Hot Cocoa

Rushing in through the back door from playing out in the white, blustery Michigan winter with snow drifts higher than one's head. What elixir will thaw a frozen child, quicker than a jack rabbit can cross the yard, embracing you with warm, chocolaty sweetness? HOT COCOA, of course.

An ode to that beloved beverage of my youth



Hot Chocolate & Cardamom foaming sugar scrub
from Nature's Edge Farms, $9 for 8 ounce jar.



Hot chocolate and blue mittens, from Miracle Mittens, $38

Peruvian Cacao sampler set from Flying Bird Botanicals, $29.75




Cocoa Mallow body butter  from Solstice Scents, $9, for 4 ounces



Hot Chocolate open edition print, $38 Janet Hill Studio



Ah...cocoa warms thy soul. Don't you agree?

Boot Weather

As the temperatures begin to flirt with the freezing mark, winter coats, scarfs, boots, knitted gloves and mittens all start making their way to the front of the coat closet. I like to be warm in the winter but not bundled up and sweaty hot {think of little Randy from A Christmas Story, bundled so tightly that he couldn't put his arms down }.  I prefer to wear thinner jackets or vests instead of big, heavy coats for all but the most frigid of winter's weather. 

Around mid-October I started getting the itch to buy a new pair of boots. If you too have been browsing boot styles recently, you've no doubt noticed this season's trend of above the knee boots. While I really like that look, I don't have the guts to purchase a pair. After much deliberation, I chose a pair of tall riding boots in an grayish taupe color.  The color coordinates well with browns, neutrals, charcoal, black and the pretty plums and peacock shades of the season. This versatile boot can be dressed up or down and therefore very practical and very "me". 



Under the knee tall riding boot



While watching a Piston's basketball game a few weeks ago I spied a casually clad, yet fashionable twenty~something wearing tall boots with woolly, warm socks peeking out of the top.  This look was simply adorable. Given my aversion to hot, sweaty feet, I suspected that translating it into a practical, everyday look for myself would be nearly impossible. Nearly! The next morning I scooted up to my keyboard and started browsing...where else but Etsy!  I didn't take long for me to hit pay dirt!

Boot Buffers are offered in a variety of colors, $16

 Boot Buffers knits up faux socks in an array of winter colors.

Marketed for ladies with small calves {not me} who need to "fill the gap" between their too big boots and their lovely little calves! These little knitted wonders are also just plain cute and give the illusion of wearing thick socks without the bulk! OK, I'm convinced...I "need" some!  My only "problem" is which colors of boot buffers will coordinate with most of my wardrobe... :)