Greece? Yes, Please

I caught the tail-end of Mama Mia on tv the other night. (Love that movie, btw). It got me thinking about how badly I want to vacation in Greece. So I've spent countless hours since the Mama Mia encounter flipping through photo after gorgeous photo on flickr. I've packed my bags, and I'm setting sail as we speak. Where are you going to go on your mid-week pretend vacation?

via pluzz

via cole.simon

via MOXXO

via dancetrax

All images are linked directly to the original source.

Fun for the Little Ones

I just discovered yuumii. It's a fun place where you're given weekly "adventures" and learning activities. It's geared for kids ages 1-5 and their parents/caregivers. An added bonus: it's the perfect distraction for when the older siblings go back to school. The younger ones can feel cool too, since they have "homework" and special assignments. Plus, you'll enjoy some structured one-on-one time where you don't have to think up the activities. They're handed right to you in a convenient weekly email.

Now we're off to try our first adventure--homemade ice cream! I have a feeling H is gonna like this. :)

Daydreaming

I've been daydreaming all day about Kate Spade's new fall collection:

All photos from Kate Spade.

Individual photos are linked to the original source...click on them to visit the site.

Cinnamon Roll Saturday

My hometown is filled with amazing women. Incredible cooks, crafty geniuses, decorating and organizational wizards. Lucky for me, many of them are friends with my mom...and I benefit by getting their recipes handed down to me. This cinnamon roll recipe has made the rounds in town for quite some time, and I'm not really sure which fabulous woman deserves the credit.

These cinnamon rolls are worth waking up early on a Saturday morning! They're a light, fluffy version. Here's the recipe and a little step-by-step photo guide. (Just remember, these photos aren't pretty; my aesthetic juices aren't flowing in the morning.) But hopefully it will help you get the basics down.

Now for the recipe:

10 tsp. yeast + 1 C warm water (mix and set aside)
4 C scalded milk (warming it for 2 min in microwave works great)
1 C sugar
1 C butter (melted)
4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
12-13 C flour

Mix milk, butter, sugar, salt, eggs and add half of the flour. Mix well. Add yeast mixture, and stir well. Add remaining flour to make sticky dough. (I usually add all 13 cups). Let rise until double. (Usually 1.5 - 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.) Punch down. Divide into thirds. On floured surface, roll out 1/3 of dough into a rectangle, about 3/4" - 1" thick.

Spread with softened butter and a mixture of cinnamon sugar.

Roll up on long side.

Cut 1" thick slices.

Place in large, buttered baking sheets. (barely, or not even touching)

3 across and 4 down is perfect.

Let rise for 20-25 minutes in pan.

Bake at 375 for 15-18 min, until golden brown.

Glaze with a mixture of powdered sugar/milk while warm.

*I don't have the exact measurements for the cinnamon sugar mixture or the

powdered sugar glaze. But I do try to keep the glaze pretty thick because it melts on top of the rolls.

***This is the only photo I got of the finished product. While I stepped away from the kitchen, a small boy assisted by his father couldn't resist helping themselves to a sample.***

Oh, and one more thing: this recipe makes a HUGE batch. 36 cinnamon rolls, to be exact. So I typically make it for holidays or family gatherings. I've never tried scaling back the recipe; but if you want to make it for a normal-sized family, I think a quarter recipe would still give you 9 rolls. Good luck. Let me know what you think if you try it!

Paper Dolls

I can't remember how I found these paper dolls, but seeing them again takes me back a good twenty-plus years to my grandparents' farmhouse. You can print your own, and reminisce along with me.

A couple notes: My "real" post for today is coming a bit later...so stay tuned for a tutorial on how to make the best cinnamon rolls ever. From scratch!

Thanks to everyone who participated in my birthday celebration giveaway. You should all be receiving your tags this week. Oh, and if I haven't contacted you regarding your address, could you please email me at christinawilliamsdesigns@gmail.com with the information you'd like on your tags? Comments are now closed for my giveaway, but if you're still hankering for a good freebie, definitely stop by Off Switch, where Katie's giving away tons of her cute greeting cards.

{image from Betsy McCall}