Panorama Point Snowshoe

Last week I headed out to Mount Rainier National Park 

with three good friends for some snowshoeing. 

Trail Snail blogged about Panorama Point, and I just had to go. 

Fortunately it was the perfect day - the weather was BEAUTIFUL. 

The view from the top was breathtaking: 

I even made a little video of the view! 

I also have one more video of the boys frolicking in the snow: 

Seriously one of the best days ever. 
And to top it all off we got to eat delicious tacos 
for dinner with Don and Kathleen! Thank you! 

27 Before 28

In lieu of New Year's resolutions, 

I finished my list of goals to accomplish before my next birthday: 27 before 28. 

Go take a look and let me know if you want to join in on the fun! 

A Review of 27

I FINALLY DID IT. 

What did I do? 

I finished making my 27 before 28 list 
(even though I turned 27 nearly two months ago). 

I learned that it is really hard to make a list that big. 

And it will only get harder every year. 

But before I reveal my new list... 

let's recap my year of being 27, shall we? 

1. get that tattoo I've been wanting

2. backpack on the Olympic Peninsula

3. take a roadtrip - does Portland count? :)

4. visit Jason in Michigan - such a fun trip! 

5. adopt two kittens (Dean and Bobby) - BEST LIST ITEM EVER

6. get a massage - decided I don't really want one, I know, I'm a freak of nature 

7. daytrip to Portland

8. take a photo walk once a month - that didn't last

9. get out of debt - still working on that one...

10. take an art class - done, and discovered I didn't like it. 

11. camp on the coast 

12. attend Sasquatch - epic weekend. 

13. paint every blank canvas I have - I did it! 

14. host a 60's themed cocktail party - never happened, but I'm attended a Mad Men themed NYE party which totally fulfills this wish! 

15. grow my own veggies  - this was so fun, I can't wait to do it again next year. 

16. can jam - strawberry rhubarb this year 

17. buy a road bike (Betty!) 

18. volunteer (Wild Things Auction, Vegfest...) 

19. start a masters program - started in June and going strong! 

20. cover a wall with square photos - the photos are ready to go, onto next year's list! 

21. read the LOTR trilogy - halfway there, onto next year's list! 

22. keep an art journal - never got to this but that's ok

23. host a holiday tea party - this was fun! 

24. hike Mailbox peak - moved onto next year's list... 

25. organize my craft supplies - Done! 

26. plan an epic 11/11/11 birthday party - I didn't do much in the way of planning, but thanks to my AMAZING FRIENDS it turned out to be pretty epic. Thanks, friends!  

27 was a fun year! Stay tuned for the new list...

Reading Obsession

Ask any of my friends how I felt about the Hunger Games before I read it. 

They will tell you how I thought it sounded far too morbid 

and how I didn't really want to read it it.  

However, it was a book club book, so I tried. 

By the time I got to the second half, I was HOOKED. 

So if you are having doubts, give it a try... 

I finished the book on the 25th, 

read the second book on the 26th, 

and read the third book on the 27th. 

While reading the third book I couldn't even take breaks to eat 

and realized when I finished the book at 6:30pm that I hadn't eaten all day. 

I haven't been this obsessed with reading since Harry Potter! 

However...now I'm done. I am SO SAD that I'm done. 

I don't even know what to do with myself after three days of reading. 
If you start them, be prepared to set your life aside for a bit. 
And I highly recommend you start them... 

  

xmas recap

 This was the first year my family spent Christmas 

at our beach house on Whidbey Island. 

We decorated a tree on Christmas eve and my mom decorated 

with natural greenery. Doesn't it look pretty? 

 It was a nice, low-key getaway. 

I made sugar cookies and strata. 

My aunt and uncle came up for Christmas dinner, 

and my aunt and I worked on a jigsaw puzzle. 

My mom made these cute little jar "snow globes" based 

on some she saw at Pottery Barn. Aren't they adorable??? 

I'll be on the hunt for some vintage jar lids like the one she used here. 

Santa was super generous, as always. 

Among the highlights were a little electric fireplace for my house 

and a Kindle Fire, which I didn't dare ask for but am so obsessed with already. 

I have spent the past two days reading...more on that in another post ;) 

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays - I can't help but feel they're going too fast. 

Smoked Salmon Strata

As you may or may not remember from last year, 

I make strata every year for Christmas morning. 

This year I was gifted some smoked salmon 

(thanks, Don!) so I made a 

Smoked Salmon Strata with leeks and goat cheese 

based on this recipe from Chateau Ste. Michelle. 

This would be excellent any time of year. 

