A few good gems

We made it to Friday! What a relief. It's been a blessedly quiet week around here, and I'm hoping for a low-key weekend -- one where I don't eat my body weight in sugar. A girl can hope. I've drummed up a few good gems for your weekend perusal. Isn't that quote (pictured above) just about perfect? Plus, I'm nostalgic (see article below) for 1989. Great year. Happy weekending to all.

"Winter Olympics Inspire Nation's Youth to Try Sports Their Parents Can't Afford" --  So, true.

There's been a lot of hype surrounding Jimmy Fallon's new role on The Tonight Show. I'm rarely up late enough to watch his old show OR his new show (I know, party animal), but my girls made me watch all of his "Ew" episodes. I find these completely hilarious. Jimmy Fallon as a teenage girl? It's fun. Here's the best one.

With all of the retro fads circling these days, I've been thinking a lot about nostalgia. (I've also been nostalgic what with my children leaving me and all.) The Atlantic has a great article on the Internet and nostalgia . . . and just how nostalgia sells us STUFF. There has been a particular influx of 90s memoriabilia, "appropriated to arouse a vague sense that we have lost something as we’ve moved, inexorably, into our future." Yes! Like The Cosby Show, and parachute pants, and life before cell phones. All lost.

Last week Design Mom posted about cobra weave stick bombs. I was so intrigued I went right out and bought a box of tongue depressors. Guys, this is good stuff (particularly if you are a nerd!).

I've been really trying to eat healthy. I've got this and this currently open on my desktop. Are these healthy? Or no? What if I eat 248 cookie dough bites? Because that could happen. (Note: These also look interesting.)

A few good gems

Happy Friday, y'all! A few of our favorite things from internet world this week:

I find these machine embroidery illustrations so inspiring:

Amanda deftly captures the moment when a child ever-so-subtly moves into the next phase.  A snippet: "I'm trying so hard to support their evolution but some days it feels like holding icicles in my hand. I am so tender, careful not to squeeze too hard...the ice melts beneath my touch, the shape constantly changing."

What's your Starbucks name? This article reminded me of a silly tradition we started at some point in the last ten years. When we visit a restaurant/cafe that asks for a name for our order, we take turns supplying some crazy fake name. There's something satisfyingly insubordinate about it. 

YES to this piece on Diana Nyad and the documentary The Other Shore. This part so resonated with me that it's kicked me back into gear on some of my "other shore" goals: "One day she woke up and felt the weight of an incomplete life. It was that simple. Something was missing. To hell with lost time. Because sometimes the only way to get rid of the haunting is to strap yourself to the ghost." What's your "other shore"?
 

via OWN

My mom sent me this wise, tender, and practical article on the ministry of presence and how those of us outside of the zone of trauma and loss can better communicate with those who are smack in the center of it. 

Oh, I love La Blogotheque's Take Away Shows series. As their website puts it, they "film beautiful, rare, and intimate sessions with your favorite artists, and the ones you are soon to fall in love with." Check out Of Monsters and Men, Emiliana Torrini, the Lumineers and the first one I ever saw, My Brightest Diamond's lullaby to her son, I Have Never Loved Someone (which I have probably already posted here but here goes again):

My Brightest Diamond | I Have Never Loved Someone | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

This would be fun and easy to make for Valentines Day. I'm thinking you could just as easily use a heart-shaped cookie cutter and embroidery hoop:

Via Pinterest, where the link to the original is broken. Anyone know where this came from?

Happy weekend, all!  Hope it's filled with some rest, some get-'er-done, and many good things. And a little silliness. See you back here on Monday.

---

Reading: Anna Quindlen's new novel, Still Life with Breadcrumbs. Also the always inspiring, kick-in-the-pants Steal Like an Artist (Austin Kleon). 

Eating: these coconut chicken tenders were a huge hit here. Also, I'm suddenly a huge edamame fan. It's my favorite snack right now.

Listening to: San Fermin's Sonsick and Oh Darling. 

And what are you reading/eating/listening to these days? Do share!

Tap, tap . . . is this thing even on?

Photo not related to post -- just still dreaming about our snowy holiday.

First off . . . Happy 2014! I've got lots of hopes and intentions (that seems to be the new catch-word for 'goals') for the new year. I wouldn't go so far as to say there will be a new me in the new year, but I definitely am aware that there is room for improvement. So get ready for some really annoying posts about being healthy and choosing new drapery material for my living room and how I'm learning to discipline my work habits. Actually, maybe someone else should write about how to discipline my work habits. Anyone? Anyone?

Secondly, neither Annie nor I planned to effectively disappear from Nest & Launch. Seemingly, we had our editorial calendar well in place just before Christmas. But then Christmas happened, and Annie traveled across the entire world, and I traveled three hours away (by plane), and then it just all went kerfluffle. Or something like that. Here's the great thing about being your own boss -- you can give yourself time off! 

While we get all of our figurative ducks in a row, here are a few good gems to express our appreciation for your patience in this our time of hedonistic laziness. (Of course, I'm only speaking for myself there.)

• Check out this article on consumerism, gratitude, and kids in the WSJ. 
• Or this article, that thinks that American parents are missing the proverbial boat. Could be.
• I made PW's newly-posted hamburger soup this week. It was a big hit on a chilly day. Get this -- I even left out the potatoes, cuz, you know, I'm being healthy and all.
• I'm generally of a mind that the movie is NEVER as good as the book. But this list intrigues me.
• It's never too early to move on to the next holiday. Minion valentines!
• The Internet is a-buzz with calls to disconnect from technology (which is ironic, considering folks are using TECHNOLOGY to tell us we are ruining our lives with TECHNOLOGY). Check out this cool new gadget that promises to keep the phone out of your hand.

We plan to resume regular posting on Monday. See you then!

Making and giving

I have to say that I really, really enjoy the giving part of the Christmas season. I always have grand schemes for making and baking and delivering that often fall prey to the practical limitations of my suburban life. But between Sterling and I, we usually cook up SOMETHING.

Before I go into what I've done or plan to do. I can't help but share this:

via theCraftingChicks.com

I really wish that I was six years old and could be the kid in this pajama, popcorn, hot chocolate scenario (designed by Jessica of TwoShadesofPink). Really. It makes all of my dreams come true.

But this website is about teens. TEENS -- who might not like to drive about in softie reindeer pajamas. So let's move on. I'll cry in my room later.

My teens do enjoy delivering gifts to friends. Margi (in the comments) asked about specifics. So here's my particulars:

We've done Pie in a Jar. Oh, how I love Pie in a Jar. It's so cute. So contained. So PRECIOUS. The only pitfall to pie in a jar is that it's not really something you can leave on someone's doorstep (well, not in Texas anyway). Delivery is tricky, but worth it.

via OurBestBites.com

We've also bagged up homemade caramel popcorn. (Remember to line the paper bags with wax paper to avoid unsightly grease stains.) Grease stains. The horror.

One of my favorite friend and neighbor gifts was IBC Reindeer Rootbeers (which are all over Pinterest). No cooking!! Just hot-gluing. I used the directions here -- I liked their antlers the best. See? Aren't they exquisite?

via CraftySisters 

Last year Sterling really wanted to give fancy caramel apples. I was a big baby and said no way because I have a RATIONAL fear of caramel sliding right off the apple (which it has a tendency to do). But Sterling was persistent. So, we carameled. It was tricky, I'm not going to lie. But they were tasty. We used the instructions on OurBestBites. I love those guys -- they are very specific and instructional. Also, their food always tastes fabulous. We wrapped them with cellophane and a plaid ribbon and voila! 

via OurBestBites

As for this year, I'm still on the fence.

I LOVE this idea. It's not just an ornament . . . it has interchangeable quotes for all through the year. But I haven't ordered the frame parts yet. So there's that.

via ThirtyHandmadeDays

I'm also intensely interested in this Snickers Moose Munch because I've pledged my undying devotion to Snicker bars. But maybe it's too much like the caramel corn of 2009. I'm unsure.

via PassionforSavings 

I might go with these Chocolate Gingerbread Loaves. They seem holiday-ish AND easy to package and deliver.

via LauraFerroni

Or, if I really stay true to my heart's desire, I would gift snow globes because I have an affinity for mini snow-laden worlds. I made these last year and found this kind of crafting to be extremely satisfying. Buy, arrange, cover with fake snow. It left my mind free to dream about uncharacteristically large and ferocious-looking nutcrackers.

I'm going to commit myself (emotionally AND physically) to a fun friend gift this weekend. Any great ideas out there? Tell me what to do . . . I'd consider it a personal favor.

A few good gems

Egon Schiele, Crescent of Houses, 1915

Welcome, weekend! I'm ready for you. This week has been a bit of a doozy BUT, as of today, the kids are done with the high pressures of exam week here (it's almost the end of the school year for Aussie students) and G just arrived back from his 2-week transcontinental business trip so I'm looking forward to some good, relaxed weekend vibes. But first, here are a few things to launch you into the weekend (and a couple for next week for you Thanksgiving celebrants):

- Try this experiment to become a morning person.

- Are children like dogs and teens like cats? 

- Learning to let your children reveal themselves (and, relatedly, remember our show me who you are post?)

- When my teen needs a ride

- Lots of truth in this post about mastery and choices and piano lessons: "Look, the truth is that your kid can't be a black belt in karate and a ski racer and a soccer player and a pianist and an "A" student and a dancer and in the school play...you can go broad or you can go deep; that's your choice. But you need to know that learning to play the piano takes place in the deep end of the ocean."

- Make an easy Thanksgiving garland

photo via A Beautiful Mess

Instead of candles at the kids' table, you could make (or they could make) and use these adorable paper pyramid lanterns

photo via Willowday

- And I'll leave you with this gem from the inimitable Erma Bombeck: "The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together." 

