This morning I was stopped in my tracks when I saw the breathtakingly beautiful photos of Sarah & Vincent’s wedding on 100 Layer Cake.  I am in love with her floral headpiece (which was made from vintage paper flowers by A Little Vintage) as well as all the paper details (the invite, menu, favor bags, etc).  The wedding was photographed by Charlotte Jenks Lewis; check out her portfolio here.

{images shown taken by Charlotte Jenks Lewis and found via 100 Layer Cake}

Saturday started out being so-so, stuck on the couch with a sniffly cold and watching endless DVR-ed episodes of Martha and Rick Steves (I bet that combination says a lot about me!) and watching the rain come down all afternoon, but that changed in the late evening.  My husband went to bring the trash outside and came back exclaiming, “Snow! SNOW! It’s snowing!”  I peeked out the window and sure enough, it was definitely snowing, even still falling when we went to bed.  Sunday morning, I woke up early to this gorgeous sight: the first snowfall of the season.

Hope you got to see some snow or do something festive this past weekend that put you in the holiday spirit!

{for more of my first snowfall photos, check out my Flickr}

Thanksgiving was held at our house last week and was lots of work, but well worth it.  There was so much food (oh my goodness, the leftovers) and lots of good times had by all.  I especially love how all of our family is together at Thanksgiving, not just my side but my husband’s family too… and to me, they’re all our family and all so special to us both.  There was lots of cooking and baking (I decided at the last minute to stick to my tried-and-true Oatmeal Raisin recipe but I do have to try Smitten Kitchen’s recipe soon) and of course, my favorite part was dessert.  My husband and I ordered a delicious turkey from Wholefoods and it was his first time carving the holiday bird (and he did a great job, thanks to a few videos from youtube!).

After Thanksgiving had officially passed this weekend, we decided to get going on Christmas decorations since it’s not that too far away.  We spent this past Sunday night relaxing in our pj’s and decorating the tree; or rather, I decorated it while my husband sat and read a book on the couch.  However, it was still a sublime evening with Christmas music playing, a fire blazing in the fireplace, homemade soup and hot apple cider for dinner, and our kitties joining us for the relaxing evening too.  It’s past all the hustle and bustle of the holidays to these special moments at home with my loved ones that I really enjoy and always pine for.

I hope you made lots of wonderful holiday memories with your family this past week too!

{for more of my photos, check out my Flickr}

This Thanksgiving I’m on baking duty: specifically cookie duty.  Not everyone is a huge pie person; wait, let me restate that.  I’m not a big pie person and only recently learned to like pie, but only apple, blueberry, and fruit-of-the-forest… no pecan or pumpkin for me (my sister would call that complete crazy talk).  With past Thanksgivings in mind where pie was the only option, I’m making some finger food desserts that are sure to please everyone, one of which will be oatmeal raisin cookies.  I have a great recipe already, but this one from Smitten Kitchen is making me think perhaps I can try an alternate.  My brother-in-law has been asking for me to bake oatmeal raisin cookies for about two years now, so they’ve got to be good (or else).  I think with my most recent recipe from Smitten Kitchen being a success, this one will definitely do the trick.

Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (via Smitten Kitchen)

{image shown belongs to Smitten Kitchen}

With fall winding down and cooling into winter (it’s not that far off), I’m enjoying these atmospheric images from bloom-grow-love’s Flickr group, Harvest.  Alicia Bock is such a talented photographer.  Check out her Etsy shop too.

{images shown belong to bloom-grow-love and Alicia Bock}

I am in awe of these photographed portraits of jellyfish, captured by Guido Mocafico (found via paper tastebuds).  He also has some stunnning images of snakes and incredible interpretations of traditional still lives.  Definitely look through his entire portfolio.

{images shown belong to Guido Mocafico}

Looking outside the trees are bare, the sky is grey, and the wind is howling.  But inside, I am toasty warm and cozy, thanks to my cup of fantastic hot cocoa.  I’m on a kick lately with making things from scratch, cutting out preservatives and any unnecessary ingredients, and hot cocoa is one of those things that is so simple to make I’m almost embarrassed I used the packet-stuff for so long.  Sugar, cocoa powder, and milk… that’s it!  I have a few cocoa powders that I love: Green & Black’s, Lake Champlain, and Droste (from Holland).  The following recipe is from the Droste box:

• 2 tsps cocoa powder
• 2 heaping tsps sugar
• 1 cup milk

Mix cocoa and sugar in a cup or mug.  Add just enough milk to stir into a paste.  Add hot milk and stir until mixed.  (*I heat the milk in a small saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly so the bottom doesn’t burn).

This is a super quick and easy way to make a fabulous cup of hot cocoa.  I’d say for me I have a cup in about 3-5 minutes, about the same time it takes to boil water for the packet-stuff.  I also use a battery-powered electric whisk to mix everything well and get a perfectly frothy top.  Definitely treat yourself to the good stuff… you won’t be going back.

{for more of my cooking photos, check out my Flickr}

Some stunningly gorgeous images from the Toast Autumn catalogue.  The colors of each photo are so beautifully paired, you’d think a painter worked as the photo stylist.  Not only am I daydreaming of wearing all of these clothes, but I will be forever lusting over a pair of dark green Hunter wellies… (sigh) someday.

{images shown belong to toast}

Had an amazing walk through the woods this afternoon and brought my camera along with me to capture the moment.  Foliage season is definitely over, but there’s plenty to still see.  Thank goodness I managed to enjoy the warm weather (it was 70°F!) while it lasts… temperatures should be going back to their normal chilliness by Thursday around here.

{for more of my november woods photos, check out my Flickr}

I’m currently checking to see which movie theaters near me are showing Bright Star, after seeing some gorgeous and atmospheric images of the movie via all the mountains.  IMDB synopsis says it’s “a drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats’ untimely death at age 25.”

If you know anything about me by now, it’s that this is exactly the type of movie I am beside myself to watch.  Period drama, gorgeous costumes and locations, the UK, romance, and heartbreak.  Le sigh.

{images shown via all the mountains; Bright Star released by Apparition}