Google Doodlers

I love that the Google Doodle is pure fun. There's no real reason that Google's logo needs to change with holidays and the like, but it says so much about the company ethos that they do it anyway. Here's a video about the artists behind the Doodles (spoiler alert: you may get a little verklempt at the end :)



Doodles via Google, video via Mashable.

Nail Candy

I'm completely obsessed with the French nail polish blog Pshiiit—which I have no idea how to say out loud without sounding vulgar, but the Internet seems to think it's some sort of French onomatopoeia (any French-speaking readers know what it means?). They post such fun and pretty nail polish ideas, even though I can't necessarily read what they say about them! I can't wait to try a few.

Via Kate Miss' Pinterest.

Put A Ring On It

I have a pretty low key weekend planned (um, it might involve the second Hunger Games book) but if I were going out to a fun party, I'd want to wear this pretty rose gold cocktail ring. Isn't it great?

Happy Weekend! I hope yours is full of fun plans (be they of the cocktail ring or good book variety :)

Dance With Somebody

My friend Bethany sent me this song this morning and it was the perfect way to start an otherwise dreary day. Of course, everyone loves the original (and how awesomely 80s was that video?!) but this cover by Ben Rector is so fun, I've been playing it over and over. Hope it gets your morning off to a great start!

A Surprise Wedding

From what I've heard, it sounds like it's pretty stressful for a guy to orchestrate the perfect proposal. So could you imagine also planning the wedding to immediately follow the proposal?! That's exactly what this oh-so-sneaky groom did for his bride.





After he proposed, Dave walked Heather across the beach to their waiting friends and family. And they got married, right then and there! However, he was also prepared for the worst. If Heather said no, he figured they'd just have a "small but slightly awkward party." :)





I think this is a terrific idea. What about you? Would you jump at the chance to get the wedding over with right away, or want to wait to plan a big shin dig?

Via Simple Song. All photos by James Moes.

Pancake Day

It's Pancake Day! No, not National Pancake Day (which is apparently next Tuesday, according to IHOP, who seems like a source with a rather vested interest) but Pancake Day, also called Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. It's the day before the Christian season of Lent begins, and it's commemorated in some traditions by eating pancakes because they use up the types of food people often give up for Lent.

I took a tiny break from my Hunger Games cocoon this weekend to make the blueberry pancakes in the picture above, and I plan on having pancakes for dinner tonight as well. If you want to do the same, here are some great-looking recipes to make sure you properly observe Pancake Day.

Oatmeal Pancakes

Blue Corn Jalapeno Pancakes

Banana Bread Pancakes

Mmm...happy Pancake Day!

(A Hunger Games) Weekend in Pictures

Despite it being a three day weekend, I have very little to show you. Aside from Lady Liberty there (as seen from IKEA in Brooklyn) and some un-photographed giggle-y dinners with friends, my weekend looked like this...



I started The Hunger Games on Saturday, and finished the first book this afternoon after an impromptu sleepover (no talking, all reading) that turned into reading all day and not really leaving my bed a whole lot. Have you read the series? I'm totally hooked.

Mason Mug

This is pretty genius. Cuppow is a reusable plastic lid that turns a Mason canning jar into a travel mug. Um, why was this not thought of sooner?! Just this afternoon I spilled my drink down the front of my shirt while drinking out of the wide-mouth of a Mason jar (also, there may have been some general clumsiness involved). Since Mason jars are everywhere lately, and so practical for carrying and storing liquids, this just makes perfect sense. I'll take two, please!

Via Fast Company.

One Last Valentine

I'm sure you've seen tons of Valentine's ideas around the Internet lately, but I hope you'll indulge me in just one more. My friend Tracey handed these out at our Valentine's day lunch this weekend, and they were quite a hit. Such a cute idea!

