Modern Renaissance

Moving on up

2010-07-14T13:45:00.002-04:00

Hello, all! I have started a new blog, The How-To Hostess, and will no longer be posting here at Modern Renaissance. I hope you will come visit the shiny new blog for lots of party-riffic ideas, crafts, and recipes, though!

Hugs - Stephanie

Fri-DIY Pickling

2010-07-09T07:30:00.000-04:00

Something a little different for this Fri-DIY... how do you feel about pickles? Me - I love them. I have yet to meet a pickle that I did not enjoy, and that includes eggs and pigs feet. I am a self-professed vinegar junkie so pickling is right up my alley.

When you add the magic of preserving in a boiling-water bath, the reward of shelf-stable homemade pickles all year entices me to make a batch nearly every weekend all summer long. I am a self-taught pickler, I alas did not have the guidance of a mom or grandma to raise me in the pickling tradition. However, the process is not difficult and can be mastered easily as long as you can chop some vegetables and follow instructions.

I taught a class a few weeks ago about how to make simple vegetable pickles and wrote out an instruction pamphlet for everyone. I've posted the pages up on Flickr so you can download them and get to pickling, too! There are 2 recipes, one for sweet refrigerator pickles and one for sour shelf-stable pickles. If you try one out and get stuck, just drop me an email and I'll be glad to help you out.

I like you - Tomatoes

2010-07-08T13:22:00.001-04:00

tomatoes squaredcircle, originally uploaded by Muffet.

It's summer and the living is easy. Especially if you are a tomato lover. That sounds like a strange title, but I am a born and raised tomato lover and I am not ashamed. I am also a tomato snob. I won't eat one unless I can look in the eyes of the person who grew it. For me, that's my 'Mater Man' (that's his name, it's legit, he has a hat with it cross-stitched!) at my local farmer's market, my grandfather, and my friend Megan. That means I only eat them when they are in season, but I certainly make the most of that short time. My two most all-time favorite ways to eat tomatoes are fresh slices of perfectly ride tomato on wheat toast with Duke's mayo or green tomatoes dusted with cornmeal and fried in bacon fat. Summertime food heaven!

Fri-DIY - Tissue Paper Flowers

2010-07-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

I am in the midst of planning an engagement party for some very dear friends. As such, I have been happily sequestered in my craft room for many hours working on decorations, invitations, and plans in general. These are some flowers I created that will be gracing the entry walls en masse the evening of the party.

The flowers are super quick to make, about 5 minutes per flower, and don't require any special crafting tools. What you do need is:

Tissue paper in the color of your choice
Scissors
Hot glue gun

Cut out 6 inch circles from the tissue, scalloping the edges slightly as you cut. You will need 11 circles per flower.

Once you've got a nice stack, crumple them all up and gently smooth back out. This step is important so the flowers have some nice volume and texture and don't end up looking flat.

Heat up the hot glue gun. Lay one circle flat on your work space. Fold another circle in half, then in half again to make a wedge shape. Put a dab of hot glue at the point end of the wedge and glue to the flat circle. Repeat with 3 more circles to make the first layer.

Then do it again with 4 more circles but glue so they overlap the spaces between the wedges of the first layer.

Finally, take 2 more circles. Fold each in half, add a dab of glue at the middle of the fold and glue each to the flower. All done!

Along with party wall decorations, I have also used these to finish off a wrapped gift and as napkin holders for parties. I am sure you can come up with many more uses for them, too!

I like you - Sparklers

2010-06-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

Sparkler Words from john.reilly

With the 4th of July right around the corner, I like most everything red, white, and blue. Sparklers hold a special place in my heart, though, pulling me back to the days of bare feet, and cool grass, and mosquito bites while running with a sparkly light through the front yard. I will be in a fire-works friendly state for the 4th this year, so I am looking forward to reliving part of my childhood via fiery lit sticks.

sparkler girl from nataliedee.com

However, if you find yourself in an anti-sparkler state or town, consider trying one of the crafts below to get your sparkler fix. Best part is, no chance of burnt fingers!

Paper Sparklers from the Martha

Sparkless Sparklers from Merriment Design

Meatless Monday - Zucchini Caponata

2010-06-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

There's something about summer that makes eating meat-free seem effortless. With so much gorgeous fresh produce available, I really don't even think about meat, until the husband starts to revolt. So get thee to your local farmer's market and worship at the altar of local fruits and vegetables.

I developed this recipe to use up some pretty zucchini I picked up at our farmer's market. A caponata is traditionally made with eggplant, but I think the other ingredients equally compliment fresh dark green zucchini. We topped a piece of toast with the caponata and then capped it all with a poached egg (also from the farmer's market). The caponata would also be delicious tossed with hot pasta or spread on toasted baguette slices and topped with some melted mozzarella.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large zucchini, cut into a 1/4" dice
1/2 sweet onion, cut into a 1/4" dice
2 Tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano and thyme
1 teaspoons chopped capers

Heat oil over medium high heat in a saute pan. Add onion and zucchini and saute until nicely browned, 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes and garlic, stir to combine. Lower heat to medium low and cook 1 minute. Add vinegar, stirring well, and cook 1 minute. Add herbs and capers, stir to incorporate and serve immediately.

FriDIY - Home Spruce Ups

2010-06-25T14:11:00.006-04:00

Drum light tutorial from Cantaloupe Corner

This week's FriDIY features a few projects to spruce up things around the house. Like the cool lampshade above. Most home improvement stores sell hanging lamp kits (Ikea, too) and the rest of the materials are readily available and inexpensive. I'd love to see a bunch of these in coordinating colors hung from a portico for an outdoor party.

Curly ribbon wreath from Embellished Bayou

I love the curly ribbon wreath above. The directions are super easy to follow and I especially enjoy the summer-ready colors she chose. If I saw a wreath like this on a front door, I would just know I was going to have a good time in that house!

Perfect boxes tutorial from lovelydesign

Finally, this project is one that would make the husband roll his eyes at me. He wouldn't be able to understand putting time and effort into making perfectly sized boxes. But I do, and luckily Sharilyn at lovelydesign does, too!

I Like You - Brightly Colored Heels

2010-06-23T12:56:00.005-04:00

I'm starting a new weekly feature called 'I like you -' and anything I like is fair game. It could be Prince William, or mixed tapes, or pixie hair cuts, or limeade. I like a lot of very random things and I am looking forward to sharing them!

This week, I like brightly colored heels. What's not to like, really? They make blah neutral outfits go HIYA! LOOK I HAVE STYLE, SEE MY SHOES! In the land of nude pumps, the hot pink stiletto is queen.

1. Poetic License Dazzling 2. Stuart Weitzman Lovechains Pump 3. Nina Electra 4. Basic Platform Pump 5. Mossimo Isabella Satin Platform Pump

Meatless Monday - Pasta with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes

2010-06-21T13:10:00.001-04:00

Pasta with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes, originally uploaded by s_ripperton.

Getting back on the horse here with the blog. I'm in the midst of a 30 day course in which I have to set goals (yikes) and then actually follow through (double yikes!). Blogging regularly falls neatly in to the measurable goal category.

So I'm back with a very tasty meatless recipe to kick things off. This one came about because of poor planning. I had been too busy over the weekend to get to the grocery, so come Monday evening, very little fit to eat remained. Luckily, I had some delicious pantry staples on hand and whipped this easy recipe up in no time.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb farfalle pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 can artichoke hearts, quartered
2 Tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup cream cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute just until onion softens a bit, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute more.

Add artichokes and sun dried tomatoes to the pan, mixing well. Cook 1 minute.

Add wine and stir. Let cook about 2 minutes more.

Add cream cheese and stir constantly while it melts to mix well with other ingredients. Add cooked pasta to pan and toss with sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish.

New Post

2010-04-27T22:32:00.003-04:00

Yes, I know I said I was taking a break, but I couldn't resist posting this pic and letting you know how much I want a few chickens. Yes, my dog will try to eat them and my city says they can't live in my yard, but I REALLY want some feathered friends and their early morning calls and delicious fresh unborn baby eggs (Ok I might have pushed it with that last one). I would name them all old fashioned names like Irma, Ethel, and Maude and we will live a happy human and chicken existence!

Fri-DIY

2010-04-16T07:15:00.002-04:00

Oh, how I love How About Orange's paper medallion tutorial. They are adorable and as usual, her instructions are clear and easy to follow. I think these would be fun used as name tags at a bridal or baby shower, too.

Today's Fri-DIY will be the last post for awhile. I've been in a creative slump, as my lack of posts probably conveys. So, I'm going to take some time to gear back up before I get back to posting, probably starting up again in summer. Have a happy spring!

Meatless Monday - Assorted Links

2010-04-05T09:54:00.003-04:00

photo by John Kernick (from epicurious.com)

I'm in a between seasons cooking rut. It's too spring-like to cook my winter favorites, but it's not quite spring enough to get my hands on any fabulous produce yet. So, here's a few meatless recipes from my epicurious recipe box that I have been meaning to try.

Beet and Pear Napoleons with Ginger Juice Vinaigrette (it just looks so pretty!)

Mini Provolone Popovers

Zucchini, Lemon, and Ricotta Galettes

Orzo, Green Bean, and Fennel Salad w/ Dill Pesto

Fri-DIY Wallpapered Table

2010-04-02T07:04:00.003-04:00

Spring has finally hit the South. It makes me want to open every window and change everything in the house. So, I can't help but love this DIY makeover from guest poster Abby Matthews over at Craftynest.

Happy Spring!

Meatless Monday - Tortellini w/ Carmelized Onion & Tomato

2010-03-29T07:23:00.002-04:00

Tortellini w/ Carmelized Onion & Tomato, originally uploaded by s_ripperton.

Sometimes convenience and tastiness meet happily in the middle. Those little refrigerated packages of fresh pasta are a perfect example for me The fillings range in flavor from fancy lobster and truffle to plain three cheese. The fancy ones are delicious on their own, but the plainer flavors make a great base for a quick topping.

This recipe was made up on-the-fly. I had a different plan for the cheese tortellini that involved broccoli and lemon, but someone (pointed look in the husband's direction) ate all the broccoli. Oh well, at least he likes vegetables.

