Happy {2010} Weekend.

{Pablo Alfieri}

I cut out New Year's resolutions a few years ago after making too many unfulfilled promises to myself and feeling bad about it. I'm not knocking them if you're a fan, I'm just no good with such a big weight on my shoulders. (I'll lose 50 lbs. I'll . I'll single-handedly be responsible for world peace.)

I'm more of a believer that instead of resolving to do something, we should try to make smaller life decisions that are part of our day to day existences. I plan on trying to drink more water, keeping in closer touch with friends and family and starting to landscape around my house. Easy enough because I know they're all possible without too much trouble. What are your goals for 2010?

And because I've been out of the loop for the past few weeks, some of my favorite posts that have graced my reader recently:

+ DIY Origami Box Ornaments with a great step-by-step tutorial :: Creature Comforts

+ Super cute free holiday tags, perfect for a homemade goodie gift! :: Creature Comforts

+ A bevy of holiday packaging freebies :: Benign Objects

+ A clever free printable holiday card :: Creature Comforts

+ Sad I didn't see these really well designed desktop wallpapers sooner! Downloaded for next year :: Nien Studios

+ A great Christmas mix of songs both new and old :: m.writes

+ And a fantastic mixcast full of indie Christmas tunes, too :: kitsune noir

+ Pretty red and aqua holiday downloads :: Eat. Drink. Chic.

+ Loving these type-centric gift tags :: Wiley Valentine

+ And these gift tags :: Creature Comforts

+ And these tags and labels :: Creature Comforts

+ And these gift tags, too! :: heysusy

+ Did you see Livy's gorgeous vintage village that she made? :: A Field Journal

+ 12 Days of Christmas boxes for you to fill with goodies :: The Dieline

+ Insta-gift: print these free recipe cards and labels :: mstetson design

+ I'll be busy printing out this 2010 calendar this weekend! :: poppytalk

+ And this one :: redblackbrown

+ I can hardly believe this printable pocket calendar is f-r-e-e! :: Creature Comforts

Happy Weekend + Best Wishes in 2010!

The Moment Jars.

The Moment Jars is a breathtaking project that's a collaborative effort book. Visit the site and put your own moment in a jar. A fitting way to kick off 2010, no? {via swissmiss}

The Daily Eat: Cinnamon Sour Cream Cupcakes + Cinnamon Roundup.

{recipe and photo Culinary Concoctions by Peabody}

Quite possibly the most creative cupcakes I've ever come across. Let me introduce you to Cinnamon Sour Cream Cupcakes with Oatmeal Raisin Buttercream Frosting. They're minis so pace yourself!

1. Cinnamon Bars 2. Cinnamon Biscotti with White Chocolate Chips
3. Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream 4. Cinnamon Rolls + Chocolate Rolls
5. Cinnamon French Toast Cupcakes 6. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
7. Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Bread 8. Cinnamon-Caramel Bread Pudding
9. Kulach 10. Snickerdoodle Blondies
11. Spiced Cake Cookie Sandwiches 12. Streuselkuchen

All recipes and photos via/copyright their respective blog sources
unless otherwise noted there within.

The Ideal New Year's Party.

I'd greet guests at the door wearing this...

And this...

And of course, these. Which probably wouldn't last on my feet for long.

There would be plenty of bubbly flowing and guests wandering around with these beauties in hand.

And nothing would be served but dessert.

{via Ruby PR}

And this would be sitting in the corner, warming chilly hands and feet.

While this set the mood overhead.

And plenty of candlelight of course...

{Martha Stewart}

And music...

{Mark Weaver}

And dancing...

{Ryan McGinley}

And magic.

{Sarah Marshall}

And when the ball dropped at the stroke of midnight...

{New York Times}

Everyone would have someone to ring in the New Year with.

{via ffffound, no source}

Yes, exactly like that.

Picture It: Twinkle Lights.

{Luphia loves}

{Around the Bend}

{Stephanie Congdon Barnes}

{Raincooper}

{Idle Type}

{via ffffound, no source}

{via ffffound, no source}

{via ffffound, no source}

{via ffffound, no source}

{audream}

On the Rocks: New Year's Eve Cocktails.

You know the drill, no holiday is complete without a bevy of alcoholic beverages to help you ease your way through. Here are a few I have my eye on as possible NYE contenders...

1. Cranberry Maragrita 2. Glogg 3. Holiday Citrus Punch
4. Mulled Wine 5. Pear and Cranberry Bellini
6. Pomegranate Champagne Punch 7. Sparkling White Sangria
8. Warm Eggnog 9. Wassail Punch

All recipes and photos via/copyright their respective blog sources unless otherwise noted there within.

The Daily Eat: Cinnamon Bun Bread.

