Snickerdoodle Cookies

Wednesday, November 30, 2011




Occasionally I think about cookies. I'm not really into cookies that much but my favorites are good old fashioned chocolate chip and sometimes snickerdoodle cookies. The other night I had a dream about snickerdoodle cookies, so I woke up the next day, modified a recipe and made my own rendition of the delicious treat. The key is to not overbake so they are nice and chewy.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Coating:
white sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg

Heat oven to 425 F
Mix dry ingredients
melt butter and wisk eggs, cooled butter and extracts together
stir in wet ingredients

Mix coating in bowl

make small 1 1/2 inch balls of dough and roll into coating mixture
put on greased baking sheet
flatten slightly with fork (for lines)
Bake 7-10 minutes, making sure you watch to make sure they are a little under-done when you pull them out!

Enjoy!

A Mountain Thanksgiving

Saturday, November 26, 2011

the girls.
doesn't my husband's haircut look nice? (i cut it, don't look close)
uncle John in the kitchen (always)
 
 
stomping
feeding the horses
the twins

I have a pretty huge extended family. We had 40 people at our Thanksgiving and that wasn't even half of them! We also had sweet family friends join as well, (you can't miss them- the beautiful ginger family seen above) I loved this Thanksgiving. Food, children, horses, fresh air, relaxing, walking... it was so wonderful. Here are some shots of mostly the kids and a quick family photo portrait session for a few of my cousins, and of course lots of my little Isabel. 

This year we had a buttermilk herb turkey & a brown sugar, garlic brined turkey. I made a stilton-cranberry, apple, roasted walnut salad (with homemade dressing) as seen above.

My grandparents The Bizzells live on the top of a mountain called, Apple Hill.. with rolling apple orchards, a lodge, a few cabins, a guest house and lots of dogs, horses and deer hanging around. I like to pretend I live on a farm when I'm there... I can't wait to go back for Christmas and this time my brothers and more cousins will be there! I really love my grandparents, they are the most special in the world, I am so thankful for my bright, colorful family this year!

Thankful, Pretty Things

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving.
There is so much to be thankful for...
Here's a few for me.

1. My little family.
2. My job(s).
3. New inspiration.
4. My little treasure girl.
5. My little creative corner.
6. New prospects.
7. Health.
8. Sweet friends.
9. Beauty all around me.
10. Time...

and YOU!

We're going on a mountain adventure, so I'm sure I'll have some great photos soon! Thanks for coming over to this blog and finding my world worth your time!

Paint

Friday, November 18, 2011

painting author unknown

I saw this painting and LOVED the texture and creases, cuts and dimension of color and it reminded me of long ago... when I used to be a painter. In my college apartment, I stayed up through the nights painting miniature squares on the same canvas. Then, I began classes in the design school. Some of my favorite moments were waking up on Mondays and Wednesdays and entering the art halls, sitting in my studio desk and getting to work on my projects. Sitting along side of girls with cute haircuts (always daring and short with flips and color chunks) and painting aprons, we all got to work, feverishly creating... letting each stroke of paint take shape, spread, drip and transform. Then it was color theory, design 101... crafting buildings out of paper and glue, self portraits, study light and dark... value, shade, pencil drawings, charcoal, sketches...

I probably miss these days the most. The days it was me and my creations and the onlookers of other students burning with color. I didn't necessarily love painting alone, I just loved creating... anything and everything...

So, I just might, rummage through my brushes- packed away in my art closet somewhere and eventually start to paint.

A Trip to the Flea Market via Polaroid

Thursday, November 17, 2011


Here are some snippets from a recent trip to the flea market! I LOVE the flea market. Collections of old things are so fun to look through... and Jessie bought that green couch we're sitting on y'all. Thanks to my market friends for joining... Charis, Megan, Kara, Jessie & MaryEllen. Such cute friends.

Design Find: Adore Me

Wednesday, November 16, 2011




I'm not much of a lingerie shopper, but sometimes it's nice to have the right undergarments that fit. (One of the most helpful things I discovered this year after having a baby!) Adore me is a new lingerie shopping concept, that emailed me recently to see if I'd be interested in trying out their customized experience to share with my readers, and then offer one of you- a beautiful lingerie set of your own!

You go on their website and take a fun little quiz answering questions about yourself and your style, for them to get a feel for your personal aesthetic. Then one of the stylists who matches your flavor picks out different items for you to try out. Today I'm just announcing their new shop opening up- and soon I'll show you the goods and give you a chance to win some of your own! If you'd like to know more check out their website. What do you think about this idea? You can also follow them on Facebook for discounts, promotions and to keep up with the latest!

Inspired By: Nantucket











Nantucket Flowers by Once Wed
Bowsprite boat sketches
Rob: Vanity Fair

One year we had thanksgiving in Maine... it was so beautiful and freezing COLD. So I was thinking of Maine today, and wishing I was there... so that inspired this post! (and I'm getting ready for a movie this weekend so I was also inspired by a little someone)