looking at: doyle & doyle.

Well, the nice thing about saying I won't be posting means that if I do post it will be a good/happy surprise (well, hopefully!)!  I just couldn't resist when I saw these!!  Just like Erie Basin is a place to continually check in on (AHEM, gents thinking about proposing) so are Anthropologie and Doyle & Doyle!

Look at these beauties:

they are all at Anthropologie, and some for a VERY fair price too!

(well, they are there until they are bought...they're estate pieces so they are one-of-a-kind!)

see you soon!

Well, between finishing/wrapping gifts (with brown kraft paper, lovely free gift tags, homemade paper snowflakes and baker's twine!!  I'm so excited!), packing, celebrating our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!, trying to stay warm (even in our apartment :( boo!), getting things together, rehearsing for a sweet celebratory service at the line on Sunday morning and then leaving immediately after-I'm officially letting you know that I won't be posting for a little while (since I already haven't been this week...oops!).  

We are so looking forward to time with family and friends, and for days of rest and relaxation!  What a wonderful season of remembrance and being thankful.  I hope that you have a beautiful Christmas.

in honor of our one-year, here is the first photo ever taken of us!  ha!

a wedding/reception dress!

Someone please buy this NOW (it's $114!)!  It is so lovely, and if you aren't convinced for the ceremony, it would make a super sweet reception dress...

Check out the rest of the FLOUR shop too!  (shop found here).

gifting.

There have been so many incredible gift guides and free gift tags on the web that I wanted to highlight a few (and share one gift that I think is pretty sweet!).

My favorite free gift tags:

from eat drink chic---download here! (found here)

from hello handmade paperie (Shanna & Betsy)

download at RUE magazine page 60!

A really sweet/reasonably priced gift (for the traveller/wannabe traveller in your life):

the scratch off map!

from iwantoneofthose £14.99 (blast!  urban had them & sold out!)

Scroll through these blogs for some AMAZING and super fun gift guides:

rifle paper co.

mint design blog (especially this DIY guide!!)

a cup of jo

inspired by: karolin schnoor & 'holiday' earl grey.

Mint design blog posted a couple of things this week that I was/am really excited about!

First, Karolin Schnoor makes some lovely folky and colorful pieces that are interactive (and inexpensive) too!  You can "make" a beautiful owl, fox, rabbit, or squirrel for $6.80 (including shipping)!  Or buy a very pretty card.  Take a look:

Next, this delicious dish was posted and I made it this morning!  YUM.  It was really tasty.  I am a huge fan of earl grey in all forms I have had it in!

EARL GREY BREAD PUDDING

AND!  Here is my favorite earl grey treat recipe:

EARL GREY TEA COOKIES!!  (they taste a lot like lemon poppyseed!)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

4 tbls earl grey tea leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces (or grated!)

1. heat oven to 375.  pulse together all dry ingredients in food processor until tea leaves are pulverized.  add vanilla, 1 tsp water, and butter.  mix together until a dough is formed.

2. divide dough in half.  place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap, and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter.  wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

3. slice each log into disks, 1/3 inch thick.  place on parchment or foil-lind baking sheets 2 inches apart.

4. bake until edges are just brown (about 12 minutes).  let cool on sheets.

5. ENJOY!

(taken from real simple, and altered by me!)

date night.

Tuesday's are date night!  I like that even though we're married, this little piece of our courtship is still a mandatory one.  It is so important to have that one-on-one time even in the mix of living daily life together.  Last week we saw The Next Three Days and then as we walked out of the theater saw a photo booth.  My thought was, "Yeah, right, he'll never get in one of those with me"...but, I got a sweet surprise and he was the one who made the move.  He even agreed to go to Wicker Park with me and try out the really sweet, free photo booth at the Renegade shop, well...hopefully it's still there!!

Dan finishes up the semester tomorrow (WOOHOO!), so date night might not be quite as long tonight, but at least we'll eat some fun food together :)

buffalo check & gingham.

I have been perusing buffalo check and gingham items for quite some time now!  Maybe it was the fall and now winter that have been encouraging my liking?  I'm not quite sure, but here are some favorites...

(1) 69.50 at j.crew

(2) 49.99 at madewell

(3) 19.50 at ae

(4) 29.50 at old navy

(5) 68.00 at madewell

random!

Found a few fun things for you (if you haven't already found them yourself of course!)...

1. the new dreamily colored desktop calendar for December by Shanna Murray and Abby-Powell Thompson:

2. Two more online magazines have new issues!  Hooray!  N.E.E.T. magazine and Sweet Paul magazine (found here).  All of the holiday inspiration that has been available lately has been so fun to look at :) 

listening to: marla hansen & more!

Happy December (2nd)!!  I am thinking fondly of last winter, missing our beautiful honeymoon spot.  Here are a couple of photos of the wood pile we grabbed from for our delightful wood-burning fireplace (Dan's one main requirement as we chose our destination)!!

Ack!  I thought I was feeling better yesterday, but woke up this morning feeling much worse...I still think it's probably just a cold or maybe something in the sinus area, but it feels worse than the last cold I remember having.

I really like Marla Hansen's sound.  I heard her first not as a solo artist, but performing with the original group that made up the Osso string quartet.  A while later I discovered her solo work and have really enjoyed it!  Well, she has a new song that is free!  Head HERE.  She is also on a Christmas Album that you can stream for free.  

The extras: 
I found this in my inbox this morning.  They don't seem to fit with the rest of the music I listen to regularly, but I think Coldplay will always have a place in my musical listening life.  Plus, it's Christmas-y!  Which is exciting!

Yesterday I saw this on Asthmatic Kitty's website...Shara is so beautiful!  A while back I had mentioned 'Penelope' the album, and it does not disappoint :)

Have fun listening!