Top Three. by Berkley Illustrations.

I may add Winnie Cooper as a close runner up,

but this is pretty much perfect.

I love you, Berkley Illustrations.

Find their Top Three print here.

Happy Tomatoes.

I have this tomato print {found on Etsy} hanging above my sink. It has become the perfect place for me to organize mealtime.

I don't like making the same thing for dinner over and over. I get bored easily and I want my family to eat good food, so I try new things a lot. Dinner time can be hectic, so I have a system.

The Happy Tomatoes.

I have a great collection of cookbooks (I love them), a binder with recipes I've ripped out of Food Network Magazine, a nice array of online recipe boxes from various websites, and food blogs bookmarked like crazy. These are my resources...plenty of them.

Every two weeks I make a new menu. I pick just one resource...one cookbook, or my binder, or a website, etc. This way I know where to find each recipe and I don't confuse myself.

Then I spend an hour or so picking out around 10 good recipes. I write them down (with a dry erase marker) on the happy tomatoes, and then right down all the ingredients I need on my grocery list. I try to find recipes with similar ingredients, to save money and not waste anything.

Then I pick 3-4 "flex" recipes from my head. You know, the easy quick ones you always remember. The ones you can whip together at the last minute.

I put a little circle by the recipes with the ingredients that will go bad quickly, so I remember to make those first (not pictured. I was lazy this week). There's nothing worse than buying green peppers just to throw them away a week later. ugh.

In the top right hand corner I write down some side dish ideas.

The bottom right is dessert, snack ideas.

So while I'm standing over the sink snarfing down a brownie after breakfast, I can choose what to make for dinner and I know I have the ingredients for it. I have a variety of recipes to choose from (which is good, I like choices...I might not feel like having Italian on Tuesday, or Pizza on Friday. Sometimes I want Rigatoni on Mexican Monday...you know? variety.), I know exactly where to find the recipe, and I can prep anything I know I'll need for the 5:00 dinner rush.

I'm happy.

My family's happy.

We have Happy Tomatoes.

Dani got an etch a sketch.

Joel Henriques

Laura gave me this link to Joel Henriques' Paper City. I love love it. {thanks, Laura}

His blog, made by joel, is even more awesome. I want to download and make everything. He has a book coming out in the Fall, perfect for a 2011 Christmas gift.

fyi. awesome.

Miss E. Designs

I love Elisha's shop, Miss E. Designs.

Her drawings are adorable.

Someone I know should get married soon so I can buy the bridal shower invitations.

i love michele maule.

michele maule.

amber alexander.

I need another room for the whimsical animal prints of AmberAlexander I'm loving. Wouldn't these look fabulous hanging in a row with big antique frames on a white wall; white curtains with old lace on the bottom; black and white check comforter on the bed with bright patterned pillows; and an old distressed turquoise or yellow dresser in the corner.

Mmmm.

i love heather ross.

Check out her new line, Far. Far Away, on her blog. I'm in love with it.

This is where I get serious about quilting. When I buy unicorns.

i love Cosas Minimas, by Blanca Gomez.

I'm going to pretend to buy these and pretend hang them in my pretend painted hallway, after I pretend to finish the laundry.

I just love looking at them.

Found her from Guest Mom Stephmodo on designmom.

check out Poppytalk Handmade.

coasters. handmade julz.

i wheelie like you. chewing the cud.

celebrate love. creative thursday.

tin heart. little black rabbit.

mermag Christmas giveaway! holy moly.

It's a giveaway extravaganza in the blogoshpere! My ultimate favorite mermag is giving away a personal portrait. I'm not lying.

And you'll have to go to mermag to find out the other most fabulous second prize if you link...duh. You gotta link.

I'm dying inside.

i appreciate this locket. very much.

penny farthing art locket.
found on bliss and followed it to dawanda.

dani L.

I'd like to introduce you to a new up-and coming artist on the indie scene. THis girl is fantastic. dani L. has such an honest, youthful flair in her art. Her creativity is unique, and uncontrollable.


It's in her soul.

you know I love a giveaway...

Put Scribbit on your bloggy schedule; I'm giving you time to plan ahead. And I'll follow up with a reminder. I'm promoting this because I can't stand it. And...I made Scribbit the beautiful buttons for you to put on your sidebar. Indulge me.

And add this on your calender, with a big red circle and a hand...like theirs. From Sew Mama Sew.

If you don't frequent the SewMamaSew Blog, then poo poo on you. This is the month to change your ways. They're posting cool homemade gift ideas each day of the month. An awesome place to support creative types. I love it. Oh, you know I love it. I get all gooey and hyperventilate about this stuff.

So plan ahead and take advantage of the cool free stuff! Maybe.

It's all about preparedness these days.

frame the alphabet on bloggy giveaways...

FrameTheAlphabet.com has free custom art on Bloggy Giveaways today!!

Seriously. You could win one. A $150 value, with your name on it.

Or whatever word you want...

Like Happy. Or Welcome. Or Cheesecake. Or Malapropism.

It ends Friday November 12.

I love this stuff.

what i get from an empty wall.

and a 50% off canvas sale.

mmm. yummy.

i love sarah jane studios.

for

good trade.
thanks, sarah.

john w golden.

I've talked about him before. I love his stuff.

mountain trees

a lament of the lost art of conversation

by order of the management series

two and a half spacemen



mmm. so great.