Enjoy your own band of characters this weekend! See you back here on Monday. xx

Here it is Internet . . . Thanksgiving

Let me just put this out there -- I'm having a really good attitude about Thanksgiving this year. I've never been a big Thanksgiving fan (although I do think gratitude is important). I mean, a whole day for eating? Well, let's be real, three whole days for cooking and 25 minutes IF YOU ARE LUCKY for eating. And then, naturally, VERY MANY DAYS for cleaning up.

But now, I'm choosing to see the whole shebang -- the planning, the shopping, the cooking, the table decorating, as one BIG PARTY. And no, I'm not being sarcastic. 

I do find that I sometimes have a hard time getting people to take my heartfelt sentiments seriously.

One reason for my positive Thanksgiving outlook is Sterling's excitement over preparing the meal. Yep. He WANTS to cook. And I'm all . . . "right this way, sir." Last week, he purchased all the equipment necessary to fry a turkey and oversaw a trial run right by the pool in the backyard. WHO WANTS TO GO SWIMMING? Maybe we'll serve hor d'oeuvres in the spa. Really, my mind is opening up on a whole bucketful of possibilities.

And, of course, I've been consulting with my BFF the Internet over all of it. Here's what I'm considering so far:

Napkins! I do love a cloth napkin, but my tastes tend to run to the expensive. Who charges $10 per napkin anyway? Martha proposes a fairly cool (and cheap) alternative. All I need to do is track down some iDye. I'm penciling in Monday as traipse-all-over-Houston-procuring-napkin-supplies day. 

via MarthaStewart.com

I'm also still very interested in this chalkboard table runner. Basically, if it's made of chalkboard, I'm in. Why the cultural obsession with chalkboard stuff? Talk amongst yourselves.

via lizmarieblog

We will be having a kids' table . . . and the possibilities for kid table paper crafting are pretty darn exciting. I'm totally in on the paper bag turkey. Also, as if she doesn't have enough to do already, Martha totally made a VIDEO on how to construct the paper bag turkey. Do you see why the Internet is my BFF? It just keeps on giving.

via marthastewart.com

And tiny paper pies -- the sure-fire way to my heart.

via fiskars.com

As for food, I'm still percolating on that. I'm going to start things out with this Puff Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Brie.

via sugarysweets.com

I'm also interested in PW's newly-posted Wild Rice Broccoli Casserole. 

via thePioneerWoman.com

And GiveMeSomeOven's pecan pie. 

via GiveMeSomeOven.com

I do like a schedule, so I'll try to draw up something similar to this or, naturally, I'll do up a schedule like my very good pretend friend, Pioneer Woman. (Dear PW, Please, please, please invite me to your lodge. I won't eat much. Love, Sarah)

In closing, I want to share with you a super cool Thanksgiving book that my SIL, Josie, gave me several years ago. It's the story of Sarah Hale, a forward-thinking woman who lobbied to have Thanksgiving made a national holiday. It's sort of a kids book, but with sufficient text and facts to really interest bigger kids. And you can Prime it to yourself for $5.05. Man, this is a great country!

So . . . Happy Thanksgiving planning! 

P.S. One time, a million years ago, I made a paper bag turkey filled with popcorn for Jordan to take to preschool. (Excuse me while I run sobbing into the next room). The End.

A few good gems

Friday greetings! It's been cold here this week (lows in the 30s), so we've finally, officially gotten our Fall on. I even made soup last night, which I served with little ciabatta toasts covered with melted gouda. It was kinda fancy, but required only a little effort -- which is my favorite kind of cooking. I did play around a bit too much this week, so I'm going to be working through the weekend, with just a little time off to celebrate some birthdays. Hope your weekend is more relaxed! Here's a few good gems to get you started:

My sister linked to this hilarious Pinterest list of projects 'Ain't nobody got time for.' Thanks Jenny!

Did you guys know you can opt your kids out of standardized testing? I'm a bit of a rule follower, so apparently I need a national publication to point this out to me. I'm on board with the hype that standardized testing has taken over public education, but I'm also apt to want to know how my kids measure up -- so that I can worry incessantly and read them Harry Potter books as supplement.

I think I might need to make a bevy of Winter Wonderland DIY Snow Globe Necklaces. You see, I have this thing . . . for snow globes.

We'll be printing these babies up for Thanksgiving Day. Nothing like a little bingo to warm the soul. (Stitch that on a pillow.)

Also, these turkey treats are alluring to me in some strange, net-ty, Reeses Pieces kind of way.

This is a favorite story of mine. I read it a year or so ago and then, after closing my browser, couldn't remember exactly where it came from (my kids moved away with my short-term memory). But then I happened upon it again this week. It's so moving -- full of hope and replete with despair. My favorite line invokes this familiar sense of wanting to MAKE THINGS RIGHT, which is sort of impossible -- and yet beautiful in its sentiment: "But maybe there was something he could do. And then she would remember why she chose him. Then she could be happy."

I saw this quote in more than one place this week. Yes. That's who I want to be. By the way, who is J. A. (NOT Jane Austen) ? I've looked around and can't find an attribution. Help!