Holiday Cards for Sweet Messages

I'm trying to finish writing out my Christmas cards this weekend, but can't help falling in love with these cards I found on Etsy.  I'd love to get one of these in the mail.

Also, I feel like I'm thisclose to finishing my holiday shopping but I've kind of hit a wall.  Sometimes, I just run out of ideas.  We don't have a tree up but tonight, we'll hang stockings and add some cheer to this apartment.  I can't remember a year when I've had so many festivities happening weeks before Christmas.  It's hard to believe December 25th is only 2 weeks from today!



Top image from Erindollar via Etsy; bottom image from finestimagery via Etsy.

Unexpected Marathon Shopping

Last weekend, we were on our way to breakfast when I asked Anthony to stop at Marshall's.  I wanted to see if the store had something specific for Christmas and since I almost never spend more than 10 minutes in the store, I didn't think it would be a big deal.  Anthony kindly obliged, and we then proceeded to fill a shopping cart with some really great gifts for the next hour and a half.  I was fully aware while we were there that this was probably the last time Anthony would ever step into Marshall's again, but he tried to make the best out of the trip. 

His reward was breakfast at IHOP, and it was well-deserved (my scrambled eggs and pancakes could not have been greasier or more delicious--it's a good thing we only go there once a year).  And for the record, I kind of wish we bought that giant ornament.  If only we had a giant tree to hang it on. 

Gift Guide Adoration

The end of the year means it's time to start buying Christmas presents.  It also means that some of my favorite sites and blogs (like Design*Sponge and Cup of Jo, etc., etc.) start posting gift guides.  These bloggers and writers always have the best taste and find the most creative things to feature.  More often than not though, the things on these lists are items that I love and want to buy for myself, but that I don't think I can give to anyone on my list (like I can't think of any friend or family member who would want this awesome wood wall art but I'd love it for our apartment!)

Below is my own amateur attempt at a round-up of great stocking stuffers I've seen online the last couple of weeks.  What's been your favorite purchase so far? Mine is a cookbook for one of my bosses called All Cakes Considered by NPR's Melissa Gray, which I found at Chronicle Books. 

Little crocheted monsters via Etsy

Adorable dog balloon animal ornament via Urban Outfitters

Felt zipper pouch with bunting via Etsy

Mixed tape stamp kit via Yellow Owl Workshop

Star stud earrings via Etsy

The Brave Little Christmas Cactus

I do not have a green thumb.  In fact, I think that both of my thumbs are probably red, signaling to unsuspecting plants that I will most likely cause them harm.  Plants enter our apartment healthy but don't stay that way for long.  It's sad, and even though I've placed a fair amount of blame on our old apartment's mold problem, I just don't think that I'm a nurturer of potted plants.

But...last year, a sweet co-worker gave me a Christmas cactus for the holidays.  I loved this little plant but knew its days were numbered.  It looked great until February, then it started to wrinkle and shrivel.  No amount of water or sun could save it.  When we moved to our new place in May, I took the plant with us.  What harm could the move do since it was already pretty dead?

Here is a look of this brave little Christmas cactus today, almost a year after I received it:

I don't know what happened, but it somehow beat the odds.  I feel like a proud mama every time I look at its beautiful bright pink flowers.   Let this be a lesson to us all to never underestimate a little bit of perseverance, although part of me hopes that I don't get another plant for a long time.  My success with this specific cactus might very well be a gardening fluke, aka a gardening miracle.

My Favorite Holiday Treat, Artificial Coloring and All

It's no secret that I lovelovelove cheese.  A visit to a place like Murray's Cheese is really the perfect fieldtrip for me, but my love isn't relegated to fancy cheeses.  For as long as I can remember, my grandmother buys a cheeseball and puts it out with crackers before dinner on Christmas Eve.  You know the kind of cheeseball I mean; it's a solid sphere of brightly-colored, almond-covered spreadable cheese that has to be unhealthy when consumed in large quantities.  It's a once-a-year treat and I look forward to it for months before the holiday.

This awesome post on Chow has me majorly craving the taste of a cheeseball (they are dubbing their creation the 'turducken of cheese').  The tutorial on how to make a gourmet version has really piqued my interest.  There are several types of cheese layered on top of one another and the finished product is rolled in almonds, pecans and bacon.  Nom nom nom for real. 

Even if the Chow creation promises to melt in my mouth, I still can't wait for the traditional port wine cheeseball, courtesy of my awesome grandma.  Only 25 more days to go...



Photo via Chow (via Culture)

The Holiday Season Rolls On...

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving, and Anthony and I hosted dinner at our apartment. Despite the cramped quarters and the shortage of plates and utensils (we had nine people over, but it seems like everything we own comes in a set of eight), there were few glitches.  And now, Christmas is barreling towards us.  I normally love the holiday season but this year, things seem rushed and muddled.  I wish sometimes that there was a way to slow life down a bit so that the great moments are easier to enjoy (wow, what a cliche that was, almost worse than a catchphrase in a movie trailer--ha!).

There's so much to look forward to in the coming months but I still find it hard to ignore the not-so-good stuff.  I'm hoping that some Christmas carols and marshmallowy hot cocoa will help alleviate some of my worries.  Tonight, I will finish working on this Christmas ornament project.  Perhaps I will start writing out Christmas cards.  Above all, I will try to be merry and slow down enough to appreciate the joyous season.

Thursday's centerpiece and handmade placecards

A little Saturday morning announcement...

Wouldn't this be a beautiful bouquet for a bride?

I've been thinking about things like flowers and cakes and dresses a lot during the past few weeks because...Anthony and I are engaged!  The proposal was absolutely perfect and couldn't have been sweeter (and it was a complete surprise, which was exactly what I wanted!).  Now after being together for almost eight years, we get to plan a wedding, which is daunting and extremely exciting all at once.  We're so happy and really looking forward to this next chapter in our lives.

So what do you think about peonies? We're looking to get married in March or April and I'm not even sure what flowers are in season in early spring.  These are things that I would have never thought about just a mere three weeks ago, but I'm loving every second.



Photo via Robyn Michelle Lee Photography