i've moved!

dear loyal all things piper followers,

i've recently moved my blog to my personal website: http://www.piperloyd.com/blog. see you there!



cheers,
piper

recycled wrapping.

apparently i was in the holiday spirit last weekend: baking cookies, listening to christmas music, wrapping presents. after not finding a wrapping paper i liked, i decided to put those old newspapers i had lying around to good use. i made little gift tags with some kraft-paper-esque cardstock and brighted things up with fun colored ribbon.

piper's bad*$s sugar cookies.

for years, i searched for the perfect sugar cookie recipe. not too sweet. not too dry. just right. i finally settled on this one a few years back, a recipe i modified from the joy of cooking. i made a batch last weekend for JG's cookie exchange. yum!


sift 1 cup sugar
beat with 1/2 cup butter (SOFTENED) and 1 egg
add 1/3 cup sour cream and 1 tsp. vanilla

sift 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking powder

mix wet and dry
chill for 12+ hours

roll and cut
bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees

cool and ice and sugar!

i sort of improve on the icing - start with a stick of butter (healthy, i know), melt that shit, and then dump a whole lot of powdered sugar in it while stirring, until it gets thick. even out with milk (not too much) and keep adding powdered sugar until smooth.




**download a printable 4x6 recipe card here.

the reader radar.

so here's what's on my google reader radar. could this be the new name of my nearly non-existent friday five? perhaps.

1. in the holiday spirit. living in: a christmas story, by design*sponge.

2. love these. inbox posters, by coolhunting.


3. because i am obsessed with knitting right now. blissful inspiration, by sfgirlbybay.


4. just in case anyone was thinking about getting me a christmas present... old and new: thermoses, by apartment therapy.


5. and because i think we could all use a little unplugging, if you will. frederic ferral: UNPLUG: the painting, by josh spear.

sundays.

i listen to jazz on sunday mornings. i make coffee. fix a nice little breakfast. spread the times across the table. if i'm up early enough, i'll put the jazz on pause to catch CBS sunday morning.

i. love. sunday. mornings.

growing up, the local radio station (one of two) played jazz on sunday mornings. my dad would make hash browns. we'd lounge around the house. it was delightful.

these days, sunday mornings are rare. the past couple months, i've been traveling and working and completely over-booked. needless to say, i am relishing today.

toro y moi.

i really dig this song. it's been on repeat. enjoy!

icons for SB.

SB's new site is up and running, looking so fresh and so clean. she asked to borrow a few of the icons from my site, so i customized a few just for her. and yes, that little silhouette is SB herself.