Friday, December 7, 2012

Ugly 90s Floral Dress made Fashionable

Picked up this gem at a thrift store for two dollars. Add a cardigan, belt, accessories, heels or boots and call it good.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Christmas Spirit

The Christmas tree is up! Eric and I decorated our fake tree tonight with many laughs and smiles. It was fun to go through all the ornaments I've saved through the years and apply them to our very own tree... in our very own house! What a great feeling. Some ornaments date back to when I was only five years old! Some people would say pack rat. I however, say brilliant!
We also enjoyed a favorite holiday drink (and family recipe), Brandy Alexanders. The first time I made these for Eric was before we were dating. His direct quote was, "you've combined my two favorite things in the world: ice cream and brandy!" I like to think it was at that moment he knew he had to marry me!
I really do love this time of year. I just want to say that it can become really easy to get caught up on how overwhelming the season can get, but if you just sit back and look around, it's also really easy to get back to what is truly important. For me, it's decorating sugar cookies with my mom, sitting around the table with family, and watching a plethora of Christmas movies. Most notably, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story.
I also recall waiting for my Dad to come from work on Christmas Eve sometimes. He was a UPS delivery person and in December he worked tirelessly, so I always remember him coming home snow covered and hungry (Ha). It can be humbling to reflect on these times as an adult.
These are things that need to be remembered and not taken for granted.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Nostalgia

Lately, I've been watching The Angry Beavers on Netflix. It certainly brings back memories. The Nickelodeon cartoons of the mid 90s remind me of my older sister Stacy, she was away in college at the time. We never had cable growing up, so she would record cartoons like, The Angry Beavers, Rugrats, Ren and Stimpy, and Rocko's Modern Life on VHS and send them back to me and my other sister Kelly through the mail.
Can you believe that? Recorded TV shows on VHS sent through the MAIL. What a crazy idea in today's society of instant gratification. Here I am watching the same thing through an Internet stream. I shouldn't feel (and I don't feel) old, but wow do things change fast. One thing is certain though, the things that make me laugh won't ever change.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Vintage Kitchen

A picture of our previous kitchen. All things I love here. I loved the look of this old stove and wish newer appliances had this much character.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

J.Crew Inspired

I will admit that I occasionally shop at stores like J.Crew, but I'm not embarrassed to say that I can't afford to all the time. If anything, I look through catalogs to gain inspiration. Here, I've created an outfit that I think could qualify as J.Crew attire. The button-up is a thrift store find and I think a guy's shirt (ha). The sweater came from Arie. I paired a bunch of random necklaces together that I had: big, chunky, and shiny ones. To top it off, I paired the outfit with my favorite orange/coral lipstick. Skinny jeans and flats complete the look. Now I know the outfit isn't totally on the cheap, but it's still way less expensive than this completed look if it were from J.Crew, so I'm calling this a success. Hope you like!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Cherry Pie

I think my first official post has to be about the art of the pastry. I love to make pastry and thank my Grandma Johnson for passing on her skills to me. Though I was never old enough to directly learn from her, I think I acquired her talent. That's not to say I've had perfect pastry all the time, oh no. Pastry is a delicate art and requires your utmost attention and respect. Hear that? Respect the pastry! Love it and it will love you back. Another reason I love pastry is for its pure simplicity. If you are using more than three ingredients for your pastry, you are doing it wrong! Flour, shortening or lard, and water.
Boom, pastry! Well, sorta... Cutting, tossing, and rolling too. Today, I am posting some pictures I snapped during a Cherry Pie exploration. While I'm most known for making Apple Pie, I think I am like my Dad and like Peach Pie the best. Being a resident of Michigan, makes one hell of a Peach Pie by the way. Anyways, enjoy the pictures. I'm going to find some sweets to devour now...

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

No Theme, Just me

So here we go again. I've started another blog. This time, there will be no theme. I will post freely as my thoughts occur. I want this blog to reflect my personality and not feel forced into one interest, because I have found I have many different passions. The title comes from from my favorite bird and my love of sleep (ha). Sleeping Chickadee is where my thoughts will nest. I hope you enjoy. Feedback is welcomed.