The New Happyness of Moffett

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-06-05T10:15:00.000-04:00

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!! I love this dress and many of their other designs too!

SUMMIT OF AWESOME!

2009-04-30T13:20:00.005-04:00

This weekend the Summit of Awesome comes to DC! It's a 3-day summit filled with crafting workshops and business seminars for those who are trying to break into the handcrafting for a living realm! There will also be a screening of the craft documentary, Handmade Nation. The home-base for the Summit of Awesome is at Miss Pixie's near 14th and U... one of my newer favorite places to visit on the weekend anyway!

I couldn't have been more excited when I found out about this and I will definitely be attending the activities on Saturday. You can find complete details and a listing of all of the seminars scheduled for each day here. I suggest any of you out there interested in crafting go!

Not In MY Neighborhood!

2009-04-17T12:04:00.013-04:00

Every once in awhile something happens that reminds you that you are just as susceptible to crime as anyone else, no matter where you live or how safe you feel.

This morning I had one of those moments. I walked outside around 8:00 a.m., as usual, to walk the dog. I walked right out the front door and turned right to do our tyical loop around the block. As I was coming back around the block towards the house again, I noticed that there were a bunch of pieces of shiny metal lying around underneath my roommate's car. At first I thought they were bottle caps... or something similar. Then I realized, his car was on blocks! His tires and rims were gone and his car was jacked up, resting on a cinder block and a piece of wood on one side and rock on the other side. I was astonished! Immediately, "Not in THIS neighborhood, NOT where I live!" flashed through my brain. I thought to myself that it had to be a prank - but after a few seconds I decided that would be way too elaborate a plan for any of our friends to try to execute.

I went inside to tell everyone but Brett had already seen his car and was equally as astonished as the rest of us. He just got new tires this week and was pretty upset that he was out that money as well as whatever deductible he would have to pay his insurance company. He called the cops - when the cop arrived he said, "I have to be honest with you, we probably aren't going to catch whoever did this." Comforting. What none of us could really understand, however, was who would do such a thing in our quiet little neighborhood. We live in a very nice area of Arlington in a neighborhood comprised of families with young children and older folks. I think we are the youngest people on the street. It seems like such an odd place for someone to come to rip off a car - and no one heard or noticed a thing!

I can't even tell you how often I leave my car unlocked or a window open - even the front door sometimes! Maybe it's that I grew up on a farm with the nearest neighbors miles away (was I worried a deer or a mountain lion might break into my room a time or two? maybe so, but i was probably six at the time). Maybe I have some sort of unquestioning trust of man-kind (it's probably not that). Maybe I am just comfortable and feel safe enough that I shouldn't have to always shut my windows before I go to work. Or maybe I'm just lazy! Who knows? All I know is that now, I will think twice about leaving anything unlocked or open.

Shows, shows, shows!

2009-04-06T11:14:00.045-04:00

I have been to a lot of concerts over the past year and have taken a ton of pictures that have never seen the light of day! I finally dumped my old memory card and realized that I had managed to capture a few good shots at various shows, so I thought I would share them here. (I'm sure all of you guys who actually went to some of these shows with me will be interested to finally see the pictures I promised!)

First up:
Delta Spirit & Dr. Dog -Iota Club and Cafe - Arlington, VA - September 5, 2008

First two are Delta Spirit... it took me pretty much there entire set to get the settings right on the camera so I didn't get many pictures of them.

And now on to Dr. Dog.

I got to meet the lead vocalist of Dr. Dog, Scott McMicken, although in this photo he doesn't look too interested in meeting me!

Next up: My Morning Jacket - Charlottesville Pavilion - Charlottesville, VA - September 4, 2008

Here's what I looked like throughout a lot of the show: beer in hand, camera at the ready! Trevor and I took the two pics below at the exact same time.

Some of us were representing some other music/bands at the show...

We waited for awhile for the show to start...but once it did, it was amazing!

And finally: The Pine Hill Haints & Th' Legendary Shack Shakers - Rock and Roll Hotel - Washington, DC - October 14, 2008

First set of pictures is The Pine Hill Haints... for some reason I had a much harder time getting good shots at this show.

Duda + Photoshop Makes My Doodles More Awesome

2009-04-03T10:58:00.007-04:00

I can do four or five VERY, VERY basic things in Photoshop... but my friend John Duda is apparently pretty masterful with it (*he is responsible for my banner on the blog - my concept/his execution).

He took the little doodle I did yesterday and turned it into this:

I love it! Very graphic! (Although now mine looks kinda grade school in comparison.) To read Duda's full post about his take on my doodles click here. He has a fun blog called Scissors and a Glue Stick - check it out if you get a chance. He promises that more posts will be forthcoming.

Staff Meeting = Doodles

2009-04-02T15:31:00.006-04:00

I hate our weekly staff meetings. They are endless and tiresome. Today, I took the opportunity to get a little creative while my co-workers droned on and on.

Here are the results:

I think I might take this approach every Thursday morning...
And yes, I do keep a box of crayola markers close at hand during these meetings. So far, no one has said anything to me.

Putting a Little Zest in the Baking for Spring

2009-03-31T21:11:00.007-04:00

Last weekend, after all the stress of moving and cleaning and organizing, I decided to unwind by doing a bit of baking. Some of you may find it weird... but I become calmer and feel much better after I've baked or cooked something. Anyway, the weather was warm and everything was blooming - it was making me feel very inspired and springy. When I was trying to dream up what I wanted to make, my mind instantly recalled some recipes that I'd read in the March issue of Southern Living Magazine that called for a basic cake but with jazzed up frosting. I pulled the magazine out and decided that the simple vanilla layer cake with key lime buttercream frosting was JUST what I was looking for!

This recipe is GREAT. The punch of the key lime in the frosting really tempers the sweetness of cake and it's a very fresh way to make a cake more seasonal. I've had several people try it: boyfriends, roommates and co-workers and it was a unanimous thumbs up! Here's the recipe, I obviously highly recommend it:

BASIC VANILLA LAYER CAKE
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans.

Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with a electric mixer until creamy and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl; add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at medium-low speed just until blended after each addition. (Batter will be thick - Use immediately)

Pour batter into each cake pan, spreading to edges. Bake 34-38 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely, about 1 hour.

KEY LIME BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1-2 TBSP milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1-16oz package powdered sugar
3 TBSP key lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. key lime zest

Beat butter, vanilla and salt with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1 1/2 tsp lime zest. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk and lime juice, 1 TBSP at a time at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.

A few tips: I doubled the frosting recipe because I wanted enough to make a nice thick layer of frosting between each layer of the cake. It worked out really well. I also took Martha Stewart's advice and created a "crumb" layer by putting a thin layer of icing on the bottom layer, then refrigerating it and putting a thin layer on the top layer and refrigerating it. Then I iced the whole thing and had no problem getting picture perfect icing! I garnished mine with more lime zest and two sugared and frozen lime slices. Beautiful!

New Project: Rescue Dumpy Dresser

2009-03-26T23:34:00.001-04:00

Last year, when I moved from my oppressive/terrible apartment into a cute house a few blocks away I went to check out my room and measure it to see if any of my giant bedroom furniture could fit into it. Alas, the room was super tiny and I realized I would have to get a different dresser (mine was so wide it wouldn't fit on any wall and ended up being used as a buffet in the living room.) The girl who was moving out was there when I was checking out the space and she offered to leave me some of her bedroom furniture that she was planning on throwing away! There wasn't much to choose from - a sort of broken down piece of plastic IKEA furniture and this old style hardwood dresser! The dresser obviously had some drawer problems and was missing a few handles and the top was gouged and water stained... but for some reason I wanted it. So I asked her to leave it.

In the end, it didn't make the cut for my room. But my roommates and I used it as a bar/storage combo in our dining room for the year. It has a dark stain and kinda had that patina an old bar would have.

Now the time has come to move out of the cute little house (moving is in progress as I write this) and I have to find something to do with the sort-of broken, stained up dresser. Once again, the blogosphere (ew- did I just use that word!?) has given me inspiration and a plethora of ideas for the outcast furniture. The Design*Sponge Before & Afters were where I started and through that I got led to various other blogs and websites. The place where I have found the most inspiration so far is Knack Studios. Also I spend a LOT of time drooling over the hardware that Anthropologie sells. It is gorgeous.

The problem I have now is that I have TOO MANY ideas for this one little dresser. My biggest dilemma is that I don't know if I would be better off restoring the natural wood or doing it up with some funky paint. Ahhh! HELP!

