Mint chocolate chip cookies anyone?

i love Christmas.  let's start there.  i love everything about it.  the celebration of the birth of our savior, christmas trees, christmas music, christmas shopping (it's true - i love it!), and christmas yummies.  everyone and their grandma has been posting delicious looking recipes on their blogs, so of course, i was bitten by the baking bug.

*disclaimer - i don't bake - you'll see why soon enough*

well recently, edie over at lifeingrace  posted a cookie recipe i just had to try.  mint chocolate chip cookies.  need i say more?  i mean they sound like Christmastime heaven.  heaven sprinkled with candy canes.  that was it, I had to make these.  and that's where my train starts to derail.  already my expectations are too high.  

so i made some this afternoon.  They melt. in. your. mouth.  oh they really do.  too bad they taste like poop.

here's the recipe:
2 sticks butter
2 cups flour (all purpose)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. mint flavoring
1 T. milk
1 cup Andes creme de menthe pieces

1. cream together softened butter with brown sugar until fluffy (ok I'll admit I have no idea what that means.  mine was all mixed together but i wouldn't call it fluffy.)
2. add flour, vanilla, mint flavor, milk, andes pieces.  mix until combined.
3. use a small cookie scoop to scoop on to a baking sheet.  use a fork to mash slightly flat.  (a cookie what??? oh and i used my finger not a fork to mash them- forks are strictly for PB cookies)
4. bake 350 for 9-10 min.
5. sprinkle w/ crushed candy canes and enjoy.

so what went wrong?  dunno.  but they melt in your mouth and taste like poop.

oh and we're not even going to talk about melting chocolate chips to drizzle on
top.  glob.  one. big. glob.  i tried it twice.  glob.

don't get me wrong, i'm willing to bet biscuit's life edie's cookies are heavenly.  mine came from the pit hell. but that's just how i bake.

i think i should make a batch for my family's christmas celebration.

red owl designs

i have this super cool, uber talented friend, sara.  she's the owner of Red Owl Designs and even has cute little etsy shop.  sara has been gifted with the ability to make anything out fabric - and now yarn.  her shop features the cutest reusable shopping bags EVER,  and the cutest reusable coffee cozies EVER. 

i mean look at this!

sara is currently hosting a contest on her blog to WIN one of these beauties!  hop on over there to check out her many cute projects (beyond cozie and shopping bags) and to get in on the action!

who doesn't like free stuff?

if you say you don't like free stuff, then you're clearly not being honest with yourself.  frankly, i love getting free stuff and i love the opportunity to win some freebies.  so when angie over at bring the rain posted a contest to win a $200 gift card to best buy, i was all over it like white on rice.  check out the contest for yourself here and enjoy the post about why she's hosting such an awesome give away.

what would you buy with a $200 best buy gift card?

mirror, mirror , on the wall

our fireplace has been barren and in need of a face lift since the day we moved in.  don't get me wrong, it's a cute fireplace with a charming white mantle and slate surround, but it's been super neglected.  i haven't been sure what to do with it until recently.  i think it would be safe to classify me as a craigslist junky, but when you come across finds like this beauty (it's in the eye of the beholder, remember?) it's hard not to be.

apparently the person selling this mirror was tired of it taking up space in their garage and decided it was time to part with it.  lucky me!  not only did i score this great mirror but my once skeptical, but clearly on-board now, spousey bought me a great paint sprayer too!  so about 5 minutes later i had this to hang over the fireplace...

isn't it lovely?

The grass grows freely out behind my house, so i went out and cut some to add to the decor.  yay for free grass!  oh, and the paint?  well, i had gone back and forth for days and days between this blue color and a green color.  spousey voted blue, so off we went to get paint.  i decided to check the mistint paints for future inspirations, and what do i see?  major score!

mirror, mirror, on the wall,

i think you're the fairest of them all!

oh how i heart thee...

i think most people know i love everything cable knit.  so when i spotted this gal here, it was love at first sight.  i think it would be perfect for me our living room!

isn't she beautiful!  it's so cozy and inviting.  i can see myself cozying up to it with a good book or as my new napping sidekick..  i'm almost certain this pillow would look absolutely stunning on our new, yet to be delivered, couch.  oh dear couch, where oh where are you??

i've got a couple new projects in the works.  one is completed but not quite ready for it's big reveal.  the other is sitting peacefully in our garage until i get motivated to get moving.  unfortunately, prep work is my least favorite part, so getting started on a project seems to take a while.  however, i did just get a really nice palm sander with a dust bag at the pawn shop that i'm looking forward to taking for a spin.

we're all kinds of into saving money these days.  so when dave ramsey said that he shops the pawn shops, well, that was plenty good enough for us!  yeah, we saved $45 on the sander.  not spent.  saved.

shoot, maybe i'll start that project tonight.  or maybe i'll sit in one of the few piece of furniture we have and dream about my new couch and this beauty of a pillow.

who knows...

once upon a trift store...

once upon a thrift store there was a little table.  at first glance this table was u-g-l-y, ugly.  it was dirty with a capitol d.  and lets not even talk about the gold trim.  but it also had an elegant shape and sweet, softly curved feet.
this table is where revamped. begins:

this is my very first (aside from a table i once tried to tile, but we won't talk about that. ever. again.) rehab project.  my ever so loving & supportive spousey was - well let's just say - skeptical.  thankfully, i got the table for a song, already had the paint and supplies, and it kept me occupied, so he certainly didn't complain.  i had so much fun watching the transformation.  by the time the table was primed, even spousey was getting optimistic about its potential.

so now for the big reveal...

i think it's a HUGE transformation!  i love this little table.  it's the perfect accent for the wall outside our bedroom door.  and skeptical spousey?  well, he's helping me hunt down more great pieces to furnish our house with.  there are so many endless possibilities!  the best part, the paint can be changed anytime i wish!