Happy Valentine's Day :)

(A Valentine's) Weekend in Pictures

{cupcake delivery}

{cupcakes ready for the party}

{eleanorasaurus}

{balloons and snow flurries}

{tiny cakes, completed}

{tiny cakes for valentine's day girl's lunch}

{galentine's day presents}

{red polka dot nails}

It was a weekend full of parties. First, I made and delivered cupcakes for Ellie's 1st birthday party and got to peek at all the cute decorations, even though I couldn't stay for the party. Sunday was more cake and more partying, this time with tiny cakes for a Valentine's lunch with girlfriends. It was bitterly cold in New York this weekend, so I was glad I had a few excuses to stay inside and eat chocolate cake.

Post-It Love

What an adorable waste of paper :) Have a great weekend!

A Tiny Cake For Your Valentine

This weekend I'm having some girlfriends over for a little Valentine's Day lunch (or Galentine's Day, really), since all the pink, red and hearts of Valentine's Day are more fun for girls anyway. Looking for a special treat to end the meal, I decided to make miniature cakes for everyone.



There's a little extra effort involved in frosting such a tiny little cake, so they definitely say love more than a cupcake or a box of chocolates, I think. They'd be a sweet way to end a homemade Valentine's Day dinner date.



Especially if you go ahead and gild the lily by making a simple chocolate ganache to pour on top.







There are two ways to make these tiny cakes, each with their advantages and disadvantages. If your local big box store carries 4 inch cake pans, that's the easiest way to make these cakes, especially if you're just making two small cakes (use the leftover batter to make cupcakes and freeze them). Advantages: easier to frost. Disadvantages: more oven time, since they'll have to be baked in shifts.

I only have one small cake pan, so it would have taken me forever to bake each layer one by one. Instead, I poured the batter into a sheet pan with a 1 inch rim and baked it. Once the cake had cooled, I used my largest biscuit cutter (or a larger circular cookie cutter) to cut each individual layer. Advantage: saves on baking time. Disadvantage: a crumb-y mess to frost.

Either way, the result is a cute little treat perfect for celebrating love, friends, or both :)

The Valentine Channel

"Hey Girl, did you know I have my own channel for Valentine's Day?"

This is pretty brilliant: Time Warner Cable is offering an entire channel of Ryan Gosling for Valentine's Day. Throughout February eight of his movies available are On Demand, so you can make sure you get your February fill of the meme-worthy star whether you have a valentine or not. It's definitely cheesy to watch The Notebook on Valentine's Day... right?

Image via here

(Hearts & Footballs) Weekend in Pictures

{test valentines}

{crafting supplies and coffee}

{always so many birds at tracey's place}

{watercolor chevron painting}

{more valentine tests}

{polka heart}

{brooklyn heights valentines}

{superbowl party with king cake, a plastic baby, the brooklyn bridge and a pup}

I said last year that I don't really get that into Valentine's Day, which is still mostly true. But this year I'm giving in to the pink and red. Hence the Valentine crafting session on Saturday. Balanced out with some beer and tater tots eating during the Super Bowl, for a well-rounded weekend. Hope yours was lovely!

Instagram photos via Kate and Dara.

The Big Game

There's a big game this weekend that millions of Americans will gather around television sets across the country to enjoy as one nation: The Puppy Bowl. Ok, so yes, there is another big game happening, but let's talk about one that we can all enjoy, not just those of us who like football.

If you're not familiar with the highlight of a dog lover's year, let me explain. The Puppy Bowl runs at the same time as The Super Bowl every year and features a bunch of adorable puppies frolicking on a miniature football field. That's it! Four hours of puppies. It's pretty much the greatest. Let's take a look at some standouts in this year's starting line up:











All the dogs in this year's Puppy Bowl are shelter dogs available for adoption, which I love. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the Super Bowl party I'm going to won't be showing the Puppy Bowl, so I'll just have to catch the highlights on Monday. And when I do, this puppy voice will definitely be happening.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Top photo via here for Animal Planet, all other photos from Animal Planet