CSA 2016 | Week 8

Recap of last week:
what's left: cucumbers, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, basil, green beans, cabbage, carrots, lettuce.
good things: not food related, but I took a free SUP class last week and it was super fun. Pretty sure my technique is still wrong, but at least I didn't fall off the board. I'm headed out again this weekend to do some more paddleboarding. 
lessons learned: nothing this week.
Here's what came in my box this week.

Green beans - I want to try this recipe for gan bian si ji dou sometime this week. 

Garlic - no specific plans

Lettuce - it might finally be time for some shalotta. or else salads because we all know I'm lazy.

Bell peppers - these are going in to these black beans (the recipe is for soup, but I'm planning on cutting down the liquids).  

Jalapeños - I'm hoping to make this corn salad soon, which needs a jalapeno, so here's hoping I get some corn next week. I don't know about the other one, but I definitely want to pickle some before the end of the summer. 

Tomatoes - I'm thinking about using my cherry tomatoes in this quick salsa. This leek and tomato tart looks like a delicious use of my slicers. 

Thyme - no plans for it this week (other than letting them start to dry out), but this tea thyme soda looks lovely for later. 

Zucchini - I still haven't made any zucchini noodles yet, but this green chile miso pesto looks like a great sauce for it. It'll also use up the basil I got this week. 

It was my birthday this past Wednesday, and this birthday month is already off to a great start. My brother bought me a stand mixer (!!) that I will be christening with this milk bread and these liege waffles, both of which I haven't made yet because I hate kneading in butter by hand. I'm hosting a taco party next weekend, and then I'm going camping in the Upper Peninsula the weekend after! (I'm doing my best to take advantage of the summer before it turns gross and cold.) I tend to fall behind on using up my veggies when I've got weekend plans, but I'm hoping that feeding others will help even things out. 

CSA 2016 | Week 7

Recap of last week:
what's left: all the cucumber, eggplant, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, zucchini 
good things: sour cherries. A couple friends and I drove up to Door County this past weekend to pick our fill of Montmorency cherries (and also to drink wine and beer, and stroll through beach towns). The pitting took a while, but I hacked through it all with a safety pin. Now I've got 7 pounds of pitted cherries in my freezer, a jar-full being turned in to cocktail cherries, and the rest getting ready to go in to this crumb cake. 
lessons learned: if the dressing doesn't taste good by itself, don't stick it in the salad. It's not going to magically become better (especially if the salad is mostly made of things you don't enjoy, like carrots). 

Here's what came in my box this week.

Basil - more pesto.

Green beans - grilled, for sure.

Cabbage - I got the hugest head of cabbage ever - it's literally the size of my head, and 5+ pounds. I imagine I'll slowly make my way through this by eating lots of slaw. Good thing cabbage lasts for a long time in the fridge! 

Purple carrots - I got through my carrots last week by eating them with leftover spinach dip (for the dip, I use a whole 1 pound bag of frozen spinach, and add some more yogurt to compensate). Maybe I'll do something similar this week? Although it seems rude not to do something fancier to appreciate these carrots in all their purpley-ness.

Garlic & Scallions - no specific plans

Lettuce - just a small head this week, so it'll be easy to use up in salads like usual. 

Cucumbers - I've got so many cucumbers hanging out in my fridge. I may just make batch upon batch of this cucumber agua fresca to deal with them. 

Tomatoes - the slicers are going on bread with mayo and flaky salt again - they're too good not to. I'm thinking about trying to blister the cherry tomatoes in my grill pan, and stick them on pizza. 

Zucchini - I just got one zucchini this week, to add to the couple I have left from last week. This recipe for grilled vegetables with za'atar dressing vinaigrette looks simple and delicious. 

Not a very exciting week planned, but hopefully I'll still get through a good amount of these veggies. 
In unrelated news, I discovered the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival on the internet the other day, and it seems like my idea of a good time. I'm excited to check it out!

CSA 2016 | Week 6

Recap of last week:
what's left: lettuce, a cucumber 
good things: grilled purple beans. even with just salt and pepper, they were amazing. this grill pan has been an amazing investment
lessons learned: baked fries are never going to be as good as fried fries. good thing I've got a new recipe for curly fries to try. 

There's been such crazy weather day the past couple of days, with both an extreme heat advisory (for the first time in 4 years!) and flash flood warnings because of the thunderstorm. I just hope it clears up soon, because I've got big plans for the weekend!

Here's what came in my box this week.

