holiday wish windows

My inspiration for the Berkley holiday windows this year came from this sweet card by Curly Girl.

 

And boy-oh-boy, do we have loads of lovely real mittens this season… but more about that on a later post.

It's a lofty wish, but one that will always be on my list.  After reading about the story of Sadako and the origami peace cranes, I thought they'd make a perfect backdrop to my display.  However I only managed to fold 22 of them by myself and would love your help to fill the window with more.

You can make one in a matter of minutes with a sheet of printer paper.  I learned how to make mine by watching this easy to follow how-to-video.  We hope to collect lots of these cranes from you and fill the window with your peaceful birds.  You can bring them to our Berkley or Rochester location until Christmas.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season filled with warmth and joy.

Detroit News Homestyle Feature 11.6.09

Gadgets Add Spice to Kitchen – Judith Harris Solomon

With the holidays just around the corner, chances are you'll be cooking
up a storm for the next several weeks. So, keeping that in mind, we've
managed to locate several items guaranteed to help and amuse you while
you're on KP.

(excerpt)

Here's a "why didn't I think of this" item. Once you finish chopping
your meat, veggies or whatever at the sink, the Chop 2 Pot board folds
inward so you can carry it to the pot on your range without spilling
the goods. Several different colors are available. Find boards for
$17.95 each at Catching Fireflies in Rochester or Berkley.

a positively pink october indeed

I'd like to thank all the women affected by breast cancer who came in for a free pink positivity bracelet last month.  It was an honor to hear some of your stories and we're glad we could play a part in your celebration or give a little light during a trying time.  One of the women brought in this inspiring poem for us to share with you.

 

We also received two lovely thank you notes from the American Cancer Society and the GM in Motion team from the Strides Against Breast Cancer walk for our donation of over 30 Friends for Life frames.

 

 

And another touching story involves the amazing woman who won a Friends for Life frame at The Pink Fund's Fundraiser Luncheon.  She plans on putting this fantastic photo of her and Miss Michigan in the frame.

 

Here's a little bit about the brave Linda Anger… "I was diagnosed with Stage 3C Endometrial Cancer in early July, and had a
radical hysterectomy on July 21. Several of the 30 lymph nodes removed during
the surgery were cancerous, so I began a regime of chemotherapy 6 weeks post-op.
I had my fourth chemo treatment two days ago (October 27), with two more planned
before the end of the year. Clearly, I will shout "Happy New Year!" from a new
perspective this time!" 

Learn more about Linda's journey through her blog.

Thank you again ladies for sharing.  Your inspiring stories and thank-you notes brightened our day. 

michigan mom feature

When I need a gift for someone I usually go to Catching Fireflies.  It is a local store in Rochester, Michigan; but they also have a location in Berkley and an online store.

I shop there because they have unique items at a variety of prices for
their respective age groups.  And even better, they offer free gift
wrapping.  There is nothing I like more, than driving away with my
present already wrapped and ready to go on the seat next to me.

I thought it might be fun to give away a $50 Gift Card to Catching Fireflies to one lucky reader.  You can use the card at their online store or at one of their Rochester or Berkley
stores.  As you can see from the pictures below, it is a very fun
shopping experience.  My personal favorite sections are the kitchen
section and the purse/jewelry sections.

Click HERE to see the full post with images and to enter the contest!

Thanks Julie for spreading the word about our whimsical world of goodies and good luck to your readers!

servus munchen feature

Gift guide: Cooking

Last year I composed a gift guide
with ideas for the holidays. Since I am gone for the holidays this year
I decided to prepare this in advance (September 09), so apologizes if
items are no longer available.

I had to get an early start on holiday shopping, so I figured I might as well share my finds.

Just as last year there are a variety of items at various price points, so there's something for everyone in every budget.

(excerpt)

5. Wine bottle thermometer cuff
– an inexpensive and simply solution to figuring out the proper
temperature each type of wine should be served at. (image catching fire
flies)

Thanks Emily for showcasing our wine lovers gadget.  We feel so cool and international!

spooky spider treats

I was tooling around the web to find some spooky treat recipes for our party this Friday and came across a healthier version of these spiders, but I thought they'd be much tastier dipped in chocolate… because what isn't better dipped in chocolate?

