Tie One On Tuesday

BRRRRRR! It's cold outside...and inside. Our furnace is still on the fritz, but that's no reason for me to worry. I can just whip up a few warm beverages and sit by the fire with OMP and the pups. Let's see...warm drinks...

Ah! The first is a real eye opener. I have to start the day off right. Now, this one doesn't have any hooch in it, but it's still delicious. This recipe comes from Food Network's wonderful super cute Anne Thornton. I can't believe how easy and brilliant this recipe is.
Anne's Spiced Coffee
8 scoops ground coffee
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon orange zest
Fill a coffee filter with the above ingredients and brew. SOOOO yummy!

Alrighty then, the day is wearing on and I'm still cold!  A nice hot toddy will take the edge off, but not just any hot toddy-how about a Hot Baked Apple Toddy.
2 oz whisky
1 teaspoon sugar
apple cider
dash of cinnamon and a dash of clove
honey
Coat the bottom of the mug with honey.
Add whisky and then fill with warm apple cider.
Add dash of cinnamon and clove and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Oh looky! Here comes the furnace repairman! Oh Mr. Repairman-you need a big hug! You need a little Brotherly Love.
1 1/2 oz. gin
3/4 oz Licor 43 or a similar vanilla/spice liquer
3/4 oz simple syrup
4 oz steam milk
nutmeg for garnish
Pour gin, Licor 43 and simple syrup into a mug and stir.
Add steam milk and nutmeg.

Awwww yeah, all nice and toasty from the inside out. A nice warm blanket, a warm puppy and OMP by my side. Who needs that stupid gas furnace-I've got my love to keep me warm.

Feel Good Friday!

Oh my belly! I ate so much food yesterday! I just couldn't stop. OMP and I cooked an amazing Thanksgiving dinner and then crashed on the couch, cuddled up and had visions of little puppies dancing in our heads. Ahhh....bliss...let's see what I can whip up to make you feel the same way.

Our wonderful 60 year old furnace is out right now and it's a little bit chilly at Casa de Pedersen. I really think I need these to keep me warm on those chilly nights when OMP is at band practice. Tiny Toadstool has the cutest hats, mittens and scarves. I want EVERYTHING from her shop.

I love this winter scene. I feel like I could jump right in to the stitching and go for a walk. The textures are so rich. Kayla coo's pieces are rich and beautiful.

My husband told me that I should get use to the cold and a little bit of "roughing it" if we ever plan on having a farm (which we do). Missing Willow Farm is a great blog for checking out what farm life is like. Her pictures are wonderful and the little tidbits of information are so helpful. Plus, she raised hairless cats, one of which was named Turd Ferguson and in my opinion is absolutely awesome. 

  

Okay my tasty little turkey legs. I'm going to warm up some leftovers, throw a blanket over my legs and watch Wizard of Oz for the 900th time. I hope you have a wonderful lazy weekend. I know that's my plan! 

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:  it is the time for home.  ~Edith Sitwell

Giving Thanks

Let me tell you something, these past couple of weeks and especially these past couple of days have been very trying on the Pedersen household. Work is crazy and our furnace went out in 20 degree weather. Needless to say, I was wearing the dogs as shawls. During this time, I really began to question my outlook on life. Let me give you a little bit of a background.

I'm not sure if you know this or not, but I work with some pretty bad people-the past couple of weeks two cases of murder came across my desk. It is up to me to grade mental health test and type up a  report. Although it doesn't sound very taxing, listening to the horrible graphic details of what people can do to you can wear very thin on you sometimes. It makes you question your own life choices and thoughts about people. One thing that I took from the past couple of weeks is how precious life is. How, in a split second, it can be taken away from you. In a matter of minutes you being gone can leave someone's heart very heavy. I also thought about the person committing the crime. Their life-no matter what you think should happen, is gone too. Two lives that could have been saved in some way, changed in less than a hour. I went home these past couple of weeks and wept for the loss and for the people in their lives.

The more I concentrated on these cases, the more I began to think of how absolutely precious life, every little detail of it, is extraordinary. How nothing should ever be taken granted. Even our hardships should be celebrated. They make us stronger and wiser.