Basil: the newsletter said it was a small bunch, but in actuality, it's freaking humongous. I'm thinking I won't need to buy an extra 12 bunches, because this is going to last me a long while. This lentil salad looks like a perfect recipe for this hot weather. The rest of the basil is going in to pesto that's destined for the freezer.

Broccoli: it's been a carb type of week. these broccoli melts seem perfect.

Carrots: carrot season is starting, but unfortunately, I'm not the biggest fan of carrots (and I like cooked carrots even less). This weekend, I'm planning on making a big batch of this ginger carrot salad to bring to a grill-out, and hopefully foist it on the other people there . The rest might go in this ginger carrot dressing, or else eaten raw slathered in a dip of some sort. 

Cucumbers: the fridge pickles turned out really well last week, but I don't need more right now. This salad looks nice and easy, if I can find some good avocados.

Eggplant: I've had good success grilling slices of eggplant. This miso glazed grilled eggplant looks like a simple way to change things up just a bit. 

Bell Pepper: the bell pepper salsa from this recipe looks like it'd pair nicely with some grilled shrimp. 

Swiss Chard: the chard is gorgeous, so I want to keep it raw. spring rolls (again), maybe? 

Tomatoes: they've still got a little ways to go before they ripen fully, but the big slicer tomato is simply going on a slice of good bread with a smear of mayo and sprinkle of flaky salt. The cherry tomatoes are going in to the pico de gallo for these grilled fish tacos, which will also use up the jalapeno and some cucumber and scallions.

Zucchini: I got one good-sized zucchini that's going to be turned into noodles with pesto. the other three baby ones will probably end up grilled, and maybe top some pizza.

CSA 2016 | Week 5

Recap of last week:
what's left: zucchini/squash, still lettuce, parsley, a cucumber, kohlrabi, 
good things: my recipe-less grilled garlic scape pizza turned out amazing. 
lessons learned: albondigas is so much more edible when you follow directions correctly and use 1 canned chipotle pepper instead of 1 can of chipotle peppers... 

Here's what came in my box this week. (no picture because I'm lazy and instead went to eat all the lobster rolls at my company picnic)

Basil - this first bunch is definitely going in to pesto. I'm also thinking about buying an additional 12 bunches from my farm to be able to stockpile jars of pesto in my freezer... 

Broccoli - I feel like I'm all frittered out, especially given how hot and humid it's been recently. Maybe it's finally time for some cool, refreshing slaw

Cucumbers & Dill - equals fridge pickles, obviously. The rest of the dill will probably just get dried and stored for future use. 

Eggplant - I didn't use my eggplant from last week since it was just a baby one. Now that I've got a good batch, it's time for these egg and eggplant pitas, which will also use up my jalapeno. 

Garlic & Onions - these'll go wherever necessary. And since they'll be fine for weeks just sitting on my counter, I'm not worried about using them up quickly 

Lettuce - the grilled caesar salad from last week knocked out an entire head. That seems the way to go. 

Purple beans - still in love with my grill pan, so I'm thinking these will be good grilled with some lemon and garlic

Squash - I bought a spiralizer! I feel like it's finally time to make some zucchini noodles (with pesto). On the other hand, I haven't touched the pattypan since they first arrived a couple weeks ago. Maybe it's time to just grill it with the purple beans and call it a day. 

CSA 2016 | Week 4

Recap of last week:
what's left: a couple turnips, one pattypan squash, a lot less lettuce than last time
good things: wild salmon was on sale so I bought 2 pounds and enjoyed every single bit.
lessons learned: don't be too lazy to bag the cilantro and stick it in the fridge.

Here's what came in my box this week.

Beets - I've been grilling up pizzas in my grill pan, and this scrambled egg and beet green one is just what I'm craving for dinner tonight. Wild-caught sockeye salmon is still on sale at Whole Foods this week, so I'm thinking it's finally time to make this beet-cured salmon.

Broccoli - still haven't made the slaw from the past two weeks. Instead, I made these fritters last week, and may will probably do it again this week.

Cucumbers - I made these cold spicy kimchi noodles a lot last week, and still have some kimchi left. Julienned cucumbers will definitely make their way in to that. The rest will probably just go in salads and spring rolls.

Fresh Garlic - eh, no specific plans

Kohlrabi - I've been eating so many fried things recently, but it's so good! I'm looking forward to these curried fries this week.

