Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

I've been neglecting Christmas and blogs lately between working long hours and chemistry tests and finals. Friends have been visiting and shopping has been obnoxious and I have been frustrated and tired and stressed. Christmas gifts have not been sent out to friends yet and there may still be a stack of Christmas cards, addressed and stamped, sitting on the passenger seat of my car.

But now it's Christmas. A white Christmas, in fact. And I am drinking a cup of christmas tea and watching A Christmas Story and Elf before family comes. And it's perfect.

I wish you all glittering trees, happy presents, and a warm cozy day of family and friends.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

This is What Christmas Looks Like

Christmas Cards, a la Martha Stewart glitter stamping. 100 stamped glitterified cards is officially more work than one really wants to do.


Canton Lights on the Square, with sisters and brother and mother and dad. Cocoa and antiquing and lovely lovely things.


Lovely old bottles in a local shop. I want them all.

Presents wrapped, ready for post office and tree.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Deer Might Fly



My parents have gone to New Orleans for their thirtieth wedding anniversary and my youngest sister is having hordes of wee friends over to go into the town square and ride in a cart pulled by an old horse and these hordes will drink cider and eat beignet. I am making these hordes pizza. I have finished my Christmas shopping and just keep listening to this song over and over again. Because it's lovely.

Merry Christmas

Monday, December 14, 2009

While waiting for Christmas


Go to the library (I am a big supporter of Library as a concept) and get To Catch a Thief. It's not a Christmas movie but it's pretty and entertaining and a good movie to watch with one's mummie and daddy and the dogs and three cups of tea.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Wedding


The Oldest-and-Best friend got married. And it was beautiful. And she was beautiful. And I who abhor first dances was converted because the two of them were so unbelievably cute. I might even dance at my own wedding (I am a grouch, I hate dancing. I didn't dance at the Oldest-and-Bests wedding. I did run out and get her White-Out and a white shirt for her brother and Pop-Tarts for another brother). I wore pink. And cried. And hugged all and sundry. David and I met at The Oldest-and-Best's engagement party (her husband [!!!!] is one of David's bests) so that was nice too. Lots of full circley, snuggly, soft love and happiness. The next day I flew to my parents house, leaving Susie behind (because they wouldn't let her on the plane, we got to the airport and those bastards wouldn't let her on) with David. I am going to stay here. Just for a little while.

This is the flower girl, Philomena. Seen before as a flower girl on this page (in her other big sister's wedding). She's having quite the year. She's a monster. I wanna squeeze her and play with her hair and spin her around but she's a monster. As this photo makes abundantly clear.

Pure Love

I'm slightly obsessed.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Weekend, Almost


There are many things I cannot wait to do this weekend including christmas decorating, shopping, Bryant Park, Manhattan on Saturday night, and naps but what I am looking forward to most is digging into this ball of yarn. Unfortunately two days of work, one disc of Big Love, three chapters of chemistry, and one chemistry exam stand in my way.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Advent Calendars


I don't have an Advent calendar this year. For the first time in at least 22 years (whatever, leave me alone) I have no little doors to open each day of December leading up to Christmas. I hadn't thought of it at all but now that I have I feel as though I have failed in adequately following Christmas tradition and turned my back on one of my favorite childhood holiday activities. This realization saddens me because I am not an adult yet dammit and I think I need to remedy the situation pronto.


My mother bought me an Advent calendar from Germany the Christmas I was five years old. It was a Christmas tree and the little doors opened to reveal the ornaments. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I've been looking for a similar one for ages to no avail. These, however, are still pretty awesome and make me nostalgic for childhood.


Sabbatical


Things kind of came to a head this weekend. Bachelorette party was great, then I got unbelievably ill and eventually had to be spoon fed water so I didn't die of dehydration, then David had a terrible cold and lost his voice and needed to spend the day unconscious and in bed. Under normal circumstances, these events would be minimal and fine. I am in my fifth months of living alone, without a job, sometimes going days without seeing anyone else. There were a lot of tears this weekend, and sobs, and calling of mothers in hysterical tears and sobs. My flight home for Christmas has been pushed up to next Sunday. The day after The-Oldest-and-Best's wedding. I'm going to get Susie a car carrier and we're heading back to the south, to spend a month with family. Our tickets are one way. We don't know when we're coming back to Pennsylvania or what's going to happen. We know we need sisters, and Daddies and Mummies and snuggly Christmas trees and safe spaces.