These portions serve 2 heartily, but could be stretched to 4 servings.

1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini, I like Buitoni brand or Trader Joe's
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, halved and finely sliced
salt to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese to top

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and salt. Saute until onion softens and browns, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic to onion mixture and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

Lower heat to medium. Add tomatoes and cook until they soften and begin to burst, about 7-10 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar and cook 1-2 minutes until the vinegar as become syrupy.

Serve immediately over the tortellini and top with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Fri-DIY - Gifts to Make (Happy Birthday to me!)

2010-03-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

I realized today that I never posted a Meatless Monday this week. However, today I turn the big 3-0, so I am going to cut myself some slack.

In honor of myself (hey, it's my blog, I can do that!) here are some great tutorials I would like to make and give to myself as birthday presents.

Pretty pretty leaf cuff from maya*made. My leather scraps and vintage buttons are demanding to be made in to several of these!

A lovely set of spring-time napkins from Purl Bee. This tutorial has a fantastic explanation for how to do ric-rac trim. I've never tried trim before because I was afraid a lot of cursing would ensue. However, now I think I should be able to master it!

A twirly patch-work skirt courtesy of Moda Bake Shop. Yes, this is for a child, but I could adapt for a grown up. I love love the colors used for the tutorial!

Happy crafting!

Fri-DIY Vintage Flower Stamens

2010-03-19T07:30:00.000-04:00

I love love love this tutorial from scissor variations. I am a bad crafter and usually just throw out my teeny tiny fabric scraps. No more, though!

Guinness Shadow

2010-03-17T13:18:00.001-04:00

Guinness Shadow, originally uploaded by Steffe.

Awesome photo and Happy St. Patty's Day!

Meatless Monday - Hot Onion Dip

2010-03-15T14:00:00.001-04:00

Book Club Party, originally uploaded by s_ripperton.

This week's recipe isn't a main dish or even a side dish (though I have been known to eat leftovers of it for dinner). It's a very tasty, thoroughly meat-free dip that is perfect for bringing to a party. It's also stupidly easy to make. So if you have any March Madness parties to attend, consider whipping this up instead of chicken wings or meatballs. No one will miss them, I promise.

The following will make 3 cups of dip.

1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (Vidalia or the like)
1 cup mayo
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, fresh is best, but the kind from the can is good, too
Paprika for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, except paprika. Spoon into a ceramic or glass pie plate and smooth to level the surface.

Put in oven and bake 35-40 minutes until hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with crackers, tortilla chips or crudites.

Fri-DIY - Phrenology Pin Cushion

2010-03-12T07:23:00.000-05:00

How fantastic is this tutorial from The Graphics Fairy? Just the right blend of macabre cuteness and functionality.

Meatless Monday - Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Onion

2010-03-08T12:57:00.003-05:00

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Onion, originally uploaded by s_ripperton.

Mmm, cauliflower. I don't believe there is a winter vegetable I enjoy quite as much. As winter draws to a close here in the south (finally!) I have found myself trying to cram as much cauliflower goodness in before my attention turns to spring greens and white cucumbers.

Roasting cauliflower is my go-to technique for everday cauliflower consumption. It's relatively quick and extremely easy. Cauliflower also takes well to lots of flavors, which makes it versatile, too. Feel free to experiment at will.

1 head cauliflower will serve 4 people as a side dish.

1 head cauliflower, washed and cut into 1 inch florets
1 onion, halved and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon drained capers

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except capers. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange cauliflower in a single layer on the sheet.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until cauliflower is nicely browned. Top with capers and serve warm.

Fri-DIY Pleated Flower Wall from RUCHE

2010-03-05T12:45:00.003-05:00

We already know I love Ruche, so how awesome is it that they post some stunning DIY projects on their blog? The wall of flowers is incredibly awesome, relatively cheap, slightly labor intensive, but not in an off-putting way. More in a 'cannot wait to host another bridal shower and make these en masse' way.

Meatless Monday - Gazpacho

2010-03-01T07:17:00.002-05:00

Mmm, gazpacho. Eating it always reminds me of summer. However, a tasty version can be made even in the dead of winter thanks to high-quality canned plum tomatoes. Considering our southern winter seems never-ending (calling for snow tomorrow, in MARCH) we needed a dish like this to remind us that summer isn't too far away.

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1" lengths
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
3 scallions, cut into 1" lengths
1 - 28 ounce can of high quality Italian style plum tomatoes
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and and process until the soup is mostly smooth but with a few chunky bits left. Pour soup into a bowl and chill for at least an hour. Garnish with a little more red wine vinegar and cilantro. To round out the this meatless meal, serve with cheese quesadillas.

Fri-DIY - Paper Covered Lids

2010-02-26T07:14:00.002-05:00

I am under the weather today, so just a quick DIY share from this lovely tutorial from Design Sponge. Anything that brightens up every day items with recycled materials is tops in my book.

Meatless Monday - Tuna with Asian Dipping Sauce

2010-02-22T07:19:00.004-05:00

A few months ago, I happened upon a show by this guy one lazy Sunday morning. He was doing a show about ponzu soy sauce (and bacon, but as it is Meatless Monday, no bacon talk today). I'd seen ponzu in the grocery stores right there next to all the soy sauces, and the obligatory bottle on each table at sushi restaurants, but I never found an occasion to try it. However, the episode had some really yummy sounding recipes that I frantically scribbled on the backs of some magazine subscription cards laying nearby. After I finally bought a bottle, I fell in love at first taste with ponzu. It's salty and tangy and all around delicious. It just tastes fresher and more interesting than regular soy sauce.

I created this recipe because it showcases how well ponzu works in a variety of ways. One, as a tangy compliment to meaty seared tuna, and two, as a bright dressing that works perfectly with crisp greens.

Portions below will serve 2

Tuna:
2 1-inch thick sashimi grade tuna steaks
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce/Dressing:
1/3 cup ponzu soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger (fresh ginger would also be lovely)
1 scallion, very thinly sliced

4 cups mixed greens for salad

Let tuna come to room temperature, about 15 minutes before you are ready to cook. In a small bowl, combine fennel seeds, cumin, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mixture on each tuna steak, pressing gently to adhere.

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. When hot, add tuna steaks and cook to your preferred doneness. If you are like me, that's about 1 minute per side for rare.

Combine all dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle about 2 Tablespoons of sauce over greens and toss to combine. Divide greens evenly between 2 plates and top each with a tuna steak. Serve with remaining sauce on the side for dipping the tuna.

Fri-DIY - Inspiration

2010-02-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Lovely use of a child's painting from MUS

Let me share a little secret - I tag some of my bookmarks with 'ideas to try.' These are usually images that suggest an idea I could possibly expand on, versus straight-forward tutorials. I try not to think of it as stealing other people's ideas. No one operates inside a vacuum and inspiration is EVERYWHERE! Plus, I don't think I could ever 100% recreate someone else's project. One - it's not in my nature. Two - I remember vividly my course in intellectual rights and would never want to infringe on those of others.

That said, here are a few images that are inspiring me to DIY right now.

Fabric envelopes from the talented ladies at Bird and Banner

Leather and Lace Necklace from Stool No. 72

Paper Chandelier from Wren Handmade

Tie Blouse from Anthropologie

DIY - Spoonflower

2010-02-17T16:29:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I wonder about myself. How could I have missed Spoonflower for so long?!?

Upload your own pattern and buy yardage! Or select from the thousands of awesome designs already uploaded by super talented designers.

Upload your own design and get 10% off any yardage you buy personally. Even better, when someone else buys your design, you get 10% commission! So many great possibilities, go check Spoonflower out right now.

Meatless Monday - Eggs Baked in Parchment with Spinach and Mushrooms

2010-02-15T07:06:00.004-05:00

Full disclaimer this week - this recipe is inspired by one in a recent copy of Everyday Food. However, it has been amped up quite a bit with the dressing, as I thought the original recipe would be too bland. The following proportions will make 2 packages.

1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 eggs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Layout two sheets of parchment paper that have been cut into a long oval. Spread spinach and mushrooms in middle of one half of each parchment, leaving at least 2 inches of parchment to the edge. Make two shallow wells in each bed of mushroom and spinach and crack an egg into each well. Season with salt and pepper. Fold over other half of parchment and crimp edges to seal.

Place sealed packets an a baking sheet. Bake at 400 until eggs are set, but yolks are still runny, about 7-10 minutes.

While eggs are baking, combine all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl.

Remove packets from oven and tear or cut off the top layer of parchment from each. Divide dressing equally among the two packets and serve.

Cooking this dish in parchment isn't 100% necessary, but it is impressive to deliver to the table and rip open. If you want to skip the parchment, combine spinach and mushrooms with a little more olive oil and spread in the bottom of a shallow glass baking pan and top with the eggs. OR to serve four, lightly grease 4 small ramekins and divide spinach and mushrooms between them and top with 1 egg each.

Fri- DIY Even more Valentine Ideas

2010-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Sweet Tooth from Twig and Thistle

Well, after my mini-rant last week regarding Valentine's Day, the irony that I found even more fabulous Valentine's projects is not lost on me. I'm officially giving in to Valentine's fever until Monday! Our plans are lobster tails and Champage for brunch and having the extended family over for a supper of braised short ribs and goat cheese potatoes au gratin. Maybe in between I could squeeze in one or two of today's featured projects. The sweet tooth flags from Twig and Thistle above might make the cut.

Valentine Salad Kit from Giver's Log

Or maybe I should make these cute heart croutons? I am not convinced salad is the best way to say 'I love you' on Valentine's day, though?

Be my valentine bookmarks from Creative Kismet

I want to make and give away a whole stack of these bookmarks to everyone I love. Too bad I didn't find these sooner because they would have made great favors at my book club party.

Branch heart from Sweet Paul

Finally, I love love love this rustic branch heart. Beautiful, easy, and cheap!

Here's hoping all you have a happy Valentine's Day!!

Dress Up - Ruche

2010-02-11T15:39:00.002-05:00

Oh Ruche, where have you been my whole clothes-shopping life??

