"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a wonderful & safe new year's tonight!

see you in 2010!!

No Plans

So tomorrow is New Year's eve ... and I have NO plans thus far. I'm so over the whole bar scene here in Lexington. Well, really just in general. We may have a few people over to our house? Who knows. I feel like everyone else wants to "hit the town" but I would be more than happy to stay in!

2010 will be a big year for me...it's the year I will graduate from law school, take the bar, *hopefully* get my first real job, and maybe, just maybe engaged! (haha wonder if ben will read this! if so, hint hint!) I'm thinking 10.10.10 would be a good date - just for fun! :) Once I am gainfully employed, I'd love to travel more - I could really, really use a vacation! I would also LOVE to meet some of you all! Blogging and reading all of your blogs is most certainly my favorite past time!

Anywho...if we do end up having people over tomorrow night, I found this cute idea for a center piece that I will recreate.

easy, sparkly, and pretty! {from Martha}

empty nest

ben and i packed up all our christmas decorations yesterday and stored them away...and now our condo feels SO EMPTY! Since buying our first place the list of things that we "need" never seems to end!

here are some pics of our empty living room...excuse the circa 1998 TV. For Christmas Ben's parents gave us money to buy a new flatscreen, so we are hoping to get out sometime this week to pick one out. {after Christmas sales!!} I still need a rug, drapes, and two matching chairs. who knew finding a rug that I like would be sooo dang difficult! i really wanted something with some color, but i think i may have to settle for a natural fiber rug.

we plan on hanging the tv on this wall, and moving the large painting to the wall where the tv currently sits. I also plan on getting two matching slipper chairs that will face the ottoman. plus, i need to add a bookshelf somewhere ...AHHH so much to do!

{excuse the clutter} this is the piece that sits by our front door. i need to find two matching lamps. i want something fairly large and with a drum shade. i have been looking for a couple months and haven't found anything i love (that isn't several hundred dollars). i want to add a round mirror above this piece - to be flanked by the lamps.

well anyways, there is a peek into our little home... getting this place all set is definitely on my to-do list for 2010!

do you all feel like your home is empty after you put away all your holiday decorations?!

A Very Merry Christmas to You!

I'm doing some last minute gift wrapping and headed over to my mom's to spend the night. Ben is out of town till tomorrow afternoon and I don't want to spend Christmas eve alone! I can't wait to watch my nephew Logan open all his gift from Santa tomorrow! I'm looking forward to that more than any gift I might be getting!

I hope you all have wonderful Christmases! Have safe travels and enjoy the time with your loved ones!

{photo via snippet & ink}

hot chocolate

I made these hot chocolate on a stick baskets for few people for christmas.

aren't they cute?! i got the idea from One Pretty Thing.

start with milk chocolate, and melt in plastic ziploc bag. i wouldn't use the chips like i did, because they aren't meant to melt so they take a while to cool and harden back up! my kroger was out of sweet baking chocolate so i just went with it.

snip corner of ziploc bag and squeeze into ice cube trays.

pop in candy sticks, they stand up on their own. let cool. i stuck mine in the freezer to speed it up.

i also melted some white chocolate in a bowl and dipped the ends of the milk chocolate in them. To some i added sprinkles and to some i added coconut shavings. you could also make all white chocolate ones. the sky is the limit!

i got the mini plastic bags and the candy sticks from michaels. i placed them in a christmas basket with a christmas mug and tied the instructions (stir in mug of hot milk) to it. cute and easy!

gifts for the small people in my life...

i'm giving my nephews and nieces fleece blankets with their names/initials appliqued on them for christmas. this was a super easy project that i think turned out pretty cute! i ordered 9x11 fabric pieces from etsy and whipped these up one night this week while watching christmas movies.

the ottoman

ok, so here is the ottoman i thought about making for like ever. i'm pretty happy with how it turned out. i couldn't commit to a patterned fabric, so i went with a heavy solid. i figure i will do a lot of pattern in my throw pillows (which i have yet to purchase/make). i chose yellow to go with my gray walls. the only thing i don't like about the ottoman is that it is SO big! i didn't realize how large a 36" square would look in our small condo. here are the pics:

this is what the table looked like before:

i pretty much followed THESE instructions from

things to make:

1. these door mats from pottery barn at almost $100. i'm going to find a plain mat and use a little spray paint and tape to make my own!

2. i love the rick rack embellishment on these simple white curtains. thinking about doing this for my living room.

or maybe something like this...

3. i need a headboard! i have a beautiful antique iron bed, but at 6'3" ben doesn't fit on it! so i thought i'd make one similar to this. i can't seem to find tack strips anywhere though. ideas of where i can find them?

aaaannnndddd i finally got around to making the ottoman that i talked about in THIS post. i ended up doing it a bit differently, i'll share pictures tomorrow!

deck the halls

I got my ornament from the ornament swap up on my tree and wanted to share!

thank you so much Lilly, I LOVE it! thank you for sending me a little piece of NYC to enjoy!

and while we are at it, here are some more of my holiday decorations!

small tree with ornaments on my entry table

more ornaments in a vase and some faux mercury glass votives

vintage ornaments, that belonged to my grandmother, in vases on the table in our eating area

soup du jour

do your grocery stores carry Bear Creek soup mixes? if so, be sure to grab some the next time you go. there are a large variety available - I've tried the creamy potato (my fave), the tortilla soup, the chili, the chicken noodle, and the broccoli cheddar. they are all good! of course, soup is my favorite food :)

good-bye

I've been using this Nivea Good-bye Cellulite gel cream for a few months now and ya'll, it seriously works! I mean, don't expect miracles or instant results...but over time it definitely reduces the appearance of cellulite. The skin on the back of my thighs was stressing me out, but now they look so much better!