I'm posting some more shots of the dresser below. All ideas welcome!

Art by Brett Whitacre

2009-03-24T14:06:00.015-04:00

I have a friend from highschool, Katie, who now lives in Chicago and dates a guy named Brett. Katie is a really cool girl, so it is only fitting that she is dating a really cool guy. Brett is the drummer in a band I quite enjoy, Th' Legendary Shack Shakers. They are a rockabilly band that I've seen live here in DC and they really know how to show you a good time. In addition to being a drummer, Brett is also an artist!

When I met him this past fall, he gave me a business card that had a web address to check out his paintings. Finally, I unearthed the business card from the the bottom of my purse and started perusing the site...I was floored! I am no art critic, but I am in love with about 90% of the stuff that he's done. The subject matter is interesting and fresh - names of his works range from "Old Texan Hooker" to "Chicken Leg". It seems that many of the paintings are either of musicians or have a musical theme, which will hook me every time. His use of such vibrant, eye-popping color is great. I think my favorite thing about them is that they are all painted on found objects... even old tvs and suitcases! I particularly love the ones done on old windows. I have copied some pictures of a few of my favorites below for you to see.

I'm planning on adding a few to my collection when I move this summer! I can't think of anything better to spice up a new place!

You can order Brett's pieces and get his personal contact information from www.artbreak.com/whitacre. He will even do custom work for you - make a portrait of a family member, friend or pet or paint you an open suitcase with personalized content. Fabulous!

Spring is Here!

2009-03-23T11:41:00.026-04:00

The first official weekend of Spring has come and gone... and it was gorgeous! Just the entry into the season that I would have wished for! I spent some time at my parents' house in Madison, VA this weekend and decided to break out my camera and take a few pictures. My parents have beautiful land and landscaping around the house. The daffodils are blooming and the dog and cat also enjoyed laying out in the sunshine. When I got back into the DC area I also stopped to take a few pictures of some precious purple flowers growing by the steps to Mark's house.

Here are some of my photos...they look pretty good, if I do say so myself. Although, it's very easy to take pictures of flowers. They are beautiful and they don't move! :)

Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

2009-03-19T12:04:00.008-04:00

Last night I decided to try a recipe for Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake that I got in a Martha Stewart Everday Food email newsletter. It sounded delicious and I had almost all the ingredients (except for light brown sugar) at my house. It said the prep time was only 20 minutes... but it took me a little bit longer than that, especially since peeling/coring/slicing apples takes me awhile. You can get the original recipe here.

As usual, I was doing this bit of baking late night and it was after 10:30 when I finished, so instead of having it last night I had a slice of it this morning. It was good...but once again, not great. I am sensing a pattern with these Martha Stewart recipes... unfortunately. I am glad that I waited to have it this morning because it wasn't quite as sweet or cinnamony as I expected. The fruit tasted delicious (all the butter and brown sugar helped with that) and the cake was ok. It was light enough that I think it would be better served at breakfast, rather than as a dessert. I added more cinnamon than the recipe called for and STILL had a problem tasting that in the cake. Also, I would add more milk to the batter to make it a bit more moist...I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to eat anymore of this after today because it will be too dry.

Not a recipe I'll be saving for years to come... but I guess it was worth a try!

Here's what Martha's looks like.

Here's mine.

And the top view.

It cracked because I didn't let it cool enough.

Just Hanging Out

2009-03-18T17:15:00.004-04:00

Do you see my doggie? She is very good at blending in in pictures! I don't know why I like this picture (I'm terribly hungover and pale looking in it) but I do! And I love that it features our couch, affectionately known as Big Rusty, which I will no longer be able to lounge on in a few weeks. :(

It was taken with Sarah's iphone... I have to admit, the picture quality is pretty darn good.

Big Love for Big Love

2009-03-17T13:57:00.008-04:00

I have become enthralled with the HBO show Big Love. I started watching it over 2 years ago when I finally got HBO On Demand at my house. The drama has increased exponentially with each new season and this year I am pretty much biting my nails through each episode.

It's pretty interesting for me to think that there are people in the world who have such passionate beliefs and such a different lifestyle. The interconnections between the family members are so complicated. Even when family members are mortal enemies, they have a hard time cutting ties with each other. My favorite character is Margene - because she doesn't come from a Mormon or polygamous background, it is most interesting to watch how she deals with all of the drama in the family and church. Coming from a non-religious family myself, I can kind of relate to that. They showed some rituals of the LDS Church in the last episode. It reminded me a lot of sorority rituals and secret society rituals that I have been a part of. I wonder how much those sorority/society rituals were originally based on religion. Apparently, the show has actually gotten itself into some hot water for showing the rituals, but I think it makes it all the more authentic and interesting.

The music in the show is great as well...they even have a section on the web site where you can see what songs were featured in each episode and purchase them! I am seriously contemplating creating a Big Love playslist! :) David Byrne is heavily involved in the music and even created a soundtrack for the second season.

The season finale is coming up next week (too soon - I want more!) and I don't think I've actually looked forward to watching a TV show this much ever. Anyone up for a Big Love finale party?

I'm Back!

2009-03-13T11:02:00.003-04:00

Colorado was fantastic! It was great to see all my friends and my grandparents. We had three days of awesome skiing in Winter Park and lots of delicious food cooked by my grandma.

I will post some pictures and tell tales soon!

Flying Away for a Bit

2009-03-06T07:22:00.003-05:00

Hello All! I will not be posting for the next 5 or 6 days because I am setting off for the mountains of Colorado! Me, Mark, Stephen and Steph are leaving tomorrow for a ski trip to my grandparents' house in Winter Park, CO. While in CO we plan to visit our good friend Ashley and have lunch in downtown Denver. Once we get to Winter Park we'll also be meeting up with our friend Hannah (who lives in Aspen) who will ski with us for a few days! I'm looking forward to an awesome vacation!

Photo of the Rockies by Trevor Kemp, taken on our last ski retreat, March 07

Fudge Deliciousness (I wish it were MY recipe)

2009-03-05T11:28:00.008-05:00

When the snow was coming down on Sunday night, I got in the mood for hot chocolate. I had bought a giant tin of Ghrardelli unsweetened cocoa for one of the Martha Stewart recipes I tried over Valentine's Day and knew there was a recipe for delicious hot chocolate on the back. So I pulled the tin down and started copying the instructions down when another recipe caught my eye: Ghirardelli Grand Fudge Cake with Ghirardelli Buttercream Frosting. Reading the name alone made my mouth start to water. I knew I had all of the baking essentials on hand from various other things that I'd been making, so I decided to give the fudge cake a try.

The cake was easy to make and within an hour I had a giant sheet cake and a huge bowl of buttercream frosting. The recipe is written for a layer cake - two 9" rounds and enough frosting to cover the top and sides of both layers. I don't have round cake pans so I just improvised and baked it in my giant rectangular glass baking dish. After waiting for the cake to cool and frosting it, it was after 10pm so I covered it and put it in the fridge for the next day (I did sneak plenty of frosting so... my chocolate cravings were satisfied.)

The next day I had the cake for breakfast and it was FABULOUS. It was rich and moist and delicious. I knew that my roommates and I would NEVER be able to eat the whole cake before it went bad, so I decided to cut it up into squares and bring it into work. It was a huge success! Everyone loved it and I went home with empty tupperware (always the goal!) So, I figured I would share the recipe on here in case anyone needs a delicious and easy to make chocolate cake that will serve about 30 people! (Obviously, you can just buy a tin of the Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa - pictured above - and the recipe will be right on there.)

GHIRARDELLI GRAND FUDGE CAKE

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1-3/4 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

1-1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and lightly flour two 9" x 1-1/2" round cake pans. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium high spead until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low add vanilla and eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk (starting and ending with flour mixture), while mixing on low speed. Continue to mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

GHIRARDELLI BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

6 Tbsp butter, softened

2-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix confectioners' sugar with cocoa. Blend sugar mixture with butter alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth. Blend in vanilla.

Oh how I wish this recipe was mine! It's so good!

Design Befores and Afters = New (to me) Obsession

2009-03-03T12:26:00.016-05:00

I have been a fan of the Design*Sponge web site for awhile. It makes me yearn for a place of my own to paint and decorate. For now, I'll just drool over great design ideas and file it away in that section of my brain reserved for "Someday."

