year in review

Sartorial Saturday–The Top Five Looks of 2024

Time for a very special three-for-the-price-of-one “Top Five” list!

As I was looking back over the outfits I wore this year, I realized that choosing favorites would be much easier if I organized my various looks into categories. In the end, I came up with three different styles…outfits featuring Miss Candyfloss pieces, Rare Dirndl looks, and “Festive Fashion” ensembles.

Let’s start with the Miss Candyfloss outfits. The combination of coat, hat, and jumpsuit makes this look extra impressive:

I love how bright and cheerful my dress and jacket for Easter were!

Pairing my first trumpet skirt in teal with a purple top made this outfit one step away from Disney Bounding Ariel, and I love it!

This was a surprise release from the autumn/winter Miss Candyfloss, and I loved it as soon as I saw it…the colors are absolutely gorgeous, and I feel like I’m glowing when I wear it!

Finally, a Miss Candyfloss dress in my favorite style, with a bold color palette that I love.

Next the Rare Dirndl looks. I wore a dirndl 29 times this year, so I had a lot to choose from! I paired the apron from my very first Rare Dirndl purchase with the dress from the second, and they look so nice together!

Pairing the Magician dirndl with this year’s summer apron was a bold choice, but I love how the colors look together!

The Harlequin dirndl paired with a lace apron was my pick for St. Charles Oktoberfest:

I was really into the combination of purple and teal this year, so pairing the 2024 Halloween apron (and a coordinating ribbon) with my purple dirndl dress was a natural choice:

And the Frühling dirndl from this year’s Jahreszeiten collection is absolutely stunning:

And finally, my favorite Festive Fashion ensembles. I added a new dress to my wardrobe this year, in an unexpected color palette for Christmas, and it was a lot of fun to style with a cropped cardigan and pastel accessories.

This blouse is a fairly new addition to my wardrobe, and I knew I wanted to wear it with a Christmas print…I really like how this look turned out!

I wasn’t sure that this Miss Candyfloss blouse would work with this skirt…I was afraid it would be too busy. But in the end, I absolutely love the combination…it might be one of my favorite looks period from this year!

I also wasn’t totally sure about wearing my new Rare Dirndl apron with my Magician dirndl, but it too was a successful pairing in the end:

And I was really excited to pair my newest dirndl with my gnome print apron…it’s a totally fun festive look!

Would it even be a “Top Five” list without a bonus addition? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to include this outfit in the dirndl section or with the festive fashions, so I decided to just let it stand on its own!

So there you have it…a “Top Five” list that turned into 16! I’m looking forward to finding new ways to wear all of my favorite pieces in the coming year!

The Top Five–Food Photos of 2024

The New Year is approaching, which means it’s time to take a look back at some of my favorite photos of the year. We’re starting with food photos, and the first one is the only main course on the “Top Five” list…burrito night! I love how colorful this plate is (and I also remember how delicious the meal was!).

Next up is a Black Forest cheesecake…this was one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever made…Turkey liked it so much, I made it again for his birthday!

The cake I made for Donald Duck’s birthday didn’t turn out quite like I had planned, but that’s ok, because I like the way I actually made it even better!

This apple pie mocktail might be the prettiest drink photo I’ve ever taken!

And finally, the white chocolate-cranberry cupcakes I made for Santa Lucia Day, which might be the prettiest dessert photo I’ve ever taken!

Stay tuned for a look back at more of my favorites from 2024!

Mani Monday–A Second Year’s Worth of Designs

It’s hard to believe, but I’ve completed another 52 manicures, so here’s a look back at them, starting with my favorite from the last year, which featured different shades of mint and teal, with a starry topper to boot!

And all of the rest, in the order they were published. It’s such a good snapshot of everything we’ve celebrated and done over the last year, from Christmas to the Olympics and everything and anything in between!

I’m looking forward to finding more ways to be creative with nail art!

