quote: terri st. cloud

DIY: napkin folding

thanksgiving tablescapes are always helped along by fancy napkin folds, but who wants to spend hours folding napkins? these two folds look fantastic but are also super fast to pull together ...

bow-tie napkins:

step 1: lay napkin out as a diamond
step 2: fold bottom point and top point in to the middle
step 3: fold bottom up again, to middle
step 4: fold top down again, to middle

step 5: fold left side in, bringing the point just past the middle line
step 6: fold right side in, making sure the point overlaps the left side
step 7: flip the napkin over and pinch together at the center
step 8: tie the center with a ribbon and tuck the ends under the back

fleur-de-lis napkins:

step 1: fold in half, with the fold to the bottom
step 2: bring top left corner down to the bottom center, and top right corner down to the bottom center
step 3: bring bottom right corner up to the top center point; repeat with the left side
step 4: bring the top points down and out (as seen in photo 4)
step 5: slip into a napkin ring or tie a ribbon around the base

thankful.

for my fella, for my family, for my friends near and far...

for a roof, for a job, for a fridge full of food...

for videochat, books, cameras...

for all i have, and love, and so much more.

quick takes

one
a bbc piece on why you think your phone is ringing when it isn't. which i find fascinating because i have this issue all. the. time.

two
alright, i'm going to weigh in - in a brief kind of way - on the debate over marital philosophy that has been sparked by this post, "marriage isn't for you." the philosophy that is encompassed in his statements that "...you don't marry to make yourself happy, you marry to make someone else happy... marriage isn't for you. it's not about you. marriage is about the person you married." now, there is so much worth to one element of that philosophy - that being selfish can damage a relationship, and consideration of the other person is fundamental. however, the issue i have with it is it still presumes a focus on one person or the other. but marriage isn't about one person and one person. it is about two people choosing to be one unit. and that's not to say you give up your individuality, but ... well. since i have yet to experience marriage, i'll borrow the words of someone who has. the last two paragraphs of this response to the original post say it really well:

          Marriage isn't for the person you marry. Marriage is for... the marriage. Marrying is deciding that the two of you, together, are more important than either of you alone. Marriage is a partnership, not a sacrifice to the altar of someone else's joy. Marriage is a long-term commitment to going at it as a team, not a long-term commitment to ensuring someone else feels good all the time. There will be days when marriage will be so out of balance that you'll believe you're sucking the life out of your spouse, or that they're draining you of all substance. That's ok. That's what marriage does. And that's what marriage is.          I would tell my children -- if they asked -- to marry because you love someone who loves you back. Marry because you can't imagine being without this person. But most of all, marry because this person makes you happy. If someone is making you happy, chances are you're doing the same for them. But never, ever give up your own happiness on a regular basis to ensure someone else's.

three
keeping with the relationship theme, 9 really helpful relationship tips. and not just because that's a paraphrase of the article title, but because they really are good tips.

four
this discussion of the evolution of the period (and other punctuation) in the digital age came courtesy of my fella. i just had to share it, because it is so spot on.

five
have you ever seen golden girls? i discovered it during college {when late-night tv was not quite as detrimental to the next day as it is now} and loved it.  you may think it's not for you, since it's from the 80s and tells the stories of four older ladies, but it's actually solid gold comedy and pretty racy - i'm pretty sure the only reason they got away with a lot of what was said/insinuated was exactly because it stars four older ladies. anyway, if you haven't ever seen it this may not amuse you, but if you have... here are 23 signs you  might be blanche devereaux.

six
smellfungus, n.‘ A discontented person; a grumbler, faultfinder. Also attrib.’]

Etymology: the name by which L. Sterne designated T. Smollett on account of the captious tone of the latter's book, Travels through France and Italy (1766).

Pronunciation:/smɛlˈfʌŋɡəs/

diy: knitted washcloths

depending on the size, these can function as either a washcloth or a dishcloth...or if you made them fairly small, a coaster! if you know the basics of knitting, this is a super easy pattern and can be made pretty quickly. binge-watching of the office optional.

pattern:
cast on four stitches
row 1: knit one row
row 2: knit two, yarn over, then knit to the end of the row
repeat row 2 until there are 44 stitches on the needle
next row: knit one, knit two together, yarn over, knit two together, then knit to the end of the row
repeat to continue decreasing until there are 4 stitches left on the needle
cast off

a great how-to video is available at the bottom of this post, which is the original source of this pattern.  the video explains how to do a yarn over if  that's a new term for you - it was for me! and while you definitely want to make sure your stitches aren't too loose, take care not to make them so tight that the "knit two together" step becomes impossible. enjoy!

recipe: cold artichoke heart, chicken & red pepper pasta salad

ingredients
16 oz. can artichoke hearts
olive oil, salt & pepper
12 oz. jar roasted red bell peppers
2 tbsp. capers, drained
1 lb chicken, marinated
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette
2-4 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
1 box pasta

directions
preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. prepare a pot of pasta. cook chicken in your desired method - grilled, baked, etc. drain roasted red bell peppers and artichoke hearts. chop artichoke hearts into small pieces, then place in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. spread artichoke hearts in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes. chop bell peppers into bite-sized pieces, and add to the original bowl, along with the capers and cooked pasta. add the chicken and artichoke hearts once cooked. mix balsamic vinaigrette and dijon mustard, to taste. pour dressing over ingredients, and mix well. chill, then serve!

quick takes

just... this is gonna be a bit of a cop-out post, but i'll cop out with some helpful and/or interesting links, so it balances out. right? totally.

one
doctor who fiftieth anniversary episode this weekend. i hope you get to watch it... i'm taping it to watch with my fella over thanksgiving weekend! it's airing at the same time world-wide, so no spoiler concerns {unless you're waiting to watch like i am..}.

two
because christmas is coming up...diy gifts you can make in under an hour. and if you're not feeling crafty but still leaning toward the diy, 38 food-based diy gifts. and if you're really not into diy at all, consider shopping it up on small business saturday, november 30.

three
who knows if these are really scientific, but they're definitely solid suggestions for improving your happy level

four
bbc culture's collection of the world's most beautiful libraries

five
you guys! the oxford dictionaries settled on the 2013 word of the year: selfie. check out the infographic they created to explain what it is {in case you've been living under a rock} and why they chose it.

six
monkey parade, n. 'An evening promenade of young people, esp. for the purpose of meeting members of the opposite sex.'
Etymology: (monkey n. + parade n.); colloquial (chiefly dismissive), now rare (hist.)
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈmʌŋkɪ pəˌreɪd/,  U.S. /ˈməŋki pəˌreɪd/