The posting on Design*Sponge is frequent - sometimes there are 10 posts a day - which makes it a great distraction from work! The content centers around home design but also reaches into cooking and DIY projects. My absolute favorite part of the web site (OBSESSION) is the Before & After section. It is so inspirational - it makes me want to go home and strip down some furniture right now or re-paint my bedroom or make some throw pillows! If you are feeling like you have a piece of furniture that needs an update or even a whole room, I would suggest perusing this section for ideas. Here are some before/afters that I picked out (There are tons more of different styles/feels - so definitely look at the site!):

I love the color/finish on this!

This is so much more cheerful/inviting

Is this even the same room?

I love the fabric!

Recipe: Potato Pancakes

2009-03-02T13:28:00.003-05:00

Well, March certainly came in like a lion...It snowed around 8 inches last night/this morning and it is still coming down! These snowy days make me crave delicious, filling comfort food. Last night when the snow began, I whipped up enough mashed potatoes for a small army and decided to bake a Ghirardeli chocolate cake with Ghirardeli buttercream frosting. Mmmmm.

One thing I like to make on cold days - in the morning or for dinner - are potato pancakes. They are so simple! Here is a great recipe (I can't remember where I found it and I've made a few personal modifications... but it's a good one):

6 large potatoes, peeled and grated
4 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together and drop by large spoonfuls onto skillet. Saute in hot oil until undersides are browned; turn and fry other sides.

You can add anything to these to spice them up. I like to add onions and top them with cheese - extra sharp white cheddar is perfect! Yummy!

First Restaurant Recommendation - VAPIANO

2009-02-28T10:11:00.006-05:00

I go out to eat a lot. Definitely more often than I should... I should be cooking for myself and saving money, but around here eating out at a restaurant is irresistible. There are so many places to try in and around Washington, DC...I would feel bad if I didn't check one out every now and again.

In honor of my love of trying out different places to eat, I've decided that I'll do a restaurant review every once in awhile on the blog. Here is my first recommendation: VAPIANO.

Vapiano is an Italian restaurant that has three locations in and around DC - one in Arlington, VA, one on M Street in the city and one out in Dulles,VA. I think they also have one in Chinatown in the city. They are a chain and have locations all over Europe but the only US locations are the ones I just listed and one in Florida and one in Texas. A few nights ago, I went to the Arlington location near my house with my friend Paul.

Vapiano is a casual restaurant with modern European decor. I walked in expecting to be seated by a hostess and served by a waitress but instead was greeted by a girl who gave us plastic cards - called "chip cards" - and the menu and told us that everything we ordered would be added to the chip cards and then we would pay her at the end, as we were leaving. Paul and I went up to the bar and ordered a couple of glass of wine to start and settled in by the fireplace in some deep red leather chairs.

After that we ordered our food - it was sort of a cafeteria style line. The food was made-to-order right in front of us. Paul tried some pasta and I order a pizza with mozzarella, proscuitto and parmesan (can't go wrong there!). After we had our food and wine, we went to sit in the main dining area. All of the tables were community style - you will end up sitting with other people that you don't know. There were potted fresh herbs at the table and olive oil and vinegar for seasoning. The food was excellent. Best of all, the prices are very reasonable - especially for a restaurant around here. I was able to have several glasses of wine and a giant pizza (I took over half of it home with me) for under $30!

I would definitely recommend trying Vapiano - it has a unique, fresh atmosphere and the food is great! It would be perfect for a large group of friends going out... especially because the chip cards make it easy to keep the bill separate! We went on a Thursday night and there were some good happy hour deals as well - discounted wines and beers on tap. I will definitely be eating there again!

Scribbles Part Dos

2009-02-26T15:32:00.018-05:00

Apparently, these crazy wall graphics are already pretty popular - Boo to me for being the last one at the party.

After I posted earlier about ScribbleIt, my dear friend John directed me to Blik Surface Graphics. These selection of these graphics is much more extensive and they've even partnered with Threadless tshirt shop to do a line of wall graphics copied from popular tshirt designs! It is pretty intense.

There are also a ton of other outfits out there who offer wall art like this...so do a little googling and see what you come up with.

Here are some cool things I found on Blik (trust me there is a lot more to look at than this!):

Scribbles!

2009-02-26T13:52:00.011-05:00

Remember when you were a kid and you got into MAJOR trouble for scribbling (aka: creating art!) on the walls? Well, now you can "scribble" all you want and even your mom will probably approve. I have been wanting to write a post on these little wall art gems called "Scribbles" for awhile but didn't get around to it until now. These matte vinyl sort of "stickers" will go onto your wall and instantly create a an interesting focal point/piece of art for a room. The best part is they come right off without damaging the paint - for all you people out there like me, who still rent and wouldn't want to hassle with painting and then re-painting when the lease is up! I think they are so great - definitely a different way to make a statement in any room. They come in a variety of designs and words and phrases. You can even get custom made Scribbles!

I fully intend to order some Scribbles for a wall or two in my next place! I especially like the idea of having one above the bed... just as a piece of art or even as a headboard.

To see all that they have to offer, check out their web site or visit their Etsy shop!

Re-learning to Knit

2009-02-25T11:35:00.012-05:00

Nothing makes me more annoyed than having to re-learn something. Re-learning something means at one time in my life... I KNEW HOW TO DO IT and now I don't! How annoying that I forgot it and have to waste time figuring it all out again. Something to work on in the future, I suppose.

Back in highschool, I knew how to knit. I remember making a lot of scarves and hats... really simple things, but it was a creative way to keep my hands occupied while doing something mindless, like watching tv. I recently uncovered a giant box in my parents basement full of knitting needles, yarn and half-finished projects and realized I had actually forgotten all about my knitting past! Lately, I have been inspired by the "crafty" blogging community and have seen a ton of really chic and wonderful knitting projects! I adore sweaters and cozy socks and I would love to be able to make some on my own.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone else who knows how to knit. So, I decided to check out the internet to see if I could find some video tutorials. The first site that I stumbled upon (thanks, Google!) is KnittingHelp.com. Their videos range from basic - casting on, knit stich, purl stitch - to advanced with tips and projects for experienced knitters. So far, I have managed to re-learn the knit stitch and have been practicing by making a bunch of rows for nothing in particular. I'm trying to decide what the best project would be for me to start with... maybe a scarf?!

Here's what I hope to one day work up to: This stuff is beautiful!

Valentine's Clue Mystery Revealed

2009-02-23T16:02:00.026-05:00

This weekend was so much fun! We left on Saturday and as the day progressed, Mark found out what more and more of his clues meant.

First stop was Naked Mountain Vineyard & Winery in Markham, VA. Clue #2 (the wine dossier) and Clue #5 (the picture of the naked woman silhouette in front of a mountain) should have tipped Mark off to this part of the weekend! I have been there once before and I knew that not only is the setting beautiful but the wine is delicious as well! We did a tasting and tried all of the different types of wines - our favorites were the 2008 Chardonnay-Riesling and the 2008 Cabernet Franc Rose. We also liked their Merlot. We decided to each buy a glass of the Chardonnay-Riesling and some brie cheese and crackers and stay for awhile. It was a beautiful day and we sat outside for a bit...but it was still chilly (the photo to the right is of our delicious wine out on the porch!). Much better inside by the fire! We bought two bottles for later - the Chardonnay-Riesling and the Merlot. It was a wonderful afternoon and a nice little detour into the country.

Then we headed to our next destination: The Apple Blossom Inn in New Market, VA! It is a really sweet bed and breakfast that was built in 1806! When you rent it, you get the entire inn to yourself... two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, kitchen, dining area, formal living room with a grand piano! That took care of most of the other clues... Clue #1 (apple/apple blossom), Clue #4 (piano sheet music folio - for the piano!), and Clue #6 (the German food...according to the web site the house was built in German architectural style.)

After we met our hosts (they live in a separate house further back on the property and we only saw them when we checked in and then again when they served us breakfast in the morning), we settled in and then went in search of a place for dinner. I didn't make any reservations anywhere because I wasn't sure what we would be up for. We ended up heading down the road to Luray (only a ten minute drive) and going to local-favorite, Dan's Steak House. The wait was an hour and a half! Every couple in Luray and the surrounding area was trying to eat there for Valentine's Day! We put our name on the list and then drove around downtown Luray, which is actually quite a nice town. The atmosphere in Dan's was casual, to say the least (think everyone in the waiting room dressed in camo, sweatjackets, work boots)... it looked more like a country cafeteria/diner than a steak house but the food was delicious and we had a good time!

