#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Recipe: Confetti Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

July 2, 2014 · Narrative

Colorful sugar cookies that are quick to bake up and perfect for any occasion.

image

Today it hit 95 degrees in New Jersey.

But that didn’t stop us from turning on our oven and heating up the kitchen.

Because, after all, there were cookies to be made.

I have a massive amount of sprinkles in my cupboard. From friends. From our end-of-year Girl Scout party. From a recent lake party I hosted. And from my own collection.

So it was fairly fortuitous that I spied these Confetti Sprinkle Sugar Cookies over on Annie’s Eats today.

A perfect use for some of our sprinkles.

And since Nick was hanging out with a friend, a good opportunity for Madeline and I to spend some time baking together.

Hot summer weather be darned.

I am a HUGE fan of any cookie recipe that does not require the dough to chill in the refrigerator. I just don’t have the patience for that, and rarely plan ahead enough to do that, and will routinely ignore any recipe that requires it. And, unfortunately, a lot of sugar cookie recipes need the dough chilled.

Not this one.

…

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How to Snap Out of a Funk … in 10 Easy Steps

October 27, 2011 · Narrative

Butterfly Confetti - Final
But, of course, we all know it’s not that easy, is it?  But the idea really isn’t about snapping out of your funk, but more so, redirecting your funkiness.  A dear friend popped up on GoogleTalk late this afternoon and mentioned she was in a funk.  Given the cold, wet, and downright dreary day we’ve had here in the Northeast today, I can’t say I blame her, but this funk was pre-weather.  We’ve all been there.  Sometimes more often than we care to admit.  A big overwhelming feeling of the blahs.  The I-don’t-want-to-do-anything thank you very much.  But the question is … how best to defunk yourself?  For me, it comes down to basically taking a mind break.  Doing something that requires absolutely, positively zero brain power.

  1. Make a list of things that put you in your happy place.  And go do one.
  2. Watch cartoons with the kids.
  3. Bake up a batch of homemade cookies.  Nothing says defunk thyself more than a warm chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven.
  4. Take a nap.
  5. Grab a coloring book and a box of fresh Crayolas and go to town.  In my early 20s, it was one of my favorite forms of therapy.  And to this day, the reason why I have my very own set of markers and crayons that I don’t share with the kids.
  6. Clean out your pantry or a kitchen cabinet that overwhelms you.  I don’t just mean rearrange everything.  Empty it, wipe it down, throw away what you don’t need, donate what you don’t want, and put it all back.  Neater.  Better.
  7. Go through your shoe collection.  What fits?  What doesn’t?  Toss, donate, trade, trash.
  8. Chick-lit.  Invented for defunkifying sessions, no doubt.
  9. Purge.  Whether it’s your filing cabinet, the top of your desk, or your nightstand, or a combination of all three, go through and purge.  Nothing makes me breathe deeper than getting rid of stuff.
  10. Paint your nails.  The Fall line of Essie is swoonworthy, just ask my friend, Beth.  Take a few minutes, indulge in some me time, and pretty up those digits.

Would love to hear about YOUR ways to snap out of a funk – do share with the class!  Although not currently in a funk, my mindless activity tonight included hole-punching millions of scalloped circles and butterflies.  And I don’t think “millions” is an exaggeration.  The circles are for a project I’m making for Madeline’s room (tutorial coming when it’s done), and with the scraps I had leftover, I made butterfly confetti.  Butterfly confetti which can be yours with a purchase from my Etsy shop.  Perfect for scrapbooking, a photo shoot, table decorating, or an upcoming fete, they are tiny, pretty, and all shades of pink.  Doesn’t pink make everything better?  Oh wait, that might be bacon.  It makes me happy just to look at them.  And now I can send YOU that happiness too.

…

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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