Nothing Says Love Like Parsnips!

How cute and handy is this calendar that lists the month as well as what fruits and veggies are in season. Let me answer my own question...REALLY CUTE! Yeah so I am a tad bit excited to not only run across this but then to realize that you can download the first 6 months for free at Cottage Industrialist (the next 6 months are coming soon). So go now, print and be merry and more importantly, never miss the spring cherry harvest again.

I Leave You With This!

Been baking. Coaching basketball...baking...coaching...wrapping presents for Jack and LJ...re-wrapping said presents that Jack opened...coaching...baking...baking...baking...NEED HELP! Thank goodness I stumbled across this helpful blog post from The Kitchn that makes my mornings a wee bit more adventurous! Yum.

• Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Eggnog Latte
• Peppermint Mocha
• Gingerbread Latte

Happy Holidays everyone!

Check It!

You guys have to head on over to Classic Bride for a super duper surprise! (No...it is not more pictures of pimping wallpaper.)

Spice, Spice Baby

Ever since we moved into our house, I have been extremely unhappy with my spice storage situation. There were some spice shelves left over from the last owner but not all my jars fit in the little spaces. Plus, if I didn't cram things in just right, the door would not shut. Blah. As you can see from the pic below, there was mass chaos in the cabinet...
...and on the wall across the way. I have a lot of spices.
So what to do, what to do. After spotting this spice shelf at the Traveler's Lunchbox, I felt inspired to get all my spices in order. I settled on an old wooden cola crate that I picked up at the Sumpter Flea Market for $6. Next I found 4 oz. metal tins at Bella's Market in Baker. For those of you that don't have a Bella's Market nearby, I also found these little guys that would work too. Labeled and put into place, the spices look pretty sweet hanging on the wall. They are also really easy to scoop a measuring spoon into. Big plus.


I still have more spices to label when I get a chance. If I need to get another box, I think it would be cool hanging somewhere near this one. What do you guys think?

Oh My God.

The attention to detail is...scary? I just ran across this new blog called "What Not to Craft" and I have to say it is pretty funny.

If I start now, maybe I can finish a screaming, horrified looking angel with twiggy arms for everyone by Christmas! Really, who couldn't use that looking at you everyday?

Shopping Vicariously Through My Blog: Gig Art

I love, love, love gig art. It is pretty, bright and always a little out there. Here are some of my favorites...

The animals looking a the UFO are very amusing to me...$9.99

Magnolia Electric Co. at Cricket Press, $20

Poor Of Montreal...if only they hadn't sold their number #1 hit to Outback Steakhouse...$25


StrawBerryLuna had this Decemberists poster for sale. It’s a limited edition of 140 and is now sold out. Whaaa!

Cool, cool Kings of Leon poster at The Decoder Ring, $25

Maggie's Choice cover, priceless...

Is There Light at the End of This Tunnel?

I really hope so! After losing many of my favorite shelter/DIY/inspirational magazines, there is hope on the horizon! A new magazine is coming to town and I am so excited. Fresh Home is boasting that it's content will "focus on thrifty, do-it-yourself projects that will appeal to young homeowners even in an uncertain economy." Holy cow said the chicken! So I am crossing my fingers and hoping that is one part Blueprintand one part Domino with just a hint of the nest. PLEASE!

On that same note, I also found a fun new blog while looking for the Fresh Magazine site. Check out Fresh Home the blog (no relation to the mag) and see all the pretty eye candy and home decor advice.

Etsy Eight: Shopping Vicariously Through My Blog

Here is what I would buy today...if I had the money and absolutely no conscience or self-control.

Though suede would be prettier, I wouldn't be able to wash it when the Tupperware dish full of applesauce leaks onto the interior. Taupe McCloud Handbag, $49

Pretty. Pod Vase, $80

Brilliant idea! Reusable Sandwich Bags, $8

Because I feel like a hypocrite putting plastic-bagged veggies into my cloth totes at the supermarket. Reusable produce bags, $10.50

Robosaurus, $22

And if Jack were a little girl, this ladybug tee. Inkpony LB tee, $17

What we feel most has no name (deep thought for the day), $35

I love plates. This are so cute and would make a great Valentine's Day setting. She also has a white series that is really nice! Pomegranate Milano cupcake dessert plates, $75

I Am A Sucker For Flowers

I know, I know. The big 6'5" girl likes super girlie things and although I have managed to put everything Sanrio behind me, flower prints still get me every time. On a recent Ikea shopping trip, I spotted this lamp and was immediately awestruck by the flower print cascading down the side. Ahhh pretty.