The next day, we got up early - breakfast was served at 8:30am! It was well worth it, however, because the food was delicious. After breakfast and packing up, we decided to go and check out the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park & Hall of Valor Civil War Museum. The museum was really great and I definitely learned a few things I'd never known about Virginia's role in the Civil War. We walked around the battlefield a little bit and visited the Bushong farm - where the battle took place and what later became the field hospital for all of the men wounded in the fight. After exploring the museum and park (Pictures of breakfast and the museum/park below) we headed home! It was a wonderful weekend and a great way to spend Valentine's Day!

Mark is ready to enjoy his breakfast.

The fruit was so cute!

The delicious french toast!

Mark and I at the Hall of Valor... You can't tell but my shadow is on the left. :)

The gravestone of VMI Cadet Thomas Garland Jefferson (a descendant!) who fought and died at the battle of New Market.

A statue of Thomas Jefferson (a copy is on The Lawn at UVA!) created by sculptor Moses Ezekiel, who fought in the Battle at New Market as a VMI Cadet

The Bushong Farm

A Valentine for Me!

2009-02-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

The Valentine's Day madness is almost over! I made cupcakes and brownies for my co-workers yesterday and I'm packing up today for my secret adventure trip with Mark!

The cupcakes and brownies I made for work yesterday were both Martha Stewart recipes and I have to say (although it hurts me) I wasn't totally impressed. The one that turned out the best was the recipe for chocolate buttermilk cupcakes. It was easier than the other recipe and everyone at work said that the cupcakes were good. The recipe I DO NOT recommend is the recipe for brownie heart cupcakes. It required some annoying ingredients like "dutch-press unsweetened cocoa powder" and some ridiculous directions. The fact that I got up at 5am to start baking probably didn't help my patience with the complicated recipes, but I was pretty annoyed when one of the recipes assumed that I would be using some super expensive kitchen-aid esque mixer with a detachable bowl and a million settings. I had a fork and an old school hand mixer. Come on, Martha, not every kitchen has professional grade tools. The buttercream frosting that I made, however, was delicious... definitely my favorite part of all the baked goods!

The best thing about yesterday, however, was my lovely Valentine's Day surprise that I got from Mark: a beautiful boquet of a dozen roses, pink and white! (I am not a fan of red roses at all...wierd, I know.) Mark tried to sneak over in the afternoon and leave them at my house, but realized once he got there that I had taken back the key I'd given him because I'd lost my own. So instead he came over right before I left to go babysit and gave them to me in person... even better! Below are some pictures... aren't they beautiful!?

Birdlips

2009-02-13T16:22:00.010-05:00

So, I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that I went to a show on Tuesday night and that it was really awesome... now I will elaborate.

At the invitation of my friend, Dan Barden, I went to see Birdlips at IOTA in Arlington, VA. They are a band from Charlottesville. The two members went to UVA and graduated one year behind us (2007). Dan was good friends with them at UVA and got a group of us together to check them out. They were opening for another band that I can't remember the name of (sorry, they weren't nearly as impressive as Birdlips.)

The twosome, Cliff Usher and Lindsay Pitts, used to be members of a now defunct band called the Business of Flies. I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw them...two skinny white kids with what I like to call "indie hair"...but my skepticism was wiped away the minute they began to sing. Cliff's voice is unexpected, deep and sometimes a bit ragged. Paired with Lindsay's sweet vocals, their folk rock takes on a haunting quality. Although simple and smooth, their sound manages to evoke a wide range of moods and emotions. When they first started playing I was reminded of Mates of State - but I think that was because of the dynamic of them as a musical couple and had little to do with the styling of their music. The played a lot of stuff off their current album and also a few new songs - I'm looking forward to their next release!

As soon as the show was over, I ran to an ATM and took out some cash (and paid the annoying fee because it wasn't a Bank of America ATM) to buy their debut album Cardboard Wings and a really cool print poster. I was a little disappointed that Lindsay didn't have a larger presence on the album... her voice melding with Cliff's is what really sends shivers down my spine.

All in all, an amazing musical night.

They are on tour this month and will be ending in New York on the 21st. If you have a chance to check them out, I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed.

Check out their website, myspace or blog.

PS: The hot photo of the duo is by Greg Nash.

Clue #7 - The Final Clue!

2009-02-13T15:23:00.010-05:00

For those of you who are really tired of clue posts... Never fear! This is the last one!

Clue #7 is slightly scandalous and therefore, only one picture of the contents will be posted on the blog!

Here is the wrap job (still coordinated with all the others!):

And here is the one thing that came in that tiny bag that you get to see:

Clue #6

2009-02-13T15:17:00.005-05:00

Clue #6 couldn't be wrapped - so don't worry, you don't have to suffer through looking at pictures of my adorable wrapping!

I made Mark a German dinner last night... bratwurst, potato pancakes, applesauce, and a GIANT German beer!

It was delicious (Mark's roommate, Phil, and I got to eat some too!)

Pics:

Clue #5

2009-02-12T22:54:00.006-05:00

Mark was really clever about this clue! I think he might be close to figuring it all out!

Here it is wrapped up nice, of course.

And here is what was inside: A photo of a naked woman silhouette in front of the mountains. For any family who may be reading this - Do not be alarmed! There is a hidden meaning to this one... it's not as straightforward as it may appear! :) Mark guessed that it has something to do with the "SHEnandoah Valley". Very clever guess! I'll never tell if he's getting close or not, though...

Last Minute Valentine's Day Cards

2009-02-12T11:10:00.013-05:00

Last night during LOST (it was a great episode!) I decided to make a few Valentine's Day cards to send to my mom and some girlfriends who live far away. I had some red and white cards/paper leftover from my failed attempts to make Christmas cards and a heart stamp that I bought from a really great craft store in Madison, VA, of all places. I used a some white heart-shaped brads and some scissors with fun edges (which were actually a Valentine's Day gift from Mark a few years ago). That was pretty much all I needed to whip these beauties up:

My favorite card actually ended up being the last one I made with the red polka dot background. I used white stamp ink for the hearts and words but on the dark red paper (from Paper Source) it ended up looking kinda pink, which I thought was really cute. They are really simple and understated (I didn't grab the glitter this time) and anyone can make them!

PS: The craft store in Madison is The Handcraft House.

PPS: My new craft obsession are ZOTS! They are dots of glue (they come in a range of different sizes) that you can use to stick anything... ribbons, paper, photos, etc. I hate using glue in general so these are an awesome alternative - they are paper thin and acid free. Try them! (I got mine at The Handcraft House.)

Clue #4

2009-02-11T10:15:00.008-05:00

Clue #4 was supposed to be yesterday's clue but I went to a show (a really awesome show!) after work and by the time I got to Mark's he was already asleep. So here it is on his pillow this morning, all wrapped up!

And, I wasn't there with my camera when he opened it so... I'll just have to tell you what it is: A black cloth covered accordion folder for Mark's sheet music (he plays piano)! The note also warned him to bring some of his sheet music with him on our trip! Exciting!

The pictures of Mark's present are below. You can buy the same one at Michael's craft stores - it is a product from the Martha Stewart line! I put a little label in the slot on the spine that said "MUSIC". If they weren't so expensive, I would probably buy a lot to use for my own organizational projects!

Clue #3

2009-02-10T11:06:00.007-05:00

Last night was Clue #3 night. My wrap job didn't really do a good job of disguising it and Mark guessed what was inside (a book) right away... but the subject matter of the book was the real clue!

Here it is wrapped and pretty:

The book inside was Look Away! A History of the Confederate States of America. Perhaps we're heading down South?

Crafty...College Style

2009-02-09T14:23:00.016-05:00

For many college students, building a beer pong table is almost the same as creating a piece of art. Theme, style and construction must all be considered. There are even entire web sites dedicated to showcasing the most creative, well-made, beautiful and craziest of tables.

During my days in college, I masterminded one beer pong table and assisted with the creation of several others. Pictured to the left is the table that me and my two best girlfriends made for our guy friends. We spent two days sawing, measuring, painting and lacquering... with great results, I might add. At the top of this post is the beer pong table Mark and his roommate created while in graduate school (I can't find a picture of the whole thing but it was a meticulous recreation of the UVA football field.)

This past weekend, I returned to my alma mater to visit some friends who are still in graduate school there. While I was there I was reminded of the great art of creating an impressive pong table.
Originally, my friend John had a beautiful beer pong table made of bottle caps that created a "V" pattern on both ends. It was quite impressive. Alas, that table was destroyed by a careless reveler during a night of drinking. (Can't find a picture of it either, so John, if you feel so inclined...)

