percent

learning sf- the styley

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:10:00 +0000

Before moving to the Bay Area, I read up on great local blogs and tweeters. One that I started following early on was Kate Seward, aka The Styley. It took a few emails back and forth to meet up but once we finally got together at Momi’s Toby’s Revolution Cafe, I was so glad we had. Momi Toby’s was a darling cash-only coffee shop/bistro where I could easily spend hours working with a cappuccino or chatting with friends with a glass of wine. Even more fun was Kate who was such a blast to chat with that I frequently forgot to take notes. Luckily, plenty of our conversation was recorded.

If after reading this, you can't wait to see more of Kate's work, you are in luck. Kate has two shows opening this week! #iSnapSF is a one-night show on Thursday night (tomorrow!) at the Haus of Hipstamatic and One or Two Things I Know About Her opens Saturday with a party and runs through April 7.

How did The Styley get started?

When I started the blog I had no idea what it was going to be--I certainly had no idea it would become a street style blog. In fact, I started it because I was thinking about moving back to the East Coast. A girl I used to tutor wanted to meet for help writing a letter to a trend forecasting company in New York. I thought, I was in academia, I'm a writer--I could do trend forecasting. I wrote my own letter and managed to get the head of the company to do an informational interview with me. I said, "So, how do you get into trend forecasting?" "She said: The first option is to intern for $7/hr. The second is to start a really successful blog." So I started a blog.

[The Styley]

Why the iphone?

One of the first cool street style photos I took was with my iPhone. I was on Fillmore Street, and it was what I had. I thought it might be cool to do a street style blog with just iPhone photos, but my younger brother said no, absolutely not. So for the next few months I focused on my SLR, which I bought a few years ago and then didn't use. Then, this past fall, my tutoring business got really busy and I didn't have much time to go out and shoot. The iPhone was easy, and it was always there. Now I figure that if anyone is going to hire me as a photographer, they're going to hire me for my eye, and I can worry about the mechanics then.

[The Styley]

It’s gutsy to go up to people and ask to take a picture. Have you gotten more used to it?

It's actually not that hard to do. Most people that I want to photograph have put some time and effort into what they're wearing, so they're usually flattered. Occasionally people look at me like I'm crazy, or ignore me. A lot of the time I just don't ask--I love candid streetstyle. There's a bit of a high that comes from it, because you just don't know whether or not you're going to get caught. I'm always running across the street or ahead of someone so that I can take their picture, or trying to look casual standing on a street corner waiting for someone to walk into my frame.

[The Styley]

You currently are working also as a tutor and (non-blog) writer. Are you hoping to become a full time blogger or do you like the balancing act?

I want to do something that combines my two favorite things, writing and photography. In my fantasy life, I would working for Vanity Fair--or some similar magazine--and doing portraits, taking the pictures and writing the text. And getting paid a lot of money, of course.

This might sound weird, but I wouldn't say that I'm obsessed with fashion that way that personal style bloggers seem to be.

I don’t necessarily need to go to the shows. I want to be on the street outside the show photographing the people going in, or at the after party taking pictures and talking to people so I can capture who they really are. Doing portraiture. I'd love to photograph designers and interview them about their process, their philosophy, their aesthetic. I'm interested in people, their stories, and how the way they dress is part of who they are and how they see the world. And okay, I lied. It would be awesome to go to the shows.

[The Styley]

I first started following you on twitter, then your blog. What I loved, and was so unique, was the text you paired with each photo. When I found out that you are an academic coach, it just made sense to me, because of your writing, which is really just a few words with the photo.

Thank you! I think I hit on something with that combination of photo and text. I really like Duane Michals. A lot of his work has a textual element--he writes by hand underneath the images. If there is an app that lets you write directly on an iPhone photo so that it looks like your handwriting, I want it. That's another reason I like shooting with the iPhone--being able to get the text directly on the images. Maybe there's a way to do it in Lightroom (I don't have Photoshop), but I haven't figured out what it is yet.

I've been writing since I was 8. I started taking pictures at the end of high school and all throughout college, although I didn't have a "real" camera--my first was a Pentax K-1000 that a bunch of my friends bought me for my 21st birthday--until my senior year of college. When I graduated I felt like I had to decide between photography and writing, and I chose writing because I had done it for longer. I focused on writing for years, and then when I started the blog, the photo stuff came back. I remembered, "Oh, yeah, I love this." And once I hit on that writing/photo combination I really felt like I was onto something. That's when I really got into Instagram.

Being a street style blogger is definitely different from being a personal style blogger, at least in terms of how to get into the industry. In some ways, it seems like it might be easier to be a personal style blogger, because there's a more obvious connection to brands.

[The Styley]

Very true. And also there is less connection with a street style blogger, since you are actually behind the camera. Readers don’t see you and learn as much about you.

Actually, I hate having my picture taken. I never, ever, like how I look. And in terms of writing about myself, I've been reluctant to reveal a lot, but I'm thinking about opening up a bit more. I'm not sure what's appropriate, and how much readers care. But I guess that is part of the trick, seeming to be personal without reavealing tons of stuff that is personal. And yet you have to be yourself, right? I guess it's all about finding balance, like everything else in life.

[The Styley]

Describe your perfect SF day:

First of all, it would be sunny and 65 degrees, not too cold, but just breezy enough to wear a T-shirt with a sweater. Then I would go to Blue Fog Market and get a Blue Bottle coffee and take my dog on a walk to Crissy Field. Then I would meet up with a friend and go to brunch at one of three places: Rose's Cafe in Cow Hollow, Dottie’s in the Tenderloin, or Just For You in the Dogpatch. I would spend the afternoon walking around the Mission taking pictures. Then I would go out to dinner--it would have to be with friends who have cars and who drive because I don't have a license--at the Buckeye Roadhouse in Marin. I would eat steak and order all the desserts on the menu. Eating, walking, photographing, hanging out with people I love--that would be my perfect day.

[The Styley]

Do you have other favorite places for taking photographs?

I suspect that Hayes Valley is good but I haven't spent much time there. A month or so ago I had brunch at Just for You in the Dogpatch and got a few good shots. Japantown can be interesting. Downtown too, but less than you'd think. I feel like I spend a lot of time in the same places, and I need to broaden my horizons. I would like to go out to Berkeley, to Oakland. I feel like there might be interesting things going on there.

So no, I don’t have favorites. I’ve had a lot of luck in the Mission. There is always someone to photograph there, but, I hate to say it, I feel like there is also a lot of similarity. I love photographing when there is something happening, like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, because all kinds of people turn out. I also think it might be a good idea to try some areas that you don't necessarily think of when you think about style, like lower Fillmore or the Bayview.

[Despite hating being photographed, Kate let me take a few pictures of her. She really is The Styley!]

What places would you recommend to someone visiting or just relocating to the Bay Area?

I would definitely take them to SFMOMA. It's a great museum--totally manageable. I would take them to Bi-Rite for ice cream. I would take them the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building, the one that’s totally touristy and still really fun. I would take them on a walk to Crissy Field and on the Alcatraz tour, which is awesome. I would take them to Dolores Park and around the Mission. I would take them to Hayes Valley for shopping. I would take them to Jeremy's in SoMA (Ed's note: or Berkeley!) Oh, and if the Alonzo King LINES Ballet was having its season, I would take them to one of their performances because Alonzo King is unbelievable.

Thanks so much, Kate! Go check out her shows and follow her adventures around SF at The Styley.

tumblights 2/19

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Partner-in-Crime is off hiking this weekend, while I'm working away. I admit, camping in 40-something temperatures is not really something I'm interested in anyway. Instead, bundle up inside and keep yourself warm with these tumblights.

Learn more about your art with QR codes via| Design Milk

Green Divider by Louise Hederström via MocoLoco

To be a Virginian… state shaped mirrors via Design*Sponge

Superheroes Inspired By ‘Cubism’ via DesignTAXI.com

Loop Necklace- February Challenge Day 18

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 01:43:00 +0000

[Loop Necklace]

It happened. I ran out of 'tigertail,' the wire I use to string necklaces. Eeeek! I walked over to my local bead shop but they are out so I'll have to be creative for a few days until I can get some new wire. Today's necklace used quite a bit of it.

One side is yellow and teal African trade beads. The other side has some amazing chunky glass beads in brown, light blue, navy blue and yellow, then four strands of light blue seed beads. I love the looped effect and definitely want to play with similar styles in the future.

A Necklace A Day will continue all of February. See all the daily necklaces here. I'm joined in this challenge by a fellow East Bay Arts Collective member, Gwen of Gwen Harlow Design who will be crafting and blogging as well.

Sailor Necklace- February Challenge Day 16

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:50:00 +0000

[Sailor Necklace]

Preppy with a modern twist, this Sailor Necklace is strung on blue baker's twine. Pink and blue beads made of recycled glass in Africa mix with brass cubes. The bright colors and nautical theme make me want to head out on the Bay on a sailboat. It's a bit chilly for that right now but put this necklace on and you'll be all set for summer.

A Necklace A Day will continue all of February. See all the daily necklaces here. I'm joined in this challenge by a fellow East Bay Arts Collective member, Gwen of Gwen Harlow Design who will be crafting and blogging as well.

Golden Geode Necklace- February Challenge Day 15

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:27:00 +0000

[Golden Geode Necklace]

This collection of purple pearls and beads have sat in a plastic bag together in my jewelry "to do" box without quite coming together perfectly. Today, they finally did. A few extra additions of the gold pearls really put it over the top. Plus we all know I love a gold chain.

Today is halfway through the Necklace a Day Challenge, and while it has been a challenge, I'm loving really digging into my work and finding something new each day. Thanks for all your support and kind words!

Happy Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:30:00 +0000

[Eero Saarinen's Love List to his wife in 1954]

Originally found on List of Note.

Be Mine Necklace- Day 14 Necklace

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:35:00 +0000

[Be Mine Necklace]

I thought I was going to do something pink or red and a little saccharine for Valentine's Day but I ended up playing around with a piece of repurposed black leather and created this instead. I'm not wearing it because I'm sporting a red cardigan my great grandmother made. (Or may have paid someone to make and then claimed she had made it. There is not of that going on here.) Still, this is one heart necklace you can give your sweetie to wear year round.

The details: black leather that I used my exacto skills to carve a heart out in the lower right corner on a strand of neon green vintage lucite beads from Japan.

A Necklace A Day will continue all of February. See all the daily necklaces here. I'm joined in this challenge by a fellow East Bay Arts Collective member, Gwen of Gwen Harlow Design who will be crafting and blogging as well.

Three times the necklaces- February Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:44:00 +0000

[Cora Necklace]

I may be late, but these three necklaces seriously have everthing I love working with to create jewelry- tons of beading and bling, vintage pieces, mixing textures and textiles, and even simplicity. Yes, simplicity. Check out that last necklace!

First up is a six string necklace with vintage pearls, blue seed beads and translucent purple glass tube beads with a sparkly vintage brooch on one side. It's statement-y, but actually not too big of a piece. I decided to name it after my grandmother. I think she would have liked the colors.

[Fringe Necklace]

Next up is a STATEMENT piece. Full stop. Two layers of trim are sewn to a gold tone chain with the trim going all the way around to the sides of your neck. Layer with a simple dress and you'll be stunning. I first made one of these to wear to my brother's rehearsal dinner and everyone thought the necklace was attached to the dress. I made some matching earrings for this necklace, but those are mine all mine. The necklace is, as all February Challenge pieces are, up for grabs on Etsy.

