Highlights of Christmas Week

I'm back in the city after a fabulous week with my family! So many people were utterly shocked that Eric and I didn't spend our first married Christmas together.

Example: They: "Hey Marissa! Where's Eric?" Me: "Oh, he's at home with his family." Them: "What! Why?".

I guess I can understand it, but it didn't seem the slightest bit weird to us. We've never spent a Christmas together. We dont buy each other presents. We both value our family time sooooo much that neither one of us can even fathom the idea of not being with them at Christmas. Also, because our respective parental units live so far apart from each other, we could never split the time between them. Thus, we were apart our first married Christmas. We both agreed that until we have a child, and Christmas becomes about them, we'll continue to go our separate ways for the Holiday. Sure I missed him, but I see him almost everyday! I only see the fam. maybe twice a year!! It was a wonderful holiday full of love, and my hubs was only a phone call away.

Highlights of Christmas Week:

1. Watching Bry dance.

2. Margaritas at La Caretta with my girls!

3. Sausage Gravy Biscuits.

4. Getting my family hooked on Lost

5. My new iPod and One Yard Wonders.

Hope you had a fabulous Holiday as well!


source

Nutz in Richmond

Happy Holidays friends! Im here in Richmond, VA to see my sis do her thang as a snowflake/ flower in The Nutcracker!. I hope you all get to where you're going safely, and get to spend time with friends and family. Merry Christmas!

Step in Time

Did anyone else watch Mary Poppins the other night on ABC Family? It really is a superb movie musical. Step in Time might be one of the best dance numbers ever:

Blog Overload!

I know that reading blogs is supposed to be inspiring, but sometimes it makes me feel defeated! I think things like... "Im not sewing enough, Im not crafting enough! All my Christmas presets and decor should be completely hand made! Why am I not knitting socks for everyone I know! You guys think you're so crafty? I CAN KNIT! I CAN SEW! I COULD DO ALL THAT STUFF IF I WANTED TOOOOOO!!!!" Seesh. I am working on a handmade project but I can't tell you about it yet because it happens to be a present for one of you! Hehehe!


Fabric Trees from last year.

27!

Today is my Birthday! Yippie! I get a Crumb's Cupcake later!

Food, Inc.

Think you know where your food come from? Unless you buy from a farm or grow your own, my bet is you have no idea. You owe it to yourself to watch Food, Inc.

Goodbye Mamma Mare

Sadly, Mary Ellen Pernice lost her battle with cancer this week. She was a beautiful women, inside and out, and she will be greatly missed. I'm headed to New Jersey this weekend for the funeral. Please hold us all in your hearts.

HUGE MISTAKE

I dont know what kind of delirium I was in when I decided to brave the cold and wet and venture to Macy's. I guess the promise of sales and coupons was too much for my little brain to refuse, but I SHOULD HAVE KNOW BETTER. People, it was crazy. CRAZY! A true exercise in patience, which is not my best quality. Think about whatever mall you go to, then add about 100,000 people. Then imagine all those people lugging bags, winter coats and umbrellas. Imagine also that none of these people know where they are going. THEN, add all us annoyed, pushy, eye rolling, "KEEP IT MOVIN!" shouting New Yorkers into the mix, and you've got the hell on earth I experienced today.

Babies Movie

Ok, maybe Im just baby crazy, but this documentary looks really interesting to me! Not to mention adorable.

Highlights of our Thanksgiving

1. The BABIES! Kailyn is sooo talkative now at just past 25 months. Her catch phrase of the week was "It's okay" and saying "Hi Uncle Eric!" and "Hi Aunt Marissa!". It was so awesome to see her calling everyone by name and knowing who goes with who. If I was in the room without Eric she would ask me where he was, and visa versa. So cute. Colin is scooting around and pulling himself up on everything!


2. The Bills game wasn't freezing! In fact, I didn't have to put my coat on until the second quarter! AND the Bills actually WON! Double whammy!

