Best. Day. Ever*

Today I took one of the kiddos I take care of to the ROM. I got my membership last week and wanted to take advantage. We had a blast! Well, as much of a blast as one 29 year old single chick and 19 month old kid can have.

On the way home I got an email from the people I am sending/receiving treats from in a vegan food swap - so delightful! Basically it is a chain letter, but with food - you send a package to someone and you will receive one from a different person. I'm excited to put mine together and definitely excited to get treats in the mail. Part of the swap is that you blog about what you get, so you will definitely see all my goodies later in the month.

The afternoon flew by and I got home before dark for the first time in AGES. It was a real treat. After catching up with my neighbours/landlords/wonderful people I share a house with, I got my mail and came upstairs. My mom had sent me knitting needles and crochet hooks that belonged to my grandma! So sweet and wonderful.

So I called her to thank her and she, out of the blue, told me I was talented and sweet and smart and all these other nice things. I mean I know that she is my mom and is obligated to think those things, but my family isn't particularly mushy when it comes to telling each other stuff like that, so it meant a lot that she made the point to share her thoughts.

Tonight I am making vegan pizza, homemade Lara bars, and writing a review of Inside for my book blog. Expect an update on the food (teaser - I just finished the Lara bars and they turned out amazing).

After a terrible week last week and a draining weekend, this was a truly awesome day. Thanks, universe. You're all right sometimes.

*Not really ever, more like best day in the past month or so. Gimme a break.

Makeover Makeover

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all had a great day.

So after my book making DIY afternoon at Hanji on Saturday, I made my way home via Home Depot and arrived paint in tow. I decided that it was time to turn my ugly bookshelves into something I could actually stand to look at. As previously posted, I like the paper-painted look, so I used a variation of that and whipped up something. I think I did a pretty good job! Check it out:

Primed, painted and pasted some decorative paper on the back. 

Everything back in place - looks nice, no? (Ignore the dining room chairs.)

Next to the drawers that I found on the side of the road. Quick paint job and some new hardware made a huge difference. Painted these in "Forest Glen" - the picture doesn't really do the colour justice. 

Primed, painted, and a change of hardware. Not bad. 

happy in its new home. 

I also did my night stands, but I think I will wait to reveal those unti my bed frame is also done. 

Besides, I'm exhausta-pooped from making dinner all day. It was great though! With the exception of the stuffed peppers, which were not great/done on time (stupid lying recipe!) But hopefully my homemade brown bread rolls made up for it. 

And the highlight of the meal? This vegan, gluten-free pumpkin pie. Pecan crust, delicious pumpkin filling. And look how pretty!!!!!

I used this recipe from Oh She Glows - the pecan crust and classic filling. Delish! (And so pretty).

It was a great night with friends, even if the food wasn't spectacular (stupid lying stuffed pepper recipe - seriously! Not cool!) I haven't had people over really at all since my break up, so it was nice to have other people around in my space. I think I was a little starved for socialization. 

I'm super pleased with how this weekend went - I got a lot done around the house and made some yummy food, had friends over and was reminded of all the things I have to be thankful for. 

I can be crafty?

Well, I can give it a solid attempt. I was out running errands today (more on that in a second) and I saw these pretty red labels. I needed wanted to label the mason jars I had moved my dry goods into and I have been itching to break out the stamps that I bought in Philly. Overall I am really pleased! Not complicated project at all and now my jars look so pretty.

The errands were in an attempt to check things off that list I posted yesterday. Work was a no-go so I did laundry, and picked up some stuff I needed for the house (future project is in the works). I went to Home Depot for paint, and then foolishly realized that before I picked a paint I needed to pick a paper for the back of the bookshelves. So now I have to figure out where on earth to get wallpaper that won't cost a fortune.

The run this morning got pushed back to this evening (give me a break - I get up at 6am all week. I wanted to sleep in).

Now: nap time and then some cleaning.


**side note - how cute is that curtain? I picked it up for $6.99 at Value Village yesterday.

Sorry Sorry Sorry

Fail. I didn't post yesterday. Reason: I left my computer at work. I did journal though, kinda. I spent my break at work writing an article for the blog-tour I'm organizing to be guest-blogged on one of the participating blogs. Check it out at jennsbookshelves.com

The other thing I did yesterday: run at 6:30am. I wish I could sit here and tell you how great it felt, but I can't. It sucked. It hurt. It wasn't that I was tired or out of breath, my muscles just refused to lift my legs for me. But I did it and today is a rest day and while I'm still sore, I'm not feeling too bad! So that is encouraging. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm looking forward to running again tomorrow, but I'm not completely dreading it...that's something, right?

I also interviewed for a part-time childcare gig last night (extra money = can live while I do an unpaid internship in the future) and bought book shelves, finally. So it was a productive day! The shelves I don't think will be permanent, but they were $10 each and hold my books, so in they went. I'm going to wallpaper the inside of them to fancy them up a bit, until I can figure out my home office and the floating shelf situation.

Oh! I found this the other day on my run. I am thinking of washing it down, painting it up and making some kind of mail-holding situation. Thoughts?

This is so uninteresting. Sorry.

Class starts tonight - which is pretty exciting for me. I missed being in school, and these two classes are the two that I've most been looking forward to. So a long day for me (7:30-5 work and 6:30-9:30 class, blah) but it will be a good one!

I'll leave things there.

I made something! Sorta...

So after a long day of dragging my family around Philly to look at cool things (we went to University Of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology - mummies!) I got home and decided to do some knittage. So I sat down with Snitch 'n Bitch and I made something! Well...sorta. I needed to practice my knits/purls and I have NEVER been able to bind off properly, but look! I did it!

After basking in the glory of the thing that I had made, my sister asked "what are you gonna do with it?" My response was "Be proud of it" but then I decided that maybe it should serve a function. So I debated turning it into an eye patch...

...but decided that it didn't really work. I do kinda want to knit a proper eye patch now though. So after considering calling it a face cover, a back-of-hand-warmer, and a Foury-hitter (my little sister's nickname is Foury), I settled on:

A fascinator! 

I know...am I the height of fashion of what?

Next up - cards!