Accessorize | Jewelry: Organic Forms

If you know me at all, you know I have a slight {well, maybe more than slight} obsession with accessories. One is handbags, the other jewelry... and a few other things in between. I've decided to start yet another section to this blog about my serious obsession with accessories. I also keep a collection of cool stuff on my Pinterest boards - Lovely Jewels, Bag Obsessions, For Fab Feet

Not to pat myself on the back or anything, but I am constantly being asked about my jewelry {pat, pat, hee hee}. I am a big fan of organic shapes or nature inspired jewelry. Give me a leaf, feather or antler and I'm there! And while I haven't discovered the ability to mold metal - yet - here are a few of my faves.

Jill Platner was a discovery when I first moved to New York. While I tend to like her older stuff better, her more grand, gallery pieces are amazing!

 I've seen Twigs & Heather around New York & Brooklyn for a few years now and I always make a beeline for their table. I don't know how I've never walked away with one of the maple seed or twig necklaces!


Made entrely out of reclaimed metals, Alkemie has a line of jewelry that is just purely delicious. They mix modern girlie pretty with tough rockstar heft that is just so much fun. I have a couple pieces from them and they are guaranteed to get attention!


There's also this great trend {that's been running for a little while now} utilizing geodes, minerals and crystals in their natural state. Such amazing colors and also quite the statement!
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Monthly Obsession: Cruisers


There's something about late summer that gets me every year. When the air cools down, but the earth is still warm. Think, 6pm late August, Friday afternoon, ambient breeze, sun mid-horizon still warm on your face. It's like that time of day is meant for lounging, starting up the barbeque and having a beer.
Close your eyes, lift your face to the sun & take a deep slow breath. That's what summer is all about.

Now, I can virtually hear the moaning and see the eye-rolling that is happening while you look at these photos. Don't worry, I'm not going all Hipster and wax-poetic about how awesome fixed-gear bikes are and how bicycles should take back the roads, while wearing my plaid shirt, slip-on Keds and skinny jeans. No. This Monthly Obsession is about going slow and taking your time.
This is about cruisers. I'm not even going to bother teling you about the history, just imagine taking one out for a few hours. Don't forget about the bell!
Top photo from here
Delivery and Super Deluxe from Electra Bikes, Dutch Gazelle from The Dutch Bike Co., Chopper Cruiser from Chubby, Epitath bike by Autum, Heritage by Felt
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Looking Up


A pleasant evening with a glass of wine. A beautiful weekend with friends. When can we do it again?
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Sliding Doors

Alternate reality setting: My boardroom. 
Lording over my minions, gesturing wildly, and laughing maniacally while I tell stories of my Machiavellian plans. Don't mess with me. This is my version of The Power Suit.


1. Alexander McQueen Resort '12. 2. Pegasus Necklace, Stella & Dot, $198. 3. Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Razzle Dazzle, $18. 4. RibCage iPad Case, SwitchEasy, $34.99. 5. NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Vesuvio, $25. 6. James Nares "Go 2007", oil on paper.
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Mom's Garden: Artichoke


I was talking with someone the other day and the topic of artichokes came up. I started waxing poetic about how awesomely wonderful artichokes are to eat, and not only that, they are great in flower arrangements! My friend looked at me and said, what a peculiar idea! She had never thought about what an artichoke really is. Most people think that it's a vegetable, but nope! It's a flower. A pretty great, perfectly beautiful flower, that is part of the thistle family. ...and! the bees can't get enough of them.
It just so happened that at the moment, Mom had an artichoke growing in the garden. Most of the flowers had gone way past eat-ability into full-fledged flower mode. So, I thought I'd share a couple photos. Hope your summer is going great!



Project 365: The End


So, the day came and went without much fanfare, but I've finally finished Project 365.
It may sound cliche, but it really seems like I started taking pictures only last month. How time does fly. I'm not really sure what I expected to get out of this project... if anything, it's pretty cool to go back through the photos. I am not kidding when I tell you I remember taking every. single. one. I may not recall every second of that day, or even the day it was taken, but I do remember pausing for those two seconds to take out my phone and snap a picture. Interesting how that works.

Curious to which iPhone apps were used throughout this project?
Polarize
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Monthly Obsession | Dog Toys


Leading up to and since the arrival of little Oberon {who, at 60 pounds, isn't so little anymore}, I've been keeping an eye out for fun/cool dog stuff and pinning it on Pinterest. It's so nutty how crazed people are about their dogs these days. I really don't understand the whole doggy outfit thing (except maybe a sweater when it's 10º outside). But, I do understand the buying-of-dog-stuff frenzy that happens when you first bring home a little puppy. So, here's a small collection of the fun & useful doggy items that I've found recently. If you want to see more, check them out on my Gifts for the Pet Parent board.