 

For these tasty spiders you'll need:

pretzel sticks

Ritz crackers

peanut butter

m&ms

chocolate chips

Crisco

 

Make peanut butter sandwiches and stick 8 pretzel halves in them for the legs.

 

Melt the chocolate chips with a dollop of Crisco and dip the sandwiches in them, then add the m&m eyes.

 

Set them in the refrigerator until they harden, then serve them up on a spooky platter… cobwebs optional.

Happy Halloween!

Like
to get creative in the kitchen?  We love finding &
sharing scrumptious recipes. Don't miss out on our future finds…
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my gourmet connection feature

Thanksgiving Day is just a few weeks away, and we've found some
innovative, top-quality items that can lend a hand with your holiday
meal preparations.

Wine Glass Top Appetizer Plates (4) ~ $16.95 from Catching Fireflies

Whether you're searching for a useful hostess gift or struggling to
keep guests entertained while you put the finishing touches on your
Thanksgiving dinner, these Acacia wood hors d'oeuvres plates are a
great choice.

The set of four appetizer plates easily rest on top of a wine glass,
so guests can munch and mingle with ease. Each plate measures about 4"
by 1/2" and comfortably accommodates your favorite nibbles.

Thanks for featuring our clever plates.

order of disarray feature

Thanks SJL for featuring our cheeky luggage tags $12.50

how do you like your pumpkin seeds?

Since Steve & I are having a pumpkin carving party this Friday, we'll end up with loads of seeds to roast.  So that has inspired me to seek out some different options and maybe create a medley of these crunchy fall treats.  Here are a few that look good to me…

 

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
• 6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Preheat
   the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Spread pumpkin seeds in a
   single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 45 minutes, stirring
   occasionally, until dry and toasted. Larger seeds may take longer.
2. 
   In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of white sugar, salt, and
   pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over
   medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle the remaining
   sugar over them. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts, about
   45 seconds. Pour seeds into the bowl with the spiced sugar and stir
   until coated. Allow to cool before serving. Store in an airtight
   container at room temperature.

Garlic Lovers

• 3 cups pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt

     Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

1. 
   In a medium bowl, mix together the pumpkin seeds, butter, garlic
   powder, salt and seasoned salt until the pumpkin seeds are evenly
   coated. Spread in an even layer on a cookie sheet.
2. 
   Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes until
   toasted. Cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer to a
   serving dish.

Cinnamon Sweet

• 4 cups pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar, divided

1. 
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
   
2. 
   Combine the pumpkin seeds, margarine, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt
   in a bowl; stir to coat the seeds. Spread the seeds in a single layer
   in a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan.
3. 
   Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; stir and return to oven for
   15 minutes more; remove from oven and sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over
   the seeds; stir to coat. Return to oven and bake another 15 minutes
   before removing again to sprinkle with remaining sugar and stirring.
   Bake another 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Store leftover
   seeds in an airtight container.

Hot & Spicy

cups pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven 225F. Rinse pumpkin seeds until all the pulp and strings
are washed off. In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, hot
sauce, melted butter and salt. Add the seeds and stir until coated.
Spread out on a baking sheet and bake 1 to 2 hours, until crisp,
stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

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to get creative in the kitchen?  We love finding &
sharing scrumptious recipes. Don't miss out on our future finds…
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handstands for you

A while ago I watched this heart warming video on my friend’s blog featuring a mama & baby squirrel trying to make their way over a wall on UCLA’s campus.  I remember enjoying the background music and just recently heard it again and needed to share this gem of a tune by Chairlift.

A review reads, “What’s extraordinary about Chairlift is the uninhibited nature of their
ambition. From folk to trip-hop to power pop, each song on this record
fizzes with lyrical complexity and glowing production values.” –
Alex Miller

Like discovering fun tunes to groove to?  Simply subscribe to this blog and we’ll email you our latest and greatest music finds.