until the day of. You know the girl- the "crafty" one who runs to the nearest big-box store to search through the slim pickens', the left-overs, the mushiest-of-mushy flowery, smelly cards. Not this year friends! I made some simple love notes to leave my love every day until the 14th. I also made a set for a special friend. You can make some, too!

The little craft envelopes have white cardstock sheets in them. These ones are from Hobby Lobby.

The seriously F U N Valentine washi tape and kraft heart stickers are courtesy of a giveaway that I won over at The Salty Pineapple. They're from an adorable Etsy shop called Chickydoddle.

I couldn't choose a favorite...so I'm showing them all!

Now I just have to think of some mushyMush to write inside and hide these around the Cove for the boyfriend to find.

Browned Butter Brownies

2012-02-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

One of us {I won't name names} here at the Cove has a sweet tooth. And a propensity for cravings late at night. This was the perfect last minute sweet cut down to size for two {with just a few left over for the freezer~and future late-night cravings}.

Browned Butter Brownies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar {I used 1/2 cup brown sugar Splenda blend}
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom only of an 8-inch square pan

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder.

Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and blend thoroughly. Add vanilla.

Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Spread into prepared pan and bake 15-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Remove and cool while preparing frosting.

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp milk {or more as needed}
1/4 tsp vanilla

To brown butter: Place butter in a heated fry pan. Melt, and swirl as butter simmers and turns golden, 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully!! Butter turns quickly. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.

When cooled, add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, adding more milk if needed to get to spreading consistency.

Top with chopped nuts, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Purple Chocolate Home found via Pinterest, of course!

Weekend Update

2012-02-05T12:35:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm finally feeling back to my old self. Sort of. There's still an issue of drainage due to the decongestant, but for the most part I'm feeling good. Good enough to be back to work, but wouldn't you know it...another dose of bad luck and bad tires kept me home again on Friday and Saturday. I really am lucky to work in a flexible environment and have good co-workers {and friends} to cover for me. That reminds me: must find something to bake and share at work this week.

So, while I've been homebound, I've been getting sticky fingered {glue} and stained {inks & dyes} in the craft room. I'll have some Valentine's to share with you this coming week.

I've also been enjoying onion bagels and diet ginger ale {helps the belly}.

I hear tell of a pretty important football game happening this evening. We are so NOT a football household so instead we'll most likely be spending the evening making dinner and watching a movie.

What were your highlights this weekend?

Me...a Calendar Girl? It's true!

2012-02-01T18:10:00.000-06:00

Happy February, y'all!

Friends. I can't tell you how ecstatic I am about saying good bye to January. I'm by no means a person who is depressed or emotionally challenged but by the middle of January I feel low, suppressed, ready to claw my way out of the pit of darkness that is winter. The freshness of the new year has worn off and I am just plain 'ole ready for some warmth and sunshine.

Now, February. February is my friend {lets just forget that nasty tiff we had last year}. February brings loads of pink goodness, frilly hearts, chocolates, mushy love stories, and this year: some warmer temps and Spring like weather {for the first few days, at least...I haven't been brave enough to look at an extended forecast}.

February also means that I'm a featured blogger over at Arkansas Women Bloggers! Yes, that's right. Those lovely ladies have bestowed upon me the title of Miss February 2012.

BlushBlush. Elbow elbow, wrist wrist, touch the pearls, and blow a kiss! I'm touched and honored.

And, while I won't really be donning a sparkly tiara or a pretty sash, as an ARWB Blogger of the Month I will have a couple of featured {love story} posts throughout the month. I'd love for you to pop over and say hi! Although the site features Arkansas lady bloggers it really is a good resource for good blog reads of all sorts: foodies, crafters, mommy blogs, etc.

So, here's to looking forward to Spring, sunshine, new friends, and love stories!

Weekend Update

2012-01-30T03:31:00.000-06:00

Much of the weekend was spent denying that I was coming down with "something." I even dragged myself into work on Sunday morning to cover a shift for a manager thinking that working through said "something" would help keep it at bay. Not only did that not work, it made me feel much, much worse. Seriously feel like someone ran me over. Headache. Fever. Chills. Sweats. Shivers. Snot. Coughing. Lungs outside my body. Also, at what point in my life did I start peeing a bit when I cough? And, because I came home from work and slept a few hours: I'm awake {and still hacking} at 3:30 am. Nice.