{recipe via Baking Bites, photo via Framed}

Now this is my kinda recipe: all the yumminess of something that takes hours (RE: cinnamon rolls) cut down and to the point (RE: Cinnamon Bun Bread).

PARTYPARTY.

I'm a bit behind on this one, but I couldn't not share the PARTYPARTY line by CONFETTISYSTEM. Love it. Shiny, sparkly things and bright colors. It's what New Year's Eve should always be about.

Picture It.

{via ffffound}

The Daily Eat: Cinnamon Apple Cake.

{recipe via Smitten Kitchen, photo © food republik}

Rather than start a new theme this week, I thought I'd just pick up where I left off before my unintentional break, with Cinnamon Week...

This recipe for Cinnamon Apple Cake looks divine, chunky in all the right places!

Word: Design for Mankind.

{via ffffound, most likely the sartorialist}

two ravens.
black once, black twice.
are we in paris?
migrate south. south of here.
for the winter.

the winter of our silence.
the silence of our unrest.
tomorrow is a new day.

This week's Word was brought to you by the lovely Erin of Design for Mankind. Thanks for your always shining words, E!

Win It: Xenotees Winner.

Wow, did you all ever love this scarf! (Me, too.) My favorite animal? I have to go with the otter, but that's just for today. *wink* Congratulations to Ariel on the sweet win and a big thank you to Xenotees for sponsoring this hit of a giveaway! {Thanks for your patience in waiting for me to announce the winner!}

Happy {Belated} Holidays.

{Nicholas Haggard}

Yeah, I know. It's December 29th and I'm only just now wishing you happy holidays and I have the gall to post a photo of silver tree branches after the 25th! Oh well, because I've been hanging onto this photo since last Christmas and just had to share. And to wish you the happiest season just about ever.

The flu has made for the hills, though my ears are still stuffy and I only have about 75% of my hearing. Next week brings a visit to an ear nose and throat doctor and hopefully the other 25% back. My MacBook showed up two hours after me at work this morning, wrapping up an oddly Groundhog Day-ish experience. (The display went out on the same day as last year, under the same circumstances and the same genius at the Apple Store waited on me one year to the day. Freaky.) All good things so far this week and I'm hoping the trend continues.

Blogging will be spotty this week, but stay tuned for some loose ends that were left hanging when I expectantly fell to the forces of the flu. (i.e. the Xenotees winner, the end of Cinnamon Week, etc.) So happy to be back!

M.I.A.

So, so sorry for leaving the blogosphere unannounced!

I came down with a mad case of the flu Monday, the 14th. I left work at 2pm and was out sick the entire week. It was a mess of high fevers, hour after hour of sleep, and lots of medication as well as a few doctor visits.

Monday, the 21st I flew home to Pennsylvania for Christmas and have been here ever since.

Several readers have asked what's up so this is just a tiny apologetic update post. Oh yeah, and my MacBook took a gigantic crap and the display went out. I fly back to Oklahoma tomorrow afternoon and will hopefully resume blogging Tuesday, pending that they didn't wipe out my hardrive.

Hope you all had a lovely holiday!

Picture It.

{Marija Strajnic}

Holiday Make It #12: Snowflake Curtain.

I haven't made a paper snowflake in ages, let alone an entire curtain of them. But, oh wow, isn't this snowflake curtain beautiful?

14 Days of Gifts Guide: Day 10.

1. For the rider in your life, a set of bike wheel coasters

2. For the Northerner, a Colossal Cables Throw

3. For the plan-aheader, One Day at Time notepads

4. For the letter-writer, a pretty Preening Pen

5. For the accessorizer, a colorful set of resin bangles

Win It: Xenotees.

I have a soft spot for screen printing. There's just something so deeply satisfying about slaving over your design and then dragging the ink across the screen and seeing it take shape.

This week's giveaway is from Xenotees, where every single piece is screen printed by hand on a manual 6 color/6 station press. And one of your luckies is going to be the recipient of this adorable French Pet Lobster scarf! It's a sheer jersey scarf from American Apparel screen printed in red with "I have a liking for lobsters. They are peaceful, serious creatures. They know the secrets of the sea, they don’t bark..." in French. So sweet and charming. And perfect for all of winter's chilliest days.

To Enter, Tell Me:
1. Your favorite animal!
2. Your email address, in case you're the lucky winner (those who do not will sadly be disqualified)
3. And do it all before Friday, December 18th at 12pm CST

A winner will be chosen randomly and announced shortly after. Best of luck!

The Daily Eat: Cinnamon and Date Scones.

{photo and recipe From Donuts to Delirium: My Life as a Housewife}

Cinnamon just smells like the holidays to me. The warm, spicy scent takes me back to running around in the kitchen at my grandmother's house as she baked cookies and nut rolls in the days leading up to Christmas. I'd like the scent of these Cinnamon and Date Scones to fill my own kitchen in the near future.