Category: Home & Garden Thursday

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Banana Ice Cream, Part II

Its been a while since I wrote about my experiments in homemade ice cream and I’m sure that you’ve been dying for an update.  Even if you haven’t, I have one for you anyway.

Banana Ice Cream, versions 2 and 3

My second attempt at banana ice cream was an optimistic exercise.  I used three bananas, two cups of whole milk, ¼ cup of brown sugar (why not!), and one teaspoon of vanilla.  The result had a good flavor, but a not so good texture; it was pretty grainy.  Ok, so probably whole milk only doesn’t have enough fat.  Let’s try again!

Maybe the third time’s a charm?  So, I tried three bananas, two cups of heavy cream (might as well go big), ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and one teaspoon of vanilla. This had a better texture, but it was a little too fatty for me (like licking butter).  Maybe it was time to try something else and come back to banana ice cream later.

Coconut Ice Cream, version 1

I was rummaging around in the cupboard and got the idea to try making coconut ice cream. After some Pinterest research, I decided to use: one can of coconut milk, one can of coconut cream, half a cup of sugar (we started with ¼ cup, but it needed a bit more), and a splash of vanilla. 

First, I dumped the contents of both cans in the blender and gave them a whirl to smooth everything out (it had been cold, so the coconut fat was separated and solid).  Then I added the sugar and the vanilla and dumped the whole concoction in the ice cream maker.  After about 15 minutes, I added about a cup of sweetened, shredded coconut.  I ran the machine for 20 minutes total before transferring the mixture to a container so that it could harden in the freezer.  This was delicious, the problem that it was super rock hard.  It would be great for popsicles though.  I decided to try again with half coconut milk and half whole milk, hopeful that will come out scoop-able.

Coconut Ice Cream, version 2

For my next coconut ice cream experiment, I tried one can of coconut milk, then the same amount of whole milk, half a of cup sugar, and a splash of vanilla.  It came out of the ice cream maker so yummy and it seemed like the consistency would be perfect.  But after it spent overnight in the freezer, it was rock-hard too.

I started to think that I need to go back to sweetened, condensed milk or bite the bullet and make a proper custard…

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Fairy House Craft Day

Somehow, I tricked my friend S into coming over for craft day this past weekend.  I’m still surprised that she let me talk her into it.  But in spite of how much of a poorly conceived idea it was or how much craftprehension we started out with, we managed to have a great time and created a couple of delightful fairy houses.

The great thing about building fairy houses, or any fairy garden furnishings is that fairies are magic, so whatever you make for them doesn’t actually have to be functional.  As long as the intent is there, the fairies can do the rest.

I have been wanting to make a fairy house out of wine corks with a beer bottle cap roof.  Because Pinterest.  I’ve been collecting supplies for a while (tough work, I know).  S brought her collection of Veuve Clicquot corks and seashells because she is fancy like that.

Of course, in my house the single greatest barrier to crafting (and productivity in general) are furry little somethings named Anabel and Sally.  Hot glue and fluffy kittens are a bad combo.  So craft day had to happen al fresco. 

Mr. Man was a helpful enabler.  He set up the easy-up canopy and a table in the driveway.  He also ran an extension cord and power strip for us and loaned me some handy tools (I have got to get my own needle nose pliers, they are SO useful).

We gathered our supplies, poured a couple of mimosas and got to work. Our warm-up craft was making champagne cage miniature chairs (it is important to warm up for all sorts of activities, not just working out).

Then it was time for our experiments in magical architecture.  While S got started on her Veuve Clicquot sea-fairy temple, I sorted through my wine cork collection and realized that I had enough Stoplman Vineyards corks to make a single brand fairy house too.  We used Ikea cork trivets as our bases. 

After enough mimosas and only a few glue burns, our masterpieces were complete!  Now the only problem is where to put these houses to let the magic get in.

Craft day was a success! Fortunately (or unfortunately) we have a load of supplies left over.  I hope we can do it again soon.

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Princess Cake

I generally like most kinds of cake but to tell you the truth, the one kind of cake that I love above all others is princess cake.  Even though her name is “Princess” she is the queen of cake in my world.

If you don’t know what princess cake is, it is a wonderful creation that begins with white cake soaked with almond syrup. One layer is filled with raspberry jam and whipped cream and the other layer is filled with pastry cream.  Then the entire delight is frosted with whipped cream and covered with a beautiful, pale green layer of marzipan.

Your mouth is watering, I can tell.

