this is great

little a’s 2nd anniversary present

You’re wondering the same thing the cat is wondering: what the heck is this? and can i eat it? OK, maybe you’re just wondering the first part. It’s the guts of an old upright piano. It’s pretty big (so is my cat, yes, i know…) and I’m not really sure what I’m going to do […]

Cooking Barefoot

I rarely buy cookbooks that do not contain the words cookies, cakes or dessert in the title but, while holiday shopping in Marshalls, I was lucky to find two Ina Garten cookbooks, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.  Knowing full well my history of buying cookbooks that remain unopened and collect […]

if you like crafts, and you like to laugh…

Then you need to visit my new favorite website : Regretsy.com These folks peruse etsy.com (everyone’s favorite hand-made marketplace), find the best of bad crafts, and add their commentary. It’s hysterical. Their tag line is “Handmade? It looks like you made it with your feet…” Check out the latest posts on the homepage, but make […]

Pumpkin Master

I cannot draw.  Not even a straight line. But I can, thankfully, follow a paper template and transform an ordinary pumpkin into a super jack-o-lantern! Yes.  Thanks to Pumpkin Masters pumpkin carving kit, I will impress trick-or-treaters with this awesome kitty.  The books are sold most everywhere, and include the tools and instructions necessary to […]

Come for Coffee…(and some of Martha’s cookies!)

It’s hot outside.  Not sweltering hot but, according to the weather folks, it hasn’t been this hot since the end of April.  My swimming pool beckons me to take my first dip of the season, and I’m tempted to grab a book, go out there, catch some rays and relax.  Would have been a fine […]

Christmas in July

My sister-in-law, Linda, once told me that Christmas is like a part-time job.  There is always so much to do, that I have to agree.  Although a chorus of “Dominick the Donkey” can lift my mood and put me in the holiday spirit, I get totally stressed by thoughts of gift-giving, decorating, baking, handmade gifts, […]

Big A’s Book Review: Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts

Am I a Martha Stewart fan?  Hard to say. I’ve always admired the fresh, clean look of her decorating and the impressive ways in which she fastidiously organizes her home and all her craft supplies, and I love the ways that she displays her expansive collections of dishes, pottery and linens.  Her bouquets are breathtaking, […]

little a’s Book Review: Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts

There is no denying it. I’m a Martha-phile. The Saturday mornings of my adolescence and teenage years were spent watching Martha Stewart Living, basking in the beauty and order she sought to bring into America’s homes. Sure it wasn’t realistic to think anyone had the time to do half of things she did on that […]