I'm all stocked up with triple soothing action lozenges, Powerade, and mint chocolate chip ice cream {for the throat-soothing medicinal purposes only, of course}. I have Pinterest at my fingertips, tissue at-the-ready, and luckily, the kindle is stocked up nicely with some new reads. I'm not moving for the next few days {except for a doctor's appointment, hopefully}.

Hope y'all are well, friends!

Pin It & Spin It: Tara Anderson Inspiration

2012-01-28T02:03:00.000-06:00

Do you know of Tara Anderson? She's a scrap booker, paper crafter, and photographer extraordinaire. I've been reading her blog, The Pink Couch on and off for years. Her creations are lovely, yet intimidating, for rookie crafters like me. She has an uncanny ability to layer items on a page that is beautiful and magical.

When I found this pin I was intimated to say the least. I have no sense of layering when it comes to scrap booking. I'm happy with my results though...and I may be over my fear of layering.

The Pin:

This gorgeous set of layered stickers was featured in Tara's Etsy Store. I wanted to recreate a similar tag for a project I'm working on. My layers would not be removable.

The Spin:

For my particular project I wanted to add an inspirational word/message. I also wanted the card to have a little texture so I used a piece of color washed canvas as my base. Most of the embellishments, including the butterfly punch, are Martha Stewart products.

HOPE is stamped in brown on color washed white cardstock.

I'm pretty happy with how my tag turned out and I'm already planning out the next one!

To see more of Tara Anderson's work, check out the following:

Blog: The Pink Couch

Flickr

Etsy

Did you complete any pins this week? I'd love for you to link up. You can link to any projects from this week or prior and you can link to any posts or picture-sharing-sites {such as Flickr} that has a URL. While you're at it, grab a Pin It & Spin It button from my sidebar!

Happy Pinning, friends!

Currently Seeking:

2012-01-25T00:30:00.000-06:00

Vintage Typewriter.

To be used for scrap booking purposes. And, perhaps, a love note or two.

Source: mylittlejedi.blogspot.com via Gina on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Gina on Pinterest

Library Love

2012-01-24T20:04:00.000-06:00

Call us nerds but Thom and I love hanging out at libraries. There is something magical about them. Maybe it's the smell of old musty books, or the silent pleas from characters who live among all those pages: read me, get to know me, like me! Maybe it's all that knowledge gathered and compiled waiting to be absorbed. Or maybe it's the stillness that lingers in the air and quiet whispers of respectful conversation that is entrancing and comforting. Whatever it is, the library in Little Rock has plenty of it.

As much as I love downtown Little Rock and the River Market District, I never knew that the Little Rock Public Library was right in downtown. That was pretty nerdy, methinks. We spent Saturday afternoon exploring all five floors.

There's a chair that sits in the bay of this window. The sunshine warms it's fabric making settling in a lovely experience. I've put my name on that chair for future use. Traffic whizzes by on the street below. The trolley passes and faces peer from it's windows looking up at the majesty of the library that looms above.

There is much news to read about from all over the world. I love the sounds of newspapers shuffling, chairs being scooted from under tables, books being open and closed, and pages turning slowly.

And, when it's time to leave, favorite old friends are there to wave goodbye, wish you well, and call out for a speedy return. Thanks, Emily. I shall...and soon.

Quickie

2012-01-18T22:29:00.000-06:00

Stopping in just to say hi! It's been a busy week and I haven't had much to say. The image above is my new bag I'm loving. I won a Macy's gift card a few months ago from Simply Kelly and just got around to deciding how to use it; it's tough to not spend it in the Martha Stewart section of the housewares department. It's been my on-the-go bag this week-holds lunch, my camera, and the million +1 lists of to do's for the week.