Parties - Book Club Party

2010-02-10T13:01:00.003-05:00

Just a few pics from the book club party I hosted last weekend. Lots of food, fun, and literary conversation (and crafts!) had by all.

Meatless Monday - Quick Garlic and Lime Shrimp

2010-02-08T07:27:00.004-05:00

I know I just did a shrimp recipe a few weeks ago, but shrimp is just too yummy and quick to not eat often. This one has a ridiculously easy marinade and then just a few minutes in a hot skillet and dinner is ready. This would also be great served over pasta for a heavier meal. We ate it with a salad of blood oranges and red onions.

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deviened

Juice from 1 lime

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic), and toss well to combine. Allow to marinate in fridge for an hour.

Remove shrimp from fridge. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and marinade to pan when pan is hot and cook until shrimp are opaque. Serve with pan juices.

Fri-DIY: Valentines (A few days late)

2010-02-04T07:30:00.008-05:00

Sweet Straw Download from Papermash

Sorry for the late posting, I hosted a party on Friday evening and ran out of time to finish this post up prior to going in to full-on party mode. I'm planning on posting pics of the party sometime this week.

Truth be told, I am not a big Valentine's Day fan. All that mushy nonsense sentiment doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Have you read a Valentine's card recently? Sheesh!

However, I do like pink and hearts, so here are a few DIY projects from around the web that aren't too mushy-mushy! Like the sweet straw download from Papermash. Which is free, so generous!

Heart Garland from How About Orange

How About Orange strikes gold again with this super sweet heart garland. The hearts would also be fun taped to walls and windows or covering a wrapped package.

Unraveling a letter from Paper N Stitch

Everything about this letter project from Paper N Stitch is adorable. She used wooden spools made for crafts, but these would be wonderful on recycled spools leftover from sewing. This project could also be adapted and use paper for the 'letter' part, which would eliminate the need to stamp the message.

Heart Garland from Oh So Crafty

Another example of a sewn paper garland from Oh So Crafty, because you know I am a sucker for a sewn paper garland. RECYCLING BONUS - she uses magazine pages for the hearts.

Blowing Kiss Flip Book from Color Me Katie

How much fun is this homemade flip book from Color me Katie? So sweet and clever.

Happy Valentine's Day crafting!

Meatless Monday - Curried Salmon Salad

2010-02-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

I turn thirty in a few short weeks, and it makes me realize that milestones usually sneak up and surprise me when I'm not paying proper attention. Like the fact that this is my 215th post on Modern Renaissance. Yay me and yay you for reading, thanks!!!

I have a real treat for this Meatless Monday. The husband has a new job which means we get to see each other on the weekends, sweet! However, I am used to only feeding myself lunch on the weekends and now that he expects food, too, I have fallen into a recipe rut. For the past three weekends, we have had tuna melts for lunch every Sunday! Every single one! Now, I love me some tuna melts, but it was getting ridiculous.

Did I do anything about it, though? OF COURSE NOT! I totally forgot about it until lunchtime Sunday rolled around. I didn't succumb, though, I looked through the pantry and came up with the following recipe as a riff on our normal tuna melts. And it was a major success.

Even though we ate it for lunch, with a green salad or nice bowl of soup, these open faced sandwiches would make an excellent light supper, too. Recipe below is for 2.

1 14-ounce can salmon OR 2 5-ounce cans. picked through and any bones removed
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped apple
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill until ready to serve. Serve in lettuce cups or pile it on some toasted bread, dust with cheese, and broil like I did.

Fri-DIY - Bunting Madness

2010-01-29T07:13:00.002-05:00

The adorable bunting card How About Orange posted last week has set off another round of bunting madness around the internet. And why not? Bunting is inherently festive and adorable. It brings to mind fairs, carnivals, parties, and just plain old good times. There are a bajillion tutorials out there for how to make full size bunting, but I gathered together a few out of the ordinary tutorials here.

Who wouldn't want a bunting crayon roll? I'm a grown-up and want one. I can only imagine the kind of raptures this would inspire in a kid. Thanks to say yes to hoboken for sharing.

I love machine sewing on paper, so this mini paper bunting from Lavender and Limes had me at 'thread your sewing machine with colored thread.'

Finally, itty bitty bunting from ribbon strung on wire from scissor variations. I like the wire look because it would let you shape the bunting any way you wanted, instead of the traditional 'drooping' look.

Now, with all this inspiration, I need to find an unadorned nook in my house to make one of these into reality!

Meatless Monday - Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

2010-01-25T07:15:00.005-05:00

I have noticed that portobellos are often touted as the vegetarian's steak. I have always failed to see the comparison, though. For me, portobellos are actually more interesting than most steaks. Dark, earthy, and juicy, they lend themselves well to many recipes. But if I happen upon some pretty portobellos, nine times out of ten I am going to stuff them.

The good thing about mushrooms is they taste good with a lot of other ingredients. I don't technically have a set recipe for stuffing them, I just go with what seems right that I have on hand. So feel free to adapt at will.

2 large portobello mushrooms, de-stemmed and de-gilled
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
zest from one lemon
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus a little for brushing mushrooms

Preheat oven to 400. Brush mushrooms with a little oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients to form the stuffing. Stuff each mushroom with 1/2 of the stuffing mixture, about 1/2 cup each. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the stuffing is browned.

This recipe can be doubled to serve 4. I served these with a simple radish and celery salad garnished with lemon juice and cilantro.

Fri-DIY - The T-Shirt Restyle Issue

2010-01-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

I keep hearing 'the worst of the recession is over.' So what? Does that mean we all have to run out immediately for some indiscriminate spending? Not this girl. I was thrifty prior to the recession and I plan on staying that way, no matter what the pundits say.

In that spirit, I've compiled some truly great T-Shirt restyle tutorials. All are fashionable, even pretty, and definitely a step up from the same old T-shirt-into-halter-top tutorials that seem to be the only ones google can find. There are some great inventive tutes out there shared by wonderfully creative generous women. Like the ladies at crafty stylish who show us how to make the tunic pictured above. I think it is so feminine and that green color just screams SPRING.

No real pics for this one, but this tute at Canadian living looks promising.

Make a T-shirt into an old-fashioned bed jacket? Yes, please.

Not for the novice sewer, but I love this idea of turning an old T-shirt plus skirt into a killer dress.

Finally, a killer don't mess with me kind of restyle, the chaos T-shirt. Just sounds like fun!

Art - Helen Musselwhite

2010-01-19T07:27:00.001-05:00

I am completely charmed by the art of Helen Musselwhite.

Meatless Monday - Baked Shrimp in Foil

2010-01-18T06:26:00.005-05:00

Sometimes making a home cooked meal is just easy. This is a recipe to keep handy for nights after long hard days. A few minutes prep time, a quick pop into the oven, and dinner is served. I buy frozen shrimp whenever I find them on sale, which is often since I have a network of friends that call me with hot tips on where to find discount shrimp. That's just how I roll.

Baked Shrimp in Foil

Amounts given are per person and will make 1 foil-wrapped package

1/2 pound shrimp, thawed if frozen, and unpeeled
1/2 lemon sliced into wedges
1/2 Tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
1/2 Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (or more to taste)

Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out a piece of aluminum foil about 18" long. Place ship in the middle of the foil. Scatter lemon, butter, and Old Bay over shrimp. Pull up the short sides of the foil and roll together to seal, then roll the two remaining open sides to make a tightly sealed packet. Place packet on a small baking sheet in case any juices escape during baking. Place on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. Serve with a nice piece of crusty bread for sopping up the lemon butter sauce.

Fri-DIY - The Scarf Issue

2010-01-15T07:15:00.004-05:00

I'm at the point in winter when I feel like it will NEVER end! When will I be warm again?!? I gathered up these scarf tutorials so at least my neck can be warmed by something pretty until spring arrives.

I think the trim scarf above from Ruffles and Stuff is adorable. I also have inherited several bags of trim that I have never settled on a project to use them up. This scarf might be just the thing.

How awesome is the Modern Victorian Collar from Love Maegan? Her instructions are incredibly easy to follow and what an impressive final product.

Pretty Ditty's simple scarf is indeed very pretty. She shows an interesting technique to sew in the balls which makes pretty gathers in the scarf.

This knit scarf from Make it and Love it is so pretty and simple. It's a good demonstration of how adding texture to a simple project makes it incredibly more interesting. In this case, the texture is a few sewn rows of the same scarf fabric.

Finally, for any no-sewers, ah-yi has a good tutorial up for a braided yarn scarf. She's provided easy to follow illustrations for the pretty complex braid, but I suspect steady hands and a patient read would be necessary to figure it out. It would be a great use for any bulky yarn lying around, or I imagine could also be adapted to use thin strips of knit jersey instead of yarn.

The Woodsman's Wife

2010-01-13T07:17:00.002-05:00

'The Collar' from the Woodsman's Wife series

Sorry for no Meatless Monday recipe this week. I was unexpectedly out of town, so my Meatless Monday was cereal at my grandparents' house, french fries on the road, and banana pepper pizza eaten exhaustedly on the sofa when I got home. Not exactly good blogging.

I thought I would quickly share the haunting work of Steven Kenny today. Lovely, mysterious, disturbing. If I owned one, it couldn't be hung in my bedroom, but I love them anyway.

Fri-DIY - Get Organized

2010-01-08T07:30:00.002-05:00

Did you make any resolutions for this new year? I only made one, to try something I have never done before once a month. I made a list. I'll post it soon and update my progress here as I check things off.

HOWEVER, if you made a resolution to be more organized, this week's Fri-DIY has ideas to help that task be easier and more stylish.

I love the simplicity of the envelope organizer above from Cathe Holden. A great idea for repurposing and every day item into something helpful and pretty good looking. Especially if you spring for some of these pretties. One of these could be hung on the fridge or a wall in the house, or fold it up and keep it in a pocket book so it's always handy.

I have a long, deep affection for labels. So obviously I am madly in love with these typewritten labels from Karyn over at Make Something. I think these would be great sewn onto fabric totes, or onto wide ribbon and tied around sheet sets to keep them together.

