Great colours and they stand out because there differet.

http://www.thedonutproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/bela-borsodi-alphabets-wad-3-600×383.png

Clean, neat and a new idea (for me anyway).

http://www.porcupinesfloat.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/_library-alphabetrgb.jpg

I think the layout is what makes this work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nelly_lolz/2193705570/

Breakfast is my favorite meal.

I love:

- french croissants with butter

- toast, salted Irish butter and cheese

- bilberry jam

- fresh juice, fruit tea, cappuccino

- honey

I’m not crazy about meat for breakfast, except for ham or some German salami.

I have nothing in common with British breakfast like sausages, bean or fried eggs. Way too heavy for me.

www.swats.ch

www.extrapercs.net

www.countryliving.com

I could eat all that anytime, anywhere.

I am not able to update about the contest yet..but it will be soon!
Check back tomorrow.♥

In the mean time..

What are you thankful for?

]]> http://kristensawkwardness.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/happy-awkward-thanksgiving-kstew/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:39:53 +0000 kristensawkwardness http://kristensawkwardness.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/happy-awkward-thanksgiving-kstew/

I just want to take a moment (I know its late, but give me a fucking break. I have shit stuff to do!) and say Happy Thanksgiving to The Stew .

*raises a shot glass*

Here is to you and your greatness.

Here’s to keeping your shit private life private.

Here’s to the fact that you are most likely doing  the guy the rest of us drool over daily.

Here’s to you and your bad assness.

I toast your mullet as only you can rock one in this time period.

I raise my glass in the anticipation of only the preview of  Welcome To The Rileys I can only imagine a stripper Stew now….would love to see! For now this pic from The Cake Eaters is all I have to work with.

And lastly, my personal favorite, thank you for you awkwardness! For without which,  I might not know what to blog about.

So with this….

So this Thanksgiving, to keep those sons of bitches paps off of you, maybe we should do things like this inside this year:

Although I love the idea of you sitting on a back porch step with a friend in your pajamas with no bra on smoking.

*burp* I jus’ wanna say I lurve you biatch….. *burp*

*trips over Harpers Bazaar magazine * yur mai inspurashun.

Love,

me

]]> http://littlejuicebox.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/creative-influx/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:10:49 +0000 littlejuicebox http://littlejuicebox.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/creative-influx/

After being poorly (I feel a lot better more of the time now) I have had the urge to clean the house meticulously and start creating decorations and presents for Christmas. I am rather excited about Christmas this year; I am never really over-the-top excited about it, but this Christmas will be the first in our new house! I put the tree up last night… a lot of people have said that it is far too early, but my family is coming to celebrate Christmas a week early, so why cant I put the tree up a week early!? It is just inspiration standing in the corner now, I cant wait to start putting presents under it.

Yesterday Ryan came home with a new frying pan, which was on sale in Debenhams:

So this led me on to looking at all the kitchenware that Debenhams sell… There are quite a few things that I love, which I am sure you can get elsewhere too, just they are all bundled together in one shop! Here are my selections:

1. Dark grey Roast ‘n Rack by Maxim – I love making roast dinners so much, but I still dont really have the roasting trays for all the ingredients.

2. Cream plate with glass dome lid – I just love the aesthetic of having this in the kitchen with cakes under it!

3. Teal rectangular stoneware dish by Le Creuset – maybe for pasta bakes

4. Cream stove kettle by Prestige – I adore the lines and the shapes that make up these retro-style kettles. I even love the fact you have to put it on the stove, so amazing! There are some of the same/similar style that are electric, but its not really the same thing is it. We also need an upgrade from the £6 kettle I bought a few years ago from Woolworths haha!

5. Azure cast iron casserole dish By Le Creuset – for casseroles of course. Winter is drawing in and I am always a sucker for homemade comfort food. For some reason all the Le Creuset items I have picked here bar one are in blue; I actually like all and any of the colours in the range that they make.

6. Ken Hom 5 piece Wok set by Tao – because I dont have a wok, and I really feel like trying to make stir fry and chinese style chicken.

