right now

Excited about fall baking.  It's all about pumpkin, baby!

Planning on baking a batch of pumpkin-chocolate chip cupcakes this weekend.  I can already taste it.

Working on reviving my constantly disappearing creative juices.

Waiting for the weather to turn more fall-like.

Wishing for December to come as quickly as possible.

Enjoying an evening of a little ukulele fun.

Wondering what my next knitting project is going to be.

Ah-mazing weekend!

Hands down the most perfect weekend we've had in a long time!

simple pleasures

One of the things I love about our home is the beautiful gardenia bush in the front yard. It blooms pretty much all year round. But while I love its fragrance, I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never really stopped to admire it or "smell the gardenias" so to speak. Until today.

Someone asked for some today so I decided to cut some for myself as well. I put them in a couple candle holders. As I inhaled the scent, I forgot how hot it was for a couple seconds. 

Happy weekend!

minibook accomplished

I have several projects from last year and the year before that I've been trying to finish in order to make "crafty room" for Project Life and other things crafty.  The one that has been dogging me the most is the first year mini book of my niece, Ms. H.  She will be two in May, and I may or may not have been working on it since she was a couple months old.  (Yeah, you do the math, it's embarrassing.)

I finally put the finishing touches on it a couple weekends while I half watched/listened to Super Bowl 46, but only got around to editing the pictures a couple nights ago.  The majority of the products are from an old Cocoa Daisy kit of which I don't remember the name; the rest are from my stash that I am more than happy to deplete.

Overall, I really love how it turned out, so much so that I may tackle a second year mini book.  I think it is totally do-able as long as I stick to the same formula throughout the book.

Since I had been working on the mini book for so long, when I finally snapped in the last ring, my shoulders felt instantly lighter.  There are still a couple more projects on my list that I feel compelled to complete sooner rather than later.  Among them is my Sugar Maple Shawl (I'm so close) and Abalone sweater (not so much).  I hope I can share those with you soon too!

xo

finally. . .snow

Mother nature finally came through over the weekend with some REAL SNOW!  (Insert angels singing here.) 

J and I drove up early Saturday morning.  I usually sleep for the first couple hours, but I was so excited about the snow I could hardly sleep.  And we weren't the only ones hungering for some fresh powder, we saw a more than few cars (with skis and boards) heading the same direction as us.

It was so beautiful!  (No pictures, sorry, we were busy zipping down the mountain.)  It was totally worth the slow, snowy drive through the mountains behind a Raley's delivery truck.  Can't wait until we going again!

Keep praying for (more) snow!

friday faves | lovin'

With a new year underway, one of my goals is to just scrap!  Last year scrapping was an afterthought.  I can count on my two hands the number of pages I completed.  Sad!  The truly sad part was that I had so many ideas, but lacked the discipline to sit down and create.

Not surprisingly there already is a lot of inspiration which I will admit to needing.

• Love this beautiful minibook to capture 2012.  If I weren't already doing Project Life I would definitely do this instead.
• January Creative Jumpstart hosted by Natalie Kalbach
• Nothing like sneaks for Winter CHA to get the creative juices flowing or at least the enabling juices anyway.

I'm looking forward to another long weekend, hoping it will be a productive one spent hunkered down in my craft room.  Thankfully I won't be lacking in the inspiration department.

Have a great weekend!

praying for snow

J and I snuck away for some snowboarding over the weekend in Lake Tahoe.  Despite what you're heard, there is snow in the Sierras albeit man-made.  No complaints here.  Snow is snow no matter how it's made, and it is perfectly ride-able, there's just not a lot of it.

Like surfers praying for big waves, skiers, snowboarders, and snow enthusiasts alike are praying for snow.  We were completely spoiled last season with the over abundance of snow (and I totally wasn't complaining then either).

Still, it was a fabulous weekend!  Loved every minute on the mountain, despite the wind and the cold.  Loved that it felt so easy, almost like second nature. 

Guess I need to step up my snow dances if we're going to get any snow before Spring kicks in!

Happy Wednesday!

fresh start

I'm nursing yet another cold!  Not the ideal way to usher in the new year, but it is what it is.  Despite the running nose and congestion, I love the beginning of the new year.  It's like a blank canvas on which to create.  I'm really looking forward to whatever 2012 has in store for me and J.

Feeling | Optimistic for 2012

Wearing | Comfy sweatshirt & sweatpants

Drinking | Honey & lemon tea

Eating | Ferrera Roche, I can't seem to resist chocolate and hazelnut together.

Watching | Natalie Kalbach's Creative Jumpstart Day 2

Enjoying | The company of my two sweet pups

Excited | About starting Project Life and hoping I can keep it going to the end of the year!

Wanting | To cast-on for the Damson hat