Anyway, this weekend we got to see his brand new table! He has been painstakingly collecting labels for months to make a new table made up entirely of beer labels. Here is the glorious outcome:

Clue #2

2009-02-08T15:17:00.006-05:00

Today Mark opened Clue #2! Here it is, all wrapped up and beautiful:

....And inside was a beautiful, leather-bound wine dossier. This clue doubles as a present for Mark, who in recent months has taken to drinking a bottle of wine, writing a rating for iton the back label in sharpie marker and then saving the empty bottle. I figured this would be a much more efficient and space-saving way for him to record his thoughts on various wines! I wonder how this could relate to our getaway?!

PS - If you really like the wine dossier, you can buy it here. I think it would make a wonderful gift for any wine lover in your life and the quality is really great. You can also get it personalized (I didn't.)

Clue #1

2009-02-07T11:30:00.002-05:00

As promised, I am going to talk a little bit about upcoming Valentine's Day 2009. In the past, I haven't made a huge deal out of Valentine's Day. I grew up in a house where my father made it clear that he wasn't falling prey to Hallmark and shelling out for stupid gifts on such a commercialized (or as he put it, "fabricated") holiday. Luckily, I also grew up in a house where my mom always got little hearts filled with chocolates for me and my brothers... so I'm not totally opposed to celebrating. This year, I decided that I was going to do something extra special for Mark. He has been good to me this year and I wanted to take the opportunity (and the long weekend) to show a little appreciation.

So I have planned an overnight adventure and am keeping it a secret. Starting today, Mark will receive a clue every day until the day we leave - seven clues! I don't think he'll really be able to figure out where exactly we're going but at least these little teasers will get him excited!

I gave him his first clue today. It was an apple (the fake kind you buy at craft stores) and a picture of a very pretty apple blossom. I'm posting all the pictures of Mark opening his clue because I am very proud of my presentation/wrap job! :) Hmmm, I wonder what we are doing?!

Crafts & Kisses 2009!

2009-02-05T09:23:00.005-05:00

For all of you living in the Washington, DC area, Crafts and Kisses 2009, a Valentine themed craft fair, is happening this Sunday, February 8th from 12noon until 6pm. The fair is taking place at the Josephine Butler Parks Center at 2437 15th St, NW. There will be over 30 vendors selling a variety of things - you can get a preview of some of the vendors' work by going to their web site.

Best of all, the first 50 people to show up will get goodie bags! I will definitely be there!

Hazy Day

2009-02-04T15:07:00.005-05:00

Ugh. Today did not start off so well. I woke up in a complete...haze, for lack of a better word. I did not want to get out of bed. It was snowing again here in Virginia and although it was quite pretty, it killed any desire I might've had to leave the house (Mark's house). Once I had arrived back at my house to get ready to go to work (annoyances of not actually living at the place where you most often sleep), I realized that I did not have my house key... or my cellphone... or my entire purse! Unfortunately, my purse (containing keys and cellphone) was at Mark's house. Luckily, Sarah was awake to let me in the house.

I managed to get to work on time but have spent most of the day sort of drifting between tasks without actually completing anything. Part of my lack of productivity can be attributed to Alexis Stewart's blog. Yesterday, I spent my lunch hour perusing the Martha Stewart web site in search of more Valentine's Day inspiration (more on that subject later) and came across a link to Whatever, Martha!, a show where Martha's daughter, Alexis, and her friend, Jennifer, make fun of old episodes of The Martha Stewart Show. After looking around their site and watching a few clips (hilarious) I clicked the link to Alexis and Jennifer's blogs. By chance, I started reading Alexis's first. I. am. hooked. First of all, she cooks and bakes all the time... just looking at the pictures of the things she whips up on a regular basis makes my mouth water. Second of all, she wraps up everything she makes in the most adorable little paper packages and boxes with ribbon and labels. I love it. Third of all, she is a real person... her blog is very open about her life and opinions and she doesn't try to be some perfect image of herself. Check it out for yourself! (Originally, in my mind, I confused Alexis Stewart with another child with a famous mother - Cher's daughter, Chastity. I don't really know why. I guess this just goes to show how out of it I am.)

The highlight of today was when I recieved a response to my email asking Mark to tell me where the spare key to his house is kept so I could go by and pick up my purse before he gets home from work (yes, the key i have to his house is also in my purse). He wrote back "im really busy today and cant explain where the key is but its between two plastic plant pots. the treasure map might help." Below is the "treasure map" he attached to the email. Busy, indeed! Mark really is hilarious. :)

Wanted: $350 Cuckoo Clock??

2009-02-02T11:36:00.009-05:00

I saw this cuckoo clock featured in a post on Hello Craft and want. it. so. bad. It is a modern take on the traditional cuckoo clock and there is nothing hokey feeling about it. It's sleek and beautful.

The clock, featured on http://www.momentoitalia.com/, was presented at the 2008 International Furniture Show in Milan, Italy. The web site shows it in two different color schemes/styles. I prefer the white and brown one to the left. It is very natural.

I would love to have this clock in a house of my own, but unfortunately, the $350 price tag is a little too steep. I wonder if there is a way to reproduce the look without spending the cash.

To read the post on cuckoo clocks at Hello Craft click here.

Dusting Off the Sewing Machine

2009-02-02T10:50:00.004-05:00

I went home to Madison (where my parents live) this weekend and was suddenly inspired to unearth my Singer Featherweight II sewing machine from the depths of our basement. I have been so inspired by the crafty blogging community over the past few months and have decided it's time to pick up where I left off with my lovely machine.

There are, however, a few problems. #1 - There is a crucial piece missing on my sewing machine (don't ask me how I lost it, I have no clue)...the clear bobbin cover that holds my bobbin in place and makes it possible to sew. #2 - The instruction manual/warranty information is also missing...this one isn't as big of a deal because I can order a new manual online at www.singerco.com. #3 - The pedal is missing...also required for sewing.

Hopefully, I can take the machine to a local repair place and have them order me a new clear plastic bobbin cover. I can order a new instruction manual and view the warranty info online... so that's not so bad (thank goodness for the internet!). The pedal is missing right now... but I'm sure it is SOMEWHERE...it has to be! I searched all of the plastic bins at home that house the old stuff from my childhood bedroom and couldn't find it. So now I must conduct a search of the many boxes/bins full of junk that I have at my own house.

If I can get these three snags squared away... I should be on the track to whipping up outfits and crafts in no time! After all these years (about five or six) of not sewing, I am a little bit rusty with my sewing machine skills. I think I am going to look into taking a class to get myself re-oriented with my sewing machine. Can't wait to see what I can create!

Missing Friends

2009-01-28T16:41:00.004-05:00

Last weekend I trekked out to Virginia Beach for a sorority sister's wedding. The trip was a blast! I went down on Friday night with my roommate/sorority sister Sarah and another srat sister Dani. We stayed at LeeAnn's (another Gamma Phi sister) dad's house. They live in a gorgeous house on the water and we stayed up in their living room next to the fireplace drinking wine until 2:30 a.m.!

The next day we spent eating breakfast, getting mani/pedis at the nail salon and then going to The Baker's Crust for lunch (mmm). We checked into the hotel, The Marriot at City Center in Newport News, and started getting ready (with a little champagne) for the wedding! The ceremony was in a really pretty church about a five minute drive from the hotel. It was gorgeous - there were lots of white flowers and candles and the bride, of course, looked wonderful. This wedding was the first where I kind of felt like we were all getting older...it brought a tear to my eye.

The reception was a blast and ended all too quickly! I was at a table with my best friends from college: Mark, Steph, Sarah, Dani, LeeAnn, LeeAnn's boyfriend John (I set them up! He works with me!), Stephen, and Stephen's fiance Megan. It was so nice to catch up with all of them again and laugh and be silly. It almost felt like a date function in college - we all would've been together then too (minus John)! It made me realize how much I miss them. Even though I live with Sarah and really close to Mark and LeeAnn; it's partially the dynamic of the whole group together that makes it fun.

After the reception we headed to a bar near the hotel and continued the party and a bunch of us got together for brunch the next morning. It was sad to part ways with everyone. Hopefully someone else will get married really soon so we can all see each other again! That is the best thing about being in the wedding season of life! :)

(photo: from L to R - Sarah, Steph, Me, Dani - there was a supercool photo booth at the wedding, but we had to cut off the best picture and glue it into a book for the bride and groom... oh well, these ones are funnier!)

Chef Emily!