Lettuce - if I say salad enough times, will it actually happen? I've already grilled the chicken for this grilled caesar salad, so it seems like the odds are good.

Onions - I'm thinking maybe some mushroom, potato, and caramelized onion pierogi. Else there's always this creamed chard and spring onions.

Snap peas/eggplant - I'm not a big fan of snap peas, and since I already ate some last week, I didn't want any more. Instead, I'm trading them with my officemate for the eggplant she got in her CSA. This recreation of Clover's egg and eggplant sandwich looks relatively simple and tasty, and it'll use up some of the parsley I got.

Zucchini - I want these zucchini parmesan crisps (baked!) now, please.

CSA 2016 | Week 3

Recap of last week:
what's left: some radishes, green onions, garlic scapes, and LOTS of lettuce...
good things: I ate so much fried rice it was wonderful. I should eat rice more often
lessons learned: sometimes the best laid plans are derailed by being too lazy to go to the grocery store.

Here's what came in my box this week.

Broccoli - slaw all the way, because it didn't happen last week. (unless one of the other tasty smitten kitchen recipes tempts me instead)

Cilantro - this shrimp with chimichuri looks amazing for the long weekend. I want it now.

Napa cabbage - this is going in to a small batch of kimchi. I'll probably stick the kohlrabi in there, too.

Turnips - I remember these turnip burgers being good. I think it's time to try them again

Swiss chard - I'm craving vegetables, and these springs rolls look great, with some lettuce, sugar snap peas, and garlic scapes instead of ramps.

Zucchini - I only got a couple this week, so I'll leave the pickles and anything that calls for a couple pounds for later. Instead, I'm thinking these zucchini fritters (waffled!), or else these zucchini quinoa burgers if I'm feeling more ambitious.

I'm super excited about these plans, especially since I'm hoping they'll help use up some of the leftover veggies from last week. But then again, I'm super hungry right now and we all know hungry brains make crazy decisions.

CSA 2016 | Week 2

Recap of last week:
what's left: some lettuce and beet greens. also a couple roasted beets and radish top pesto.
good things: those strawberry rhubarb crisp bars made a wonderful breakfast with some yogurt.
lessons learned: if I want to bring lunch to work, I need to pack it the night before.

Here's what came in my box this week.

Strawberries - this streusel cake looks lovely and easy. these shortcakes look even easier.

Bok choy - one head is going in to fried rice, and the other is going in to these veggie dumplings, but with the green onions instead of ramps.

Lettuce, red romaine - more salads, of course, like this one with avocado and chickpeas. I'll shove some more in spring rolls (I made a quick batch last week with some roasted beets and sauteed beet greens, and it was surprisingly good).

Broccoli - this pesto is an oldie but goodie. Maybe I'll try this slaw this week instead.

Radishes, English breakfast - my mom does this thing where she salts sliced radishes for ten minutes, rinses them, and tosses them some soy sauce dressing thing. I'm sure I'll also finish off the rest of my fancy butter with some of these as well.

Cilantro - it's a small bunch, so I'll be eating it all chopped and lightly dressed with some soy sauce and sesame oil. I used to eat this on weekends with porridge; my mom usually made a bowl for herself and my brother and I would end up stealing it from her and eating it all.

Garlic scapes - I'm hearing that they're great grilled. Would a grill pan suffice? I guess we'll try it out.

Pea shoots - this one's easy - all pea shoots need are a quick sauté with garlic and salt, and white rice to eat it with.

It's looking like a week of my parents' recipes, and things I ate while growing up. It'll be a nice throwback.
I'm off to the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago tomorrow, and hoping to come home with some wooden bowls. Wish me (and my wallet) luck.

CSA 2016 | Week 1

I decided to invest in a CSA once again this year, even though I ended up wasting a good amount of veggies last year (trying to get through pounds and pounds of carrots in the fall was painful). This year, I chose a smaller, more regular share, so hopefully that'll help. I'm also trying harder to plan out meals, so I figured I'd document that here.

Ridgeland Harvest delivers to my work on Thursday afternoons, and I imagine I'll use Saturday's farmers market to supplement the rest of what I need.

Here's what came in my box this week.

Lettuce - no specific plans; this'll just go in various salads. If I ever do get sick of salads, I want to try this recipe for shalotta.

Radishes - a couple will definitely be eaten plain with a slathering of fancy salted butter. The rest will end up in salads and wherever else I can shove them. Maybe I'll make the salad part of this recipe.

