a second christmas

today was an amazing day. it was basically the first day back to normal schedules for our little family after all the holiday craziness that's been happening for the last 6 weeks [mr phipps manages retail, so you can imagine] and i use normal loosely because technically i normally don't work wednesday, but tonight will be the start of four, that's right four, days off together, so i thought working wednesday and 3 hours on thursday would be a great trade!

my loving husband was back with full force! more "i love you"s, texts & sweetness than ever today. which i have to say is probably my favorite gift yet. also, he so thoughtfully recalled that i have been secretly & not so secretly wanting an electronic book. i kinda put it out of my mind since iPhone has a book app, it just felt silly to ask for one with that knowledge. but anyway he remembered & picked one up for me as a surprise!


it's a literati. i really hadn't heard of this one, but i'm sure glad he did because it's amazing. if you're in the market for one read on...
it came with a sturdy yet sleek case & 150 free books. it has a 7' screen and is only 0.5" thick. it's wi-fi, has a full color screen & one-click buy option. there are over 2 million titles available & they now offer magazine & newspaper subscriptions. also,  i guess you can sync documents from your computer to it if you need to get some work done on the go. i am really impressed so far. it's much better than i expected & i've already begun my first read. i'm so stoked to get reading again. thank you to my wonderful husband.

paint by tablet

this year for christmas i received many wonderful things and i was so excited about everything. tonight while mr. phipps was video gaming it up i decided to try out one of my new gifts which was a bamboo pen tablet . it works similar to the way a mouse would work with your computer, but it offers many more options such as writing, drawing, editing and painting. i chose to work on my painting skills and went to town with water color [which i still have yet to get the hang of haha], oil & acrylic. i made myself a cute little kirby painting while learning the controls.

hopefully, i'll be able to get a hang of the writing aspect, which can translate your handwriting into a text. i'd love to create my own font at some point, but that will be much further down the road.
anyway, getting back into the swing of things today was a lot less challenging than i thought it would be, although i'm getting antsy for the 4 days off we have together this weekend. yay new years!

8 days...

well, after 8 days of being away from the blog world, i've rejoined. the holidays are always a great, and hectic, time. we had tons of fun with all the family this season and everyone was so sweet and generous.

i was able to make a couple of handmade snow globes [idea from this blog] they turned out pretty okay and i'm glad i tried them. they were simple & fun and great for gifts!
i hope the holiday went well for everyone! i cannot wait for new years. mr phipps and i promised each other an outrageous & fun one. hopefully that'll all come to be.

long day, hard work

it has been an incredibly long day, but i finally finished my gingerbread house after work. i guess today was fitting seeing as it snowed quite a bit. i can say this is one of the hardest things i've ever done. holy cow! i'm not sure if it was so tough because i thought it should be pretty easy or what. although my mom did tell me that a coworker of hers said it was really tough, so i feel a bit relieved about it.

it definitely looks homemade, but i like that because it is! haha and really... i couldn't get it any other way. i did go a bit above the basic and made actual windows on each side of the house out of candy. so i'm pretty stoked on those. they aren't as beautiful as the ones in the book, but they'll do for my first one. i opted for a more basic house because as i was attempting to roll the dough out i realized that something fancy probably wasn't going to happen, especially in any normal amount of time. i can honestly say this will most-likely NOT be a phipps christmas tradition, but you never know. i could get brave again some year and pump another one out. i'm glad i tried it out; i no longer wonder about it.

as for the recipe... i'm still not sure what i think about it. i want to say it was good, but it was so hard that i want to say it was terrible. user error i suppose. there was a lot of tips though, i will say that. the book called for a cathedral not really a house, which i think would be nearly impossible! she also included a royal icing recipe which worked okay. i had to adjust it a bit because it wouldn't stiffen, but we are pretty highly elevated, so that could've been the problem. she has so many recipes for christmas cookies, ones i've never heard of before, so ultimately, if you can find a copy, you should pick it up.

good find

here is the chair we purchased. i'm super excited! we got it for only $60 i can't wait until moving time to figure out the perfect place for it.

sweet & simple

quick update:

tried out the previously mentioned gingerbread house today. i'm still working on it. it's proving to be quite a task. i started it at 3:30 and it's almost cool enough to ice. homemade gingerbread is hard work!
on the plus side of the last couple days, we are 85% done with our christmas shopping. we did it all in like one day.
also, mr. phipps and i bought our first antique chair. i'll try to get a picture up soon. it's absolutely perfect. i love it oh so much and cannot wait to pick it up.

hope the holiday has begun to treat you nicely!

so close & so far away

i can't believe that there are only 5 or 6 weeks until our lease is up, and that means moving time! even though there is so much to be done in that amount of time and the holidays make it seem like a lifetime away, i know it's approaching quickly. i'm getting excited to organize and decorate a whole new space; i've been trying to draw inspiration from everywhere! as much as i hate moving i absolutely love putting it all together once everything is in the new spot. hopefully we will get into our dream house. if we do i already have a vision for most of the house!

