LOOK - another FAT HEAD

with 1 more on the way...can you guess which team? It rhymes with METS! I'll show photos when it arrives!

Packing up for the Trade Show now - don't call me right this second - I'M BUSY GETTING READY! Wait until the Morning!

OH and am going to be painting my bedroom next - gotta get clean and ready for the new year / decade! Nothing like starting off FRESH! Nothing makes me happier than PURGING! Now that's something I'm GREAT at! Just ask my family and friends and neighbors! I know that toter schedule BY HEART! Is this something I should be bragging about?

Best,
Jane M

FAT HEAD

Isn't this just the dumbest name for a sticker? FAT HEAD. What does it mean? Am I missing something here? Well at any rate, Gary and Russ went out to buy a FAT HEAD for their MAN CAVE (the 3rd floor TV room). The store had some special offer so they came home with a NY MET FAT HEAD and a RANGER FAT HEAD.

I was busy in the kitchen today - but it's Sunday and it's what I do. I baked some Parmesan cheese crackers. And then Emily and I just had to bake up brownies because we are in the middle of watching/singing to the SOUND OF MUSIC and we needed a dessert. Oh the movie is so great! I say this EVERY year though don't I?!

Tomorrow is Monday of a short week. The printed fabric has arrived and we are driving the fabric to the sample maker in the morning so that we can get the swatch cards finished up. They are gorgeous. Sharpen your pencils you will have a hard time choosing from all the pretty styles in the line!

Best,
Jane M

MY CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

This post is not intended to be snarky. No it is not. I just want to tell you that yesterday while cooking I found my prized WHISK! About a year ago I wanted the same whisk my sister uses, it is a whisk that has silicone on the ends so it won't scratch pans or bowls while getting the task done. I loved my new whisk. I used it all the time. Then, I think about 6 months ago, my whisk was GONE! NOT TO BE SEEN. MISSING. I have to tell you, and not BRAG, but JANE CAHN DOES NOT LOSE THINGS. I just don't. In fact, I HOARD MY STUFF - which I think I may have passed down this trait to my son Russell. Anyway, I used to look in my utensil drawer for my prized whisk and it was gone. I had to get used to my "old" whisks once again.

So yesterday, while preparing lunch, I opened my utensil drawer and there staring up at me is my LOST SILICONE TIPPED WHISK! I screamed with delight - in front of Gary and Emily. Gary looked at me confused and said he was the last person to empty the dishwasher and he put the whisk in my drawer. I can't believe it - that whisk was somehow in my dishwasher for the last 6 or more months without me seeing it! HOW CAN THAT BE? IT'S A MIRACLE I SAY!

I'm making a fritatta right now for the family for breakfast and used my silicone tipped whisk for the task.

Aaaah all is right again in my world!

Happy Holidays to everyone - I've been working my tail off - I'm just saying! The printed fabric has arrived! Oh yes indeedy - PRIVATE STOCK will be selling updated prints! THEY ARE FAB! Call us for appointments at either the MR show in NYC or the Chicago Show! You won't be disappointed! WE SELL TIES AND THEY ARE FAN-DAMN-TASTICK!

Best,

Jane M

And Then We Got Some Snow

Well it's not even the official start to Winter and we had a little snow! The news reports thought we'd have a total of 18 inches of the white stuff, but from our photo - we had about 8 inches or so. Still enough to have to shovel and dig out. We share a snow blower with a jerky neighbor - WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SHARE SO WE END UP SHOVELING! Not a very fair but this is OLD NEWS.

Now the sun is out - and we have to get ready to go to a party that was cancelled last night.

Best,
Jane M

182 182 182

Today is the day! Yes indeedy I reached my goal! I went to the gym 182 times today! I worked out like a mad woman! I'm so proud of myself that I am! This is a picture of me AFTER my workout. I still have 2 and 1/2 weeks left in the month to workout even more times.

That's all for now.

Best,
Jane M

Tomorrow - December 16th

I AM GOING TO DO SOMETHING I'VE NEVER EVER DONE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I will reach my goal for my New Year's resolution which I made last December 27th, 2008. I resolved to go to the gym 182 times in 2009 and tomorrow is the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow I am taking another cardio kick boxing class and I will have gone to the JCC 182 times! Oh right I already said that - but I'm so thrilled! I'm patting myself on my back right now.

I hope to take my camera and have my family snap some photos of me on this auspicious occasion!

Best,
Jane M
PS - Both kids are home from college and I've been cooking up a storm - healthy food - but none the less cooking! I've been very very busy!

I FINALLY BAKED A GREAT LOAF OF BREAD!

I bought a bread baking book by Jim Lahey and I tried baking a loaf of olive bread. I BAKED A GREAT BREAD! I HAD GREAT SUCCESS! The secret to my success? I baked the loaf in my Staub pot - this is a very heavy cast iron pot. The instructions said to bake the bread COVERED for 30 minutes and the last 15 minutes uncovered. Apparently the covered pot is as good as spritzing the oven with water or putting ice cubes to create steam on the bottom of the oven. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I'm so darn proud of myself! The taste was wonderful too! The outside crust was just that - crusty - the inside was light and airy.