We will send a post card from the safe space. When we find it.

Friday, December 4, 2009

This is why Mountain Dew is no longer part of my life


It's after two. The dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and stove are all going. I've baked 4 dozen cupcakes. I am wondering if it's a bad idea to frost them now. Probably. I went to help The Oldest-and-Best Friend with assembling favors and I ate a lot of chocolate and a Mountain Dew. Which I shouldn't do. I also had a left over piece of shower cake and a glass of milk. All of this after crying for a couple of hours. I think I might have problems. I came back and played with glitter, fabric, an iron and flour and food colouring.... and ate a lot of cake dough and more milk and listened to about five hours of NPR podcasts. Which I love.

Also: I learned I had the words to Don't Stop Believing wrong. Stupid Glee sorted me out. I know you ALL love Glee. I KNOW. You love it. Every single person except me loves it. I maintain it's because I'm the only one with good taste. In TV. On the planet. Bastards at NPR made me listen to it.

P.S. Yeah. I posted a picture of my dog. She's kind of cute and white and fluffy. And in my bed. Where I should be.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

You Might Be Getting One Of These


I know. I am a child. But I'm poor and glitter and paper is cheap. So are glue pens. I made these shenanigans with glitter and glue pens and paper. And shut up. This might be the last Christmas I can sign my name to a pink glittery card.

P.S. I also have terrible handwriting and can't draw to save my life. But I can make chocolate orange cake so these things don't bother me that much.


KimoYES


I've recently realized that there is a small silk-kimono shaped hole in my heart and I'm pretty sure this Natori is the only one that will fit. It will be perfect for our soon-to-be-completed deck which will from this point forward only be referred to as the lanai. And then I and my beautiful silk kimono can lounge on our lanai in sunglasses (to hide hangovers, of course) and drink tea and (if we're feeling up to it) drink bloody marys and mimosas and eat cheesecake and spy on neighbors.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Baking Bread



Cooks Illustrated I tell you. God's. Gift. To. Hannah. Almost No-Knead Bread. Because for serious, f*ck Mark Bittman and his shenanigans.

Get a 14 day trial membership or buy the damn magazine. For me. Or you. Whatever.


Pies, Apple. For Hannah


Cooks Illustrated is the best and most wonderous food magazine. It is. So. GOOD.

I think I need to eat this skillet apple pie. Please.

Glass, Ribbon, Paper, SEQUINS




I went a bit nuts over the last two days on the couch. My kitchen looks like Whoville and the dining room is on it's way. Admittedly the house if filled with fabric and ribbon and paper and glitter and looks absolutely filthy (cleaning commences in earnest this afternoon, the bachelorette etc need clean sheets and towels and places to sit and eat). I decided that since my Christmas card list is relatively short I could man up and make them myself so the house has to be deglittered (cards will be shown once the kitchen is clean, this is my resolution).




Tuesday, December 1, 2009

For My Hair


I would like some of these gorgeous clips from Ruthie Sayles. Her house is one of my absolute favourites ever featured on Design*Sponge's Sneak Peak. Its amazing. Go look at it.

Best Christmas Movies EVER: Meet Me In Saint Louis



Meet Me In Saint Louis was my favourite movie as a little girl. I watched it over and over and over again with my little sisters and when I lived in England by myself my mum sent it to me and I watched it and cried a lot. It shouldn't be watched alone. I might wait until I get to my parents house to watch it this year. It should be watched snuggled with sisters and a mum.

Monday, November 30, 2009

For Christmas, Garlands


I love paper cranes on paper ripped from magazines and strung around. I'm very young. It seems appropriate for very young holidays and birthday parties. These are also lovely. The Oldest-and-Best's bachelorette party is going to be at the house next week so Christmas decorations that double as awesome-sauce party decorations might be cool.... I have a feeling the maid-of-honor (who is Oldest-and-Best's seventeen year old sister) might be bringing over some seriously crazy decorations but hopefully my cranes can stay.

I am also super duper loving these flower gardens from Once Wed. They may be slightly more labor intense than I want while lying on the couch watching design television... we'll see.

Cards, Westies, Old-Man Pajamas


Thanksgiving was awesome. Lots of dinners with family and friends and last night to end the week an awesome afternoon and evening with The Oldest-and-Best and her fiance and parents and sisters (one of whom is looking very cute and round and preggo) and David. It was lovely. And now I'm very sick and lying on the couch (in my checkered pajamas that are probably identical to ones your granddad owns) with a westie and a marmalade cat on my lap cuddled up together. I am taking this as an opportunity to pound tea with honey and lemon and knit a cable-knit scarf for David and hats with ear-flaps for my wee cousins. I should probably think about Christmas shopping and start folding paper cranes for hanging around the house and figure out where I am going to put my tiny little Christmas tree. Collect Christmas lists etc. But instead I'm going to stay here with my sore throat and sweet dog and a Design Inc holiday marathon. I would also like these gorgeous Rifle Paper Co. Christmas Cards. Yay. Christmas time.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Nothing Really Matters But Moi

I'd be lying if I said that this wasn't the best part of my day so far.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Pine


I am either a bit batty or a sucker for stained glass but either way I have a sneaking suspicion that I love this.

Today I Feel Like...


My mother and I are kind of obsessed lately with HBO's Grey Gardens. I'm also really kind of into Little Edie in general. Add that little fact to the recent find of a banging mink coat in my grandmother's closet that I am willing to punch my sister in the face for and Halloween 2010 is on.

To be honest, as I'm exhausted and desperately needing a vacation, I'm feeling a mink coat and crazy scarf to hide my uncooperative hair would be clutch today. It's a Little Edie kind of day in these parts.

Image link

Monday, November 23, 2009

Food, La Famillia and Cold Ears


This weekend has been exciting. Dinner party with The Oldest-and-the-Best and her fiance and his brother and the brother's girlfriend and David and some random hangers on. There was pear tart. I love pear tart. Then David's nephew's christening and little white outfits and pretty dresses on godmother and aunts and (I would like to think) on the uncle's girlfriend and brunch with shrimp cocktail and brisket and goat cheese and pumpernickle and mini-cheesecakes. My love of cheesecake is well documented. Then a mad rush to a dinner party at friends of my parents where David met my youngest sister (the fourth daughter and therefore Cuatro) and my brother and they like him and he likes them and there was more food and butternut squash curry soup and meat balls and shrimp dip and some amazing pork roast and pie and bread pudding and coffee and lots of chatting and funsters. Then today there was a restaurant supply store with Dad and Cuatro and the brother and two hours of grocery shopping and a liquor store run. And this evening a very greasy dinner of french fries and fried shenanigans and ice cream and some arcade games with David and the siblings (we are scheduling in getting to know you times; get to know my boyfriend please, like him, thanks). Tomorrow a rather mellow day until David and I drive to Baltimore to pick up Dos and Tres at the airport and have dinner with them before returning to the summer house where the whole family (Mummie, Daddy, Uno, Dos, Tres, brother, Cuatro, Susie, the Cat, Mum's new pitbull, her old alsasian and a very old cat plus two cousins, an aunt, an uncle and a corgi) will be spending Thanksgiving. David will be called upon to get to know more famililial shenanigans later in the week.


In the mean time, my ears are cold. My very stylish and alcoholic friend Alexandra had these last year at New Years and I pine for some big pouffy crazy ones. I would rather if they weren't make from a real fox and I would rather they were under a hundred bucks. I'm disapearing for the rest of the week. There are turkeys (seriously, PLURAL) and lots of sisters and dogs and biscotti and cuddles. I'm outtie. With love.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Golden Girl


Mary has gold shoes, is in love.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Buy This



The Da Vincis' EP See You Tonight is on iTunes. I named See You Tonight because I am the pretty boy front man's pretty big sister. That pretty boy with the blond hair and the cuteness? Yeah, he's my bro. Download Fifties Film. It rocks. Download the album and listen to it a lot. It's catchy. I named it. I get thanked in the liner notes. WORD.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Make This


I put down knitting for awhile but then frustrations at work arose and life challenges made themselves apparent and I started again. I have been working on this scarf on and off for approximately the last seven months, putting it down when I got bored and picking it up again when other projects had mistakes that I couldn't quite bring myself to rip out and correct.

I blocked it on Sunday as I was battling a massive headache from vodka the night before. I think it is quite lovely despite the circumstances of its completion. In fact, I've been wearing it all night simply because it is too pretty to take off.

You should make it too. I wish I was clever enough to have designed it myself. That being said the pattern was created by the very talented Whitney over at the purlbee.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Sweaters, Susie


Joblessness can be useful. So Susie is getting a sweater. Not the crazy awesome pink one, but a nice sensible one for keeping her tiny self warm now that it's cold. In green. Knitting has commenced.