2009-01-27T16:03:00.015-05:00

The only thing I really asked my parents for this Christmas was a cookbook. I have been trying to cook more for myself, although it can be tough cooking for one. I buy a lot of produce that ends up going bad because I just can't prepare/eat it fast enough. I have also gotten into baking recently and wanted to try more things from scratch but don't have enough basic knowledge just yet to experiment on my own. I needed more recipes!

Well, I got a cookbook (actually several) and so much more! My mom was apparently paying attention when I was perusing a Williams-Sonoma catalogue and drooling over their recipe card box that comes with an embosser. [Sidenote: I know it sounds weird to most people (not for those who know me) but I've wanted an embosser for FOREVER. With an embosser you can put your seal on anything - notecards, envelopes, book pages, etc!] Anyway, I got it! The recipe box is beautfiul and the wood smells really nice. It has KITCHEN OF EMILY A. MOFFETT engraved on it and comes with a whole stack of recipe cards. I have already spent a lot of time copying down some of my favorite family recipes to try out on my own (not sure if I'll ever be able to get them as good as mom and dad, though). The embosser is great and came with a KITCHEN OF EMILY A. MOFFETT plate (later I can buy other plates) - and with it I got all of these really pretty shiny green and gold seals to emboss and stick to my recipe cards or boxes filled with goodies made by me!

The two cookbooks that I got were the Better Homes New Cookbook (apparently the cooking bible in most homes) and the Southern Homes Cookbook. They are both huge and it seems like I could spend a lifetime trying every recipe out of them! So far I have tried a few things out of the Better Homes New Cookbook. Recently, I made dinner for Mark and I and was quite proud of myself. I made bacon wrapped filet mignon with a sauce out of the cookbook, roasted asparagus and scalloped potatoes - pretty standard, but delicious!

Since I started gathering recipes I have also come up with the idea to create a family cookbook to give to everyone next Christmas. We definitely have some tastes that are specific to the Moffett family and I think it would make a great gift for my little brothers who one day might have a hankering for some Moffett cheese and onion pie or potato salad!

Guess I better put in some more quality time in the kitchen!

Reading Buddies

2009-01-22T14:45:00.010-05:00

Once a week I go and volunteer at the WVSA School for Arts In Learning (SAIL) as a "Reading Buddy". The school is small and focuses on creative learning techniques. A quote from their website explains:

"SAIL works to address the needs of students with learning differences by providing creative learning environments. We have developed a specialized curriculum using the arts to help children learn in ways that match their learning styles, paying special attention to individual learning styles and specific need."

Their Reading Buddy program pairs each student in the lower grades (K-3, I believe) with a volunteer who reads with them for an hour once a week. I was asssigned to a kindergartener named Monae and spend my lunch hour on Thursdays reading to her or helping her read a book of her choice. She is adorable and it is definitely a bright spot in my week.

Every time I go, I look longingly into the classroom and wish that I could instantaneously become a teacher. It has been reinforcing my desire to get out of the political/corporate world and into something I am more passionate about. The idea of being able to move around and not sit in a dingy gray cubicle all day is also appealing. I really need to figure out how to get started on a career change without having to immediately go back to graduate school. My financial situation and the unstable job climate, however, are certainly big negatives to switching jobs or even wasting money on applying to schools. Anyway, in the meantime, I spend as much time volunteering with kids as possible.

Today, I decided that I wanted to bring a new book to read with Monae. The past few weeks she has been consistently bringing me the same two books to read: The Mixed-Up Chameleon and The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. As cute and colorful as both of those books are... I was getting just a little tired of them. I went to Border's and was immediately overwhelmed by their Children's Books Section. It was daunting... I never knew that many kids' books existed! After nearly spending half an hour perusing the shelves, I had a stack of books in my arms but no idea which to choose. Everything looked good, but nothing was striking me quite right. Finally, I walked by a display shelf and saw the book I knew I wanted (of course, it was a good $10 more expensive than all the others). Zen Shorts by Jon Muth (a picture of the cover is to the right). The illustrations really caught my eye and when I flipped through the book I was sold! The panda, named Stillwater, meets two young kids and over a period of days tells each of them a story that teaches some sort of basic life lesson. It is also a book that I can see staying with her for a year or two because it is more complex than some of the other kiddie books I looked at.

I was really excited to get to SAIL today to give Monae the book and was crestfallen when the director of the program told me that she was out sick. It was okay though, I got to read to two other kids whose Reading Buddies weren't able to make it and they really enjoyed the book, so I think Monae will too when I give it to her next week!

The Best Christmas Present EVER

2009-01-16T11:08:00.007-05:00

Once upon a time I used to work at a political media firm in Old Town, Alexandria. By the end of my tenure there I pretty much hated my job and my boss....but my co-workers wound up being some of the greatest friends I have in DC.

[In the picture above from L to R - Chris, me, Amy - who never worked with me but is now the wife of the guy next to her, Rob, who I did work with!]

I haven't seen them in awhile, so I arranged a little get together last night at Murphy's (amazing Irish pub), which used to be our standard after-work hangout. I got there around 6:45 but they were still at the office (drinking beer) so I went up there to meet them and saw the office for the first time since I left. It was strange. It's been almost two years but nothing has changed. My desk is still empty and a post-it I wrote on is still stuck to it. It's weird how it seems like two years is such a long time and I expected everything to be different but it was exactly the same.

Anyway, we ended up staying at Murphy's until pretty late at night. It was a lot of fun to catch up with all of them and Rob's wife Amy came (they just got married a few months ago!) so I got to see her as well. At one point during the night, Rob whips out this manilla envelope and he was like "Oh... here's a long overdue Christmas present that we've been meaning to give you." So I open up the package and inside I find a professional photograph of my dog, Scrappy! That's right - they took Scrappy to a studio and got her a glamour shot!

A little backstory: Rob and Amy love dogs and at one point I think Amy was trying to convince Rob to get a puppy. When I found this out, I immediately offered up Scrappy as a test puppy and said that if they ever wanted to dogsit to see if they could handle having a dog at home they were more than welcome! So Scrappy has stayed at their house a few times... once even for 10 days. So, obviously, at some point they got her photo done and didn't tell me so they could give me the picture for Christmas! AWESOME.

Seriously, this might be one of the best Christmas gifts I've ever gotten. Ever. I especially love the "Treasured Images" watermark in the lower righthand corner. Priceless.

I can't wait to show my grandmother... she will be so impressed that all of my friends love Scrappy so much they are willing to throw away money on professional photo shoots!

Christmas Card FAIL!

2009-01-09T14:25:00.010-05:00

Ok... so perhaps I was a little too over zealous regarding the Holiday Card Contest! I spent over $100 at Paper Source buying fun things but didn't end up submitting anything. I did, however, make really cute cards to send to my family and Mark's family.

They are sort of a more earthy/homemade version of the super popular photo cards that everyone is sending out these days.

I used pictures from our trip to Alaska this past summer. The first one is of the two of us standing in front of the Mendenhall Glacier. It was beautiful! The second is just a goofy picture of us with a polar bear in front of a touristy shop in Ketchican.

My only instruction from Mark on our cards was to make sure they weren't too girly. When I sent him these photos (he never even got to see one in person before they went out) his response was: "wow, these make everyone elses xmas cards look like shit. very nice!" and then "i'm really really impressed. these are awesome."

So I guess I sort of won a Holiday Card Contest... at least in my boyfriend's eyes! :)

It's Christmas Craft Time!

2008-11-14T13:17:00.004-05:00

I am quite the nerd when it comes to doing anything crafty and that is especially true around the holidays! This year, while I was perusing one of my favorite stores (Paper Source!) for craft supplies, I came across this announcement for a Holiday Card Contest!

So, I have decided that I'm going to make an entry! I want to do something that is modern/classy looking and less cutesy/kitschy (which is what I normally do). One of the key rules is that the card I make must be made entirely of Paper Source products - how tricky of them! Not that I mind spending money there, but it will be harder to make something super original if everyone is getting their supplies from the same place and I WANT TO WIN!

Wish me luck! Pictures of failed attempts and final submission will be posted before December 8th!

Getting into the Halloween Spirit

2008-11-01T15:32:00.025-04:00

A few days ago, Mark suggested that we have a little get together at his house and carve some pumpkins! We sent out the invites to a few close friends (about 13 people) and had everyone over on Tuesday night to eat some sweets, drink some brews and carve up pumpkins!