But - there is always a but - I DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO USE MY FANCY DANCY KITCHEN AID MIXER! All I had to do was mix 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 1/3 cup water - and get this - only 1/2 teaspoon of yeast! You mix it up a bit - it gets sticky, leave the dough in the bowl, cover it and let it go for 12 hours (I did it overnight!) After 12 hours, I took the dough out and kneaded it a bit - I just had to - although the directions said I didn't. I was then supposed to put the dough in a floured towel - I couldn't bring myself to do that - I read on someone's blog that it was a mess - the dough stuck even with the towel being floured. So I let the dough rest, heated up my Staub pot in my oven for about an hour, dumped the dough into the pot, covered it, baked it for 30 minutes, removed the lid and baked for another 15 minutes and out came this glorious, crusty olive loaf!

SUCCESS! I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY OTHER BREADS AND PIZZA! I'm so proud of myself - can you tell?

Happy 2 weeks before XMAS! Sell alot of our ties please!

Best,
Jane M PS At my exercise class yesterday I asked the teacher if it was at all possible for me to get Michelle Obama's arms. I thought she was going to fall on the floor laughing. She did say I was well on my way, but that I need to come back often! So after we worked our arms to death with those bands - she next said we were going to get DEREK JETER thighs by doing these exercises for our thighs. GREAT! Just what I need, THUNDER THIGHS! HA HA!

My Kids will just LOVE this gift

I am giving my children this holiday season the gift that keeps on giving. BUT - this gift KEEPS ON GIVING TO ME! I am giving them the gift of their OWN laundry baskets so that they may do their own WASH! Yep - I'm a working woman don't ya know, and I could use a little help in the laundry department - yes indeedy! Today I went to the store and found these very cute collapsible and light laundry bags! I am providing them with the Washer/Dryer, the Soap and of course the water. Oh and also a very very nice environment for doing 1's chore! So what do you think of this? Maybe the clothes won't get tossed in the basket after 1 hour of wearing, or maybe wearing only ONE "T" shirt a time, or trying something on, not feeling like folding it and putting it away, but hurling it into the bin for MOM MOM TO DO! AAAAH THE INSANITY OF IT ALL! Who's fooling who NOW?!!!!

This will not be their only gifts - I'm just being silly - but VERY SERIOUS about doing their own wash!

So on that note, it's time for me to do my laundry. Gary very sheepishly asked if I would still be doing his wash - in that Oh so GARY way he has! I told him of course -not to worry HE IS OFF THE HOOK from sorting, washing and folding! But maybe he could run the vacuum from time to time? We'll see - it's all good - the family will be together once again starting next week.

Hope you are selling a lot of our ties in your stores! TIS THE SEASON!

Best,
Jane M

Nice Weekend!

Gary and I went into NYC on Saturday to see the new George *swoon* Clooney movie which DID NOT disappoint! Had a real NY movie going experience. The movie only opened in 15 theaters across the country and I read in the paper this morning that it did great. GO SEE UP IN THE AIR when it opens later in the week.

After the movie we wandered up to visit with the folks at Rothmans on Union Square. From there we had an early din-din at The Gramercy Tavern. What a great restaurant. We ate in the bar area as it was very early - and was it decorated so pretty! This time of year with the lights and glitter makes everything looks to twinkly and pretty. I just LOVE IT!

Then it was time to go home - we had slogged around in the rainy/snowy weather all day long. Plus Gordie was home alone and needed my company.

Made a big pot of pea soup - soup keeps me warm in the winter.

We finished up designing the rest of the line for 2010 - CALL US TO MAKE AN APPT. TO SEE US EITHER IN NYC OR CHICAGO! We have BEAUTIFUL TIES! REALLY!

Best,
Jane M --> PS My sis sent me this cool silicone gizmo for freezing food. It's marketed to bitsy babies - but I'm using it to make and freeze my pesto!

I bought more

glittery ornaments for my window boxes today at my favorite supermarket WEGMANS! Plus they were on sale to boot. Glitter is my favorite thing - yes indeedy it is!

That's all I wanted to say for today - doesn't much feel like the holiday season to me yet. Maybe tomorrow when it's supposed to get colder - we'll see.

Gary and I are headed into NYC to see the George Clooney movie. It's only playing in Manhattan - oh right - I'll see all the XMAS decoration in Manhattan tomorrow and the windows too! WOOT WOOT MORE GLITTER FOR JANE!

Happy Weekend! Sell a lot of our ties - please. Just finished designing the Spring 2010 line this afternoon. COME SEE US IN NYC OR CHICAGO!

Best,
Jane M

We are getting a HUGE

rain storm tonight and...

THE GUTTER GUYS REFUSE TO CLEAN MY GUTTERS - SAY THERE ARE TOO MANY LEAVES YET TO COME DOWN - WHAT ARE THEY NUTS?

THE TOWN HAS YET TO PICK UP THE LEAVES. Well the town did come - but back when there were hardly any leaves to scoop up. Now with all the leaves down - NO LEAF PICKER-UPPERS! Hope we don't get any snow or those leaves will be back on my lawn! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR I will not be a happy camper.

I'm so into my working out - only need 9 more times to achieve my goal/New Year's resolution! I'm trying DESPERATELY to get Michelle Obama arms. I am taking Cardio Kick boxing classes. Today we used weights for added exercise. Gary still says I punch like a girl - OH WELL I TRY VERY HARD SO WHAT MORE CAN I SAY?

Started the 1st of the swatching for the Spring 2010 line. It will be gorgeous - with 10% or more designs! I've got a lot of work ahead of me, but you will love the line when you come see us in NYC or Chicago.

Bye for now!
Jane M