Christmas paper

I love wrapping gifts. I love buying gifts. I thought I'd share with you my holiday wrapping this year:

I used these papers:

Red Berry Branch

Red Woodgrain

Woodgrain

And here are the results:

Here is a close up of a gift for my cousin: I used stretchy ribbon for the bow. Its super fun to play with!

And here are some other gifts for my family:

Last year I did a strictly red and white theme. This year I went for a variation on it, adding brown. Next year I think I'll do something completely different! I love red and white though so it was hard to not continue that theme, especially with the red berry branch wrap! It was one of the most popular wraps this year and sold out pretty quickly. I'm lucky to have snatched up a roll. I did get to use some of my bakers twine that I trekked through Borough Park for last winter.

Enjoy opening your prezzies this year everyone!

Spaghetti Squash

This week I made something completely new to me. Spaghetti Squash. If you don't know it, wiki it. Here's the short of it: when you cook it the squash comes out in long threads resembling spaghetti. It can be prepared like spaghetti with

red sauce, or you can prepare it in anyway you want. The texture and flavor is quite versatile.

I decided to start with something easy: Emeril's Herbed Spaghetti Squash. I figured I had several

dried spices and I could just wing it.

I like winging it.

The squash was purchased from Fairway. I bought two mini organic ones. They are very cute.

• I used sage and poultry seasoning for my herbs.
• Cutting the squash was difficult and I had to use two hands on either side of the knife. I highly reccomend a very sharp knife. I have since sharpened mine in hopes it will make my second attempt easier.
• The recipe says to cover it in foil. I didn't have foil so I didn't and everything turned out fine!
• It does take an hour to cook, but the reward is great!
• Butter is the star of this, lets be honest.
• I also added parmesean cheese which was very good.
• There were just a bit of leftovers from myself since I was very hungry. I shared them with a hungry friend.
  

This comes highly reccomended. If you can still get them at your grocery store (and you should be able to) you should buy one today!

Table Quilt

I made a quilt yesterday morning. I unpacked my fabrics in order to get rid of more boxes and was inspired. The table was a vintage find my aunt got in Cincinnati. There are two matching chairs and I'm looking into getting some yellow folding chairs from Ikea to facilitate more seating. I've been keeping my reusable bags in that bowl/planter (also vintage, from my Mom.)

Quilt only took me about 3.5 hours, and was a great stash buster. I'll probably make a few more this winter.

Test post.

Niiiiice

This is a comment on a flickr picture of my friend Lauren with her tongue out:


Thank You For This ! thank you so much for connecting with me!, I think it is time to connect with you( special someone);
, I wish we lived close so we could visit and have long chats. I know i would learn much from your wisdom.. I Do Love You! there is one thing I can say about Jono
Jono knows how to make a woman feel good. Aint' that right, ladie? Ain't that right?
You know where Jono is? Jono's at your house, givin' you a thrill. And I'm Jono.
Can I still love you the way that I do? All I can do is to kneel and await your command

Much success to you and Have a wonderful day and blessings to you


classy Jono, classy!

Even an old lady at the Doctor's office is doin' it!

Essie Punchy Pink 2 coats direct sunlight
Originally uploaded by mariannaoust

Now with the weather heating up, more and more people are bringing out the fashion and giving into trends. It seems I too have succumbed to the spring/summer fads. Let me explain: A month ago I started to see neon emerging around every corner. H&M had a bunch of neon accessories in their Divided line. Forever 21 was the same story. JCrew's windows had (and have) neon caution tape artfully draped near hot pink belts and accessories attached to neutrally dressed dress forms. Who knew neon? And then there were the manis and pedis!

And so I searched. Everything neon was either too expensive, or too cheap. Most were all the wrong color and not nearly neon enough. Recently (within the past year) I had weeded through my nailpolish and thrown away anything old and anything not Essie. To my (not) surprise the perfect neon shades this season: Essie! Punchy Pink is where it's at, although you can find 3 other colors in the neon line: http://www.essieshop.com/index.php?cPath=68. And now I can't stop thinking about neon.

Any good sources for neon barrettes or bobby pins?


(essie is great. They have so many shades, it paints on smooth, and the bottles are the perfect size, shape and look. Also, you should try their topcoat which a lady at Ricky's stated to be the hit of the year! http://www.essieshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=427 )

photo by mariannaoust you can click on the image to see its original

LeSportsac2009-06-02-vip

LeSportsac2009-06-02-vip
Originally uploaded by knittinglizzie

sample sale! send $$ if you want anything!

Brindza-Leonhardt Wedding

Brindza-Leonhardt Wedding
Originally uploaded by knittinglizzie

This is what I'm wearing to the wedding. I haven't bought the earrings or ring yet so that might change, but this is the look I'm going for.


Dress: Macy's Charter Club Woman

Ring: JewelScapes.etsy.com

Shoes: Sam Edelman "Ginnie" Sandal

Necklace: MPollins green patterned pearl necklace

Earrings: Everyday Earrings Anthropologie

birdies

birdies
Originally uploaded by knittinglizzie

I did some printing today for probable etsy sales. I also did some sketching for what my next print will be.

I'm going to print some envelopes, little pictures to frame, send as postcards, or write notes on.