Beets - the greens will get wilted down and eaten with eggs, in stir frys, etc. Not sure about the beets, other than salads - maybe I'll quick-pickle them.

Strawberries - a good number are already in my belly. Another cup or so made it in to these strawberry rhubarb crisp bars (the rest of the rhubarb is going in this lemonade). The rest is going in to this genius sorbet (with a whole lemon, pith and all!).

Fennel - the fronds are going in to these double fennel dumplings, although I'm going to need to find a different meat (beef? turkey?) since I'm trying to stop eating pork. No idea about the fennel bulb.

Shallots - I'm thinking this lemon-caper dressing, for all of those salads I've got in my future.

Until I put this list together, I wasn't aware of how much salad I was planning on eating. Definitely not a bad thing, though - the weather is hot enough that I don't want to turn on the oven or stove too often. Happy eating!

so, it's been a while

It's been 1001 days (plus, like, two weeks) since I wrote up my list of 101 things to do. Turns out, I did kinda okay (although not so much in the Learn category). In 1001 days, I completed 32 things. Give me three more months and I'll cross off a couple more (#11, #92, #101). Here are some notes:

#10. Yellowstone and Grant Teton National Parks!
#20. This first gif was of a sandwich. Pretty sure it was this sandwich in particular. No idea where the gif is saved.
#24. I've been to 3 NHL hockey games now! One preseason game in Chicago vs the Stars, one game over winter break in Anaheim vs the Flyers, and one game in Dallas(!!) vs the Blues. Plus a bajillion more Madison Capitols games.
#43. Along with a Blackhawks jersey, I now own a Stars jersey, because I've moved on from that trainwreck of a bandwagon.
#47. My newest kitty is named Scarlet! Adopted the day before Valentine's Day, 2016. She's super shy, so no photos yet. (How many more cats do I need to count as a crazy cat lady?)
#58. Totally worth it. And miles better than the other holiday swap I joined (Target dollar bin stationary? uh, not when I sent you handcrafted goods.)
#59. The starter is now dead. May or may not pick it back up again, although probably not until the weather is cooler.
#60. Didn't make a wedding cake, but I did cut and serve a homemade cake at a friend's wedding.
#72. I had a very loose definition of "run" when I crossed this off...
#92. I'll be done with these loans by September.
#101. $25 x 32 = $800

link love + happy valentine's day

how to draw hearts with circles-a geometric "love" story - fiber lab

Happy Valentine's Day! This video by Justina Yang from Fiber Lab is definitely a must-watch, since it's so awesome. The three-part video shows different ways to create a heart from a simple circle - the first two that incorporate math are my favorite, and made me smile. She also created this impressive video story of a paper croissant, which completely blew my mind. Like, kaboom.  I don't know if I actually want her job (ew paper cuts and sore fingers), but maybe it'd be cool for a week.
Anyways, hope you have an especially lovely time this weekend with your loved ones, or just taking some time to pamper yourself. As for me, it'll be me and my cat having our own little party (read: having tuna and going to bed early).

articles:
- "lung in a box" keeps organs breathing before transplants

food:
- cheeto-crusted jalapeno poppers
- vegetarian banh mi

fun finds:
- this victorian home
- this soho loft
- this dinner party set-up
- the adorable swiffer ad couple
- jauntful: shareable, printable city guides that you create
- nine true facts that sound completely fake

link love + happy friday

via tumblr

Happy February! I've been away for a little (long?) while, and so much has happened. I'm now in Madison, freezing my butt off, but enjoying cuddling with my cat in my new digs and working at my new job. (Seriously, this company is the absolute coolest.) I'm also doing my best to send some of this cold and snow towards California to help with the drought situation, so we'll see. In the meantime, enjoy these links, and have a lovely weekend as the Olympics start! GO USA!

(olympic) articles:
- putin's olympic fever dream
- just how bad is the scene in sochi?
- even more bad: anonymous in sochi: being gay at the olympics parts one & two
- and a quick primer on US and Canada's women's hockey

diy:
- mandarin votives
- these paper lovebirds

food:
- balsamic vegetable noodle soup
- sweet tea-brined hot chicken wings (what??!)
- how to make a healthy portable breakfast

fun finds:
- this gorgeous israeli hotel
- also this hotel in greece
- "cut food"
- building new york's bridges
- how to google more efficiently
- cats taking selfies

i got a job! and i'm moving!

dream loft?

During the job hunt, it felt like this day would never, ever come, but thankfully, it finally has. I got a job! So I'm moving! At the end of the month! To Madison, Wisconsin! Too many exclamation points?