[Repurposed Monet Necklace]

Lastly, simple. I was playing with layers of this chain and decided the unusual shape should continue to be the main attraction. Three layers, simple vintage chain necklace. I even left on the original tag from the maker- Monet.

tumblights 2/12

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:48:00 +0000

Happy Sunday evening! This week's tumblights are heavy on the Design for Mankind. I must say, Erin Loechner has been killing it lately.

Interesting comparisons between cecilia paredes’ urban camouflage art via Design For Mankind and Kim Joon 's Awakened Ceramics via alecshao

World map created by chipping away layers of the wall behind the map to reveal the landforms via design boom

Art created by painting while suspended in air via Design For Mankind

Prestige and Decay in China, photography of Harry Kaufman via The Fox is Black

Wrapped trees show the horizon via Design For Mankind

Large scale paintings by collaborative husband-and-wife team of Emma Biggs and Matthew Collings via Design Milk

Necklaces 8 & 9- February Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:53:00 +0000

[Apple Necklace]

You don't have to be a teacher to want this apple necklace. Vintage lucite in green and blue and two strands of awesome flat gold chain hold this vintage apple charm with a jade colored natural stone "leaf" dangling. The lucite I found at my favorite Bay Area bead store recently and is originally from Japan.

[Calcite Necklace]

Close friends will recognize this necklace as a riff on one I wear frequently myself but these calcite stones are too amazing not to share. I wirewrapped the stone to attach it to an amazing gold toned rope necklace. I love the hazy pink color of the stone and how it vaguely resembles weaponry while remaining feminine.

Necklace Ten coming soon!

A Necklace A Day will continue all of February. See all the daily necklaces here. I'm joined in this challenge by a fellow East Bay Arts Collective member, Gwen of Gwen Harlow Design who will be crafting and blogging as well.

photobooth sf

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:04:00 +0000

Have you noticed my new Facebook/ Twitter/ all over the Internets photo? I had it taken at Photobooth SF, an amazing photography studio and event space that specialized in analog photography. Polaroids, Dianas, Lomos, even tintype. Not only can you have your portrait taken there, they sell refurbished Polaroids so you can snap your own retro art.

You can schedule your own shoot, or attend the Pre-Valentine's Party tomorrow that benefits Creative Arts Charter School. You can even get a tintype with your sweetie for a special price. If you are in the Bay Area, you need to check this space out. And if you aren't local, the images on the website are incredible on their own.

Serenity Necklace- February Challenge Day 7

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:14:00 +0000

[Serenity Necklace]

For those of you who like your jewelry to be a bit calmer, today's necklace is the Serenity Necklace. It's classic percent jewelry- a mix of vintage beads, chains and natural stones- but in a very simple piece that you wear daily.

The chain is the same used in the Cascading Necklace, but the best part of this necklace is the beautiful vintage beads hung off center. With light blue, purple and magenta, they add interest in the otherwise organic feeling necklace.

The lighting has been poor and Partner-in-Crime hasn't been home to help me take pictures of my necklaces being worn, so apologizes about the low quality of this pictures. The colors on the top image are true to life.

A Necklace A Day will continue all of February. See all the daily necklaces here. I'm joined in this challenge by a fellow East Bay Arts Collective member, Gwen of Gwen Harlow Design who will be crafting and blogging as well.

weekend review: marin adventures

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:52:00 +0000

[Check out those ripples in the distance- that's ocean waves!]

It's been a while since I posted a weekend review, but I figured if I was late on my necklace challenge, I should share why. This series of images is a little of the "this is my perfect life" variety but I have to say, anytime I have a rare weekend off and get out of the city, it does feel like a perfect life. Just for the day. Images after the jump.

[Mossy trees]

[Trees with odd, slightly creepy red growth]

[Climbers]

[The lookout tower that we weren't allowed to use]

[Old school sepia- image shot through sunglasses]

[Bolinas]

[Bit of antiquing. Book title: This is My Best]

[Low tide]

[It was too cold for anyone to take them up on the offer.]

