temporarily jolly

a new header for christmas! i've been struggling with cards this year, do i send them, do i make them from scratch, do i buy them premade, do i even have time to print and stamp them all? but really, what is Christmas without obligatory responsibilities? so i just threw together a little postcard i'll be sending out. don't feel bad if one doesn't make it to your house, either a) i don't have your addy, or b) the cards aren't cool enough to worry about...

whatsa happenin hot stuff?

i'm back from a beautiful sunny weekend in connecticut! seriously. the weather was amazing. i didn't even need the coat i packed. thanksgiving we spent with my husband's side of the family and they love food. i ate so much sweet potato casserole i walked funny the rest of the night. and i scored a knock-off coach bag for free! apparently his aunt didn't like it much and i was doting on it, so she handed it over and said 'it's yours!'.

next day i was up at five to hit the sales! it wasn't as crazy as i thought it would be, except for khols whose lines were wrapping around the entire store. it was fun and i got a few good deals, but had i not been tagging along with a couple of friends i probably wouldn't have dragged my butt out of bed for it. BUT i'm 95% done with my Christmas shopping. {hate me, hate me now} this week i plan to wrap and mail what needs to go, then i'll plop the rest under the tree we pick out this weekend.

and we get to paint the bathroom this week/weekend! the walls are finished so now we can move on with the floor and the paint. i'm really hoping to have it finished this weekend since we're hosting a christmas party in the next couple of weeks....here's to hoping.

oh and one more thing. my husband totally ruined the IKEA experience for me. if you've ever been, you know the marketplace is the best part of the whole trip! and i got completely rushed through it to the checkouts. i spent 9 dollars. 9 dollars! grrr.

fauxlicious

fauxlicious, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this is what i was doing when i was supposed to be packing for this weekend. the good news is, i'm almost packed anyway. i have another photo gig this weekend so expect to see cute pictures next week of children that i didn't birth.

here's my ode to a turkey. hope everyone has a great weekend. even those peeps in canada eh? here's to pumpkin pie and sweet potato caserole. and being thankful. which i am. for everything i've undeservingly been given. happy tofurkey day!

the weekend update

it wasn't as crazy as i was expecting. friday night went great, we got to make and do everything we planned, from hitting the mall to making peppermint bark {pics to come, of course}. we listened to Christmas music and watched the muppet Christmas carol and Charlie Brown Christmas. i forgot how awesome those movies are. then we made some easy ornaments and magnet sets for gifts. the girls were even asleep by one. unbelievably smooth. couldn't have gone better, really.

saturday i headed out and did almost all of my Christmas shopping {what what?!}. then the husband and i watched a movie {millions}, took a nap, and basically lounged around the rest of the day. we didn't pick out tile. we didn't paint. we didn't even leave the house. it was so relaxing. {and i even wrapped all my gifts.}

sunday we did basically the same. now it's 3 days of work and packing for home {and maybe a haircut, SHORT baby, short.}...

we are all made of stars

cake_stars.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this is a nifty little idea i saw in a magazine a while back. cookie cutters + sprinkles = fun frosted cakes. this was my first try so i admit, it's a little weak. plus i used a metal cookie cutter and i tend to think a plastic one that cost more than 48 cents would work better.

so onto friday faves:
these are holiday themed since i won't be here next friday, i'll be eating leftover turkey and pumpkin pie and sleeping on someone else's recliner.

hot cocoa with peppermint candy canes: delicious sweet drink. although peppermint schnapps would work just as well.

mistletoe: love the look of the little plant, and it's an excuse to smooch it up.

pumpkin pie: love the season of apple pies and pumpkin pies and crisps and all those awesome fruit and veggie desserts.

sweet potato casserole: with marshmallow on top. yum, can't wait to have some next week. boston market also makes a great one, for those of you who actually have a boston market near you. lucky.

after thanksgiving sales: it ignites the fire of the bargain shopper in me. 3 for $10? i'll take 6.

Christmas street decorations: it makes any drab city look shiny and pretty when white lights line the sidewalks.

My church: it's nice to have people surrounding you that look at things with a realistic positivity that eventually wears off on you.

that's all for today kids. have a great weekend...mine'll be stressful! {picking out tile, painting, a sleepover at MY house with 10 girls and only one bathroom, trying to squeeze in the netflix movies that just showed up...should be a blast!}

and we have progress

i came home to find the sheet-rock around the tub was in place! apparently my husband had someone there yesterday working on the bathroom. it was a nice surprise. {i have a photo: will be up soon} it's been sitting pretty dormant since the plumber installed the tub a couple weeks ago. we removed the toilet so the sheet-rock behind that can be fixed today and hopefully we can paint and tile this weekend! then it's just a matter of putting back a sink and toilet {maybe some wainscot half way up, and this built-in shelf system i need to create} and voi la! we don't have to run downstairs every time we need to pee!

knit-a-phobe

i really really really want one of these.

oh danny boy

oh danny boy, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

how cute is this little guy? he has so much personality and he's not even 6 months yet. this was my first scheduled photo gig! how exciting right? thanks heather! we took tons of cute photos of him for his christmas card and he's a full-on baby model. {minus all the anorexia and cigarettes.} and he only went diva on us a couple times....

oh, and i tried to feed him a glass ornament. i'm going to be a great mom someday.

