Happy New Year!

Cheers to you all! Thanks for making 2009 great!

Catching Up

I feel so out of the loop!  Three weeks is a long time to be away from blogland!  I tried to keep up with my google reader, but most of the time I had to just skim entries!  It really did suck,  and I'm so so happy to have my very own internet connection!

Thank you so much for your congratulations!  My Mister and I are so excited right now!  I'm really overwhelmed with the idea of planning something like this- I never thought I would get married, to be honest.  I really believe in the idea that marriage is forever, and I had never dated anyone who I could see myself with for the rest of my life!  We're planning on a wedding this October, so I'm deep into looking for a venue.  I've decided that this blog will not be for the wedding.  I'm not going to let this take over my life!

Want to see my two favorite presents this year?  Beside the ring, of course!  

The first day at my new job I saw this piece and just drooled.  Alas, the price tag was too much.  I couldn't justify spending that much on something that I didn't need.  My spices were doing just fine in the kitchen drawer!  Well, my father snuck around and bought it for me!!  It's that just so nice?!

This is a Japanese woodblock print with the same story.  It's dated 1904, and I think the whole thing is so amazing!  I love the design, colors, subject matter- everything!  I loved it for so long, but couldn't bear to spend that kind of money on myself!  My Dad really is a great listener- but I thought he wasn't paying attention when I showed it to him weeks before!   


I'll be back tomorrow- I've really missed blogging!

I'm back!

My Mister said, "This Christmas, I traded in my girlfriend for a fiancée!"

Happy Holidays!

Hello and Happy Holidays to all of you in Blogland!  I hope that you all have had a wonderful festive season!  I have so much news, so much to share with you and this whole not having internet thing is driving me absolutly bonkers!  I've made the decision to cough up the $70 a month and just get on with it!  Not having the internet made me realize just how much I use it! 

I miss you all so much and can't wait to catch up with ya'll!  I'll be back by next Friday, with a huge announcement!  Can you guess what it is?  It's HUGE!!!

Drumroll, please!

And the winner is.... number 30- StephCat of Sunset Cat!!  Thank you all for entering- I can't believe it- 46 comments!  I never thought that I would have such a response to my little giveaway- thank you!  Your feedback means so much to me! 

So, yesterday I put on my big girl pants, mustered as much courage as I could and went over to my neighbors house to ask about the internet- homemade cookies in hand, of course!  I don't know why I thought that our disconnection from the internet was malicious, but when she opened the door she was all smiles and very pleasant.  I offered to pay for half of the bill, and she actually refused to take any money, and explained that she had to do something with her IP address for work, and as soon as it's all ironed out she'll let us know what we need to do to get connected up.  How great is that?  I'm so relieved, $70 is a pretty big monthly expense for us!  And not having internet is not an option for us!  So, I'm really bummed out that I still don't have internet.  But when I get it back, I'm going to be in bloggy heaven!  I really miss reading and commenting on your blogs out there! 


We had our first real snowstorm a couple of days ago, and I couldn't resist posting a few pictures of the winter wonderland that was just outside the front door. 

And just so you know exactly how lame I am, I snapped this photo thinking "It's like I'm in Narnia, and the fawn is going to meet me right here!"  Pretty goofy, huh?

Here's the stocking that I've started for My Mister.  I think this is going to be a pretty great holiday, so I wanted to make him something extra special!  More on that later!

I've gone AWOL!

I'm so sorry that I've disappeared!  I lost my internet connection that I've been stealing borrowing(with consent) from a neighbor!  I've been doing some research, and am horrified to announce that I can't get an internet connection for less than $70 a month.  WTF?  I've looked into all of my options, and due to my location on a hillside in rural Maine, I'm stuck with very few, very expensive options. 

So here I am at work, typing quickly, apologizing profusly for offering a blog contest and then *poof* I'm gone!  I'll announce a winner on Saturday, I promise!  Hopefully I'll have more time then to play a little show and tell.  I've started a couple more projects, with a deadline of Christmas, so the stress level is pretty high right now.  Oh, well.  It's just the nature of the season, right?  That's what I'll keep telling myself! 

Take care!  I really do miss you all!

Fiftieth Post! A Giveaway!!

I've been dying to host a giveaway of my own- and now I have a reason to do so!  Fifty posts on my little blog!  I've had so much fun getting to know all of you, and now I want to give back!  The winner will receive Blogging for Bliss by Tara Frey.  I think this book would be really useful for the beginning blogger, or an inspiration for the experienced blogger.  The winner will also receive a skein of Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Silkie Socks that Rock in the Space Dust colorway.  

So what do you have to do to enter?  All you need to do is comment.  Just say hello, and maybe tell me what you would like more or less of or any sort of constructive criticism about the blog.  I feel like I've just begun my adventure with blogging, so it would be really helpful to hear what you all think!  You can be entered a second time if you also follow me, but make sure to post a second comment telling me that you're following too.  

I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner.  I must be able to contact the winner, so if you don't  have a link to your blog, please leave an email address. I'll close the comments on the morning of December 11th, and will probably choose a winner later in the day.  I have to tell you that I'm so excited to be hosting my very own giveaway!  Good luck! 

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake

As soon as I saw the first photo, I knew.  I knew that I would have to make this cake.  I knew that we were destined to be together.  I haven't read Smitten Kitchen for long, but it seems like every other recipe is something that I absolutely have to make.  The swiss chard and sweet potato gratin came to the in-laws house with me on Thanksgiving- and was the hit of the meal.

The finished product is beautiful, impressive, and it looks like it would be challenging to prepare.  The cake was so easy to make, and so delicious.  I was actually shocked at how quickly everything came together.  If this sort of thing is appealing to you, I strongly recommend that you make this cake- you wont be disappointed.  I recieved the best compliment a cook can get from My Mister- a low moan and the exclamation- "This. Is. Perfect."