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12.31.2010

{ a few of katie's favorite things }


I am always blown away by all the gifts I receive at Christmas. I think my mom's love language is gift giving - so naturally Christmas presents are a big deal in my family. I love coming home and unpacking everything & getting to use them. These are a few of my favorite things I received this holiday. 

Seriously - just a few of things - because I got sooo many things I love! 

I had been hoping for ugg boots, but didn't ask for them because we really needed money for a refrigerator, but Santa is very generous...Philip got me a wide-angle lens I had been hoping for. He got it on ebay...just like the base of the camera. I am loving it! 

Have you tried smart wools? You really should. They are kind of pricey, but the best socks...Philip loves his. He has 5 pairs of them, which I think is funny that he knows how many pairs he has. Like seriously, who keeps inventory on their socks? 

The last picture is of me wearing my Free People lace slip. It is so cute. You can layer it under t-shirts or sweaters. I couldn't find it online - but this is similar + also very cute. 

12.30.2010

holy dishwasher!

We have been hard at work again. Still a lot to do on the kitchen. 
Philip finished up the wiring today and the dishwasher is running! 


It has been tough living like this...We thought our counter space was limited before...


And now it's running! Yahoo! No leaks yet!


12.27.2010

stephanie + andrew engaged!

My friend Amie & I took pictures of our friends, Andrew & Stephanie, to celebrate their engagement a month or so ago. I am no engagement photographer or any kind of professional photographer for that matter, but I really enjoy taking pictures of people & things I love. This was pre-getting my new lens from Philip, but I am pleased with some of them...what do you think? 











12.26.2010

blue polka dot robes


nothing says christmas like matching blue with white polka dotted robes...

we have had a great holiday so far. we got a bunch of snow! i love a white christmas. this has been one for the record books. we actually got snowed into our family friends' house last night while eating dinner. we had made jokes about having to have a sleepover and it actually happened. i'll have pictures of all the fun soon. 

however, i wish there were still christmas movies on tv. i haven't had my fill (phil) yet. 

hope you are enjoying your holiday!




12.24.2010

{ december 24th }

....happy christmas eve....


we are cooking...

opening gifts...
  

& spending time with family...

Lucy is waiting for food to drop...



12.23.2010

intangibles


Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. 

Don't you see? 

It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. 

It's kindness and 

joy and 

love and 

all the other intangibles.


Fred Gailey, Miracle on 34th Street


{ I watched this movie in the first time in a very long time & really enjoyed it.
 If you are looking for a sweet sentimental Christmas movie, I highly recommend it! }

12.22.2010

reasons to be happy {tape}

Happy Tape (Washi Tape) is one of my favorite things to use when crafting. I am not alone in this really. I use it on my boxes for my one delightful button shop, but I love to put it on the packages when I send them too. Lots of people have found other fun ways to use this sweet crafting supply. 

Here are just a few I found on flickr...
{ click on the picture to see the flickr page} 


super cute cupcake toppers


now, i can't see myself doing this, but very clever...

fun and easy way of card making

who doesn't love some tiny bunting? 


you could put a candle in this glass jar or use as a pencil holder

...happy crafting...



road trip!

lucy just chillin out on the road. 

12.19.2010

merry christmas from lucy


Philip & I exchanged Christmas gifts today. His gift to me was  a new lens for my camera. We have already had some fun taking some pictures around the house, but it will be really fun to have over the Christmas break! Yay! Here are a few of Lucy decked out in her Christmas Santa suit from Bryan. Last year Philip gave me Lucy for Christmas & she is the gift that keeps on giving...

Merry Week of Christmas!                

12.18.2010

{ floors + island }

yahtzee! Philip finished the floors and island late last Friday. We were so excited to finally have a little bit of the kitchen in working order again. We are now shopping for a countertop and are planning on looking for butcher block. We still don't have quarter-round on the edges, but its' on its way!

christmas to do list

...our front window decorations...
Only a week until Christmas! I love this time of year, but it always seems to come faster than I expected. I decided to make a list of things I hope to do. Is that bad? I mean I know its a break, but I always wish I had got certain things done.
  • Start exercising over break {I have been meaning to get back into it & maybe having free time will help!}
  • Sleep in {this will be easier for me than for Philip}
  • Finish Christmas shopping before the 23rd...
  • Find a new tv series to watch {Philip + I watched Grey's Anatomy from season 1 this fall and we are all caught up}
  • Enjoy being with our friends & families
  • Start some traditions 
  • Find a refrigerator on sale so we can put it in when break is done
  • Watch at least one Christmas movie
  • Find some good music we both like {we have $15 to itunes...any suggestions??}
...so I realize some of them are not specific or measurable, but oh well.


12.17.2010

Christmas Card Wreath


I got this idea from an old Martha Stewart magazine this season. It is a Christmas card wreath. It was super easy - I just wish we would get more Christmas cards so I can fill it up! 

Here's how you do it...

Need
  • Embroidery Circle
  • Clothes pins
  • Strong glue (I used Aileen's Craft Glue)
  • Ribbon
Directions
  1. Spread out your clothespins facing alternating directions evenly around the circle
  2. Glue them into place & let dry for however long it requires
  3. Tie up nicely with a fun ribbon
I feel like I didn't need to type that out it was so easy. Seriously. I don't normally have it sitting in the window, but my house is a mess with renovations & I wanted it in the sunlight...So there is it. 


wood floors { in progress }


Here are a few pictures of the floors in progress. Philip tore out the old flooring & put down felt paper which is pictured on the left. He has already put the new cabinets in for the island. On the right he is nailing in the new hardwood floors. We got a steal of a deal at Floor Traders - I think that is what it is called. We were originally going to put in unfinished and he would finish the floors, but it was going to be incredibly disruptive & time consuming. We found this oak floor on sale & it was exactly the amount of square footage we needed. I'll be posting pictures later of the rest of the floors if we finish today! 

12.16.2010

We are going to blog.

I have decided that with all of Philip's do-it-yourself home stuff + all my do-it-yourself craftiness + the cuteness of Lucy + other things that I can't think of right now, that we should really blog. I know - the crowds go wild! (insert rooaarrrr...) So here we go. Philip is currently nailing in hardwood floors to our kitchen and putting in an island with a dishwasher. Just a refresher, this is what our kitchen most recently has looked like...

Painted cabinets, new hardware, subway tile backsplash + tile countertop, yellow walls....yet that terrible linoleum has continued to haunt us. By tomorrow I should have some updated pictures, woo hoo!