and so it is

I opened presents today with my family. I got some great, very thoughtful, and I just realized, nerdy, gifts.

just the act of ripping the paper off of something to reveal what's inside is exciting! my new gifts make me so happy. they are so ME :]

so, today...


earlier in the day I made a pot of homemade clam chowder! I made it up as I went along (I've done this before, don't worry) and it turned into seriously GOOD clam chowder! I was very proud of the results!



I also cleaned my room and put up all new behind the door inspiration. I always like to change it. different things inspire me on different days. I really should change it more often. I have piles of ripped out magazine pages to choose from. I have a tiny addiction to magazines (ok, it's a large one) if you haven't been able to tell :]



well, what do you think I'll be doing for the rest of the day?? what's that you say?? an Office marathon?? that sounds perfect.

so just come over, I have leftover soup and 22 new episodes of my favorite show

♥ a


ps: I have some finished projects and some in progress to show you soon. can't wait!!
AND I made a great silly playlist

a little different

I have been feeling very moody lately. just keeping to myself and trying not to irritate people with my certain unpleasant state I am in.

but, I am slowly crawling out of it

I went to the bookstore last night and spent way too much but I don't feel guilty about spending money on books (this IS coming from a future libraian) I was with Marissa and she and I could stay for hours in any store really. we are lingerers. we were in whole foods a couple of nights ago for what seemed like hours. it was about an hour. no one should ever send both of us to "run in" anywhere. we will end up being in there way too long. anyway, I purchased some books that were highly recommended by the lovely M. I have been hearing her talk about Middlesex for a while now. she said it was like crack, and well, it is (I guess?). I can't put it down. I put another book on hold because I couldn't wait to start it.



this is why I love M. she gets me excited about things. we talk about everything. she listens and I listen. I feel like I can reference something and she will know exactly what I'm talking about. she is my new best friend. I really don't know alot of people around here that I can actually talk to so it's a real gift when I do.

anyway, I just wanted to say that to say this, I think M is pulling me out of my funk. you will be hearing more from me because I am excited about things again. I have a few different projects going at once. I am reading alot and watching wonderful movies. I feel inspired and no longer well, blah. this last semester really took alot out of me with commuting and everything. I am so glad to have a break right now. it's great to sleep until 11. I don't normally like to get up at 11 because I love my mornings. I love getting up early and having more of a day. I could wake up then, that's all.

I made a playlist for my moody self



I think I'm done with it, I don't need to keep myself in that


I'm good now...

♥ a

inspiration (in pictures)

from
dharmalemon
from
something to seefrom
wallyfordfrom
ireneadlerfrom
me

listen

I have been hooked to my new ipod.

here is a list of all the musicians and bands that I love right now
they are all pretty amazing ♥:


emily wells
laura gibson
leah siegel (thanks e)
anna waronker
let's go sailing
seabear
mariè digby
the brunettes
shocking pinks
the virgins
new young pony club
the national
islands
adam merrin
the most serene republic
the frames
sara bareilles
girl in a coma
the glorious ninth
beirut
the 1900s



ps: if there are any bands that you think I might enjoy, comment me ♥ al

yum yum

made these today...so good! sugar cookies with almonds on top! gluten free of course! I just borrowed the gluten-free girl recipe for sugar cookies and improvised with sliced almonds! don't they look yum yum?

asleep like a bucket of snow

this week has been so peaceful. we have lots of snow on the ground which makes it super quiet plus I have an excuse to stay in and use my fireplace and read. I have been reading quite a few decorating magazines this week. I've been ripping out pages to add to my folder. I found some great color schemes for certain rooms. my mom is letting me design the kitchen, the breakfast, the family room, my bedroom, and my bathroom. have I mentioned I CAN NOT wait? I love doing this kind of thing. I love projects. here are some color schemes I like:


staying in also means making dinner. I usually always make dinner but sometimes I want a baker's square salad :] I made a delicious london broil with baked potatoes with sour cream and chives. oh and I made au jus to go with it! so yummy!
and I believe the weather was cloudy with a chance of meatballs on wednesday night ♥ (gluten free of course)

I did some online shopping too! I ordered this book that I can not wait to start reading! she is so inspiring and her husband is a chef! how LUCKY!
I bought some gorgeous romanian hand-dyed embroidery thread from purlsoho. I have big plans for these! you'll see....


oh! I almost forgot! I bought some new boots for myself! they are so warm and comfy and I got them at a farm & fleet store of all places! (and they were on sale $15 off!!)


today I didn't have to go to class bc I had a lovely friend hand in my assignment for me :] I have to get ready for my big weekend! I am being lazy today...watching food network and cleaning up a bit so far. oh, and studying for finals
:[ BUT winter break is quickly approaching!!

have a great weekend loves!