If a desk or pantry area needs some help, whip up a batch of these pretty covered cans like these from scissor variations. Any paper would work, or check out this great collection of crate labels at flickr.

A pretty filing cabinet? These are the things pretty organizational dreams are made of. Thanks to the ever talented team at design sponge for dreaming it up and making it happen (and showing us how).

Even better, pretty file folders to fill the cabinet with! Perhaps my stash of vintage sheets needs to be put to use for some of these.

Hopefully these ideas will inspire better organization and not just crafty procrastination. Scissors at the ready!

Meatless Monday - Buttermilk Fresh Cheese

2010-01-04T13:47:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had lovely holidays. The first day back to reality is never fun, so here is a fun recipe to chase away post-holiday blues!

Have I mentioned that I love the Lee Brothers? I think I have maybe once or twice. This is another cool recipe from their Simple Fresh Southern cookbook. The husband and I were intrigued with the idea of making cheese ourselves. Actually, we gasped out loud and shouted 'We can make cheese at home?!? How have we never heard of this before?!' Ok, that last part was just me, but seriously, I can make cheese now!

Once again, the Lee Brother's technique is really very easy. I highly HIGHLY recommend running out and buying their cookbook IMMEDIATELY, especially since I followed their recipe exactly to make the cheese, so I don't feel like infringing on their copyright by posting the recipe here. (psst - it's here, though, so you can try it yourself if you don't get their book right now)

Freebie - Feed Your Soul Project

2009-12-29T16:23:00.005-05:00

Just a quick post-Christmas note before I scoot out of town again. I am headed to a blissfully small town and a house with NO computer or internet! I wanted to share this link, though, just in case you didn't get everything on your wishlist from Santa. Cheer yourself up with a lovely and FREE print from the Feed Your Soul project. Gorgeous art to print at your convenience from some serious talent in the illustration world - Elsa Mora, Jessica Rose, and so many more. Happy Holidays indeed!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T22:07:00.002-05:00

garland, originally uploaded by craftapalooza.

We are headed over the river and through the woods for the rest of 2009. Enjoy this holiday season!

Fri-DIY - Gift Packaging

2009-12-18T08:18:00.000-05:00

inchmark's gift tags

Christmas is nearly upon us! I hope all of your presents are made or purchased and awaiting the final gift wrap touch. A great present is so much better when wrapped with extra attention. AND beautifully wrapped presents look so much better peeking out from under a tree or handed to someone special. This week's Fri-DIY has some lovely and easy ways to amp up the anticipation of unwrapping a present.

I love the combination of fabric and paper for the gift tags above. She handily provided her cute template to download, but these could be made from scratch easily enough as well. Heck. you don't even need the fabric, use a piece of the wrapping on the present and be super coordinated!

Recycled catalog gift tags

Peapods idea to recycle old catalogs into gift tags is pretty, practical, and earth friendly. Santa likes it when we recycle. I love that she used a punch, but circle or rectangles would be just as nice.

Printable tags from Domestifluff

If things are just TOO busy to craft pretty packaging, Domestifluff has kindly offered her adorable printable gift tags for free! Print, cut and stick.

And for even more ideas, head over to The Martha for a slide show of over 70 gift wrap ideas!

Meatless Monday - Fried Deviled Eggs

2009-12-14T07:58:00.005-05:00

Even though I am a recipe junkie, I still sometimes I stumble across a recipe that totally surprises me. This one from The Splendid Table did just that. In theory, I supposed it could work. An egg with all the extra flavors from juiced up yolk filling AND the crispy edges of a fried egg sounded tantalizingly like the best of both worlds. However, I have been led astray by novel recipes before, so I hesitated a bit before plunging ahead with this one. It didn't disappoint, though, and was really easy as well. This would be an interesting lunch dish for any house guests who might be around during the holidays. I've modified the original recipe a bit and cut it in half so the recipe below will feed two as a main dish for lunch or 4 as a side/first course for supper.

Eggs:
4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon very finely minced onion
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Dressing & Salad:
Leftover egg stuffing
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white vinegar
4 cups baby spinach, well-washed and dried

Cut each egg in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out yolks into a medium bowl. Reserve the whites on a small plate nearby.

Add mustard, onion, milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, and salt and pepper to the yolks and stir well to combine. They will make a thick paste.

Carefully stuff each egg white half with the yolk mixture. Level off so that the stuffing is level with the edge of the egg white, not mounded up like with traditional deviled eggs. This is important so the eggs will lay flat when they are fried. Reserve remaining stuffing to make into the dressing.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large non-stick pan. When hot, place each egg stuffed side down into the pan. The oil will bubble up some, so be careful and keep a close eye on the pan. Fry the eggs until the crisp up, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and turn stuffing side up onto paper towels to drain.

In same bowl with reserved stuffing, add oil, mustard, and vinegar. Stir well to make the dressing. Put spinach in a large bowl and add dressing, tossing to coat evenly. Plate the salad and top with the fried deviled eggs.

Fri-DIY

2009-12-11T07:09:00.004-05:00

Drawstring bag tutorial from happy things

This week's Fri-DIY brings together tutorials to make some great last minute gifts. Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner and who isn't strapped for both cash and time right now. These gifts could be whipped up this weekend and be ready to go. Next week I'll have a collection of fantastic gift wrapping ideas to wrap these cuties up.

There are so many things to do with a simple drawstring bag. Happy Things tutorial is very easy to follow even for a beginning sewer. See the notes at the bottom of her post for ideas how to finish the inside seams to make it a little tidier for gift-giving. Make a bunch give them to your friends who travel a lot. They are great for stowing shoes, bathing suits, or dirty laundry in a suitcase.

Skittles Vodka from Handmade Gifts

For friends who imbibe, why not try this interesting recipe for Skittles Vodka. Seriously, it just looks cool. Make one big batch and then put in small bottles to share the rainbow of vodka.

Vintage earring magnets from One Pretty Thing

I love this idea to re-use vintage earrings as magnets. If you have some laying around, this project is super easy to complete, probably taking a half hour or less for a set of ten. Think how pretty they would be on your favorite fashionista's fridge.

Decorated Clipboard from Skip to my Lou

Finally, a customized clipboard would make a great gift for a teacher, a writer, or a super-organized list-loving woman (ahem). Skip to my Lou shows two different techniques for making this adorable gift.

Scissors sharpened and at the ready!

Freebie - Christmas Stickers

2009-12-08T14:06:00.003-05:00

Tis the season of giving, so here are some cute Christmas stickers I designed. Stick them on presents, to close holiday cards, or on anything that needs some holiday cheer. I've made them in traditional colors and in brighter colors, if you prefer something more hip. Enjoy!

Meatless Monday - Blackened Citrus Glazed Green Beans

2009-12-07T17:24:00.008-05:00

I was lucky enough a few weeks ago to meet the Lee Brothers at an event a few weeks ago. Their new cook book is really fantastic and they are just as charming and witty in person as their writing. These beans were inspired by their Skillet Green Beans with Oranges recipe, however, I couldn't be bothered with the sectioning of the orange and what not the evening I made this. I did, however, have some fresh squeezed citrus juice handy thanks to the husband's excellent bartending skills (see below for a bonus holiday cocktail recipe). My tastebuds are indebted to the Lee Brothers for pointing out the lovely combination of green beans and citrus.

We ate these along with some delicious steamed crab legs. The combination of the sweet crab and the tender, citrusy green beans was great. However, the beans would also be good alongside poached or grilled chicken breasts or steamed fish fillets.

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb green beans, trimmed
juice from 1/2 lemon
juice from 1/2 lime
juice from 1 clementine, or 1/2 orange

Combine the juices from the lemon, lime, and clementine in a small bowl.

Add oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over high heat until just smoking. Add the beans in a single layer to skillet. Cook for about 8 minutes, only stirring every 1-2 minutes so the green beans get nicely charred.

Remove pan from heat and add the citrus juice. Swirl around pan to coat the beans until nearly all the juice has evaporated. Remove from pan immediately to prevent the juice from reducing too much and burning. Serve warm.

BONUS RECIPE: The Clemaretto Sour

The husband came up with this recipe a few years ago. Since clementines are only available for a short time around the holidays, this is the perfect cocktail to serve at a Christmas party or before a big holiday dinner. I suppose an orange could be substituted for the clementine, but then it wouldn't be as special!

Juice from 1/2 lemon
Juice from 1/2 lime
Juice from 1 clementine
Amaretto

Combine the juices in a cocktail shaker. Depending on the juiciness of the citrus, it should be between 1/4-1/2 cup of juice. Add an equal amount of Amaretto to the juice and a lot of ice. Shake until chilled, then strain. Serve in a martini glass with a wedge of clementine to garnish.

Fri-DIY

2009-12-04T07:13:00.006-05:00

Felt Rosette Wreath from Domestifluff

This week's Fri-DIY is full of inspiration for decking the halls this holiday season. I am so in love with the Rosette wreath above, but it seems like the kind of project that I would have needed to start last June! I think it would also look great done in tissue paper. Maybe that could speed the process along?

Handmade Gift Bows from How about Orange

Never pay money for gift bows again thanks to the great tutorial over at How About Orange. She always has great ideas, but this one really is a winner.

Christmas Light Canvas from The Martha

Martha's pretty idea marries art and twinkle lights. The perfect solution for a dark corner in need of some Christmas spirit.

Paper Ornaments from Design Sponge

While cutting strips for the gift bows, cut a few more to make these pretty paper ornaments. I'm planning on making them supersized and hanging from the ceiling this year.

Happy crafting!

Meatless...Thursday? - Olive, blue cheese, tomato omelette

2009-12-03T13:46:00.004-05:00

Wow, I didn't anticipate being so busy after the Thanksgiving holiday, but here it is Thursday and I haven't even gotten around to posting a Meatless Monday recipe. So here it is a few days late. Don't blame the recipe, though. It's delicious and totally not at fault for my tardiness.

This recipe is based on a similar one from my current fave cookbook Olives, Anchovies, and Capers. All the ingredients are staples in my fridge, so it was easy to throw this together for a very quick dinner. This would also be a wonderful brunch dish. Toss a green salad and go.

