Monday, October 24, 2011

cake day.

Listening To: Don't Forget to Write by Burlap to Cashmere
Lyric Obsession: "I am at ease/ the ocean's near/ the sun is sinking. The moon is tame, the fever's gone and I feel fine ..." 



Hey beauties (& beastlies). I owe you a proper post, and I have some fun ones coming. There's some giveaway action and also a post about something rather ... unusual that I found in my brother's car. I'm also writing about dangerous books and why I love them so much. I wanted to post that one in time for Banned Books Week, but it wasn't ready yet. Many of these-here-blog-posts are written every bit as quickly as they seem, but I let other posts simmer for a while before I share them. In the kitchen of metaphors, my blog is a ginormous stove and my posts are all boiling and bubbling and catching fire. Some are ready before others. Some = Flambe!

Speaking of kitchen fires.

Did I mention I'm making dessert for a get-together tonight? Cooking isn't my savvy, but I sometimes like to bake. Sometimes. I like the exactness of baking, which is a bizarre realization I've come to. (Note: I like the exactness of baking when it works. I hate it when I follow the directions to a fault and I end up with flopsy-crapsy-cake-stuff.) That's not to say my baking adventures ever go well, but, lucky for you, they usually do make for some fun blog entries. So I'll be sure and show you pictures of my catastrophe creation. I'm making a caramel cake for tonight; because it's seasonal (and not pumpkin) and the icing is amazing (it cools to a fudgy consistency) and the color is so pretty. Caramel cake tastes kinda special but it's actually not hard to make. Not usually. Not always. *fingers crossed*


While I go make a cake, I wanted to share some fun links with you:


- My very dear (and far too adorable) friend, Lola, officially became a naturalized US Citizen! Confetti! Lola's co-workers gave her a cookie cake to celebrate:



When I saw the picture I was all, "What's congrade?" But I see now that it reads: congrads. Congrats/Congrads/whatever (seriously - I'm not a stickler for spelling). In fact, I feel like this cookie-cake-writer is a kindred spirit. This is how it looks when I try to write with icing too. I usually write "Happy Bir..." and then I get bored and squirt the rest of the icing onto the surface, so that it might congeal into a gooey heap of awesome. I like my cake decorations abstract.

For serious though, Lola has such a cool concept of culture and home and what it means to find your place in this world. She's a born adventurer. I love her dearly.


- The dark circles under my eyes right now are most likely the product of age come courtesy of my friend Jenny B. Jones and her compulsively readable new novel


There You'll Find Me came out this month, but you probably know that already. And you know that it's amazing and sad and sweet and hilarious and romantic. I'm trying not to say anything else about it right now, because I'm doing a separate post about There You'll Find Me (and giving away a signed copy! Yowza!). But I have a hard time not gushing about it. For now, I can most assuredly say this: Finley's story will rock your soul. I can't believe how hard her story pulled me in. This book is a keeper. Scrape the change out of your floorboards for this book. Give up Starbucks for a week so you can buy this book. Trust me. (Did you catch what I just said? That the story is better-than-Starbucks good?) I finished my copy very, very early this morning and I can't stop thinking about the people. I miss the characters already.


- In other book news, I read the sneak peak of Maggie's Stiefvater's new novel, The Scorpio Races, and I have come to the following conclusions: 1.) I will buy it and 2.) it will probably freak me out and 3.) Maggie Stiefvater could write about tap-dancing earthworms and it would still read as gorgeous prose. She's ridiculously talented. The Scoripo Races is based somewhat on a scary legend/myth/sea-story I had never, ever heard of before. I think this book is totally Gaiman. By which I mean: it will be scary-pretty. Scary-pretty so much that I might have some busted dreams as a result, but alas.


- I loved reading about Mary Blair's Google Doodle. My favorite part is when they talk about how Mary Blair's work inspired the movie Up.


- This is my favorite thing that I've pinned recently. "The Beat-owls" is my second favorite recent pin. Heh. :) I feel like I don't understand Pinterest though. Because while most people (normal people?) are pinning recipes and pictures of Duchess Kate, I'm pinning ... a picture of a T-Rex chasing a toddler and instructions on how to make a lego ornament that looks like The Death Star. I'm really not as bizarre as my Pinterest would lead you to believe.