7. Teal cast iron 26cm square grillit by Le Creuset – because it would make amazing steaks, and you can pour out the juices from the pan afterwards… mmmmm!

8. Spring form cake pan by Kitchen Craft – because I have none!

9. Volcanic regular cast iron grill by Le Creuset – I believe you can either put this in the oven, or as a hot plate on the stove… I love that idea.

10. 5 piece stainless steel set by Prestige – because all of my pans are leaving black flakes in my pasta yuk! Not necessarily this set, but something similar that wont ruin my food.

11. Blue Icona 4 slice toaster by De Longhi – so yummy looking! And blue again… why!?? We need an upgrade from the £5 toaster from Woolworths I bought 3 years ago…

12. 14cm microwave saucepan – when I saw this I thought of Ryan. He always eats beans, and always cooks them in Tupperware pots without handles or spouts, and it looks like a very awkward process to try not to burn your fingers, so this could be ideal!

13. Assam teapot by Bodum – I am never any good at judging how long to leave teabags to steep in the water before pouring, and it either comes out too weak or too strong. So… if I can see what is going on inside the pot I will be ok! It also has a plunger to stop the process when it is right for you, and you can use teabags or leaves and it works!

14. Cream food mixer by KitchenAid – how gorgeous is this machine! We have one in the kitchen at the bar that I work at, I might see if they will sell it to me as it is not really in use.

.

I am also in the process of designing some quilted Christmas stockings for myself and Ryan, to hang on the wall (where the mantel should be if the house still had one), some knitted presents for my grandparents, maybe some other presents too, and some decorations for the house! I am thinking garlands, and wreaths, and paper chains of course.

Ryan is dying my hair for me tonight, so if I think I look semi-unpoorly afterwards I shall take a photo and paste it to the end of this blog.

[Edit - photo!!!]

Jenn xx

P.S I am now down to 4 hamsters… It seems to be a sad time in Hamsterville. I have not changed anything about their living conditions… maybe it is just that time of year Rest in peace crazy dude who bit me really hard…

Working here, I get to see lots of really beautiful things – it’s a bit like working in a visual sweetie shop. But sometimes my eye catches a picture  that really resonates with me. For some reason, the colours in this picture did just that this morning so I am posting here. That combination of kingfisher blue, light aubergine and ochre is just… gorgeous…

Papas Pottery Pots, £39 each, Toast

I woke up this morning craving everything and decided on scrambled egg with tomato ketchup and a slice of toast with blackberry jam, perfect and satisfied those cravings.

I needed a bright colourful breakfast plate after waking up to a dull, dreary day.

For lunch, I took a falafel burger to work, to add to this salad I bought in the canteen.

Today’s exercise  Badminton.  It’s been a while since my Mum and I played, what with my neck and then being busy at work. We really enjoyed whizzing around the court pretending to be the “Williams Sisters” (I know that’s tennis but I don’t know any famous Badminton players)

When we got home I had a quick snack of sliced apple with peanut butter and then made dinner for me and Mum.

I talked my Mum into trying tofu.  I know there’s no way my Dad would try it being the meat lover he is (remember the steak) so I thought as he’s out, this would be a great time to convert her. So I marinated the tofu in soy sauce, ginger, garlic and chilli powder and then pan fried.

I used Simply Life’s pesto recipe to go with the tofu.  How can something so simple taste so good, I recommend everyone to try this if you like basil, nuts and cheese (and who doesn’t )

And added it to some tofu pieces served with sweet potato and broccoli.  I’m pleased to say she enjoyed it very much and hopefully will be joining me in “Veggie for a Day” at least once a week.

I saved some tofu for tomorrows packed lunch.  I love it when I can make a meal on an evening and use the leftovers for my work lunches.  Sometimes I plan it that way too.  Do you make more so you have leftovers for another day?

It is a gift when you are able to stand and deliver warm, heartfelt words at a gathering of friends of and family. To speak in a manner that makes makes those around you, smile, press against their spouses, hug their kids, and laugh. Maybe you will even bring out a happy tear or two.