1 Tablespoon butter

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup chopped black olives (oil cured black olives or straight from a can, don't use kalamata or green olives as a substitute, they will taste weird with the blue cheese)

1/4 cup chopped grape tomatoes

2 Tablespoons crumbled soft blue cheese, gorgonzola or roquefort

In a 12" non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Swirl around pan to cover bottom. Add eggs and cook a few minutes. When edges begin to set, lift them carefully and tilt pan so the runny uncooked egg will flow under the omelette. When the top begins to set, sprinkle olive, tomato, and cheese on one side of the omlette. Carefully fold the other side of the omelette over top the filling and let cook just until cheese melts. Slide omelette out of pan and onto serving platter. Use a big sharp knife to cut thick wedges. Serve immediately.

Fri-DIY

2009-11-27T09:17:00.001-05:00

Remember this post where I waxed poetic about embellished tops? Well, I finally found a few hours to make one for myself. It wasn't too difficult and just took about an hour and a half. This could even be a no-sew project, but I zig-zag stitched around the exterior of the appliques just for fun. So, if you find yourself with some time to spare this holiday long weekend, try out this project and whip up a lovely new top for just a few dollars.

Materials:

1 T-shirt with a collar, in your size (mine came from the local thrift shop for $3.00)

7 6"x6" scraps of cotton fabric, any color

white paper

pencil

sharp scissors

paper-backed fusible webbing (I like wonder under)

iron

1 sheet white tissue paper

Step 1: Lay T-shirt out on work surface. Carefully cut out collar and remove. Try to make the cut as even and symmetrical as possible.

Step 2: Cut out templates for the appliques from the white paper. I used a rounded shape, but triangles or pointed shapes would work well, too. You will want 2 of each shape going down the neckline and 1 of the shape at the bottom of the neckline. Each one should be longer than needed so a little extra extends beyond the neckline. That part will be trimmed off later, Arrange them on the shirt to make sure they are big enough to overlap slightly around the new neckline.

Step 3: Make sure the templates fit with a little room to spare on the fabric scraps. Trim the scraps into squares, leaving at least 1/2" border around the templates (this makes the next step a lot easier).

Step 4: Cut pieces of the fusible webbing slightly smaller than each of the fabric scraps. Bond to the fabric using the manufacturer's directions. Do not remove paper-backing yet! Trace each template onto the paper-backing of each fabric scrap, remember to do 2 of each coming down the neckline, and then cut out the shapes from the fabric. After each shape is cut out, the paper-backing can be removed.

Step 5: Lay T-shirt out on ironing board. Take the piece of tissue and place between the two layers of T-shirt at the neckline, making sure that the entire edge of the neckline is covered with tissue. This is to make sure nothing accidentally gets bonded to the back of the shirt.

Step 6: Lay the webbing-backed fabric pieces along the neckline. No part of the T-shirt along the neckline edge should be exposed. Fiddle with them so they are symmetrical on both sides of the neckline.

Step 7: Iron the pieces in place according to the fusible webbing directions.

Step 8: Flip shirt inside out to expose the backside of the fabric pieces which have been bonded to the tissue. Rip the tissue so only the pieces actually adhered to the fabric remain. Carefully cut along the neckline to remove the excess fabric.

Step 9: Flip shirt right side out and all done! I did choose to zig-zag stitch along the neckline and around the appliques, but that's totally optional. Wear your new shirt with pride, just don't throw it in the washer or dryer. This baby is handwash and air dry only!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T12:16:00.002-05:00

My Thanksgiving day this year begins with a 4AM trip to the airport! Luckily, turkey and pie await at my destination, something to be thankful for indeed. Though I will be in a turkey stupor still on Friday, I have scheduled a really great Fri-DIY with a totally new project by yours truly.

Here's hoping you the best this Thanksgiving!

Meatless Monday - Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

2009-11-23T07:07:00.007-05:00

This week's recipe could not be easier. A little messy - you will have goat cheese under your fingernails all night, but it's so delicious you won't mind.

Piquillo peppers are a Spanish staple and luckily are becoming widely available here in the States. They are the best peppers from a jar ever - smoky, sweet and tender. If you can't find them near you, jarred roasted red peppers will work, too, but they'll need to be cut in half or quartered.

This dish is served as tapas in Spain, and it really is best as a snack or appetizer. It's tasty even when served cold, but better after a few minutes under the broiler to melt the cheese inside the peppers. These would be great on top crusty rounds of toasted french bread or eaten straight from the pan in barefeet in the kitchen.

1 jar Piquillo peppers, 8-10 peppers total

6 ounces fresh goat cheese

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat the broiler. Drain jar of peppers and pat peppers dry with a paper towel. Gently open each pepper and stuff with goat cheese (mine took about 1 Tablespoon cheese per pepper). Arrange peppers in a shallow oven-proof dish. Pour olive oil over peppers and sprinkle garlic over all. Broil for 5-7 minutes until hot.

Fri-DIY

2009-11-20T07:07:00.008-05:00

Wedding Headband

How is it that Thanksgiving is just next week?? The gift-making and gift-buying time for Christmas is drawing short. I've put together a few gift ideas this week, like the gorgeous headband above from Jeannie over at Project Wedding, a stress-free Thanksgiving idea, and a lovely advent calendar. Get those scissors and Sharpies ready!

Fall leaf place cards

I love these Thanksgiving place cards from the Pink of Perfection. They are three of my favorite things - lovely, simple, and free. Send the kids out to gather the leaves, write the names, and scatter on the table. Beautiful.

Mini patchwork pin cushions

The purl bee has another wonderful craft tutorial - mini patchwork pin cushions. Make a bunch this weekend and have a pretty gift for every sewer you know!

Finally, the wonderful crew over at Mibo have made a fantastic advent calendar. For free! This lovely gem is just an email away. Also check out their adorable Christmas Creatures, they make me smile.

Meatless Monday - Braised Belgian Endive with Balsamic Vinegar

2009-11-16T18:13:00.003-05:00

Late fall and early winter brings forth glorious greens. Among them are the lovely snowy teeny heads of Belgian endive. While I can't decide the best pronunciation for endive, I certainly do enjoy eating it. When raw, it is incredibly crunchy and bitter. It's great chopped in a salad with other greens, but too bitter to stand on it's own. However, give it a nice slow braise to take the edge off and it turns into a tender, complex early winter vegetable dish.

I served this over polenta to catch all the cooking juice and vinegar run off. The blue cheese is optional, but adds a nice extra oomph to the dish if serving as a main course.

4 small heads Belgian endive
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Cooked polenta
4 Tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Remove any bruised outer leaves from the endives. Trim a little off the core end, but don't cut the core entirely off. Halve each endive lengthwise.

In a medium dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the endives, cut side down, and cook 5-7 minutes until beginning to brown. Flip over and cook another 5 minutes until both sides are browned.

Add wine to pan and cover. Cook 25-30 minutes until the endives are soft.

Add vinegar to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully, it can go from perfectly syrupy to burned mess in just a few seconds.

Pile polenta in center of individual plates. Top with blue cheese crumbles then endive. Pour reduced vinegar over endives. Season with freshly ground pepper.

Serves 2

Fri-DIY

2009-11-12T18:28:00.004-05:00

Freezer Paper Stencil Tutorial from How About Orange

This week's Fri-DIY is chock full of good ideas for crafty gifting, and one pretty gift to make for yourself. It's not too late to whip up some fantastic gifts for the holidays (at least that's what I am telling myself) so break out the fabric paint or sewing machine this weekend and make one of these great projects.

How about orange (great blog, please read her) put up a terrific tutorial for freezer paper stencils. It has been YEARS since I tried my hand at it, and her post was a great refresher. She did a cute tote bag, but how about using the technique on linen dish towels, baby onesies, or T-shirts?

How About Orange also led me to Sew Mama Sew, which led me to this great tutorial to make a scrap fabric tree pillow at Cluck Cluck Sew. It's time's like this that I love the internet. PS - Mom. I see that Cluck Cluck Sew was mentioned in that Quiltmaker you showed me during your visit, small world!!

Martha Stewart Tissue Case

The Martha has a tutorial showing how to make pocket tissue holders. These would make great stocking stuffers for everyone on your list.

DIY S'Mores Kit

Twig and Thistle made these adorable S'Mores kits. I love this project because it shows how something simple can be deconstructed, repackaged, and made into a great gift. Keep these in mind for any kiddies on your list this year.

Rose Petal Tee

Finally, inspired by yesterdays post about embellished shirts, Kayte Terry shared a great tutorial over at the Storque to make a pretty rose T-shirt. The rosettes would also be great sewn onto a scarf or cardigan.

Happy DIY-ing!

Dress Up - Embellished Tops from Anthropologie

2009-11-12T13:38:00.003-05:00

This seems to be the season for embellished tops. Everywhere I look there's another applique, a rosette, some funky ruffles. I love it all. These tops from Anthropologie make me want to start ripping seams and sewing on my own embellishments on some tired shirts way back in the closet. I especially love the appliqued top in the upper right corner. Looks simple enough to translate, I think I'll give it a shot!

Meatless Monday - Mushroom and Celery Salad

2009-11-08T09:06:00.004-05:00

My mother has been in town the past few days and I have over-indulged in her good cooking. I feel like I should pay penance and eat meatless all week, starting with this light, lovely salad.

Mushrooms and celery make a great combination, earthy and chewy versus fresh and crisp. This salad wouldn't say no to being served over a bed of freshly washed greens. Or serve it alongside a broth-based soup (like egg drop) for a light supper. If not eating meatless this is a great side to simply grilled chicken, steak, or fish.

1 pound fresh white mushrooms, cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 ribs celery, finely sliced
1 Tablespoon onion, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Combine mushrooms and celery in a large bowl. Combine onion, lemon juice, and mustard in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil to make dressing. Add Parmesan to dressing and stir to combine. Toss with mushrooms and celery. Serve chilled or at room-temperature.