Ingredients:

4 c. half inch cubed baguette 

1 T. butter 

1 T. olive oil 

1 shallot, finely chopped 

1 leek, quartered and thinly sliced  

1 clove garlic, minced 

8 oz. smoked salmon

6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled 

2 T. fresh chopped tarragon 

4 eggs 

2 c. half and half 

zest of one lemon, grated 

1/2 t. salt 

1/4 t. pepper 

Step 1: Butter a large baking dish (anywhere from 8x8 - 13x9, 

depending on how thick you want the strata). 

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a pan and saute the 

garlic, leek and shallot for a couple minutes over medium-high heat. 

Step 2: In a large bowl, toss the mixture from the pan in with the bread cubes. 

Shred the smoked salmon (remove the skin) and add it to 

the bread along with the goat cheese and tarragon. Toss to combine. 

Step 3: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, 

half and half, lemon zest, salt and pepper. 

Pour the egg mixture over the break mixture and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. 

Step 4: Very gently stir the mixture a couple times and pour it into the baking dish. 

It can be placed in the refrigerator until the next day or baked immediately. 

Step 5: If refrigerated, allow the strata to rest for 30 minutes at 

room temperature before baking. Bake at 350 in a water bath 

for about 30-40 minutes (this will depend on the size of 

pan/thickness of strata you chose). My 13x9 pan took 40 minutes. 

You want the custard to be set and the top to be lightly browned. 

This dish reminds me of stuffing, one of the best Thanksgiving foods ever. 

But it's for breakfast! Love it.  

It's a holiday!

For those of you celebrating today I hope you have a lovely day 

with family and friends (and hopefully cats!). 

There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Are you someone who loves to look in other people's windows at night? 

Not to see the actual people, but to see how they decorate? 

Especially during the holidays? 

Well, I am. I love seeing the Christmas trees and holiday lights in the windows. 

So here is a little peek into my home this holiday season... 

I found these (somewhat creepy) snowmen at an estate sale. 

The trees were from Ebay last year. 

This garland was created with some reindeer ornaments 

and pretty ribbon from Ben Franklin. 

A few of my favorite things: 

lots of trees, a camera, and my sewing machine. 

The little chalet was found at an estate sale. 

You may know these as brazil nuts, 

but to me they will always be "beast nuts". 

An old joke among friends and now a holiday tradition to display. 

The presents are all wrapped and under the tree (finally!). 

The kitties are enjoying their Christmas beds I made. 

It's pretty cozy around here. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Pet Bed DIY

My kitties should only be getting coal for Christmas this year, 

but they would just make more of a mess batting that around. 

So I decided to make them some little beds, instead. 

They love them! Here are the instructions in case you want to try it too: 

I found some feather bed samples for only $5 each 

at the Pacific Coast Outlet in SODO, so if you're in Seattle 

I recommend dropping in. They are the perfect size for a cat or small dog. 

If you don't have access to these you could easily use a pillow. 

 Materials: 

sewing machine and thread 

good scissors 

measuring tape

pillow or feather bed sample 

soft fabric (I used an old fleece blanket from IKEA) 

trimmings (I used pompom fringe, wool felt, and embroidery thread) 

 Step 1: Measure the dimensions of your bed base 

(mine was 2"x16"x22"). Add one inch to each measurement 

when cutting your pieces to allow for a 1/2" seam allowance. 

(Notice Bobby already approves of my fabric choice). 

Step 2: Cut your pieces, remembering to add the extra inch (for example, 

the top piece of my bed was 22"x16" so I cut my piece to be 23"x17"). 

I made the bottom pieces overlap so that I could 

easily remove the cover for washing. I used my kitchen table 

to help with right angles and straight edges. 

As shown in the photo, you need: top piece, two long side pieces, 

two short side pieces, two bottom pieces that overlap by a few inches.  

Step 3: Pin the side pieces to the top piece. 

If you are using a trim, sandwich it in between the layers as you pin. 

 Step 4: Sew all of the edge pieces to the top piece. 

Then sew the edge pieces together. 

 Step 5: Make sure your trim is securely in place and 

resew edges if necessary. If you want to decorate the top, now is the time. 

I made a paper pattern and used it to cut my heart shape out of wool felt. 

Then I stitched it on the top of the bed using embroidery thread. 

Step 6: Fold over one long edge of each of your two overlapping 

bottom pieces and sew, as shown in the above photo.

 Step 7: Pin the bottom pieces to the edge pieces and sew. 

  Step 8: Now you have your completed cover! 

Thanks to the overlapping bottom pieces, 

it is easy to shove your bed base inside. 

 And voila! A comfy pet bed.