Happy 2011!

Happy New Year's Eve to all of my lovely followers out there!

I'm welcoming 2011 with open arms. Cheers!

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Need a New Year's Resolution? Get one right here from the Resolution Generator designed by Monina Velarde.

Dreamy Thursday

It's almost the weekend for me! Just spending the afternoon day dreaming with the help of these pretty pictures.

via Tongue Tied

via We Heart It

via Michelle Arcila

via Tatielle

via TUMBLR

via The Shiny Squirrel

Speaking of the Best of 2010...

Paste Magazine has compiled a bunch of convenient lists of their favorite movies, gadgets, iPhone/iPad apps and more for 2010. Check out all of Paste's Best Of's for this past year!

Top 20 Favorite Albums of 2010

2010 was not a bad year for music. Not too bad at all...

20. Caribou - Swim

19. Freelance Whales - Weathervanes

18. She & Him - Volume Two

17. The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

16. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

15. Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer

14. Girl Talk - All Day

13. Jonsi - Go

12. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

11. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

10. The National - High Violet

9. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

8. The Walkmen - Lisbon

7. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

6. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

5. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

4. Sleigh Bells - Treats

3. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

2. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

1. The Black Keys - Brothers

Merry Christmas Eve!

Favorite Christmas Movie Quotes

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and like most time-honored family traditions, I have a few of my own. My family and I sit around most of the day by the fire watching our favorite Christmas movies. Every year, it's the same movies but somehow, they never get old. And neither do their memorable quotes. Here are a few of my favorites:

‎"Say, by the way, can you play 'Jingle Bells?' No, no. I mean 'Jingle Bells.' You know, deck them halls and all that stuff? You know, Santa Claus and ho-ho-ho, and mistletoe and presents to pretty girls..." - Lucy Van Pelt, A Charlie Brown Christmas

"Look Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings." - Zuzu Bailey, It's a Wonderful Life

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." - Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas

"You're soft! You're sloppy! You're unruly! You're undisciplined ... and I never saw anything look so wonderful in my whole life." - General Waverly, White Christmas

"Oh Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind..." -Kris Kringle, Miracle on 34th Street

"I'm gonna give you to the count of 10 to get your ugly, yellow, no-good keister off my property before I pump your guts full of lead! One, two, ten... Keep the change ya' filthy animal." -Gangster 'Johnny,' Home Alone

"SON of a NUTcracker!"

"I'm a cotton-headed ninny-muggins."

"I love you. I love you! I LOOOOOVE YOU!"

"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?" - Buddy the Elf, Elf

"Is your house on fire, Clark?"

"No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights." - Clark Griswold, Christmas Vacation

"Let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love." - Sam, Love Actually

"He looks like deranged Easter Bunny. He does too, he looks like a pink nightmare."

"Uh, 'frah-gee-lay.' It must be Italian... Oh, I think it says 'fragile,' honey... Oh, yeah." - Mr. Parker, A Christmas Story

What are some of your favorite Christmas movie quotes?

The Merry Newsinator

Here is the perfect way to wrap up 2010 in an fun, humorous and organized way.

Instead of typing up the traditional family updates in a letter and sending it with a store-bought Christmas card, try The Merry Newsinator. It's a digital holiday newsletter that you can e-mail to friends, upload to social media sites, and more. You simply submit your content and the Marry Newsinator generates a uniquely designed newsletter with witty blurbs that sum up your year in review.

Late on sending out Christmas cards this year? Then give it a try: The Merry Newsinator

found via Twig & Thistle

The Evolution of the Blogger

I love this Blogger Flowchart from Flowtown. It breaks down how the "blogger" has evolved in a funny and, well, systematic way if you will. But as blogging has become more evolved and thus more fragmented, I do think there is some crossover. I like to think that I blog about more than just one thing. According to this chart, I'm probably a cross between The Fashion Blogger, The Art & Design Blogger, and The DIY Blogger. But what about The Music Blogger? Or The Advertising Blogger? Really, the possibilities are endless.

My 3 Favorite Things This Morning

Snow on Main Street in Richmond on my way to work.

French pressed coffee, yum!

A cozy new scarf from ModCloth!

image sources: Snow on Main St, French Press, Scarf from ModCloth

THXTHXTHX - Thank You Notes from Leah

Dear Leah,

Thanks for reminding me to be thankful. Even for the little things. I should do it more often. Funny how being grateful is one of the best, yet quickly fleeting feelings.

Best, Allison

thxthxthx

Allison's Holiday Gift Guide

In case you were wondering what to get me for the holidays, I've provided a convenient gift guide for you : )

I'm loving these unique gifts that are perfect for anyone on your list!

Vintage Bag from ModCloth

Antique Birdcage Scarf from Snoozer Loser

Fuji Film Instax 210 Instant Camera from Amazon

Cooperative Fair Isle Sweater Tunic from Urban Outfitters

Geneva Sound System from CB2

Catcher in the Rye T-Shirt from Out of Print Clothing

If life gives you Melons Screen Print from T-Shirt Gallery Designs

iPod Nano from Apple

Marc by Marc Jacobs Moleskine from Barney's

Rubber Doily Coasters from Gretel

The Small Stakes Music Posters

The Chemist Jars from Anthropologie

Black Swan Flocking to Cities Everywhere

I'm dying to see the movie, Black Swan, a psychological thriller about the New York City ballet starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. It debuted in limited release last Friday and it's opening up to more and more cities each week. I can't wait until it gets to my city (12/17/10)! Who wants to go see it with me?

See the Black Swan trailer here.

Opening dates here.

Baking Cravings

How delicious do these cookie truffles look? I'm very tempted to try this recipe from Framed Cooks out... my mouth is watering as I type. Yum!

Recipe:

COOKIE TRUFFLES

1 16 oz package Nutterbutters or Oreos

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 14 ounce package candy melts

1. Place all but 6 cookies in food processor and process until ground to fine crumbs.

2. Put crumbs and cream cheese in bowl and mix until completely combined.

3. Form dough into one inch balls

4. Melt candy in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between each heating, until melted.

5. Coat each ball in candy and place on cookie sheet covered in wax paper.

6. Chill in refrigerator until candy is hardened.

7. Do what you will with those 6 extra cookies.

from Framed Cooks via The Pink and Blue Blog

I'm not a big eggnog fan, but there's something intriguing about these eggnog cookies from Two Trick Pony. Might be worth trying...

Recipe:

EGGNOG COOKIE DOUGH

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup butter (softened)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

Combine sugar, butter, egg, salt, spices and vanilla, beat on medium until light and fluffy. (2-3 minutes) Add flour, beat on low for 2-3 minutes.

Slice into 1/4 inch cookies, choose desired cookie shape.

Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes or until slightly golden on bottom.

via Two Trick Pony

And of course, you can never go wrong with White Chocolate Cranberry cookies, like these from Baking Bites. They're a festive alternative to the good ole' Chocolate Chip.

Recipe:

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg, followed by melted white chocolate and vanilla extract. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture, mixing until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between each cookie to allow for spread.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies turn lightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

via Baking Bites

Trapper Hats

Talk about getting ready for winter... I don't think the temperature has stayed above freezing any night this week. In my attempt to stay cozy and warm, I'm thinking about purchasing one of these...

{image sources: Urban Outfitters, Bloomingdales}