Friday, February 12, 2010

APPlesauce Guest Blog!

My fun friend Marné asked me to do a guest blog for her iPhone App review blog APPlesauce (how cute is that name?). I was nervous and of course as soon as I sat down to write THE POST, all words just flew out of my brain. But I managed to write something up that is actually pretty coherent, so I'm impressed. Ha!



I got to try out this application called Stylebook. You use it to create looks with clothes from your own wardrobe, or -- my favorite -- to create dream outfits from clothing photos you get off the web. I love it so much. There are photos of some of my fantasy looks included in the review post. Go drool over them.

While you're there, check out the whole blog -- it's really cool! Reviews on all kinds of different iPhone apps and also photos that Marné shoots and edits with her iPhone. <3 iPhone <3

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Help

I have another book recommendation for y'all. My mom brought this book down for me to read way back in October. With the holidays and whatnot, I didn't get around to reading it until just a couple weeks ago. And I looooved it.



The Help is set in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi and is about the relationship between white women and their black maids. The story is so engaging and compelling. There are funny parts but, like most great books, it's pretty heartbreaking.

I hope the author writes more novels (I want a sequel to The Help -- I love the characters and want to find out what happened to them all); I really enjoyed her writing. The Help is her first and only book so far. Everyone should most definitely read it!

Monday, February 8, 2010

I Am The Walrus


I made this stuffed Walrus in 7th grade in home-ec. But never actually completed him (I wonder what kind of grade I got?). He was missing his moustache and the stuffing hole wasn't sewn closed. He's been sitting around in various storage boxes in various storage facilities for these 15 years.

Until today. It took approximately 6 minutes to cut out a new moustache, applique it on, and sew the hole closed. A procrastination world record maybe?

William loves him. The Walrus sits on his bed, in all his mustachioed stateliness.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Hurray For...





Sheena! You're the big winner! A little package will be sent on its way to you on Monday. Thanks for playing, everyone! I will have another give-away by the end of the month. Can't wait!



Freaking Amazing Sky


I was on my way to my class a couple weeks ago. I turned the corner and had to immediately pull over.


The sky was so beautiful and crazy. I couldn't stop looking at it. I called John and made him pack up Will and the camera to take photos to document it.


It was truly one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. And all these other people were just driving and walking around like nothing out of the ordinary was going on. They missed out. It was lovely.

I'll announce the winner of the scarf later today!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Lemon Yum


We had some friends over for dinner a few weeks ago. They brought us some Meyer lemons from their trees and some honey from their bees! It's my favorite EVER to get homemade/homegrown/handmade anything! It's really the greatest. Almost as great as having friends over for dinner.

I used both the honey and the lemon in tea. And then I ate more bread than I should have as a vehicle for the honey. And then I found this recipe for Meyer Lemon Curd and immediately whipped some up. And HOLY CRAP. That stuff should be illegal. I also baked some biscuits (my first, sad attempt at biscuits) to eat the lemon curd upon. Luckily, I gave most of the biscuits and lemon curd away to friends, but still ended up eating way too much of it myself. The curd was especially amazing on top of vanilla ice cream. And just by itself by the spoonful. I do love me anything lemon flavored.

So anyway, if you are here in So Cal where Meyer lemons are just dropping off trees all over the place, make some of this ASAP. And if you are some place else, find some Meyer lemons that have no doubt travelled 1 thousand + miles, and make some ASAP.

Curd is one of the sickest words ever. Good thing the deliciousness of the product makes up for it.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

A Year In the Making -- Worth It!

Remember this quilt? Remember how I bought it after Christmas 2008? And then started and finished the top in January 2009? And then thought I was going to hand-quilt it before coming to my senses? Well, finally, a year later, it is done!



I sent the top back to UT with my Mom in October to be quilted. Brought it home with me after Christmas. Discovered that I had lost the binding fabric that had been kicking around for 11 months. Found the last bit of fabric from this collection at the quilting store. Spent a day on the couch watching Pride & Prejudice and drinking tea while binding. Ta-da!



It is so wonderful to finally have it completely finished and to be able to use it and pet it everyday. It's on my couch and the colors are so cute in my living room, I think. It's just perfection. I'll have to get another photo of it on the couch so you can get the full effect of rad. It's one of my very favorite things I own.

I just noticed that I have some sort of quilt draped over the back of ever chair/seat in my living room. Kind of weird?

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Matroyshka Mantle


After taking down the Christmas decorations I re-did the mantle decor. I'm so happy that I get to look at my little Matroyshaka collection everyday now, rather than it being hidden in my desk. And it makes me want more! I'm a little bit ridiculously obsessed.

1. Bought from a Russian in Tromso, Norway 2. John brought back to me from Siberian Russia 3. Ornament from Urban Outfitters 3. No idea where this came from 4.-6. Anthro measuring cups

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Two Random Things

Finally organized all of my jewelry and accessories, after years of having everything kicking around in 5 different boxes and drawers. Now I can actually see and find what I have! Love it! And I am more than a little obsessed with that Paper Source paper back there.


What do you do when your 8x8 glass pan goes missing? I feel pretty incredibly brilliant for thinking this up. It worked so perfectly that I don't think I even need to buy a new 8x8 any time soon. How does one of those just disappear anyway?

Monday, February 1, 2010

Happy February -- Get Free Stuff!


This is a somewhat silly photo taken before Christmas on our front porch wearing a twisted-drop-stitch scarf. This particular scarf was a little something that I sort of just did without really thinking it out. And it ended up super-wide. It can double as a hood, a shawl and probably a picnic blanket.

The yarn is natural wool that I purchased mass quantities of in Argentina in 2006, hauled home, wound into balls and then looked at for 2.5 years trying to decide what to do with it.

That's where you come in. I have so much of this yarn, and this stitch is so easy-fast, I have made a second scarf (normal scarf-sized, not blanket-sized) and want to give it to someone!

Please leave me a comment and I'll have Willaby draw a name on Saturday Feb 6!