In even more not-yet-December-dang-it holiday news...

I sent an email a few weeks ago to my family and old friends back east, the gist of which was, "I don't need or want anything in particular and I'd be 100% happy if you donated whatever money you planned to spend on me to the charity of your choice instead but I've tried this before and it's never worked, so if you must get me something, gift cards to the usual haunts are appreciated (and easily mailed!). Her Majesty, on the other hand, wants an easy bake oven and a Snoopy snow cone machine."

If only I'd glanced through a copy of Martha Stewart Living before I sent that email.

I'm trying to cut out extraneous magazine delivery for environmental reasons (goodbye, Entertainment Weekly, I'll miss you during my 6-mile elliptical romps) but I can't let go of the paper version of Sunset just yet (killer pear tart recipe a few months ago!)... Last weekend I leafed through the December issue of MSL and got SO MANY EXCELLENT IDEAS! Like this! And this! And this!

And doilies! Who doesn't love doilies! (OK, this is perhaps the only reason I can bring myself to hate Martha. Doilies?!?!)

The fact that she finds ways to reuse just about everything lessens the guilt I feel for wanting a paper magazine subscription to MSL. The fact that I got so inspired from one silly magazine is... well, inspiring. I know I can get almost all the information online but there's something so satisfying about poring over a glossy spread of crafty ideas or tasty treats.

Hmm. I think I know what I'm getting myself for my birthday. In addition to that charitable donation, of course!