Fri-DIY

2009-11-06T07:07:00.010-05:00

Favor bag from sew4home

This week finds me thinking fondly of the upcoming holiday season. We're travelling every holiday this year, so no entertaining at my house. But I am still dreaming of setting a pretty table. This week's diy links are great inspirations! I love the favor bag / placecard pictured above. They look pretty straightforward to sew and could coordinate with the table linens! These would also be cute to make and leave on pillows for any overnight guests.

punched tin votives from project wedding

I love these punched tin votives because they are inexpensive and use recycled materials. These would be great punched with letters and lined up on a mantle or used as place cards on a set table. Painting them white is a nice touch, but they would be lovely and rustic just left silver, too.

A font of die-cut shapes from clever someday (image from iDiy)

This awesome dingbat font of die cut shapes would really be useful for making gift tags, name tags, cute ornamets, cards, etc. They are generously offered for free by clever someday, she only asks that you make a donation to the Ronald McDonald house, a very worthy organization.

Pretty paper wrapped vases from Natural Home

Another pretty use for paper wrapped around an inexpensive vase. Pretty paper is so easy to come by, and I love these projects that show how to incorporate it into decorating and entertaining. I snatch up paper I love and keep in on hand for projects just like this!

Dress Up - Luella

2009-11-03T07:15:00.000-05:00

Things are a little gloomy in my household recently. We have a malfunctioning toilet, a malfunctioning computer, a dog that has learned to climb fences, and no money to deal with any of them. However, looking at Luella's last two spring collections amused me. They are funny, madcap, ladylike collections that make me giggle. AND they wouldn't be too difficult to recreate with vintage finds and some creative embellishments if you're saving for external hard-drives, plumbing fixes, and electric fences.

Meatless Monday - Smoked Paprika & Garlic Shrimp

2009-11-02T07:15:00.000-05:00

The husband and I sometimes argue about Meatless Monday. He says that it's cheating to eat fish and eggs on Meatless Monday. I disagree, however, and since this is my blog, I can get my own way.

This recipe is ridiculously good. Also, ridiculously easy. Do make a lot of it - I promise it will all get eaten. Also make sure to have plenty of crusty bread on hand for sopping up the delicious sauce.

This recipe includes two very Spanish ingredients - smoked paprika and sherry. Smoked paprika can be a smidge hard to find. I've used regular paprika in its place and it was still very good. The sherry needs to be a good quality dry sherry. It's flavor is pretty pronounced in the dish so do NOT under any circumstances use cream sherry or cooking sherry. Any good wine shop should have a selection of dry sherry. Unlike most wines, it keeps indefinitely in the fridge.

Serve small glasses of sherry over ice with this dish and reserve the rest for another application. I have a great recipe for sherry applesauce which I hope to have up here soon.

3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (can substitute regular paprika)
2-3 Tablespoons sherry (NOT cooking sherry or cream sherry)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper to taste

Combine garlic, pepper flakes, paprika, sherry, and oil in a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Place shrimp in a shallow dish and cover with marinade. Let sit in fridge at least 20-30 minutes.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add shrimp and marinade and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp curl and change colors. Serve immediately.

Fri-DIY - Final Halloween Installment

2009-10-30T07:03:00.008-04:00

Nailhead pumpkins from myhomeideas

It's the day before Halloween! Here are a few last great DIY ideas that you could still get done in time for tomorrow!

I love the nailhead pumpkins above. They are super stylish. They may not glow like a regular carved pumpkin, but I bet when surrounded by votive candles the metal reflects light interestingly.

Spooky candied apples from mattbites

I am totally in love with these apple. Which now that I write it, sounds pretty weird. Anyway, what's not to love about these super glossy bewitching apples?

The most awesome meat hand from Not Martha

Two words - meat hand. What else is there to say?

Templates from ehow

Ehow has a slew of downloadable pumpkin templates. I think one of the three above will be gracing my pumpkin this year.

Happy Halloween!!

Gifts - Handmade Baby Bunny & Blanket

2009-10-29T06:58:00.002-04:00

I am one of 'those' people. I like to make things for people. When everyone else is flocking to some store to buy mass-produced gifts, I am toiling away in my workroom. I am sure I have frustrated/confused recipients of some of my gifts. Like the bunny and blanket combo I made for my cousin's baby shower. I think its adorable and hope she will like it, but who's to say she wouldn't have preferred something from her registry at babies r us?

The softie is inspired by mini moopy. You can buy the original pattern here. I must have downloaded it ages ago, though, because it was free then! My softie is bigger than moopy and no felt face, just a cute little felt nose.

The blanket was super easy, just a piece of super soft bumpy fabric and a piece of vintage linen sewn together. I found a great tutorial for baby blankets over at sew4home. Next time I will be more ambitious in the blanket department.

Meatless Monday - Couscous with Roasted Squash and Preserved Lemons

2009-10-26T19:28:00.003-04:00

The husband and I set out to make preserved lemons a few weeks ago. Then we realized we had a whole jar of preserved lemons and nothing to do with them. A quick search turned up this recipe, which I adapted slightly based on what we had in the pantry. While a little labor intensive, the dish turned out very tasty, one of those terrific recipes where everything is represented - tart, savory, sweet, salty. Delicious. We ate it as a main course for meatless Monday, but it would be great served with any kind of roasted meat, too.

1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
10 ounces dry couscous
1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice (are you seeing a pattern here?)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 preserved lemon, flesh removed, peel cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 475. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss butternut squash with 1 Tablespoon oil and spread in even layer on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Dump squash into a large bowl.

Cook couscous according to manufacturer's directions. Toss with a fork and add to bowl with squash.

Meanwhile, heat remaining Tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until it begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion to couscous mixture.

Return skillet to stove top and toast pine nuts over low heat until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Add to bowl with couscous mixture.

Add all remaining ingredients to couscous and toss well to combine. Serve either hot, room temperature, or cold.

For anyone interested, we got the recipe for preserved lemons from this book. All I can attest is we made them, ate them, and didn't die. They were actually very tasty, though felt disgustingly slimy. I think Sunday Supper's recipe looks much prettier, though. I will be trying their way next.

Fri-DIY

2009-10-23T07:18:00.005-04:00

Fun homemade curtains from mypapercrane. These would be easy to recreate or just cut out paper silhouettes and tape them up for a similar look.

Pretty cool skull necklace from Craft Stylish

The Swell Life put together 24 Halloween crafts in 24 hours. Some of them are really fun, I especially like the veggie head for a party.

How To - Write a Thank You Note

2009-10-20T07:16:00.002-04:00

Floating Dandelions Note Card from etsy seller pinklilypress

With the holiday season nearly upon us, again, I thought a refresher in the art of writing a thank you note might be timely.

Thank you notes are dear to my heart. Growing up in my family, every gift received required a written thank you. Nothing else was done until the note was written, addressed, stamped, and mailed. Christmas mornings found my siblings and I crowded around the kitchen table scribbling out our thanks. Our poor toys spilled half opened from their boxes, just waiting for us to play...after the notes, of course.

Hummingbird thank you note via Kate's Paperie

I have proudly carried the tradition into adulthood. However, among the 30 and under age group, I have found proper thank you notes are not always a given. With the popularity of email and text messaging, it's easy to zip out a quick 'Thx 4 gift.' I am firmly of the opinion that taking the time and effort to write a real note is the only polite way to respond to a gift. Anything less, even if more convenient, is frankly rude.

The great thing is, writing a thank you note is EASY! A few quick lines, a stamp, and all done, politeness upheld. Plus, the amount of really beautiful, charming, even amusing note cards available is staggering. So grab a stack and a nice pen and let's get started.

Green Hummingbird notecards from etsy seller enfinlavoila

First, when is a written thank you necessary? A thousand etiquette books will yield a thousand different answers. This is the rule I personally adhere to: If someone has gone out of their way to do something specifically for ME and spent time or money, I write a thank you note.

Now, there are a few exceptions. Thank you notes to significant others are not always required. I am not advocating taking gifts from husbands, wives, or boyfriends for granted, but those relationships are very intimate and I assume thanks are being given in different ways.

Tree Swing notecard from etsy seller sweetbellacards

Host or hostess gifts do not require a thank you note. Every bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers received in exchange for a meal or party can be properly accepted and thanks given verbally on the spot. However, a guest at a party or meal should send a thank you to the host afterwards IF no small gift was brought to the gathering for the host. Or, just send one anyway because every host would love getting a note after a party expressing thanks. It's a nice thing to do.

At work, yearly bonuses do not require thank you notes. Tins of cookies or popcorn, especially if everyone gets one, do not require thank you notes. Gift cards, personal checks, tickets to a show or dinner out DO require a written thank you.

Dear Friend blank card from etsy seller farouche

A thank you note should be written in ink, preferably in cursive, on a new card. A 'new' card may seem like a given, but I once received a thank you written on the back of another card that had been torn in half. Seriously. And don't use pencil, it shows a weakness of will.

Keep it short and sweet. I usually stick to the following template:

That's it! Here's a sample thank you for a gift of a scarf from a friend.

So now you are prepared to go forth and protect one bastion of politeness from being overrun and forgotten in our technology driven society. Pens and note cards at the ready!

Meatless Monday - Green Beans with Marinated Goat Cheese

2009-10-19T07:14:00.003-04:00

Summer is sadly over. No more tomatoes, no more fresh summer squash. Green beans, though, seem to be one of those crops that doesn't suffer too much through the seasons. Even in the dead of winter, the green beans at the local grocery will still be crisp and tasty. I have no idea where they are coming from and it doesn't go well with the philosophy of eating seasonally and locally, but sometimes a blanched green bean is just the fresh vegetable to remind me that summer is coming back some day.

This recipe is an interesting mixture of flavors and textures. It wouldn't say no to the addition of a little lemon zest to the marinade. We ate very hearty portions as a main dish, but it would pair well with most any chicken or pork main dish.

3-4 ounces chevre (fresh goat cheese) cut into 4, 1/2 inch thick rounds
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted

Place cheese rounds in a shallow dish. Combine oil, fennel and thyme in a small bowl. Pour over cheese and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes until tender and crisp. You may either dip them in a ice bath and have a cold salad, or just drain and serve warm.

Place 1/2 green beans in a layer on each plate. Top with two rounds of goat cheese and drizzle marinade over cheese and beans.