- I watched a new TV show called "Once Upon a Time" last night and I thought it was super fun. I love re-tellings of fairy-tales, so I had a hunch I would be into it. Did you catch it? Think you'll keep watching? I've also seen "The New Girl," and I like it a lot. But my absolute-favorite new show (so far) is called Person of Interest, starring Jim Caviezel. I can never remember the name of the show so I've been calling it The Jim Caviezel Show. (I've loved Jim C. since "Frequency." That's one of my favorite movies ever.) "Person of Interest" = Oh. My. Lanta. GOOD. It's a mash-up of revenge and who-dunnit and story and action. The motive behind what the lead character does is what really intrigues me (unless I've missed something, his motive is only being revealed in pieces). If you watched, and adored, "Alias" (I have every season on DVD) (don't judge me), then you need to give The Jim Caviezel Show a whirl. It is quite intense. And he's such a great actor for a part like this: smart and tough and fearless. Sometimes (well ... most times) he looks crazy handsome. But sometimes he just looks downright-psycho-crazy. There are so many emotions that play across that man's face during an episode. There is no love story in this show (not yet) (well ... not exactly) and it's lots of punchy action; very Bourne Identity-esc. I'm all over it. (I also like the show "Unforgettable" but I still can't decide if it's because I truly like the show or if I'm just crazy-go-nuts about Poppy Montgomery's hair.) Are you watching anything exciting this Fall that I need to DVR?

- I'm hanging out with my bffSarah this week and we're commencing in our annual Halloween Festivities of Awesomeness. I cannot tell you exactly what we're doing. But I can tell you that I'm pretty sure we'll be running through Trevor Bayne's mind this week. Zing. (Unless it rains. If it rains, we're totally just staying in and watching Hocus Pocus and eating candy.) Do you every do the corn maze thing? They're weirdly fun, yes? We're professionals so I'm estimating it will take us 3.5 minutes to solve The Bayne Maze. (PS, while I know zilch about racing, Trevor Bayne seems like a great guy.)

Also ....


- I really want to see the new Puss in Boots movie. And I even-more-really, really want to see this:




This bracelet is gorgeous. And I want on my wrist.


- And this song is beautiful. And I want to keep it in my heart:



Welcome back, Burlap to Cashmere! I have missed you so.


I'll be back later this week with pictures of my caramel catastrophe. How was your week? Reading anything awesome? Doing some fun adventuring? I would love to hear what's new with you!

11 comments:

  1. having your own google doodle would rock.
    i kinda wanted to watch Once Upon A Time, but we have church every sunday night and we still live in the stone age here, no DVR or tivo (i'm actually recording on a VHS tonight, the Sing Off while i'm at dance class)so PB and I were thinking on demand or just waiting for the DVD, we love to watch shows once they've ended, or have been going on for a while and play catch up during off seasons. see, when we find something we like we tend to go all out and waiting a week doesn't work for us, it's more like 'let's watch at least two episodes almost every night until we get this show done'.
    corn mazes seem scary to me, but i'd be willing to try it, with certain people. one of my best friend's is an eagle scout so i'd think i'd like him there in case we got totally lost he could use the sky to help us find our way to freedom.
    i love halloween, it's probably my favorite holiday, this saturday is the fall festival at church which will be great fun and i plan on watching some halloween tv specials and my favorite alfred hitchcock film 'rope'.
    good luck with your cake!

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  2. I'm watching Once Upon a Time right this second on Hulu. My new favorite show is Pan Am. I love the 60s feel, as well as the adventuring all over the world.

    The Scorpio Races looks like such an amazing book. I'll have to order it from Amazon when I get home today.

    Have a lovely week, Natalie!

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  3. I can't wait to read There You'll Find Me! Yay for giveaways! Maybe I'll actually win something this time...
    Oooohh, caramel cake? That sounds really yummy right now. You'll do good. :)

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  4. I also thought it said "congrade." :)

    I really want to see "Once Upon a Time." I'll have to find it online, though. I've been excited about it for a long time. I'm also watching "Pan Am," (I totally just typed Pam Am) which I love, but I think I'm one (two?) episodes behind.

    I am still trying to switch from vacation mode to real life mode. And trying not to automatically slip into Christmas mode, even though it's really hard. Because I'm getting the Michael Buble Christmas CD tomorrow. And how can I buy it and not listen to it for two weeks or so?

    ~Kristin

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  5. I just finished reading There You'll Find Me! I loved it! I haven't read any of Jenny B. Jones' other stuff, but I plan to. :)

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  6. I've been telling everyone about Once Upon a Time since watching it last night, as well as recommending There You'll Find Me since I finished reading it a few weeks ago. They have little to do with one another but they both rock. And Burlap to Cashmere has new stuff? That's intriguing.

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  7. My teens at the library have been raving about The Scorpio Races, so I need to get my hands on it ASAP! And I need to read Jenny's new book-I can't wait!:)

    I watched Once Upon a Time. I liked it, but as my husband pointed out, it might be better suited for a movie instead of a TV show. I'm not sure where exactly they're going to go with it. But I'm interested. I'm also interested in Grimm so I'll be watching that one too, although it's a darker fairy tale take. I'm watching Ringer-don't know why-it's terrible, but it sucked me in! And I love New Girl-so funny and I think it's my favorite show of the new season. I've also been watching Pan Am, mostly for the 60's setting, but I'm still not sure what I think of it. And of course, Modern Family, because that show cracks me up!:) I'll have to see if I can catch up on Person of Interest.

    Wow-that's a lot of TV talk!! So, onto books. Have you read Entwined? You need to since you love fairy tales!!:)

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  8. I love New Girl! And really want to read the Scorpio Races.

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  9. LF, I love that you still have a VCR. Those rock my world! And I think it's smart to wait until a series ends to watch it all. I hate cliffy endings. And I have a feeling Once Upon a Time probably won't last beyond a season (it was fun but I don't see how the story could stretch on forever and ever). I love Halloween too and fall festivals at church are the BEST! Candy and costumes should be a fixture at every celebration. I think. :) I've never seen 'Rope'. I get creeped out easily. Will it creep me out too much?

    Katie, I haven't seen Pan Am but I think it's so fun that the style in shows like that is trending. The adventuring would be a big draw for me too. I bet flight attendants have amazing stories to tell. Read the Scorpio Races before I do and let me know if it's worth it to be so scared. (I'm seeing a recurring theme in these comments, and that's that you all are so much braver than me ...)

    Michaela, you'll love the book. And I'm with you - I don't win stuff either. We shall press on together! :) Thanks for the lucky cake vibes. It turned out delicious!

    Kristin, you play your Michael Buble with pride! :) I just realized today is two months until Christmas. How weird. And weirdly wonderful. I also find it very, very difficult not to dork out too early. (I also think it is never too early.) Glad your vacation was so fun :) (I love the pics you're posting!)

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  10. Amy, you will love her stuff. I'm so excited that you're reading it all for the first time. Her novels for women are incredible too (same kind of funny and sweet and sad and romantic ... just a bit more grown-up). Let me know what you think of them!

    Leigh, my brother says the new Burlap stuff is great. I haven't listened to much of it yet because I'm so into this first song (I wear songs out like this) but I have high hopes. That was such a great time for CCM wasn't it?

    GBTQ, I think your husband is right. I like the idea of the show but I don't know how they can stretch it past a season. It looks like they're going to talk about the "real" story behind the fairy-tales (right?). I definitely think that would work better as a mini-series, but maybe I'll be surprised. Modern Family is HILARIOUS. I've only seen a few episodes (I just don't remember when it comes on) but it was great. I haven't read Entwined, but I will definitely check it out. I love the cover of that book.

    A.J., I'm into New Girl too - I think Zooey D. does such a great job of being sweet and lovable and nerdy. Sometimes actresses don't convincingly pull off the dork-factor for me, but she does and I love her for it. The episode where she finally picked up her stuff from that guy's apartment was hilarious!

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  11. We ended up watching Once Upon a Time last night on demand, it was kinda interesting. I see what you mean though about it not lasting long, I am worried though, it's from the creators of Lost, what if we get all the way through it and none of it makes sense?
    Rope isn't that creepy, I mean it's Hitchcock but not like The Man Who Knew Too Much, that was a little unnerving, and I've yet to see Pyscho but I really want to, I like to be somewhat afraid.
    Rope is based on a play so there's like 8 characters and four rooms in the whole movie. It's about this crazy dude and his friend that kill their friend and then have all of there mutual friends over for a party with his body still in the room for "excitement" it sounds way worse than it is, it's got Jimmy Stewart in it and a really awesome ending. Plus unlike most Hitchcock films it's only an hour and 20 minutes, it doesn't drag on and on making you forget that you need to be freaking out. I like it.
    LF

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