Exciting things that start with "P"

Namely presents and parties! And also a flood

Monday night I got home and found this waiting on my bed. My Secret Blogger gift!! Hooray!!

My lovely gifter was the absolutely adorable Mary of Undergrad Fab! 

And she sent me a wonderful box of goodies!!

How cute is that envelope!!!

Inside I first found this amazing hat! Seriously, there is not a more perfect hat in the world. Grey, beret, and giant ribbon bow? Yes, yes, and yes!

And then came this beautiful super dark blue nailpolish! I was prompt in trying it on (and doing a rather shoddy job at it!) and I love, love, love it!!

Also included were these lovely grey leg warmers, which was kind of amazing considering that I had just thought to myself that very day how a pair of leg warmers would be wonderful! They also allowed me to sleep in my skimpy nightgown because I really need to do laundry and it was stinking (and delightfully) cold!

I love this hat so much!

Thank you so much Mary! I love everything so much and I am so glad we got to "meet"! 

I've got a card heading your way too!
And thank you so much to Gerry for hosting this wonderful gift exchange!

Next up: The party!

I did take some pictures. But not many. I just got so involved in making, and taking, and eating yummy food, and laughing, and catching up and....

Basically it was wonderful! And I completely forgot to take a picture of what I wore even though I made a skirt for the event (But I'm wearing it for Christmas Day, so I'll take pictures then.).

I couldn't have asked for a better party, better food, and better company!

Charissa thinking she was fabulous :-)



Yummy treats- minus the cupcakes I forgot about until near the end of the party!



Drinks! Minus the wine we broke out. I felt really bad when I realized we drank four bottles of wine, but it was between 10 people, none of whom were driving, so I don't feel so bad about that!



Mulled cider! It was delicious! I used a mix my mom had from William Sonoma  and added a handful of whole cloves and some cinnamon sticks. The mix had some amazing flavours in it including hickory wood chips! But it was (and is) amazing!

Making stuff!

This is one of the things I made! I was inspired by this. It was really simple too, cardstock, ribbon, glue, and glitter! Not nearly as pretty as the original, but it'll do! I really want to make the little bobby pins now!

Best picture of the night!

L-R: Bri (communicating evilly with creepy Charissa!), Alicia (who's in town from Chicago, and who I dearly miss!), Sarah, Creepy Charissa, and the ever so lovely Hannah who seriously needs to start her own fashion blog! (hint hint Hannah!) Also in attendance (but not pictured here) were Delaney, Chelsea, Chelsea's friend Savannah, Delaney's friend Chandler, Hannah's sisters Mary, and Rebecca, Savannah's friend Amanda, and Jessica

Jessica make a bird headband. It turned out it was an alcoholic bird!

Another one of my creations!

It was such a wonderful night! Grace got to party with the big girls and told me today that my party was "total score." I have no idea where she got that phrase. I loved seeing what everyone created, even "uncrafty" Alicia made some beautiful things!

My dad and I were talking today about how sad it is that women don't get together anymore and do things with their hands. We watched a movie when I was a kid set in the Appalachias in the 1900's, in which one of the older women in the community told the young city girl "I find comfort in the company of Women."  Such a true statement, and one that is sadly neglected. I want to host these more often because they are just too much fun!

In other news, our back yard flooded. From the rain. California was not built for a week of straight rain. 

(I might be though.)

Yeah, that's the two inches that were outside the door. The lawn had about 5 inches or so.



Yup. That would be the patio...
it was pretty intense!

By the way I am taking the rest of the week off. I'll be back on Monday!!