{ my secret heart }

a happy surprise

Lately I've been searching for a good book. I've bought several,   but haven't loved any. 

For example, I feel as though I might possibly be the only person who's not a fan of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And, Olive Kitteridge didn't do much for me either. 

So, as I embarked on a holiday trip last week, I came to the conclusion that I didn't even have one book that interested me enough to take   it along. My first order of business was to hit the airport bookstore.

Again, nothing grabbed me, but I settled on The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee. And, it turned out to be a happy surprise. Not the best writing ever, but an interesting story about Hong Kong during and after WWII. 

Have you read any good books lately? Let me know what I'm missing.

M

no excuses

I'm prepared to take a little ribbing over this post (I am not known for my sentimental streak), but wanted to say this nonetheless.

On Thanksgiving Day I ran into Burger King to get a drink and saw one of the saddest things I've seen in quite some time. An elderly couple came in with a small child and proceeded to order their Thanksgiving dinner. Trust me...this was so sad I almost cried on the spot and the image has come back to me many times over the past week.

Then last night I heard on the news that over 2000 families had signed up for our local Christmas Bureau. They were half-way through the family adoption process and not even 1000 of the families had been adopted.

I'm the first to admit that I've had both good and bad Christmas Bureau experiences. Some people are so appreciative, others act entitled. But, in the end, I cannot imagine not helping a child have a special holiday. It is worth the time and money, even during this season when we could all use more of both. 

I sincerely hope you will join me in adopting a family this holiday.

M 

have yourself a rockin' holiday season

Am I the only one who has an iTunes downloading frenzy every now and again? I don't feel like I'm alone in this...

Anyway, if you haven't already, I think you should look into some rockin' holiday music. And, I highly recommend Winter Songs by The Hotel Cafe artists. This could very well be my favorite holiday album of all time.

And, to get you into the holiday spirit, here's a fun video of one of the songs on the album -- All My Bells Are Ringing by Lenka.

M

the king of holiday cookies

Morsels of holiday delight and goodness. That's what these cookies are...

I'm usually not a fan of Lofthouse sugar cookies, but this is the exception. The peppermint sprinkles on the top set these apart from all the other cookies.

M

stylish

Wow! December 1. Really?

The good news is that I have health insurance starting today. The bad news is that I am actually sick for the first time since I haven't had insurance. Oh, the irony.

Since I'm under the weather, I'm not up for much blogging, but wanted to share the new December layout at Stuck?! Sketches. I love, love, loved this sketch and plan to use it again. 

 

For my creative team layout, however, I rotated the sketch and used a lot of the new Homefront products from Studio Calico. 

 

Cardstock: American Crafts, Bazzill; Rub-ons: Hambly; FabRips, patterned paper and stickers: Studio Calico; Buttons: Unknown; Alpha: BasicGrey

I'm sorry about the horrible photo. For some reason, this is just one of those LOs that won't photograph straight to save my soul!

M 

eight and a half by eleven

I've been giving some thought to changing my scrapbooking format from 12 x 12 to 8 1/2 x 11. But, I'm just not sure I'm ready to make the jump. 

However, this summer I noticed I was taking a lot of pictures of food. The thing is, these pictures and memories seemed out of place in my annual album. So, I've decided to put them in separate album and try out the 8 1/2 x 11 format.

This is my first attempt featuring a photo of a cake I made for the 4th of July.

 

And, yes, I combined the Mistletoe and Co. and Amber Road lines from Pink Paislee on this layout, even though it's a 4th of July page. :) That's the great thing about Pink Paislee -- it's so adaptable!

I hope your holiday is filled with special memories like this one.

M

my wish

I hope your Thanksgiving is....

...a meal served on china....

 

...spent in the company of loved ones...

 

...full of joy and delight that cannot be contained... 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

M 

a few of my favorite things

I was talking to a friend today about Sephora and she told me that it's just too overwhelming to find enjoyable. What???? Say it isn't so. 

Sephora is a gold mine; you just have to dig around a little. And, some of the best things are only available during the holidays, so get to shopping! :)

Stila Lip Glaze collection  I could get this as a gift every year and be perfectly happy. I do give it as a gift nearly every year.

Tarte cheek stain  It looks scary, but it's fabulous. Trust me.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion  It may seem unnecessary, but once you try it, you'll be convinced.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat  This is like a magic eraser for your face. Worth every penny.

Bvlgari White Tea Parfumee  If you have ever hoarded the Ritz Carlton soaps and shampoos like me, there's really no need. You can just buy the goodness in a bottle once you get home.

Ojon products  I've even convinced my mom this stuff is worth the money (and she's a hard sell).  I love it all, but the revitalizing mist might be one of the most perfect hair products of all time.

I really recommend buying all these things for yourself, but they would make great holiday gifts as well. Untraditional maybe, but I think people will thank you.

M

monday menagerie

It's Monday for another 25 minutes, so I think I can still call this a Monday menagerie.

Charity auctions... Why am I compelled to make rash decisions in these settings? I don't regret them, it's just a mystery.

New Moon (the movie)... better than Twilight, but still disappointing. It should be more dark and twisty.  That being said, if you haven't seen it, check out the photo shoot in this Vanity Fair. I saw it at the salon last week and thought is was *worthwhile*. It may prompt you to spend $10 and see the movie.

Classic books... I decided to buy my 12-year-old cousin the Anne of Green Gables books from Christmas. I'm pretty sure this is not on her list and will not be a hit, but I couldn't help myself. Anne and Gilbert are timeless. 

I hope your holiday week is off to a great start!

M

gifts galore

This week I introduced two more people to Etsy. I really wish I would get a referral bonus. Anyway, I am hard at work on making a Christmas shopping list and am giving serious thought to buying most everything on Etsy. I've bookmarked a ton of things lately and thought I'd share a few ideas.

Personalized stationary from Daily Sip:  $15.50

Super cute earrings from beakee:  $10

Personalized onesies for the little ones from Jack and Dizzy's Shop:  $19

A patent leather travel document case made by unemployed designer:  $30

Monogramed cashmere-feel (LOL) scarf from monogrammaker:  $17.99

Even though I'm going to have to pay some shipping, I have yet to find such great things at any store this season. And, I love the fact that you can find such unique and affordable items without braving the holiday crowds. 

Happy shopping!

M