snowflake garlands!

Waking up yesterday to the month of December and a little blanket of snow was the catalyst I needed to get into Christmas decorating mode! I am constantly inspired by all the decorations that fill up the house of Heidi Kenney (from My Paper Crane) every holiday. My collection is growing, but I really need to hit up some thrift stores for some vintage decorations!

I did stumble on these die-cut felt snowflakes at Target last night - $1 for three of them. I got some red, white and green ones...


I cut off the loops they were on and strung them together with a needle and some crochet thread. I was affirmed in the success of my snowflake garland when Jack woke up this morning, pointed at it as we came down the stairs, and exclaimed, "Woo-hoo!" We're off to a very fun holiday season here in the Kastner house. I think I'm going to go back and get more snowflakes!

St. Patrick's Day

Every time St. Patrick's Day comes around I think of my Grandpa and Grandma Hallman. I really can't believe it's been 13 years since my grandpa passed away, and 10 since Grandma lost her own battle with cancer. I miss both of them so much. They were such amazing people and I really would have loved to get for them to get to know me as an adult, meet Dan, and Jack too of course.

I have this picture in our living room, and I simply love the way my grandpa is looking at my grandma. Such a beautiful picture of two very beautiful people.


Check out the cutest leprechaun in the world!

the perfect Valentine...

It's Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation. He's my favorite person on TV right now. I wish I could send this to him!

And I made some more...really, it didn't take long to do.

Happy Valentine's Day!

V-Day '10!

It's our first V-day with little Jack! Love this guy SO MUCH! I can't even express the love that radiates from my heart all because of this little dude!

I know Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday...blah, blah, blah. I think it's a great day to celebrate with the people you love. While trying to get a little man to nap, while Dan was at work today, I tried to whip this up. Neatness I get an F! It's pretty messy, but I think it's pretty cute.

the last 3 miles

I am in the final stretch of Christmas gift making. It's like the last three miles of the half marathon I ran with my friend Emily. I need her standing next to me almost pulling me along. But that doesn't work so much in this context...I've resolved to make everything this year. I have made an exception and have purchased a few hand-made things, but I knew that I would seeing how I love to do a little Christmas shopping every year at the Bizarre Bazaar here in SF. So it's probably not the best year to make such a promise to myself, seeing how I have a new little man who'd rather cuddle and play and eat and sleep right next to me than have me do anything else that involves, well, anything else other than him. And I'm right there with him! Who could resist such a cuddle bug? He's getting cuter and bigger every day! He just fell in love with his feet, which is an adorable romance to observe. Sitting, tummy time, on his back...it now all involves finding those feet and trying (which involved many grunts) to get them to his mouth. Adorable.



Back to projects...although I can't quite divulge all the stuff that is crowding our dining room table, I can share some snippets about the advent calendar that I am making. I am using the tiny patterns that Mollie at Wild Olive posts on her blog. I should say that since I don't have a printer I've just drawn them on my own, but they're pretty darn close, if I do say so myself. This inspired me to jump into an advent calendar that can be in our family forever. We had one growing up, which I've seen in other people's homes as well.

Anyone have this?



Since it's in the works, here's a tiny sneak peak...



(That figgy pudding just melts my heart.)

The rest is going to involve a little of this and a little of that (specifically felt and ribbon...and metallic floss...ugh, that's a real peach to work with! ugh!)



It's a bit more of a complicated project than I should be devoting my time to, since I've still got SO MANY gifts to make! And next week is our last week here until we get head off to Michigan! As I am stealing away for moments that Jack is off spending time with his daddy, or napping, or happily playing with one of his favorite toys, I am off getting in a few stitches and just kicking myself for not getting all this done while I was lounging around pregnant all summer counting down until baby time!

WISH ME LUCK! Anyone else in a bit of a pickle-Christmastime-present-making-crunch? Somebody has to be a procrastinator too!!!

First Halloween for Jack

A while back I saw a "How-To" on Craftzine about how to create a beard. I was inspired to make a Halloween costume for Jack, because a baby with a beard is pretty funny. I used some hand-me-downs for the outfit, so really this costume cost $1 to make. Felt is cheap! And it really didn't take long to make either! I couldn't be happier about the results! He was quite the trooper letting us dress him up, even if it only lasted for a quick photoshoot!







AND he was a skeleton and a giraffe thanks to Auntie Elanor:





AND he slept through his first pumpkin carving party...

Get in the Halloween spirit!

Witch Finger Cookies


These cookies are delicious! I saw them on "The View From the Bay" and I had to make them! It took me a few batches to get the right look because they really plump up after they've been in the oven. My first batch looked amazing going into the oven, but when they came out they looked like fingers from crazy obese witches. My second batch I overcompensated for the knuckle, so they looked kind of weird. The third batch came out just right. So, a word to those who will make these (and my future self): Make them skinnier than you think they should be, and make the knuckle barely wider than the rest of the finger!

Ingredients:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. whole almonds
*red food coloring (not a must)
*red frosting (not a must)

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (not sugar).
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond and vanilla extract, and then incorporate the dry ingredients.
3. Refrigerate for 30 min. and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
4. If you have red food coloring, mix it in with some water and paint the almonds, which are going to be the finger nails!
5. You may need to lightly grease your cookie sheet, I used a nonstick sheet.
6. Roll heaping teaspoons into finger shapes. BE SURE THEY ARE NOT TOO BIG! Use a knife to make the marks in the knuckle.
7. Bake for 20 - 25 min.
8. For a truely gruesome effect, dip the ends of the fingers into red frosting!

halloween planning

After months of deliberating, (and since my sewing machine has been repaired after months of being busted) I know what Jack's first Halloween costume will be...



plus the "how to" for this:



which is found here at the Craftzine blog

Details to follow!

tic toc goes the clock

I just want to start by saying I spent 8 hours sitting on the couch today. I keep telling myself that doing so is okay...this is the last time I can do that for a really long time. I shouldn't feel guilty, but I keep thinking about all there is to do and clean to get ready for Jack.