Top each plate with toasted walnuts and serve. These proportions served 2. To serve four, use only 1 round of goat cheese per serving.

Fri-DIY

2009-10-16T06:58:00.008-04:00

I have heard that Halloween is Martha Stewart's favorite holiday. Her website certainly reflects it with the sheer volume of great Halloween ideas posted there! Here are a couple that would be fun to try out this year.

The floating treats above make me giggle. Not the easiest of all projects, but I think worth the effort.

Scary message luminaries. Quick and easy, these would create a big impact lining the walk to the front door for a party.

Creepy Candy Jars. Download the templates, print on to sticker paper, and label away!

This one made the husband and I laugh out loud. Nothing says Happy Halloween like a pumpkin puking candy into a child's hand.

Meatless Monday - Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and basil

2009-10-12T07:11:00.005-04:00

This recipe is a study in frugality. The smoked salmon it calls for IS expensive. However, it needs such a small amount for a big payoff in flavor. The eggs and basil star in supporting roles to the salmon and really let the smokey, delicate fish shine through.

Somehow, this tastes more decadent than the combination of ingredients suggests. The basil makes it incredibly fragrant, the fish heady and salty, but the cream cheese is the secret to the texture of this dish. The addition of the cream cheese makes the eggs so velvety and, frankly, creamy. The first bite lets you know this dish is in a totally different league than the eggs that come with pancakes at the local breakfast joint.

We've eaten this for a special breakfast, but it would also be great for a brunch, or light dinner. Next time you have overnight guests, save some pennies and serve this dish instead of bagels and lox. I don't think there will be any complaints.

Ingredients given PER PORTION. Increase as necessary.

1/2 Tablespoon butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon cream cheese, cut into small squares
2 Tablespoons chopped smoked salmon
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add eggs and let cook until bottom of eggs just begins to set.

Sprinkle cream cheese over eggs and stir to combine. Allow to cook until eggs are almost done, then sprinkle salmon and basil over skillet, folding into the eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Fri-DIY

2009-10-09T07:07:00.009-04:00

This week's Fri-DIY is chock full of great (and easy!) Halloween ideas. I am totally in love with the Halloween garland from paper crave. She has generously provided the illustrations to print at home so we can each make our very own!

I think these graveyard pots de creme are adorable. I don't usually advocate cheating, but those little pre-made chocolate pudding cups would be great spruced up like this.

Very cute pumpkin ornaments from Hostess with the Mostess.

Better Homes and Gardens has instructions to make these cute mummy heads. Obviously this project would not be safe with real candles, but pick up a few of those inexpensive battery powered votives for the same effect.

Great tutorial for packing tape transfers over at How About Orange. She made these spooky votives, but they would be great on glasses for a party or decorating a tray or mirror.

Dress Up - Vintage Style Dresses

2009-10-06T07:32:00.003-04:00

I am loving the vintage style dresses over at Vintage Dress Outlet. Great prices, too! Too bad I didn't find them a few weeks ago before I got myself knee-deep in a sewing project to make a vintage style full skirt! (PS - Tutorial I am following to make the skirt is here.)

Recipe - Meatless Monday - Recipes from around the web

2009-10-05T07:20:00.005-04:00

Crispy polenta with morels and broccoli from Veggie Belly

I have a major backlog of pictures stuck in limbo on my camera, including some of recent successful recipes. So until I make myself upload, here are a few recipes for Meatless Monday from around the web.

Tomato soup with crispy capers and oregano from Donna Hay

Spiced pumpkins, lentil and goat cheese salad from epicurious.

Fri-DIY

2009-10-01T18:04:00.012-04:00

I have to admit, I love Halloween. So all of October's Fri-DIY's will lean heavily towards the most bewitching of holidays.

The pic above is from a girl's night Halloween party, which frankly sounds pretty cool. Better Homes and Gardens's slide show is chock full of great DIY ideas, from the hot pink pumpkins and skulls (break out that spraypaint!) to using cheap-o plastic skull rings as wine charms.

Green and creepy! Spooky terrariums made from old jars. These would be great grouped together on a mantel or entry table with some flickering votive candles.

Super awesome cobweb placemats and doilies! From Eddie Ross. Yes, he's obnoxious, but I give him his due for coming up with some great Halloween ideas.

And on just a fall note, here's a pretty rustic centerpieces from Once Wed. Perfect for a fall table.

Parties - Easy Ideas from Real Simple

2009-10-01T07:18:00.004-04:00

Real Simple has an informative slideshow about using 50 ordinary items in new ways. Normally I skip right over things like that, but this one is beautifully photographed and actually has some original tips. Some of them are kind of dumb (plastic bags around the knees while gardening?), but there were several helpful ideas for entertaining and decorating.

Pictured above it a 6-pack holder transformed into a picnic caddy for utensils and napkins. Cute idea for a picnic or barbecue. I could see taking this one step farther and gluing pretty paper to the sides and top.

Another great idea for a drink station at a party or barbecue. Put a colander filled with ice over a bowl to catch the water as the ice melts. I would probably use a wider more shallow bowl than pictured above as it looks a little precarious to have the colander floating mid-air.

This tip was to use rubber bands to keep cold glasses with condensation slipping out of your hand. Is this really a big enough problem that a helpful hint needed to be thought up? I like this idea for marking glasses at a party. A big bag of colored rubber bands would last a few parties at least!

I really liked this idea of using window clings for marking glasses as well. Normally, I tie pretty ribbons or paper cut outs to glasses to mark them, but what to do when using glasses without stems? One of these two tips will be put to good use at my next party!

Dress Up - Red Shoes for Fall

2009-09-29T07:24:00.005-04:00

Scoping out some new red shoes for this fall season. Here are a few that caught my eye.

Stitch Detail Heels from Go Jane
CL from Chinese Laundry
Toulouse Lau-Wedges from ModCloth

Meatless Monday - Sweet Potato and White Bean Soup

2009-09-28T07:29:00.004-04:00

Fall is nearly upon us here in the South and what is better in the fall than a warm, filling soup? This one is hearty, thick, easily adaptable, and delicious. I've made it with butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes, topped it with whatever is on hand - yogurt, feta, sour cream, crunchy edamame, tossed in some sliced onions. It's pretty much no-fail. This serves 2 well with leftovers for lunch the next day.

2 large sweet potatoes, or 3 medium, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 Tablespoon curry powder

2 - 15 ounce cans cannelini beans, drained

salt and pepper to taste

Add sweet potatoes and stock to a large pan. Heat to boiling, then simmer until potatoes are soft, about 25 minutes. Add curry powder and one can of the beans. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Add remaining beans and salt and pepper, and heat through. Serve piping hot with a loaf of chewy bread and a salad of field greens, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts.

Fri-DIY

2009-09-25T07:22:00.009-04:00

More links from around the internet of great DIY projects!

Chalk board glasses. Perfectly clever and perfect for upcoming party season.

Adorable pom pom balls. I made a ton of these for a party a few months ago, so fun and easy. Start making a ton now and come Christmas use them on the tree, string together as garland, or use to decorate packages.

Awesome felt rosette pillow. Minimal sewing required.

Cool, easy pelmet boxes...made with foam core!! No jigsaw required.

Recipe - Meatless Monday - Pasta with greens and sharp cheese

2009-09-21T07:26:00.004-04:00

We've been doing Meatless Mondays for awhile now, and the husband isn't hating it too bad, yet! This recipe was a keeper and a great example of something else to do with greens than boil for hours and douse in vinegar. Greens can be scary at the grocery or farmer's market, big piles with huge sandy leaves and thick veins. They promise lots of work washing and removing the veins. However, a lot of groceries now offer bags of prewashed, pre-chopped assorted greens, which is just right for a quick weeknight dinner.

1/2 lb. shaped pasta (I used medium shells)

1 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 lb. assorted greens such as tunip, mustard, or collard

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 15 ounce can vegetable or chicken broth

zest and juice from 1 lemon

1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or crumbled feta

Go through greens and remove any large pieces of stem or vein that remain. Make sure the greens are spotlessly clean, if not, run through the salad spinner a few times. Chop into 1 inch pieces.

Cook pasta according to directions. While the pasta boils, heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and saute until it just starts to turn golden. Add all of the greens and stir until most of the greens have withered down. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cook 10-15 minutes uncovered until greens are very soft. Add lemon zest and juice with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

Toss greens with hot cooked pasta and top with the cheese.

Travel - Stylish Camping

2009-09-17T07:23:00.007-04:00

image from raina kattelson

I am camping with friends this weekend. Desperately hoping it will turn out like these lovely images and not something more like this.

above two images from country living

image from wickse, eric, & sharon

Food - Rev up the freezer!

2009-09-15T13:09:00.002-04:00

Great article over at Serious Eats on freezing the last bits of summer's bounty. Make the most of the last few weeks of the farmer's markets and stock up!

Travel - AirBnB

2009-09-02T07:28:00.004-04:00

Things have been busy, sorry about the lack of recent posts. Here's a thought provoking post about travel to tide you over - AirBnB. Would you ever stay in a stranger's home while travelling? Would you invite strangers into your own home? I like the premise, most people actually ARE nice, not serial killers. I still think I might be too chicken, though for $190/night, the Pom Pom Beach Villa above might tempt me.

I'm going DIY all over the internet...

2009-08-21T15:42:00.001-04:00

I like to bookmark projects I find on the internet. A lot. I think I might have a problem, actually. If I were to attempt every project I have bookmarked, I'd have to quit my job and work straight through them for 6 or 7 years.

So, I'm sharing some of these great projects here. Maybe you'll get inspired to try one out??

I have actually tried this project from craftzine for a ruffled cardigan. However, I made ruffles for a small tote I use as my lunch bag. Did I not post those pictures here? That's a shame because it is damn cute.

The project shown above is from Martha Stewart - it's a bag made from a pillow case. Since I have a mountain of vintage pillowcases lying around, I thought this would be a perfect easy project.

This is another one I have tried. I put it together while watching Role Models with the husband one night. Movie, not so great. Totally recycled basket, awesome!