I'm not gonna say that I will always wear rose colored glasses or that I'm not going to get down-cause I know I will. I will get wrapped up in my own world and forget the lessons that life is trying to teach me. I know myself too well. What I am going to try to do is be more thankful for the people and situations in my life. I will learn to cherish them more. I will hug and kiss my family and friends more. Let them know that I care and make the best of my situations.

Now, I know what you are saying....great Pam, super, what's the lesson from your broken furnace? Well....be prepared and be thankful for what you have, but really, really be prepared. It's friggin' cold outside. And snuggling is the key to warming the body and the heart. So see, smarty pants. I did learn something mind blowing from the broken furnace. HA!


Well, now that I have talked your ear off and given you some food for thought, I will end with this....Happy Thanksgiving and give thanks and love to those around you. Be happy and feel warm and fuzzy because you are loved. 

Feel Good Friday!

 Whew! What a crazy couple of weeks it has been. Life can be so chaotic sometimes that we forget to stop and be thankful for what we have around us. I am so thankful that you have decided to stick around for the ride,even when I seem to go MIA for a few days. That makes me feel GOOOOOOD!

I really think this banner needs to be left up all year round, not just at Thanksgiving.  Head on over to
At Second Street and download this free printable banner.

I am always thankful for great ideas from wonderful blogs. Dutch Sisters is a super cute blog with tons of inspiration. It makes you feel all sweet and happy. Check out their great tutorials and awesome shop.

 

Heading over the hills and through the woods to Grandmother's house can be quite a chore-so make sure you are bundled up. This adorable coat would look SO cute on you (and me)! ModCloth has the best clothes and it's never too expensive. 

 

Thanksgiving is less than a week away for us in the United States. I truly believe that every day we should be thankful for what and who we have in our lives. You make me happy. Have a fabulous weekend like only you can. 

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

America's Favorite Leading Man

I can not think of one person who does not like Jimmy Stewart. Not one! He was the man we wanted as our neighbor, our go to guy, our father. Never to be pigeonholed into one certain role-he branched out to mysteries, westerns and great Amercian heros.

One of my favorite Jimmy Stewart movies is The Glenn Miller Story. I always get weak in the knees for a good swing tune and this movie has it! Wonderful songs and a great story make this a must see. Jimmy Stewart plays band leader Glenn Miller. This biopic begins with his life as a small child and ends with his death in 1944. You can see many of the original members of Miller's swing band in this film. It is simply amazing. See  if you can spot Louis Armstrong and drum legend Gene Krupa-yeah, it's that cool.

My absolute ALL TIME favorite Jimmy Stewart movie has to be Bell Book and Candle. LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie! It has saucy Kim Novak playing a good witch who puts a spell on publishing head Stewart. The real star in this movie is Pyewacket the cat. I want that kitty but don't tell the pups! This is a quirky love story for people who don't like love stories. You will laugh and cheer for the budding "romance".

I'm not a huge western fan but when you have Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne together in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, you can't go wrong. The story centers around a senator, who became famous for killing a notorious outlaw. He returns for the funeral of an old friend and decides to come clean about his deed.

A wonderful aspect of Jimmy Stewart was that he wasn't a sex symbol. He was an actor, a guy we could relate to, and  that was his appeal. His roles have staying power. He left behind a legacy of humble strength and brilliant acting that can never be duplicated.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

I know a lot of people have a big problem with dressing your dog up in sweaters and coats. I am not one of those people.

 

 Help me Rhonda! I can't help but giggle whenever I see Jujube in this outfit.

 

Mother and daughter matching sweaters. It's a must! 

Going all natural might be the best, but please-do it with a little sophistication.

Feel Good Friday

Friday is here! We are getting funky! In the good ol' Pacific Northwest we are heading into our rainy season. Sure we might see the sun soon-like May, but we can still be happy stomping around in the rain.

The rainclouds on the west coast are very sophisticated. Lillyvanili72's stitching is so clean and beautiful.

A rainboot with Jack Russels and they are pink and black. Did I just die and go to heaven? Rainbootsonline.com have these and other great styles to keep your feet dry.

Since it's raining,  there are a lot of indoor activities to do-keep your minds out of the gutter! What better indoor activity than a little cooking (besides crafting). The Recipe Girl has got ya covered. You can search her recipe database, read the blog and even get a menu for entertaining.