[2008 winner luxist.com, click image to visit site]

speaking of houses, i'm going to make my very first gingerbread house from scratch this week. i love the one above. it's reminds me of "Home Alone" for some reason. stay tuned for pictures and a review of the recipe. baking time has finally arrived this year. 

peppermint bark

mr phipps loves, with a capital L, peppermint bark. he mentioned it a few days ago when we were browsing william-sonoma. i decided to try it from scratch as a surprise for him. it passed his taste test & even got a "perfect, better than william-sonoma"
i figured i'd share in case anyone out there is curious since christmas is obviously the perfect time for said treat. the original recipe can be found here
i altered it a bit at home because melting chocolate via stovetop has never been my specialty & quite frankly white chocolate can be quite testy over the stove anyway. however, if you are a purist & want to use the stove i salute you. if you are going to microwave it, don't use the oil. you'll need a glass bowl heating at medium power in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. slower is always better when melting chocolate & you'll get yummy, perfectly melted every time. i also used a dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet because i feel it compliments the white chocolate & peppermint better, but that's a personal opinion.

note: the recipe calls for high-quality chocolate. honestly it really is better because lower quality chocolate can cause the layers to separate while you are breaking/cutting it to serve.

ingredients:
8oz high-quality [dark, semi-sweet, or milk] chocolate, broken into pieces
8oz high-quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided
8 candy canes, crushed
wax paper
9x9" pan

instructions:
1. lightly grease 9x9" pan & line with wax paper, smooth out wrinkles; set aside
2. place [dark, semi-sweet, or milk] chocolate in glass bowl & microwave at medium power for intervals of 30 seconds, stirring in between, until melted. when melted, stir in 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. pour chocolate into the prepared pan, & spread evenly over bottom of the pan. sprinkle half of the crushed candy canes over the chocolate layer. refrigerate until completely hardened, roughly 1 hour.
3. place white chocolate in glass bowl & microwave at medium power for intervals of 30 seconds, stirring in between, until melted. when melted, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. pour the white chocolate directly over the chocolate later; spread evenly. sprinkle the remaining crushed candy over the top and gently press in. refrigerate until completely hardened. removed from pan; break [or cut] into small pieces.

here are a few pictures from the process:



enjoy all the treats this holiday brings!

and beyond

so obviously i have some updating to do. it's been a crazy week with lots going on & i've been feeling a bit under the weather, as are so many. that being said today i will share the week through pictures. wednesday, i made mr phipps breakfast in bed [i got to use my new spode christmas tree dip bowls] & we had a date day. it was much needed & really enjoyable. the sky has been quite overcast in our lovely city lately. mr phipps band also played this week at a local bar.



oh! and i found a gingerbread/royal icing recipe. it looks pretty promising. i found it in a cookbook i totally forgot i had [Rose's Christmas Cookies by Rose Levy Beranbaum] it was perfect timing because i was unable to find one & was getting pretty discouraged. i'm really excited to try it out. it will be my goal to get that done next week. once i try it all be sure to share, maybe even with a review of the recipe.



side note from the week: we went to see Disney's Tangled. it was so adorable, and i loved every minute of it. if you are a Disney fan please do yourself a favor & see it.

it's beginning to look a lot...

well, christmas has officially booked a spot in our home.
we had a great time decorating our first tree together & look forward to a time when we can have a giant tree [we had to get a baby 3.5ft tree so our sweet little monsters don't eat it!]
but i think it looks amazing for the tiny little thing it is.
i can safely say our color scheme is red & gold this year. and plaid. i have this thing for plaid. and yes, i would say it is wildly connected to my absolute love for the look of the lumberjack. silly? probably. manly? completely!

anyway, as the holiday gets closer, less than 3 weeks now, i've been wanting to get a few projects done, hopefully i'll get around to them. and, of course, when i do i'll be sure to share. i'm so excited for the ideas mulling around up in this brain.
one, is to make a gingerbread house from scratch. i've done the kits before, however, i've always thought it would be neat & challenging to make one entirely on my own! i'll be looking for a good recipe today. if i find a good one i'll share. wish me luck!

centered

while looking for table inspiration, i came across somewhat of a trend in centerpieces that i absolutely love! stacked cake tiers & trays. not only does it look extra classy, but it also ads some depth to the table. i love having an interesting focal point, and this look definitely allows for that. seeing as i was so excited i had to share. whether it be for buffet or table, i hope this brings out some ideas and gets the holiday on for ya.