[We weren't the only group enjoying beers on the beach.]

[Close to the last of the day's light]

Necklaces Five and Six- February Challenge Days 5 & 6

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:19:00 +0000


[Glass and Pearl Necklace]

Okay, a necklace a day gets even tougher when it overlaps with my first weekend off in a month. Instead of making a necklace yesterday, Partner-in-Crime and I lunched at Thai Temple, ran errands for the house, took Gracieface to the dog park, and even went to a potluck in the city. Since I didn't get it posted yesterday, today is a two-fer.

Day Five's Necklace is a multistrand necklace with two strands of pearls in cream and gray, gold chain and green recycled glass made in Africa. It hangs from a cream ribbon and is adjustable to whatever length you'd like to wear it.

[Sydney Necklace]

Necklace Six is the Sydney Necklace, named after my friend Sydney who gave me the amazing necklace that is the base of this piece. I wrapped it with orange, lime green and blue embroidery floss down one side and continued the blue onto the charm. A shorter piece, this necklace sits on your collarbone.

Prism Necklace- February Challenge Day Four

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:51:00 +0000

[Prism Necklace]

I'm especially excited to share photos of this necklace because I'm on Instagram! If you follow me on twitter, you got to see a special sneak peak this morning. Then I was off to Marin County for hiking on Mt. Tam and lazing on the beach in Bolinas.

I've done many necklaces with chandelier crystals before, I cannot get enough of them, but this is the first I've combined with natural stones. These are dyed green stones that are an incredibly variegated green. Simply gorgeous. The Prism Necklace is available now on Etsy and I have a handful of these green stones left. I have the feeling they won't make it through February!

Cascading Necklace- February Challenge Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:03:00 +0000

[Cascading Necklace]

Day three of the February Necklace Challenge and I'm having a great time. My desk is just staying messy with beads (sorry, Partner-in-Crime) and I have a half dozen ideas brewing for the coming days. Today's necklace I almost named Fishtail, because it reminds me of these rainbow fish children's books but "Fishtail" isn't the most enticing thing to put around my neck. This necklace deserves a better name, doesn't it?

The gold chain is a vintage piece that is absolutely gorgeous. It has a nice weight to it and looks gold (though as you can tell by the price, it is not.) The beads are glass and each row has a pattern of different sizes and cuts in the same color. I hand formed the wire to bend in a nice curve and wrapped it closed around the chain. And once again I was inspired to make matching earrings!

[Earrings!]

Neon String Necklace- February Challenge Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:20:00 +0000

[Neon String Necklace]

Happy Groundhog's Day! (And happy birthday to my big brother.) Apparently we're getting six more weeks of winter. If this makes you crave something bright, today's necklace is for you!

[Wire wrapping]

A bright pink neon string has been repurposed to replace my usual gold chains. Neon is everywhere (including my purse) so why not around your neck? On the string is a big bright orange wood bead with three light blue clay beads on one side and six on the other. The blue beads have a great variegated color that adds texture and interest. Hangs perfectly offcenter just below your collarbone. This piece is finished with wire wrapped ends that keep the string secure and let it lay smoothly on your neck. The Neon String Necklace is now on Etsy, get it before it's gone!

[Necklace two]

Colorblock Necklace- February Challenge Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:25:00 +0000

[Colorblock Necklace]

Necklace One is complete! I'm so excited about this piece. When collecting vintage jewelry and bits and pieces, sometimes I buy something I like but don't have any clue what to do with. Other times, I find something and know immediately what I want to make. This necklace started as one and ended as the latter.

I recently bought a strand of multicolored vintage lucite beads, unsure of how to use them but I never pass up gorgeous lucite beads. Then a friend who also makes jewelry (check out her work!) gave me this necklace to cut up and remake.

[Okay, I didn't take a picture before I cut it open. You get the general idea.]

