I've been tagged...

I've become totally and completely hooked on Melissa's blog. I stumbled upon it a few months ago and now read everyday like it's my job. I enjoy her writing style, I find her very funny and incredibly sarcastic and snarky (that's a good thing in this case) ... all in all ... my kind of girl.

I find that when I read her stories I can relate...a lot of the time. From her family 'stuff', her parenting style, her childhood, etc, etc. It's nice when you click with someone that you've never even met before!! But, anyway, the first and foremost thing that we have in common is that we are Mothers. If you're a Mom you should DEFINITELY read her site...and even if you're not...she provides a lot of great tips from product, green living, and just all around good stuff!

Melissa is an incredibly amazing Mother...and she, like the rest of us as it seems in our generation struggle to be the absolute best best best...and even beyond that, whatever that is...and when the day's activities don't reach our ridiculously high standards...we beat ourselves up about it.

sigh...our kids are all great - well fed, clean, warm, healthy, happy, clothed and provided for...yet we lie awake at night, partly because we are Moms...and well...that's just what happens but the other part of it is just pure anxiety about...well, everything. let's hope that by putting 'it' out there that we can release some of our Mommy anxiety and start really enjoying it all.

So..after that long schpiel...Melissa has tagged me to reveal 7 things about myself and then I in turn tag 7 other women...I don't think I know 7 other blogging women personally but I'll give it a go...

1. I love lounge wear. Tanks, yoga capris, velvet track suits (i only wear the bottoms...i don't do 'matchy matchy', terry cloth shorts, tiny tees from Old Navy.

2. I've traded my subscriptions to Vogue, W, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, and Allure for Parents and Real Simple and by my Grandmother's hand I get Better Homes and Gardens, Rachel Ray and AD.

3. I used to shop at Bloomingdale's once a week on Wednesdays before or after therapy...depending on the time. Now - I'm addicted to Target and sometimes - sadly - The Job Lot. (don't you judge me!)

4. I got so drunk last Saturday night (by accident!!!) that on Sunday I charged my darling husband with the task of getting me 4 McDonald's cheeseburgers. Gross...I know...but it's really the only thing that cures a hangover...for me at least.

5. I spent 7 years in therapy for a VARIETY of things and it positively saved my life. I still miss my therapist.

6. I struggle every day to be more patient with my children. I am an instant gratification girl by nature. And I hate to admit it. (even more than I hate admitting that I ate 4 McD cheeseburgers) But I am. I want what I want when I want it. And with a 3 year old and a 20 month old...nothing happens when I want it. So I'm snippy...a lot of the time. I don't have time for cooey pleases and thank yous. I say please and thank you but it's often not in a very pleasant tone. I bark and shout sometimes. It's not one of my more fabulous mothering qualities but I work on it daily. My love for my children knows no bounds...so I try harder and harder every day.

7. I miss free time.

Ok I am now tagging the following 3 people (I really only know 3 other people who blog) - and if you don't want to do it, that's totally fine. I just love these things! Thanks Melissa!

Nita
Joanne
Kristyn

Thanksgiving Treats...

So in lieu of pies this year I decided to make Ina Garten's (Barefoot Contessa) recipe for chocolate dipped pecan pie squares. They are TO DIE FOR! So, so, so bad for you but SO yummy! I have never made pecan pie before and didn't realize how labor intensive it is. It's not hard...just many steps.

Anyway - they are just simply heaven!

Here's the recipe!


Crust:
1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 pound unsalted butter
1 cup good honey
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

First Snow

Yesterday we had our first snow of the season here in the Northeast. I picked my daughter up from school and walked out into the snowflakes with my delicious son yelling "SNOW! SNOW!" We came home and she just wanted to jump around on the deck in the snow. It was only a flurry but it was still the first snow of the season.

Announcement/Holiday Card

My darling friend Laurie has asked me to make her baby announcements/holiday cards. She's do in a matter of days with a darling baby boy. Her style is clean, classic and elegant. Nothing fruufy and nothing flashy. She wanted a notecard style with the ability to include a photo of the cherub when he arrives. Here is my sample and I'm thrilled that she loved it and did not want to change a thing!!

Basic Instructions:

CS: Real Red, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Whisper and Shimmery White
Stamps: Holiday Blitz, So Many Sayings (hostess set)
Ink: Real Red, Versamark
Embellishments: 1/8" Real Red grosgrain ribbon, word punch

I did the baby info on my printer using MS Word.

I hope that everyone is having a creative day!!

Slide

I've photographed all the details in the albums and uploaded them all to www.slide.com. It's a fun site. It allows you to have all of your photos in one place running on a continuous loop. Once you're done, you click 'save' and it provides you with html script that you can then plug into Blogger, Facebook, My Space, or whatever communication website that you use and it loop through your photos.

So if you're interested in viewing the albums that I've created just scroll down to the very bottom of my blog and watch the slide show!

We're off to Baltimore for the weekend and I can't WAIT to give Grandmother her books! I'm *tempted* to say 'Grandmother...THIS is your life!' ... but that's just a *little* too cheezy ;)

Have a creative weekend everyone!!

IM DONE!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? I know I can't!!

I started this book on Monday, October 22nd and finished on Wednesday, November 7th. 65, 12x12 pages. I will be spending the weekend photographing each one so I'll upload them soon!

YAY!

Noir Blanc

Daisy and Joy at EP are fabulous. For those of you who have never shopped there...I HIGHLY recommend it. They have a wonderful and unique selection of products and they ALWAYS have something just *right* for whatever project that I am working on. I was astounded when I went to their site a couple of weeks ago to search for designer papers in black and white. I NEVER imagined that I'd find this amazing line - Noir Blanc.

The papers are all wonderful quality and the designs are so fabulous. And they're all named after Hollywood actors and actresses from a more glamorous time: Jean Harlow, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Joan Crawford, Marlena Dietrich, Rita Hayworth and James Stewart. There are a few others but those are the ones that I picked. And they have really made my album pop! I am trying to really showcase the photos and have the papers and embellishments be the compliments to the wonderful pictures.

I have approximately 15 pages left to complete!!! YAY! I hope to have the pages done this week leaving me the weekend and next week to add any last minute touches and journaling.

Is it REALLY November???

WOW....how did that happen? It's November already??? Sheesh...

Anyway - no pictures to post right now but I'll be back in full force tonight. My In-laws were visiting from PA this weekend so I didn't have much time to dedicate to The Book. But I did show them the work so far - it's my Father-In-Law's Mother whom I am creating these books for (yes - I said THESE books because I've moved onto Volume II. It was too much to ask of Book #1 to squeeze 95 years of this wonderful woman's life into it!

Anyway - Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments! I'll post more tonight!!

I hope that everyone is having a creative day!!

=)