Hope y'all are well and feelin' fine :)

Let's Give 'Em Something to Moo About

2012-01-16T21:40:00.001-06:00

Let me start by disclosing that I have absolutely no affiliation with MOO.com. I have not been compensated in any way for this post, nor do I know any cattle or peeps at MOO.com. In fact...if someone from Moo ran into me in the street they'd probably not say, well, MOO to me. Not that the lovely people over there moo...I'm sure they actually, like, speak. And, I'm sure they're polite, too. My point is: I'm sharing because I love my new MOO mini cards...and I love you {yes, you!} so I thought you should meet.

Why I got contact cards:

I first thought about getting contact cards last year when I was working up the courage to attend the Arkansas Women Blogger's meet-up in Little Rock. It was my first blogger meet-up and in my preparation I had read that contact cards were a good way to get my blog info out there and into the hands of fellow bloggers and potential readers. I admit i felt a bit silly. I had {have} few readers. I have no service to offer. Why would anyone possibly want my info? Turns out they're pretty handy.

I've used them numerous times, not only for blogging purposes. Need to jot down my email addy? Have a Facebook page? Here ya go! All my info in one tiny place. I chose mini cards because I thought they were cute. Smaller is always cuter, no? Thom's worried they'll get lost easier.

Why choose Moo?

I've seen them around the web on blogs and such for a couple of years. They look like fun. Moo gets great reviews. I'm easily impressionable {more on that later this week} and I always want what the popular kids have. Sold.

The ordering process was quick and painless. Now that I've received them, I'm SO happy I ordered. They're lovely: color is amazing. quality of the paper is very, very good. shipping is super quick.

One quirk that I love about ordering from Moo: you're not limited to one image per set. Ordering a set of 100 cards? Choose 100 different images if you want! At no additional cost. How cool is that? Way cool!

Would you like to try a Free Business Card Sampler? I found this link for you! Includes free shipping, too! Your free cards will have the MOO branding on the front.

You can even put your mug on a card :)

Then again, I'm not sure I'd want the word MOO on a picture of my face...just sayin'!

So...I'm loving these little guys...and wondering how fast I can get rid of 100 cards so I can order some more :)

Friday Glide into the Weekend

2012-01-13T18:36:00.000-06:00

Greetings, friends! I'm just poppin' in to say there are no big plans for this weekend-just some cleaning to do, maybe a tad bit of crafting, and a whole lot of reading. I stopped by the library to pick Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children. I saw the trailer for it on You Tube. Did you know they made trailers for books now? Me neither.

Also, if you love books, libraries, and/or bookstores this is also worth watching.

Happy Weekending...I hope it's filled with everything you love.

Things I Heart Thursday

2012-01-12T18:15:00.002-06:00

I always seem to be one step behind in fashion trends, celebrity gossip, and new music. I've just discovered Ellie Goulding. I'm totally loving this song and video right now. And, I'm trying to figure out how to get a wind machine and light set-up here at the Cove so I can recreate this video on the weekends. Note to self: must find a tambourine ASAP.

What are you loving today?

Odds & Ends

2012-01-10T18:32:00.000-06:00

Odds:

I love odd numbers.

I miss 2011 because of this. And, 2007.

Whenever I turn the volume on the tv up or down I like to land on an odd number {Thom makes me change it to an even}.

I very much dislike writing the number 5. I work with numbers every day and had to write it a gajillion times today.

Source: vi.sualize.us via Stacey on Pinterest

Ends:

Yesterday on the way to work, I hit a cat. It died. It looked suspiciously like Scotch. I worried about it all day. As I retraced my usual route home, I slowed when I came to it-still laying belly up on the side of the road. Yep. Looked exactly like my missing cat. It's about 4 miles from home. Same slightly orange-ish tail and all. :( Thom assures me that there are many look-alikes around here, and that Hop & Scotch were picked up and brought to the Humane Society from around this area. It didn't stop me from bawling like a baby. This is also odd because I don't really like my cats {or cat} very much. I'm not attached. Except when one is stuck up a tree. Or dead. I'm pretty sad about it.