While not technically a tutorial, I recently stumbled across designers toolbox. If you are a lay designer like me, it's a goldmine of helpful measurements, templates, and ideas.

I recently found VERT online, great coordinated wedding invitation and decor themes. They also have a few templates to download, like this fabulous placecard holder.

Freebie - Blue Bird To Do List

2009-08-20T13:28:00.006-04:00

My to do list is long and never ending! I whipped up these cuties to make writing out all the tasks ahead a little more fun. Download the full size and print them out yourself! I sized them to fit 3 to a page on standard 8.5x11 paper. Just follow the cut marks and make a whole stack. Enjoy!

Food - The Amateur Gourmet Goes to El Bulli

2009-08-19T07:29:00.002-04:00

The Amateur Gourmet got to go to El Bulli! He did a great post about the visit, complete with videos. If you have any interest in molecular gastronomy, Spain, or humorous food writing, go read it now!

Dress Up - Tulle

2009-08-18T07:28:00.003-04:00

I am loving the clothes over at Tulle. Great silhouettes, interesting patterns, and super sales on past collections! Thanks for the tip, TL!

Recipe - Eggplant Tian

2009-08-15T11:20:00.004-04:00

The season of eggplant is upon us. I used to be vaguely frightened of eggplant. It does look pretty weird, vegetables are not supposed to be purple! However, like most delicious things, I am willing to overlook the less savory aspects of the eggplant.

My recipe began with this recipe, but altered to use what I had on hand. It was pretty quick and delicious. These proportions fed two well. Don't be scared of the eggplant!

15 basil leaves
2 stems fresh oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 15 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425. Combine olive oil, basil, oregano, and a little salt and pepper in a food processor to make a paste. Baste each eggplant slice with the herb mixture. DO NOT CLEAN FOOD PROCESSOR YET.

Oil a large baking sheet and place eggplant slices in a single layer on it. Roast in oven for 10-12 minutes until eggplant begins to soften. Remove and set aside.

While eggplant is roasting, add fire roasted tomatoes to the food processor with leftover oil and herbs and pulse to make a quick tomato sauce.

Turn the oven down to 375.

Coat the bottom of a medium casserole dish liberally with the tomato sauce. Add a layer of the roasted eggplant, using about 1/3 of the eggplant. Add a layer of of feta, using 1/2 of the cheese, and top with a coating of tomato sauce. Repeat eggplant, feta, tomato sauce layers. Top with remaining eggplant slices and another coating of sauce (there may be some sauce left over, depending on how saucy you want the final product). Top with parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is hot and bubbly. Enjoy with a green salad and a thick slice of baguette.

Operation Nice

2009-08-14T13:58:00.002-04:00

How have I missed Operation Nice? Greatest (and nicest) idea ever, I am totally in!

How To - Girly Coozies

2009-08-04T07:11:00.002-04:00

I have a new friend who recently complained that I hadn't made something for her yet. BUT things have been busy, so I couldn't launch into a huge project. I came up with these cute felt coozies as a super quick solution. They don't have bottoms to them, but we didn't have a problem with the cans slipping through when gave them a test run.

Materials needed:
8.5" x 11" pieces of felt, assorted colors
fabric scraps
rotary cutter
pinking shears
sewing machine
thread

Cut the felt into strips 8.5" x 4" using the rotary cutter. Cut the fabric scraps into strips 3/4" x 8.5" using the pinking shears. Layout 2 fabric scrap strips on to the felt and sew down. Fold the felt strip in half with the fabric strips facing in. Sew together with 1/2" seam. Flip coozie right side out and enjoy a frosty beverage!

Dress Up - ModCloth

2009-07-30T07:32:00.003-04:00

How have I missed ModCloth all this time??

Recipe - Crustless Spinach and Feta Pie

2009-07-22T19:54:00.003-04:00

I tried this recipe out tonight, with winning results. It's going directly into my 'keeper' file as is because it came together relatively easy and, other than half and half, I keep most of the ingredients on hand. Be warned, the recipe says 25 minutes. Hah! I laugh at 25 minutes, try 45 if you are pretty organized. It was delicious, though, and the husband even liked it - he ate two portions.

I also made the tomato salad paired with this recipe. I used large ripe tomatoes that I wedged and fresh oregano. Also very tasty and a nice side for when the tomatoes are good.

How To - Fabric Garlands

2009-07-18T08:36:00.008-04:00

Party garland from the purl bee

I have long loved all things garland. Nothing says special occasion better than some pretty fabric or paper hanging from above, swaying gently. As an added bonus, garlands, banners, bunting, whatever you call it, packs a lot of decorative punch for relatively little DIY time and effort. There are lots of great tutorials out there. Here are a few simple ones to get started.

paper n stitch fabric banner tutorial

While this tutorial from craftstylish is technically for a mobile, it could easily be adapted to make a garland instead. Try one out for your next party, or make a pretty one for a new baby's nursery. Or just for yourself!

Recipe - Fried Green Tomatoes

2009-07-15T18:14:00.003-04:00

I have had a wicked case of the summer lazies. My blog and my housework (and my figure!) all show the tell-tale signs of lazy neglect. I do so apologize. I think you'll forgive me after you make this recipe, though. Or, if you also have the summer lazies, bring me some green tomatoes and I will make this for you.

If you MUST, you can make these with butter instead of bacon grease. They will still be good, but not nearly AS good. Fry the bacon and eat BLTs for lunch all week with real summertime red ripe tomatoes from the farmer's market.

2 large green tomatoes, with no hint of red
bacon grease, reserved from frying 1 lb of bacon (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste

Core each tomato and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Throw away the very top and very bottom slice (the ones with skin on one side, the coating won't stick to it).

Heat 1/2 of the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium heat.

Put the flour, milk, and cornmeal in separate bowls near the skillet. Once the fat is hot, dip each slice of tomato first in flour, then in milk, and finally in cornmeal and place GENTLY in skillet. I say gently because I forgot this last time and got a big nasty bacon grease burn on my finger as punishment.

Repeat the coating process and place slices in skillet until it is full. Fry the first batch about 3 minutes per side until the coating is browned and crispy. Remove from skillet and place tomatoes on a paper towel lined plate.

Add the remaining bacon fat to skillet and let heat up. Repeat coating process with remaining tomato slices and fry as above.

Salt and pepper the fried green tomatoes at will. They are great with a little hot sauce and eat any leftovers cold on a sandwich of wheat bread with some mayo the next day.

Freebie - Passive Aggressive Bookplates

2009-06-22T18:35:00.001-04:00

Here's a quick freebie, for when a subtle reminder to return a book is due.

Recipe - Clams with prosciutto and white wine

2009-06-17T18:18:00.003-04:00

I like clams. Unfortunately, when they are in season and cheap, normally it is so hot here they die in my car on the way home, forcing me to cry over their stinky, open shells. Luck smiled on me this past weekend, though, with a cool-ish day and clams on special!

This recipe comes together quickly with a few simple ingredients which boost the tastiness of the shellfish, but don't overwhelm them. A lot of broth will be left in your bowl after the clams are gone. A crusty baguette is this dish's best friend. Add a salad, and this feeds two well. OR make with a series of other small dishes for a tapas night.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
2 very thin slices prosciutto, roughly chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 lb. littleneck clams, scrubbed
fresh pepper

In a heavy pot with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, but not brown, 5-10 minutes. Add the ham and cook 1 minute more. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Add the clams and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, then with the lid firmly on, give the pot a good shake. Check clams and remove any that have opened to serving dish. Replace cover and continue to cook, checking every 2 minutes or so and removing the clams as they open. If some don't open, discard. Top clams with sauce from pot and enjoy!

Home Style - Mark Lund

2009-06-04T13:21:00.002-04:00

Plotting a mini re-vamp of our bedroom and being inspired by Marc Lund's photos.

Dress Up - I need Tevas

2009-05-26T20:49:00.002-04:00

This spring has been very busy, so consequently, I've been pretty quiet here in blog land. Summer is officially here now, though, and things should be less hectic. Which means, hopefully more blogging!

This past weekend was an adventure weekend with some lovely old friends. White water rafting convinced me that I need a pair of Tevas BAD. Luckily, there are some that are pretty cute! Here's a few on my short list, all found over at shoebuy.com.

Home Style - Homegrown Flowers

2009-05-12T18:00:00.002-04:00

Spring is in full swing (couldn't resist) in my garden. Even though I have a black thumb and have tried to kill the roses in my garden, they come back even better every year.

I snipped a few this past weekend and made a quick centerpiece for mother's day dinner for my sister. I love these little pink vases I originally bought for this party and I love them even more grouped together. A grouping of tiny vases is a handy trick. The small vases keep the flowers upright and you only need a few blooms in each for a lush looking arrangement.

Recipe - Orange Fennel Salad and Steak

2009-05-05T07:22:00.009-04:00

When I cook, I love experimenting with different ways to make food 'go' together. I blame my art background for always wanting a theme, repetition, harmony and contrast in my meals. The same ideas that make paintings and sculpture interesting and beautiful easily translate to food. One of my favorite techniques is to use a theme ingredient (or two) in several different ways for a meal. With this idea in mind, I made a supper last week that featured the flavors of orange and fennel.

I made a simple salad from this cookbook I picked up while in California (and already love to pieces). It's a simple mixture of slices oranges and fresh fennel, capers, oil and vinegar. Then I made a rub for a pair of sirloin steaks with the zest from an orange, fennel seeds, garlic, salt, pepper and a little vegetable oil to hold it all together. I broiled the steaks, plated the salads, and enjoyed the different flavors the orange and fennel brought to each dish.

Parties - Pink and White Bridal Shower

2009-04-26T14:00:00.000-04:00

Here are some pics from the bridal shower I hosted for my wonderful friend. All she said was she wanted something 'girly.' The main inspiration came from my vintage linen collection - florals, pinks, and very girly. I re-purposed the linens into cloth napkins, wraps for vases, basket liners, pillows, and some fabric flowers. Other DIY projects included tissue paper flowers (the bride-to-be is allergic to most real flowers), the invitations, and the hanging advice cards. We had the most perfect spring day for the shower and it was truly a pleasure to host for my friend.