Bone-shaped biscuit cutters, $8.99; Doggy play pool, $9.99; Seed Bombs: Pet Friendly Plants, $6; Silly Buddy bow tie, $40; Biodegradable Poop Bags, $9.95 for 100 bags;  Humunga Stache chew toy, $14.99; Braided Fisherman Collar, $22.
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Mom's Garden: Sweet Pea (Lathyrus Odoratus)


Sweet peas! This is one flower I am uber fond of. Growing up, Mom always planted sweet pea seeds along a fence in our yard. This fence was about 80' long - resulting in sweet pea madness. My best friend and I would go out on a summer day and literally load dozens of giant coffee cans full of them. We would make fairy-princess crowns, necklaces and bracelets out of them. Some kids have lemonade stands; I had a sweet pea stand. We sold bunches of them for ridiculously cheap... like $2. We thought we were millionaires. Years later, I saw them at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York. They were selling bunches for $20. I stopped dead and my jaw was on the floor. Twenty dollars!? They are awesome flowers, but how could... how would anyone buy sweet peas for that much!? *shrug and shakes head in dismay*

 



These flowers smell so nicely {hence, the name} they will fill a room with fragrance. The only sad thing is {and probably why they are so expensive at markets} that they don't generally last a long time in a vase. In order to get more time out of them, change the water every day. And, if you can, trim a bit off the stems too. Happy Summer!


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Monthly Obsession | Eden Rose Update


Just thought I'd share a couple more pics of the awesomely beautiful Eden Roses
that I *ahem* acquired *ahem*.
Obviously, these little suckers last a long time if you change the water every day and clip the stems a bit.
Happy Friday the 13th! Ooooohhhhhh, spooky! hee hee

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Monthly Obsession | Eden Rose Climber (Pierre de Ronsard)


Oh, Eden Rose. How I love thee. Let me count the ways....
I have had an obsession with this rose for years now. I mean, I love this rose. You'd be seriously hard pressed to find me wearing any shade of pink, but when it comes to flowers, all bets are off. 
Mom and I first spotted this beauty, years ago, climbing up an amazing home overlooking the Pacific in Corona Del Mar, California. At the time, we didn't know what rose it was.


It is a beautiful, prolific climbing (but can also be trained as a shrub) rose that begins with creamy white buds, and as it opens, it changes color. The tips of the petals are a rich, saturated pink that look like they've been dipped in watercolor. As the flower opens, the petals become lighter and lighter and fade to the lightest blush pastel pink. They are super heavy and have tons of densely-packed petals.
We happened upon it again a few months later on a weekend visit to Filoli (pronounced fee-low-lee) near San Francisco. The tag deemed it an Eden Rose Climber (the French call it Pierre De Ronsard).
Developed by French flower grower Meilland in 1987 and is apparently, very resistant to fungus and bugs. The only drawbacks are it doesn't have much smell, needs a bit of shade and doesn't like to get wet. Other than that, in the right zone, these roses are supposed to be very easy to care for! It was also voted into the World Federation of Rose Society Roses Hall of Fame in 2006.
(Another completely amazing rose that I found this week is the Yves Piaget - it looks like the most amazing peony! You have to look it up)

 
Neither Mom nor I own this rose, so how I obtained the flowers in these photos will remain a secret. 
Suffice to say, it involved a bit of covert operations and a mostly absent neighbor who will never know what they're missing.

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Project 365: Milestone Day 320!


I haven't really been talking about it much, but I've still been going strong with the Project 365 stuff. I do take a picture everyday, but I don't always post them on the same day... {guilty grin} Day 320 will be tomorrow - I can't believe that there's only 45 more days to this project. Seriously seems like I started it only a few weeks ago.
Anyone want to peruse my last year in pictures? See them here

Project Bake | Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies


I'd like to start out saying this creation is in no way my idea. Don't get me wrong, it's a brilliant idea, just not mine. I originally saw it floating around on Pinterest, and I pinned it, thinking 'hey, what a fun thing to do on a gloomy day!'. Then all of a sudden it exploded all over the blogosphere. 
The original idea is from Picky Palate (whose finished product looked better than mine, naturally).
So, one gloomy day later, I decided to give it a whirl. The original recipe called for making the cookies from scratch. Since I figured this is more of a novelty item (much like the Cherpumple disaster), I decided that in my first go-around I'd start with pre-made stuff. Lazy, I know.


It's super easy, going the pre-made route and only takes about 7 minutes to assemble. All you gotta do is lump dough on the top & bottom of the Oreo, and smush the sides together to make a solid ball. Yes, these suckers are HUGE. One note: don't let the dough get too soft, otherwise the cookies will turn out, like mine, flat with an Oreo lump in the middle. Make them and stick the pan back in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Then bake them in a pre-heated 350º oven until golden brown. Also, if you want to make an amount for a large group of people, double your recipe. I got about 9 of these from 1 package of Nestle Toll House.
Eat them warm with ice cold milk. So totally decadent.

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Say Hello...

I apologize for my lack of posting recently. I have a good reason! I have a new addition to my life - everyone, meet little Oberon. He arrived from the D.C. area last Friday and I've had my hands full ever since! He's literally like having a toddler - can't sleep through the night and can't keep anything out of his mouth. But, he's a snuggler and a total cutie-pie. Welcome to Cali, little Obie!

