things I'm loving from around the bloggosphere

Seriously one of the cutest Christmas photoshoots I've ever seen!
{click here} to see the rest of the pictures!
I think this chalkboard background
would be nice for a DIY "faux-tobooth" too

Personalized Stationary for a very hip Grandma
{known by all the kids as Grandma Latté}
via alee and press

Super cute pincushion
sold at TheBlueDaisy on Etsy

"French" Goodness
I have yet to make these but they look de.lic.ious.
{See the recipe here}

Sweetest. Tattoo. Ever.
Read the *short* story {here}

This great wooden headboard
found at Say Yes! to Hoboken

Backyard fun

Oh the joys of Brooklyn (as opposed to Manhattan)
Say Yes to Hoboken via Little Green Notebook
{I'm loving that Pottery Barn kitchen set in the playhouse too!}

Vintage Wall Art
- - hearts made out of ticket stubs - -
Blue Bell Bazaar via A Little Sussy

Cute little bunting crayon roll
{see the tutorial here}

Happy New Year!

{photo via tumblr}

Wow. Here we are almost a full week in to 2010.

Hard. to. believe.*
* how much things are going to change
* how much I've got to do
* how much worrying I've done
* how excited I am
Hard. to. believe.

It is also hard to believe the *BANG*
with which this new year, and this last quarter at UW, has begun.
On my way to French 202 on the first day of the quarter (Monday)
an oblivious stranger
did me the favor of jamming a heavy wooden door into my big right toe.
OUCH. Turns out, I have wimpy toes
(or else said stranger was the Hulk in disguise)
because the entirety of my toe nail + some turned DARK blueberry
and the tip, sides, and bottom of the end bruised black.

{my toe a few hours in. sadly, it got much worse.
See that normal looking skin at the tip?
it turned black by sundown Monday night.}

It hurt. BAD. And I cried.
24 hours later I broke down and went to Hall Health.
Upon arrive I received a few 5x7 glossies of my bones
and then had a hole drilled...err burned... through my toe nail.

But you know what?
I've got a feeling
2010 is going to be a good year!*

And, to start the year off right I've decided to de-clutter my desktop
(because de-cluttering my real desk is going to take more than an hour)
and make it pretty once again
(because I'm happier when my surroundings are colorful!).

{my computer. click it to enlarge!}

My philosopher thinks it is "silly"
but I LLLLOOOOOVEEEE customizing my computer.
What I didn't know until today
was how to customize all the various icons.
I'm so excited. Now, every time I open up an application
I can't help but smile.
{Those of you with macs should try it!!}

sending sunshine to an unsuspecting stranger...

How amazing is this?
Just imagine:
one special day in which everyone gets a handwritten note, just because.
I found out about this grâce à Cara.
Check out her blog for a clip from the BBC about these mysterious letters.

Sorry fellas...

...the greatest girl in the world is now *officially* (engaged to be) taken!!!!

That beaming bombshell in the photo above is one of my most favorite ladies in the universe! She and I have been friends since our freshmen year in high school - - I've loved her from the first day of class when she walked into the ag room with a tin lunch box, a funny t-shirt, and the most friendly, wonderful personality ever. And today my dear friend got engaged to who can only be a most amazing man!
CONGRATULATIONS Janell and John!!!

oh... and uh... sorry Janell for pilfering this photo but it's just perfect, you know?!

Happy Sunday

{photo found here}

The sun is shining and my kitties are purring.
It is beautiful.
I plan on studying my French,
playing with paper,
dreaming about the wedding,
and filling up on pure and natural vitamin D
like a glutton.