Sweet Love

2012-01-08T21:55:00.004-06:00

I'm not one who normally makes resolutions because somewhere along the way {*ahem* usually very near the beginning} I end up forgetting about said resolution and then feel extremely guilty at the end of the year for not resolving what ever it was that I had intended to do {or not do}.

However, I do have a list {a mile long} of things to work on this year. One being: get out more-make an effort to make new friends. Two: get involved more. Three: be friendlier.

And so, when Kelli from Sweet Love posted a Facebook status inviting bloggers/media to a sneak peek of her soon-to-open bakery, without thinking, I signed up. I thought it would be a great opportunity to connect with some Little Rock bloggers. And, you know, there would most likely be sweets. Luckily, I have not resolved to eat less sweets {not officially, of course}.

I didn't get a good pic of the cookie dough truffles...but they were A-mazing. So good.

And...there were babies! Kat brought her three-month-old, Nora Kate. Know what I love even more than cookie dough truffles? Baby smell. NK smelled divine. I may have scared her a bit with the sniffing.

It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon...even if I was pretty shy and hung back a bit. Everyone seemed to know each other previously, so I felt a like an outsider, but the ladies were nice! And...when I got home I realized I had been talking to Kerri from Damn You, Little Rock and hadn't even realized it. She makes me laugh out loud when I read her blog.

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping for clothes in LR {yes, Thomas, they sell clothes at The Container Store <wink>}.

Banana Bread that Loves You Back

2012-01-06T21:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday, friends! It's a quiet Friday night here at the Cove-not much different than any other night, though. Since we have no television service there's no noisy distraction in the background {the radio is on low, however}. It's the perfect setting for cozying up with warm banana bread and a glass of milk. Here's the recipe I've been using lately. Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sour cream

Method:

Grease a large loaf pan, or four small loaf pans. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, then bananas and sour cream. Fold in walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan or divide into small loaf pans.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Notes: Recipe slightly adapted from here. Original amount of bananas resulted in mushy bread, IMO.

American Stuffers: My brush with reality television

2012-01-03T19:48:00.003-06:00

Have you heard about the new Animal Planet reality television show American Stuffers? While it may sound like it's a show about my unhealthy eating habits, in actuality, it's a reality show that follows the family of Thom's nephew Daniel, who is a taxidermist here in Arkansas. He not only does traditional taxidermy for animals such as deer, fish, and other wild life, he specializes in pet preservation- preserving peoples beloved pets for an eternity of continued love and togetherness.

The show follows Daniel, his wife LaDawn, their sons, and their quirky cast of employees as they go about their daily business of stuffing animals. American Stuffers premieres this Thursday, January 5 at 9 pm {CST}.

Here's a sneak peek:

Way back in April, Thom and I had the opportunity to hang out "on set" {aka: their home} with Daniel and LaDawn as they celebrated LaDawn's birthday. Of course, the cameras were rolling.

The experience was surreal. Reality television takes a lot of work {and we were there for just a few short hours}.

I was asked to help with a little cake decorating. If only I had known beforehand, I could have brought my supplies. Instead, I was filmed rolling out fondant with a small plastic cup. It didn't turn out so well. Martha would definitely be disappointed with me.

I certainly hope that's edited out. Yikes. {and btw...I had exactly 15 minutes to get ready for this event and 11 minutes were spent fretting about my only clean shirt: a blue & white striped shirt}.

It was a really fun day and it's been exciting to follow Daniel & LaDawn as they live out this crazy adventure.

If you're interested in having your pet preserved, check out their web page Xtreme Taxidermy or connect with them on Facebook.

Read more about American Stuffers here.
Connect with American Stuffers on Facebook.
See more clips here.

Check out the episode guide for a quick glance at what's to come. The episode we were were present for will air on February 2, 9 pm {CST}. Here's the description from Animal Planet:

THE DOG NAMED PRECIOUS
Premiering Thursday, February 2, 10 PM e/p
The owners of a dog named Precious come to the shop. What Daniel discovers during the preservation process is pretty shocking. At the same time, Daniel begins the process of preserving Jack the cat for its teenage owner. The heartbroken teen is having a difficult time letting go of the cat and her frequent visits to the shop worry Daniel. To make matters worse, Daniel's in hot water when he realizes that he's got 24 hours to plan a surprise party for LaDawn's 36th birthday. He wrangles Fred, Joseph and Dixie to help with the party; but when they get her age wrong, they wonder if LaDawn will see the humor.

