With or Without that $600...

I think I might have to get this skirt with or with out my government issued spending money.

If I had $600...

I would like to start by saying that I think the stimulus package plan is stupid and a very short term boost to something that will take years to get back to where we were. That being said, my husband and I fall in the lucky tax bracket that gets a check. We were musing what we would spend the $1200 ($600 each) on, if paying bills were not an option. Here are a couple of my ideas.

1. Nice, New clothes.

2. Nice, New Shoes

3. Fun vacation. I'm one of those people who likes the idea of going anywhere I haven't gone before, so the possibilities for this one are endless. However, all of our work leave will be taken up with family reunion's in the summer, so I don't know how viable this option is.

In the end...we'll probably pay some bills. Fun, huh?

Note: All clothes and shoes from Anthropologie.

V-Day Recap

I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day! I've got a pretty sweet Valentine. He brought me some beautiful roses, and some of these (he knows I love them). Nice, huh?

Then we went to the museum exhibit to enjoy beautiful Victorian artwork. I did, however, forget to dress up like a Victorian Woman. I'll have to do that next time. Steve and Emily came over after for delicious Chocolate Cheesecake. Oh, it's as tasty as it sounds. And surprizingly simple. This is the first cheesecake I learned how to make, and it's probably my favorite. You should try it, so here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
16 oz (two packages) cream cheese, softened or room temperature
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
24 oz. Semi-Sweet chocolate, melted (I told you it was good!)

In a large bowl beat cream cheese until smooth using a hand beater or stand mixer. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Gradually add melted chocolate while mixing. Once mixture is smooth and homogonous pour into springform pan. Surround pan with foil and cook in a water bath at 300 degrees for 65 minutes. When 65 minutes is up, turn off oven completely and open oven door, allowing the cake to cool in the oven (this will prevent the top of the cake from cracking). I like it best if the cake has been refridgerated for several hours before serving. Brian likes it best with whipped cream on top. I sometimes cook it with a crust made of chocolate graham crackers and butter, but that is optional.

Big Finds at the Bead Show

Last weekend I went down to sunny AZ (oh, it was beautiful!) to visit family and go to the International Gem and Bead Show in Tucson. It was awesome, as always. I spent all of Friday with my mom and two sisters perusing isle after isle of beads and gems. I make most of my bead purchases for the year at this show. There are thousands of booths literally piled high with strands of beads and gems. It's somewhat mind boggling. Here are pictures of some of my purchases:

(clockwise from the top left: dyed jade, dyed jade, opal, chalcedony, rose quartz)

(clockwise from the top left: dyed jade, dyed jade, pink peruvian opal)

(left to right: garnet, carnelian, citrine, apatite, moonstone, black garnet)

One of the purchases I'm most excited about was actually not beads, and was my least expensive purchase....

A neck!

I've re-taken pictures of the three necklaces I have for sale in my etsy shop because they look so much better hanging on the neck. What do you think?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Picture found here.

Do you think this is from the Ready-To-Wear Collection?

Found here

You've Been Caught!

Today, at my real job, we had vendor bring in some tastey chocolate truffles. So tastey, in fact, that I decided to check out the company's website, and this is the homepage.

What expression do you think they were going for with that woman's face? Surprize? Excitement? Enjoyment? Cuz it's not exactly appatizing...

My Homeboy

I just bought a computer for this man.

Won't You Be Mine?

If you don't have plans for Valentine's Day, here's an idea. Brian and I will be going to the opening reception for a new exhibition at the BYU Museum of Art, "Masterworks of Victorian Art". Admission is free, and there will be refreshments and music*. We actually went to the MOA for Valentine's last year, too. We went to a lecture by one of my favorite religion teachers, where he talked about "Charity, the Pure Love of Christ". Good talk.

*Brian actually was part of the live music at another BYU Museum opening reception, for "Disenchanted Forest; Contemporary Art by Johnston Foster". Didn't I mention he was a rock star? It was a pretty interesting exhibit. Foster creates found object, anamatronic sculpture. One of those things that you have to see in person. And to go along with Foster's playful artwork, refreshments were gummy worms, oreos, PB&J sandwiches, M&M's, you get the idea, and of course, the musical stylings of the now defunct, Nolens Volens.

Sweet Tee's

I'm wishing some of these Tee's DesignMom posted about came in adult sizes. I especially think my rock star husband would dig this banjo playing gorilla.

The Little Zoo

Jordan posted a link to a flickr group called "The Little Zoo", but it turns out e.soule also has an etsy shop where they sell photographs and cards. Check out the nifty pictures here.