Swept Away

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Swept Away

I discovered these dreamy paintings by Clare Elsaesser in an Etsy treasury this morning and I'm blown away by the vivid color and romantic subject matter. She's local to me, from the coastal town of Jenner, and many of her paintings use the Pacific as a backdrop, so they feel very personal to this native Northern Califorian. See all her work at Tastes Orangey. There's more.  Her husband Kai Samuels-Davis is also an amazing painter.  His work is moody and dark, and like his wife, he paints portraits, objects and coastal landscape. Windylane Studio.

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DIY Friday: Rag Rug Pillow

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DIY Friday: Rag Rug Pillow

I'm trying to incorporate some more "flea market" pieces into my home, but this is a tough proposition for me, being kind of a modernist at heart.  If the lines are clean, I can do it.  I found these rag rug placemats at Anthropologie for $8 a piece. They also carry a metallic Moroccan version that could be very sophisticated. For a floor pillow version use 2x3 rugs and a standard pillow for an instert. In about 45 minutes I had a colorful, textural statement pillow.  This project is hand stitched, so anyone with a needle and thread can do this.  Happy Weekend! Tutorial below...

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Herbal Essence

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Herbal Essence

Every week my husband comes home with a dozen eggs from a local farm, fresh picked blackberries, and on occasion, pounds of produce from the parents and teachers who keep large gardens or farms out in Tomales.  I know, super bummer. Yesterday he presented me with three gallon bags of fresh herbs, which left in the refrigerator might last 1-2 weeks. Roasting herbs brings out their natural oils and serves as a quick way to dry them and extends their use for months.  Simply rinse and pat dry, put them on a baking sheet at 180 degrees with the oven door slightly ajar for air circulation, and roast for 2-4 hours. The aromatics are unbelievable. You can keep some out on the counter for immediate use, or store in air tight jars.  I love to use roasted oregano in salsas and dry rubs, as well as pasta sauce.  I'm roasting orange mint leaves for tea.

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The Shops

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The Shops

Yesterday, I whipped up some blueberry pancakes, got them on the table and ran out the door to check out The Shops at Target, which debuted an offering from one of my favorites, the Curiosity Shoppe.  For me this stuff is way more exciting than Missoni; I've always had reservations about the quality of the designer clothing for Target. But yesterday I stood, apologetically, with a small group of like minded gals waiting for the boxes of the Curiosity Shoppe to be unpacked. My favorite things are these pretty party props ($5) with glasses, lips and mustaches, a pair of wooden arrow salad spoons, and this set of stamps in fonts looking a lot like Alexander Girard, Eames, and helvetica, something you'd never be able to cobble together on your own, especially for $10. 

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