Emma's 1st Birthday Invitation | DIY Extra Thick Photo Invitation

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Emma's 1st Birthday is just a couple of weeks away.  In a way, I can't believe she is going to be one, but then again, it feels like we've been parents for 5 years already!  It does seem like a lifetime away when we headed to the Emerson Hospital in Concord...


December birthdays are tricky.  Mike's birthday is the 7th and when he was younger his Mom always made sure that they celebrated his birthday before they decorated for Christmas - to make sure they didn't couple up the holidays.  No birthday photos in front of the tree.  


I feel like the 15th of December is a little too late to wait to decorate, so I am attempting to design her party with a 'winter wonderlandy, creamy, dreamy, candylandy" sorty of feel.  I wasn't sure how I was going to accomplish it, until I came across my source of inspiration...

Thanks to Paper-Source!  When I walked in the store, I thought this paper (that I used to line the opal shimmer envelopes) was the perfect inspiration for the party.  Cute pink, red and green holiday cookies that look girly and feminine, without being too over the top "Christmas."

When looking at the pinholepress.com site for holiday cards, I noticed their extra thick side-striped cards.  I only needed 15 invitations, so I couldn't justify ordering them... so, I figured out how to make them.  Of course.

The photo doesn't quite do it justice, as my lens couldn't focus in enough, but as you can see (sort of), the card is triple thick with a layer of pink cardstock sandwiched between two cream cards.  It is all glued together, then cut to reveal the edging.
Here is the process!

I printed a front and back on the same cream sheet of cardstock.


BTW, isn't this the cutest set of Emma photos?!  Here is the original in BW.  They were taken on a whim in her high chair.  I photoshoped out the background and, boom, cutest ever invitation photos.  You can even see the applesauce all over her face and pj's : )


I cut out each photo, leaving a little edge.


Then ran the cards through my xyron sticker machine (also from Paper-Source).


I placed the front sticker on a sheet of pink cardstock...


Then the back sticker on the back, matching them up.  Then I cut out the entire card.



Stay tuned for more party details!

 Here is the easy-to-pin strip!

 

Ginger Spice Cookies | Holiday Cookies

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Nothing smells better (or more like the holidays...) than Ginger Spice Cookies baking in the oven.  When we had friends over for dinner over Thanksgiving weekend, I served a couple of these mini cookies with Salted Caramel Gelato.  I like serving cookies and ice cream for a dinner party because it is casual, and not to mention easy.  It isn't an over the top, overly rich, dramatic dessert that sends everyone over the limit, but it is a sort of comfort food dessert that everyone loves.

Our friends that came for dinner texted Mike last night for the recipe, so I thought I'd share this morning!  The recipe is based on the Barefoot Contessa's Ultimate Ginger Cookie recipe, but with a few adjustments.

Ginger Spice Cookies


2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg
sugar, for rolling the cookies

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the egg, and beat for 1 minute.  With the mixer still on low, slowly add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Make small balls (1 inch in diameter) with very small ice cream scoop or with a spoon. Roll them into a ball with your hands, then press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes.  They should look soft when they come out of the oven.

My Wish List on Pinterest

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Not that I expect any of you to be buying me gifts this year, buy I thought I'd share some things on my list this year - maybe they'll inspire your own list or someone's that you're shopping for.  I used Pinterest to create it, which works like a charm because not only is it a visual reference for everyone, but is directly linked to each product.  I am able to send the link to anyone that asks me what's on my list.  I include my size and color choice on each item in the description box.  And, because I don't want to know exactly what I'm getting, I pin many options for my gift givers to choose from.  Another great reason to love Pinterest!

Here is a link to My Wish List!

Emma's Wish List

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Emma's been a good girl this year, so she put together a list for Santa!  Just like my own list, I created it on Pinterest for easy linking.  I added some of our favorite brands - Baby Gap, Noodle & Boo Bath Products, and goodies from Pottery Barn Kids.  And, those Cole Haan driving loafers are the cutest things I've ever seen!  If you have any little girls to buy for, it will give you some great ideas!  I'll be adding more finds throughout the season...

Emma's Wish List

Emma's Room | Soft Pink & Ivory Room with Holiday Touches

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Emma's 1st nursery, as you may recall, was painted powder blue with ivory and charcoal grey accents.  I had full intentions of painting her new room a very similar shade, but something was pulling me in the pink direction...  I guess it was Emma!

Now that we know her sweet little personality, she really seems like a pink girl (as her closet confirms).  I had the room painted Ben Moore Pristine.  It is found amongst the "Whites" and is more of a cream with pink/peach undertones.  In Emma's very small room, the painted walls feed off of each other and enhance the color to feel perfectly pink.  I'm soooo glad we didn't go with a more saturated hue.  A re-paint would definitely be in order.

Walls : Ben Moore Pristine, Flat
Trim : Navajo White, Satin
Ceiling : Bone White at 50%

We kept most of the elements of her first room, including the ivory slipcovered rocker from Pottery Barn Kids.  My Mom made the quilt for me about 6 years ago. 

Emma's little buddies - the lamb from Pottery Barn Kids and the Sheep Blah Blah Doll Mike's mom bought for her during their stay at Blackberry Farm.

The pink dot curtains are from Pottery Barn Kids, as well as her lamb rocking "horse."  I had a Martha Stewart carpet (style : Olana, color : Bone Folder) from the Home Depot cut to fit her room with a 6" border around the room to show the wood floor.   I also had one cut for our bedroom and runners for the and hallway.



