We Interrupt This Regularly Scheduled Around the House Saturdays

To bring you an update from snowy Indiana.


All day yesterday we got hit with yet another snow storm that brought 8+ inches of the pretty white stuff to our town. Right now the sun is shining making the winter wonderland even more beautiful, but it's definitely chilly out there. Which is why we're sitting cozy in the house with a fire going and fun indoor projects planned.


One of which was making pancakes for breakfast...perfect meal to warm the tummy. But, of course I had to get outside for a bit to capture some winter photos.

Jalen loves the snow. If it were up to him, he'd tromp around in it all day.

Good thing these birds are south for the winter.

Hope your wintery Saturday is warm and cozy.

Quiet

It's been a long week. Lots of hours at work. Lots of really early mornings.
But it's in weeks like this that I truly embrace the quiet. The stillness. The peace.


God's really been doing something beautiful in my heart the past month and I'm so thankful that I have moments like these when I know I'm at the end of myself, but I still have His power and strength that pushes me forward.


I'm thankful that I have a husband who loves me dearly and lets me pour my heart out to him. I'm thankful that I have beautiful friends that challenge me. And, I'm thankful that I can be who God's made me to be and share that with you.


So in this moment of quiet...I am thankful that I can be still...and know that He is God.

Happy February!

Each month, I try to change my desktop wallpaper on my computer. It's nice to freshen it up every now and then in order to spark some new creativity. One of my favorite resources for wallpapers is Smashing Magazine. Every month, they collect wallpaper designs from designers all over the world. So if you're looking for some creative inspiration, head on over there and check out this month's designs. There are definitely some good ones out there.

*The design above was created by Romy Campos from Brazil.

I'm learning...

...to knit.

Last Saturday, I ventured over to Clementine's for a knitting lesson from the fabulous Cami. I'm learning to make this scarf. As you see it here, that's where it stands because...well...I messed up on it and don't know how to fix it and so I'm stuck.
I'm super enthusiastic about learning how to get this and being the determined person I am, it kills me that I have a ball of yarn and knitting needles just sitting in a tote waiting to be fixed. But alas, here I am. Stuck. I even have two fabulous knitting books, but since I'm so brand spanking new at this I don't really understand the terminology quite yet or even the illustrations.
What I really need is my Nanny (my Grandma) sitting beside me showing me how to do it. She is definitely the Knitting Queen and knows her stuff, but sadly she lives 700 miles away in Virginia, which is not exactly a hop, skip and a jump from Indiana.
But do not fear my dear friends, I will NOT give up. Oh no siree. This chick will learn to knit and she will get it. Before you know it, I'll be knitting scarves and hats. And who knows, I might even knit a sweater! That's right...I said it...a sweater!

Around the House Saturdays: Baking Edition

This edition of Around the House Saturdays is coming straight from the kitchen. I made these homemade chocolate chip cookies this afternoon. No special occasion really. Just the Hubby saying, "You haven't made any chocolate chip cookies in a while," and me saying, "Well, would you like me to make some?" And him replying with his little boy face, "...Kinda..."
Now I cannot claim any credit for this amazing recipe. I got it from my dear, dear friend Kate. You may remember her from here and here. I used to be a "buy-the-cookie-dough-straight-from-the-store" girl, but ever since my taste buds were introduced to these amazing cookies, I haven't even been to the cookie dough aisle in the grocery store. Now there is nothing wrong with the pre-made dough, but once you've had made-from-scratch cookies, you just can't go back.
Of course, I knew I couldn't just make your mouth water without sharing this fabulous recipe. So here you go. I must warn you though, these cookies should NOT be eaten WITHOUT a fresh glass of ice cold milk. You'd be doing an injustice to the world of cookies if you neglected this one important detail. AND I insist that you purchase the specific brands of the ingredients that are in in the recipe. According to Kate, these cookies just aren't the same without those specifics, and I would have to agree with her.

Kate's Famous Cookies
1 1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 1/4 cup of white cane sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs. Vanilla
1 stick Imperial Margarine
1 full stick (1 cup) Butter-Flavored Crisco
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 cups flour (If you like slightly softer cookies, I suggest 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups - that's what I do)
3 or 4 cups of Nestle Tollhouse Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream sugars, eggs, vanilla & butters.
Add baking soda, salt, flour and chocolate chips.
Once the dough is well mixed, place spoon-fulls on the baking sheet.
Bake for 11-12 minutes.

Now enjoy!

Some Friday Fun

I love Polariod photos and I especially love iPhone Apps that create Polaroid photos. I've been so inspired by a few blogging friends and their fabulous Polaroid posts as of late that I thought it fitting to post some of my Polaroids. So to fill your Friday with excitement and a little bit of randomness, here are a few Polaroids I've taken over the past month.

This set was taken with the ShakeItPhoto App.
And this set was taken with the Polarize App.
Hope your Friday treats you well and your weekend is even better!

A Little Magic

So this is a completely random post, but I thought I'd just share a fun little sewing sidekick that I recently befriended. Blog world, meet Magic Sizing.
Now, I've never used starch in my life when ironing anything, but when I began piecing this quilt, Cami suggested that I use starch like nobody's business if I wanted to make life easier for my long-arm quilter. And so, the relationship began. I honestly can't imagine pressing a single seam anymore without this beautiful blue can by my side. It's so bad, my Hubby knows that when I put starch on the grocery list that it means I need at least two cans in order to maintain a sense of stability and harmony in my studio. It's not like I go through it that quickly, it's just that I get a bit panicky when the can feels any less than full. And at 98 cents a pop, why wouldn't I just stock up?

What are some of your favorite sewing/quilting must-haves?