While browsing the interwebs..

Various:
- Brian Jacques, author of the Redwall series, passed away this weekend :( I love his vivid writing, and reading about what a kind man he was, I'm even sadder to hear this news.
- Here's an interesting "what if..." about what our lives could look like if there was a social metric
- A fascinating look at one man's discovery of a way to crack some lottery games

Crafty:

One of my friends posted a tutorial on how to make felt coffee cup sleeves which are adorable, practical, eco-friendly, and easy to make, too! Definitely on my to-make list!

Marriage-related:

Loved this perspective on still loving your husband even when not feeling fabulous (like... while pregnant!) - [In Morning Sickness and in Health: How to bless your husband when you feel like throwing up on his shoes]

Men crave happy women. They want to feel like all is right with the world, like they’ve worked hard, and see? It’s all paid off. Someone is delighted with them. They made their woman happy. A lot of men out in the world are seeking those smiles in evil, destructive places, but shouldn’t we be giving our husbands the wholesome, genuine version at home?

These other links... I'm not even sure how to preface them. They are beautiful. They give a picture of marriage in all of its vulnerability and closeness and wonderfulness.

- How Can I Be a Better Wife?

“How could you be a better wife?” I take a deep breath, ready to cup his heart exposed.

“When I tell you that you’re beautiful, hear me.”

I look away. Hide behind some fig leaves.

His voice finds me.

“When I tell you the things I love about you, accept what I’m saying. Don’t shrug it off.”

I want to shrug it off.

This is how I can be a better wife?

He knows me. He’s right.
Accepting the caress of grace can terrify. Why is it hard just to let love?

- How to Really Fall in Love Again

Fall in Love in Four Minutes A Day

It only takes four minutes a day to move into a deeper heart place. It only takes four minutes a day to connect in soul intimacy; to breathe in oxygen for the other half of my heart. Don’t and I too begin to suffocate, the death heave. I wish someone had told me in the beginning.

Four times a day think on love. When I leave the marriage bed, leave the front door, when I return to front door, return to marriage bed. These are the four critical archways of time in our day. Touch or whisper a sweet nothing when passing through these gate points, and we walk into hours of closeness. Forever love fixates like fresh love...

Love is more than words. Love is the life-weaving, a braid of a three fold cord, Love Himself in the center.

- Making of the Marriage Bed

Why is it easier to earn love than simply accept it?

And why would a woman rather scrub the grime of the tile grout in the bathroom for her husband, make him plates of heaping mashed potatoes, light the candles, scour the pots, wash his underwear, rather than say yes to his wooing? Is it pride or is it shame (and maybe they are the same only by different names) or is it a symptom of a deep wound bleeding unseen or just blatant apathy and why rebuff the advances of the man who gave the ring and his promise and all of his bare male heart?

Be sure to read to the very end- to the part about the box on their dresser collecting dollars + the Ann Landers letter that inspired it :)

Good marriages- beautiful marriages- don't just happen, but they're worth every bit of work that goes into making them so.

My go-to appetizer discovery of 2010

Around Christmas, everyone was posting their favorite holiday recipes and I printed off a few that I wanted to try. For Christmas, I made a bunch of food, tried some new recipes, and discovered some things that are going to become standards in my recipe books. This post is about one of my new favorites.

We're signed up to bring treats to something tomorrow night and instead of going with something sweet, I put together this savory appetizer.

Cheese and crackers has nothing on this.

First, mix together:
* 1 envelope of Good Seasons Italian Dressing
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
* 1/4 cup white vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
* 2 TB water
* 2 TB minced green onions
* 1 1/2 tsp sugar (I use xylitol)
Set it aside.

Next, slice cheese into small squares:
* 12 oz package Monterrey Jack
* 12 oz package Sharp Cheddar

Also needed:
* 8 oz package cream cheese (I use neuftachel) - not softened
* 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained

To assemble, spread cream cheese on one kind of cheese slices, then top with the other kind of cheese (think sandwiches..) and arrange them in the serving dish. Continue until cheese is all sandwiched (not all cream cheese will necessarily be used up).

Spread pimentos across the cheese, then pour the oil/vinegar mixture over everything.

Allow to marinade overnight, then serve with crackers. Keep a fork nearby to assist in serving :)

Be sure to share!

[Source: Beauty & Bedlam]

Crafts and cursive

So... apparently it's been a while since I posted?
I really didn't realize that it had been over a month. Life has resumed the "normal" of a college student. A new semester has begun, the rhythm of classes and prof expectations is sort of there, and we're trying to settle into this current phase.

I've had several cooking fails lately (burned bbq beef, bony chicken/rice, over+undercooked pizza) and my will to cook is SO diminished! Hoping to help, I organized my recipes/binders yesterday so it's easier to find recipes I'm looking for. Minimal inspiration, alas. However, I'm cooking from the pantry, so soup and tuna are on the menu for today.

Along with the wicked snowstorm/blizzard Event going on, I've been sick and apparently shared the virus with my husband, so we're definitely laying low! Homework is on the agenda, but after a few days spent sick and foggy-headed, it is even tougher than I'd expected to get back into homeworking!

