. . . that perfect baby boot solution?

on the subway

i really want to share this tip:

we were wondering what we should do for
the chief's footwear
during our trip to new york.

we wanted something warm
easy to put on
and comfortable for him to walk in.

steph suggested uggs
(warm and no socks needed!)
which was great,
only i couldn't justify spending over $100
on boots he'd wear for a couple months only.

then, my friend brooke told me she bought her son
the ugg-impostors from the girls section at target.

really? i said.
and went to target to check for myself.
$20 later, i was happy about the solution.

and they were perfect in new york.
the doormen started to call him
"the baby with the boots."


buy boots online here!

. . . other blogs you read?

if i am not careful
i can spend my whole
specially allotted naptime
blog linking or
facebook reading.

i call it mom porn.

because if i indulge too much
i feel horrible about myself afterwards
my life suddenly becomes so mundane
so ordinary
(where is my trip to hawaii?
or my crafty afternoon filled with glitter?)

though i am not of myself an avid blog reader
(i spend too much time on this computer as is)
there are blogs i enjoy reading when i can
because they make me laugh
and they are well-written
thoughtful
and authored by women i love.

here are three in my queue:
jayniemoon
just me
every day i write the book



i will be in nyc for this next week
and will be taking a dear c jane blogging break
but i want to wish everyone a
merry thanksgiving far and wide!

. . . that s'mores recipe?

from time to time
i get requests about recipes for this blog
but for some reason,
i am always shy about sharing them.

because one time i shared a mac and cheese recipe
and my friend tried it and returned to say
it was artery clogging.

yikes.

but here is a recipe i have been making
because
i have a s'more obsession
(not even one i can joke about)
(i have to have one almost daily)
(i am not joking)

s'more bars:
(no roasting marshmallows necessary)

4 cups of smashed graham crackers
bag of chocolate chips (we use semi-sweet, but do your thang)
bag of mini marshmallows
a half cup of melted butter
enough sugar to sprinkle generously

preheat oven to 350
grease a 9x13 pan

take two cups of graham cracker smashings
mix with half your butter
press them on the bottom of the pan
and sprinkle with sugar.

now, take those chocolate chips
and toss them on top of the smashings
until it forms a new layer of chocolate

still with me?

take your marshmallows
and drop them on top of the chocolate
until your pan is white with marshmallows.

now, repeat step one
take two cups of graham cracker smashings
mix with butter
sprinkle on top of marshmallows
and drizzle with sugar.

put in oven for 10 minutes
cool.
serve.

cool.




p.s. for graham crackers i like honey maid
semi sweet chips ghiraidelli
and whatever marshmallow look good
and puffy.

. . . a winner? another free for all?

600 comments on the nose.
over 600 names
for chup and i to contemplate
thank you
i've added at least ten new names
to my possibilities list.

like many of you
i love names.
i love hearing them.
discussing them.
debating them.
naming them to a child.

on to the dress.
we have chosen caroline of salsa pie
as the winner
for her efforts to appeal to my softness
for female writers:

How about these:

Emily
Sylvia
Charlotte
Rowling

see the trend? All female writers...
And, finally my favorite:

Hope Field Dearing, which was my great-grandmother's pen name when she used to write for Harper's Bazaar back in the 1920s and 30s.Always thought that was a cool name.

caroline darling, anchors away is yours!

thanks again
to everyone who entered
and shabby apple.

i like giveways where i get something in return.

speaking of such . . .

we've scheduled another giveaway free for all
december 2nd.

this is a heads up for anyone who wants to
give something fantastic away
or announce discounts on online shops
or grab a little something
for yourself.

if you joined us last time
you know what amusement we had.

if you didn't,
get ready for the premiere
giveaway
online
experience!



or something like that.


* thanks to laura for my new
giveaway free for all
banner!

** what is a giveaway free for all?
see see here-o!

. . . a winner? and another giveaway? why not?

chup and i were really struggling with naming the chief
and i wrote about it on my c jane blog one day.

incidentally, i liked the name roman,
but roman kendrick
sounds too much like roman catholic
which is fine,
but we're mormon.

so, in the comment section of my previously-mentioned post
a certain someone named jenny
revealed a large list of unusual names
her sister had gathered from being a school teacher
in rural idaho.

unbeknown to me,
chup read the jenny's suggestions
and wrote down a couple names he liked
miraculously, one of the names
from that very list
became the first one we could agree on.

and it stuck.
jenny helped us name the chief
and i've never been able to thank her for that.

imagine my surprise to see the very same jenny
pop back up in the comments
of this post too.

jenny, we are indebted to you
(to say the least)
you win this sweet album
(like angels in your stereo).

