Nectar & Light

2012-01-03T14:35:37-05:00

A very Happy New Year to you friends. We've been on the Outer Banks for the holidays and think I will have a hard time returning to reality when we drive back to Asheville at the end of the week. The time we've spent with my parents, my sisters and nieces and nephews has been hugely inspirational and uplifting - I'm feeling very blessed right now - a wonderful way to ring in 2012.

I used to have a tradition of writing down goals for the new year - resolutions if you will - but they tend to fall flat. This year, I thought maybe sharing some of them with you would help me keep them...

~ We start home schooling this semester and have chosen a language.... Irish Gaelic. We've started with simple phrases we use everyday and I've been calling the girls by their Gaelic names (using their middle names: Adie Fey is Sidhe pronounced shee; Ayle Eve is Aiofe pronounced ee-fa; and Ari Rose is Roisin pronounced ro-sheen). The goal is to be able to have simple conversations by the end of the year...

~ On that note - I want - need - to get back to Ireland.

~ I want to stop thinking of my iphone as an extension of my hand.

~ I want to get back into the pool. My body needs it. My mind needs it. I need to stop beating myself up over my body and take control again.

~ I need to find a way to relax. Could be yoga - or more hot baths - but I need something. 2011 was exceptionally stressful. I almost lost my mother, Den spent too much time on the road working, we moved unexpectedly, it was difficult financially - I need coping mechanisms. Badly.

~ I want to continue on the path of a life less ordinary - and bask in the brilliance of the moments - not the destination.

What do you hope for in 2012?

2011-12-06T09:32:45-05:00

Back from our quick trip to Florida - we attended (and I shot) the wedding of our best friends... watching two of your favorite people in the whole world marry each other reminds you of the beauty and hope in our little world - it was a really good weekend. I'd not been to the Gulf coast before and the water was like shimmering jewels - it reminded me of Sardinia - so beautiful. Before heading back to Asheville we stopped at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola - the girls loved it and Den loved that the girls loved it. I get a lot more sentimental about our service days then I think my husband does - I was pretty teary that day - but Den really loved teaching and talking to the girls about it all. Their grandfathers were Naval aviators so they were especially curious about the planes and aircraft carriers - it was pretty magical.

Have a great week and some things to check out:

~ I love this Constellation Calendar so much.

~ I'm hoping a certain someone is reading this and now knows how much I would love this cuff in silver.

~ Also on my wishlist is this golden shimmer scarf. *sigh*

~ Have you seen the cover for our book?

~ I'm still swooning over the first layouts of my new title, Lustre - about gems and minerals (out next Fall from Chronicle). you are going to. freak. out.

~ The new single from Band of Skulls has me SO excited about their upcoming album.

~ the Holiday issue of RUE is out - it's a beauty - for detailed recipes and outtakes of our spread, check out my post at Nectar.

2011-11-28T08:34:47-05:00

Happy Monday! A little treat this week... Fieryeyed Books previously sold out titles, Little Italy and Feather & Bone will be available for purchase this week only. Little Italy has been out of print for over a year and this will be your last opportunity to order a copy. Thank you so much to those of you who have already supported my little endeavor of Fieryeyed Books.

There is also a new post today over at Nectar about shopping for Solstice trees, salted hot chocolate and mountain music.

Have you seen The Muppet movie? MUST SEE NOW. I cried and laughed and cried and laughed some more. If you grew up with these lovable friends as I did, the movie will resonate in so many beautiful ways.

Lastly, thought I'd share a little family news with you. We start home schooling the girls next semester. The schools here in Asheville have been wonderful - truly. But this is what we've always wanted for our family and we are going to see if we can make it work. Wish us luck!

Have a beautiful day...

2011-11-18T13:20:17-05:00

have a lovely weekend friends - been a busy week full of shoots and writing but so much fun. my parents arrive this evening and i'm going to surprise my mama with this little creation - she will LOVE it. i leave you with some links and of course... love.

~ my friend sent me this series of socialites photographed as goddesses and i'm incredibly inspired to do a series like this with what i have left of the polaroid sepia film (like the photo above of my gorgeous little neice)... it speaks to me on so many levels. because as you know, medusa and i have bonded.

~ adie has been actively writing her pen pals and i've been sending more letters as of late - so i loved stumbling upon this blog.

~ LOVE EVERYTHING HERE. i would totally rock this.

~ have you seen the sneak peek of the new kinfolk?

~ and in case you missed it, our home in asheville was featured on design mom this week - have a peek.

more soon...

2011-11-11T07:26:00-05:00

firstly, a very happy veteran's day to my sister's and brother's in arms. there are few words that can truly describe what it means to wear a uniform let alone dedicate ones lfe in service of your country. i am not only grateful for the time i served, but to those who continue to honor us with their service. thank you.

it's also national metal day. so in honor of this most holy of dual holidays, i created a little something to bang your head with the best of them. enjoy your weekend...

11.11.11.

battery : metallica

am i evil? : diamond head

with the quickness : bad brains

antisocial : anthrax

nighttrain : guns n' roses

electric funeral : black sabbath

metal on metal : anvil

the black river : the sword

long way back from hell : danzig

damage case : motorhead

open your eyes : guano apes

living after midnight : judas priest

crack the skye : mastodon

surprise! you're dead! : faith no more

thunder kiss '65 : white zombie

hangar 18 : megadeth

evil ways : graveyard

shout at the devil : motley crue

crazy train : ozzy osbourne

season in the abyss : slayer

run to the hills : iron maiden

for whom the bell tolls : metallica

listen here.

2011-11-09T09:26:53-05:00

oh new york. i miss you so. though i split the majority of my work time right now between nyc and asheville, i am missing living there right now. i spent a quick working weekend there with one of the most amazing and supportive people in my life this last weekend and i danced that delicate line between joy and heartache. we haunted some of my favorite corners of the city including love adorned and catbird - and discovered some new loves in the breslin, peels, flatbush farm and dough.

and as i rode to the airport on sunday - feverishly refreshing my nfl app for the jets score - in a cab listening to lionel riche and bon jovi on the radio while my driver tried to kill me, i squeezed my eyes closed and clicked my heels three times wanting to be transported home... images of nyc and asheville both flashing behind my heavy lids.

there is also a new york inspired post over at nectar this week - be sure to check out the playlist as well, music that will get you through this wednesday.

2011-11-02T09:27:21-04:00

how was your all hallows eve? ours was pretty awesome. the girls really went all out this year. since our trip to disneyworld last year with den's family, ayla has been obsessed with tim burton's The Corpse Bride and knew months ago that this is what she would be come all hallows. and oh did she play the role well. ari, equally enamoured with The Nighmare Before Christmas wanted to be sally - but when we dressed her up as a rock n' rolla for the halloween parade in atlanta last weekend she changed her mind, "i want to be a rock n' rolla for ever mama!" that's my girl. and adie fey - well, i would like to tell you she learned about one of the most influential and powerful women in history at school and chose her character - but alas, it was an episode of scooby doo that convinced her she had to be the queen.

we had good friends over for soup, pie, homemade bread and trick or treating - it was a wonderful night - the kind that reminds me that we made the right decision to move to asheville.

and i have some kind of big news to share this wednesday morning... i started a new food blog. let me know what you think...

2011-10-30T11:46:48-04:00

sundays are the days that we can sleep in, linger over breakfast, enjoying a roaring fire, the new york times - i take out my stress from the previous week by yelling at football teams on the tv - den tinkers, the girls color, paint and play. breakfast is usually homemade pancakes, waffles or french toast... when den is gone, however, breakfast is usually not such an affair. it's not that i can't cook a big breakfast - it just feels strange when he's not here. this is our first sunday at home together in nearly two months and is a glorious morning.

it has been a very stressful year for us - the rocks on the road to 2012 seem to be breeding instead of receding - but when are together, enjoying a morning like this, nothing else seems to matter. i focus on how grateful i am for our health, our strength and support of each other and our love. i wish you such riches.

have a beautiful day... and a little something for your sunday... our favorite waffle recipe that den tweaked a bit from the joy of cooking...

the most delicious waffles EVER:

taking the extra time to beat the egg whites makes ALL the difference in the world. this recipe makes enough to freeze leftovers. i pull them out and toast them in the mornings for the girls with a spread of peanut butter.

whisk together in large bowl:

3 1/2 c flour

2 T baking powder

1 T demerara sugar

1 t. fine sea salt

whisk together in another bowl:

6 organic egg yolks

1 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. half & half

16 T melted butter

in another bowl beat until stiff peaks are formed:

6 organic egg whites

1 T demerara sugar

Turn on your waffle iron so it's ready to go. Combine the dry ingredients with the egg yolk mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in the egg white mixture. There is a fine line here when mixing the whites in - they should be fully incorporated but not allowed to fully deflate. However, not mixing them enough will result in almost a meringue like texture. The batter should be fluffy - but not "gloppy" as den says.

Pour batter into the waffle iron to fill each mold about half way - this you will have to judge by your own waffle iron. Pull them out gently with a fork when the timer dings and keep them warm in the oven at 200F.

2011-10-29T10:41:35-04:00

we started our weekend off right with a pumpkin carving party and pizza last night.

thank you bri for showing ayla a little love - so sweet. she's been busy.

and adie is back... again.

we have a day full of soccer games, a "wild" birthday party and an end of soccer season night out...

tomorrow it's all about the new york times and football. my favorite kind of sunday.

have a wonderful weekend...

2011-10-26T14:07:52-04:00

i love this instant film. and am kicking myself for not buying more.

i hope your wednesday is going well.

excited to have a listen to new albums by two of my favs... surfer blood and honeyhoney;

ayla will be beside herself to find she's among such company - thank you erin!

my friend jen has a lovely spread in MSL this month - so proud!