Sweets


I am still jobless. Yet another interview turned into yet another rejection. I am still spending my days at home alone with the dog. So. Wearing David's stripey sweater around the house and making sweet potato fries for lunch. With honey peanut sauce. I wish I knew how to make sweet potato fries. The ones above aren't mine. I wish. Le sigh.

Monday, November 9, 2009

All I Want for Christmas


Tresor By Lancome, $48.00 - maybe just because I'll buy anything Kate Winslet sells me. But it smells so niiiiice.

Ugg Boots - These feets is cold

Pearl earrings, I ask every couple of years, I get new ones every couple of years and then I always loose one.

Cardigan, Old Navy $29.50. I need to get over cardigans. In a big way.

Belt, Old Navy $14.50 - actually I kind of want this for David's nephew's baptism and maybe The Oldest and Best's bachelorette party so maybs before Christmas

It's cold. I think I need a crazy fur hat to keep my very chilly head warm.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg MD & Zoe Francois - because YUM

Cloth Napkins, Ten Thousand Villiages $6 each, David and I are now a no paper napkin house hold and these would really be an improvement on the red Christmas-y ones we use.

Shiny bracelets, this one is from TTV but in general I just want bracelets, they are the future. Understand.

Tres is an amazing artist and I think she should do a portrait of Susie (hint hint hint hint, E)

Thursday, November 5, 2009

I may or may not have a problem



I might have carbon monoxide poisoning, just a little. Which might be why I think that Susie really really needs the sweater above and that I really really really need this awesome book. I also may need a job.



Monday, November 2, 2009

These are a few of my favourite things


I really love NPR. And I super duper love cakes. And All Things Considered is a big effing deal in my mind. So All Cakes Considered is kind of like God's gift to Hannah. Go forth and BAKE, he said to me.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cookies


Like Sylvia Plath, I cook when I'm anxious. I hope I come to a better end. Living alone has gotten bothersome. I bake inappropriately. Bread, scones, and cookies in the last twenty four hours. I keep bringing plates full of cookies to David's sister and foisting them upon David. Today chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Without the melting chocolate hard part. I sort of made them up, as much as you can make up a chocolate chip cookie recipe. They go like this:

1 stick of butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Mix these things together. Make tea. Get distracted. Call your father.

1 cup and a tablespoon of flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cocoa powder

Sift these things into the other things. Mix. Eat a lot of dough. Feel a tad ill. Drink more tea.

Add about 1/2 c. of milk chocolate chips. Mix more.

Bake at 350 for about ten minutes. Maybe less. Check. Eat. With tea. Do not put head in oven and die with your cheek resting on a dish towel. That is a bad bad end.

Do you think baking would be more fun with an Aga? I suspect it would. And the westie could sleep on a little pillow next to it.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

and for desert


David's sister made these yesterday. I ate an inappropriate amount of them. If you make me some I'll hug you. For reals.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Bread


They're not lying. That kneadless bread. Mark Bittman is kind of the man. Make it. Eat it. Weep with joy. Awesome bread. No time. No money. Love.

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Buy This


For wearing. Or staring. Or cradling in the hand and petting.

Anthro.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Sparkly Things


I have discovered Overstock.com's jewelry shenanigans. I want a lot of shiny ridiculous jewelry. I don't really wear jewelry that often; going out earrings, the occasional inappropriately large ring. But I really like shiny crazy objet. To look at. Hang on the wall.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

This Week...


David and I went to Massachusetts for my college homecoming; we hit a three hour detour on 84 in Connecticut; I got food poisoning and cried and threw up; our car broke down on the way back down from CT and we had to spend 24 hours in Vernon waiting for it to be fixed; my westie was attacked by much much bigger dog that bit her in the neck at the kennel while I was stuck in CT; I got home, felt very lonely and cried some more.

Also this week: I got to eat three meals here with David, it's our new favourite place in the country. For serious. I made Giada De Laurentis' Pancetta Balsamic Vinaigrette with pasta, and it tasted like magic. Susie wasn't seriously injured and we spend more of yesterday together snuggling, good excuse; someone referred to me as David's wife, which was nice; we got to spend an extra 24 hours together talking, which was nice. And I discovered Kate Szabone who is now my favourite jewelry designer and makes these insanely awesome bangles. And possibly all her rings. Just saying