As today is Tasty Tuesday here at Megster Meter, I feel it’s fitting to look back at the year’s cooking success.

1. My #1 food success has definitely been the chocolate pretzel treats that you see at the top of the page.  I still get a majority of website traffic from the “most gawked” pages over on foodgawker thanks to this little treat.  {on foodgawker}

2. A second huge success this year has been Baked Brie.  It’s so easy, and has been the biggest hit at all of our wine and cheese parties.

3. Items number 3, 4, and 5 all involve peanut butter.  Based on the amount of peanut butter Katy and I have consumed over the past five years or so, I’m not surprised.  Number 3 is my grandmother’s Peanut Butter Bars.  Easy and DELICIOUS.  {on foodgawker}

4. Another grandmother recipe, in fact, is this delicious Broiled Peanut Butter Frosting.  Only read the post if you want to know what’s in this frosting, which, if I’ve ever made this for you, you probably don’t want to know.  {on foodgawker}

5. Last but not least, I must give a shout out to yet another easy peanut butter dessert: Katy’s Peanut Butter Pie.  {on foodgawker}

I’ve decided to do “A Year in Review” this week, and I’ve broken it into four pieces: Crafting, Food, Photography, and my 101 list.  I started this blog in August of 2008, and it took me a bit to get a feel for what I wanted it to be.  Now that I’m in a rhythm, I feel like it’s a good time to look at my favorite posts of the year.

In honor of Crafting Monday, I’m posting three of my favorite crafting projects from the past year.  Don’t see something you like?  Maybe it’ll show up on my 101 list review…

First, my mom and I took the time to give my desk space a crafty makeover.  It has weathered even more updating since then, but here are the before and after pictures from the makeover weekend.

Before:

After:

Second, I made pretty paper flowers that still live on our mantle.  I didn’t take the greatest photos of them, and would take some right now if I were in Nashville, but I’m not, so here’s just a fuzzy glimpse to give you an idea:

And third, also relating to flowers, I made Juju a wedding rehearsal bouquet out of the ribbons from her shower (which were, conveniently, mostly from Pottery Barn):

Get excited for favorite foods tomorrow!!

Today is more of a “favorites friday” than a “fun friday.”  Well…it’s fun for me, so I guess that counts.  I think it’s about that time again to name our five favorite things out there in blogworld again…Katy?  Ashley?  Kate?  Anyone up for a favorites challenge?

1. Clothbound Pride and Prejudice from Anthropologie.  it. is. just. beautiful. (Thanks Buttons Magee)

2. Christmas Petit Fours from i am baker.  Maybe I’ll be this talented by next Christmas.

3. Wooden tape dispensers from tinted mint to go with all the tape I love, but do not yet own.  (Thanks Oh Joy!)

4. Winter Wonderland Snowflake Cake from the Pink Cake Box.  This is not only the most beautiful cake I’ve ever seen, but it makes me want to be in some snowy fairy tale or something.

5. PAPER.  I love paper, but these two are especially awesome:

some from the Rifle Paper Co. over at Oh Joy! …

and some that Hello! Lucky has over on The Brightside Project.

p.s. YES I recognize that there are two cake related items in my favorites.  What can I say…they are just beautiful!!

I heard this on the radio this morning and it may be one of the greatest discoveries of my entire life.

This past weekend we hosted yet another wine and cheese party, but this time, it was a CHRISTMAS wine and cheese party!  This also knocks “Host a Christmas Party” off of my 101 in 1001 list.  Here’s a few photos of the spread for you to drool over…

I know, I know–not much of a “Crafting Monday” theme going on today, but I just have to tell you/share pictures with you from this weekend.  Friday night we went and saw “Charlie Brown Ice” at the Opry here in Nashville.  It was AMAZING.  So amazing in fact that I have few words to describe it.

As you look at these photos, you need to keep in mind one thing: Everything you see is made of ice.

Yes, this is a slide:

Strangely appropriate:

And why not end it all with a life-sized, ice-sculpted nativity scene, complete with frozen baby Jesus:

Happy Friday, blogging world!  I’m especially happy today because I am finished with classes and projects for the semester.  Yay!  Tonight we’ll be going to see the lights at Opryland, and I’m completely pumped.

In honor of last night’s frost that sort of almost looked like snow (I can dream) here are a few little images for you to enjoy!

She decorates the house (that I grew up in) so beautifully.  (Of course, there are many, many other reasons…)

Apparently, cupcake and cookie decorating parties are all the rage among middle school girls.  I’m not sure if it’s entirely true, but when we hosted the 7th and 8th grade groups this past weekend, it became apparent that these middle school girls loved it.

Katy and I spent plenty of time baking cookies and cupcakes in preparation.  And with the immense amounts of frosting we had, the girls made plenty of wonderfully sugary creations.  The mess was a huge success.