I had to race home from work and head over to the "pumpkin patch", which is really just a little stand that gets set up in a gas station parking lot a few blocks from Mark's house, to get all the pumpkins in time! Man, they are really expensive up here in Northern Virginia. Sometimes I really miss country prices. I also picked up a few carving kits and luckily, Trevor brought over a super duper carving kit complete with a book of templates that really came in handy for some of the less creative of the group (myself included!).

For me though, the party prep really started the day before! I decided to make a pumpkin cake, Halloween themed sugar cookies (ghosts, black cats, pumpkins, witches) and also made some of my new favorite thing to make - banana chocolate chip bread! The pumpkin cake took the most pre-party prep. I had to bake two cakes in Pyrex glass bowls (to get the rounded shape of the cake) in addition to dying icing orange and baking the cookie that I used as the stem for the pumpkin! I also baked the bread that night so that it would be really chilled and ready to cut into cubes for the party. I left all the frosting and decorating of the sugar cookies and the pumpkin for the day of the party so I was scrambling to get everything ready. My friends came through for me though and all showed up late, leaving me just enough time to open a beer and sit down for a few minutes!

It was good fun - I love everything about pumpkin carving - scooping out the seeds, the smell of them when they are freshly cut and of course, watching the finished product glow outside on the front steps!

Trevor's pumpkin was definitely the most creative and artistic. He carved a very detailed "Robot Nixon" freehand into his pumpkin. My friend Meredith won the award for most classic - her pumpkin is pictured at the top of this post. Mark's was one of the funniest ones... he carved a big evil pumpkin biting a piece out of a little pumpkin's head. I used a template for mine - the "Candle Boo" - a ghost holding a candelabra. Alec tried to carve a little kitten using a template out of his pumpkin... it ended up looking a little like Scrappy! Others carvings were a vampire drinking beer, a pumpkin of flowers and leaves and (the only one I didn't get a picture of) a busty mermaid done by Mark's roommate, Phil.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!

A Tale of Woe

2008-09-19T11:43:00.006-04:00

So - usually I would be posting on something that made me happy or something fun/interesting. Today's post has nothing to do with any of that. Today's subject? The GRE - aka: The Graduate Record Examinations. The thought of going to graduate school has been kicking around in my brain since I started working. I mean, work really has not lived up to anything that I imagined myself doing... it's mostly just a tired corporate routine peppered with an occasional bit of excitement when a new project comes along or the opportunity to meet a Congressman arises. So, naturally, I am considering graduate school in order to pursue a completely different career - one that I think I will be a million times more passionate about and much better suited for.

Unfortunately, in order to get into a graduate school program - I have to take the GREs. I used to be a whiz at standardized tests. The SAT barely phased me... heck, I even had to take some standardized tests to get into my high school! But that was way back when - my memorization skills were second to none and I had a ton of free time to study prep books and make myself flash cards. Oh how times have changed.

I bought a book from the Princeton Review - Cracking the GRE 2009 Edition. I figured it would be the best way to get an idea of what stuff I wouldn't have to really study up on and what stuff I'm out of touch with. Enter the MATH SECTION. I'm screwed. Math has never been my thing to begin with... I don't like it and I clearly didn't retain any of what I was forced to learn in school! I was flipping through the book - just checking out what kind of problems I might have to do and realized that I am going to have to re-learn a LOT of math (example below). Sigh. If anyone knows how to do this stuff - help me now!

I guess I'm really going to have to get studying. :(

THE QUASI

2008-09-17T13:24:00.014-04:00

Those of you who know me, will know that I have two brothers that I am very, very proud of. They are some of the most talented, handsome, funny and wonderful people that I know.

My brother Tyler (in the picture above in the center) is an extremely gifted artist. He is currently in design school in order to become an automobile designer and had a pretty exclusive internship at GM's design center this past summer. You can see his work/drawings here.

Most recently, Tyler, along with his best friend John Jones (who is also like a little bro to me), started a design company called The Quasi. The Quasi mostly focuses on creating cool t-shirt designs but also does some other stuff as well. Here is a bit about them in their own words:

"Here at Quasi, our main goal is to simply have a good time, and allow ourselves to practice some creativity without boundaries. Quasi was designed by John Jones and Tyler Moffett in '07. Since the creation of the Quasi brand almost a year ago, its potential is finally being realized, and is being brought to life. Quasi will specialize primarily in t-shirt designs, but depending how well the brand is received, the store will open its doors to other possibilities. Overall, Quasi is simply an artistic vision that is constantly in development. Who knows where we will pop up next."

The Quasi logo itself is sleek and modern looking and their website is awesome. They sell their apparel through Cafepress and offer "value tees" for only $9.99! That is a pretty small price to pay to look cool. They have other regular priced tees and hoodies for both women and men and even a section of free stuff to download (wallpapers and such).

Here are some of their awesome designs:

I have ordered two things from the Quasi website so far - a white hoodie with the thumbs up Quasi logo and a tshirt with the Quasi DC Metro logo (since I live in DC!). They are really good quality products and I feel pretty trendy wearing such great design around town. Everyone check out The Quasi today!!

Happy Workers - like myself - Need Music

2008-07-10T15:09:00.002-04:00

I think we can all agree - there are just some days at work where focusing is impossible, nothing is going on or you just don't feel like doing whatever it is that you do. On days like those, I sit in my cube festering as I plunge further and further into the depths of boredom. Forwards from friends, the occasional coffee break and reading blogs help to break up the monotony but nothing - I repeat, NOTHING - will pull you up out of your slump more quickly than a new jam! Music is the cure to almost anything. My good friends John Duda and Ashley Andersen, who know all about the healing power of music, started this little thing called the Happy Workers Need Music Club (HWNMC) and we started exchanging fun songs on a daily basis. It was glorious - a total knight in shining armor to my damsel in distress!

Our fledgling club started to grow as we added more and more of our friends who were also suffering excruciating boredom at work and needed some new music to power through. HWNMC ended up turning into a large group email list and a blog (there has been talk of t shirts but let's not get ahead of ourselves)! So, if you are ever wondering what my friends and I are listening to or are interested in music reviews and upcoming concert dates in the area, I encourage you to check out our blog. There are lists of all the tracks we exchange every week, information about bands and new albums, etc.

And...A THANK YOU shout out to Ash and Duda for saving me from my job!

Awww... aren't they so cute!?

Fireworks!

2008-06-27T12:45:00.004-04:00

It is such a shame that fireworks (real ones, anyway) are illegal in so many states. Fireworks are so fun to watch and equally as fun to set off (at least for me...I am a bit of a pyromaniac). This year I have indulged in setting off a lot of fire works. I lit about a hundred sparklers in an empty lot behind a hotel in Frederick, MD, launched off a batch of "real" fireworks at a friend from high school's birthday celebration in Middleburg, VA and then some real big ones in Tysons, VA at a going away party for Ashley Andersen. It is fun swirling around sparklers and running panicked away from lit wicks and even more than that... it has yielded some good picture-taking opportunities. I love taking pictures at night but have had a hard time getting everything on my new camera set properly - throw in the moving light of fireworks and I'm basically lost... below is some of what I did.

back lot hotel pictures (credits to Ben Pecora - it was his camera and his engineering):

pictures of the fireworks extravaganza in middleburg (these are all mine, but not as good as ben's):

This Old House - Moffett Edition

2008-02-25T14:17:00.002-05:00

I have always been fascinated with history - particularly that of my own family. One day I hope to put together a collection of anecdotes and photos and make a sort of Moffett history book - but for now, I will share with you the story of my recent trip back to one of the houses I lived in when I was a baby.

I was born in Frederick, Maryland at Frederick Memorial Hospital. I lived in a small cottage on an estate in Frederick for my first few months in the world but the property ended up being sold for development, so my parents moved to a giant old farm mansion out on Ed Crone Lane - as my brother and I grew older we simply referred to it as "The Frederick House". We lived in this house for a few years until we hit the road to go tree planting (more about that adventure in another post).

My first memories are a surreal jumble of events that occurred at The Frederick House - including the time when the attic door blew open during a storm and a horde of bats flew down into the living room where we were watching TV and my father had to chase them out of the house. The property was sprawling and flanked by farm fields. There were some interesting landmarks at The Frederick House as well. Among the creepier ones was a path that led from the main house to the shed (back in the day, the slave quarters) which was made of stones, but not just any stones - they were actually slave gravestones! There were fireplaces in every room in the main house and it was so big and run down when my family moved in that we didn't even use some of the rooms. My parents actually put in a lot of work on that house. My father was working construction jobs at the time and he took scraps from work sites to build some things - he added a brand new porch on one side of the house and built me and my brother a playhouse in the back yard.

