.wrapped.

m = morgan

I have had SUCH a fun time wrapping gifts this year. Seriously. 

It could be that I have a fetish for all things stationary, or that I am on vacation and have a little extra time on my hands, or maybe even that I am getting a little more creative in the crafting department.....who knows....but I do know that this weekend I was covered in bows, ribbon, craft paper, and tape.

I also most certainly think pinterest didn't help matters with all those pretty present pictures floating around, but there I was the other night. Just wrapping away.

{this is where I was thinking about busting out a few rap lyrics for you to play on the "wrapping" pun, but I got nothing...and the little rap that I do know has a lot of pussy cats in it, if you know what I mean.....}

So here's a few pictures of my pretty presents this year. I used plain craft paper {that is, until I ran out of it!} and a lot of ribbons.
I also didn't use many name tags, just stickers with the recipient's letter on it.

All in all, I'm pretty pleases with them and hope you like them too.

k = kelsey

**And check back later when I finally have my video tutorial edited on how to make your very own pretty chiffon flowers to add to your presents! Cute and Super personalized! Will be done tonight. xx

.12 Days of Christmas.

My beautiful friend Fiona {that lovely lady above}, and I always exchange Christmas gifts. We have since we met so many moons ago. It's actually one of the gifts that I am most excited about giving and receiving. See, we both know each other extremely well, and there's always an exciting theme or idea behind our gifts. So for this year, I decided to go with the 12 Days of Christmas.

Pretty simple really, just attach a tag with this corresponding line on it...."On the 1st Day of Christmas my True Friend gave to me, a Partridge in a Pear Tree.....OR......{and this is where you get to be creative. You find something that can finish that line. For example, mine was:

example: "On the 1st Day of Christmas my True Friend gave to me, a Partridge in a Pear Tree.....OR.....pear lip balm!

And so on, and so on.

Now, I was a little hesitant on all the "little" things, instead of going for a "big ticket item", but it was a really fun day of shopping for me, and I think Fi really enjoyed all the gifts as well.

Here's the rest of my presents and the tag line I attached to each gift {just in case they where a little out there and she couldn't see the correspondence to each gift}

.Episode 2.

Haha, they did it again. And I can point out at least a handful of my own words in this one. Oh dear.

.Breakfast with your Lover.

I do apologize for this picture. It was early morning {that's my only excuse!}

Like I mentioned here. It was husband's birthday on sunday. And I slept in.....missing all the big plans I had on becoming super wife for the day. Bad Erinn.
So I made this for P on monday morning. It might look like slop, but it was actually a tasty, warm-your-stomach kind of breakfast that is perfect to eat on the couch and watch reruns of Seinfeld.
So we did that too.
{and ps. some say that cinnamon is a natural aphrodisiac.....just saying!}

Cinnamon-Swirl Breakfast Bread Pudding

{recipe by katie lee from 'the comfort table' cookbook}

It is said that the Queen of Sheba used cinnamon to mesmerize King Solomon. So it has power. Prepare this bread pudding ahead of time so that in the morning, all you have to do is turn on the oven.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1½ cups milk

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ loaf day-old bread, cut into cubes

¼ cup pecans, chopped

Nonstick cooking spray

Maple syrup

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and whisk until all the ingredients are completely incorporated. 

2. Stir the bread and pecans into the egg mixture. Coat an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

3. Pour in the bread pudding, and cover with foil. Let sit in the refrigerator at least one hour and up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

4. Bake the bread pudding, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake an additional 10 minutes, until the pudding is browned. Pour maple syrup all over your bread pudding. I like to soak mine, but you can add as much as you like.
**And actually now that I think of it, this would make an excellent meal for Christmas morning. And it makes your house smell delicious!

.Crantini.

This cocktail recipe is actually for a special request I had when I did this post on making your own infused Cranberry-Lime Vodka. 

I know a few people are making the vodka and giving them out as Christmas gifts {awesome idea!} over the holiday season and what better way to dress up your infused vodka, than by adding a cute christmas tag with a recipe for Crantini's!

So, here you go new Friend. I hope this is what you were looking for :)

Crantini's

{I adapted the recipe below, but the original can be found here}

Ingredients:

1/2 oz. Triple Sec

1 1/2 oz. Cranberry-Lime Infused vodka {OR regular Vodka}

4 oz. Cranberry juice

Ice

1 tbsp Frozen Limeade Concentrate {OPTIONAL, but recommended}

Directions:

1} Throw all ingredients into a martini shaker with ice, and shake well. Strain the ice cubes and serve in a cute martini glass garnished with cranberries floating it or a lime peel curl.