i love.

got the christmas stuff out last night. yay! now i really want my tree!!

chipboard rocks.

i am so excited to start this project.
(come to think of it, i better get crackin' on the stitching and the stockings too!)

last year i moved out of a house my sister and i shared and well, took the ornaments with me (they were mine of course, i didn't just take them!)
we both absolutely love the Season at Cannon Falls Glitter ornaments, so i'm going to make her a bunch for her tree...with her help of course!

i have made this 3-d star before....my mom has it on one of her trees.

i actually dreamed the one up the other day...i must have seen it last year and totally stored it in my memory bank.

With some chipboard, good scissors, xacto knife, glue and some antique silver glitter we will be on our way to a fabulously sparkly (and inexpensive) tree.
Creative Crafts in Corvallis is the only place that I found chipboard. $1.15 for an approx. 18x20 piece. And Martha Stewart Crafts (found at Michael's) has a fantastic variety of glitter...looks like glass glitter! it was all 30% off today.
I will post pics of her tree when it's up.

all that is on my mind.

and...
*sigh*

yum.

These look so amazing...I think I need to make them for a "bad" day.

that's all i need.

*found on hostess with the mostess

Nutty Peanut Butter Caramel Bars

8 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups pecan halves

14 ounces unwrapped caramels

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 ounces milk chocolate chips

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Beat in egg until well combined.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into sugar mixture and beat until dough forms.Scoop out dough into a 15x10" baking pan and press it out to fill the pan. Scatter pecans evenly over dough. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Set on a wire rack.In a heavy small saucepan, add caramels and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.Drizzle caramel mixture over pecans. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let cool completely and cut into bars.

(i wonder if i can make them without nuts...i don't like nuts in my cookies....HA!)

OOH! I am so going to make chocolate chip cookies for Craig when he gets home tomorrow...YES!

paradise.

Our imperfectly perfect life. (our washing machine actually does that.) :)
Craig called and said he heard this song on the radio and made him think of me and how happy he is. He made me go get the cd out and listen to it after we got off the phone. i love him and i love that our idea of paradise is the same thing.

(sorry about the ad...but it is kinda funny)

advent calendars.

i love advent calendars. i am not sure why, since the ones i got when i was a kid had this nasty chocolate in them....yick, but i guess it was still chocolate. i found these on poppytalk

the one above is actually from target.

p.s. i found this really pretty garland at michaels. its golden and sparkly, check it out. (hard to see here, but i'm sure plenty of you will make it to michaels this holiday season).

oh! and p.p.s. blackberry junction starts this friday at the fairmount grant on north albany road.

the graphic designer in me is freaking out.

*sigh...i want to make stuff like this all day long.
(i found on hostess with the mostess)