#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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Food and Life

Girls Night In + Inspiration {craft}

December 1, 2012 · Ad-Free

Wreath
What started out as a one-off girls’ night in has become a quarterly tradition that I kind of love.

Taking inspiration from Pinterest, I host a group of girlfriends every couple of months as we make a craft together and eat and drink wine and have a total girl gab fest.

We make sure the craft is super simple.

Mainly because of the aforementioned wine and eating and gabbing.

Because that’s what it’s really all about. Coming together. Laughing. Supporting. Sharing. And, um, in the case of our last two get-togethers, perhaps oversharing, but in the very best possible way.

Our winter get-together was two weeks ago, and we set our sights on this super simple wreath. There are a bunch of tutorials, and even You Tube videos, for how to do this. We first spied it on Eddie Ross’ web site. He of Martha Stewart, Food Network, and Bravo’s Top Design fame.

All you need is a wire coat hanger, ornaments, and a bow. (We skipped the glue gun step)

As you’re putting the ornaments onto the wire hanger, they naturally fall into a beautiful 3D arrangement. It seriously doesn’t get easier than this.

All our ornaments came from the same three or four stores, yet out of 8 wreaths made, none were identical.

Not even close.

Mine was the all silver one up at the top.

k wreath

With the holiday season only just getting underway, you have plenty of time to make one of these fun and festive wreaths for your very own front door. Or as a gift for a neighbor. Or your kids’ bus driver. A co-worker made a few as hostess gifts, which is another fabulous idea.

cw wreath

*The ornaments on the silver wreath and the multi-colored wreath come from The Christmas Tree Shop. The ornaments on the gold and green wreath came from Wal-Mart.

When it comes to inspiration, there is no shortage of it, especially this time of year. Although Pinterest is one of my favorite go-to sources, there are plenty of other online sites to browse through. The folks at Minted (home to wonderful holiday cards) just had an inspiration challenge, where readers put together their own inspiration boards. The boards contain everything from holiday cards and decorations to table settings and stocking ideas. Sometimes there is nothing more inspiring than getting a peek at how others get their holiday on. I love this slightly Beatles-esque card with the gingerbread house-covered Christmas tree. Are you kidding me with this cuteness? And this blingy one is totally up my alley (especially as I still continue the hunt for the sparkly bag I spied this weekend).

Hungry for more?
At another Pinterest-inspired party we had, we made semi-simple nest necklaces. Love them.

Our next Pinterest party is planned with a Valentine’s Day theme in mind, and you know by now how much I love the holiday. Between that, our Bloggers Valentine’s Day Feast, and our own family/friends Valentine’s Day Dinner Party, you’d think I would be on Valentine’s Day overload. But you’d be wrong. I can’t wait.

xo Cate

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Project 365 – The Final Frontier

December 31, 2010 · Narrative

So I started Project 365 on January 1, 2010.  A picture every day, depicting something in our life.  I didn’t count any of the photographs that were included in the nearly-daily posts during the year.  I wanted them separate, as a bit of an additional challenge.  I also put all the weekend photos in one Sunday night blast, and didn’t count any of those as my daily photo requirement.

All that to say … that even after the 14 pictures that I’m sharing from today, I am now at #353.  But in theory only.  Because if I went back and counted the weekend photos, I would well have exceeded the challenge.  So that’s going to have to do.

Here we are, the last day of 2010.  This year has certainly been an interesting one, filled with highs and lows, challenges and surprises, happy moments and sadness.  Goals met.  Goals not met.  But we made it.  And with all my blessings, truly I cannot complain.  Although I have been known to say I think I’ve had enough challenges this year thankyouverymuch, and perhaps maybe it could be someone else’s turn next year…?

I have parted ways with some friends, and rekindled relationships with old and dear ones.  I have re-evaluated.  Taken stock.  Cleaned house in every sense of the word and lived to tell about it.  We’re on the threshold of 2011 and I’m insanely curious to see what it holds in store for me.  For you.  For all of us.  A lot can happen in a day.  A week.  A year!  There is magic ahead.  Love.  Life.  It’s a clean slate for all, to start fresh, start over or just continue where you left off.  The choice is yours… and it begins … NOW. Welcome 2011!

Project 365
December 31, 2010, Photos #340-353

Fun at CostcoIt takes longer to pry the kids away from the 3-D tv display at Costco than it does to just pick up the photos I ordered.

Going ShortBoth kids got seriously shorn today, with one ending up in tears. I love a hairdresser that makes house calls. Best discovery ever.

LunchA quick bite to eat with the kids. Well, me. Because my kids wouldn’t eat their lunch. Shocking.

New AdditionThank you, FireMom, for reminding me of the wonder that is eBay. This little one arrived today – love it. But Hallmark, can we have a word? When you want to charge $9.95 for an ornament, would it seriously kill the budget to attach A LITTLE PIECE OF STRING OR RIBBON TO IT for hanging purposes? I mean, c’mon!…

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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. 💛

Pinterest

#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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