2011 Here I Come!

Yesterday I talked about the resolutions I completed, and...didn't complete...in 2010.

Here is my list for 2011. The following are things from 2010 that I would like to complete!

12. Rent bikes somewhere and ride them around
14. Paint the apartment
18. Lose 30 pounds
20. Finish writing one of the four novels I have started right now
21. Stay up to date on my magazine cataloging
24. Have a tea party. Complete with ridiculous hats (Thanks, Emma! It's happening in 2011!)
26. Update the logistics of the blog
27. Join a book club
29. Spend a weekend in a B & B somewhere pretty
33. Have an Arrested Development party
35. Learn how to drive stick-shift
36. Learn how to use the darkroom in my house
37. Take a class for fun (yay Emma, thanks for reminding me!)
38. Try tennis again once it gets warmer outside
40. Get out of credit card debt.
41. Go skinny dipping
42. Read Metamorpheses
43. Ride an exotic animal
47. Make gnocchi from scratch
49. Create a craft night get together once a month
51. Open an Etsy shop
52. Take a glass-blowing or letterpress class
53. Get all the "good art" in the apartment framed
54. Have a boudoir shoot
57. Start commenting more on all the blogs I read
58. Buy flowers for my parents on my birthday
61. ...go skydiving...?
62. Read all the Babysitters Club Little Sister books in one day. Eat little kid food and take breaks to call childhood friends
63. Write fan letters to 12 people - one per month.
64. Go to a blues or jazz bar in Chicago
65. See Chuck Berry in concert
66. Suck it up and go on a rollercoaster
67. Take a candle-lit bath
68. Sew something for real and wear it
69. Learn how to play chess
70. Learn calligraphy
71. Embroider another pillow/blanket/something
74. Help build a Habitat for Humanity house
75. Give to NPR
78. Create a clothesline when it's warmer out and dry clothes on them
79. Volunteer on an organic farm
80. Participate in NaNoWriMo in November 2011
82. Watch the rest of the movies from AFI's 100 Greatest Films
83. Grow a bonsai tree
84. Revisit SARK and actually take her advice
85. Start and display a collection of something
87. Stay up all night long and watch the sun rise. Preferably somewhere pretty
88. Have a bed day - read, doze, watch stuff on the computer, doze...eat minimally
90. Graffiti something, somewhere
92. Get a bikini wax
93. Make cheesy/hilarious Christmas cards
96. Have something to brag to Swatek about
98. Finish an entire coloring book
101. Get a passport
102. Go paintballing - with very nice people that won't hurt me too much.


Now, here is my addendum for 2011:

+ Work my way through Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. (I received it for Christmas and was WAY excited about it.) I want to read the whole thing (clocking in at 719 pages) and take as much advice as I can.

+ Bake every recipe from Artisan Breads (I bought this book as a Christmas gift for myself. My first project is proofing currently).

+ Start saving more money.

+ Organize my craft room and start making more things.

+ Floss everyday.

+ Use my free time more constructively.


What are your resolutions for 2011? Tell me tell me tell me!

2010 New Years List

Last year, I created a list of 102 things that I wanted to accomplish this year. Some of them were big (like getting my first full-time job, getting married, etc) and some where much, much smaller (eat a piece of pizza backwards).

I got through half of my list. I had hoped to be farther along in my quest, but alas, I tried my best.

As a recap, here it is.