Tasty Tuesday–A Year of Cheesecakes

This has kind of been “The Year of the Cheesecake” around here. I didn’t set out to make 12 cheesecakes (averaging one a month), but I reached a point in the late summer where I realized that I had already made so many, I might as well go for a year’s worth. I didn’t make exactly 12 of them…there was a repeat because Turkey liked one so much he asked me to make it again for his birthday. And there was one failure (a cranberry cheesecake with a gingersnap crust) that we won’t talk about. I also didn’t literally make one a month…some months I made more (and once I made two in one week!), and I didn’t make a single cheesecake the entire summer. But in the end, I had 12 unique successes, starting with a delightful eggnog variety early in the year:

The Black Forest was one of the most popular…this is the flavor I made again for Turkey’s birthday.

S’mores is a natural cheesecake flavor because so many already have a graham cracker crust, and chocolate cheesecakes are also very popular…just add marshmallows and you’re done!

I won’t even tell you how many Oreos went into this cookies ‘n’ cream cheesecake!

I made a traditional Chicago style cheesecake, which was plain except for a simple topping of fresh raspberries…I think it had the best texture of all the cheesecakes I made!

I was in my matcha-lavender era during the spring:

My first autumn cheesecake was inspired by cinnamon rolls:

The Biscoff cookie butter cheesecake was one of my all-time favorites!

I’ve made a pumpkin cheesecake in the past, but never pumpkin chocolate chip (until this fall):

Butterscotch is another great flavor for fall!

I’m currently in my Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake era, and luckily for me, they had a recipe utilizing my favorite holiday snack cakes on their website!

And finally, another favorite that I made once last year…a gingerbread cheesecake with a gingersnap crust and topped with a gingerbread mousse that’s so delicious, it could stand on its own as a dessert!

I know 12 cheesecakes stretched out over the course of a year doesn’t sound like much, but they are a big commitment of both time and money, and I’ve never put so much effort into baking them regularly before! It was a fun little baking project for 2024!

Sartorial Saturday…On a Sunday–2023 in Outfits

Time for a look back at all of the significant outfits I wore in 2023! I only included looks with purpose, so my super casual grocery shopping outfits, for example, won’t be seen here. But it was a busy year, with a decent amount of travel and special events, so I had a lot of reasons to “dress up,” including a few days with multiple outfits. You’ll see my favorite brands well-represented…Miss Candyfloss and Rare Dirndl for clothes, and Splendette and Erstwilder for accessories. There are also a few “cute casual” outfits sprinkled throughout on days I didn’t feel like wearing a dress or it wasn’t appropriate for the occasion. And there are also a few rare “Sartorial Saturday” looks that I photographed just for fun (like my Daisy Duck Disney Bound), that I didn’t wear anywhere in particular…but most are outfits that really went somewhere!

It was a lot of fun to put this gallery together, and it also helped me keep track of what I’ve been wearing…I think I wore everything in my wardrobe at least once during the course of the year, and you can definitely tell what my favorite pieces are, because they’re on repeat!

2023 in Review

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. 2023 wasn’t quite as spectacular as 2022 (I’m not sure we’ll ever top that year!), but it was a fun, busy, interesting year just the same!

January was its normal, quiet self, after all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I took a moment to think about what I was looking forward to in 2023. We had a nice dinner to start the new year right. I had fun “rocking the dots” to celebrate Minnie Mouse and Polka Dot Day.

In February, the entire city of St. Louis began earnestly anticipating the inaugural season of our St. Louis City soccer team. We finally got to return to the Orchid Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden for the first time since before the pandemic. We had our traditional family Mardi Gras celebration. We did something different for our favorite made-up holiday of Bobunk (which we happened to celebrate on Kirby Day), and got gyros for dinner. I was beyond excited to learn that the new Miss Candyfloss collection, “Lilibeth,” was designed in honor of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

March is always a fun and busy month, and this year was no exception. We were very excited to see our tiny daffodils blooming. I returned to cooking “Disney Dinners,” which is always fun (not to mention delicious!). We got to see the TARDIS at the St. Louis Science Center. We celebrated MAR10 Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Turkey turned twenty, and Chickadee turned 11. We had a fun day of food inspired by Final Fantasy XIV. Moose won the “Mighty Maroon” award at his high school. We celebrated the beginning of another season of Cardinals baseball (if only we had known how the season would go, we wouldn’t have been so excited).