Now taking requests for autographs! And, if it's not mine you want...I may be able to reach "the talent."

Celebrating the New Year in a Old Way

2012-01-01T20:15:00.000-06:00

It was another quiet New Year's Eve here at the Cove. We've spent the last five years in the same manner: just the two of us, a nice homemade dinner, a drink or two for me, conversation, kissing, reflecting on the year passed, and talking about and planning for the year ahead. I invoked a "no kissing until midnight" rule and was surprised at how hard it was to abide. I am lucky to have such an affectionate boyfriend, beau, beloved.

Part of the evening was spent sorting through some old items meant for sale on eBay and I remembered a photo idea I had at this exact time last year. Thom inherited boxes upon boxes of effects from his mother and among them I found some treasures.

A lovely old journal dated 1904 filled with beautiful handwriting journalling the every day happenings of a lady I have yet to put a name to. She writes of the weather, baking, funerals, and visitors to her home.

It begins on New Years Day, 1904. One hundred eight years ago!

At the end: Expenses for the year 1904 divided into months:

Expenses for the year 1904

January:
Stamps .10
Car fare home - $1.81
Canvas, thread, yarn - .35
Livery Bill - $2.00

Other interesting finds among the treasures include letters, post cards, and deeds. The correspondence seems to be centered around the family name Yount, possibly from Cape Giradeau, Missouri.

We sorted through other boxes brought over by Thom's sister and I fell in love with some lovely old keys.

A lovely find: a hand embroidered "G" on a delicate handkerchief.

My mom would most likely laugh off my love of these little findings. I've not been one to love old things. I've never before enjoyed thrifting or salvaging. I'm known for loving shiny and new. But, the older I get {19 is getting "up there," after all} the more I appreciate the history and story behind these treasures. Someday, I wonder, will someone be holding my much-loved possessions and wondering who I am? Luckily, through this blog, they will be able to find out.

I Still Believe

2011-12-25T00:51:00.000-06:00

I still believe in Santa Claus.

It's an odd confession for someone my age, I know.

I've known for many years that the existence of an old, plump, white bearded dude who squeezed himself down chimneys and who kept reindeer as personal flight attendants wasn't real. It seems as if I've always known that it was, in fact, my parents who bought and wrapped all those gifts each and every Christmas. It's only been in recent years that I've realized that his magic and generosity live on in each of us; it lives on in grand expressions of generosity, like plane tickets home and even in the smallest of gestures of comfort and good cheer.

The magic appears during lunches with old friends: with cousins during late-night shopping trips and last minute dinners filled with laughter; it is tossed about with snowballs in the midst of impromptu snowball fights.

Magic glistens in the eyes of children: In one who still believes.

And, in another who may not still believe in the physical being of old St. Nick...but who is excited by the holiday, presents, and the extra time spent with those who adore him.

So, when I say I believe in Santa, what I really mean is I believe in magic. I believe in elves and flying reindeer. I believe in sweet brothers who make things happen and kids whose innocence and wonder are catching. It is magic that washes away family drama for a few hours of uncomplicated togetherness and it is magic that wraps itself around our hearts binding us together, forever.

Wishing you the merriest and most magical of Christmases!

I've been keeping a secret...

2011-12-19T15:03:00.000-06:00

Do you know how hard it is for a blogger to keep a secret? Incredibly hard, friends. Especially when the secret keeper is a.) me and b.) when the aforementioned secret keeper is as crazy excited about the secret as I was/am!

My secret?

I'll be home for Christmas!! Cue: Christmas music and angels singing. Hallelujah! About a month ago, my younger brother called and said he wanted to fly me home as a surprise for my Mom. And, dear old Mom {well, not old!} reads this here little ole blog, so I couldn't mention it. And, I couldn't Facebook it. Or Tweet it. Or mention it in passing. Ha!