Pretty cool, right? But also a little boring. I knew it needed more color and less symmetry. I love the colorblocking trend that is going on so I made a colorblock necklace. I used the vintage lucite beads, the necklace from Sydney and one extra awesome rock shaped teal bead that I found long long ago (it's the awesome rock shaped teal one below.)

[Random rock shaped bead really makes this necklace]

Oh, what's that, you ask? Did I overachieve and make earrings too? Yes. Yes, I did. Both the earrings and the necklace are listed on Etsy. Perfect to add color to any outfit you wear on a rainy day like we're having here.

A Necklace A Day will continue all of February. See all the daily necklaces here. I'm joined in this challenge by a fellow East Bay Arts Collective member, Gwen of Gwen Harlow Design who will be crafting and blogging as well. If you'd like to join the challenge, email me at kat.mceachern (at) gmail dot com.

February Challenge- A Necklace a Day

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:55:00 +0000

[Champagne cupcakes from Some Kitchen Stories]

Happy February! In my family, February is a month of celebrations because of the many family members with birthdays. My sister just escaped being a February baby by one day and was born on March 1- of a leap year! My brother and I still lament not being able to constantly tease her about being four years old on her sixteenth birthday.

This February I won't get to celebrate with any family members in person, but we'll be celebrating everyday on the blog with a new necklace every day! I'll share a bit of a story of the necklace and it will be up on Etsy for puchase. Making, blogging about and listing on Etsy is a big task to undertake daily but I'm excited to both spend more time on my craft AND more time sharing it with you!

Plus, all Necklace a Day necklaces will be 20% for the month of February with the code (what else?) FEBRUARY.

To make this even more exciting, I'm joined in this challenge by a fellow East Bay Arts Collective member, Gwen of Gwen Harlow Design who will be crafting and blogging as well. If you'd like to join the challenge, email me at kat.mceachern (at) gmail dot com. See you tomorrow with the first Necklace a Day jewels.

tumblights 1/29

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:49:00 +0000

It was a scary week. Little Gracie got into some raisins, which are toxic for puppies, and spent the last two days in the pet hospital being observed. I'm happy to say they treated her quickly, and she was never in pain. We picked her up last night and are so glad to have her home, safe and sound. She's curently snoozing away next to an also-sleeping Partner-in-Crime.

Here's this week's tumblights:

Test tube chandelier can be a hanging garden, rainbow via Design*Sponge

‘Billboard House’, a residential prototype that combines the concept of outdoor media with housing via designboom

Andy Goldsworthy’s newest installation in the Presidio via inhabitat

Noemie Goudal’s site-specific sculptural installation photography via designboom

Pep Ventosa takes hundred of photographs of one subject then re-constructs them into one image via Honestly WTF

Enjoy these? Find more daily at percentblog.tumblr.com. And even more stunning images on my pintrest.

how to: spray painting leather

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:33:00 +0000

Sometimes I have pieces on my closet that I love, but over time I come to love more out of sentiment than the style itself. A purse I bought on a trip in early high school to El Salvador is one of those favored items. I love (most) the memories of the trip, but haven't actually carried the bag in many years. On the style and DIY blogs I read, I've been seeing lots of neon and spray paint and a jolt of color is just what this bag needs to wake it up. So thanks to Geneva of A Pair and a Spare for the many neon inspirations, including a market bag, and to Kristen of Glitter and Glue for helping me be brave enough to spray paint a leather purse.

I mentioned on twitter that I painted another bag that didn't turn out so well. It was a canvas tote with writing so be sure to use primer if you need to cover up a design first. If you can find the color you want, I'd definitely recommend using fabric paint on canvas instead of spray paint. Additionally, make sure you have that tape down securely at the edges!

This how-to is for spray painting leather though, so follow the simple steps below!

[The purse originally]

[Taping off the area to be painted. Prime first if you need to.]

[After one coat, a little splotchy]

[Two coats, a little bleeding but luckily on the hidden area]


[Done!]