The highlight of April was definitely Easter. We enjoyed visiting the Missouri Botanical Garden to see what flowers were in bloom there. We also took a lot of field trips…mostly places that were outdoors so we could enjoy the lovely weather, but also to the Missouri History Museum so we could see the new soccer exhibit. Turkey won the math department “Student of the Year” award at his college.

May was, without a doubt, one of the busiest months of the year! We went to the opening day of “Chihuly in the Garden,” and then went back for “Chihuly Nights.” We celebrated May the Fourth and The Revenge of the Fifth, which involved a lot of new recipes…and an old favorite. I was super excited to watch the Coronation of King Charles III, and I planned a tea party, featuring the Coronation Quiche, to go with it. Ladybug turned 16! We purchased a new minivan…our first hybrid vehicle. Turkey and Bunny received their Associate’s Degrees! We traveled to Chicagoland for Combo Breaker 2023, where both Turkey and Ladybug joined Ryan in working the event. The trip also included a day in my favorite city! At the end of the month, Turkey, Bunny, and I hopped on a plane for a trip to Disneyland!

June was a month of travel. Turkey, Bunny, and I had a fabulous time at Disney California Adventure and Disneyland, but we didn’t enjoy the cancelled and delayed flights (not to mention surprise overnight stay in Minneapolis) as much. We took a family trip, first to Cincinnati, where we saw the adorable baby hippo, Fritz, and some little blue penguins, and then to Toledo, where we checked out Klinger’s favorite spots that he mentioned on M*A*S*H, including Tony Packo’s and the Mudhens. We also took a tour of a an old canal, and got to ride a mule-drawn boat! I celebrated my birthday. An adorable mourning dove squab named Gaz took up residence on our porch. We celebrated 626 Stitch Day with a bunch of recipes from Lilo and Stitch: The Official Cookbook.

July was a bit quieter after all of the excitement of May and June. At the beginning of the month, Turkey and Bunny had their wisdom teeth removed, which was quite an experience. Ryan had surgery on his arm, which was also an experience. Bunny turned 19. Chickadee and I saw the Planters Nutmobile in St. Louis. We celebrated “Dole Whip Day,” which is a most delicious occasion!

August was a very emotional month all around. We dropped Bunny off for college, which was a huge adjustment for all of us. Moose started his senior year of high school, and final year of marching band, which was also emotional. I started my 16th year of homeschooling with the realization that Ladybug, now a junior, will only have one more “first day of school” with me…more emotions. Inspired by the Disney radio station on the satellite radio, I came up with a list of my favorite Disney songs…imagine my surprise when, almost four months later, I was actually chosen for the “Be Our Guest 4 the Day” segment (stay tuned…). We had a fun time at our church’s family game night.

In September, Moose was recognized at Senior Night at one of the high school football games. He also marched in the town Labor Day parade, and I continued our Labor Day tradition of chili…but this time, with a twist. We got to visit Bunny at Parents and Family Weekend at her college…we were all so happy to see her again! We went to St. Charles Oktoberfest for the first time, and I was really impressed with it. I welcomed a new neighbor to my Animal Crossing island.

We started October by joining all of St. Louis in saying goodbye to favorite Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright…Ryan and I were able to be at Busch Stadium for his final game. That same day, I attended the final of four Oktoberfests I visited throughout the season. We went pumpkin picking. We also had our family Oktoberfest. In one of my highlights of the year, KSDK’s Rene Knott came to our house to do a story about me and my fashion! We took our annual walk around Creve Coeur Lake, and attended Legends and Lanterns.

Moose was very excited to celebrate his 18th birthday in November. I won a dress and hat from Miss Candyfloss! We observed Martinmas again this year. It was warmer than I would have liked, but we had a nice hike around Cahokia Mounds. I completed a year’s worth of “Mani Mondays.” We baked nine pies for our big Thanksgiving celebration…the best part of which was that Bunny got to come home!

And that brings us to December. We started a new Lego project for Advent and attended the Boar’s Head Festival. In a lot of ways, though, we were just holding our breath until Bunny came home for Christmas break…and that’s when the real fun began, starting with our (delayed) celebration of Nikolaustag featuring stockings, decorating the tree, wassail, Döner Kebab, and a gingerbread dessert. We went to our two favorite Christmas events…Garden Glow and Christmas Traditions. And of course we enjoyed our traditional, multi-day Christmas celebration, but a little low-key this year, because I managed to injure my back right before the holiday.

