What a pretty idea from Martha Stewart - in Spain, it is a tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight to celebrate the new year. Just pop them on a skewer and you're ready to go. 
Check out this awesome idea for decorating your wall with fabric from Apartment Therapy. With just a little starch and water plus some cool lightweight fabric, you can make your own wallpaper that will stay up until you want to take it down - perfect for those renting their space, or the fickle. I so want to try this!
Check it out! Even people not related to me enjoy my handiwork! Children even! And those guys are honest you know. Here is a little friend of mine (and nephew of my friend Rebecca, a chef). His name is Gabi and here he is sporting his new handmade (by me) apron on Christmas morning.
Yay! I think he likes it!
Hmm. I wonder if I have time to make this by Thursday? With all of the Christmas hoopla I haven't even decided what I'm going to wear for New Years in a few short days! 
My cousin (whom I'm guessing won't be checking this blog over the next two days so it will still be a surprise. If not, hi Liam!) just bought a house in Texas so I thought he could definitely use a Cowboy boot shaped throw pillow. The final product came out OK but all those little corners were such hassle!
Wow I wonder if I can stomach the sight of ever seeing another cookie again. Probably. This weekend Julie and I spent the snowstorm baking up a crap load of cookies - peanut butter blossoms, chocolate chip cookies with candy canes, peppermint patty chocolate cookies and classic sugar cookies. 
Overall, a success! Our ingredients, assembled. 
Our first (and best looking) batch. I totally want a silicone cookie sheet liner now! Works like a dream. A blue, plastic dream.
All of our delicious soldiers lined up in a row. 
The final product all wrapped up and ready to go.
My nemesis. Rocky is a nice enough fellow but did try to thwart our baking attempts/steal my cookie cutters. But he couldn't stop delisciousness from happening! Overall, the peanut butter blossoms were best, and our sugar cookies were picture perfect (sort of.) 
Wow I was busy yesterday! I made a little assembly line and turned out three cute tote bags over the course of the afternoon (after baking until 1am the night before, and gearing up for tiling a table Sunday night - more on both later). They came out well and I can now cross three more items off of my Christmas to do list. I like the orange one the best, but the pink and green ones were selected with the intended recipients in mind. The fabrics are all so cool I don't have to wrap them in paper - I just tied a ribbon around them. Ta da!
Check out this previous post for more green wrapping ideas.
And here is another quilt patch for a group baby blanket effort. I finally got to do an Octopus, and got a little practice on sketching with thread which I want to try some more - Clutterpunk has a great tutorial about it to check out.
I'm back from my cruise - it was a ton of fun, and I didn't get sunburned thanks to SPF 50. 
I think I've stored up enough warmth and relaxation to get me through the winter. If not I will have to hitch a ride on my new friend to take me back to Mexico. Back to work, and to blogging for me!
Max the Croc
Hello! I will be away for a few days on a tropical birthday cruise so I'll post again next week. 
It really makes me feel lucky for what I have, and inspired to make do with less, especially during this hectic season.
My latest handy work! I made this owl bag to check off one of my December to-dos. I'd been wanting to make it for months (thanks to a tutorial at A Wednesday Afternoon 
The final installment of my food tour extravaganza is here! A month late, but who is counting? It also happens to be my favorite portion of the tour - Little Italy! 
Fresh gnocchi and pasta, mozzarella and other delicious cheeses, sundried tomatoes -yum!
I always thought Little Italy was just a tourist trap with no authentic Italian places left, but I was so wrong! While Italians might not live in the area, there are many businesses that have been there for decades and for good reason - they are delicious!
Our happy (and full) group posing for a final shot! Thank you Julie!
Here is another great trick to perform for out of towners to have them think you are the ultimate New Yorker: take them to Vanessa's Dumpling House. No frills, super crowded, but delicious and so cheap! 
Seriously! You can get 4 dumplings for $1! That is nuts. I fully support the insanity though, when it means a belly full of steamed veggie dumplings for a fraction of a $5 footlong. 
They cook them fresh right before your eyes! Plus - please try one of their sesame pancake sandwiches? They are amazing and only $ 2-$4 each. Unreal. I love this place and have already been back once since being introduced to it!
I wish I shopped in Chinatown more - you can get such great deals on incredibly fresh food! Its a little overwhelming...but worth it. 
Look at these pretty yellow tomatoes! And where else can you pick up a stalk or two of sugarcane?
However: if you come across one of these thorny beauties beware! The Durian, or King of All Fruit, is incredibly dangerous. 
In that it tastes like what I believe hell is like. Apparently, it is illegal to carry these on public transportation in Thailand, because once opened (quite a task) their scent is so pungent as to overwhelm other passengers. They look kind of cool, though. 
Are these not the most adorable baked goods you have seen in your life? Almost too cute to eat.
We stopped by Lucky King bakery to try some steamed buns - although some of our group were not a fan (Daniel) I thought they were great! Who knew black bean curd could make for a delightful dessert? 
I snagged a Chrysanthemum flavored ice tea juice box - it tasted pretty much like Julie's regular ice tea juice box. But it sure is fun to drink out of a juice box! 
I want to introduce you to one of my favorite stores in New York - Economy Candy! If you love candy like I do, or even just like it a little bit, you will be in awe of this place! (If you don't like candy you are weird.)
This place is bursting at the seams with sugar of all sort. The air smells like sweetness! Even if you have to squeeze your way through the packed aisles around tourists, its worth it.
This place is a delight for all ages - seriously. You must go here! Take your friends and family when they come to New York and they will think you are so cool for knowing about this place.
