Resolution Inspiration

This year I have my listed of trusted resolutions to work on.  They cover the gamut of financial, physical and spiritual.  The list is a bit daunting and many are non-negotiable, must be done items.  I knew it was a pretty big mountain I placed in front of me, but I figured one tiny step in front of another would get me to the top.  New Year's rolled around and the sheer magnitude of it loomed in front of me.  It was all doable, but so so much work.

Today, the best timed item popped up in my Google Reader from Squam Art Workshops.  If you are not aware of Squam, they are a super fantastic art retreat that I will attend one day.  Want to come? Anyways, they have started an awesome Double Dog Dare.  You name what you want to accomplish and put it out there.  What do you get in return?  Oh my, just heaps of support and positive vibes coming your way.  Between the blog comments and the e-mails I am so inspired. These ladies rock.  So, please head on over there and join in on the fun.  You deserve it.


Here's my dare:

Willew said:
I knit a lot. I knit for my business, my family and my friends. I never knit for myself and I am in dire need of a creativity booster. My DDD is to make something for myself. To be perfectly selfish, pick out some fantastic yarn, be creative and end with something just for me.
January 5, 2012 12:32 pm

Make, Bake and Take

Here's a collection of some of the best tutorials, freebies, giveaways and recipes that I've stumbled across on the blogosphere this week.

Enjoy!

source

I adore this customizable family cross-stitch project from Martha.  This is top on my craft list for 2012.

source

Have some cranberries leftover from the holidays?  Head over to The Teenage Taste for a wonderful Cranberry Salsa recipe.

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Have some old-time fun with Wintery Paper Dolls  from the Black Apple.  I have been meaning to start a collection for rainy day play around here.

A Year In Review

2011 is finally behind us and I have to say I'm not going to miss it.  It was a very rough year and I am happy to start a new fresh year with endless possibility.  I haven't been around these parts much in the last year, so I thought I would share a year in review.

January: A beautiful Up North blizzard

February: Snow angle time

March: Uhhh, not sure what was going on then

April: Fishtown

 May: Mother Nature is back in full force

 June:  That girl loves herself some baby animals

 July: Farmhouse living

 August: Raising and releasing new friends

 September: Farm tour

 October: A peacock and spider waiting to scare up the night

November: Loving the unexpected snow storm

December: Enjoying the holidays

I hope everyone had a good year and an even better one to come!

Happy New Year

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

Merry Christmas

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  

~Norman Vincent Peale

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

Autumn is Amazing

I wish Autumn could last a bit longer than it does.  The weather has been spectacular this year.  We've had a few rainy, cloudy days, but  have also be rewarded with unseasonably warm (hot!!) weather in between.  Perfect time for a trip to the corn maze.

We got a little bit stuck and had to rely on Little Girl to navigate us out.  That one is a walking GPS, I tell you.

And, now we are on to apples.  Apples, apples and more apples.  Our family farmhouse has a century old apple orchard and I couldn't resist bring home bushels and bushels of those goodies.  We've had apple butter, apple bread, apple sauce, apple pie and apple muffins.  The Mister was joking that apple jambalaya is next.   

photo from Taste of Home

The best, by far, has been this Dutch Apple Pie Recipe.  I spyed it over at Food Gawker and was drooling all over the place.  If you haven't been to Food Gawker get over there!  It's like Pinterest for food.  

Heaven.

Now I have to get some work done on those Halloween costumes.  It's a coming fast.  I have one costume ready to go and just a peacock to make.  Piece of cake.  Right?