Fisherman Sweater

Fisherman Sweater by desertgirls featuring printed scarves

I think a good fisherman sweater is a closet staple that every girl needs.  Who doesn't have those mornings when you want to just throw on something you know is comfy, cozy, and still chic?  A good fisherman's sweater is all that.  Pair it with skinny jeans, a classic boot, a gorgeous scarf, and just for fun- a nautical inspired ring to complete the look and you're good to go!

Day 19~ I am thankful for my Dad being such a willing Mr. Fix-It.  He is always coming over to my house and helping me with projects, such as winterizing my swamp cooler and most recently, fixing my garbage disposal.  He is truly someone I am thankful for!

~Lori

Advent Calendars

Day 17~  I am thankful that the Cat and I have gotten to travel, go to museums, plays, musicals, and other cultural and social events that have opened our eyes to the world and brought so much depth and experience to our lives.

This year, I have decided to make the Cat an Advent calendar.  My sister bought her boys some really cute Lego calendars, but she couldn't find anything appropriate for my niece, who has a severe peanut allergy  and can't eat most of the candy that comes in your run of the mill advent calendar.  So she is making one too.

I remember one time I was Christmas shopping with my mother-in-law, and we were at Pottery Barn, and she pointed to a beautiful, expensive advent calendar and said something about it.  I had never really paid much attention to advent calendars before, but I thought the Pottery Barn one was nice and I wanted to make an appropriate agreement/response to her comment, so I said something about how I didn't like the little calendars you can get with the cheap chocolate, blah blah blah.  Again, let me remind you, I had never really thought twice about any advent calendar, having never gotten one or given one.  I just wanted to contribute to the conversation.  So who cares, you say?  What's the point of your story, you ask?  Well, right after I said that, my mother-in-law informed me that she had bought one of those "cheap chocolate advent calendars" for the Cat.  I felt like the biggest jerk ever- I still feel bad about that comment, 8 years later!  And she isn't even my mother-in-law anymore!  I hate that I offended her, and I hate it even more because I didn't even really mean it!  This, my friends, is why you should always be honest.

There.  Didn't know you were going to come here today and get some solid life advice, did you?  Well, there you have it.  We aim to please here at DGV.  (Let it be noted that I have a head cold and I took some night time cold medicine shortly before beginning this post.)

So.  On to the advent calendars.  I am planning on making one for the Cat this year, and there are so many fabulous ideas out there (thank you, Pinterest!) that I am having a hard time deciding which direction I want to go in.  I'd better hurry up and decide, though, because it'll be time to start using it pretty soon.  One thing I do know- it will not contain just gifts.  She gets enough stuff during the year, at her birthday, and at Christmas.  We talked about it and she is making little notes and gifts for me to open as well, and we will take turns.  I am also going to stick a couple of presents for the dog and the cat in there on one of the days, since Big Cat always wants to buy  Christmas gifts for the pets anyway.  And I will put in things for us to do that will help others, like bringing her teachers a coffee and donating a gift to the Toys for Tots program.

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If I ever decide what idea to go with, I will be sure to post it.  I'm looking forward to it, actually.  And I do have a whole week off to work on it, so no excuses!

Have a great weekend!

~Lori

Inspiration: Matchbook Magazine (Again!)

It is no secret that I love Matchbook magazine.  I've talked about it before.  They've changed the look of their site (I'm not always a big fan of change, so I am still getting used to this), but I still love it.  As in adore.  The newest issue is out now, and I wanted to share with you one of my favorite features from the magazine.  They always give you 10 things you don't know about (insert some fabulous person here), which I love.  And they always do a more in-depth piece on some fantastic, legendary lady, like Josephine Baker or Rita Hayworth.  It is the companion piece to those articles that I wish I would have thought of myself, for this blog. 

image via Matchbook Mag, June 2012 Issue

I love how they re imagine the subject of their article for "a new age".  It's so clever.  Rebecca and I have done something similar, but we have used literature (and I promise we were doing this before I knew about the Matchbook version!)

image via Matchbook Mag, August 2012 Issue

Too cute.  If you are interested in any of the products featured in either spread, I've included the links to the correct issue, where they have all the information you'll need.

So anyway, seeing the latest re-imagined piece for the newest issue reminded me of how much fun it was for our literary versions, so I've decided to set that as a goal for myself, to create more posts like that.

Day 13~
I am thankful that I have a home to call my own.

~Lori

Sweet Spot Sunday: Peanut Butter Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

I made some rice krispie treats a couple of weeks ago (from a recipe I'd seen on pinterest), and then made them again Halloween night to bring to another friend's house so we could scarf them down (protein, right?!) before trick-or-treating.  I tweaked the recipe a little, and in my humble opinion, they were pretty good.  Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

photo by Kim Trzyna Photography
This photo makes me hungry just looking at it.

