Notes from A Cottage Industry

Puddings and cupcakes and tarts, oh my!

Oh.
My.
Ga.
Have you seen this cook book?

After spotting it on someone's Blog (does anyone know?! I'd really like to give credit and link my post here... Pam found it again for me here. Thanks Pam!) I knew I had to get it. I mean, those pictures! Wow. And those recipes! Butterscotch Buttercream frosting?! Chocolate Mousse Buttercream frosting?! (You know I'm gonna make that for my next batch of cuppy cakes!)
  This woman is a-mazing, that's all I'm sayin'.
Anyway.
I ordered the book. It came lickety split. And, you know what? It's even better in person, people. I sat all cozied up in my bed till midnight reading recipes and looking at the to-die-for photos of the treats.I wanted to get out of bed at 11:30 last night and bake something. (OK, maybe not bake right then, coz I had to get up for Toastmasters this morning, but if had been the weekend...) It's really that good.

*Sigh* When I get my cupcake parlor going, I'm gonna have to carry copies to sell of this gem of a cookbook.

For the love of pumpkins...

You know we are now planning a fall wedding. The new bride-to-be found this fabulous book at Wal-Mart and it. is. amazing. Really. Fabulous ideas all throughout, and not just for Halloween!

There is an entire wedding done up with white pumpkins,and flowers and fruits in all shades of greens... *Sigh* Oh, it's to die for dreamy. Just look at the white pumpkin with the pearly stick pins...pure heaven! And the wedding cake with the pears and tiny white jack be nimble pumpkins? Too sweet.
It is chock full of inspiring ideas for entertaining and decorating...oh, I love Autumn so very much.

Just in time... and I can hardly wait!

      Oh my gosh. Have you heard? Have you seen? (Thanks Trish, for telling me!)
    It will be available on December 1, 2007 and you can look inside it and pre-order it here.
     *sigh* Just in time to inspire us with ideas as we plunge into planning the last of three fairy tale weddings...

Just in time for Autumn

Yes! At last. I feel like I've been waiting for-evah.
     The newest Nell Hill's Book. (and believe it or not, I got mine more than ten bucks off, even though the book was only released about three weeks ago, in September. *sigh* just another reason I love Amazon.)
Anyway.
     It's as fabulous as all the rest. Perfect  inspiration for fall. Oh yes, time to do a bit more nesting and fluffing around here this week.
     If you're into Nell Hill's style, this latest book doesn't disappoint.

Let's all tie one on

    Aprons I mean. I love them. Old or new, vintage chic, or hip and trendy. They seem to be everywhere now, and each one cuter than the last.  I know I am not alone in my love of aprons, so I want to share something I found last week.
     While surfing the net, I stumbled upon a this Blog and then somehow ended up at this website.
Wow.
     Not only do these girls run a farm, a Bed and Breakfast, and share their very own "Farmgirl Chapter Movement" they publish their own magazines and books. One of these magazine issues was devoted entirely to aprons. Mmm hmm, I said aprons, people!

     I sent the link to the Maid-of-Honor. We both knew we needed this magazine. It said it came with five free apron patterns,(I mean they were included in the magazine) and pictures of ten more MaryJanesFarm apron patterns you could order. (No, I do not sew, and no plans to sew, but I am related to the Sewing Queen of northern Nevada, and the Maid-of-Honor herself sews like a dream, so... I'm just sayin'.)
    Anyway.

    After two seconds of discussion, the magazine was ordered. Today, not more than seven days later, what do you think arrived by post? (in a manila envelope no less, to protect it from damage along the way) That's right. The faaaaaabulous issue about aprons. A great book and great customer service.

  This magazine had no ads (other than for MaryJanes Farm items) and the photography is as fabulous as the patterns and the articles.(click on any of the photos to see them more clearly)  Pure inspiration, I tell you. (I'm so stoked, I am half tempted to start wearing my red checked cowgirl hat with my apron when I barbecue)
    *sigh* Way cool.
OK, I'll get off of my soap box now and get back to painting the kitchen cupboards.

Celebrating Home

   

     While in Portland last weekend. we managed to hit Powell's Books,the best bookstore on the planet (anyway the best one I've ever been in)  They have it all. New and used, buy or trade.In the store, or online. I was in absolute heaven in the home decor section, and I didn't come away empty handed.
I have been wanting this book for forever, and I found a used copy in perfect condition. It was priced less than half off.

