Link-tastic Friday

A few weeks ago, I showed you a pile of burlap.  I haven't had a moment to show you before, but this is what that turned into:

 
During the month of December, it said "Merry and Bright", but now I've changed it.

 
I love the way that it can be personalized or changed to be seasonally appropriate, and since the colors are just "funky" and not "Christmasy", I can keep it up for as long as I want.

 
Which is awesome, because it took a little while to cut out all of these circles.  I kind of felt like a rockstar with that glue gun though.  It had been far too long since I'd held one in my hands.

 
Stop laughing at me.  I relish the amusement found in the small things, and I'M NOT ASHAMED TO SAY IT.  (Tutorial found here at Tatertots and Jello.)


And now for today's links!


Newly in love with these blogs:

• i love it all -- lots of free downloads, tons of ideas for creative scrapbooking.
• The Dainty Squid -- a constant stream of quirky and eclectic inspiration, fun style, and craftiness.
• A Beautiful Mess -- the owner of a vintage clothing botique, she has gorgeous inspiring style both in clothing and home decor, crafty ideas, etc.  When I found this blog yesterday, I literally could hardly tear myself away.

Looking Fabulous: 

• Gorgeous (and very reasonably priced) repurposed and indie jewelry at So Very Charming.
• After spending too much money on lip glosses that I hated the taste or feel of, I finally found an unexpected favorite in one of the least expensive glosses on the shelf: Rimmel Vynl Gloss.  It lasts a long time, the color selection is satisfactory (there is more than they have listed on their site), and it actually keeps my lips hydrated -- not sticky.  Love it!
• I've been playing with liquid eyeliner lately, which takes a bit of practice to get right, but I've just found something that's easier to control, yet just as dramatic, and a little more versitile: Maybelline Lasting Drama Liquid Gel Liner. 

Crafty:

• Have you decided on your 2011 calendar yet?  Here's a free -- and completely gorgeous -- downloadable calendar at Blog Guidebook. I plan to print it on this linen paper, and then get it spiral-bound at a nearby copy shop.
• Seriously though, who says you can only have one?  Here's a whole round-up of printable calendars.
• I've got the fabric for this circle skirt all cut out (via MADE).  Now if I could only grab a few moments in the studio without interruption...
• Make your own brooches and hair clips with this super-simple tutorial from Max Califorina.
• I've already got the the Wilton Cupcake Stand, but it would be terribly cute to have one of these DIY ones (tutorial by Skip To My Lou) alongside at a party.  And I actually have a drill!
• These Mini Top Hats are so obnoxiously ostentatious...and yet I'm drawn to them like a siren's song. Tutorial at the Offbeat Bride.
• I'm pretty sure I can't live another day without a Cowgirl bustle skirt.  (In a grown-up size for me)  Tutorial from No Big Dill.  
• Andrew and Elijah are fascinated with maps.  Inspired by this tutorial at Inhabitots, I'm going to start saving our cereal boxes to create this Cereal Box Map for their room.
• With the Christmas gift-making season past, it's time to make things for myself.  I think I'll start with some homemade body scrub.
• Now that school has started again, I've been looking for some fresh ideas to keep Lavella and Jonah busy.  We'll be making this Homemade Poster Paint sometime soon.
• We will also definitely make some of this slime.  Way too fun to pass up!
• Another fun project to do with the littles: Acorn owls.  So cute!

Food (savory):

• After all of the fussiness of holiday food, I find myself craving things like this Egg Salad Sandwich.  Because whatever Joy The Baker makes, I have to make.  I'm helpless to resist.
• Not sure if I've posted this before, but even if I have, it bears posting again.  This Curried Lentil Soup recipe by Molly Wizenberg just makes me love my life every time I make it (also, her writing never fails to charm me).  French Green Lentils maintain just a bit more texture than the usual green/grey sort, and the soup is softened out with a creamy swirl of pureed chickpeas (brightened with a touch of raw garlic and a squeeze of lemon), and a pat of butter stirred in at the end.  This has become a repeat recipe in our house that even the children are excited about seeing at the dinner table (I serve it over rice to make it a little more filling for Greg The Food Vacuum).
• Since we're on the topic of soup (my Very Favorite Food), check out this recipe for Vegetable Barley Soup.  This was dinner last night, along with some hard rolls from my batch of Artisan Bread In Five Minutes A Day dough.  Warm and soothing -- perfect for the chilly nights we've been having now that Texas has finally acknowledged winter.  (Note: next time I will add half the amount of tomatoes, because Greg felt it was a bit "too tomatoey".)

Food (sweet):

• The perfect cinnamon rolls?  I plan to test out this recipe by White On Rice Couple sometime soon.
• Love the winter flavor combination in these Orange and Clove Snowballs by Baking Bites.
• Speaking of winter flavors, these Gingerbread Stout Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting sound like they would be perfect at any cold weather celebration.  Or maybe Just Because.  (Recipe via Love & Olive Oil.)
• I made these Tiramisu cupcakes recently for a dear friend's birthday.

 

Her favorite dessert is Tiramisu, but I couldn't find Lady Fingers in stock anywhere that close to the holidays (less than a week before Christmas), and didn't have time to make any from scratch, so these ended up being a cute little substitute.  I frosted these with Stabilized Whipped Cream, which worked wonderfully.  (Note: I put the cream/gelatin mixture in the freezer to chill for only 10 minutes before whipping and it worked perfectly.  Any longer, and I would have had a frozen Panna Cotta on my hands.)

 

Still, nothing compares to a good old fashioned Tiramisu, but I will save that for another day.