hello weekend

(image via The Ball Drops Here, photo credit: The New York Times)

As we wrap up 2011, I'm thinking of all that's happened over the past year, and I wanted to say thanks for taking time out of your day to read what I write over here in my little corner of the internet. I appreciate every comment and hope you'll keep reading! My plans for the tiny hummingbird are always evolving and we'll see where this year leads me. Instead of a link list from greater blogdom, here's a list of some of my favorite posts from each month, the tiny hummingbird in review.
January - we embarked on a healthy living adventure and officially announced Ezra's arrival (I just watched this mini movie -again- thatMatt made of Ezra's first day and I choked up... love him!)
February - celebrated one year of blogging and threw a bridal shower and a personal shower for Hillary.
March - thought about priorities, started ice cream season off right, and made Matt an embroidered love note.
In April I bought myself flowers.
May - completed operation cardigan and made a triple chocolate cake that I must make again.

June - fell in love with macarons and sat with Ezra for a special photo shoot

July - discovered The Locals and hung some things in our dining room.

In August we tried being vegetarians for a week

In September I sort of went missing.

October - made a baby quilt with a guitar motif and a list of goals (click the link to see how I did).

November - shared Ezra's birth story, finally finished his room, and celebrated his first birthday.

December - made chocolate pretzel pie, cookie stars, and shared a tutorial for an advent calendar.

Many blessings to you in the new year, dear readers... here's to 2012!

hello weekend

(image by Matt)

What is there to say about this weekend? It will be a whirlwind, that's for sure. Tonight (fingers crossed) we'll just stay home and relax... we're having breakfast for dinner and I can't wait to indulge in some French toast made with homemade bread and a cup of tea. Tomorrow we'll be at my parents' house in the afternoon for a lunch of homemade pizza (topped with pineapple - my favorite!) and then back in Cranston for dinner at Matt's grandmother's house. We'll leave with our bellies full of the seven fishes and our hair perfumed with eau de fried squid. Ezra is having a bath no matter what time we get home. On Sunday we're having breakfast with my family - bowls of hearty oatmeal all around - and then going to church to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Later on we'll head to Matt's parents' house for dinner and more gift exchanging. How are you spending the holiday weekend? 

- have to throw a party so I can use this idea for confetti invitations

- love the idea of a family gift swap

- save these holiday party invitations for next year

- definitely making dark chocolate bark as soon as I can think of an excuse

- I want to dress Ezra just like these guys

- see my favorite gift tag for Christmas (it's free!)

- how to do your own glittery nails

- take a minute to read "of all the ways he could have become"

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

P.S. Start planning for next weekend and check out these spots to celebrate New Year's Eve in Providence.

a belated birthday quilt

In October my mother-in-law celebrated a milestone birthday and she asked if I would make a quilt for her redecorated bedroom. Well, really she asked for a quilt and then told me it could a birthday gift. 'Sweet,' I thought to myself. This year's gift was clearly a no-brainer. Little did she know that it would come closer to being a Thanksgiving gift than a birthday gift. Oops! 

She had the floral fabric left over from the newly reupholstered cornices and the solid green was a remnant from the trim on a set of pillow shams. Since the fabric she gave me to work with was all home decorator I stuck with that weight for the rest of the fabrics I chose. All are from Joann, even the prints she gave me to start with. 

I didn't have a pattern in mind when I began the project, but the size of the oddly shaped floral fabric remnant dictated how I would begin. Basically, I was forced to cut the floral fabric into twenty-two inch wide strips that were really really long. I cut the strips into more manageable pieces and ended up with nine rectangles, about 9" by 22." 

I brought them along to the store to pick out some coordinating prints and solids and chose a stripe in the same colors, a brown and cream print (does anyone know if that one has a name?), a solid blue, and a solid brown. Each fabric was cut into strips of varying thicknesses. Then I laid out three of each fabric into three columns, playing with the design until I was happy with it. 

The back is the same blue from the front, and you can see a tiny triangular label in the bottom right corner. My mom helped me with the free motion quilting since she has more experience with it, her machine is better equipped to handle it, and she knew I was anxious to get it done... this being December. And my mother-in-law's birthday was in October. I think the quilt ended up measuring about seventy inches by fifty something. I'm so precise.

The quilt is bound in the main floral print. Let me say that making a quilt out of home dec isn't the easiest thing to do. That was one thick stack of fabric when I was binding the corners. 

Ezra was keen on interrupting my quilt photo shoot and insisted on incessantly poking his Grandma's gift with a stick. My little boy is already obsessed with sticks.

{couldn't resist posting this photo of his chubby hand}

cookie stars

To kick off the week before Christmas, I'm sharing what I thought was a fantastic idea (if I may say so) for easy and festive cookies. Have any parties to go to this week? Were you pegged to bring a dessert on Christmas Day? These cookies have your name written all over them. They're also delicious, as cookies should be. The process is simple. Whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough (I used this classic recipe) and instead of making drop cookies, spread the dough into a baking pan. Bake as directed. Mine only took about twenty-two minutes in a 375° oven. 