3. Our new TV!! We promised ourselves that our one big purchase with our wedding money would be a flat screen TV. E's friend works at an electronics store and gave us a killer deal! It arrives tomorrow along with our new HD receiver. SOOO EXCITED.

4. Our Wedding Picture Gallery! To view, select Peck Wedding Album. You have to register and make up a user name and password. Then the code is peck2009. We are so happy with them! I cannot recommend McDorman Photography enough! They were a joy.

I hope you guys had a wonderfull holiday as well!

Turkey Day!

Well,tomorrow morning we're off (very early) to dear ole Fairport to celebrate Turkey day with E's family! So excited for the food and the babies! I hope you all have a very happy holiday. What are you most thankful for this year?





Images from Amy Atlas Thanksgiving Dessert Buffet. Yum.

Taniya

I want to be friend with Taniya Nayak from Designed to Sell. Im pretty sure we would get a long great. Plus, Im positive she has a thing with the red headed carpenter Lynn. We all know how I feel about redheads!



K, just admittedly spent about 30 minutes reading her blog and she is happily married, but not to Lynn. Oh well. Still love her.

Send Love

My dear friend Krista and her family need your thoughts and prayers. Her Mom is currently battling cancer for the third time. She is fighting hard but needs our help. She is such a generous, loving and beautiful person who means very much to me and so many others. Please send as much love as you can spare their way. Thank you.

Lame

Sorry guys. I feel like I've been a super lame blogger lately. I've just been so exhausted these past few weeks. I've been de-stressing to the sounds of the uber talented Brandi Carlile.


I have The Story on repeat.

I am counting down the days till we hop the train to Fairport for Turkey Day! I have agreed to go to a Bills game again. I think my mind may have still been numb when I wrote that post last year because it was REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY COLD! The coldest I have ever been. This years game isnt any earlier, but it is during the day rather than at night so.... and also its been a much milder November so far so.... AND I have a much warmer winter coat and boots so.... Yeah, no. Im gonna be cold. Dash it'all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYONY!!

My little sister turns 19 today! I have been totally obsessed with her since the day she was born. Words cant even describe how much I love her, but lets just say, its A LOT!

White Christmas

The costume designer for Harlem Gospel Singers also designed White Christmas on Broadway. She hooked me up with the Wardrobe Sup. there and I've been *swatching* for them this week. Thus, I earned a ticket to tonight's invited dress rehearsal! Free B'way baby!



*Swatching* means I go around to all the fabric stores gathering samples of a certain fabric a show or designer needs. Then they pick which one works best, has the best price, etc. and I go and buy it.

Wooden Sign

Love these recycled wooden signs by William Dohman.



These words are all $32 and he'll do a custom sign with up to 7 letters for $42. Hmmm... for my sewing room... Create maybe?

Friday Night

Every other Friday night Eric works at the Brooklyn Brewery and sometimes I am bummed at the idea of spending Friday night all by my little lonesome. Then.... my eye gives a twinkle and I remember all the fun things I can do ALL BY MYSELF! Here is a list in no particular order.

1. PIG OUT! Eric is a bit of a healthy eater, which is great, but I always feel guilty when I want to indulge in some junk food. So Friday night is the only night I will ever get Burger King on my walk home from the train. Chicken sandwich with cheese. And a Coke. Yum.

2. NETFLIX! I am such a big fan of Netflix. We have an XBox 360 and an Xbox live membership so we can stream Netflix movies directly onto our TV. Friday night I can add all the movies I want to the instant queue! Ballet documentaries? Sure thing! Romantic, period pieces starring Emma Thompson? No problem!

3. GIRL TALK! I can chat, chat, chat all night long to my sis, mom, Allie, without getting one of those "can you go into the bedroom, please?" looks. I can shout "AND MY PERIOD WAS SO HEAVY THIS MONTH!" if I wanted to.

4. DRESS UP! I love trying on new outfits or new make- up techniques but I feel kinda silly playing dress up with E home.

