new look, new year

Happy 2011!

While our blog recently underwent a little face lift and we now have a permanent home at ampmcrafts.com, we have been totally MIA for the last month. We know it, we acknowledge it & now we're moving forward.

We were super excited to launch our own website. It's been sometime in the making, something we've been wanting to do for a long time. Now that's it's up and running, we already have plans for some new items that will be posted in this coming year.

2011 is going to be the year of new beginnings, a new chapter to the life of am & pm.

We started it off with a Holiday in Spain (props to the Counting Crows & this version of the song!). It was my first holiday there, and four years tardy for pm. Needless to say, it was time for us to go. We were able to escape the cold and enjoy family, friends, food and wine. Ah, it was wonderful. I hadn't realized just how wonderful it was until we came back. Why did we come back? ;)

Our holiday in Spain, also was a holiday from all responsibilities. We paid our rent in advance, and since all other expenses are on pre-paid accounts, we could sit back and enjoy. We very rarely checked our email and as you can tell from our social media efforts, we stayed away from most technology. Fact is: pm and I need a break.

Prior to our trip we were running in so many directions I am surprised that we even made it to Spain without forgetting the clothes on our back and gifts for family. Or worse case scenario: our passports. I will admit, that was a close call the day we left.

We will post photos soon-- as soon as we finish the rolls and get everything developed. I think this time we took more film photos than digital. My love for doing things the old-fashioned way doesn't lead to the immediate results. I am hoping the photos will be worth the wait.

Along with posting photos, we'll also be posting some of our goals for this space for the new year. Since we haven't had time to think about new year's resolutions (other than to eat more vegetables and cut back on meat for the time being), we haven't had time to post anything here yet either. It will come. After all, all good things come to those who wait.

Rather than make a long post longer, we'll be back. Soon.

I may take a holiday in Spain / Leave my wings behind me / Drink my worries down the drain / And fly away to somewhere new.

double double

Days away from the holidays.

Looking out these windows will surely show these heavily trafficked streets.

Full of last-minute shoppers rushing from door to door to check off everyone on the list.

Holiday procrastination.

Lucky for us, we finished all of our shopping weeks ago, and for the most part have already handed off all the gifts. We did this as a way to save space; and since we don't have a tree, they can adorn their recipient's tree instead.

Michigan Ave. has been packed. Well, it is always packed, but now more than ever. We took a walk downtown on Sunday and were shoulder to shoulder with shoppers. I guess it's just a friendly (okay, not so friendly at all times) reminder that we live in a big city. We forget on our quaint northside that there is a hustling bustling downtown area.

I will apologize in advance if my posting becomes reduced to non-existent during this holiday season. We get serious about celebrating and lavishing time with family and friends. This is not to say that we will forget about our online friends and followers. We promise to be back with vengeance in the new year. :)

gingerbread cookies, not men

Today was a day for baking. Not sure if it was the blizzard, the strong winds or just my strong desire for something sweet. I also needed an excuse to get my mind off things.

Just last weekend I was marveling over all of the cookie cutters I have. None of which have a holiday theme, but it doesn't matter. Just because they don't stand out as "holiday cookies" doesn't mean they don't taste the same.

I realized last weekend that I have hardly used any of my cookie cutters. It was time to make some dinosaur, flower, cat, star, etc., etc. cookies.

My main dilemma with baking is this: It's just pm and me. While I love to make cakes, breads, cookies, pies and other sweets, as just two people it's hard to finish everything. Or, the problem is that we do finish everything and then feel gluttonous. I need to come up with a better system. Make a half batch (nearly impossible to yield the same results), freeze the dough (not recommended) or give some away (best option.).

This is a continued theme that goes beyond baking. We have a hard time getting through a loaf of bread, gallon of milk or block of cheese without having to throw some out. In most cases, rather than throw items out (minus the milk), we freeze things. Our freezer is on system overload right now though. Anyway, what tips do you have for saving and sharing?

Here's the recipe for the gingerbread cookies we made:

1/2 c shortening

1/2 c sugar

1 t baking powder

1 t ground ginger

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t clove

1/2 c molasses

1 egg

1 t vinegar

2 1/2 c flour

Preheat oven to 375. Bake 5-6 mins, until edges are brown. [Note: Do not overcook, or forget about cookies in oven. I burnt a round. :( ]

My eyes are peeled.

'Tis the time for holiday deals, and lucky for us in a couple of short weeks the deals with be even sweeter. Every year around this time, pm and I get really excited about the prospect of buying new furniture for a very reduced price. Unfortunately, every year the prospects remain unattainable. We just don't have the livable space for a new couch, a dining room table...etc., etc.

This doesn't mean that we don't still look. Because we do, and we will.

In fact, sometimes I like to flip through the Crate & Barrel catalogue (among others) and dream about the things that would be nice to have even if we'll never have them. I used to play that same game as a kid. You page through a catalogue and have to choose your favorite thing on each page.

Anyway....I think we need to get married again. This way we can add all the things we didn't add to our registry the first time. For our first nuptials we had to ask for boring things (towels, plates, glasses, sheets... etc) because we did not have anything. Everything we owned fit into my Honda Civic, which included mostly clothes and one floor lamp. Now that we have all the things we need, I'd like to ask for all the things we want. First we need to get some more square footage. :)

sweet torture

I have a horrible sweet tooth. It's no secret. I've said if before and I will certainly say it again.

What is not helping my sweet tooth dilemma is the amount of sweets that are becoming available, but . . . not for eating. 'Tis the season when we get more mail about sales, holiday products and catalogues. The pages are all loaded with delectable holiday treats. There are so many treat options in print that it's making me feel increasingly guilty about not getting into the holiday spirit and baking.

I did make some banana bread over the weekend. Only ten more frozen bananas in the freezer to work with. I could use a good banana cookie recipe ... and if it applies to the holidays even better.

Trip on I-94

Nothing says the holidays are here like traffic on I-94. Thankfully, we can't say that we had too many complaints this Thanksgiving. I remember past years being much worse -- when we either had to fly in or drive all the way through Chicago to get home.

Our American concept of distance is far different than that of others (namely our European counterparts). We don't consider a 4-5 hour car trip to be that out of the ordinary for a weekend trip. In fact, many of us choose to live that far away from family allowing us to be close, but not too close. And while, driving that amount of distance in a weekend may not be optimum, people do it all the time.

I don't remember that being so much of the case during the time I spent in Sevilla. A weekend trip to Madrid would have been planned for months. You also, rather than driving, would have either taken the train, plane or bus. Families all seem to live within a much closer distance to each other. In many senses, I really enjoy this. It's nice to know that from wherever you are, family is just 15-20 minutes away.

Pm and I have been moving closer and closer to my family. We went from Florida, to Michigan to Illinois. While I don't see us getting much closer than we are now, the ease of getting in the car for a quick visit spontaneously on a Saturday or Sunday is something that I could get used to.

What are your thoughts about distance and family? Hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving.