I absolutely love this cookie recipe. Its all the things I love in cookies, all mushed together. I modified the recipe a little over the years but I give a shout-out to Lisa Otzenberger for the original inspiration.

Kitchen Sink Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350º

Makes 5-6 dozen regular-sized cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 c. butter (2 sticks, room temp.)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs (room temp.)
• 3/4 c. shredded coconut (sweetened is fine)
• 1 c. chips (chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, baking m+m’s are all fine — even better if mixed!)
• 1/2 c. walnuts (optional)
• 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3-1/2 c. oatmeal (old fashioned)

1. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and then add eggs one at a time. Mix well.
2. In separate bowl, mix flour, soda and salt together. Slowly add to creamed mixture.
3. Fold in chips, (optional nuts), coconut and oatmeal.
4. Drop on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

I buy bags of various baking chips and baking m+m’s and mix them all up in a big airtight container. Then whenever I bake cookies (or make pancakes) I can just scoop out a cup of chips and get a whole variety of flavors and colors! Go forth… bake happy!

Popularity: 1% [?]

I found this lovely PDF file planner on Etsy by droplet. It is a nice base for a more customized, decorative planner. I’ve been wanting to do more visual journaling, collage, doodle… just something with my hands but I just haven’t been able to commit to a whole big journal. Maybe this simple page-a-day/page-a-week calendar will provide me with enough space to play without seeming like another huge project I have to tackle everyday?

DIY Planner and Calendar digital file by droplet on Etsy

Popularity: 1% [?]

One Hour of Pandas
Originally uploaded by sugaroni

I had to sit in a really dull meeting today. So, I drew pandas in my teeny tiny Utrecht sketchbook with a Pilot Precise V5 pen (couldn’t find any of my “good pens” before I left). I love drawing my goofy pandas.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Ooo, thanks to a link on Duffy + Partners, I have a new sketchbook obsession. It is the StartHere series of interlockable sketchbooks. Each cover hooks onto the next book which solves the problem of what to do when you start a new book but still have valuable notes in the last book. Covers are made out of indestructable Yupo paper and are available with blank, lined or gridded paper. Each cover appears to be blissfully blank waiting for stickers or drawing sof my own choosing.

I can’t wait to order a couple for the New Year. I am a big proponent of starting a fresh sketchbook at the beginning of the year and I have been so disappointed in the paper stock in Moleskine notebooks (too thin!) and sketchbooks (seems to have a strange sizing on it that accepts inks and paint in unusual ways) so I’ve been yearning for a new alternative.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Got a tip to check out Sick for Cute for awesome tees. Panda in my pocket? Beyond perfect!

Popularity: 2% [?]

On Morning Edition, Neil Gaiman discusses his love for audiobooks and even interviews David Sedaris about the topic.

Direct link to audio here.

Popularity: 2% [?]

I found such wonderful fun illustration and inspiration today on Flickr that I thought it was worth collecting it all in one place. Craft, pop culture, photography, doodles… all in “my favorite things” list.

Credit for photos: 1. First week of September journal page., 2. Kalender 2010, 3. august quilt blocks for 12 square, 4. waiting for lunch, 5. Batman, 6. *, 7. Fall, 8. Misprinted Type collaboration, 9. El Gallo

Created with fd’s Flickr Toys

Popularity: 4% [?]

I had heard about the legendary Black Pearl eraser — the distant cousin of the old faithful Pink Pearl — but I had never located one to see for myself if it was all it was cracked up to be. In honor of the season of Back-to-School, I made a trip to my local office supply superstore and lo and behold… the Black Pearl!

It is black and a smooth, flat-like oval, like a polished stone. The shape alone is worth the price of admission. It feel delicious in my hand. PaperMate kept the delectable script lettering like the Pink Pearl as well so I was sold on these before I took them out of the package. If they even erased a little bit, I’m buying them in a gross.

They sell in packages of two at the office superstore for about $2 per blister pack. The package claims that the Black Pearl produces less eraser dust.

I took it out for a test drive today. I compared its erasing powers against my gold standard, the Staedtler Mars (well-loved) on standard sketchbook paper using a Zebra 0.7 mechanical pencil loaded with standard HB lead. The photo below shows the very faint remains of both erasers. The Black Pearl did not smear as much as the Staedtler and I think even erased more completely. I’m sold. Someone send me a whole case!

Popularity: 4% [?]

When I tell people the story about how Rebecca and I met, I get strange and curious looks. So, here goes…

I found Rebecca on Flickr not quite a year ago. She took wonderful, sweet photos of her Blythe doll, Squirrel and I also found lots of crafty photos in her Flickrstream. Wow, I thought, a kindred spirit. I commented on her photos and then she eventually commented on mine and eventually we started sending FMs back and forth. This eventually lead to phone calls and then talks about visiting. Rebecca was brave enough to come all the way across the country to spend the last days of her 365-day Blythe project with me and I am so glad she did. We got along well via phone and messages but we REALLY got along in person. We were both stunned to discover that a 5-day visit went by too quickly and ended both very happily (we had a great time) and very sadly (oh, please don’t go so soon!).

We spent the weekend doing touristy things like visiting Hallmark, the Nelson-Atkins Museum and the River Market Antique Mall but we also did “dolly stuff” — late night haircuts, photoshoots and other silliness that filled us with joy and delight. We had late night runs to 7-11 for Slurpees and a requisite stop at Murray’s for the finest ice cream in Kansas City.

People make romantic connections online all the time but people seem surprised to discover that I met my best friend by way of the internet. So, despite the quizzical looks when I explain how we met, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you, internet, for helping me find my best friend!

[More photos available at my Flickr Set and in Rebecca's Flickr Set]

Popularity: 6% [?]

I’ve always loved vintage clothes and tend to dress with a sort-of-vintage look, even when I buy new clothes. I prefer broadcloth to jersey, pedal pushers to flares and cardigans to t-shirts. Sometimes I even get teased  that if you handed me something brand new, it would look vintage just because it came into contact with me.So, in an effort to embrace my vintagey-ness, we went to the River Market Antque Mall — four stories of secondhand goodness! Boy, did I ever score!

Thanks to the super bike, I am now at a size that actually fits into a lot of the vintage items. I bought so much stuff that the guys at the counter asked if I’d mind them sticking all the goods into a giant black trash bag as it was the only bag big enough to hold the bounty.

The Details (in no particular order):

• The Sailor dress is a perfect, form-fitting fit but the collar is stained with make-up and is a bit dingy yellow.
• The bowling ensemble is in mint condition though the skirt is a bit snug in the waist (luckily, there is some room on the waistband to move the button just a smidge).
• The Peter Pan collar shirt is a little large and there is some sun fading but I think it will be adorable with some pedal pushers and a cardigan.
• The crinoline and pettipants were total impulse purchases but how could I resist? I love enamel flower pins, silk scarves and decorative hankies so I got stocked up on those too.
• The industrial green tackle box was in MINT condition — the first one I’ve found in such good shape so I snagged it.

There was also a plethora of vintage sewing patterns in various sizes and conditions that I would have loved to buy but I was iffy about what I would do with them. I  want to start sewing some vintage outfits but some of the most delicious patterns were from the 1940s and I’m still not sure if that’s a good look for me. The 50s patterns I found were amazing but looked like they were going to be complicated and might require some modifications to fit properly — a skill I don’t currently possess.

I think I cashed out all my Thrift Karma in one day. I think it was totally worth it.

[More photos in my River Market Antique Mall set on Flickr]

Popularity: 5% [?]