• 09.20.2007 Tea Cozies
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    A hot pot of tea, a couple of girlfriends, a few platefuls of decadent morsels, a bunch of lilacs, 2-3 uninterrupted hours, and a cheery disposition–a perfect recipe for an afternoon tea. Teatimes are about details…the food, the decor, the conversation. One simple way to make your tea extra special is to unveil your fragrant pot of tea with a pretty tea cozy. What I love about tea is not really the lacey gloves, frilly hats, or the sense of being a socialite, but rather the more accessible version of honoring and indulging my guests (who may be everyday moms) with a beautiful portrait of graciousness through feeling celebrated. Cute and pretty over fussy and elitist. Despite the current popularity of taking tea, it’s surprisingly difficult to find simply elegant but contemporary tea cozies that are functional insulators as well. I’ve recently tried my hand at designing and sewing my […]

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  • 08.16.2007 Pretty Things to Come…
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    Spring is in the air…in my mind. I know the leaves are turning and storefronts are announcing back-to-school sales, but new ideas are in bloom in my head. Everyone, including myself, goes through seasons of feeling creatively anemic. Until recently I was unable to paint, draw, organize fabric, pull out my sewing machine, craft a little this, or embellish a little that. I was just not motivated. Then, I met the blogging world. Blogging is akin to having a bunch of same-feathered friends who always want to talk about what you want to talk about, when you want to talk about it. Don’t get me wrong, my real friends are by far superior, but I currently have no girlfriends who are crazier about crafting, sewing, decorating, cooking, eating, and dressing (clothes, not turkey) than I am. If I sound insanely chipper about being slavishly domestic, don’t be fooled. It is […]

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  • 08.07.2007 Entertaining Angels
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    You’ve probably never had your next door neighbor over for supper. I haven’t. We live in a day and age where garage door openers allow people to leave and come home without stepping foot into their driveways, when automatic dripper systems water efficiently xeriscaped backyards and eliminate any need for pruning. With such low maintenance outside and so much digital and electronic entertainment inside, how could we have opportunity to know our neighbors? Just one pass through any popular home magazine and you’ll discover that hospitality and having company over is no longer a casual family affair, but a rare and well-planned dinner party to which you invite the most deserving of friends. To demostrate just how deserving they are, the event is usually adorned with eccentric table settings, hors d’oeuvres, and personalized place cards. Though I don’t believe the intention of these how-to magazines is to be pretentious, rarely […]

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  • 08.06.2007 What's In Your Pantry?
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    I was looking for a jar of hot sauce tonight and realized that I am the only person on this earth that actually knows the complete contents of my pantry. Its shelves are a montage, a collage if you will, a vibrant mosaic of edibles… …Okay, it’s a mess that only I can discern. My dear friend, Anna, has a walk-in pantry whose contents are clearly organized and visible upon entry. She also keeps the shelves minimally stocked, as she shops weekly according to her preplanned menu. Impressive, I know. If you read my last food post on Cioppino, you know my history. My need to satisfy cravings and to cook with no accountablity is why I do not have an organized pantry. Instead, if you were to venture behind the sliding door of my pantry you’d find layer upon layer, row upon row of odd and ends, essentials and […]

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