And even better: being home on my birthday for the first time in four years. Yippee!!

I flew out of Little Rock early Sunday morning, watched the sunrise over the wing of an American Airlines plane, and landed in Grand Rapids early in the afternoon. I spent a lovely evening with my neice and nephew, enjoyed dinner with the family, and even enjoyed some crafting with Lani. The perfect start to my very own Christmas vacation! {Speaking of vacation, can you believe my boss actually approved a ten day vacation in December? When I work in retail? Over Christmas? I'm one lucky girl, I tell ya!!}

I've already filled a couple days with lunch and coffee dates with friends and cousins. I can't wait to reconnect with friends and family at this awesome time of year!

Good Tidings

2011-12-16T21:06:00.000-06:00

This week is almost gone as quickly as it arrived. I've spent the week prepping for the holiday party at work. There were presents to buy and errands to run. There were menus to plan and orders to make. And, there was the regular old day-to-day work to complete per usual. Somehow I managed to complete it all-there were a couple very late nights and grumpy mornings as well. The party was fun-topped off with a visit from Jolly St. Nick.

A cold front has moved back into the Ark and I am cozied up for the evening with the space heater on my slippered feet and hot cocoa at-the-ready for sipping and warming the soul. With that, I am signing off for the evening. Hope you are well where ever you may be!

Hot Cocoa Bar

2011-12-12T21:08:00.000-06:00

Want a surefire way to bring surprise and a genuine, toothy smile to someone {or a group of someones}? Find a fabulous hot cocoa recipe {you're in luck...I have the perfect one for you!}, set out a fun array of add-ins, toppings, and tasty stirrers, and sit back and enjoy the surprise and delight of your giftees. Who doesn't get all warm and fuzzy thinking about hot cocoa? I think this would be a fun surprise to set up for kids after school, family get-togethers, or even as a gift {package it all up in a pretty package and add the hot cocoa mix with directions. I did this set-up in the lounge at work today . I was truly amazed at my co-workers delight and giddiness-kids in a candy store, I tell ya.

Add ins {so many possibilities!! Here's a few to get you started}:

Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips
Red Hots
Mini chocolate chips
Heath Toffee bits
Peppermint mini marshmallows
White chocolate chips

Stir it UP!

Chocolate/Peppermint Dipped Marshmallows

Chocolate Dipped Spoons

Soft Peppermint Sticks

Candy Canes

Top It off!

Whipped Cream

Cocoa powder for dusting

Crushed candy bars

I found the same recipe for the hot cocoa on several different online source. All of them had rave reviews. It did not disappoint. BEST hot cocoa recipe EVER! Whole milk and vanilla truly made all the difference here. I ended up cooking the cocoa mixture at home and adding the milk at work in a crockpot. I wasn't thrilled using the crockpot- was so messy to ladle out, but it worked in a pinch.

Hot Cocoa
Makes 20-25 cups

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup hot water
1 gallon whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract {I got a little wild and used 2!}

In a large saucepan combine sugar, cocoa, and salt. Slowly add hot water, mixing well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk. Heat to serving temperature, DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and whip with a whisk. Serve hot with add-ins and/or toppings. Recipe may be doubled for a crowd. {I tripled!}

Rudolph Hot Cocoa Spoons

2011-12-11T17:23:00.001-06:00

This morning I started putting some treats together for a hot cocoa bar at work. While dipping some white plastic spoons in chocolate to use as stirrers, there arose such a clatter! To the window I ran to see what was the matter. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? A vision- Chocolate reindeer with shiny red noses and huge bright eyes! Santa must have sent me inspiration from the North Pole. To say I was excited is an understatement. I was like a little girl on Christmas morning.

Notes:

*Be sure to use candy wafers and not melted chocolate chips. The wafers harden {without refrigeration} and stay hard. I tried a few with chocolate chips when I ran out of wafers and they became soft when taken out of the fridge.

*Add Red Hot noses right after you coat spoons in chocolate. Add the eyes {using chocolate as glue} after the coating has set. They looked much better this way and they didn't slip and slide around the spoon!

