SOB

Dear Winter,

You know, we had a good run. We had a lot of fun when I was younger. I remember you were able to make me laugh and smile and think the world was perfect.
But something happened as I got older. You've become over-bearing... controlling even. I can't go out any more. I can't do anything I really want to do, because of you. You've effected all my relationships with other people. In such a negative way. I suppose some of the blame lays with me. I did move to Alaska. But you really pushed it too far. I mean, year after year, snow drift upon snow drift, frozen fingers and frozen faces. You've become so much colder than I ever remembered. It's sad. And disheartening.
I always thought you'd be in my life. In the middle of the hottest Summer's heat, I would think about you and couldn't wait for our time together. Now all I can think about is the warmth I can get somewhere else.
It's time we parted. I can't be around you any longer. Maybe one day we'll be able to meet again, and maybe then we can at least be cordial. But right now, I have to say goodbye.
Spring is stopping by, to help me pack up and move in with Summer. Yes. That Summer. You'd find out sooner or later, so I'm telling you now.
I know other people will love you as much as I did. And really, I did love you, Winter. But things changed.
I wish you all the best. And perhaps we'll be able to find each other again some day.

Sincerely,
Kelly

It's official

Joe and I are moving to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Beyond exciting!

If anyone has any advice or insight on Honolulu, please let me know!

Not-So-Weekly Recipe

A little late for Valentine's Day, but it'd still be great any other occasion. Like, it's Tuesday. Yea!



Chocolate Cheesecake

ingredients:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used chocolate Teddy Grahams, crumbled in the blender)
1/3 cup melted butter
at least 1 - 2 teaspoons cinnamon (totally optional)
1 package (8 oz) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions:

1. Prepare crust by mixing chocolate crumbs, butter, and cinnamon. Press mixture into bottom and slightly up sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate.
2. Beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Blend in eggs, one at a time.
3. Melt chocolate pieces in microwave - follow directions on package (about a minute and a half for the whole bar).
4. Gradually pour melted chocolate into cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed until well-blended. Add flour and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour into prepared crust.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350* for 55 - 60 minutes or until filling is firm. Turn oven off. Cool cheesecake 1 hour without opening door. Cool completely. Chill several hours or overnight. It really is best when the cheesecake has cooled for at least a couple hours. But sometimes you just can't wait...

Eat as is, or top with your favorite goodies. Try cherries, raspberries, or fudge sauce. Mmm.

Enjoy!

Sharing the excellence

Whitney, the lovely lady behind The Belly Chronicles and a few Etsy shops, was gracious enough to include my blog in her fun round up of sites. And of course to pass along this award:



I'm bona fide!

So, in honor of all the excellence, here's my list of (Almost) Daily Reads -

1. All Things Girls Can Tell A day to day blog of an Etsy seller with amazing goodies

2. Secret Boy Friend Dark but ohso good, and another Etsy seller

3. Plentiful as Blackberries Beautiful works by a talented illustrator

4. Writes of Spring A copyeditor who can't write. So she says. Either way, she's hilarious

5. This Is What I Do. Art student (...I wish I was that good in school)

6. Sulu-Design Etsy seller who has a unique photo-inspiration concept

7. Bent Objects So. Much. Fun.

8. Stef Choi Love her work and her style

9. An Open [Sketch] Book Lovely work, an Etsy seller, and she lives in Greensboro, NC (my hometown!)

10. Afraid To See Breath-taking photography

Go here now

For serious.

Shoeboxblog

Is it just me...

Or do HUGE GAPPING HOLES in the middle of a loaf of bread really bother anyone else?

I mean, reallyreally.
I feel jipped.


By the way...Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich + Chocolate Milk = Old Skool Yum.

ohmygodohmygodohmygod

I made the front page of Etsy! Thanks to PeachCult and her lovely treasury:

Urban Sunshine



Eeeeeee!

From Anchorage

There are few things as beautiful as a forest of spruce trees and white birches covered in snow on a cold, gray, early morning.

Important!

Please take a moment to sign UNIFEM's online petition to help prioritize world governments' actions against violence on women:

http://www.saynotoviolence.org/

LOLz

Oh God this stuff is good:



http://icanhascheezburger.com

A Christmas Miracle

Here's a true, heart-warming story featuring my Uncle Buddy and Grandpa:

A War Story.


Merry Christmas, everyone!

Where have you been all my life?!

And why didn't I think of that?

The Bosom Button

Warm the heart.

Take a quick break, and give a little...
It's just a click.

Tiny Prints' charity page.

Treasuries

Etsy has this rockin' feature where users can create there own lists of favorites. They're all compiled and displayed in the Treasury. But right now, a new Treasury is in the works...Treasury West. The limited spots go like crazy, but I was able to grab one and create my own list. I chose all items that reminded me of happy childhood times. You gotta see it!

Childhood Memories

And some of my things were chosen for other treasuries...
like "Curtsy" in Maize and Blue

and "Ghost Disco" in That's the way...uh huh uh huh...

So much fun! Thanks

Jet Lag

Within the past 9 weeks, I've been on 14 flights.

Good grief!

But I'm home now.

Thanks for waiting.

Jet setting

Hey ya kiddies.
I'm going out of town for a bit, which means no new posts or photos until I get home.

Sorry!

But if you need cheering up, why not buy yourself something pretty?

Shameless, I know.

Cabbie

Totally beyond awkward, but still smile inducing:

Getting hit on by an old Russian cab driver while with your husband.

Featured!

My Etsy shop got noticed. How exciting!
See-A-Penny was featured in the Daily Ditties section of Wickedly Chic today.


Awesome.

For Fun

Here's a few sites to check out when you don't have anything to do...or when you have so much to do you can't do anything but put it all off:

Collage Machine

Walk Score

9031

Jackson Pollock

Mr. Picassohead

Sketch Swap

Have fun!

The town's not *that* small. C'mon.

Joe and I are at Subway, getting the fixin's put onto our sandwiches.

Sub Dude: Are you guys new to Kodiak?

Joe and I do a 'what the hell?' glace to each other.

Me: Um, no. We're not.

Dude: Oh, well, you don't look familiar. I thought maybe you were new to the island.

Me: Nooo.

As we sit down, I ask Joe, "what do we look like, rubes or something?"