As I've been getting into gear with homework, I perused some blogs and found some super fun projects:
- Make-it-yourself chocolate box
- Cute printable valentines
- Love these classic school theme baby shower ideas

A post I read earlier today made me think about education and kids and the purpose behind it all. I loved this line in particular:

One of the reasons that I chose to homeschool was because I believe very strongly that the skills my children need are not just ones that can be quantified by tests.

Christmas prep

An unexpected day off because of weather/road conditions, so I'm home instead and getting a head start on cooking for tomorrow (now instead of tonight? Yes please!)

The apartment smells delish...

Made or in process:

- Stained glass jello

- Better green bean casserole

- Cheese appetizer

- Roasted carrots

- Mashed potatoes & sweet potatoes

- crustless quiche (egg, green onion, bacon)

- turkey


The jello is done, the green bean casserole will be ready to just bake tomorrow, the cheese appetizer is done, the carrots will be ready to roast, the potatoes will be ready to heat through the small crock pot, the quiche contents will be ready to pour into the dish and bake, and the turkey breast will cook in the large crockpot overnight :)

A different kind of gift

It's Christmas Eve day. I love the anticipation of this day. Christmas Eve plans are oh so close, but not yet here. Christmas is tomorrow. But first, an entire day!

I was supposed to have worked, but because a winter storm and slick roads and adequate coverage at work, I am instead at home.

I feel like I've been given a gift. I was planning to be at work all week, get off at midafternoon, and then spend time with family tonight and tomorrow and spend Sunday with my church family and head back to work on Monday. Instead, I have an extra day. A day to work on projects, a day to cook ahead a little for this weekend, a day to do some organizing and filing that has been pushed aside for months.

I love this :)

It's not like there's even the option of going anywhere, since maintenance apparently isn't planning to plow our parking lot for a while and the streets are slick and snow-laden still. Once the snow tapers, I might run some errands nearby. Mostly, though, it's a day to be at home, Christmas lights glowing, and cozily getting things accomplished <3

Pics of decor and craftiness later...

Merry Christmas, friends :)

Break has coming and crafting is on the agenda!

I've spent a lot of this First Day of Break guiltlessly browsing some of the craft blogs I came across during finals week ;)

I come bearing much linkage to some of the neat things I've found:

- Advent plans + a stocking calendar - cute and I love the others-focus of it

- Another cute Advent calendar style. The versatility is what I like most, I think :)

- I love these pillows and intend to cover some pillows in our living room so they look like this. (Though, I think I'll do embroidery stitches for the branches instead)

- This minimalist Christmas tree is a fun idea - I'd love to do something like this but incorporate garland and color too. But I really like the basic lines it has!

- These decorative music-wrapped candles look fab and super easy & cheap!

- I cannot wait to make this super cute/cheap/easy Tuna can pin cushion :)

- This Jointed Letter Banner is so versatile & easy too!

- Those large glass apothecary jars are SO versatile for decorating, but can be so expensive. What if you could make some for around $6?

- Or, here are some great candlesticks made from tin cans [Oh, actual instructions here, I guess]

- I love these framed felt snowflakes too :)

- This Mom's Ultimate Purse Survival Kit is pretty sweet, and way compact and convenient

- I AM MAKING THIS ORANGE/PINECONE WREATH :D

- These Blossom Ear Warmers are super cute, as are these variations!

I also found a cute smocked red pillow I want to copy for our living room, plus adorable ornaments made by covering foam balls in either yarn or burlap (hers was red). They're adorable and would be super cheap and easy to make.

It's a good thing I'll be working this week or I can see all of my time disappearing into crafting :)

Almost there...!

It is finals week.
It is the sort of week where a list of projects and commitments and tests on the dry-erase board on the door is key in making sure I know what I should be working on and when.
It is also pretty exciting when I get to erase things and can see more and more background and less text :)

It's December.
Christmas is coming.
Presents are stashed away, awaiting post-finals time when I'll be able to get things wrapped :)
My Amazon order is pending as I try to decide what else I want to add to my free-shipping purchase.

I'm avoiding our spare room, which is a storehouse of crafting supplies, jewelry-making things purchased the day after Thanksgiving, the decorative pillows I'm making for our bed, the Christmas decorations I want to decorate with already!!!


I had a lot of studying to do still yesterday.
I'd seen a picture that inspired an idea I wanted to try.
I wanted so much to run to Michaels to pick up supplies instead of continuing to study.
I made a deal with myself: "If you get _______ finished, then you can go to the store!!"
I am very motivated by deals :)

I finished, we ran to the store, I picked up a fab assortment of Christmas AND winter decorating supplies (all way on sale too, of course). [In my mind, Christmas decorations are a hodge-podge of red, green, silver, gold, burgundy, etc. colors. Winter decorations, however, are of the blue/silver variety. And... the bright pink, purple, silver/blue/green are later-winter decor. I know, right? But that's what they look like in my mind.]
I crafted when I came home. We strung some lights, hung some garland, I arranged and styled to my heart's content.
And then, it was time for homework again.

My Christmas totes are still stashed away in the closet of our spare room.
I have a CLEP test (college math) I'm taking tomorrow.
Until that is taken, I am "not allowed" to get into those bins or decorate any more. But once that test is over... oh yes, there will be decorating in abundance tomorrow night!!!! :D