I am off to take a bath, a nap and maybe some baking!

that time

"Hey remember the time when I found a human tooth down on Delancey
Hey remember that time we decided to kiss anywhere except the mouth
Hey remember that time when my favorite colors were pink and green
Hey remember that month when I only ate boxes of tangerines
So cheap and juicy, tangerines

Hey remember that time when I would only read Shakespeare
Hey remember that other time when I would only read the backs of cereal boxes
Hey remember that time I tried to save a pigeon with a broken wing
A street cat got him by morning and I had to bury pieces of his body in my building's playground
I thought I was going to be sick, I thought I was going to be sick

Hey remember that time when I would only smoke Parliaments
Hey remember that time when I would only smoke Marlboros
Hey remember that time when I would only smoke Camels
Hey remember that time when I was broke
I didn't care I just bummed from my friends
Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum...

Hey remember that time when you od'ed
Hey remember that other time when you od'ed for the second time
Well in the waiting room while waiting for news of you I hallucinated I could read your mind
And I was on a lot of shit too but what I saw, man, I tell you it was freaky, freaky"

-regina spektor

happy thankgiving!

I am having a good one! I made a gluten free spread and a few people came over. We watched the parade and then watched some football. Now I have a log in the fireplace and it's quiet again. I am going to read Atonement and work on my NEW knitting project.

I am planning on doing nothing for the rest of the day and tomorrow I think I'm just going to work on homework and bake a little. boring...I have been itching to work on the quilt but I haven't had the time. I am going to work on it over winter break. Which is getting closer and closer! I can not wait!

well, I hope everyone is thankful for something today!

l,p

rainy saturday [in pictures]

it's really cold and wet outside today. it's ok though, that forces me to stay in and get things done! I did go out earlier to get some much needed gluten free food at Whole Foods. they have one of the best selections BUT if you live around here, Soup to Nuts is the best for gf. so I bought a few things and Borders is right beside the Whole Foods which makes for a convenient stop.

I got myself my own little special pie for Thanksgiving

I got some herbed butter to rub on my turkey on thursday. I am hosting Thanksgiving this year! can't wait! I also got some basil pesto shrimp...oh yum! I just made some pasta with them and they are mmmm....(see? production!)

I get Nylon in the mail now. I miss JANE but Nylon is a good sub (I guess) I finally bought Atonement. I have read it before but I figured I would read it again before I see it and THIS one has Keira Knightley on the cover. loveI just discovered this movie through Marissa. I bought it today. love

finally got my ETSY bumper stickers in the mail! they are adorable.

so that's my saturday loves. I'm going to get under the covers now and watch the end of the movie. have a good weekend :]

l, p

weekend with m♥

this past weekend was great! I spent it in Lincoln Park with Marissa. She is a doll! I had alot of fun! We went to Swirlz
and the new Jasper Johns exhibit at AIC
This was my first time at Swirlz! They have gluten free cupcakes that are out of this world! I had the gf chocolate grasshopper mint and the gf chocolate chocolate (oh yum!)
They were delightful! (this was our lunch on Saturday :])

It was a really good weekend. We didn't go out much because it was cold so we stayed in and watched movies. We watched Love Me If You Dare. I had never seen or heard of it but it's my new favorite! Check it out! It's darling! So Sunday I came home to lots of dirty laundry and cleaning to do. I was sad to leave but winter break is coming up!

I have been baking like crazy lately. My heat doesn't work well so the oven helps alot. I am going to start experimenting with new gluten free cookie recipes. If you're interested and want a recipe for something you see, I'll post it.

I bought a ton of magazines this past weekend. It's going to start getting really cold out so I need some reading materials and good ideas for decorating. I went to Home Depot tonight and got beautiful glass ornaments. I have a great idea for them that I saw in the new Living magazine. you'll see

dinnertime. love, p

YES!!-terday

I had the best day I've had in a while yesterday! I went downtown to get a new SS card. I went way early in the morning so I could get it done and go back home. Well, my dear Marissa was going out of town to U of I yesterday so I texted her, "I hope you have a good trip. I wish you were downtown" well she called me and told me she missed her train. So we met up and went to Barnes and Noble. We got some hot chai and looked at tons of art books. I bought this (I really like the cover art better on the paperback, very good book! I recommend it!)
We then went to the SS office to wait in line, she had nothing better to do until 4 so she came with. We just sat there and talked about everything. I could talk about everything with this girl all day long. She's so smart and well-read and just fabulous. We had lunch and never ended up getting the card because the line was so long. We just sat on the bench outside of the DePaul loop campus and talked about her volunteering and everything really. I love her. I am crushing hard. I really really like her so next weekend I am going to stay with her in her Lincoln Park dorm room. (She goes to DePaul) Have I ever mentioned how much I loveeeee Lincoln Park?? Well, it's wonderful! I can not wait, it's going to be a lovely weekend and I am really looking forward to it. :]

well, today I went with my mom to Ikea
to make a wishlist of things we need for the new house. Well, I had to buy some things (of course)
we then went to macy's to use or 20% off cardthis cake plate is perfect for my little felt cake I got in a swap
so tonight I am going to just lay around and watch this

I'm off to take a nap, I'm wiped out!
♥ peach

ps: yesterday was a mushaboom kind of day...you'll see...

candles on the windowsill