I have thought about making the design highlight the embossed leaf/feather design more, but I like the simplicity of stripe of neon showing through. What do you think- did I make the right call?

recipe: lemon squares

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:25:00 +0000

I'm posting this with a disclaimer: making this recipe may ruin all other lemon squares for you. Ever. You know a recipe is going to be great when it comes from a Junior League cookbook. Okay, another disclaimer: this does not apply to anything molded out of jello that contains fruit or cottage cheese. However, lemon squares? Those ladies have it perfected.

I grew up eating these lemon bars on special occasions. They are not overly time consuming but do require three steps and a long time chilling, so you cannot whip them up right before your luncheon. Luncheons being what I assume they originated for. The ladies of the Junior League of Cincinnati are still hawking cookbooks, but neither on sale is the one to originally contain these so I will share it with you. In fact, when I google searched "junior league of cincinnati cookbook lemon squares" they were sharing a recipe with no cream cheese icing! Cue pearl clutching. Enjoy the icing loaded version here.

Frosted Lemon Squares
2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 whole eggs
Juice of two lemons
4 Tablespoons flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together the flour, butter and powdered sugar, either with a mixer or food processor. It will be quite crumbly. Press into ungreased 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes until a light golden color.

Beat the eggs. Add juice of two lemons, flour, sugar and salt. Mix together. Pour over baked crust. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely before icing, 2+ hours or overnight.

For the icing, cream together the butter and sugar in mixer or food processor. Add whipping cream and vanilla and mix. Add the cream cheese in pieces into this mixture. Spread icing on cooled lemon layer. Chill and then cut into small squares. Store in the refrigerator. Freezes well.

If nice presentation is desired, partially freeze before cutting as icing remains soft at room temperature. But if the Junior League ladies thought they looked fine, they look fine. And I can promise you, they taste great.

tumblights 1/22

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Hello, dears. As you've seen, it's been an exciting week. The weekend rounded out with a homemade pizza party with friends and a rainy night in. Now it's a rainy Sunday, perfect for a football game (go 49ers!) Happy Lunar New Year- it's the year of the dragon!

Brian Dettmer creatively destroys solely vintage non-fiction books via design boom

This bike would be designed in SF via Design Milk

Steven Spazuk creates art with flames, allowing the images to emerge naturally via Design Milk

Maybe not sexy, but necessary and, in this case, attractive. Fuseproject (yves behar) newest health and wellness brand ‘sabi’ via design boom

Eat Me: Appetite For Design book via MocoLoco

Enjoy these? Find more daily at percentblog.tumblr.com. And even more stunning images on my pintrest.

the magic of twitter

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, you may have seen me post something on twitter that looked like this:

If you were confused, it was in response to this:

Which resulted in this:

Yes. Those are my fingers. No. I have not become a hand model (the current burn from the oven on my right hand should prevent that.) Instead, I have started an internship for Anne Sage, a wonderful blogger, stylist, and Executive Editor of Rue Magazine. Last Friday we had a wonderful time shooting the Valentine's Survival Guide that is featured on pages 34-36 of the just released issue of Rue Magazine. Our photographer, Molly DeCoudreaux, was a trooper, making our shoot super fun even while she felt under the weather. Check out the rest of the shoot!

what the world needs is people who have come alive

noreply@blogger.com (percentblog) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:59:00 +0000

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr Day. A day named for a specific great leader, but one who worked with countless other leaders, some who we have heard of and some whose names are not transcribed in history books. Today I want to share a poster I created, because it was inspired by the words of another civil rights leader, Dr. Howard Thurman. A friend from high school had posted the following quote as her Facebook status and I immediately was struck by it. Learning more about Dr. Thurman I was even more inspired.

The quote attributed to Dr. Thurman in whole reads: Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

I am learning to balance what I feel the world needs with asking myself what makes me come alive. Do you know what makes you come alive?

You can download the posters as pdfs here, posters are 11x17 prints. I'm sharing them freely, so feel free to use them in any non-commercial use.