You'll Need:

White plastic spoons

Chocolate Candy Wafers

Red Hots

Candy Eyeballs

Cake decorating bag, writing tip {or use a baggie and snip the corner}

How To:

Place candy wafers in a small bowl {I used about 1/3 of a bag to coat the spoons}. Microwave on half power for 30 seconds. Remove, stir, and place back in microwave. Heat for another 30 seconds. Stir to finish melting or place back into microwave and heat for 15 seconds until melted.

Dip spoons in chocolate and twirl to coat both front and back. Add a Red Hot nose. Place on wax paper to dry completely When chocolate is set, using more melted chocolate as "glue," add candy eyeballs and allow to dry.

Melt more chocolate candy wafers if necessary and spoon into piping bag. Draw chocolate antlers on wax paper and let them dry completely. Use more melted chocolate on back of spoon glue antlers. Push bottom of antlers into the chocolate and cover with more chocolate. Place, face down, on wax paper. These take just a few minutes to completely set.

These would be adorable wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow for gifts!

Thom and I made a few little videos I was hoping to piece together. I have no idea how to use the movie maker so I just spliced them all together and went with it. Uploading it is proving to be a problem. I'll share it as soon as I can figure it out!!

Pin It & Spin It: Fabric Covered Mouse Pads

2011-12-10T14:25:00.001-06:00

Today's Pin it & Spin it looked easy enough but it was still daunting to me in the beginning. I don't cut all that well. Or iron. And, I'm not all that patient. I had nothing to worry about. This pin took no time at all and my crooked cuts gave my finished product a quirkiness that only handmade crafts made-with-love can produce.

The Pin:

Cork Mousepad from Modern Day Moms

The how to:

Gather your supplies-Just a few items...and I had all on hand. Score 1!

Cork Tiles {12 x 12}

Fabric

Iron

Scissor

Pen or Marker

Heat Bond Ultra Hold {no-sew adhesive}

Paper Template

Prep supplies.

Iron Fabric and cut out template. I used my Cricut to cut out a speech bubble shape {Don Juan Cartridge}

Trace paper template onto cork and cut out.

I had a little cutting mishap {told ya I couldn't cut all that well}. Never fear! Super tacky adhesive to the rescue! Just give the edge of the cork shape and the edge of the cork chunk a little spray of adhesive and pinch together. Trim as needed. I can barely tell there was a chunk missing! Score 2!!

Follow directions on Heat Bond Ultra Hold to adhere fabric adhesive {so easy- iron paperside up onto wrong side of fabric for 2 seconds. Move iron over entire surface to adhere all}

Using your cut-out cork shape, trace image onto the paper side of adhered fabric. Like the original pin, I wanted a cork border to show so I drew inside the traced lines and cut that.

Already looking so adorable!! I'm making a double sided mousepad. Love the coordinating fabrics.

To finish! Peel off paper backing. Lay tacky side down onto cork and iron! Just takes a minute to set. Make sure to go over the edges well. No need to worry about fraying.

The Spin:

You can cut out all sorts of shapes, depending on your level of patience. I'm loving owls at the moment so it was a given that I'd try an owl-shaped pad. L O V E. Just remember when you trace your pad onto the fabric, flip the cork so that any shape nuances match up. I had to do a little adjusting since my owl was shifted a bit.

The verdict:

LOVE. THIS. PIN. Super Easy. Quick, fun, and adorable. Thanks, Modern Day Moms for the awesome tutorial. These would make lovely gifts for any handmade holiday gift-giving.

Interested in joining me for Pin It & Spin It Saturdays? Grab the button and link up! Feel free to link up Pinterest Projects from any day of the week here on Saturdays :)

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A Pinterest Challenge & A Giveaway!

2011-12-09T18:52:00.001-06:00

The lovely ladies over at Arkansas Women Bloggers invited me over to their place to blog about Pinterest and challenged me to re-create one of my pins. Head on over to see what I did! {pssst...there's a giveaway!}

Also...if you're a Lady Arkansas Blogger...have you registered yet? You should! It's fast! Free! And, fun!