Budget Finds: Wooden Letters

I'm obsessed with typography and the aesthetic value of letters. There's something very cool about taking something that's not usually seen for it's own beauty and making it the centerpiece--and since letters are mostly used for forming words, I love trying to take away the written context and making each letter stand out and have it's own aesthetic value.


Anthropologie has these awesome wooden letters on sale right now for $3.95 a piece. I'm just brimming with ideas of how to use them... please feel free to share yours!

Link of the Day

In addition to Budget Finds, I'm happy to introduce another new feature this month here on eatmywords. With a bookmarks bar of far too many of my favorite websites, I'm always finding interesting little tidbits of wisdom on the blogosphere. Why not pass them on?

To go along with today's sweet theme, check out this piece on NYC's best brownie.

Sweet Foods for a Sweet New Year

Yesterday's post left off on a bit of a dark note, so today I'd like to sweeten things up a bit. Those of you still coordinating menus for tomorrow's holiday, Yom Kipur, might find this one of special use! Last week for Rosh Hashana, I tried a new recipe for noodle kugel--a sweet, cake-y, noodle concoction with cinnamon and raisins. For Jewish folk like me, it's a very Eastern-European dish that's heavily associated with major holidays; for everyone else, it's an amazing brunch dish or the perfect accompaniment to a warm fall meal. This recipe is easy, fast, and one of the tastiest kugels I've ever had--I hope you enjoy it as well!

Super Simple Noodle Kugel
adapted from Bon Appetit

You'll need:

8 ounces wide egg noodles
1 cup dark raisins
5 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups whole milk

3 cups cornflakes, coarsely crushed
1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

Cinnamon to taste

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread uncooked noodles over bottom of prepared dish and sprinkle with raisins. Whisk eggs, sour cream, butter, cinnamon and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Whisk in milk and pour mixture over noodles. Let kugel stand 5 minutes.

2. Mix cornflakes and brown sugar in bowl; sprinkle evenly over kugel.

3. Bake kugel until set in center, about 1 hour. Cut kugel into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

On Change, and Much MORE Serious Things

Last week I left off on the idea that we need change in this country, and urged all you who are eligible to vote in the upcoming election. I hate to be anything but a lighthearted escape from busy and turbulent times for you, dear readers, but I'd love to steal your time (just two minutes of it, at least) for a far more serious call to change. You see, it's not only this country that needs change. We might be in desperate need for new leadership, but we've also blinded ourselves to certain countries in far greater need than our own.

Enter Maryam of MyMarrakesh, a blog I've loved for a long time and mentioned on here before. She's been spending some time away from her idyllic Moroccan home to report back on one of the darkest and scariest places on earth: Rwanda. The genocide there has been going on for so long that our own media outlets have simply deemed it "old news" at this point. But for cruelty this intense, there needs to be a voice of reason and a beacon of light.

I have never been so moved by blog-writing as I was when I read this post by Maryam last Friday, so now I'm urging you all to read it too. At worst, it's gorgeous writing. At best, it's a rousing call to action for those who need it most.

Please, please, please read Maryam's stories and, if you can, find the generosity in your hearts to do something. If you can donate, Maryam has specified how to do so on her page. If you, like me, have been far too beaten by this economy to donate before the holiday season, spread awareness on your own blogs in hopes that some of your readers can help as well. If our current presidential candidates are as in touch with grassroots efforts as they claim to be, maybe we can spread the word far enough to make this issue rise back to the top of the priority list. Really, this is the kind of change that we can all get behind.

On Change and Other Less Serious Things

With one round of presidential and vice-presidential debates behind us and only four weeks of campaigning ahead, I cannot emphasize how important it is that everyone who is eligible go out and vote next month--or, at the very least, register for an absentee ballot. Soon. Deadlines quickly approach, so please take a quick minute to register, request your ballot, and vote. This is the most important election in ages and we can't let it slip us by!


Let's keep politics out of it and turn to the next most important issue--style on the campaign trail. This new blog is documenting the Obamas--particularly their leading lady Michelle--and her awesome style. Did you know that she's been working with Anna Wintour, editor in chief of Vogue, to look as great as she does? Check it out and grab some inspiration--at least maybe we'll get a "change" from those nasty leggings that won't go away.

Budget Friendly Finds: Pixie Candleholders

Today I'm introducing a new recurring feature here on eatmywords that I'm calling Budget Friendly Finds, a weekly pick for products under $25. It's a good idea to treat yourself to pretty little things once in a while, but it's a far better idea to do so with a constrained budget. This week I'm loving these pixie candleholders by Crate and Barrel--and at $9.95 a piece, they're totally budget friendly!

To Umbrella or Not To Umbrella?

The other night I was speaking to a good friend when I learned about the niftiest service ever known to mankind: Umbrella Today.

Do you ever wake up in the morning and look out the window, unsure of what the skies hold in store for you? Do you constantly question the accuracy of Weather.com and know that Murphy's Law will work against you no matter what decision you make?

Fret no longer--tell Umbrella Today what time you're heading out the door and where you live, and it'll remind you when you need an umbrella based on your local forecast. Or if you feel really reluctant about handing out your phone number (or, like me, worry about being woken up on weekends), bookmark the site and a big YES or NO will show up each morning when you inquire about your umbrella needs.



Certainly came in handy for my first day of work today! That's right... first day of work! Woohoo!