The other day, while mindlessly scrolling the ‘gram, I came across a Martha Stewart Living video of someone making Scandinavian princess cake.  Somehow, this video gave me the idea that I could actually make a princess cake myself.  Ok, not somehow, it was because all of the ingredients were already prepared – the cake was baked, the pastry cream and the whipped cream were chilled, etc. 

I overcame my fear of making pastry cream (Martha Stewart has a great recipe for “no fuss pastry cream” that I shared with you when I made coconut cream pie) during last year’s cream puff obsession. Since I had no intention to make raspberry jam, almond syrup, or marzipan myself, I felt confident that I had at least a moderate possibility of success.

I assembled my ingredients and made the pastry cream a day ahead.  Then it was time for the big day.

I needed three layers of cake.  In the video, she cut out the rounds from a thin sheet cake.  Ok, I can do that, I have half sheet pans.  I greased the pans then covered them with parchment paper.  One box of cake mix filled one pan (yes, I used box cake mix).  Bake for 20 minutes.  Perfect!  I was making a 9” cake (using the ring from my springform pan for the mold) so I had to make a box of cake (good thing they were two for $3).  I wound up with four rounds and contemplated making an extra layer.

Back to work.  Cooled cakes were cut into rounds.  The extra cake and trimmings went into the freezer, I’m sure that I’ll come up with something to do with it.

Now it was time to make magic happen:

  • The ring was placed on an appropriately sized platter
  • Round of cake
  • Brush with almond syrup
  • Cover with raspberry jam (I bought seedless)
  • Layer of whipped cream
  • Round of cake
  • Brush with almond syrup
  • Layer of pastry cream (I wound up with about a cup of pastry cream left over to do something wonderful with)
  • Round of cake
  • Brush with almond syrup
  • Cover and place in refrigerator to set

A bit later, I retrieved the cake, unmolded, and frosted the whole thing with whipped cream. Then back to the refrigerator to set while I rolled out the marzipan.

This is the part of our program where I made not one, but two unfortunate discoveries:

First, I didn’t actually have any food coloring hiding in the depths of my cupboard with which to dye my marzipan green.  Bummer, but not that tragic, beige can be elegant, right?  The second discovery was perhaps a bit tragic: one 8 oz. package of almond paste is not enough to cover an entire 9” cake.  So, she wound up with a little beige overlay rather than an elegant, pale green coat.

The good news is that she did turn out fluffy and creamy and delicious.  The better news is that the result was well worth the effort.  Princess cake will be attempted here again very soon, and I fully expect that she will be properly robed when that time comes.

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Happy Persian New Year

Today is the vernal equinox, Persian New Year, a date that has been celebrated as Nowruz (“new day”) for over 3,000 years.  I think that celebrating the vernal equinox is a wonderful idea – days are getting longer and warmer, things are beginning to bloom and grow.

This tradition is celebrated in a secular manner in Western and Central Asia and the Caucasus.  It grew out of the traditions of ancient Persian religions such as Zoroastrianism (the first monotheistic religion) in which an important concept is the connection of people to nature.

I remember celebrating Persian New Year (Nowruz) at my grandmother’s houses when I was growing up.  The highlight was always the haft-sin (pronounced “haft-seen”) table.  This is a display that is set up in advance of the new year which contains seven (“haft” in Farsi) items which begin with the letter “sin.”

  • Sabze – literally translates as “greens.”  For the haft-sin display, sabze is sprouts of various beans and grains that are grown in/on dishes on the table.  This symbolizes rebirth or renewal.
  • Samanu – a sweet pudding made from wheat germ.  This symbolizes wealth and fertility.
  • Dried fruit/Persian olives (senjed) – symbolizing love.
  • Vinegar (serke) – symbolizing the patience and wisdom of age.
  • Apples (sib) – symbolizing beauty and health (an apple a day!).
  • Garlic (sir) – symbolizing medicine.
  • Sumac – a Persian spice.  This symbolizes the sunrise of a new day.

Other items that tend to be included in the display are:

  • Candies (sweetness)
  • A mirror (reflection)
  • Candles (light)
  • Painted eggs (fertility)
  • A bowl of water
  • Coins (prosperity)
  • Goldfish (life)
  • Hyacinth (grown from bulbs, not cut flowers)
  • A “book of wisdom” could be a religious text or a book of poetry or literature

Food is a big part of any Persian celebration and Nowruz dinner is no different.  In addition to the usual assortment of different kinds of pollo (rice) and horesch (stew) of there is a certain pollo that traditional to eat for the new year made with these little tart berries and I want to say orange peel and almonds.  Fish is always served.  And kuku sabzi – a sort of herb frittata.