5. MUSICALS! Blasting Les Mis and singing at the top of my lungs. Honestly, I do this quite often when E is home, but I know he doesn't really enjoy it. He wont say so because he knows I love it, but still.

6. FARTING! Ahhhhh. That's better. No, E and I have never farted in front of each other. In 7 years he has NEVER let one slip. I did ONCE and it was sooo awful. He doesn't burp either. Not that I'm complaining. In truth, its not that pleasant to be engulfed in another persons smelly gas, but on Friday nights.... WATCH OUT!

Anywho, I gotta go. Gosford Park and Chinese food are calling my name! If anyone wants to talk about VAGINAL BIRTH!! or some such matter, call me, because we totally can.



*photo by photosofher*

Vintage Pattern!

Just bought this fab vintage pattern from Etsian Joules.



Its such a classic look. I cant wait to make it!

Here are some more vintage pattern finds that I think would translate to today very well. I almost bought the bottom one, too. For me, with every pattern I make, its ALL about the fabric choice!


sugnspice

susangrahmart

Stumbleupon

Be warned! When buying vintage patterns do some research on what size you will be. I'm a vintage pattern size 12 as opposed to a modern pattern size 8 and a ready-to-wear size 2!

Kathleen is Legally Blonde!

Listen to my girl Kathleen as Elle in the National Tour of Legally Blonde!



Miss you girl!

The Boyfriend

This movie was favorite of mine as a kid. Yeah, I was weird like that. Its the movie version of the musical The Boyfriend and it stars none other than Twiggy. It is so wonderfully terrible!



On a side note, while playing make-believe as a child I often stated "Pretend my name is Rose and that I have red hair." I liked to be specific about my look.

Halloween Past

Eleven years ago!

A girl can dream...

I WISH we could buy this house!

Pretty picture for the paper!

McDorman Photography

Hannah and Gretel

Best Halloween make- believe ever! See the entire story here!

Hannah and Gretel!






So adorable.

Mr. Kelly!

Gotta Love Gene Kelly!

Feed Your Soul: Free Art Project

Do you guys know about Feed Your Soul: Free Art Project? Go check it out! Some of them are a bit out there for me, but some I have saved to print out (when we get a better printer).

My faves:

Oh, just incase you forgot...

my Dad is an amazing dance photographer:




All photographs copyright Rick McCullough 2009

Queen Esther and the Harlem Gospel Singers

Today I started working on costumes for Queen Esther and the Harlem Gospel Singers European Tour:



I cant wait to go to a rehearsal!

Quick and Easy Autumnal Garland

A few days a go I had a hankerin' for some craftiness, so I whipped up this quick and easy Autumnal Garland from some fabric scraps.



First I stepped outside and found two fallen leaves that had a nice shape to them. Then I traced the leaves onto some sturdy card stock and cut them out to use as a pattern. Next I found five red/ orange/ yellow hued fabric scraps.



I traced and cut out the leaf shapes with my pinking shears. Then, I used an Exacto knife to cut tiny slices in each leaf to weave the Jute twine through. Finally I just strung them on the twine in a random pattern and draped it between our bookshelves!



There you have it! A totally quick and easy, no - cost, no- sew project for a chilly afternoon.

What I Wore

If you aren't already acquainted with the fabulous Jess Schroeder of What I Wore, than go take a look at her lovely blog today! Right now she doing a series about how to pull together Halloween costumes from what you already have in your closet. Granted, her closet is a bit more eclectic than most, but there are some great ideas.



She is totally inspiring me to be a bit more adventurous and creative with my style.



Her look is a wonderful hodge-podge of classic and vintage with a touch a whimsy.



Ok, so not everything she wears will be your cup of tea, but the point is to have fun and think creatively.

Eyes of Nature

Hello you!


Ruche

You would be so cute with my gray skinny jeans and black suede boots. Did I mention I was part Native American? Can't you see the nature in my eyes?