1. Graduate from college (May 15, 2010)
2. Find a job
3. Get married
4. Go on an amazing honeymoon
5. See the sunrise or sunset at the Grand Canyon
6. Gamble in a Las Vegas casino
7. Drive up Highway 1 from LA to San Francisco
8. Visit Disneyland
9. Drink my own Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista (I tried but it was WAY too strong. Pete had one.)
10. Stop at any bizarre road-side tourist attractions we see
11. Get to the beach. It's been too long.
12. Rent bikes somewhere and ride them around and stuff.
13. Have a giveaway on the blog (whee aren't you all excited?!? Sooner than later, I think.)
14. Paint the apartment (we painted one room. I want to paint more.)
15. Adopt a dog.
16. Buy a new couch (broken)
17. Buy a new bed (the bed frame/headboard part. The mattress is fine)
18. Lose 30 pounds (I gained three pounds. oh well. However, I signed up for this today. Hopefully I'll get going now.)
19. Get a doctor.
20. Finish writing one of the four novels I have started right now.
21. Stay up to date on my magazine cataloging.
22. Keep a tidier, more organized apartment
23. Make a ton of crafts (watch the blog for developments on this)
24. Have a tea party. Complete with ridiculous hats.
25. Buy an original piece of art.
26. Update the logistics of the blog (I'm ashamed this hasn't happened yet.)
27. Join a book club
28. Write more letters
29. Spend a weekend in a B & B somewhere pretty
30. Get fresh flowers for the house once a month (I did for nine of the three months
31. Go on runs with that dog we're apparently going to get. (We didn't get a dog, but we did get Scout!)
32. Make dinner for friends and family more often
33. Have an Arrested Development party
34. Spend an entire day in the Central Library, taking photographs and reading whatever I want
35. Learn how to drive stick-shift
36. Learn how to use the darkroom in my house
37. Take a class for fun (sewing, cooking, knitting, baking, SOMETHING)
38. Try tennis again once it gets warmer outside
39. Get a credit card
40. And never be in debt, once said credit card is received. (I got a credit card stemming from Pete's credit card account, and he was in debt. Not in a LOT of debt, but debt nonetheless.)
41. Go skinny dipping (after I lose those 30 pounds, duh)
42. I have had this book since the day after I saw the most amazing, inspiring play of my life. I want to finally read it.
43. Ride an exotic animal (camel, elephant...something weird)
44. Put my arms around an enormous redwood tree (Muir Woods)
45. Have a portrait painted/drawn of Pete and I (we've already decided that this will be our wedding gift to each other)
46. Start a garden
47. Make gnocchi from scratch
48. Stay home on Valentine's Day this year and cook an amazing meal and watch Disney movies
49. Create a craft night get together once a month (I did this a few times. Not enough.)
50. Ask for help. (Working at a new job? Constantly asking for help.)
51. Open an Etsy shop this year (also ashamed that this didn't happen.)
52. Take a glass-blowing or letterpress class
53. Get all the "good art" in the apartment framed
54. Have a boudoir shoot (scheduled for 2011!)
55. Be comfortable enough in my own skin to go swimming with the kids from Wilson. (HA! I'm done with that place. This one doesn't count.)
56. Get completely off Paxil. (I tried. It couldn't happen.)

57. Start commenting more on all the blogs I read. I'm horrible at that.
58. Buy flowers for my parents on my birthday and my wedding day
59. Send a message in a bottle
60. Throw those rocks into the ocean
61. ...go skydiving...?
62. Read all the Babysitters Club Little Sister books in one day. Eat little kid food and take breaks to call childhood friends.
63. Write fan letters to 12 people - one per month.
64. Go to a blues or jazz bar in Chicago
65. See Chuck Berry in concert
66. Suck it up and go on a rollercoaster.
67. Take a candle-lit bath.
68. Sew something for real and wear it.
69. Learn how to play chess
70. Learn calligraphy
71. Embroider another pillow/blanket/something
72. Make a 100 Books To Read list and read 20 of them this year (SO CLOSE. 19.)
73. Clean out my apartment and donate, donate, donate
74. Help build a Habitat for Humanity house
75. Give to NPR
76. Buy cloth napkins and use them
78. Create a clothesline when it's warmer out and dry clothes on them
79. Volunteer on an organic farm
80. Participate in NaNoWriMo in November 2010
81. Visit Rodeo Drive in LA and maybe (maybe) buy something. Small.
82. Watch the rest of the movies from AFI's 100 Greatest Films
83. Grow a bonsai tree
84. Revisit SARK and actually take her advice.
85. Start and display a collection of something (I have started a collection of Pez dispensers. They are not currently displayed anywhere.)
86. Talk less, listen more
87. Stay up all night long and watch the sun rise. Preferably somewhere pretty.
88. Have a bed day - read, doze, watch stuff on the computer, doze...eat minimally.
89. Go to a drive-in movie
90. Graffiti something, somewhere.
91. Dance in the rain
92. Get a bikini wax
93. Make cheesy/hilarious Christmas cards for me and Pete's first "official" Christmas together and send them to everyone we know (After sending hundreds of wedding invitations, thank you cards, graduation announcements, etc...I was sick of buying postage. Next year, for sure.)
94. Learn my blood type
95. Get a massage
96. Have something to brag to Swatek about (this will definitely happen in the later part of the year)
97. Really, really surprise Pete. No hints allowed.
98. Finish an entire coloring book
99. Eat a piece of pizza backwards (how have I not thought to do this until NOW?!)
100. Make some delicious baked goods every month and take them with somewhere else - mom's school, Pete's school, fire station, etc.
101. Get a passport
102. Go paintballing - with very nice people that won't hurt me too much.

