i know it's new years... but happy valentine's day, and a give-away!

So I have a new print that will be in my Gingiber Etsy Shop tomorrow. I think that a version of this print with some text would be lovely for Valentine's Day....What do you think?

Seriously, I need suggestions on the text... something lovey dovey, but not too cheezzzyy.

I will give a free 5x5 print with the chosen text to the person with the best suggestion! Just Leave your idea in the comments section of this posting! 

This is my first give-away, so hopefully people other than my immediate family will leave ideas! I will take suggestions from this instant until Midnight January 3rd 2010!


-Later Gaters... and a Happy New Year!

brown butter and sage mashed potatoes!

Image Vintage Victuals (I didn't take a picture) 

Okay, so let me tell you that made the most amazing mashed potatoes yesterday! I think you all should try them too, okay? Super duper good! 
Inspiration? This recipe for Brown Butter and Sage Pasta featured on The Kitchn. I had a ton of red potatoes that were about to go bad if I didn't take action. So, I simply converted the recipe to mashed potatoes..... can I say YUMMMMM!!!!!!
Recipe: Brown Butter and Fried Sage Mashed Potatoes 
*10-12 scrubbed and diced red potatoes
*1 stick of butter
*1/4 cup of sage
*1/4 cup of milk (I used non-fat... but I suspect some heavy cream would be great!)
*Salt to taste
1. Boil a large pot of water and add diced red potatoes. Cook until tender.
2. In a large skillet, place stick of butter. Heat on medium, and let the butter melt and brown for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. The butter will get brown and some sediments will settle at the bottom of the pan. This is a good thing!
3. Add sage to the butter and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
5. Beat in the milk.
6. Slowly pour in your butter and sage mixture to your potatoes. Be sure to scrape down the pan and get those dark butter bits! They are the best part of the recipe.
7. Mix, until well incorporated.
8. Enjoy the most delicious treat! 

I hope you get to try this tasty and simple recipe soon! Today I am taking miss Violet to the doctor.... boo.

Oh, and Julie and Julia is a super cute movie! The hubs picked it out to watch last night! Love me some Meryl Streep!

Bye Bye!

my office

I spent yesterday cleaning and organizing my office. Take a look!

Mr. Schroeder Dog chilling under my awesome chair!

My nook of the office (I share it with my hubby). You will never see his side of the office on my blog. It is NOT pretty....

 

Lanterns left over from my wedding 3 years ago!

Runner I made from some pretty Amy Butler fabric!

   

Best gifts from my husband! The Domino Decorating Guide (tear... i miss that magazine) and a book by Apartment Therapy!

Oh, and a little birdie told me that I might be getting a real camera! No more iphone pictures! (My home is incredibly dark as it is.... like NO USABLE WINDOWS!

 

Finally, I played with my Daughter's alphabet blocks! Twas fun!

Have a great day!

the lost week... and pretty pictures

 Sometimes, I feel like the week in between Christmas and New Years's is a lost week. I think back to years past, and nothing about any of the days between the December Holiday's leaves a dent in my memories (except of course my sister's birthday on the 30th!).

  What am I going to do today to make the 28th stand out? I am not sure, but I will let you know what I did tomorrow.

  Here are some pretty pictures to help you get though the day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(source: wehearit)

Enjoy!

deer embroidery onesie

This is what I did today......

   

 

I'm going to be uploading lots of new embroidery patterns on my etsy after the New Year!

Happy New Year's Eve Eve.

paper flowers for decorating mini pie jars

Paper Flower Decorations!

So I made some cute paper flowers and labels for my mini pies. (I also made some mini pretty peach pies).


These are really simple to make, but I thought I would post a tutorial anyways! (Again, if Santa wanted to get me a nice big camera to replace my awful i phone camera, I would be quite happy.....)


Paper Flower Tutorial

1. Grab your favorite decorative paper (I designed my own, but any piece of scrapbook paper will do.

2. Draw 4 amorphous flowers on the paper in varying sizes (see photo above).

3. Cut out the 4 flowers.

4. Stack the flowers on top of each other, and poke a hole through the middle.

5. Cut a 12 inch piece of yarn and lace it through the hole in the paper flowers.

6. Tie a knot in the yarn (this serves as the center of your flower).

7. Take the rest of the yarn and wrap it around the top of your mason jar and tie a knot to attach.

8. Now squish all of the layers of the flower together, to add some depth.

9. Enjoy your pretty paper flower!

 I hope you enjoy!

cheery cherry christmas pie tutorial...i'm seeing red!