As you prepare for your holiday, whether it is at home or elsewhere, take time to reflect on your family and friends, and why you love them. Look around for all the wonderful blessings around you. Think about the holiday and put those thoughts into a short outline.

• Keep it to three points or less.
• Practice saying it.
• Speak slowly and look around the room as you talk allowing your gaze to meet the eyes of each person at your table.
• Keep it light, keep it postive, and focus on the beauty and abundance around you.

You will amaze your family and friends will a heartfelt toast at dinner Thursday.

Giving thanks for an unexpected reading day. Giving thanks for a frozen portion of this soup. Giving thanks for a cat in a pile on my feet. Giving thanks for the wonders of buttered toast. Giving thanks for an unwatched episode of Fringe.

Mmm! Toasty!

“It was almost as if someone at Microsoft flipped a switch and torched it!” said a heartbroken Gaspode Smaug-Baschtod, telling the tale of woe regarding his original launch-day-bought Xbox 360. On the stroke of midnight on the 4th anniversay of the console’s public launch, Mr Smaug-Baschtod’s 360 started to smoulder before flames erupted from the top, filling his poky little bedsit with foul-smelling plastic smoke.

Only days before, Mr Smaug-Baschtod had been happily crowing about the fact that most of his friends and colleagues had returned at least 2-3 consoles each while his launch model soldiered on without scratching his disks, red-ringing or otherwise misbehaving.

Microsoft refused to make an official statement on the spontaneous combustion, but were quietly surprised that this original launch model had lasted so long. Apparently built by an assembly line worker on a friday afternoon just before he was due to be laid within an inch of his life by his long-term hold-out girlfriend, the stricken Xbox is now enjoying a free holiday in Germany courtesy of Bill and the boys.

i love these images from danish company tine k home’s a/w catalogue. the styling is so serene, the products are divine and i love the gold and white layerings upon neutral tones and textures.

tine k home products are available to buy in the u.k through toast, plümo and bohemia design.

I think I need bigger pockets so I can carry a notepad and a pen. Actually no. I think I want to be one of those people who needs bigger pockets so they can carry a notepad and a pen. I wish I were one of those people. Pretentious faux-artiste hipster sheik? Bleh. I have ideas and sometimes I wish I could write them down. But I’m pretty sure if I ever actually had the opportunity to do so I probably couldn’t be bothered. And I’d end up going home, looking through the notes thinking this is all terrible and cry myself to sleep. Or maybe I just want a notebook because I still have that misguided disbelief that material possessions will assist my process. I remember when I was 11 I thought that once I got a computer in my room I would be some creative demi-god and burn out tomes of elegant prose every day.

Ah how time makes fools of us all… Moving on.

I think I should just go ahead and scan the Stuff Book. Stick it on the internet or print copies for the masses. It’s the most popular thing I have ever created. Specifically, the big binder book I carry to every class to scribble in instead of doing work. And I had people gathering around in Drama today to flip through the damn thing. It’s got a better viewership than anything I’ve ever tried to produce. Hence my thesis – I should never try at anything. I’ll screw it up. Best just to get a job doing the cartoons for any newspaper willing to put giant melting lizards to print.

I think I should be doing science revision right now. I have exams the day after tomorrow. Will probably do reasonably on science. Hums I will crash and burn. Math… Urgggh… And I tactfully managed to skip English via Bali. So far teacher hasn’t noticed.

I never mentioned Bali to you kids did I? I go away for a week and garner a truckload of amusing anecdotes about Mr. Swastika and the wild marijuana plants. And you’re never going to hear a word of it. Just cuz I’m spiteful like that. I have now very thoroughly disappointed three people. Suck it those guys.

I think this post has taken on a really poppy 14-year-old-girl tone. It’s anecdotal again, which feels unclean. Also I can’t seem to go a paragraph without hating on myself. It’s Isaac-is-a-Whiny-Bitch week everyone. Didn’t mind the first paragraph, thought that might be going somewhere. Nope. Ah well.

Ooooh meta!

Aah I’m probably just tired. Which is stupid because I’ve been sleeping tons recently. However many months of getting 4-6 hours a night tops, and suddenly I’m going to bed at 10. I yawn all day, and yet I don’t feel like I’m going to die. Still get about as much work done as normal. Think my sleep-debt is finally calling in the taxes? That’s my theory. I don’t know enough about sleep to figure it out. Someone’s slipping melatonin into my toast?

Ach. Seriously though. Unclean. I swear I won’t post again until I’ve got something to say. Maybe I’ll do one of those Drabble things. They kinda fell out didn’t they? I’ve gotten about as much writing practice this year as a mourning porpoise. Ah well. I’ll do something.

I’d been married for about a month and a half when my husband told me that I needed to start “taking on more wifely duties.”   WTF?!?!?

“Excuse me?”  I asked, and then went on.  “You married me.  I’m the same person I was two months ago.”

I found it absurd that the man I’d lived with for three years thought that I should suddenly morph into a five-star chef and meticulous housekeeper after the vows left my lips.  Turns out, it’s not so bizarre.  It should be, of course… but it’s not.

For some reason, many people assume their partner will change after marriage.  My ex looked at me and thought that I would “make a good wife”- for him, that meant I would cook and clean and have babies and quit my job to stay home and raise those babies.  I have no clue what gave him that idea.  When it didn’t happen that way, he felt betrayed.  It’s too bad he wasn’t clear about his expectations going into the marriage.  And it’s unfortunate that I wasn’t clear about mine either… of course, it was easy for me.  I had none.

The more people I talk to about their divorces or unhappy marriages, the more I see this problem:  The Role Expectation Issue. We’ve all heard about the high-level things that couples should talk about before marriage:  finances, goals, children, religious affiliations, living arrangements, etc…..  but that doesn’t always cover Role Expectations.  Someone once told me “…she expected me to turn into her father as she turned into her mother.”  That’s a huge problem.  Especially considering the bad rap of the in-laws… who wants to be expected to turn into them?  Total deal breaker as far as I’m concerned.

So what’s up with that?   What makes us think that a day spent in uncomfortable clothing, ending in a drunken dance fest, is going to change our partners into other people?  Why do we let it change ourselves?  Oh, wait… if we’re letting it change us, I guess that’s why we assume the other person will change too.  But that’s still wrong.  And it’s something that should be discussed beforehand…

“Honey, unless you are physically unable to do so yourself, I will never- ever- butter your toast as part of my morning ritual.”

…Let nothing go assumed.

- Oscar Wilde

Ladies and gentlemen step right up! Wait a minute. This isn’t a circus! But you are more than welcome to come and read.

Hmm… where did we leave off? A-ha! After my breakfast fit for a king princess I got ready to venture over to the Farmer’s Market. I packed Matilda some treats since it was going to be a long walk.

I wore a skirt I found at a vintage punk store in St. Marks.

And some red shoes for a POP of color.

Then we were off!

Looking for the goods.

I had a couple things I was looking for: kale, persimmons, and winter squashes. They only had kale so I whipped out a quarter and paid. It was funny because the lady just held the bag in her hand and she mentally weighed it. Then I just went browsing around the other booths. On Sundays the Farmer’s Market has mostly artisan and vintage items.

I love those shopping bags that say "Thank You" all over them. Thank you thank you thank you!

On the way home I decided to walk a different way and I saw some pretty neat things.

There were plants in each segment.

A sushi restaurant - I think they're trying to be a best-kept secret.

My little nugget.

Pumpkin kale soup + toast + cashew toffee

I mixed in some coconut oil and my leftover sweet & sour lentils in the soup to make it heartier. On the toast is the delicious medley jam Holly sent me, and I had some plain slices with butter. Sometimes I just want simplicity. Maybe I’m coo-coo but often times I’ll eat things plain because I don’t want to forget what it tastes like. I feel like if I forgot what something essentially tasted like then that would interfere with my knack for thinking of flavor combinations. Anyway, I also munched on the cashew toffee, and I realized that it’s read “Christine’s” and not “Christmas” (what I previously thought).

