Corkboard Inspirations

Toppers

2013-01-11T18:41:00.001-08:00

I just ordered these little 1.5inch munchkins for cake toppers. I assumed the boy would approve. He did not. He will lose this battle. He agrees.

I'm Back

2013-01-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! I allowed myself quite a long vacation from this site. I make no promises that I will return more frequently than a week or so...I think honesty is always the best policy.
I am, however, pledging to keep everyone along for the ride, as long as you can bear with my excited rambling, gluten-free food finds, decorating extravaganzas, and anything else I failed to mention.
So, welcome back and stay awhile - I intend to.

Get a Clu

2012-04-26T09:13:00.002-07:00

So in love with this brand right now. I know, I know. I just resigned at my old job at a clothing boutique, so maybe the discount-withdrawl is getting the best of me. I just think the lines of these pieces are fun, flirty, drapey and sophisticated all at once. And, neutral! Duh.

* all photos from clu website

Last Few Weeks

2012-04-19T15:18:00.001-07:00

A lot has happened with me. All good, I swear.

(seeing a really close friend's work in a very cool retail store)

(slow cooker Chipotle-knockoff barbacoa)

(gluten-free Fonuts for a great partay)

(slowly researching wedding centerpieces)

(deciding this might probably be easier)

(internship work)

(moving the boy in...into my closet was harder than the entire rest of the apartment)

(my brand-new baby nephew)

(getting ready for baseball season)

(homemade birthday breakfast - paleo pancakes)

Habanero Tequila

2012-03-06T21:28:00.000-08:00

Hi. My newest obsession. Habanero tequila, mixed with grapefruit juice and a cucumber slice. That is all.

I made the mistake of slicing too many cucumbers for a salad this weekend (recipe to come). That, inevitably meant that I needed to make an endless supply of habanero tequila. Right? That's how I interpreted my cosmic universe, anyway.

Wendy's Lookbook

2012-03-06T21:01:00.003-08:00

Last week, I had the absolute joy of mixing business with pleasure. One of my favorite bloggers was kind enough to host an event with my company!

Seriously, Wendy is arguably one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. Pair that with her everyday fashion brilliance, and her ability to mix high-and-low - she's a surefire winner. Plus, her blog has only been around less than a year.

Get ready to see a lot more of her, ladies. But, feel free to start stalking her, here.

Cupcakes

2012-02-22T21:29:00.000-08:00

When Suzanne (co-founder of, this amazing site) invited me over for dinner, she had these little gems a-waiting. Of course I employed every method of social media the next day to make sure I got her cupcake recipe (I mean, I'm nothing if not persistent).
So, while you can view her chocolate version on her site, she was kind enough to share her vanilla version also.

Grab:
(makes one dozen)
6 eggs
1/3 cup mild-tasting oil (I used grapeseed oil)
3/4 cup honey
1.5 T vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 t baking soda
1.2 t salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (seriously, the mixing takes a minute). Line your muffin pan with papers.
2. In a small bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, blend wet ingredients until combined.
4. Gently add in dry mix until combined.
5. This batter will rise less than you may be used to, so fill just over 3/4 for each muffin paper.
6. Bake for 20-22 minutes until almost clean toothpick comes out (a little moisture is fine, and you don't want overly dry cakes).
7. Cool completely before icing (I actually refrigerated mine overnight and made the icing in the morning).

Icing:
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup hazelnut oil

1. In a glass bowl, microwave the chocolate in 25 second bursts, stirring after each set. Shouldn't take more than a few go-arounds.
2. Once the chocolate is completely melted, add in the oil until everything is evenly combined (though it might just look like oily melted chocolate. duh, it is).
3. Chill bowl in freezer for 10-15 minutes. I transferred mine to my stand-mixer bowl, and then froze that.
4. Beat the chilled mix, on high, for approximately 5 minutes - you are going for icing consistency.
5. Ice cupcakes, show self-control, then show absolutely none.

Enjoy!

Neon Necklace

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

When my friend, Sarah, sent me this photo of a D.I.Y. necklace, I knew I had to make one. I poked and prodded, asking what website or 'D.I.Y. guru' she found the template.

Of course, it was HonestlyWTF to the rescue. The easy template, the link to online resources, the whole enchilada!

In the words of Sarah - this will be my seasons' P.O.C. Squeal.

It's the Little Things...

2012-02-13T22:26:00.000-08:00

We decided early that we wouldn't do anything over-the-top for Valentine's Day (I'm not a fan of flowers, and the boy is a fan of not buying me things that I don't like). So - low and behold - he picked out a good present this year.

He found me a marvelous stand-mixer on Craigslist! It's glorious!!!!! I had intentions to make cupcakes the minute he told me, but we spent this weekend with family - and my family is never short on homemade desserts.

So, last night, we made these. I got to use my stand-mixer for the super-stiff egg whites for the gluten-free buns, and he spent the twenty minutes making the sauteed meat filling.

Air Supply

2012-02-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

Not the band. Get over it. But, question to you all - have you ever tried growing 'air plants' (formally known as tillandsia...less fun)?
It's a species that can root anywhere, but just needs massive moisture once a week. I feel like I owned one once, but over-watered it.

I found a great online retailer (here), and wanted to try again. Call it 'Spring greening' or whathaveyou... I just want pretty things that don't die on me.

Pardon the Interruption

2012-02-08T08:22:00.000-08:00

Life sort of happened. I got side-tracked.