It's put out by Seasons of Canon Falls and it is laid out by seasons and holidays. Oh, such inspiration!
With each page I got more ideas (and I got them all at more than half off, people!)

Whether it's summer or spring, or Christmas time, the ides amazed me and inspired me to get moving. *sigh* If only there were more hours in my day.

The Art and Craft of Entertaining

       You've got to click on the above photo to see the cute details, but, I read about this book on someone's blog last week (help me out here people! Who's blog was it?!I'd like to give her credit-***edited to add: it was Lizzie at Random Happiness, I found it!) and promptly called Barnes & Noble. It's called, "The Art and Craft of Entertaining and it.is.fabulous. FAAAAAB-ulous.They had to order if for me, 'coz they were sold out. (You'd better have them order you a copy too. It's just that good.)
    The book lays out ideas and instructions for entertaining, start to finish, with chapters like "Think like a Hostess,  This Way, Please, and Bringing it all Together" and it even walks you through the how to's and why's for making an Inspiration Board, a party planning journal and a timeline for event planning, whether your gathering will be large or small.   
     Apparently I do not watch nearly enough television, because the woman that wrote the book, Kimberly Kennedy, was the winner on some television show called Wickedly Perfect back in 2005 or 2006, and it was all about "entertaining". (How did I miss this?!)

     Anyhoo, Kimberly won, and she has ideas that absolutely put mine to shame...she inspires me to want to be more creative, and she "gets" how entertaining is more about people, and not just food.(She also inspires me to want to run out and buy a little black cocktail dress)
      I'm telling you, I love this book and I'm thinking you will too.

Living with Lace

    Need a bit of inspiration to make your home more romantic? Try "living with Lace".
    Yup, it's another nice book that I heard about out here in Blogland. I saw this a charming book couple of weeks ago on Heather's blog (thanks for helping me remember who's blog Becca!) Heather shares lots more pictures from this book on her blog so be sure to check it out. Anyway...back to the contents of the book...
    This book is crammed full of ideas for home decor using lace. I admit I am a bit obsessed with the kitchen table/dining rooms in the book, since that is the room in my cottage that I have been focusing on right now.
   There are even pictures of patio and backyard scenario's done up with lacy crochet and vintage cut work. *sigh* It makes me want to dig out all of my lace pieces and find spots for them in each and every room of my home... and I think I will tonight after work.

Home Sweet Home

   I just had to share another great book. I've had this one for a while, but I saw it on another Blog last week, and I was reminded how much I adore looking through it, and simply had to share.
    It's a walk through Mary Engelbreit's "dream home" as she calls it. Talk about inspiration! Every inch, inside and out is full of wonderful touches and details.
    The picture of the outside of her home (which isn't as old as it looks!) says it all. Warm, cozy, charming, right out of a storybook. Not only are the photographs inspiring, but it tells the story of how she and her husband Phil came to be the owners of the home, and why they love it so.
    The book isn't so much the old Mary Engelbreit decor look, with busy bright prints and cherries everywhere (although her signature cherries can be found sprinkled in throughout the home, but oh so subtlety- like on the shutters on the home )
    This is the kind of book that motivates me to spruce up every nook and cranny, and long for it to be long enough past snow season to be planting oodles and toodles of flowers in pots for every window and porch corner. Aah, perfect reading for an early Tuesday morning with my cuppa cocoa.

a perfect friday morning

   It has been one busy week. Up and out the door way too early, returning way too late. Meetings and events for work, errands for home.Oh, and more painting.
   Today when the clock radio alarm went off I got out of bed and made myself my usual morning cocoa. Then, I climbed back into bed. (Yes, I do have to work today...)
   I decided to take a just little time for me, and finally got to peruse through the growing pile of magazines and catalogs that have arrived throughout the week, waiting patiently for me to read them. Aaaaah...500 plus pages of pure heaven.
   I subscribe to quite a few magazines. It is so much cheaper this way. (and so much fun to open the mailbox at the beginning of the month!)  It works out to be a dollar or two a copy as opposed to $4.99 or more in the stores.
Then there are the catalogs. Ooooh, I love them too. A mecca of inspiration, piled up right here on my nightstand.
   The method I like to use is this: I flip through the magazine, just getting a glimpse at the fantastic ideas that might be hidden in there. Then, back through, page by page, reading and pondering. A bit later I go back through a final time and tear out any and all inspirational articles and pictures for home decor, entertaining ideas…whatever.
   I have two old bicycle baskets (the old school kind that straddled the rear tire) that are the perfect size for filing. They are organized with manila folders in them to sort my inspirational things. This way, when I am working on a project and need that extra bit of motivation or a new idea, I can find the right topic and pull it out. It’s a great little system that even Martha would be proud of.   
   *sigh* I am now officially inspired and ready to start my Friday.