Afterwards lunch I felt like shopping. I got something so I can be a Russian snow-bunny. I got a lot of painting done as well, and went to the grocery store to get some more things.

Faux fur can be chic too!

Lazy Sundays call for lazy dinners.

I roasted some kabocha (finally found one again) and carrot slices. I put coconut oil on half of the kabocha chunks and sunflower seed butter on the other half, but I drizzled all of them with maple syrup. The roasted carrot slices were delicious and I just put sea salt on them! I also baked a Barbeque Sunshine burger. I really enjoyed the distinct flavor this one had! I definitely tasted the smoke flavoring, and it’s really interesting to see the combination of ingredients they use to get that barbeque flavor. I topped it with my favorite BBQ-sauce.

Well, right now it’s a rainy Monday morning and I’m about to head off to finally get a rain jacket! I always say I will, then don’t and then it rains. But before I go I’ll leave you all with this morning’s breakfast.

Woke up to a little love.

I tried the Apple Heart Thrive this time around. I had it with vanilla Greek yogurt (ridiculous sale price=me stocking up), apple sauce + cinnamon, Newman’s Own Organic dried apples, and crunchy peanut butter. So far the one quip about these Heart Thrive bars is that they are drier than I prefer. There’s  nothing wrong with the flavor, just the dryness factor. Atleast I’ve got things like coconut oil and nut butters to moisten them. I also have to make a note about Newman’s Own Organic dried fruit. They are awesome! They’re not overly dry how some dried fruits can be. There’s still a chewiness and plumpness to them.

Okay so I hope you all have a wonderful beginning to a fabulous week! I know everyone must be excited about Thanksgiving break and getting to enjoy all the seasonal eats. My mom is flying into town on Thursday and I can’t wait for some mother + daughter + Matilda time! Not to mention, it really helps turn away any winter blues when I hang out with someone (my mom) that thinks I’m the coolest girl on this side of the galaxy. My mom is like a ray of energy and can make anyone feel special and cared about. She also loves herself and what’s not to love? It’s only natural that as her daughter she’s given me plenty of her infectious injections of self-love and acceptance.

What do you all have planned for Thanksgiving Day? Any recipes you’re trying out or recommend?

BREAKFAST was:

and some whole wheat toast with pumpkin butter. I did take a picture but it turned out super blurry for some reason! Sorry about that.

at job #2 I’m going to have leftover green bean casserole and maybe some chicken noodle soup and an orange! YUM YUM! I gotta decide what I’m making for my contribution to Thanksgiving. I’m thinking either a wild rice dish or a wheat berry dish…any suggestions?

1. sloppy joe house socks, toast

2. cashmere socks, brora

3. soft merino knee highs, falke

4. ladies cashmere socks, johnstons

5. a {gorgeous!} selection from toast

6. cashmere bed socks, brora

7. knitted booties, the white company

8. cashmere bed socks, the white company

9. ‘hatsuko’ ribbed legwarmers, tabio for kurt geiger

today is all about keeping my little tootsies warm. i’ve just gone through the toes of my favourite slipper boots (blub!) and am in desparate need of some new cashmere socks to keep the warmth in. any of the above would fit the bill nicely!

I have watched many hours of ice sports on TV this weekend. It was a hockey & figure skating extravaganza! It’s making me long to get back out there myself. Oh skating, why you gotta be so expensive?

I started my Sunday morning…well….with very little morning left. Oops! Breakfast basically turned into lunch.

I went with a bowl of Matcha Green Tea Goji Oatmeal.

• 1/3 cup oats, almond milk, water
• 1 tbsp Ruth’s Chia Goodness cereal
• 1 tbsp dried goji berries
• 3/4 tsp matcha powder
• Artisana Coconut Butter
• sliced almonds

And a glass of cranberry pomegranate juice.

Dining on the living room rug? Nah, it was just for photography purposes

After enjoy breakfast, figure skating, and catching up on blogging, I made my way outside for a walk with my mom. We only had to endure a short rain storm, and made it home relatively dry. I was needing a little snack by then – bring on the yogurt mess!