This whole polar vortex thing has me a little worried about moving to the midwest, because even without this abnormal weather, it's ridiculously cold in Madison. But now I'll be within driving distance of Chicago and the Blackhawks, even if I won't have a car. And I'm definitely looking forward to setting up a new life for me and Ruby. Maybe even work on this "date a hockey player" goal of mine. I'll settle for finding a hockey-watching buddy, though.

Now I'm trying to find an apartment in two-ish weeks, which is a little difficult when I'm currently 2,000 miles away. But to help keep things organized, I typed up this Apartment-Hunting Checklist, using info from this really helpful post (their link no longer works, so I made my own version), and adding a couple items of my own.

My top 3 priorities (not including a cat-friendly space, because that's obvious) are kitchen, laundry, and access to a bus route. Pretty normal stuff, I think. Fingers crossed that I'll fall in love with an apartment.

Let me know if you've got your own tips and tricks for finding an apartment, or if you've got more things to add to the checklist!

providence, ri (and philadephia, and boston, and newark)

It seems like flights just haven't been working out for me this winter. First, this fiasco trying to get home from Madison, WI in December, and now this trip out to Providence, RI that ended up taking an extra 8 hours with a postponed job interview and a detour through Boston.

first, a red-eye flight to philly, which was fine and dandy, until they canceled my next flight out to providence bc of maintenance issues. so i spent the morning hanging out in these rocking chairs figuring out how to get to providence and then working out my interview schedule.

solution: flying to boston and then taking the train down to providence. while waiting for the train, i stopped by flour bakery for some lunch - a roasted lamb sandwich, which is basically the only thing i ever get from them other than their breakfast sandwich. it was as amazing as i remembered.

i also struck up a conversation with this biostatistician from brown university who also had his flight cancelled and was making his way down by train. he'd also gone through med school and is now applying to residency programs, which is kinda cool. i got his business card too. not sure if i'm going to contact him bc i have nothing to say, but it was nice. 

finally made it to providence. it was ridiculously cold, and i got pre-frostbite (or something) on my pinky finger just on my 10-minute walk from the amtrak station to the hotel. it still feels funny... i would have loved to explore downtown providence and done some shopping, but it was way too chilly to even think about walking around outside. this polar vortex is really cramping my style.

I ended up interviewing the next day, and heading to the airport right after. Thank goodness my return trip was smooth sailing, with a stop in newark, nj, and included a cute weimeraner. It's good to be home, where winter is is a balmy 50 degrees. 

link love (and happy 2014?)

photobooth shenanigans from the s'mores party i had a few days after christmas

I'm pretty sure this is my first post for this year. So, happy 2014! This week, I flew to Providence, RI, and had a slew of problems trying to get there, which you'll hear about tomorrow. I got there in one piece, though, and had the Team Canada roster announcement (for hockey, who cares about the other sports) to tide me over until I finally arrived. Seriously, thank goodness for smartphones, otherwise I'd be bored out of my mind and probably still stuck trying to fly out to Providence.

Anyways, now that all the hockey rosters have been announced (and the Blackhawks are sending 10 players, tied for most in the League), I'm even more excited for Sochi*, and February in general. I know we barely started January and 2014, but I feel like this month is just a filler until February, when I'll start my new job (deets on Sunday), move into my own place, and basically become a full-fledged adult. I can't wait.

articles:
- the origins and meanings of ashkenazic last names (boring title, super interesting read, especially when you find out this one dude you didn't like has an insult for a last name)
- banished for questioning the gospel of guns

diy: 

- wall of origami rainbow koi (maybe you'll see this in my new apartment??)

fun finds:

- this napa valley rehearsal dinner 

- dictionary of numbers - putting numbers in human terms
- how to improve your wine, the cheap, easy way
- 20 kids who are totally winning at hide and seek

*and about the gay rights (or lack thereof) issue in Russia and people wanting to boycott the Olympics, here's a well-written opinion on why there's a better option. 

link love

Hi friends! It's the last link love of 2013, and it's unfortunately going to be a short (but good!) one. But that just gives you more time to enjoy family and friends for the holidays, right? Yeah, I'm pretty much just making excuses now. But it's definitely been a busy week, and I'm loving it. I got this awesome glass fish statue thing during white elephant last night, I've got a friend visiting from out of state, and I'm hosting a s'mores party tonight. It should be a blast.