Have you all given it a try?

i need this book stat

December one

I cannot believe that it is already December!

I think I will have to get Logan a chocolate advent calendar this year! I used to love searching for the correct little door each day and then having the surprise of what was inside!

(really just what shape the rather gross chocolate was in!)

Did you all have these growing up?

cringe

it's that time again. yep, exams. two down, three to go. wish me luck (but you know i need it!)

tree

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas around here!

i've been cleaning out my closet and have a few party dresses that i was going to list on ebay, but thought i'd see if any of you wanted to purchase any of them first!

if you are interested please email me at justlovelykatherine@yahoo.com

silver, above the knee w/ bow dress. worn once. size small. bought at boutique on King in Charleston. $35

black, long-sleeve above the knee dress. from express, size small. worn once. $25

another black dress from express. sweetheart neck, above the knee. size 4. worn twice. $20.

{shipping will be $5}

Ornament Swap Partners

Hey ladies! here are the partners for the ornament swap. please contact your partner to get their mailing info and please have your ornaments out in the mail by the 5th!

be sure to post pics once you get your ornaments!! thanks for playing along :)

Hokie Honey & Patience

nfrost@vt.edu

pkrueger262003@yahoo.co

Brit & Jamie

daveandbritplusone@gmail.com

jamie.feisal@gmail.com

Sara Lang & Rachel

Saralang [at] gmail [dot] com

rguzman0320@gmail.com

Melissa G & KR

missylovsjesus@yahoo.com

kaitlyn.e.rose@gmail.com

BLC & Kayce

thecompanyshekeeps@blogspot.com

kayceree@hotmail.com

Legally Fabulous & Tiffany

legallyfabulous1@gmail.com

scottysgirl4life@gmail.com

Miss Type-A & Flip Flop Bride

jillian.crowe@gmail.com

a_evans07@yahoo.com

Michelle & Pammycakes

shell (at) stutteringshell (dot) com

pamela(dot)ziegler(at)gmail(dot)com

theluckiestmrs & Bella

theluckiestmrs@gmail.com

bellaserenityblog@gmail.com

Lilly & Katherine

lillyfrog@yahoo.com

justlovelykatherine@yahoo.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have wonderful Thanksgivings! Ben and I are off to his grandparents' farm for the night!

help me decide!

I made several different christmas cards that I need to chose from so I can get them printed out and in the mail! I know we aren't married, but i've sent out picture christmas cards from the two of us for three years now. I figure it is ok, since we have been together for 4.5+ years!

Here is where you all come in. Which of these three do you prefer? I got inspiration from etsy and fabrics and these are what i've come up with:

option #1

option #2

option #3

I saw this picture over at Simply Seleta's blog and I am now obsessed with that zigzag runner.

I have no clue where it comes from, but don't you think it would be simple to make a "painted canvas" runner? I've seen them do it on HGTV. Might have to give it a try! And I want to do it in a rose color, if Ben will let me! May just have to surprise him :)

I hope you all had great weekends and don't forget to sign up for my ornament swap!

Ornament Swap!!

Hey ladies! I'm going to host an ornament swap! If you want to play along, leave a comment on this post. {please leave your email with the comment}

Deadline to enter is WEDNESDAY the 25th, and then ornaments should be mailed to your partner by December 5th!

The more the merrier!!

I will match everyone up on the 25th and post the pairs that day!

Please spend between $10 and $15 & get creative!

{the ornament above is from here}

i love lamp

i absolutely LOVE this lamp...any idea where i can find it or one like it? i need two :)

test run

** edit -- so i just whipped a batch of these up and they are AMAZING! seriously, very very good! you all must make them! but, be warned, the recipe below makes WAY more than 24 cookies, idk where they got that!!**

I'm making these to take to the two thanksgiving celebrations i'm going to. one lunch and one dinner. i'm going to do a test run tonight or tomorrow because last year i tried to make a pumpkin ice cream pie with maple whipped cream. it didn't turn out too hot. so, this year i'm playing it safe and testing the recipe first! there are a ton of different versions of this recipe online, just google.

Pumpkin Cookies with

Cream Cheese Icing

{makes 24 cookies}

Ingredients
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup unsalted butter; softened
2 cups white sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin (solid; not pie mix)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Cream shortening, butter, white sugar and pumpkin. Add eggs and mix well.
2. Sift together the baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
3. Drop from spoon to cookie sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (extract will also work)
2 tablespoons milk

Method
Mix the cream cheese with the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a bowl. Heat in a microwave for 15 seconds. Drizzle spoonfuls over the cooled cookies and smooth with the back of a spoon or a spatula.

{recipe and pic from here}

silhouettes

i love this wall of silhouettes i found over at IDiY.

i think i will pop a few into a couple of the frames on my gallery wall!

also, i seriously love these ornaments! i may just have to try to make one! how great would a tree look decorated with all silhouette ornaments!

{from etsy}

and i think these would make a wonderful gift for a mom or grandmother!

{found here}

Happy Monday lovelies! Hope you all had wonderful weekends! I did nothing, at it was amazing! The weather here has been unseasonably warm and gorgeous. It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is NEXT week! crazy!

Need a good laugh this monday morning? well, while doing nothing this weekend, Ben and I had some fun playing with google. How random and hilarious are the search suggestion that show up on google?!

google is watching you!!

why don't women like me? hahaha. that is kind of sad!

even more sad... how come when i talk to girls on facebook they don't answer back? :( poor kid!

Did you know that if you google "where is chuck norris" and then the "i'm feeling lucky" button that this is what comes up? :

haha what?!

I also highly suggest googling "funny google street views." very funny!! ...

anywho... have a great monday!