Notice the lamb theme still continues... from the blue room to the pink room!



More buddies - Jelly Cat dolls and a Blah Blah rattle.  You might remember this Blah Blah rattle is what originally inspired the room's design... until I changed it.



Lots of baskets filled with toys... my #1 organizational tip for keeping things "neat," although I've given up on trying to make the house look perfect every moment of the day.  The baskets do make picking up really easy... I'm sure there are socks and pj's and who knows what else also stuffed in the basket.  It is the equivalent of "under the bed" cleaning...



We keep a basket of Emma's books by the big chair for story time.


Here is another view of the room that shows her little tree in the dormer.


This was one of the trees that I used for the Home Depot Style Challenge.  I spray painted the urn navajo white to make the trim in her room.

I decorated it with my Hallmark Mary's Angels collection.

Every year it is our family tradition for the God Parents to give their God Children ornaments. 

My Godmother/Aunt Phyllis gave me the Angels - and I still love them.  My Mom officially handed them over to me this year.  

My sister, one of Emma's godparents, has continued the tradition and started giving Emma an angel ornament each year from the same Hallmark collection.

 Emma is checking them out... I think this shot was immediately followed by a dropped ornament.

This is the first one I received - the original "Mary."  I think she looks a little like Emma!




 These Emma photos hang in a line above her rocking chair - all pics from 4 - 6 mos.


We are stilling using the blanket chest as a changing table as we did in her first room.  It will eventually get replaced with a chest of drawers when Emma needs more storage.  Speaking of storage - did I mention that Emma has a giant closet?  In the future, I hope to transform it into a whimsical tiny play room.


I made this memory board to hang above her changing table.  It is covered in the same fabric as her curtains.   DIY to follow!  Her and Mr. Darcy's 2nd set of stockings are hung above the changing table with care...


Speaking of Mr...  he's confused - where all of the toys are that are usually covering the floor!?

If you'd like to tour the rest of our house, visit this link!

Guess Where I'm Wandering 5?

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So you figured out I'm in Oslo, Norway. This is one of my favorite spots that my cousin took me to on my first visit 15 years ago.

This park features several hundred statues by one artist, who donated all his sculptures to the city. The sculptures run the gamut of human emotions and ages. I'll show you some of my favorites in more depth later.

Where am I?

*****
1 year ago today, Ding's Garden - Alhambra (Closed).
2 years ago today,
3 years ago today, my sad little tomato harvest.
4 year ago today, a garden tour and outdoor party.
5 years ago today, whipped cream, clotted cream, Butter with a handheld mixer.

Chipotle Chili Butternut Squash Soup is Hot

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I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but at some point in the last several years, ginger butternut squash soup became America's #1 vegetarian soup of choice.

Ginger butternut squash soup is everywhere. Google it, and you'll get hundreds of recipes (I stopped counting after the eighth full page load). Every vegetarian cookbook has a recipe for it. It's the go-to soup for Thanksgiving holidays and dinner parties, and 9 times out of 10, it's the only vegetarian soup available at cafeterias and supermarkets food courts. I've seen brawls break out in Trader Joe's as people frantically try to scoop up as many cartons of butternut squash soup as possible.

I understand the love. I made my first pot of ginger butternut squash soup about 15 years ago from a vegetarian cookbook I bought right after we moved to North Carolina. It was a revelation: creamy, refreshing, soothing. I have made that soup so many times, the recipe is etched in my brain along with my telephone number and birth date.



Yet, my love has grown weary. I'm tired of ginger butternut squash soup. I need something bolder, zestier, hotter! So for today's butternut squash soup recipe, I swapped my gentle ginger for assertive chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. Smoky, fiery chipotle chilis are the perfect antidote to boring butternut squash soup. With cilantro, onions, and cumin, this soup has a decidedly southwest flair, so I won't need to tell you that big hunks of warm, buttery cornbread are the only accompaniment it needs.

How about you? Doing anything different with butternut squash soup lately?

Chipotle Chili Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6-8
Printable recipe.

Chipotle chilis in adobo sauce can be found in the Mexican food section of most major supermarkets or at specialty Mexican markets.

1 (1 1/2-2 pound) butternut squash (about 4 cups cooked)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus a little for brushing the squash
1 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
3 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, (about 2 chilis tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 400 degrees F. Slice butternut squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Brush the flesh with a little bit of olive oil. Roast flesh side down on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet for 40-45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly before scooping out flesh. Discard skin.

2. In a deep pot over medium-high heat, warm oil. Saute onions, celery and carrots for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned. Add the cooked squash and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add chilis, cumin, and cilantro. Turn off heat, and let cool 10 minutes before pureeing. Taste it. If you’d like it spicier, then add more chilis.

3. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth, and return to the pot over low heat. Stir occasionally until the soup is thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes. If you prefer it thinner, then add a bit more broth or warm water, and stir well. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Garnish individual servings with fresh cilantro, if desired.

You might also like these recipes featuring chipotle chilis in adobo sauce:
Sweet Chipotle Glazed Baby Back Ribs recipe from Sippity Sup!
Chipotle Turkey, Black Bean, and Corn Soup recipe from Soup Chick
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Chili with Spiced Tortillas recipe from Food Blogga
Beef Enchiladas with Chipotle-Pasilla Chili Gravy recipe from Homesick Texan