friday faves: glossy hits

music i'm loving currently:
'starlight' by muse
'crystal ball' by keane {which is currently streaming non-stop through my brain}

beauty products i'm loving currently:
victoria secrets beauty rush lip gloss
the mint shine is fantastic. except mine's currently MIA. must check all coat pockets when i get home.
body shop bees wax texturizing wax
if you have frizzy uncontrollable hair like me, you'll love it. plus it has a great smell.
alba organic self-tanning lotion
it gives me a little boost in the winter when i start looking extra vampy. i just apply some to my face and it gives a little glow without looking fake baked or orange.

habits i'm loving currently:
keeping track of workouts in my planner
i feel so productive when i look at the month and see lots of yellow highlighted spots.

spinning = evil

i heard somewhere that satan ordered 17 billion spinning bikes for hell. which would make since, since they're torture. i think they should place criminals on them for the duration of their trials to ensure speedy confessions. think how much money that would save the government. but really i'ld just like to see sadam heussein on a spinning bike.

at the end of the session the instructor asked me how it was, and normally i feel the need to sugar-coat the truth or flat out lie to make someone feel better about themselves, but my answer: "it was horrible." because it was. and the worst part is, i'll try it again on tuesday.

visions of fug

not so new hair, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

here's my not so new hair and my very dirty bathroom mirror. i'll have to remember to clean that this weekend. this bathroom hasn't gotten this much use since we moved in.

anyway, check out old navy, all their clearance is half off right now. picked up a sweater vest i've had my eye on for $4.50. i bet you REALLY want to go shopping now, right jen?

shiny and new

check out the updated links bar {yay for wannabe} along with the nifty new shop buttons {the monkey store is in progress but you better check it jen, for the love of all things eaw} and the tinkerwiththis button! steal it to make your blog all pretty and stuff. back to the grind. keep it real homies.

mm mm good.

apple_pie.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

have some apple pie for breakfast.

uploaded a couple more t-shirt designs lastnight. will post pics and links later today {hopefully}. keep an eye out, they're both super fun.

also, just an FYI to any who care: i'll be in the connecticut area for thanksgiving weekend. looking forward to not cooking a freaking thing or having to clean my house for anybody. happy turkey day.

make a wish and kiss a fish

i'm getting a haircut in a couple of days and i'm not really sure what to do with it. i mean, not that i have so many options. basically i can either keep it growing out and looking very helmet-y {but definately not in the back since i hate when it's all ratty on my neck}, or i can cut it somewhat short and spiky again. not that either choice is going to have a major impact on my life, but i like to pretend it will.

the tub is IN! ha-lle-lu-jah. already took a relaxing bath and my oh my, do i love that thing. it was a fabulous pain, but now it's just fabulous.

also, i'm a huge fan of everything Christmas, but can we take one holiday at a time? is that too much to ask. apparently our retail friends haven't yet hit their quota for the consumer year and they're hoping a pre-thanksgiving push would be just what they need to hit their 17 billion dollar mark on tube socks. if only there were Thanksgiving presents.

friday faves

shopping_faves, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

involve shopping deals! because in celebration of finishing all that work i went to the mall...{i had to return some pants, honestly, gosh.}

so my late edition friday faves are as follows:

Clarks: the best shoe on earth. find an outlet near you and buy a pair, i repeat buy a pair. these babies cost me 20 dollars on clearance and the four-inch heel is surprisingly easy to manage, which tells me one thing, Clarks are good shoes. {the rubber sole helps with our lovely early snowfalls}

Old Navy kid section: this is the part where you all vow revenge upon my soul. i can fit in a kid's XL. yep. it comes in pretty handy when they have good sales. i picked up this cute little hooded sweater for 10 dollars.

Gloves: i love gloves, they keep my all too often frozen fingers from falling off. i also love when they have a fold over flap, the mitten/glove combo. or the glitten if you will. got these delicious knit red ones for 8 dollars.

you better not pout.

so technically i just started my christmas shopping. i found the perfect gift for my cousin, assuming she doesn't already have one. if she does, oh well, this will still be the best gift ever. i can't believe i came across it! and i grabbed a hot apple cider while i was out. it may be snowing, but it's still fall in my heart, dangnabit.

{isn't the perfect find exciting?}

and so it is

first snow, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

the first official snow.

i've completed my little side job so this weekend i finally get to relax! well, not exactly. now i have to catch up on everything i ignored for two weeks. but i'm ok with that. because now i don't have to sit in front of the computer for hours on end. and i get to work on our bathroom. {the plumber will be installing the tub this weekend!}

i have nothing good to write. except that it's really nice to complete anything.

tinkerwithtunes

if you love music, keep reading. if not, just leave a nasty comment about how i should write something relevant to your life and/or interests.

i thought i'ld pass on some personal opinions about what your itunes should consist of:

must own newish single:
jewel's "again and again"
fan of jewel but didn't appreciate the pink t-d pop album that was so harmful to her music career but oh so good for her modeling one? don't worry, this is a mix of new jewel old jewel. it's poplicious but with talent and sense.

must own dance album:
scissor sisters "self-titled"
want an updated version of abba? here it is. this UK group is lively and fun with all the funky clothes but without all the weird accents.

must own album:
jem "finally woken"
she's categorized as electronica? strange. i don't think you can really categorize this album. check it out. it's one of the only albums i've bought that i don't skip through a single song.

must own new artist:
nerina pallot "fires"
first heard her while listening to the british pop station. except what's considered british pop music is actually good. she's a singer/songwriter/piano player amazingly talented beautiful woman. pretty sure she's american and if you check out her website you can listen to the entire album in it's entirety. not sure if itunes even has her listed yet. unfortunately, i don't think we'll be hearing her here in the next few months which is normally what happens with UK music, since she's older than 15, plays an instrument and actually has talent.

i have more, but i really need to get back to working!