There are lots of other traditions that are part of Nowruz celebrations as well:

  • You are supposed to do a big spring cleaning before the new year – all the rugs, the windows, etc.
  • The Wednesday before Nowruz is a celebration called Chanar Shanbeh Soori, which translates literally to “Red Wednesday.”  On this night bonfires are lit to beckon enlightenment and happiness for the new year.  It is traditional to eat super delicious Persian noodle soup – ash a reshteh – which I am now thinking that I need to find a recipe for and make (it is seriously SO delicious).
  • On the new year, children are given gifts of fresh bank notes (new money) from elders.
  • Thirteen days after Nowruz is called Sizdah Bedar (“nature’s day”) which is celebrated by having a picnic.  This is also when the haft-sin table gets cleaned up.

On that note, I would like to say, “Eid-eh shoma mobarak” (happy new year to you) and wish you happy spring!

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The Ides of March

My mom’s birthday is March 15.  In the ancient Roman calendar, this date was known as the Ides of March.  The Ides of March is notorious because Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC. 

In the ancient Roman calendar, days of the month were counted back from three points based on the phase of the moon.  The Ides (the 15th of a 31-day month) was supposed to coincide with the full moon.  The Kalends was the new moon (and the 1st of the month).  The Nones was the first quarter-moon and/or nine days before the Ides.  And you thought Roman numerals were confusing!

The Ides were dedicated to Jupiter and every Ides sheep were sacrificed to the god.  The Ides of March was an official deadline for settling debts and the date was marked by several religious observances. 

The saying, “beware the Ides of March,” came from Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar.  But the assassination of Julius Caesar is not the only bad thing (relatively speaking – it was bad for him certainly) that happened on March 15:

  • In 1360 France raided southern England.
  • In 1889 a cyclone in Samoa wrecked three US and three German warships in the harbor in Apia.
  • In 1917 Czar Nicholas II of Russia abdicated.
  • And in 1939 Germany occupied Czechoslovakia. 

Other notable historical happenings on March 15 include:

  • 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after “discovering” the new world.
  • 1820, Maine became the 23rd state.
  • 1907, Finland became the first European country to give women the right to vote (13 years before the United States in case you are keeping score).
  • 1964, Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton (marriage #5).
  • 1972, the film The Godfather premiered.

My sweet little mommy is not the only important person who was born March 15.  She shares her birthday with:

  • Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933)
  • Mike Love of the Beach Boys (1941)

Here’s a little bit of Pieces birthday astrology for those born on March 15: people born on this date cannot comprehend selfish behavior and are put off by negativity. 

The full moon this year will actually be on March 20, which also happens to be the vernal equinox.  There’s got to be some interesting cosmic energy going on with that, I’ll have to see if I can find out anything notable to share with you about it.

The moral of this story is: don’t worry about anything bad happening on this Ides of March and if you know my mom, give her a call tomorrow to wish her a happy birthday!

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That 70’s Closet

It turns out that my gym throws a big party every year.  This year’s anniversary party had a 1970’s theme.  I love me some disco!  So even though it required more effort than I usually put into getting ready for the gym, I was up for it.

There was a lot of scuttlebutt around the gym about what folks were going to wear for the party.  It was fun to hear about all of the outfits that people were searching for on the internet and at the local thrift stores.  I try to be a good sport when it comes to a theme party, but I’m not big on costumes.  I didn’t need to worry.  Somehow, my whole 1970’s-style outfit came from things that I already had in my closet.  I didn’t even need to dig very deep to be honest. 

Aside from the obvious – that I have not jumped on the Marie Kondo bandwagon yet – I’m wondering what that says about me?

There were a lot of options in my closet: actual 1970’s Gunne Sax prairie dresses, an assortment of Mrs. Roper caftans (I really love any opportunity for a caftan moment), a wrap dress of course, and an Altuzarra for Target dress that I had worn to a work function a few years ago.  The Altuzarra dress won.  There is something about shiny nylon, a deep V-neck, long sleeves, and a slit skirt that just seemed right.

Last summer, I did conduct a brutal edit on my shoe collection, but I still managed to have multiple appropriate options.  Gold, platform sandals were the winners.

Don’t forget the accessories.  I did go for a deep dive to pull out this great tooled leather handbag, but on my way there, I came across a green, snakeskin clutch who has been waiting for her moment of greatness.  A crocheted shawl just in case (any excuse to add fringe).  And my favorite Wendi Grant fringe-y earrings.  Perfect!