[click on photo for links to original posting & great ideas from their hosts!]

okay... so this last one isn't really tiered like the rest, but it was too precious not to include. i'm thinking christmas tea party?

graduation & scones

happy graduation to my best friend! she is finally on her big girl path of being a nurse.  i couldn't be happier or more proud. that being said... i have her party to attend soon!

scones have been the object of my thinking desire as of late. i will be making scones in the near future. i haven't ever made them before, but now seems like a fantastic time to become acquainted with them. i think  i like the mini version best, but i guess that cannot really be said until they are made.

ready, set, tables!

there are few things i love more than a perfectly set table. i'll blame [or thank] my fabulous mother & grandmother for this. the linens, the china, the glasses, the flatware and most importantly the centerpieces. the beauty & class that radiates from a finely set table is often unmatchable. man... did i mention that i LOVE a lovely table setting.

and... being that it's the holiday season there are so many wonderful things to draw inspiration from. i'll be searching for some looks i love to draw from for our table. i've started on the setting, but it's nowhere near finished. i did find this great photo on the good housekeeping website. it's just darling.

[click photo to go to site]

now, to finish the table & have a dinner party! who's coming over? 

cheeseburger- redesigned

today was more of a lazy day, however, three great things came from it. i got to spend time with my best friend, i did more organization around the house [things have been shifting around since we found out we have a mouse visiting us on and off... not the most welcome of visitors] and i tried a new recipe for dinner: all-american cheeseburger soup.

i found the recipe a few years back in a magazine [i wish i could remember which one] and have been meaning to try it ever since. luckily it got lost in my recipe book and resurfaced! mr. phipps LOVES cheeseburgers, so this cold day seemed perfect for it.
it was quite tasty, although, i have to admit it didn't taste much like cheeseburgers until the toasted bun [served on the side] was dipped in. it was an extremely hardy soup. i think this will be a yearly soup at very least!

fun-filled friday

i was one of a small portion that didn't shop today. instead i surprised mr. phipps with a christmas decorated home. i have never been super big on decorating for the holidays, but the mr. LOVES the holidays. we had an agreement to wait until december 1st to decorate, but he had to be to work by 3am for all the retail craziness so i wanted to make his day by doing it earlier. he was beyond surprised & completely stoked.
he has mentioned getting personalized/monogramed stockings the last few weeks, so i decided to cross-stitch our names on the plain velvet red ones we got last year. they definitely look hand done, but i was going for that cozy, homey look, so i am pleased.

we were finally able to try pie-face pizza today. if you live in or visit reno ever i highly suggest you try it. they sell by the slice & whole. slices go for $3-4 & whole go for $16-20 [however they are quite large, whole:14-20" slice: 1/6 of a 20"] it's a great value. they have so many unique combinations and also choose your own options. it's thin crust and locally owned. extra delicious.

ideas, inspiration & fun

so... if you haven't ever encountered the blog Design*Sponge then you surely need to!
i want to spend hours a day pouring over everything they have, and let me tell you they have a lot. before and afters, diy, mini trends, podcasts, recipes... man, so much to love. do yourself a favor and check it out.
[all photos are from various Design*Sponge blog posts]

Thoughtful Tuesday

Last night in between work and dinner I finished a small project I started Sunday for our bathroom. Nothing huge, but fun enough. I used some old street maps and pieces from a ripped up card board box. Now our bare wall has a friend to fancy it up.

In other news, I can't wait for our first combined family thanksgiving! Both our (mine & Mr Phipps) families are having the holiday together. We won't have to do 3 thanksgivings this year! Thanks to my fabulous momma for hosting. She is the most wonderful hostess of all time. We are bringing some hors dourves, and I'm excited to make them. I'm thinking hot artichoke dip/crackers & stuffed baked pepperoncinis.

breakfast for dinner

today mr phipps and i, both, had quite a day. up at 445am and work til 5pm. so, we settled on breakfast for dinner. i used my favorite vegan french toast recipe [as i am allergic to eggs] & we cooked up some turkey bacon.

it was delicious and a great way to start the evening.

Stuffed Peppers

i thought i'd share this recipe. it's really easy and so delicious.

ingredients:

4-6 medium bell peppers
1lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked rice
1 8oz. jar of Kraft cheez whiz
dash of pepper
dash of basil (or garlic salt)
optional: 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
           1 Tablespoon melted butter

in case you are unfamiliar with Kraft cheez whiz, it looks like this-










steps:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
[recipe calls for COOKED rice. minute rice works well. you can cook the rice while the peppers are parboiling]

1. remove tops & seeds from peppers. parboil [place in pot of boiling water] for 5 mins. drain.










2. brown meat, drain
3. add onion to meet & cook until tender.


4. stir in rice, cheez whiz & seasonings.
5. fill peppers [a tablespoon works well] & place in baking dish.

 * tossed butter with bread crumbs & place on top of peppers
bake for 40 mins.



- i only used 2 peppers instead of 4-6, so we had extra meat/rice mixture to use as burrito filling or to eat alone.