I fought the temptation and ending up putting this little guy back. Just a little too modern for the look I am going for in our house.

Thank god I came to my senses because I found something even better! Design*Sponge just put up a post on British designer Hannah Nunn and her these beautiful cut-paper lamps. Take a gander at these bad boys...


So pretty and delicate looking! The perfect mix...these are definitely going on my birthday wish list.

Please Act Today!

I just checked Angry Chicken's blog and realized that today is the last day to get in your comments to the CPSC regarding the new mandatory testing for all items made for kids under 12 that is going into effect in 35 days. Here is a bit from the CPSIA's website explaining what this testing would entail:

"The issue:
In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China and other developing countries violated the public's trust. They were selling toys with dangerously high lead content, toys with unsafe small part, toys with improperly secured and easily swallowed small magnets, and toys made from chemicals that made kids sick. Almost every problem toy in 2007 was made in China.

The United States Congress rightly recognized that the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US. So, they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August, 2008. Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date and batch number.

All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and update their molds to include batch labels.

For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers and manufacturers of children's products, however, the costs of mandatory testing will likely drive them out of business.

• A toymaker, for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
• A work at home mom in Minnesota who makes cloth diapers to sell online must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.
• A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.
• And even the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007.

The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of children's goods that have earned and kept the public's trust: Toys, clothes, and accessories made in the US, Canada, and Europe. The result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade children's products will no longer be legal in the US.

If this law had been applied to the food industry, every farmers market in the country would be forced to close while Kraft and Dole prospered."

How can you help?
Visit this site to get all the information you need to make a difference. Also, visit Angry Chicken's site for a more informative, eloquent, don't have basketball practice in 30 minutes explanation!

Friends Don't Let Santa Barf on Their Friends Lawn...

Oh it's that time of year again! The snow is falling outside, Christmas is right around the corner, holiday spirit is everywhere and ...wait...what the...STOP! TOO MUCH HOLIDAY SPIRIT! TOO MUCH SPIRIT!


Ok, so in all fairness this house is not across from us. The house across from us has this scheme going:They totally inspired this blog entry. However, we live in a very small town and I do not want to offend anyone by listing their house in the "Santa Barfed Here" category so that is really not their house. Close but not quite. If you feel my pain, you can check out Ugly Christmas Lights for more laughs...you know, to help get you in the Holiday Spirit.


(I dedicate this last pic to my older brother. You have to ask him for the whole Incredible Hulk story.)

Taking the Week Off..

My husband just informed me that no one checks blogs during Thanksgiving. Instead, I will leave you with this cute table/napkin sets from the purl bee that I will one day sew together...when I get the time...hopefully before next Thanksgiving...and after I teach myself how to sew. So much to do. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Sweet Kitchen!

Oh! If only Jack had been a girl! This adorable kitchen play set from Our Sweet Life sure beats the pants off the plastic "made in China" sets at the stores. A little Goodwill trolling and you would be all set! Check out their blog for more inspiration and the total cost of the project.






Maybe I could still make this for Jack...who knows? He might be the next Gordon Ramsey?!?!

Separated at Birth?

While checking out one of my favorite blogs, How About Orange, I noticed a striking similarity between one of the featured artist's items and our little wiener dog/yorkie mix. Coincidence? Or has our little Inchie got a modeling career off to the side...

New Favorite Blog: "It's Lovely! I'll take it!"

For those of you that have been following our blog, you have probably seen me mention CakeWrecks as the funniest blog ever. Well, I might have found one just as funny called "It's Lovely! I'll Take It!". It is a blog devoted solely to "a collection of poorly chosen photos from real estate listings". (Cory N., you will flip when you see these pictures!)

Here are a few that had me laughing out loud:



This poor dog will never be the same again...



Wow...




*naked man pondering his existence in the world not included