Hope you end the year with a bang!

food:
- cranberry hand pies

fun finds:
- trees cut from paper shopping bags
- this list of notable instagrams
- these minimalist nature photos
- the best of SNL 2013
- essential kitchen skills no one taught (but everyone should know)

merry christmas

No Christmas tree for us this year, since my cat loves climbing it and knocking down all the ornaments and the fake branches, so I made these DIY marquee lights out of cardboard and a string of Christmas lights to hang up instead. 

Hope you're having a relaxing day with family, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. I'm making brunch for the family with my mom's new waffle maker, and then we're heading to my aunt's for dinner. Should be a good time.

I'll be back in a few days with pictures from the s'mores party I'm throwing on Friday, and a DIY s'mores kit. Here's to ending the year on a sweet note!

madison, wi

Hi friends! No link love today, because I haven't had the time to pull one together. It's definitely been a busy week. Instead, have some iPhone pics from my two-day trip to Madison, WI for a job interview. This company really spends a lot of time and effort into their recruiting process, and it was a blast. And if it all works out (and that's a HUGE if), I'll be within driving distance of Chicago and my beloved Blackhawks, which makes all this goshdarned winter cold worth it. I really hope it works out. I'm beginning to fall in love with Madison.

waiting for my flight. i swear that dude knew i was taking a picture and deliberately walked into my shot. also this picture is really green for some reason.

somewhere over minnesota. maybe wisconson. who knows. 

the wisconson state capitol. absolutely stunning.

it's not *that* cold. but really, it's not, considering that it gets below zero at its coldest. but it is the first time i've heard of freezing rain. the weather ended up turning a 7-hour trip home into a 12+ hour ordeal with tons of delays, missed connections, luckily grabbing a seat on standby to a nearby airport, and an extra stop in Salt Lake City for some emergency medical care. ay carumba. at least i made it home safely. props to all the customer service representatives that have to deal with rude customers. i can't even bear to stand next to one of those conversations, much less be on the unhappy end of it.

Well that ended up pretty rambling there at the end. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and if you're flying anywhere for the holidays, safe travels and fingers crossed for no delays!

two for today

a couple recent snaps from my instagram. happy hump day!

Ottolenghi's green pancakes with lime butter and avocado. recipe from Plenty

super awesome care package from allison. sloe gin, peach shrub, letterpress card, BNTO, apple jalapeño jam, and a bow tie for ruby. a girl could get used to this.

link love

Labels Against Women | #WhipIt #ShineStrong Pantene

This short ad by Pantene Phillipines does a great job breaking down the double standards. You wouldn't really expect it from a shampoo ad, but it works.

So much has happened this week, and next week is going to be just as busy. I've got two DIY projects in the works that I might finish this weekend (though probably not), I've figured out my mom's christmas present, and I'm still working on my brother's (and everyone else's). Thank goodness practically every blog is doing a gift guide so I can get some ideas.

Hope your holiday shopping is going better than mine! or if all else fails, just give people food. You can't go wrong with food.

articles:
- gene therapy keeps "bubble boy" disease at bay
- gay rights and putin's olympics
- who says math has to be boring?

food:
- blood orange caramels
- italian jam shortbread tart
- cut-out cookies with champagne glaze
- quick and easy bread bowls

fun finds:
- beautiful typographic book covers
- the oregon coast
- npr's planet money makes a t-shirt, and follows how it's made
- this instagram feed
- the year in photos (tw: some graphic content)

link love + happy friday

image via tumblr

Happy December! I say this every time, but it's crazy how quickly this year has gone by, and I feel like I've still got so much to accomplish before 2014. It's going to be a super-productive couple of weeks, that's for sure.

We can't have a christmas tree this year because my crazy cat climbs up the middle and makes a huge mess.  So instead we're decorating the mantle and the staircase; i.e. places she has no access. Maybe the front windows too. It'll be a first without a tree, but I think we'll be fine. Have a wonderful weekend!

food:
- gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting and sugared cranberries
- candy cane chocolate cookies
- gingerbread spiced marshmallows

diy:
- holiday gift toppers round-up
- printable holiday gift packaging (from paper crave)
- more printable holiday gift tags (from oh so glam)
- even more printable holiday gift tags (from creative index)

fun finds:
- this gorgeous hand-forged brass coffee scoop
- how a former set from "the wire" became a new public design school
- this wedding in provence (but mostly the provence part)
- i want to go there: hokkaido, japan