jewels and cooking.

after slow start i feel like i've had a pretty productive day as far as filling orders is concerned, but wow, i still have so much more work to go. anyway, i have two things that make me happy to share with you, so let's start of with one of my favorite things: FOOD! last night marks my first attempt at making baked potato soup, and can i just say that i rocked my own world? because i did.

want to make it? here's how! what you'll need:

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all purpose flour
6 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz sour cream
chives to taste (i used about 1 1/2 TBSP)
1/2 cup bacon, fried and crumbled (of course i used more)

bake potatoes until done, scoop out and throw skins away. melt butter in saucepan, add flour, stir until completely mixed. slowly stir in milk and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. add potatoes you scooped out earlier, salt, pepper, chives, bacon, cheese. mix in sour cream. add additional milk if it's too thick.

easy peasy, and SUPER delicious! next on the list of things that make me happy: boxes that showed up at my door yesterday. my mom and her husband paul will be moving from pennsylvania to their house in florida soon, so in the process of downsizing, she boxed up scrapbooks she put together of art projects i made in school, birthday party remnants, her journal from when i was a baby, a journal she wrote when i had surgery, pictures, baby clothes and toys, and my favorite: jewelry that belonged to my granny maude (my dad's grandma that died when i was in fifth grade). granny maude and i were so close, and when she died i was heartborken; i felt like i didn't know how to spend my summers any longer, and i wasn't sure that life could ever go on. i was allowed to pick out a few pieces of her costume jewelry, but since i was young, my mom told me she was keeping them until i was older. i was absolutely livid and didn't understand why i could keep the jewelry myself. it turns out she was right, i would have lost it, and i'm glad it's been kept safe for me all these years. before i saw her note that the jewelry was granny maude's, i instantly knew exactly where it was from, and because i miss my granny every day, i got kind of teary-eyed. i'm so happy to have the jewelry, and i know i'll wear it and cherish it forever.

the other week i did a post with some vintage favorites that i wanted oh-so-badly, and can you believe this, but beca surprised me with one of my picks for christmas!!! she's such a true and amazing friend, and i can't wait to show you my new dress when i wear it later this week!