While the giant cookie rectangle is baking, rummage through your kitchen drawers to find your favorite cookie cutters. I selected four stars of different sizes. When the "cookies" come out of the oven, you can do one of two things. Either allow the cookie to cool and cut out your shapes later, or get right to work.

We had plans to go out as soon as my oven timer dinged, so I was forced to let the cookie cool before cutting. I think it would have been easier to cut the star shapes if it hadn't cooled for a couple of hours. Ten to fifteen minutes would have probably been enough. Then I wouldn't have needed to use my entire body weight to press the cookie cutters into the cookie bar and a dishtowel to protect my hands from the sharp edges that were digging into my flesh. Learn from my mistakes, please. 

Anyway, cut out whatever shapes you like from the cookie bar and then enjoy! This is now my official method of making chocolate chip cookies. I know bar cookies aren't new, but I've never really made them before and they're so much easier than drop cookies. One pan makes for much less clean up, and you're not waiting for batch after batch to come out of the oven. So chocolate chip cookie bars it is, and if I'm feeling fancy I'll dig out the cookie cutters. Maybe next time I'll make some wild animals!

Bonus: there are a lot of cookie scraps left over, and you don't even have to share those with your guests.

hello weekend

(image via Garden City's facebook page)

Tonight Matt and I are spending time with some friends, one of which we don't get to see very often and her new beau! We're keeping it simple and just making pasta and Italian bread. My friend Hillary is bringing a salad and my friend Laura is bringing dessert so I'm off the hook for two courses. And of course there will be tea. This weekend also brings another Christmas party, this time with our youth group at church. I've spent a month wrapping empty boxes for the centerpieces and I can already see them being turned into projectiles and hurled across the gym. Anyway, here are my favorite finds from the week... I'm going to click away while enjoying the scent of baking bread. What are you up to this weekend? 

- found my 2012 calendar... and it's free!

- it's official: the color of the year is tangerine tango

- give the gift of a mini frying pan. no, really!

- want to pick up a box of ginger pear tea next time I'm at Trader Joe's
- check out this holiday mixtape if you're in need of Christmas spirit
- on the merits of saving old recipes
- this winter hat would look so cute on my head (and that's a compliment to the hat, not to me)
- Jonathan Adler teams up with Skip Hop
- aaand here's another free album for your listening pleasure - Hey, It's Christmas, volume 2. (Check out volume one while you're there, too.)
Don't forget: the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!

hello weekend

(image via Danielle Thompson)

We've got our first Christmas party of the season this weekend, my family's annual Crosby Christmas Party. My parents are hosting this year and my mom asked me to help decorate. I was inspired by this tablescape (designed by David Stark) so expect lots of mason jars, jute webbing, raffia, twigs, and pine... I'll post some pictures next week. In addition to being on pretty party duty, I'm bringing a couple of desserts - chocolate chip cookie bars and Molly Wizenberg's winning hearts and minds chocolate cake. Not particularly Christmas-y, but in my mind one can never go wrong with the classics. Do you have any holiday parties to attend this weekend? While I put the finishing touches on the decorations, check out the links I loved this week...

- be sure to check out Anthropologie's 20 Days A'Gifting

- my friend Keri is going to be published!

- isn't this sock monkey super cute?

- why didn't I think of making mini cakes in a can?

- quite possibly the awesomest cookie jar ever

- a Postmug would make a great gift for nearly anyone on your list

- it's time for a change of desktop wallpaper

- one more pretty advent calendar

- this gingerbread house party reminds me of my cousin Meghan's birthday parties when we were growing up

- I love the idea of a very Kennedy Christmas party

- these candies are the most incredible confections I've ever seen

Merry Christmas party, everyone!

hello weekend

(image via wit & delight)

Hooray! It's the first weekend of December and we're getting into the spirit by visiting our favorite purveyor of fresh Christmas trees, Shire Tree Farm in Hope, RI. I love it there because the field is the perfect size (not overwhelming but they still have lots of trees) and you can cut your own tree down with a handsaw. No, you don't have to... they'll cut it with a chainsaw for you if you want, but I like Matt to cut it for us. After we get our tree our friend Karissa is going to take some family photos for us since we didn't get to do them the weekend Ezra got burned. Then we'll have a very festive (not!) dinner of pizza on homemade dough... yum! Before we do all that, I'm going to lug our boxes of Christmas decorations upstairs in preparation for the weekend. While I start decorating our mantle, here are some things I wanted to share with you...
- this Christmas tree is so simple and sweet

- have you seen the new issue of Anthology? The gift guide is perfection.  

- here's healthy change forty-eight, with ten steps to simplicity

- a flavored popcorn kit is a gift I would love to receive!

- didn't know you could make super bounce balls

- how to make a tinsel wreath ornament
- want your Christmas cards postmarked at the North Pole? 
Here's how!
- this gift guide for an awesome toddler is, well, awesome
- starting to think I'd like an instax mini
Have a great weekend, friends!
P.S. Advent activity no. 2 - hang your stockings (and say your prayers...)

hello weekend

(image via Nag on the Lake. I couldn't resist posting another vintage Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade photo!)