and one big fat MAYBE
103. Try surfing. We're only going to be in LA for a short period of time but I would LOVE to take a surfing lesson. I've wanted to learn since freshman year of high school.

_____________________________________________

Most of the things that I didn't complete in 2010 were simply because of laziness. Others - I couldn't afford it financially. Or I just ran out of time.

For 2011, I am planning on attempting to do all of the things above that I couldn't complete in 2010 (within reason - I won't be returning to San Francisco to drink my own Irish coffee). I will also be making some more resolutions, but things that are a bit more...simple. Definitely not 102 of them. I'll share those tomorrow.

Sunday Roundup

You guys, Christmas is in six days! Insane!

It certainly feels like the holidays here at the Wissinger Complex...we've been getting Christmas cards in the mail, all the Christmas presents have been bought and are (mostly) wrapped, stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and we're almost finished with school and work! We're heading up to Chicago to hang with my family on the 24th, and then driving down to Cairo to be with Pete's family on the 26th. I'm excited to see everyone and, as usual, get out of St. Louis for a little bit.

Here are some fun links from this week!

The 30 Most Important Cats of 2010 made me giggle like a little girl.

Thanks to my friend Lindsay, I was able to enjoy this lovely story.

Tips on putting together a holiday cheese plate. Yum yum yes please.

Dreamy prints from California.

Perfect Christmas sweater.

These earmuffs and this scarf would certainly jazz up my plain black peacoat.

Love this homemade tote.

Beautiful colorful Christmas trees.

Pumpkin pancakes = perfect breakfast.

I would like to try to make Fleur de Sel caramels.

Liz's wreath is gorgeous.

Salad pizza sounds delicious right now.

This wedding looks super fun!

Homemade felted Katamari set - Bridgett, this one is for you.

Christmas is everywhere!

What a pretty little letterpress studio.

I don't know if I'll be back around the blogosphere until after Christmas, so if NOT, Merry Merry Christmas! I hope you and your families and friends have the best Christmas ever.

[image via here]

Advent Calendar

The last couple of years, Pete and I have tried to make an advent calendar and stick to it. And when I say "advent calendar", I mean "plan one Christmas-ey thing a day and DO IT" leading up to Christmas Eve.

We've done a pretty good job this year. I wrote each item on our calendar in red Sharpie so I would remember what to do every day. We haven't really done them in order, but this is what we've done so far:

- watch A Christmas Story
- wrap presents
- get and decorate a tree, plus the rest of the apartment
- make homemade marshmallows and hot cocoa
- go to a Christmas party
- watch our Christmas shows (Christmas episodes of TV shows that we like a lot)
- watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- drink eggnog with friends
- exchange one gift with each other
- go to a Christmas concert
- watch Love Actually
- make snowflakes and hang them up

Other things that are on the list, but haven't been completed yet:
- go ice-skating
- make Christmas cookies for our co-workers
- have a full traditional Christmas breakfast while listening to Christmas music
- watch Charlie Brown Christmas
- watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- finish making Christmas presents
- drive around and look at lights

What do you and your loved ones do to get ready for Christmas?

picture: via here

Honeymoon Day 7

Driving! Up! The! Coast!

