Sorry

I'm going to try to post this week but things are CRAZY at work.  Stay tuned for a kitchen post and more exciting news later this week and next.
Image by John-Morgan

Easter Crafts

I went to the flower district yesterday and found the cutest little live moss pots.  At just over a buck each, I had to have them.  Adding a few eggs and birdies found in the craft section at Moskatels makes for some very cute Easter goodies (and would work great as place card holders for the Easter brunch I'm not having). 

 I used the rest of the birdies atop the dogwood branches that I bought.

Happy Hunting!

Luz Bratcher's super fun naturally died Easter eggs (think red cabbage, tumeric, coffee, red onion skins, blueberries, and beets).  I love the palette.

bagging it

You know how much I love bags and totes of any kind.  I'm diggin the utility of Artifact Bags' No 175 waxed canvas bag and the nautically inspired Lands' End Canvas Tote

Shoes and Hues

French designer Sophie Theallet's new flats for Nine West and Katie Ridder's Moonflower Tangerine fabric.

Oh Joy Product Line Rx

Last night I attended Joy Cho (of OhJoy! blog fame)'s Product Line Rx Workshop.  It was a great experience.  I learned a ton about how to get my bedding line up and running and most importantly how to get start Making Money. 

I met some other fabulous local designers and bloggers who design everything from jewelry to stationary to sock animals and terrariums.  I'm looking forward to featuring some of their products in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out!

Thanks Joy!

On the Home Front

We got this great water jug with spigot from Pottery Barn which is now sitting on our counter providing us with a supply of what I like to call "spa water" flavored with mint from the garden and a splash of lemon.  Maybe we will try cucumbers next!  I love that it has that vintage mason jar feel.

 I also found some time this weekend to create a welcoming little planter vignette on our front stoop.  The yellow planter was meant to go in the bird cage, but alas, it didn't quite fit.  Well, it could have fit but getting it back out would have been an issue.  Nevertheless, I think it will look nice.  My hopes are that the candytuft and petunias start trailing a little.

Shroomie Shrooms

Yes, Scott and I are total suckers for anything related to the whole artisanal, DIY movement.  We are THOSE people.  While we haven't done any canning or pickling yet,  I'm sure that will happen once the loquat tree in our front yard starts bearing fruit.  In the meantime we have ventured into the world of small scale mushroom farming - not not magic mushrooms, but large beautiful shitakes.  We purchased the 'Ma and Pa log' from Lost Creek Mushroom Farm recently and grew our first batch of 3 mushrooms.  That comes to over 15 bucks per mushroom. But the good thing is that the logs last for years. They fruit every couple of months and the subsequent harvests should be more productive.  Here are some photos of the mushrooms (which grew to full size within a week of soaking the logs).

 The shitakes at their baby stage. Edible, but just a couple more days until full size

 Those is some big shrooms!

 How perfect are the gills on the bottom?  Way better looking than something you'd find at the grocery store.

 

And finally me doing some harvesting.  We ate them yesterday in a breakfast scramble (which admittedly Scott over-rosemaried so the mushroom was a little faint) and in a Asian stir fry for dinner.

Fauna-ing over

If you've been following my blog for a while you know I have a thing for animals.  Animal art, animal decals, 3-D animal heads and now animal cushions.  These Fauna pillows from Velocity Art and Design are adorable!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Congrats Mademoiselle Paradis the winner of our blue and white vase giveaway!   Please email your address to me so we can get it sent out to you.  And send a pic of it in place once you've received it.