First things first: happy birthday to my most wonderful husband, Matt! Our plans for the day are completely up to him so for starters we're having our furnace serviced. Just the sort of thing I like to do on my birthday. Not. Really, though, I'm looking forward to celebrating with him throughout the day. We're having one of our favorite meals for dinner - black bean & sweet potato tacos - hooray! Then tomorrow Matt is working on a Christmas film with some teens from our youth group, and afterwards we're meeting some friends for dinner. I'm bringing chocolate pretzel pie and I. can't. wait. to eat it. One thing I'm definitely not doing this weekend is going shopping! Are any of you braving the crowds?

And now, the link love.

- here's some good news for those of you shopping in Providence this weekend
- a thank you note in calligraphy is always pretty. plus, this one's free!
- love the idea of how Sharon started The Little Cafe
- download and print this cute (and free!) 2012 owl calendar
- these style tips gleaned from the J.Crew catalog are spot on 
(my favorite is number six - ha!)
- this Christmas tree in miniature (well, as miniature as you consider three feet tall to be) is on its way to our house!
- make this sweet and simple chocolatey gift to give to friends (or just keep it for yourself, I won't tell)
Hope your weekend is well spent as you recover from Thanksgiving and Black Friday!


P.S. I forgot to report back on last Friday's dinner and dessert - the roasted butternut baked penne was fabulous! I did make a few changes though - doubled the recipe, only used Pecorino Romano (my fave) because I didn't have Parmesan or mozzarella on hand, mixed the sauce in with the pasta instead of pouring it on top, and I fried the sage leaves in butter instead of using them fresh because when are sage leaves fried in butter a bad idea? Sadly, the brownies left something to be desired.

happy weekend

(imaga via Design by Kelli)

I am so looking forward to dinner tonight - I'm making penne with roasted butternut squash. I get chills just thinking about it. Then for dessert I'm going to make black bean brownies. Yes, I said black beans and brownies in the same sentence. I will admit I'm a little scared, but I'm optimistic and will let you know how it goes. If they are repulsive there's always these. As for weekend plans, it's birthday parties for us again (one on Saturday and one on Sunday), along with a bridal shower on Saturday morning. Which means I've had lots of fun wrapping gifts lately! My new found skills will come in handy as the Christmas season approaches.
As usual, here are some links I wanted to share with you...
- definitely want to have a pinterest party in the very near future... who's with me?!
- I'm thinking my father-in-law's fighting fish Saint Rocco could use a nice getaway to a fish hotel. I think I'll tell him to put it on his Christmas list.
- some thoughts on holiday shopping
- here's healthy change forty-six
- don't these look like the perfect weekend pants? hence the name, I suppose...
- visit London and you can pretend you're engaged to Prince William
Hope your weekend is spectacular!

a big quilt

Remember these fabric strips? Well, I finally have a finished product to show you. This here quilt is the biggest quilt I've ever made, and I must confess - it took me waaay longer to complete than I thought it would.

I went with a simple design of striped blocks that I alternated placing vertically and horizontally with solids mixed in, too. Now that I look at the photos, it's kind of like a maze. A really easy maze.

It's a queen size quilt, but it won't completely cover a queen size bed. It's meant to be folded at the foot and used on chilly nights for extra warmth. 

Simple straight line quilting different widths apart seemed like just the thing to both echo and complement the different stripes in the quilt.

And of course, my assistant was on hand for the photo shoot.

a monster bash

Now that the dust has settled, I'm so excited to finally share Ezra's birthday party. My friend Keri snapped lots of photos for us and I'm so thankful that I didn't have to worry about capturing all the little details.

The theme and decorations were all based on Ezra's Ugly Doll and the colors of Ezra's room. 

Upon entering the room (we used our church's fellowship hall), guests were greeted by Ezra's stuffed animal collection. 

I hung one photo from each of his month shoots on the wall... after looking at them all lined up I couldn't believe how much he changed from month to month!

This photo book was created on Shutterfly to use as a guest book.

Of course we had to have pom poms. Three hung over each table as a vague pom chandelier.

My mother-in-law, my mom, and I baked up lots of sweet treats for all our guests. We served coffee, tea, water, and Yacht Club soda.

{rice krispie treats} 

(made with fluff, the secret ingredient, instead of marshmallows!)

{vanilla cupcakes}

{fruit salad}

{double chocolate brownie bites}

{chocolate cake pops}

There was a 'sugar cookie decoration station' for the kids (inspired by this party), although I think a fair amount of adults got in on the frosting and sprinkle action. 

Ezra was much more impressed with his little cake when it was topped with a flaming candle than when he was allowed to dig in...

Rather than eat it himself, Ezra decided to share some with his Uncle Brendan and cousin Jacob.

I'll admit it was a little dry. He must have been parched.

Each place was set with an orange monster, er, a clementine with a googly eye - (idea from here)...

...the eyeballs seemed to migrate to human foreheads very quickly. 

I got the idea for the 'adopt a monster' favor from party perfect, and then a few months later found these great patterns for mini monsters. My mom and my aunt along with my cousin's daughters (ages 9 and 4!) worked overtime to help me get these finished in time.

Many thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate Ezra's first year!

P.S. Check out the awesome gift that Keri made for Ezra!