Plain, non-fat yogurt, quince compote, pomegranate seeds, and the end of a jar of macadamia nut butter.

Oh, how I’d forgotten how amazing that macadamia nut butter is. I may have to break down and shell out the dough for a new jar one day soon.

Then I had a date with Jillian Michaels and her No More Trouble Zones. I just needed to get some serious sweat on. By the time I was done that, dinner was on the table.

Starting with a wee pour of red wine, leftover from my parent’s social evening last night.

We had baked pork chops with stuffing.

A baked potato with sour cream, a little bit of buttah, and pepper.

And steamed asparagus.

Fun Sunday night dinner.

I followed dinner with a (blurry) piece of dark chocolate.

Then it was time to watch hockey, be disappointed in my team’s loss, and watch the rest of the skating I had taped. So good – I’m excited for Canada’s chances for some figure skating hardware at the Olympics.

Snacky hunger came a calling, and I answered with a piece of cinnamon toast – Silver Hills Squirrelly bread, buttah, brown sugar, and a crap ton of cinnamon.

Plus a mug of Stash Decaf Vanilla Creme Nut tea with almond milk.

Cinnamon toast totally reminds me of being a kid.

And now my mom is watching the skating I taped, so I’m going to go enjoy it again – it was just that good! Night!

Age: 26

Hair – Blonde

Height – 5′4

Method: Brinner

Advancement: Breakfast Together

This is the date that almost wasn’t. I was batting a thousand, with a real lack of any prospects for the day, and no pre-planned date. I was talking to one of the girls I know and on a whim asked her to go get a bite. There is something to be said for diners. If nothing else they are the bread and butter of college kids, as well as a variety of sorts.  Two people with insomnia can meet and have pancakes at 2 in the morning.

Incidentally, I always feel a little sketchy drinking at a dinner. Doesn’t mean I don’t do it, I just always feel slightly sketchy about it. Country Omelets and gin always work for me so do cute Irish girls with freckles.  Now, me and this girl had done this late night diner-ing before, about a year ago, but it was something I quickly got over in two weeks. We kept friendly, and I didn’t really not-like her. I just didn’t feel the spark.

So, in all sense of fairness I tried again this time, after some gin & eggs. After a few minutes of making out, I am unhappy to report that again, she’s cute, she’s nice, she’s funny…but she just doesn’t do it for me.

Staying in tonight and it has been faaabulous! Currently watching one of my faves:

I swear, Annie Hall is one of those movies that gets funnier every time I watch it.

I had a long day today, and I knew I would. Which is precisely why I made sure that breakfast was AWESOME.

Toast w/ almond butter, banana, and chocolate chips

Why chocolate chips? Why the heck not?!?

As I had said yesterday, I am in desperate need of a trip to the store! I had classes all morning, then came home for a quick break for lunch, then went to work, and THEN went to the store right before dinner. Ahh!

Scraping the fridge, I came up with some grilled PB&J and Greek yogurt w/ cranberry apple butter for lunch.

Drool.

Some of these guys swam into my mouth as well.

After I got back from the store, I started work on a dinner I had been planning in my head all day. My favorite food ever…PIZZA!

The ingredients:

• Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
• 1/2 pear
• Chicken sausage (hiding in bag)
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 c shredded cheese
• 1 shallot
• Olive oil
• Seasonings (I had fresh basil)

I let the shallot carmelize a bit in some olive oil. I don’t really like onions, but these get nice and sweet after some cooking and it was the perfect complement! I attempted to roll out the dough* (see below), and then topped it with everything. I popped it into a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes, and voila!

*The major flaw (that I didn’t even realize until I started prepping the meal) was that we don’t have a roller for the dough! I have zero kneading experience, and my pizza dough came out all uneven and in a weird shape. Oh well…

I munched on some baby carrots while I was prepping. I was SO HUNGRY, but knew that waiting for the pizza would be worth it.

And it was!

I had half for dinner, and it was definitely waaaay too much. But so good!

See how the dough is still a but uncooked in the middle? Oh well, it was my first time, I’ll work on it!

Okay, back to the movie…this girl needs a night in!