The greatest challenge I faced with my look was my hair.  Not what to do with it – big and feathered obviously.  But if I could make it happen.  Guys, I haven’t owned a curling iron in years.  I managed to create a decent Jaclyn Smith/Kelly Garrett look with my blow dryer and a round brush!  With a little help from my neighbor’s flat/curling iron, I had a disco-ready do.

My friend showed up wearing a fabulous, red, halter jumpsuit.  Thankfully, she also brought the blue eyeshadow and we were ready to hit the town!

Although I’m sure that it would be nice to have a streamlined closet, it is incredibly satisfying to know like I can go in there and emerge with something appropriate to wear for almost any occasion.  It isn’t that my closet is overflowing, there is just a nice, eclectic assortment of not-for-everyday pieces ready to be put into service at a moment’s notice.  That’s called being prepared, right?

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Risotto is My Jam

One of my cycle class friends likes to say this song or that song is his, “jam.”  I finally realized what he means is that whatever song it happens to be really makes him happy, like he wants to dance.  Based on that definition, risotto is my jam.  I don’t know why I like it so much, but it makes me so happy.

For years (many, many years), I was too intimidated to try to make risotto.  It was things like keeping a pot of hot broth going and the constant stirring.  Finally, about a year ago, the mantra I had been using when I would drive to work every day, “there is no fear, there is only love,” (thank you, Stevie Nicks) kicked in to my cooking zone and I decided that I would make risotto!

I found a great recipe on Pinterest for mushroom risotto and I started feeling like this was going to be not only possible, but successful.  I love that she has you use a cast iron skillet.  I love that you roast the mushrooms in the dry pan before doing anything else (it creates so much flavor, what a great step), and I love cooking with wine (even if sometimes you have to put some into what you’re cooking).

I was still not on board with the pot of hot broth and ladle thing, so I decided to use my tea kettle.  I feel very smart about this little maneuver.  And you know what else, the stirring isn’t that bad really.  I’m not saying that it’s because you have a bottle of wine open, but I’m not saying that it isn’t.

  • mushrooms before
  • mushrooms after
  • just getting started
  • almost ready
  • time to eat

After my mushroom risotto success (which has been replicated a few times), I decided to branch out and try shrimp risotto.  I had found a recipe for jambalaya that includes making a quick shrimp broth with the shells and decided to try that technique again for the risotto.

What you do before you get started with the risotto: shell the shrimp, put the shells in a pot with 4 cups of water, bring it to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.  Use a colander over a bowl to remove the shells from the broth and tada!  You should have this pretty pink liquid that is just waiting to give your dish extra shrimp flavor.

I followed the same procedure as for mushroom risotto only without the mushrooms.  When the risotto is cooked and you add the butter and cheese, and then you stir in the raw shrimp.  Don’t panic, it only takes a few minutes for the hot rice to cook the shrimp (I may have panicked and put the pan in a warm oven for 5 minutes).

I would like to make this sometime for my vegetarian friend, but since I use chicken stock and she hates mushrooms, I need to come up with a different variation before inviting her over.

In the meantime, I just have to remember my cooking mantra, “there is no fear, there is only love.”

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National Margarita Day

These days it seems that every day is National Something-or-Other Day.  I generally find the phenomena entertaining, but I don’t pay too much attention to it most of the time.  However, tomorrow is at least one-of, if not THE most important National Day in my opinion.  Tomorrow, February 22 is NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY!

The legend of Margaritas

Apparently, there are all sorts of disputed claims to the invention of the Margarita.  One version that I had heard which seemed reputable was back during Prohibition, at a bar in Tijuana, someone ordered a Daiquiri (a classic daiquiri is rum, lime juice, simple syrup, ice, served up).  They didn’t have rum, so the bartender made it with tequila.

It turns out that there was another drink that was popular in the early 20th century called a Daisy. A Daisy is brandy, a citrus liqueur, and lemon juice shaken over ice then served over ice topped with club soda.  Replacing the brandy with tequila seems like another plausible origin.

The location of bars claiming to have originated the cocktail are also numerous: in addition to Tijuana, there is a claim from a bar in Juarez, in Acapulco, in San Diego, and even Galveston.  The first recorded blended margarita was served in La Jolla when some guy got tired of bothering with crushed ice and the first frozen margarita machine was a soft-serve ice cream machine in Dallas

Considering that tequila is involved, we may just have to accept the fact that we may never know the definitive origin.  But does it really matter?

