Building Your Fall Nest

Building Your Fall Nest

Fall 2007 Thanksgiving Party. With Yule Log DVD. Sweet!

Fall more than ever

I feel this primordial pull

telling me to stock up for winter

both home and body.

I have this disgusting urge

to buy a crock-pot 

( I avoid crock-pots like the plague due to childhood trauma--aka pot roast!)

and don some flannel.

Then I wake up from my sleepy harvest dreams and remind myself

that such practices would make me really creepy

(the crazy flannel wearing crock-pot lover)

and so I abstain.

But I do like to surround myself with the comforts of fall,

the appropriate ones at least.

1. Glade Warming Plug-in Scented Oil in Apple Cinnamon 

The second someone mentions Fall coming, I immediately reach for anything Apple Cinnamon or Pumpkin scented. I just grabbed a Glade Warming Plug-in in Apple Cinnamon the other day and now my house smells like delicious snuggling when I walk in. (Yes I said delicious snuggling, it happened lol) The cool thing is you can adjust the amount of scent being dispersed so if someone comes over and they are sensitive to fragrances you can turn it down. Or up!

2. Pumpkin Cinnamon Brooms

These things are the best thing ever. I'm surprised when I find out the amount of people that don't know about them. You can get them at the grocery store in the flower department! They have a really strong scent, so if you have a shoebox like me your whole house will smell great in minutes. 

A plus (or minus depending on your decor) is that they are literally twiggy brooms so they do add to a fall decor theme. If you aren't into the whole turning your house into a leafy wonderland in Sept. then you can just put them in a little hiding nook (I put mine behind the couch lol) and they still smell great without looking like a witch lives there. 

3.  Mood Lighting

I love being inside when it's cold and windy and you just feel as snug as a bug in a rug. (Gross analogy can we admit?) Something that really adds to the coziness is great lighting.  I read a tip from designer Ashley Roi Jenkins over at Daily Candy that suggested GE Reveal lights. Apparently these make your house look fabulous by filtering out dulling yellow tones. Add some sweet dimmers to these and your house will have a sweet fall glow!

4. Decadence

Fall and winter are a time of feasting and celebration. Holidays call for a little bit of decadence; extra candles, special china, a little bit of yummy indulgence.  I really love this Lenox "Solitaire" Fine China. Oh the accent plate, I swoon. Serve some of my Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk cookies on there or my Creepy Candy Apples

and you are all set for a Fall soiree.

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies. Yes, They're Good!

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies. Yes, They're Good!

Quick update time!
Peanut Butter Bacon cookies are d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.
Yep, they are.
I had a hankering to bake, and a need to practice a little escapism this weekend.
As usual I turned to bloggy-friends (and strangers) to provide a little inspiration.
Miss Makes Alot sent me on my merry way towards
Shutterbean, where I encountered the amazingness that happens when
peanut butter meets bacon.

Sounds a little strange but I promise the flavor is anything but.
It is pure peanut-buttery goodness. I am thinking of adding them to my fall baking rotation.
If I just call them something more marketable.
Like Yum Yum Oinkers. (Some people just can't get past the truth that there is meat in there lol)
But if you need some points of persuasion this recipe has a few.
1. They only take about 10 minutes to cook
2. They are gluten free! (no flour yay!)
3.  There is only about 5 ingredients in them. Cheap Cheap Cheap.
Anywhoo check them out. And thanks to all the people who share such great recipes and ideas for me to test out!

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies @ Shutterbean

Print This Recipe (Recipe via JoytheBaker who adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook)

• 1 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• about 6 slices of bacon, cooked, cooled and diced

In a skillet over medium high heat, fry up bacon until cooked through and let cool on paper towels until cool enough to dice. Dice up and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment & set aside. In a mixer combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes. Fold in cooked bacon. Roll into large walnut sized balls and create a cris-cross pattern with a fork. If you’d like, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before making the cris-cross pattern. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to… your mouth.

O.M.G. Love

O.M.G. Love

All Hail McQueen

Smell Like A Unicorn

Yves Klein Blue

Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2011 Double Buckle Belt

Today I feel like, avoiding work.
This could be for a variety of reasons.
Such as, I know I'm getting Friday off.
Or, I worked last Sunday so I'm tired.
But really, I think it's because my graphics class is covering
the x & y axis in InDesign.
Which if you ask me sounds an awful lot like MATH.
Have I mentioned I loathe math?
So in postponing the agony of learning this chapter
I have stumbled upon some new loves
and everyone knows that sweet power of new love. . .
it is perhaps the only thing that can conquer the horrible algebra flashbacks I'm having.

Can I Get a Burrito & an A+O Ruffle Sleeve Blouse Please?

Can I Get a Burrito & an A+O Ruffle Sleeve Blouse Please?

Duchess Fare

L.A. Times

So are you all as obsessed with the current food truck fad as I am?
Secret confession-- I watch the Great Foodtruck Race on Foodnetwork. Only occasionally. I swear.
Who can deny crepes that come to your doorstep? Not I.

Anyways I was introduced to something that gets me even more excited than food in trucks.
Fashion in trucks.
Yes, you heard right.
Apparently fashion has taken a cue from our current affinity towards harboring items in large moving vehicles and has come up with some traveling stores.

This is the. coolest. thing. ever.
My fave Alice + Olivia apparently trekked about in a super sweet Airstream this summer. And they looked so good doing it!
If you'd like to read more about it check out the article on the L.A. Times website.
Now if only I could order a good carne asada burrito while purchasing a great pair of jeans.  . .

Work. Graphics. Lettuce Wraps.

Work. Graphics. Lettuce Wraps.

So, did I mention that I am taking a graphic design class?
Yep I finally took the plunge.
It's only one course, so on its own not too overwhelming.
Just means a little less free time for fun stuff like sleeping blogging.

So I apologize if I haven't been making my rounds to visit you all & support your creative endeavors. I'm in dire need of a catch up session.
And if, on occasion, I let my blog posts sit a little too long and get stale (hungover owls are funny for one day, not for 4 days! lol) then pardon me for these next few months. 

Hopefully I will come back with many new and exciting skills to share!
Tonight I rushed through dinner-making with these super easy and amazingly yummy lettuce wraps.
Seriously, try them.

Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

Thanks Eating Well!

Based on a popular Chinese dish, these fun wraps also make appealing appetizers for entertaining. Make it a meal: Serve with chile-garlic sauce and rice vinegar for extra zip; toss diced mango and strawberries with lime juice for a quick dessert.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup instant brown rice (I skipped the rice)
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder, (see Note)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives
• 1 large carrot, shredded

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
3. To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.

T.G.I.F. with Hungover Owls

T.G.I.F. with Hungover Owls

“ughhh…wait…why…why am I naked?”

It's Friday before a 3-day weekend.

This is a good thing.

You know what else is a good thing?

Hungover Owls

These bad-ass birds

know what the morning after feels like

and in this we share a common ground.
(Mom I swear I never woke up surprised at my own nakedness, really, promise)

So check out the site, read the captions

and perhaps foresee

the look on your face tomorrow morning

if you have a reaally good time tonight :)

“Look, I’m sorry for blowing up earlier. It’s just…I can feel tequila…in my face.”

“I think…I think that place downtown is still serving brunch.”