This was my weekend!
I made little individual cherry pies in mason jars! I am giving them as homemade Christmas gifts this year! And they are uber cute! 
Recipe (Makes 4 jar pies:
 Ingredients:

4 mason jars (8 ounce)

1 bag frozen tart cherries

2/3 cup of white sugar

1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

2 tablespoons white flour

Dollops of butter

2 rolls frozen pie dough 
1. Combine cherries, white sugar, and lemon zest in a saucepan   over low heat until sugar is dissolved. 
2. Remove from heat and stir in  of flour 
3. Take one roll of prepared pie dough (I used store bought) and press inside an 8 oz. mason jar, until jar is covered.
4. Spoon in cherry filling into mason jar.
5. Put a dollop or two of butter on top of the cherry filling.
6. Cover filling with more dough! (see above picture for ideas). 
7. Place in oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
8. Remove from oven and let cool.
9. ENJOY CHERRY PIE!!!!!!!  

I shared these little pies with two of my favorite people: 

 

(image courtesy of Jenna Garrett)

(Chris is a graphic designer and an AMAZING illustrator! Find him at paperbeatsscissors.com)
(Jenna has so many mad skills, it would be difficult to list them all. Check out her website! mindthegapdesign.com)


And for fun, here are some preeeettttyyy red images!

 

 

 

sources: WeHeartIt and Etsy

Have a super duper Monday! 

new layout!

What do you think!?

My good friend Chris helped me out. I like him (and his girlfriend).

Oh, and a drawing to remember the day by!

bye bye!

new illustration

I made a new illustration! This little dear will be available in my shop after New Year's. What do you think? I think that this is a happy dear, and I really love the colors I used.. (pats self on the back.....).

Check out some other goodies in my etsy shop!

i want for christmas........

 

We Heart It

Anthropologie

 

Blackoutwell's Etsy

We Heart It

 

Happy Friday!

portraits

Sometimes I see portraits that make me really happy.

 I just learned of Sandra Suy today, but when I one of her works featured on decor8, I was kind of smitten. She is based out of Spain, and gave up fashion design for drawing beautiful people in beautiful clothes. (I think it was a smart move). Her etsy features prints of her original illustrations. I am tempted to buy one just so I can lust after it in my own home, instead of on my small computer screen.

I remember the first time I saw a Sargent painting. The way he represented the subject, mixing lively brushstrokes and a somewhat classical face is sort of what made me want to be an artist. I am not great with words, but I sort of lurve Sargent.

Laura Mallet's work moves me in the same way. I love her mixed media pieces, where she combines portraiture with sewing, gold leaf, patterns. They make me feel nostalgic, longing to be a part of the world that she has constructed in each image. Oh, and I know Laura personally, so hopefully she doesn't mind me mentioning her on my blog, but she is incredibly talented. Check out her work here. She makes me want to be a better artist.

Why do I love portrait work soooo much?

 You see, over the past few years, I gave up on fine art and portrait-work in favor of doodles and drawings that didn't require me putting that much of myself out into the ether. I am sort of the sensitive, not good at taking criticism type. So, I stopped allowing myself to be criticized. I stopped making art. I found an abundance of excuses. I work too much. I am married. I have a baby. I'd rather be spelunking. You know the drill.

Here's a goal: I am going to make a dedicated effort to draw more and even share it on here from time to time.

And, I won't do toooo many of the mushy "Let's learn more about Stacie" posts in the future. I guess I just wanted to write it on my blog, where everything I write is fair game and will exist forever in internet-land. So hold me to it!

Bu-bye!

holiday house tour (lots of pictures)

My couch that I reupholstered with an Urban Outfitters bedspread (sheet covering the cushions to protect from baby and dogs...)

  So I wanted to show you some more pictures of my house! It is slowly coming together... and I'm not just talking the Christmas decor aspect of it.

  My little house has gone through a lot of trauma since its purchase last year. We have endured a kitchen remodel, 4 floods, removal of all carpet, cement floors (of which many rooms still have instead of suitable flooring), leaky chimneys, and moldy showers.......

  Today, my friends, I will share with you the few things in my house that make me happy. Some of these rooms you may have seen already in the background of previous photos. Nevertheless, here it goes! Sorry about the quality. You take what you can get with your i phone.

My Christmas tree with unwrapped presents

My armchair that I reupholstered in BLUE VELVET... (I heart it)

Branches from my tree from which my Christmas Cards hang

Entryway closets, covered in chalkboard paint

Dining Room, Chalkboard paint on top of white wainscoting, AND my cherry red dresser that I refinished!

Violet Clementine! (I like her most of all!)

My Happy Yarn Wreath! (It needs some flowers or something!)

I hope that you like my house! I will post more pictures as it gets prettier! oh, and check out my etsy for last minute holiday goodies!