Mom's Garden | Iceland Poppy & Anemone


Today's Mom's Garden is all about a couple of my most favoritist flowers: Iceland Poppies and Anemone! Mom and I planted these little suckers sometime in early October. Growing up from bulbs, they have been going gang-busters for the last couple of weeks, signaling the start of spring! I believe they are flowering a bit early because of our warm weather... normally they come up in April and May. 
My parents have peacocks in their neighborhood and they love to snack on the petals, so I decided to snag a bunch before they're gone and share them here.


I love the bight colors and the crepe-like texture to their slightly translucent petals. Such delicate things! These are flowers that even look good while wilted and dying.

Go out and find some - these little things are guaranteed to brighten your day.



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Project Bake | Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn

Yes, you read it right. Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn. You are probably like me when I read those words, {gasp!} "No! Combining three absolutely wonderful things together in one?! It can't be possible!". Ladies and Gents, I assure you, it's for reals. At the beginning of the year, I received this recipe in my inbox via Daily Candy featuring the creation from LA's Villans Tavern. With a friend's Super Bowl Party in my future, I thought perfect! I needed to try and make this STAT. 
Now, I had never made caramel corn before, let alone a crazy fusion like this one, so I knew that I was going to have to try it out in advance of said Bowl Party.


Note: I used TJ's Apple Smoked Bacon. Don't. Don't use any flavored kind of bacon. It puts a bit of a strange taste to the popcorn. Just use plain bacon.

Click Here to read on!

Of course, I had to taste to make sure the bourbon was still good {never mind that I just bought it the day before}. 
Now, being the type of recipe-follower I am, I blindly went out and bought what it called for. This one called for nine bags of kernel popcorn. Nine bags. Didn't even phase me. After running out of bowls to hold the first bag of air-popped popcorn, I realized I had eight more bags to pop. Believe me, I even contemplated washing out my kitchen trash can to hold it all. Then I stood back and thought, 'Am I crazy?? How many people do they expect me to be serving? A thousand? Screw that! I'm just popping one bag.' 
So I didn't just halve the recipe, I quartered it. Much more manageable.
Oh, PS: The recipe calls for popping the corn in a pot with oil, but the air popper is much easier {and less oil/fat} and runs much less risk of burning.


Also, if you are a fan of more salty zings in your popcorn, cook a few more strips than it calls for. 
Also, cook it so that it's nice and crispy - you don't want chewy bacon in this popcorn.


After you coat the popcorn with the caramel mixture, it'll seem soggy. Don't worry, it'll dry out and harden/crystalize in the oven.
Also, spread the popcorn in a pan/sheet that has sides. You are going to be lightly mixing it every 15 minutes - sides help to keep it inside the pan instead of all over the bottom of the oven.


The popcorn is at it's best right out of the oven. Seriously, melt-in-your-mouth good. So, I would try to make it the same day as your party. Have it with a glass of milk. So yummy!

Find the original recipe here
Oh, and for the record, I decided not to make this for the Super Bowl Party. It was just too much for me to deal with when the weekend finally came. I made something entirely different and stupendous. Which, I will blog about at another time.
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Sliding Doors

In a world where I host a backyard Oscar party in Palm Springs...
I would wear this dress, with this bracelet and this necklace
while sipping on deliciously gorgeous, slightly dirty martinis like this
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Project Adventure | The Backyard

So, I recently found this really cool iPhone app called Pano {on sale for half-off!}. It lets you take photos in succession and then automatically stitches them together. So easy.  So, I thought I'd share this awesome photo from last night. {No, I'm not trying to make any of you in 30 degree weather jealous. Well, maybe a little.}
click the image for a larger view
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Monthly Obsession | BHLDN

So, if I were getting married or even thinking of getting married in the near future, my head would just about explode from today's launch of the bridal/wedding inspiration shop, BHLDN. I think there are a lot of soon-to-be-brides' fainting all over the country right about now. BHLDN is the newest creation from Anthropologie. Given my obsession with Anthropologie, I'm sure I'll be checking in on the site regularly for inspiration, not just bridal junk.
Of course the geniuses at Anthro have thought of everything - gowns, bridesmaid dresses, jewelry, shoes, lingerie, hair accessories and cover-ups. It has a breadth of style options from traditional & sweet to all out funky - but all very elegant. They even have a "flow player" video of the model moving around in the gown to see how it moves. Such a great idea! 
They have also added a section similar to Pinterest where you can "pin" your ideas onto a virtual collage moodboard to keep inspiration flowing with items from the site. 
Of course, there is also the "What Kind Of Bride" section to help you pick out styles. 
(I might have filled in the blanks and may or may not have come out with "Lady With A Twist" category, but of course I'm not getting married any time soon, so why would I bother?) 

I'm also loving their "Nuptials of Yesteryear" section with old wedding photos. Many traditional a few, hilariously, not so traditional.
Go check it out, yes even if you're not getting married, it's fun {and pretty}!
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