Speaking of the little man, he's moving around so much lately. I feel him getting stronger and bigger. He stretches out across my whole belly and pushes on either side. Sometimes I have to stand up because I feel short of breath from him pushing on my lungs. I look forward to the next doctor's appointment we have on Tuesday - we get another ultrasound! We haven't seen him since we found out it was a him.

Sitting around so much I've passed the time by soaking in everything "baby" related on t.v. "Baby story" and "Bringing home baby" are on TLC every morning. I enjoy Cheerios as I watch women go through birth and the first 36 hours with their babies. Not sure if this is more of a good thing or a bad thing. I've seen the reality of the birthing process - it is never a given as to what happens vs. what you desire as laid out in a birth plan. Most of the time I find myself crying right along with the mom and dad on the show. But it also gets me a bit anxious. So many women bail on nursing their babies, which is something I am very determined to do. I understand that it's not going to be comfortable for a while, it will in fact hurt, but I've come to the conclusion that there isn't any other option.

For as nervous as some of those episodes make me feel some mornings, shows like "16 and Pregnant" on MTV and a new show on TLC called "I didn't know I was pregnant" make me feel a bit more secure and prepared as I embark on mommyhood. I'm not in high school, and labor isn't going to catch me off guard because I've known I've been pregnant for quite some time.

Of course I have concerns, which flood my brain and require me to sit down and close my eyes for a bit, but I've been trying to be calm and optimistic. A huge thing I am concerned about is meeting other moms my age who I get along with. None of my friends are on the baby train out here. San Francisco is much different than the midwest. Well, duh. Ladies out here are starting their families a bit later in life, which is completely fine and wonderful. It's just that I can't help but feel alone. Last summer when I was being a nanny I couldn't help but feel like an outsider at the parks we would frequent. Life as a new mom feels a bit like some cliche movie about high school cliques. I'm going to be like the new kid trying to fit in a world where friendships and connections are already established. I know somewhere out there in this city - all 7 miles squared of it - that there are a few moms in the same boat I'm in. We'll find each other!

Well, friends, it's the 4th of July weekend! Enjoy fireworks and BBQs and your families and friends. I miss you, Michigan!

I love St. Valentine

I am in love with many things, especially CRAFT: blog. (http://blog.craftzine.com/) I love all the amazing crafty ideas, and I especially love little updates about secret little events that are happening in my lovely city! About a week ago I dragged Emily and Jason to a Valentine-making party at a book store in the Marina. While it was mildly stressful with 20 women or so squeezing around a small table, vying for 8 pairs of scissors, 9 glue sticks while glitter was exploding all around, it was a lot of fun. This was the final result (albeit a little sloppy with ink that's been smudged)- a Valentine for my husband from me and the baby:




I should have really posted a "belly pic" sooner, but life has been busy.



I'm 4 months along and the baby is roughly about 3.5 oz. and the size of a large avacado. Little baby is forming ear bones so may be able to hear our voices soon! Exciting! The taste buds are forming, and for some reason that is so cute to me! And its hair and eyebrows and eyelashes are filling in. ADORABLE! I love knowing what's going on throughout the whole process, everything is incredibly remarkable! Life! What an amazing thing!

Oh! And a 4-day weekend highlight: I finally went to the Academy of Sciences yesterday with Shannon. It's amazing. I definitely want a membership ASAP. There's so much to read and to see and to experience! My favorite part was the living roof. 2 acres of amazing-ness.

magical christmas egg nog

I don't really have any occasion to make it this year, but someone should!

4 beaten egg yolks
2 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
1 c. whipping cream
2 tbsp light rum
2 tbsp bourbon
1 tsp vanilla
ground nutmeg

1. In a large heavy saucepan combine the egg yolks, milk, and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Place the pan in a sink or bowl of ice water and stir for 2 ... Read Moreminutes. Stir in whipping cream, rum, bourbon, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours. Sprinkle sprinkle nutmeg on each serving!

Voila! Delicious christmastimeyummyness!

spinning spinning spinning

December is full of surprises. Perfect surprises!

I love the Christmas season. I get to go back to Michigan and have a belated snowy Christmas!

Celebrate!

...to be continued.

let the holiday season begin!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

As much as I would love to be home in Michigan, lounging around all day on my parents' couch, watching football and chatting it up with Elanor, Dayna, Rawley, Uncle Dan, mom and dad, and Dan...I am excited to go to Sacramento and spend it with family there. My Aunt Linda is preparing a feast and I get to see my cousin Andy (who I haven't seen in YEARS) and his girlfriend. It will be a very nice Thanksgiving!

I was going to bake a pie, but we went out to celebrate Emily's birthday last night. We went and played Lazer Tag, ate pizza and had cupcakes, in true 10-year-old style (she just turned 25). It was a blast, yet there is no pie. I am thinking the grocery store may be cleaned out of pies...we'll see!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Be thankful for everything!

happy halloween!

The science department was "Science Gone Wrong".

My Experiment blew up!

My biology class:

They were so proud they skateboarded to school like this:

And I wasn't too proud to go to City Hall and vote like this: