The random zebra head

A resolution of mine is to clean and purge the house, and we came across this gem I purchased for fun in 2000.  Remember this sock puppet 'spokesman?'  The commercials for this now "dot-bomb" company were hilarious.

Even though the puppet is going for a whopping 99-cents at online auctions, I'll still hang onto him for nostalgia. 

However, this zebra thingymajig...not so much:

I don't even like zebras, and this is kinda freaking me out.

Now with 25% less silly

When calling out for a silly faces after enjoying a New Year's Day brunch with friends, three out of four cooperating children is considered successful:

Apparently, Griff just isn't into the ladies yet.

The million-dollar idea

Ever come across a product and thought either, "that could have been my million-dollar idea," or "really?!  This is actually packaged and sold?!"

I'm on the fence between both thoughts on this one that Wavey received at her school's gift swap:

I don't know what's better: that I can look no further in spending an entire afternoon painting rocks? Or that there is a perfect guide included to help me delight my family, friends and myself?

I'll be putting in a request for the hamburger rock, though the donut rock is a close second.

This is probably some federal offense

My sister Emily was apparently trying to get a laugh out of my local UPS driver who delivered this package to my home:

This probably payback for the time I mailed a package addressed to her attention at a ficticious "Smell-O-Rama" and she had to go to the post office in person to claim it. 

Heh-heh.

I smell bananas

The Gravy Kids loved all their Christmas presents, with exception to this one from one of their aunts:

Though the gift was certainly well-intentioned, I can't blame the kids from being a little freaked out by this "life-like" doll which moves on its own and makes monkey noises.  Griffin literally ran away from it.

The monkey is on my scary doll list now, too.

Ghosts of Christmas Past

Here's a photo taken on Christmas Day last year and there are few things going on that I'd like to point out.

1.  We had the world's most pathetic Christmas tree that would only hold one string of lights.

2.  Wavey had raging pneumonia and her excitement for the diagnosis is rather apparent.

3.  Toys exploded all over the family room by dusk.

4.  Griffin, the forever-peanut that he is, STILL fits into and wears those pants.

I'm taking a blogging break the rest of the week to enjoy the holidays with family, and I hope you have a great holiday as well.  I'll be back on Monday!  :)

He sees you when you're sleeping

My funny friend Holly thinks she's so hilarious by texting me photos of her "Elf on the Shelf" and his hiding places over the past few days.

You know, Holly, the more you make the elf alive, the more real he becomes. 

If tonight, while you're sleeping, you suddenly feel a tiny cold, plastic hand stroking your cheek and the smell of cheap red felt permeates the air, you'll know who's there.

Sleep well, Holly.  Sleep well.

Diaper champ

I'd like to take a moment to relish in the following award I am giving myself:

See, unlike most normal mothers, I avoid changing the #2-type mess of diaper-related functions as much as humanly possible.  There are times in which I have no choice but to attend to one, but if there's an alternative handler in the vicinity, I'll always tap out.

This, of course, comes at a price in that if I don't "do" diapers, then I must "do" something.  Griff has challenged me with this theory in the past 24-hours with a stomach bug that has rolled through him, leaving no stomach content behind. 

It breaks down like this:
Mother [+] Child [-] Dirty Diapers [=] Vomit Duty 

Fair enough.

Beware of dog

My friend Elise gave me this hilarious photo of her dog to work with for her holiday card.

And together, this is the design we landed on:

I {heart} dog people.

Are you there, Santa? It's me, doll phobia.

Questioning everything and never suspending disbelief, Wavey doesn't believe Santa is *watching* her at all times.  So, I briefly considered "The Elf on the Shelf" tradition until I came to my senses that it would completely freak ME out having this doll around the house.

Don't get me wrong, Wavey believes in Santa.  But she's only threatened by his knowledge of her fresh behaviors when I feign calling him on my cell phone.  She's ever-so-practical.

Still better than a lousy t-shirt

I saw the Pee-Wee Herman Show this weekend in New York City.  It was crazy-busy in the city with the holiday hustle, but fun nonetheless.

Of course, I had to get a PW souvenir at the show, but I won't tell you the racket I paid for these magnets:

Let's just say that for the price, the magnets should open my fridge for me, make dinner and clean the kitchen.

It's for research, I swear

I may have misrepresented needing to make 96 cookies for an upcoming party.  Because in reality, I pretend that I need to "experiment" with different cookie recipes, when really it's 2% testing and 98% self-indulgence, yielding approximately 96 kabillion cookies prior to the actual exchange.

Case study batch #2: Chocolate truffle cookie with peanut butter chips.

And can we talk about how over-the-cookie-moon I am to have been featured on Clover Lane yesterday?!  Pop over today and check out the Good Gravy! giveaway! 

Do the math, it's 96 cookies

This year's family cookie exchange will require participants to bring eight dozen cookies.  As most exchanges go, you take home an equivalent assortment of what you've brought.  96 cookies out, 96 cookies in. 

I don't know if our doctors will approve the family consumption of 96 cookies, but we'll manage.  And for the exchange, I'm leaning toward a holiday spice cookie recipe because I {heart} cinnamon. 

So, just in time for your own gift-giving/baking packages, I'm pleased to introduce new Good Gravy! scalloped gift labels (shown above) and scalloped gift tags (seen below)!

The tags and labels are customizable to any message you'd like, too.  So if it's jam you're gifting (try Above the Dam Jam from the goodness of Maine!), or just need some general "Merry Christmas" gift tags, these are perfect for your holiday packaging.

Now, onto my 96 cookies.  Please ignore the nibbled one in the corner.

Word from your muth'a

I'm a big fan of nerdy humor.  Which is why I'm most likely going to get this for t-shirt for Griffin, thanks the the funny dictionary people:

Another common phrase in our house is "Griffin, that diaper is to stay on!" but it's hardly something I'm ready to have advertised on a t-shirt.

"Gary" would have been a funnier name

A far cry from the weensy tree we got last year, my husband ventured out a little earlier this go-around and picked up a decently sized tree.

Growing up in Los Angeles, my tradition of getting a tree consisted of going to a hardware store parking lot and watching my parents buy a pre-cut tree for about $20. 

I still see no problem in paying someone else to do the dirty work of chopping and dragging a tree out of the woods, but my New England-hearty hubs cries "blasphemy!" and insists we (as in he) chop down a fresh one.  Fiiine.

Wavey decided her own tradition will be to name the tree each year.  Why the heck not?  Please meet "Trunk-a-thon."  Unusual, but distinctly Wavey.

Special discount at Julian & Co.!

How nice is Tania from Julian and Co.?  Just about as nice and sweet as her small scrawling locket seen here:

Along with being a great partner in pairing her amazing jewelry with some Good Gravy! note cards, right now she's offering a 20% discount for you, my beloved readers, in her shop!  At checkout, enter discount code GOODGRAVY. 

But hurry, offer expires December 10, 2010.  Happy weekend!

New stationery designs

Just in time for holiday gifts, check out the new custom stationery designs in the Good Gravy! shop. Plus, they're on sale!

{Anchor flat note cards}

{Plaid pink/green flat note cards}

{Plaid orange/brown flat note cards}

{Tricycle flat note cards}

And don't forget, there's FREE SHIPPING with every order (no minimum purchase) now through December 31, 2010.

DIY holiday pillows

I have an insane amount of wool felt leftover from my DIY looped holiday wreath, so when I came across pre-made brown pillows, I couldn't resist this no-sew idea.



Here's what you'll need:

+ Tell your husband you're going to Target just to buy toothpaste but then come out of the store a few bucks lighter because you found these great brown pillows at $3.50 each.

+ Iron-on adhesive paper (I used Heat N Bond)

+ Wool felt, or other fabric is fine

+ Glue stick, scissors

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - --

First, iron on the adhesive paper to the back side of your fabric.  Then, you can draw your pattern right onto it:

For lettering, I printed out the word "merry" in reverse and then glued it to the top of the adhesive paper so I could cut around it:

Cut out all your shapes (as seen below), remove the adhesive paper and then iron directly onto your pillow.  I skipped the part of showing you the ironing because if you're unclear on how to iron, you probably shouldn't be using scissors.

 Instant festivity in under an hour.