Here's lookin at me kid

Twitter, duh!

Are you guys on twitter? You should totally follow me if you are. Then you can know if there's a good movie on TCM, see what fun things I'm working on, help me make mundane decisions, and, of course, see my twitpics! Duh!

 

Have a Merry Christmas!

I'll be spending Christmas Eve and Christmas day with our extended family celebrating Jesus' birthday. We'll be eating lots of food, singing Christmas carols, snuggling up with full bellies, and most likely watching cliche Christmas movies like It's a Wonderful Life.

What are you doing for Christmas this year?

(image source: 1950s Flickr group)

Christmas movie round up

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without the tried and true Christmas movies. Our family has a list of our own personal favorites, involving the Muppets, Steve Martin, and Zooey Deschanel. But here is my own personal list of must see holiday movies.

A charming romantic comedy about a 1940s woman who isn't the typical 1940s housewife... she's just pretending to be.

This dreamy coming of age movie is set in turn of the century St. Louis (there's a shocker!). It's a real nostalgic movie about family bonds and young love. Sigh. (Oh, and you know that beloved Christmas song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas? It was written for this movie. Further proof that it's a classic.)

A bishop becomes preoccupied with building his church, while his family and everyone else is won over by Dudley (aka Cary Grant) who is actually an angel who has been sent to help each one of them. The funny part is that Cary Grant is an angel. At least to me, anyway!

You can all roll your eyes now. But I can't help myself! I love Jimmy Stewart, and this is the epitome of a feel good American Christmas movie. For those of you who haven't seen this movie (!!!!), it's about a man who has a wonderful life, and doesn't realize it until he is given the chance to see what everyone else's lives would be like without him.

Total Christmas candy. This movie is just a complete treat! The best songs (even if you're not into musicals- I swear!), the best entertainers, beautiful sets, and a great Mid Century "the war is over" sentiment. If I played favorites, this one would take the prize.

Jimmy Stewart makes the cut once again! (That's no surprise, as I'm the one curating the list.) I blogged a short while back about the unexpected fashion inspiration in this movie. But the plot is just as charming. It's about two coworkers who aren't particularly fond of each other, but aren't aware that they are secret romantic pen pals. It's the original You've Got Mail, in case you were wondering why it sounds so familiar! It counts as a Christmas movie in my list because most of the important scenes happen during Christmastime.

I hope that you will find time to watch at least one of these movies this Christmas! I find them to be a huge part of Christmas nostalgia, and will definitely talk my family into watching at least one of them with me!

I've got my love

Phil and I love traipsing about Canton in the summer, picnicking and visiting the cute little ice cream shops that abound. Well, it's wintertime. And now we're running from party to party and ducking into coffee shops to discuss our dreams for 2010.

Neither of us are really steadily employed right now. So next year's a big year. I graduate with a degree in interior design. Phil begins again his search for a teaching position. Absolutely nothing is tying us down. This is our time. I mean, really, we can do anything we want. We just don't know what we want. But I think I might want to get out of here. And come back someday when we're ready to put down roots.

I'd like to live somewhere that inspires me creatively. I want to connect with other people like me. Meet new people and do fabulous things. So many dreams...

A big sigh of relief

I finally finished all of my Christmas shopping... okay, well almost. Just one more thing to buy! Today I wrapped everything up and the gifts are sitting pretty under the tree.

Last week I hemmed a skirt which had been sitting around for a while, and was able to use the scraps as an extra detail for the wrapping. I think the grey and red wool fabric is awfully festive, and the plaid adds a bit of a warm lodge feel to our Christmas tree corner.

So what about you? Are you all ready for the holidays?

Ah, vinyl.

Last weekend I finally decorated our humble abode for the Christmas season! Needless to say, I've been listening to my favorite Christmas tunes pretty much nonstop. But it got me thinking how swell it would be if I could listen to the very same Christmas records that my dad played when I was little. When it comes to nostalgia, nothing beats the sound of vinyl. So, true to form, I began scouring internetland for record players just like dear ol' Dad's.

Would you believe he actually still has the same stereo equipment that he purchased when he was in college? ('73!) Each year we still enjoy Christmas tunes coming through that vintage steel and wood clad receiver and out of those 35 year old speakers... but I'm sad to say Dad let go of the record player in '99, when he finally invested in a cd player. These players from Urban Outfitters seem really cool, and that one on the right almost looks like Dad's oldie. I'm looking for something I can hook up to our stereo receiver and blast through our modern-eye-sore speakers.

I would also be delighted hear some of my favorite bands on vinyl. It's not just vintage, kids.

(Fleet Foxes, Port O'Brien, Neutral Milk Hotel)

Ah, I just don't know what to do. Buy vintage? Buy new? I think it's too late for Christmas. But you know, my birthday is early January...

Well, kids... It's finals week.

I can't believe I'm even here in blogland right now... I have so much work to be finishing! Here are some renderings I'm working on right now for my restaurant design project. I'm finishing up the drawings for One8, the vegetarian juice bar, restaurant, and lounge I designed.

The drawings are void of any furniture for now... I wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to draw 20 Bertoia side chairs in perspective view! Can you blame me?

All I want for Christmas

I don't make Christmas wish lists, you see, but if I did, this is what it would look like.

Fifty Dresses
retro alarm clock
leather gloves
silver ring
spectacle necklace
collage art
bow brooch
jewelry bust
rifle stationery

seasonal songs

For me, part of the magic of the season is the wonderfully cozy songs that pop up this time of year. One of my fondest childhood memories is my father playing the same Christmas records on the stereo as we decorated the tree each year. So, if you're of the holiday persuasion, this mix should be sure to bring you tidings of great joy. Next time I'll make a playlist with my favorite Christmas carols. But these are my favorite holiday songs of all time.

(P.S. My all time favorite is The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. What's yours?)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll be spending today with Phil's family, celebrating our faith, our family, and traditions. Oh, except I won't be eating turkey. This is my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian. Should be interesting. Crazy amounts of mashed potatoes will be consumed.

(photo from our 4th of July gathering)