Another inspirational read

I've got another good book recommendation to share. I know, I've told you about a million times that am a trying to live a beautiful life. Well,  this book fills the bill for inspiration.
It's all about finding beauty in the little things, with recipes and tid-bits on the littlest forms of finding contentment in it. Little things like making a perfect cup of coffee. I don't even like coffee, but I swear I think I may need a coffee press to have handy for the next time I have guests.
Amy posted about this book earlier this week on her Blog, and I knew I simply had to have it. (My gosh, even the cover coordinates with my home!)
Anyhoo, I sat in bed reading through this lovely book last night until way late, fully inspired, and enjoying every minute of it.  I wanted to share, 'coz you just may like it too.

Self help junkie

Sheesh. I took a look at the stack of books I am currently reading. If anyone were to happen to spy these on my night table they would be certain I was confused about life on all levels. Yikes!
The fact is, I simply love self help books. They inspire and motivate me. Always have, always will. Always room for improvement I say.
From the top down:
The Bible- I read some and grow every day. (in a way it's the ultimate self help book)
Spiritual Divorce - well, I am trying to have a good attitude about this situation I have been thrown into, and I heard about this book on the Oprah channel (or was it the Satelite Sisters?) on XM  radio. Is this book helping me? So far, not so much.
Cesar's Way- OK, I will let you in on a little secret. My dogs rule the roost.(you're shocked I am sure) I actually had not noticed it until I moved. Suddenly, and I do mean suddenly, they both decided they could sleep on the furniture. Now, this has never been allowed, (they're big boys you know) but somehow, in the move they decided they liked sleeping up off the floor. I thought maybe they were stressed and so I kind of ..well, I wasn't firm enough. My daughter (the bride to be, owner of 4 dogs) gave me this book, and said I was "out of control" (really?)and I have to say am learning a lot from this book. Oh, and they are both back to sleeping just fine in their own beds, thank you very much.
Next, You are your choices- (Alexandra Stoddard- need I say more?) Finding peace and beauty in the little things in life- man, I love her books.
Last book in the pile, Start late, finish rich - I think the title says it all. Nuff said.

Inspiration

I was emailing back and forth with an online friend yesterday and found that we are both inspired by the wonderful vintage style of Nell Hill's.  I am a huge fan of Mary Carol Garrity and her books and shops. If you haven't heard of her, you must check her out! I promise you won't be disappointed.
Her latest book, "Entertaining in Style"  is beyond inspiring. When I couldn't get it from my local bookseller, I phoned her shop and ordered it straight from the Nell Hill store in Atchison Kansas, and Mary Carol even signed my copy of the book. Her past books have all been on decorating, but this one focuses on table settings and entertaining.
I tell you, it is pure heaven to sit with a cup of tea by the fire and peruse through the pages slowly, savoring each one. It just puts me in a nesting mode, and inspires me to want to entertain with..well, with style.

Another reason I am sharing about this book is that this is going to be my inspiration for ideas for a new fun weekly event I am going to be part of.
One of my single gal-pals and I have decided that we are going to start a "mini supper club" doing dinner together one night a week. We plan to switch back and forth between our homes, and try new recipes and creative table scapes- now, doesn't that sound fun?

*edited to add:Oh! I meant to share where I got that fabulous NeSt tucked into the bowl, and a few other things pictured!
Darling Deb makes them (seasonally) and dear Amy sells them.
The dishes are from SteinMart, and the silverware is from Ballard Designs.

Oui. oui..The French Inspired Home

I found this book a week or so ago on someone's Blog. (and I cannot remember who's Blog, maybe hers? If you know please let me know so I can give some bloggy credit!) It must be a red hot seller, 'coz I had to order my copy and I just got this book yesterday. You might need to run out and a get yourself a copy today.
Wow, pure inspiration. Even your laundry room can look romantic and fabulous and possibly even inspire you to like doing laundry, or at the very least, make you want to stand around in your laundry room.

The entire book is full of decorating ideas and so much more. Tags and menu clip-art to copy and use for place-cards and such...oh, and even patterns to make things like a gardening apron.
I'm so inspired that I simply had to share.