Make sure that your little babies are covered while strutting around in the rain, especially the ones with little or no fur. What-I do not see a problem with this outfit. Who wants a wet dog smell in their house?

Okay my little buddies! I'm off to snuggle into a good book, maybe some stitching and enjoy listening to the rain fall on the roof. Whatever you do this weekend, make sure you stay bundled up and dry.

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.
Gilbert K. Chesterton

Tie One On Tuesday

 You're just gonna have to face it, the holidays are upon us and it's time to spread the joy and pass the bottle. HA! Anyhoo....in order to keep your sanity, here are a few cocktails to either give you a little wake up or put that pesky family member to sleep so you don't have to listen to the questions, "When are you getting married, having children, getting a real job". Trust me folks-I will save you.

The Sleepy Head cocktail is perfect for putting that annoying guest to sleep so you can have a little peace and quiet. I may actually have to mix one up tonight. I think it would be wonderful for those nights I have a little insomnia.

Sleepy Head Cocktail
6–8 mint leaves
1 1/2 ounces of brandy
1/2 ounces fresh lemon juice
Ginger ale
2 slices of orange
In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle 2 slices of the orange and the mint. Top with ice, add brandy, and lemon juice. Shake Well. Pour into and ice-filled glass, top with ginger ale.

Okay so you have grandma knocked out with the above cocktail. Time kick it up a notch and get your groove on. This little beauty will have you bouncing off the walls.


Cafe Con Leche Martini
2 ounces coffee flavored vodka
2 ounces cream liqueur
½ ounce of crème de cacao
Pour ingredients into an ice filled shaker, pour into a martini glass and top with ground cinnamon and a couple of coffee beans.

Oh my goodness! We need a nice little nightcap to end the evening.  Time to wind it down and snooze along with granny. This one is perfect to snuggle into.


The Nightcap Cocktail
4 ounces warm milk
1 tablespoon simple syrup
2 shots dark rum
Pour rum and syrup into a heated coffee mug top off with milk and then grate nutmeg on top.

There ya go! A great pick me up and two  ways to put your outlaws, I mean inlaws out without going to jail. I'm glad I can help families come together. That' what I'm here for.

Feel Good Friday!

Yahoo! Friday is here! I am so happy! Life is good-there is a chill in the air and I have a big smile on my face.  You should have one too!

I am in love with Inspire Co. They just put out their holiday e-magazine and it is chocked full of great ideas.

Xperimentl's embroider of a nice turkey dinner is just too much. I love the cranberry sauce.

Thursday was our 4th wedding anniversary. OMP knows me too well, he didn't get me jewelry, or a shiny new car...nope, he got me footie pajamas. Pink footie pajamas with puppy dogs for feet. You can squeal with delight right now. If you want to be like me, a cool kid, you need to check out Nick and Nora's line of stylish footie PJ's.

Okay my lovelies, time to snuggle in for the night and do some stitching. I hope you have an absolutely wonderful weekend. Enjoy the leaves changing, the crisp air against your face and the friendship the world has to offer. Muwah!

My Love for TCM

I have a deep love for something other than OMP. My love is for TCM, Turner Classic Movies. If you are a movie buff, like I am, then you should always tune in to TCM. If you don't have the channel then still check out the website. Turner Movie Classics not only show amazing movies but right now they are running a 7 part documentary on the history of Hollywood. It is 3 years in the making and with Christopher Plummer narrating, you will be in movie heaven.

This month's feature artist is Ava Gardner. Va Va Voom! She was one smart sex pot! Every Thursday in November they are featuring wonderful movies from this great actress.

Another great feature this month are movies from Fritz Lang. For any budding film aficionado his movies are a must see. M is haunting and Metropolis breathtaking.

Towards the end of the month TCM offers up British Crime (November 28th). I can not wait for this one! I have been wanting to see No Orchids for Miss. Blandish. I will be snuggled up on the couch, faking my best British accent on this one.

Oh TCM, thank you for transporting me to another time, sometimes bright and hopeful, sometimes gritty and real. You are a true champion in our history. You allow us to have a wonderful escape and teach us about ourselves and the world around us.