This was one of the best parts of the whole trip, although our day started slowly. We woke up late, thought about hitting up the new Magnolia Bakery (it opened in LA THAT DAY, but the thought of cramming another cupcake into my mouth was just...bad...) but then decided against it and drove towards CA 1.

But it took forever to GET to CA 1, and once we hit it in Santa Monica/Malibu, we were in traffic for close to two hours. The traffic moved occasionally, but it was so slow.

But we had some great views - beautiful architecture and houses on one side, and the Pacific on the other.

We stopped at the vista points a lot, which means that we took a LOT of pictures...



Pete climbed the rocks and I thought it was fun for about a minute and then I started yelling at him to get down.









Our stopping point for the night was in San Luis Obispo. We checked into the hotel, got some dinner someplace in town (I don't remember where) and then walked around the downtown area. THEN we went to the Sunset Drive-In Movie Theatre. And it was AMAZING.






[complete with retro paintings]


[the evening fog rolls in]


[I could even put my feet up without disturbing anyone!]

We saw Inception, which was excellent. I highly recommend drive-in movies. The next showing was the new Twilight movie, which we did not stay for. Just in case you were curious.

Sunday Roundup

Hola, everyone! We're only 13 days away from Christmas. Can you believe it?! I love Christmas so much. Pete and I started wrapping gifts this weekend - our theme for this year is brown paper packages tied up with string! But with red and white bakers twine, specifically. I love how they look. We also nabbed some gift tags from a small letterpress studio down on Cherokee Street. They look pretty rocking, if I do say so myself.

How is your holiday shopping going? I'm hoping to share some gift guides and ideas for people this upcoming week. And after Christmas, I'll share what I got for everyone in our family. We stayed pretty close to the resolution I set for myself to only buy handmade! But then I amended it and allowed myself to buy things in a store, but only in local stores. So that was good. However, we did do some shopping at Target and Hobby Lobby for picture frames and craft projects...so, it was close.

Here are some wonderful links to kickstart your Sunday!

Is it warm yet? I like this suit.

Coldplay is one of my faves and their newest song/music video is stupendous.

I think orange is the new white.

20 untranslatable words. I love wabi-sabi and hyggelig.

Remember Paris vs NYC? Well, prints are being sold and I want ALL OF THEM.

A flickr stream devoted to all things Anthropologie.

So dreamy and magical.

Embroidered slides are something I would never ever have the patience for.

When I open a storefront for my yet-to-be-created Etsy wares, it will be decorated like this Spanish place.

Have you been following Melanie's easy DIYs? I love this chandelier and these sparkly ornaments.

Scout's Christmas present from us will be a scratching post of some kind. (However, it's hard to justify $40 on one...)

The last few days I've wanted to move out of the country. If it's ever REALLY a possibility, I would want to be a house caretaker on the side.

Vodka pie crust. I'm curious.

When we have kids, I want to recreate this Advent calendar.

Have a great week, everyone! My first big project at work will be finished (fingers crossed) by Tuesday, and it's gone very well so far. I hope I have a few moments to wind down and process it at work this week...

P.S. We got a Christmas tree, and Scout has been super curious about it. This morning I was baking cupcakes and he wandered into the kitchen with a head full of tree sap. We had to give him a bit of a haircut, because the sap wouldn't come out with baby shampoo and water, and now he has a bald spot on the top of his head. It makes me giggle and feel bad every time I look at him.


[image from here]

Honeymoon Day 6

This was our weird day in LA. We wanted to go to Graumann's Chinese Theatre and do the Walk of Fame and stuff, but I had forgotten how INCREDIBLY touristy it is, and Pete was interested for about a half hour. So we just sort of wandered throughout LA.

We began the day with fish tacos in Los Feliz - this is the menu:



Then we headed to Hollywood, where it took us about 20 minutes to figure out where and how to park (we parked underneath the Kodak Theater, in their ridiculously huge underground parking lot. It was a little...scary. We wandered through the mall, then went to the handprints, and then debated between Ripley's or The Hollywood Museum. And we went with The Hollywood Museum.


[Pete and Harrison Ford]

It was nice to get in from the heat (LA had a heatwave while we were there, which was funny because we're from St. Louis and when the heat index is 93, it isn't THAT hot) and enjoy the air-conditioning, but I wouldn't go back. It was pretty cheesy.


[Me and Marilyn, outside of the museum. I originally tried to give her a kiss, but bronze gets hot in the sun.]

After we wandered around the museum for an hour or so, we hopped back into the car and just drove around aimlessly. I love doing this in cities I'm unfamiliar with - it's such a great way to explore. And since LA is SO big, we never ran out of places to go. Plus, having the iPhone was handy because if we got REALLY turned around or went off the map, we could locate ourselves pretty easily.

We drove by the Klasky-Csupo studios and soon after that found our FIRST cupcake stop of the trip - Frosted Cupcakery. It was delicious.


[but we were in a hurry to get somewhere else so we took them to go]

We somehow found our way to Larchmont. This area was AMAZING. We went to the Village Pizzeria and then to Crumbs Bake Shop. Needless to say, we were STUFFED by this point. Two cupcakes each and a huge slice of New York pizza. We were also getting kind of cranky because we didn't know where we were and we also didn't have much of a plan. I realize that a lot of people, on their honeymoons, want to rest and relax and spend time together being calm. Pete and I were very different on our trip, though - we just wanted to cram as much in as we could.


[peanut butter & jelly cupcake and that famous pizza]

We jumped back in the car after reading about Judy Greer's favorite hangouts (she probably sat where we sat at Village Pizzeria!) and walking around and window shopping. Then we headed towards Beverly Hills.

BH was fine, but also kind of boring. We went to Rodeo Drive but couldn't find a parking space, so we never parked. We couldn't have afforded anything anyway.

However, we DID find the Sprinkles. Which is (you guessed it!) another cupcake place. I didn't even WANT another one, but Pete and I both waited in line for a half hour (yes, a half hour) and each got a famous cupcake. I ate mine the next morning for breakfast.



[magical.]

We slowly headed back to the our hotel and relaxed there for a bit, before we ventured out for In-N-Out burgers. Oh. So. Good. We took it easy the rest of the night, as it was time to begin our drive up the coast the next morning!

DISCLAIMER: After writing this post and looking at the pictures that I included...I am afraid that I look like a HUGE fatty. We did do more than eat cupcakes this day, although it isn't worth noting... Also, I just didn't take pictures of us sitting in traffic.

Mayonegg

Some of you will know exactly what this is.

For those of you who AREN'T huge Arrested Development freaks, there is a story about a girl who creates and then eats a Mayonegg.

I love this.

Sunday Roundup

The last few weeks have been CRAZY. Thanksgiving was great with our family; we went down to Cairo (where Pete's from) and hung out with his parents, siblings, sisters-in-law, and nieces and nephew. It was wonderful. We got some great family pictures taken, too, which I'll post once we get the proofs. Yay!

I've been really busy with work, and I've been doing a lot of staring at a computer, so the last thing I want to do when I get home is to continue to stare at a computer.

But in the last three (!) weeks I have found some great things that I will share with you all!

How to make your own dry shampoo.

Dreamy!

Things on my Etsy Christmas List: baby Narwhal, pretty pink ribbon bag, a candy red lamp, and felt flower prettiness.

Rock candy Christmas wreath.

Wouldn't every dress or shirt be better with a Peter Pan collar?

Such a delicious sounding hot cocoa recipe.

Would it be weird if I wore a whole sweater of these Christmas pins?

I want to do this in our front window.

I know it's kind of silly, but I'm pretty sure Scout would love this house.

This travel video (of 4000+ photos) makes me want to drain our savings account and travel.

Love the Bill Murray/Wes Anderson artwork.

I'll be making these dog treats for Louie, Jackson, Bruno, Savannah, and Wheezy this Christmas.

More amazing travel photos.

Love Elise's new pegboard.

Have a great week, guys! Only 20 more days until CHRISTMAS!!!

[photo: via here. I love that Christmas is coming up, but if I magically found myself transported to a beach right now, I wouldn't complain...]