I don’t know about you, but I welcome the cooler weather. By the end of summer I’m ready to bust out my soft sweaters and wool coats. Being from the Northwest, I think I can only stand tank tops for so long. These looks are great warm winter layered inspiration.
Images gathered from Pinterest
Man, it’s cold out! That doesn’t mean we can’t look cute and be comfortable. Here are some of my picks to keep our feet warm and fashionable!
I have these. I’ve been putting them through their paces this fall and winter, and so far so awesome! Clarks Orinocco Engineer boots are perfect for walking. You can wear a nice thick pair of socks, and they make your Mom uniform look a bit more “tough girl”.
Ecco Hobart Buckle. I have these too. I bought them to replace a pair that had died. Also, they never fit well in the calf. These fit perfectly! I can tuck in my jeans and I have room left over.
These “Gabby” Hunter boots are just killing me! They are waterproof, as you’d expect a Hunter brand boot to be, and the reviews on the site link are all good.
I can see that they might not be the thing to wear if you need to walk on icy sidewalks, but for winter wet and cold they would work! You could wear them with a nice cozy pair of socks, with jeans or tights and a wool skirt.
These Merrill Angelic Peak boots are also waterproof if the above are not your speed. They have a 16″ shaft circumference, so you’ll have room to tuck in your jeans and still be able to walk!
I ordered these, and as you read this they are on their way. I bought them to replace another pair that, frankly, were a bit ugly on me. They they had a square toe box that became dated right away and looked weird when I wore them with a skirt. I’m hoping the rounded toe and the modern platform heel will go with skinny’s, slacks, and skirts. I’ll update here when I try them.
Update! I wore these shopping yesterday. I’m pleased to report they are warm and stylish. I wore them with skinny jeans and they looked great. They have a non-skid rubber sole that did an excellent job of preventing slipping and sliding on the wet pavement. One suggestion: They run about a 1/2 size big. I didn’t mind because I wore a pair of warm socks (hidden, naturally) with them, but if you’ll be sock-less or wearing mainly hose or tights I’d go ahead and order smaller.
What are your favorite winter weather boots?
Hearty, comforting fare for a winter’s night.
Weekday Cassoulet
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
10 Rashers of Bacon (Diced)
2 Packages Adel’s Chicken & Apple Sausage (or you choice)
1 Small Onion (Sliced)
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
1 Tablespoon Flour
1/2 Cup White Wine
1 16oz. Can Chopped Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Fresh or 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
2 Cans Great Northwest or Cannellini Beans
1 Can Black Beans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On the stove top, heat an oven proof casserole pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the diced bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy then remove and set aside.
Add the sausages and cook until just browned then set those aside too. (You’ll finish cooking them in the oven; you just want them pretty right now!)
Add the onion and cook until soft and slightly brown.
Add the garlic, pepper, thyme and a tablespoon of flour. Cook the flour for a few minutes, until it’s soaked up all the bacon drippings.
Whisk in the wine and the diced tomatoes, including the juice, until well combined and slightly thickened.
Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the pot. Stir gently to combine everything. Add a little more wine or water if the mixture seems too thick.
Add back in the bacon, stirring to combine. Add back in the sausages.
Cover and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Serve with baguette.
I know that ultimately this is an ad for a clothing store, but as Lucy talks about her house renovation and her artwork, I really felt inspired to try to actively draw more beauty into my environment.
P.S. How cute is her messy hair?
PPRINT offers gorgeous artwork painted on vintage book pages.
Anastassia Elias makes these fantastic little vignettes in…TP rolls! I KNOW! Right? You have to go by her site and check them all out!
Guy Laramee carves wondrous landscape scenes out of books.
I hope you’ll forgive the inclusion of packaged ramen noodle. The college kid staple has a bad reputation, but in my defense this one of those “silk purse out of a sows ear” recipes. Sometimes cheap and cheerful satisfies.
Spicy Beef Ramen
4 packets Ramen Noodle
For the Sauce
1/2 cup Beef Stock
1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Garlic Oil
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Combine all ingredients and set aside.
3 Beef Chuck Steaks (sliced against the grain into thin strips)
1 Carrot (sliced thinly)
2 Cups Red Cabbage (shredded)
2 Green Onions (coarsely chopped)
2 Celery Stalks (coarsely chopped)
2 Tablespoons Garlic Oil
Boil the ramen according to package instructions and drain. Toss the noodles with 1/4 cup of the hoisin sauce mixture and set aside.
In a large skillet or Wok heat the garlic oil over medium high heat. Brown the sliced beef in batches for about 2 minutes a side. Set meat aside.
Add the vegetables and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add back in the meat and noodles and the remaining sauce. Toss all the ingredients together then serve immediately.
This dish went over well with my teenagers. Ramen is a favorite, plus I snuck in some veggies!
Heeeeey! Welcome to 2012, you made it!
I’ve been taking a look back at WFH’s 2011 posts. My goals for the blog last year were to post more, increase my readership and focus on trying to find my voice as a blogger.
Thanks so very much to all who subscribed last year! I hope I kept you well fed and entertained. It means the world to me that you’ve clicked on by and visited!
WFH content is driven by what is interesting to me at the moment, but I write with you in mind. Mostly I think, “I’ve got to show them this!” Or, “I’ll bet they’d like to know how to do this.” My series on packing light and teens traveling abroad come to mind as examples.
With that in mind I’d like to ask you what you’d like to see more of on WFH.
Here’s to a great 2012…
I hope you’re planning something fun Saturday night. What New Year’s Eve be with out some fancy food and drink?
I love Nigella Lawson’s Potato Cakes with Smoked Salmon! I’ve been making them for every occasion this holiday season; they’ve been a big hit.
Nadia from Bitchin Kitchen has a great recipe for Crispy Tuna Cake Sliders I tried on Christmas Eve. I modified by making them into canapes and serving them with Lemonaise. They turned out really good!
I can’t think of a finer occasion to bust out your punch bowl, can you?
I’m trying this Prosecco Punch recipe. There are probably tons of variations using your favorite flavors.
Happy New Year everyone! Here’s to a wonderful 2012!
Love, Kathy
More favorites from 2011! I did quite a bit of reading last year. I continued my obsession with new stories from favorite series and I found new authors to love. Here are some highlights.
Favorite YA author Maureen Johnson really upped the ante this year with the first installment in her Shades of London series with “The Name of the Star”
If you dig paranormal urban fantasy, Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series will be just the ticket!
J.D. Robb kicks all kinds of ass (as does her main character Lieutenant Eve Dallas) with the new addition to the police procedural series In Death. Been reading these for years, and they never disappoint!
Daniel Silva is a new author to me this year. Comparisons to stories by Clive Cussler, James Patterson and Tom Clancy are unavoidable, however I enjoyed Silva’s books so much more.
Mary Roach is another author I “auto buy.” Her non-fiction accounts of topics ranging from death to sex and everything in between are thought-provoking and hilarious.
Hey everyone! As 2011 is coming to an end I’d like to share some favorite things I discovered this past year.
Favorite Apps of 2011:
Flight Track Pro
This app is really great when loved ones are airborne.
Instagram
I finally tried this while we were in Boston this summer. It’s excellent!
360 Panorama Photo
Fantastic photos at the Timbers matches!
All Recipes
When your stuck for what to make for dinner.
Lose It!
It’s a meal journal and calorie counter. Very easy to use. I lost, and kept off, 14 pounds this year!
Fruit Ninja
Squashing, slicing, smashing! HiYaw! Strangely satisfying!
Kathleen Rear 