Peanut Butter Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
recipe adapted from Key Ingredient

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 10 oz bag of mini marshmallows
 (or regular size marshmallows)
1 tablespoon vanilla
about 2 + 1/2 - 3 cups peanut butter, divided
7 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 14 oz bag unwrapped caramels
-or- use the sea salt caramels from Trader Joe's
2-3 tablespoons water
1 12 oz bag dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Directions
Butter a 9x13 pan.  Place 3 tablespoons of butter and the bag of marshmallows into a microwave safe bowl; heat for a minute, stir, add vanilla and 1/2-1 cup peanut butter to marshmallows (this is one of the most important steps- add the peanut butter to the rice krispie treats, people!  Trust me!), continue to heat at 30 second intervals, stirring to mix all ingredients.  (You can also do this on the stove if you prefer.)  Add the rice krispie cereal until it is completely coated.  Put the mixture into the buttered 9x13 pan.  Place in fridge.

In a saucepan over low heat, add the caramels and water.  Stir until smooth, add 1 cup of peanut butter.  Take rice krispies out of the fridge, pour the peanut butter caramel mixture over the rice krispies until evenly covered, and place back into the fridge to set.

In another saucepan, melt the bag of chocolates over low heat (you can use a double boiler if you want to, but if you keep an eye on the chocolate and stir constantly, you won't need to).  Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, add the remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter.  Pour this mixture over the caramel/rice krispie mixture and set it back in the fridge until the chocolate is set.  When you're ready to devour the whole pan in one sitting, go ahead and take them out of the fridge and cut them up.

Enjoy!

Day 11~
I am thankful that the Cat has had the opportunity to get to know her great grandparents, and to hear stories from my grandfather (we call him Ging!) about when he was young, growing up in the 20s and 30s.  I love hearing his stories too!

~Lori

Freaky Find Friday

Day 9~
I am thankful that I have a great extended family, and that I grew up with cousins who are more like siblings. Even though we are separated by miles and in some cases states, I know they'd be there for me in a heartbeat if I ever needed anything.

Now for my freaky find.  This is another little lady I found at the Salvation Army.  What is it with people wanting creepy little statues?

Oh, look, she is missing a sock and her abnormally large foot is on display for everyone to see.  How sweet?!  And don't forget that little bear, with the somewhat evil, demonic grin staring out at you as if to say, "Come at me, bro."

Have a great Friday; this creepy baby demands it.

~Lori

Outfit of the Day: Chambray and Red

Day 7~

I am thankful that I have a job that I love and enjoy. I get to introduce class after class to some of my favorite classic authors and to pieces of literature that I love.

Okay.  Here is my outfit of the day. 

Even in the desert, we have beautiful little lakes.  Just don't get too close to the water; you might turn green!

I am loving this look- red cigarette jeans, a fitted chambray shirt, and a great grey neutral sweater in case it gets a little cold.

I got this great sweater at H&M for free, people! For free! (The sweaters were buy one get one free, and I saw this at the last minute and grabbed it off the hanger. I didn't try it on until I got home, but luckily it fit!)  I have been loving my navy pumps lately; they are a perfect neutral. 

A big thank you to Kim Trzyna Photography for the fantastic outfit shots!

Shirt: Forever 21

Sweater: H&M

Red Pants: Asos

Shoes: Sofft

Bracelet:  Mine.  (All mine.)

~Lori

New in at Anthro and 30 Days of Thankful

This past week I received the new Anthropologie catalog in the mail (ahhh, the benefits of getting the mail in a timely manner and not letting it pile up for weeks).  Have you seen it?  It is pretty gorgeous, full of beautiful golds and sparkles and gorgeous textures for the winter season.  (Some of the looks would be gorgeous at, say, a White Winter party?!)

First, I adore the cute little fox running behind the chair in the first picture.  Second, I love how a simple belt can transform an entire look.  I think the best word to describe this whole catalog is ethereal.

Antlers are still going strong in the decorating world, but now we are seeing actual antlers all over the place.
The key to these kinds of things being okay to sell (and therefore okay to buy) is that they must have been naturally shed antlers.  No killing/hunting/maiming involved.  I like the look of these dip-dyed antlers; so much so that if I had a pair of naturally shed antlers lying around, I would be all over this as a DIY.  Mine would include some of the new gold paint I just picked up though.

So, those are two of my favorite pages from the catalog... but there is a ton of stuff that is gorgeous that I would pick up in a heartbeat if I didn't have to worry about this little thing called money.

Next order of business...  (Completely switching gears here.)

Even though I am a little late in starting, I thought I would start posting my 30 days of thankful.  A lot of my facebook friends are doing it over on facebook; I thought it would be fun to do that here.

I will post my thankful thoughts on the days that it is my turn to blog (and Rebecca has agreed to play along!).  

(First I will play a little game of catch up.)

Day 1- I am thankful for my little Cat, who means the world to me and gave me the drive and determination to put myself through school and become a teacher.  She makes my life better every. single. day. and I love her beyond all reasonableness.  

Day 2-  I am thankful for my parents, who have always, always, always been there for me and the Cat.

Day 3-  I am thankful for my siblings for making my childhood fun and challenging (and interesting).

Day 4-  I am thankful for all of my wonderful friends, past and present, new and old, who make my life so much richer.

Day 5~

I am thankful to be working on this blog with Rebecca; I could not ask for a better partner in crime!

So how about you?  What are you thankful for?

~Lori