For awhile now I have been wondering whatever became of that house. I have been to Frederick several times in the past year or so because my good friend Trevor lives there and each time, I've thought about driving by the old house and seeing if it was still there or not. My father always told me that he didn't think it could possibly be still standing - Frederick has gone through a lot of development since we lived there 20 years ago!

The other day I got it in my head that I wanted to go see it, so i called my friend Ben (who also lives in Frederick) and got him in on the plan. I would drive to Frederick after work, meet at Ben's house, we'd get bundled up and grab some flashlights and head out there. Now most of you are probably thinking - Why did you go at night? It's the dead of winter! Are you out of your mind? Well... I can't really explain why I decided to go when I did... so just read on.

First we Google Mapped the area but you can't tell on Google Maps if a house is actually there or not so I had to download Google Earth and try to check it out that way. The house is kind of buried in a clump of trees and the Google Earth picture was from pretty far away so it was hard to tell if the actual structure was still there or just some trees disguising a foundation. In any event, the driveway was still there so I figured it wasn't paved over with a Wal-Mart just yet. After that we went to a liquor store next to Ben's place and bought some bottles of wine. Then we set out for Ed Crone Lane. It was freezing cold and snowy but luckily the farmland was well it by a full moon! (Creepy, I know.) We drove by the driveway once and there was a giant chain link fence blocking us from driving down. Not to be deterred, we parked the car on another street and then took our flashlights and wine and jumped the fence!

It was strange walking down the driveway - I remember going up and down it many times as a youngster - and the trees were sort of shrouding the area where the house would be, so I was a little nervous we'd get down there and see nothing.

But this is what we saw:

The house was there...still standing...but a burnt out shell. At first, I was just excited that it was still there but then the eeriness of the empty brick husk started to sink in. We walked around the whole house and even went into it. There were no floors or anything - just a collapsed roof and beams and charred bits of metal and wood piled up in the basement. The old slave quarters/shed was still completley intact and the path of stones was still there. My dad told me to look for the cornerstone that had the year the house was built etched into it but I never did find it. Perhaps they took it out before they burned the house down (I later found out that it was burnt as practice for fire fighters). I am glad there was at least something still there. The saddest part was probably seeing the porch that my dad worked so hard to build reduced to broken 2x4 planks strewn around and overgrown with weeds.

The full moon added an interesting light and made for some really great pictures (thanks to Ben's great camera and skills):

Worst Day of the Year = Cause for Celebration!

2008-02-18T12:14:00.012-05:00

Valentine's Day is an overly commercialized holiday that most adults dread. Those of us who are single dread possibly not having a date or having to feel completely inferior watching everyone around them receive flowers and candy. Those of us who are in couples stress about gifts to give and how to be original on such a cliche occasion. Some of us even get stuck in the position of having forgotten the date and facing up to the wrath of our other halves. Gone are the days of cartoon character valentines for everyone and cupcakes and candy hearts during recess.

So what is the remedy? How do we escape the impending doom of Valentine's Day? Celebrate something else! It just so happens that I have a little dog - named Scrappy - who was born on February 14, 2004 and there is nothing better that I can think of than celebrating her birthday to distract all my friends from the Holiday That Shall Not Be Named.

We started this little tradition last year by having a few people over to the house, eating some cake and drinking "Scrappy's Brew" (bud light bottles with the label covered by a custom label that I made...any excuse for a craft!). This year the celebration quadrupled in attendance and the decorations, food and brews were way over the top! Scrappy also received a ridiculous amount of gifts, which really surprised me. She got a brand new dog bed, a new travel carrier, a matching jacket and hat, gourmet dog treats, a new leash and some toys! What a spoiled dog. Some people even brought their own dogs, which was a lot of fun... despite Scrappy's jealousy issues. The only casualty of the night was a wine glass that broke when the golden retreiver who came swiped a shelf on our bar cart clean with his tail!

Below are the invitations that I created and sent out to the girls - because really the girls were the only ones who could really appreciate them! The little dog on the front really did look just like Scrappy - underbite and all!

This is what the food/favor table looked like:

There were cookies in the shape of fire hydrants, dog bones and puppies, lots of candy hearts, baked brie, chips and spinach and artichoke dip and m&ms. The best thing was that we turned our not so classy boxed wine into part of the theme of the party and made it look like a dog house! And of course, there was cake!

The brews this year were perhaps the most labor intensive yet awesome part of the party! We made labels of two varieties. I made the one with the little drawing of Scrappy on the front and Alec (our guy friend from down the hall who was really a trooper when I recruited him to help me) drew the ones of the heart being pierced by a dog bone (instead of an arrow, you know). Then, I took it one step further by making little covers for the bottlecaps (I drew them on sticker paper and then cut them to size). So adorable! Everyone was impressed.

Below: Scrappy's Loot! Aren't those giant pink bows fabulous!?

We had a lot of flowers spread around the house, but the pink tulips were my favorite!

We managed to crowd over 20 people into our little apartment and good time was had by all! I can't wait to see what we'll come up with for Scrappy's big 5th birthday next year!

A Fun Project!

2008-02-15T12:36:00.002-05:00

Craft projects always make me happy... they allow for creative outlet, give you something to work on and at the end you have something cool to keep or to give to someone else! One of my favorite go-to spots for classy crafts (think more something you'd proudly display on a bookshelf in your home and less something with beading and puffy paint that you made at camp) is Paper Source. They sell kits and even offer free online tutorials on how to complete their crafts(check out their How To section of the website).

The downside is that some of their crafts are pricey and time intensive but recently I found a really easy and cheap craft that anyone can do: Decorative Letters!

Materials: Paper Source is a one-stop shop for everything you will need! For those of you who don't live near an actual Paper Source store you can order everything online!

Paper!

Letters!

Adhesive glue and a glue brush! (I put a picture of the kind of glue that I bought - there are other kinds, of course, but this one didn't require any mixing and stays wet for a decent amount of time which makes it a bit more forgiving)

Pencil and Scissors

And you can include anything else that you would want to fancy up your letter. For example, when I did this craft with my roommate, Sarah, she went and bought some matching ribbon to attach to the back of her letter so that she could hang it on the wall in her room!

My Directions: This is how I completed the craft... I'm sure you all can figure out the method that works best for you. Here's what my workspace looked like:

1) I bought a patterned paper and a plain paper in a complementary color for my letter design - my goal was to cover both faces of the letter with the pattern and then the edges in the plain paper.
2) First, I traced the outline of my letter (both sides) on the patterned paper and cut it out. This way the paper would fit perfectly on each face of my letter.
3) Then, I cut strips of the plain paper a little wider than the sides of my letter so that when i applied it the edges would wrap around the faces and be covered by the patterned paper.
4) I covered the sides of my letter with the plain paper first. I brushed very thin layer of glue on the letter in the spot i was working and pressed the paper gently down. Then I brushed glue onto the overhang pieces of paper and and pressed it down to the face of my letter.
5) After the sides were completely covered I brushed a think layer of glue on the front face of my letter and applied the pre-cut patterned paper. I repeated the same process on for the back face of the letter.
6) If there were any stubborn parts of the paper still sticking up, I just brushed glue over them to get them down - the glue dried clear so you would never know it.
6) Let dry overnight and - voila!

Here are some pictures of the ones that I did:

With the L i just covered the whole letter with patterned paper but the method I used was the same.

Sidecraft! Sarah got inspired to cover a whole box with paper - she struggled a bit but it came out beautifully:

After doing these first couple of letters, I decided to try to do one for my boyfriend but needed a manly looking paper so I chose this world map wrap. I don't have any pictures of the finished product but it came out really cool looking and is a great addition to his desk!

Welcome to the World of Moffett

2008-02-02T11:38:00.002-05:00

I have stressed over the opening entry for this blog (I guess they call them "posts" not entries in the blog world) and haven't been able to write it for months. I was feeling pressured to set the tone for the entire blog in a few short paragraphs and, instead of just settling down and getting it out there, let the entire thing fall by the wayside.

Then I realized...there is very little likelihood that anyone will read this, so what have I got to lose?!

This blog is not themed... unless you consider "whatever emily wants" to be a theme... and I will write about whatever I happen to be influenced by, doing, or thinking about. I probably won't post daily or even weekly due to my hectic schedule and periodic bouts of laziness. However, I hope that in spite of all of this whoever reads this blog will enjoy it and occasionally find a few things worth passing on to others!

Welcome, one and all, to the world of Moffett.