(and while you are at it,
will you email me
so i can thank you personally?)


and thanks to jennifer for the album contribution!


i had such a delightful time
reading all the names suggested
i thought why stop here?
why stop now?
let's do another giveaway!

indulge me, let's do girls names now.

winner gets this:


anchors away
from shabby apple
everyone's favorite online dress shop

according to me:
shabby apple has the best
selection of smartly-designed
whimsical, fun, flirty
modestly-minded
dresses anywhere.

worth your money.

but, someone won't have to pay money
cause i am all about giving this one away
for free.

who wants it?



girls names suggestion for
shabby apple anchors away dress
giveaway runs until sunday night
(nov. 15th)
midnight (mst)

. . . cards? prints? lullaby album? (and a giveaway?)

i am excited about cards ink
an online project where artists
can submit ideas for greeting cards
and the community can vote on their favorite designs
and then
winners have their cards printed.

they sent me a bundle of such cards
on quality paper, with quality colors
and suddenly i am looking for a reason
to send cards out.

though the best reason to send a card
is no reason at all.

leave it to my clever, snarky friend mego
(she also helps with my blog design on c jane)
to come up with deviations from the ever-popular
"stay calm and carry on" poster.

these prints crack me up.
i also requested some of her scripture prints
great gift makers for your more spiritual friends . . .


. . . or for your less spiritual friends.

click here to see mego's zazzle site logophilia.



the chief gives the lullaby album
two (severely cute) thumbs up
since we've recently added this to our
"fall asleep" cd collections
and it is beautiful music
soft and sweet.

jennifer thomas--the artist behind this album
sent me an extra album
(comes with a two disc set!)
to giveaway to a dear cjane reader.
this makes me happy
because i like to giveaway products
i genuinely appreciate myself.

hmm

chup and i are drawing a blank on
what to name our baby
in the case the child is a male
(we've got a girl name--thank you!)
so how about
you enter the giveaway
by suggesting a boy's name
for our consideration?

giveaway will close thursday
(nov. 12th)
midnight
(mst)


p.s. it was a blogger's list of suggested names
who helped us decide on
the chief's name.

so you never know.

. . . bird canvas? ring? nieces? UPDATED! WITH DISCOUNT!

lucy--my assistant--has informed me this:
due to the high frequency of inquiries
this blog receives
i need to start including
more than one answer
with every post.

so here are two questions answered
(and one brag)


1. when people come to retro house
they always ask about the bird canvas
we have in our bathroom.
it is actually called a
"nie nie birds" canvas
because it was inspired by my sister.

the canvas is personalized for each family
and comes in all sorts of cheerful colors.
you can order one for your family
or another family
by checking out
name your design

***UPDATE! use the coupon code: cjane
and get 20% at check out!

thanks ladies!



2. my friend bari in nyc
(who sometime signs her emails with,
your funky jewish friend who has a view of times square)
sent me an adjustable rose ring
(for my ever growing pregnant fingers)
from her shop.

i have gotten so many
"where did you get that ring?" comments
i have to divulge my secret.

go to designs by bari for adjustable rings
and other whimsical jewelry.

***just in! use the coupon code CJANE and get 30% off your purchase!

p.s the one bari sent me is the same color as my eyes.
how funky is that?
i also adore this one for the dramatic affect.



3. i am using this space to brag about how beautiful
my sister in law megan and three nieces
stella, morgan and drew
look in this blue lily photo.

see those girls? i love them.
so much.


blue lily makes la vie look rosy.
in case you haven't yet,
check her out here.

. . . that husband of yours? was he in . . .?

seeing how my husband is an actor
i am often asked,
"was that your husband in . . .?"

and i always proudly answer,
"yes."

you can see chup in almost any
lds temple visitor's center
(look for a center near you!)
in a presentation called,
"God's Plan for His Family"
wherein he plays a dad
and wears a wig.

or, on temple square you can catch him in the
"Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restoration"
he is the one who does the stick pull with the prophet
and is almost a bad guy
then a good guy.
(spoiler!)

other things you might've seen him:
benji
emma smith: my story
stalking santa
and lots more
which you can read about
on his imbd page.

my favorite role his has ever played?
my husband.

was that corny?

it's true.



*photo by Jed Wells

. . . that beautiful story of hopeful adoption?

i interrupt this dear c jane fest
with a congratulations going out to
my friend reachel bagley
(of cardigan empire fame)
and her good husband andrew
on the arrival of their daughter coco.

you must watch the video.
(i sobbed happy tears for hours after)

. . . the baby buggy?

i asked wendy (aka blue lily)
the same thing
when i showed up for the shoot.

apparently, a blog reader of hers
from utah
loaned it out to her
while she was here.

it looked to me like it was
quality vintage.
either it was found in some
second hand store
or inherited.




p.s. here is what happened to wendy at our shoot
(please enjoy my photography)
and here are some more photos of the buggy.