This has been another fun and exciting year, and I’m already looking forward to several things in 2024!

Sartorial Saturday–The Top Five Dirndl Looks of 2023

I know I said yesterday that I was sharing my last “Top Five” photos list of the year, but those were photos I took…today I’m sharing my favorite dirndl looks that I wore this year, which are photos take of me, not by me!

I’m starting back in May, when we went to Maifest at Grant’s Farm. I really love the pops of pink of the apron and ribbon against the darker background of the dress, and I also really love the setting of the picture!

My second Everyday Dirndl was purchased specifically with paying homage to the Austrian flag in mind, and the full look is even better than I hoped. I love the white “Surprise Me” apron Erika created for me, and I think my accessories, which featured lots of edelweiss and pops of white and red, are the perfect accompaniment!

Next up is the look I wore to Belleville Oktoberfest. I borrowed an apron from another dirndl to go with my purple dress, and added my iridescent Docs and some purple accessories to complete the look.

Speaking of borrowing an apron, this is the dress that goes with the apron in the previous photo. This time, I added a fancy, sheer floral apron to my harlequin print dirndl for St. Charles Oktoberfest…I love the autumnal color scheme!

And finally, a look featuring my new Christmas apron. Not the look I wore on Christmas Day (which I also love), but the one I wore to the Belleville Christkindlmarkt, adding a green ribbon and red accessories for a festive look.

I really love finding new ways to mix and match my pieces, and I can’t wait to see what I come up with next!

The Top Five–Photos of 2023

My final “Top Five” photos list for the year is my favorite photos I took in general…no food here, but there is a travel picture from our trip to Chicago in May. I love the fact that the sculptures outside the Art Institute have a lovely backdrop of skyscrapers!

I’m always looking for interesting ways to frame photos, and I think this picture of the Cabanne House in Forest Park was especially well done:

When we visited St. Charles in October for Legends and Lanterns, I got a shot of the fallen leaves on the brick street:

Another fall photo came in brilliant orange at Lafayette Park in St. Louis:

And finally, a photo from Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden. I’m not sure I’ve captured it this gold before!

I hope you’ve enjoyed a look back at some of my favorite pictures from 2023! I can’t wait to see what I come across in 2024!!!

The Top Five–Disneyland Vacation Photos of 2023

It’s time to start taking a look back at 2023, and I’m beginning with my top five favorite photos from the trip Turkey, Bunny, and I took to Disneyland this spring. My first picture isn’t the most fantastic composition or anything, but it makes me smile every time I see it…I love that Radiator Springs at Disney California Adventure warns you to “Mind your speed as you go. Sheriff’s old, but he’s not slow!”

Nighttime pictures are always some of my favorites, and I love this one that captures the lights and the water display at Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure during the evening show:

Back in Radiator Springs, I knew I’d have to include a photo of the neon lit up at night, and I decided Flo’s V-8 Cafe was my favorite of the bunch I took:

You can’t go wrong with a castle photo, and I especially love this one of Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle because the Disney 100 medallion and other decorations are so visible!

And finally, a nighttime photo of the castle, which focuses on one of the lamps in the foreground. I can’t tell you exactly why I like this picture so much, but it’s one of my favorites of all the ones I took!

Stay tuned for a look at some of my other favorite photos from 2023!

Tasty Tuesday: The Top Five–Food Photos of 2023

Time for a look at my favorite food photos from 2023! Most of them are dessert photos (hey, it’s not my fault desserts are so photogenic!), but let’s start with a spread I made featuring white borscht last winter:

Now on to the desserts. This white chocolate blueberry-lemon cheesecake was not only delicious, it looked amazing!

I also thought this cake I made for Ladybug’s 16th birthday was beautiful:

Linzer äugen (or Spitzbuben) are one of my favorite cookies to bake (and eat!) and they always look so lovely:

And most recently, the peppermint chip cake I made for Christmas Eve:

I’m including a bonus photo, because it’s not of something I made myself, but this Rainbow Cone just looks too good not to share!

This is just the beginning…stayed tuned for more “Top Five” lists for 2023, and then my year in review!