HAPPY HOLI-DIY | a recap of my craft night at Anthropologie

Last night was so much fun - I hosted an event at Anthropologie (you may have heard about it, ha) and to top it off two customers thought I worked there because I "dressed like it" and I had a "great outfit." Two of the greatest compliments of my life right there. Oh, and my mom and aunt came out to support me and they were like my personal fan club so that was nice, too. Hopefully everyone who came to the event had as good a time as I did! We made initial ornaments that do double duty as gift toppers, and a few industrious people even made enough letters to make a word garland! Check back tomorrow for the tutorial. Here are a bunch of photos of the event... much thanks to Matt who stopped by for a little while to capture these images for me. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Most of all, thanks to Anthropologie for having me and to everyone who came to the event! Hope we can do another one real soon :)

HAPPY HOLI-DIY | a craft night with Anthropologie & me!

I have such fun news to share today! I'm excited to announce that I'm partnering with Anthropologie and hosting an evening full of crafting and snacking at my local store in Garden City on December 18th. We'll be making yarn monograms which can be used as ornaments or gift toppers, so come on by and craft with us! 

There are two one-hour sessions and space is very limited so if you'd like to join us, email anthroevents@anthropologie.com soon to reserve your spot at the workshop! Please include your preferred session time in your email. Hope to see you there! 

Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July! It's raining right now so I don't know what the fireworks will look like around here tonight. Hopefully the weather clears up soon! We haven't seen fireworks on the Fourth in three years because we've gone camping over the holiday weekend since 2009, so I'm excited to find a good display somewhere. It will be Ezra's first time... fingers crossed that he doesn't mind the noise! Go here to find a list of places in Rhode Island where you can watch the annual patriotic pyrotechnics. 

image by blueflash via facebook

love is in the air

Today is Valentine's Day and if you have a Valentine like I do then you probably have some plans for spending a romantic night together. Here are some ways to make the night special if you just realized you have no plans. (Not a good thing, unless you are a Valentine's Day rebel and your sweetheart is, too.) 

hang some pretty garlands, like these from Creative Place

make chocolate cupcakes to share, like these from cannelle et vanille

exchange loves notes (purchase this sweet card from Parrott Design Studio)

sip hot chocolate from ruby red mugs by Little Wren Pottery

(image via The Best Picture Project)

snuggle up and watch Midnight in Paris

(or Pride and Prejudice, The Notebook, Casablanca... whichever suits your fancy)

Happy Valentine's Day, loves!

P.S. Here are some ideas for a night out, and some gift ideas, too.

from Matt & Ezra

For Mother's Day Matt dedicated a birthing kit from the International Rescue Committee to me.  I honestly didn't want anything but Matt insisted so I suggested something that would help other mothers.  The kit provides blankets, clothes, and other essentials to mothers who are giving birth in a crisis zone to help give their babies the best start in life.  I only wish I could find out who the recipient of the kit dedicated in my name will be.  Matt also got me this adorable book, I Love My Mommy by Sebastien Braun.  Does anyone know why it sometimes sells for upwards of $100?  I think Matt picked up a copy for about $15 so I can't imagine why.  Anyway, I can't wait to read it with Ezra.  By the way, Ezra wrote me a poem for Mother's Day.  He's that talented.  Now, what to do for Matt for Father's Day...

send mom some love

In six days Mother's Day will be upon us.  To start off the week I wanted to share these Mother's Day cards from Kate Spade with you.  Write a note to mom and click send - it's that simple!  Just don't think you'll get off that easy come Sunday.  Any special plans for Mother's Day in the works?  I would love to hear your ideas!
P.S. On Friday you could take her to a National Public Garden for free!  Visit Better Homes and Gardens for details.  (Thanks, Karissa!)

Holy Week

With Easter just six days away, I've been thinking about something more important than dyeing eggs, Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs, and what to eat for brunch on Sunday.  Check out this visualization timeline of Holy Week if you're interested in learning more about the Gospel this week.
via Karissa via Bible Gateway

my little leprechaun

Ezra is a quarter Irish so naturally he had to wear green today in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.  Tomorrow night we're going to my mom and dad's house for corned beef and cabbage - yum!  If you're in need of some baked Irish deliciousness, check out last year's post from March 17th, complete with my great-grandmother's recipe for Irish soda bread.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

l-o-v-e

(image source unknown)

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you spend it with the one you love.  {xoxo}

Ezra says...

Merry Christmas!

And here are a few more photos for good measure...

While Ezra is adorable, I want to take care to remember the reason we celebrate Christmas - 

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

Luke 2:1-14


{Ezra's elf hat is from etsy seller Knit 1 Paint Too}

Celebrating Mothers

I can happily say that all of my planning and preparations for Mother's Day paid off.  We enjoyed the afternoon with our parents and brothers (Matt's sister is away currently stationed in Kansas and his sister-in-law was in New York visiting her mother) and then later visited Matt's grandmother, Mama.  My menu evolved some since my last post... we started off with Kathleen's (of Twig & Thistle) DIY provincial cheese favors as appetizers which I served with four different kinds of crackers and sliced apples.  Next we had vanilla yogurt, almond granola, and blackberry and blueberry parfaits.  The entrees were a ham and cheese casserole found on the kitchn, broccoli garlic quiche from epicurious, baked French toast spotted here, and my friend Kelli's hash brown bake.  I served stephmodo's Blushing Pink Crush for a fun addition to the typical beverage menu, which, at my house, usually consists of orange juice, skim milk, herbal tea, and water.  For dessert we enjoyed banana chocolate chip muffins (adapted from the recipe found in Baked), chocolate chip biscotti (adapted from Giada's second book, Giada's Family Dinners), and fresh strawberries, pineapple, and watermelon.

Success!  I only wish I had taken some photos of the food, but we were all too hungry to bother...  I hope everyone had as lovely a day as we did!  

Irish Soda Bread

As an Irish lass I feel it is my duty to write about Saint Patrick's Day.  My mom has always made Irish soda bread during the entire month of March for as long I can remember so I grew up associating it with Saint Paddy's Day and my Irish heritage... yeah, who doesn't, I know.  Anyway, it makes a great breakfast on the run, mid-afternoon snack, or light dessert.  This year I tried my hand at the recipe my great-grandmother Sadie used to make. Sadie emigrated from Galway on the SS Invernia in 1911. At some point while in the Boston area she met my great-grandfather Jack. We're not sure when he immigrated to the States but my aunt is on the case! They were married in 1926 at Saint Peter's Church in Dorchester, Massachusetts.  

And here are my grandparents with my mom as a baby.  With six children older than my mom I think they look quite relaxed, don't you agree?  I hope I would have the energy to get my hair done and be fully accessorized if I were to have seven small children!  By the way, eight years after my mom they had one more!

Now on to the baking!  It's a simple recipe to make and I've no doubt it will turn out better for you than it did for me.  I checked the bread when it had about ten minutes left and to my utter dismay I found that it was as brown as a graham cracker and not the familiar creamy white to which I'm accustomed.  In a later conversation with my mother I was informed that although the recipe says to bake for an hour it really only takes about 40 minutes.  That would have been good to know before I baked my bread.  No worries though - as soon as it was cool I sliced it up and quickly tasted a piece.  I found it to be delicious and not dry in the least!  My favorite way to have Irish bread is toasted and buttered.  What's yours?   

 Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

3 C flour

2/3 C sugar

1 T baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 3/4 C raisins
1 T caraway seeds

2 eggs, beaten

1 3/4 buttermilk

2 T melted shortening

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a cast iron pan or loaf pan.  Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.  Stir in raisins and caraway seeds.  Combine eggs, buttermilk, and shortening in a small bowl.  Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and combine until flour is just moistened.  Turn into greased pan and bake for about 40 minutes.  Remove from pan immediately.  Allow to cool through before serving.