I promise I'll get back in the swing of things soon. Cupcakes will be happening this weekend (thanks to Sean and Suzanne). Feel free to test on your own, too. See ya' soon.

Robynn Molino

2012-01-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

So, I love supporting small, independent business owners. Both my parents ran their own businesses, so I appreciate the passion, struggle and unique offerings. And then....there is jewelry. Yeah. It's doubly fun to buy from smaller, indie designers. I already bought the Bully Necklace, above (ummmm...hi, it was $20).

But bracelets and necklaces made from vintage typewriter strike-plates? Might be next on the list....

Her entire collection (along with questions about custom orders), are available here.

Maria's Primal Goldmine

2012-01-11T14:11:00.000-08:00

If your resolutions were anything like mine, the list looked a bit sad and quirky. But, one of those things - as always - was a bit more realistic. Take gluten out of my diet. So, with my proverbial sword in hand (read: the internets), I began my quest.

Oh, good lord, thank you Maria! And by 'Maria'... I actually mean Maria. Maria Emmerich has been a nutritionist and primal/paleo food advocate for years. Her books, blog and recipes are an absolute delight.

I made this pizza last night (this is her photo, mine looked a bit more brown). But oh, geebz did it taste amazing.

While her main goal is to cut harmful gluten, corn and chemicals from her clients diets, she also understands people's needs to supplement their old, treasured comfort foods.

Whether it's a chocolate mousse pie, a sloppy joe (she uses grass-fed beef and has her own recipe for the bun!), or jicama sliced to resemble tortilla chips - she intends to make it taste great, first and foremost.

So, stalk her website, buy the book if you wish, and get to cooking...you'll be better for it, and you might be able to sneak this in front of a loved-one without them noticing the change.

Siiso

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

All her works are available on her Etsy site, here.

Punctuated

2012-01-09T22:44:00.000-08:00

How Come?

2012-01-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

How come every time I go to the thrift store, the men's section is spilling over with amazing finds? Allen Edmond wingtips, Cole Haan loafers, Salvatore Ferragamo double monks (not pictured). I'm not complaining. The boy has gotten some pretty good pieces from these trips - he just doesn't wear four varying sizes of shoes.

Again, I love my domestic finds. I found a full set of espresso cups (white ceramic - perf!). And then, found the cutest little ceramic grapefruit bowl. Remember when you were little and everyone and their mom ate half a grapefruit with every meal? I think that's what this bowl was meant for. I plan to keep Cuties in it.

From the Desk of...

2012-01-04T00:52:00.000-08:00

[Terence Conran]

[Kelly Wearstler]

[Thomas O'Brien]

[Mary McDonald]

Gin Gin Mule

2012-01-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Anyone who truly knows me, knows that my drink of choice is a gin and tonic. You really can't go wrong when you hand me one of those. I may fall in love with you. But, this weekend, the boy managed to research a drink that may now be at the top of my list.

I sipped on some tonic water while he made this, just so I had an open bottle as a fail-safe, if this new beverage-relationship didn't work out.

A Gin-Gin Mule - amazing. Think about a mojito made with gin, but splashed with a heavy dose of ginger beer. All my favorites, muddled into one drink. Okay - three drinks.

Ringing in the New Year

2012-01-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

Thrifting paid off - a brand new ceramic grapefruit bowl.

A great drink - no mixing required.

Number four...maybe five.

The boy's brand new bar toys.

Leftover Crust

2011-12-30T06:30:00.000-08:00

Turkey, ham, and prime rib aren't the only leftovers from Christmas. What to do with the leftover pie crust? Oh, fear not little chicklets...homemade Fig Pastries to the rescue. (after the jump)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then, grab:

- Trader Joe's Fig Butter
- any leftover pastry crust dough (you can buy store-bought pie dough if you've want to try this)
- sugar and flour to dust

After you've cut your rolled dough into an even number of pieces, simply place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

A baby dollop of fig butter on half the pieces.

Tip: before you place the top layer on, be sure to line the bottom piece with a border of water. You can just dab your finger in water and trace the outside (it works like a glue to help the pastry bits hold together).

After the pinch bit, I used a fork to gently seal each side, then lightly sugared the tops. Bake for about 10 minutes (depending on how thin your pastry dough was rolled. These were gone before they were even cool. That's a win in my book.

Resolutions

2011-12-29T14:22:00.001-08:00

Screw New Year's Resolutions... how 'bout just living life. But making each day better. Boom.

Baking Levels

2011-12-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

This time of year, I notice a lot of people asking others for baking advice. If you aren't a baker, but have a burr in your butt to make some home-baked goodies - here's a few options, numbered from beginner to slightly less beginner.

Kindergarten Cookies (found, here). No baking required.

Diva Drop Cookies (found, here). Four ingredients, one bowl.

Shortbread Cookies (found, here). Easy, but require chill time and rolling out.

Coconut Tequila Cupcakes (found, here). A few strange ingredients to make a marvelous cupcake.

The Most Wonderful Time...

2011-12-16T00:03:00.000-08:00

....yesh....

...I love it all.

Current Corkboard

2011-12-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

What I do for fun...

Quarry

2011-12-08T07:54:00.001-08:00

Okay, I swear that Quarry does more than just necklaces. It appears that this is all I wear though, so this is what you get. Feel free to stalk their site, and check out their online retailers, here.