Is there is anything interesting about National Margarita Day?

Aside from the joy of there being a day designated to celebrate this wonderful beverage, I did not find much noteworthy about the day.  I was hoping for something like a Guinness book record or a cat who is famous for saving someone’s lime crop.  Maybe we’ll have to get together over a pitcher or two of Margaritas and see if we can’t come up with a great legend for the day.  Does anyone have a good story starter?

How I like to make margaritas at home

I had a great neighbor for many years (I’ve had and have many great neighbors, but this one is germane to today’s topic) who had her own special way of making a margarita.  She called it a “Stiffy.”  It was 1-part silver tequila, 1-part lime juice over ice.  The “Stiffy” was a bit strong for me, but it helped me develop my own take-no-prisoners margarita recipe.  I generally make it in a pitcher, so don’t worry, these measurements aren’t for one drink.

Cynthia’s Margarita Recipe

  • 1 cup silver tequila
  • 1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • ¼ cup something sweet (I am partial to Monin passion fruit syrup or Hanger One orange liqueur but have been known to use Peach Schnapps or whatever else I have on hand)

Combine in a pitcher (or mason jar or other handy container).

Fill a glass of your choice with ice, then fill half-way (ok, ¾ way) with margarita mixture, top with grapefruit flavored seltzer water.  I love salt, but I generally don’t salt the rim of the glass – sometimes I will salt the ice, it’s kind-of a nice touch.

If you haven’t already made your plans for National Margarita Day, it’s not too late.  Swing by your local market for some tequila, fresh limes, and your favorite secret ingredient. I would strongly suggest picking up some corn chips, salsa and guacamole while you’re at it, this is a celebration after all.  You can always stop by your favorite, local Mexican restaurant if you prefer your Margaritas in public, it’s really up to you.

Let me know how you decide to celebrate!

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Saint Valentine

Happy Saint Valentine’s Day Loves!

Among the many, important reasons to celebrate today, one is that it is my mother in-law’s birthday.  Since she lives on the East Coast, we don’t see each other very often.  When we do, she and l like to drink champagne and eat shellfish, so I think I will try to do that today in her honor.  I might even offer to share with Mr. Man.

I also thought it would be fun to learn something about Saint Valentine because I had a feeling that he wasn’t the Patron Saint of diamond heart necklaces.  I think it is kind-of an interesting story, let me know if you agree.  Based on what I read, here is my version of Saint Valentine’s history.

There is not much known about the dude who would become known as Saint Valentine, the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travelers, and young people.  That’s a lot of things!  It seems like a lot of pressure.

I’m not sure how epilepsy and plague got lumped in with happy marriages and lovers, it kind-of makes me giggle.  Isn’t it wonderful that he is the Patron Saint of bee keepers though?  Bee keepers are important.

It is believed that he was martyred in 269 AD.  Those were the days that Christianity was considered a fringe religion in Rome where he lived.  The story goes that before he was executed, he performed a miracle by restoring the sight of a young girl.  My favorite part of that story is that he wrote her a little note before his execution which he signed, “Your Valentine.”  Aww, cute!

I don’t know how it works, but I can’t help but wonder why he isn’t the Parton Saint of sight?  Then we could celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day by having eye exams or eating carrots or something else to promote ophthalmic health!  But I guess the part of the story that he was secretly marrying Christian couples was more important to the people who get to decide those sorts of things.  Still don’t get what bee keepers have to do with it.

In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius I canonized Saint Valentine and the Feast of Saint Valentine was established on February 14.  Among the various sources that I found, there was some mention that the date was intended to usurp the pagan festival of love, Lupercalia.  Other sources say there is no relation, but I love a good usurping story.

Lupercalia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated on February 15.  It was intended to remove evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility for the coming spring.  Rites of the celebration included animal sacrifice, after which members of the Lupercal order would run naked through the streets of Rome holding strips of the sacrificed animal’s skin that they would use to swat people.

Ok, back to Saint Valentine’s Day.  I found several references crediting 14th century English poet and couturier, Geoffrey Chaucer (author of The Canterbury Tales), with creating the association between the day and the idea of romantic love.  I really don’t know anything about Chaucer.  When checked out his Wikipedia page I didn’t find anything that explained the correlation.  If anyone reading is familiar with Chaucer and can explain this, I would be so interested to hear.

In 1969 the Roman Catholic Church removed St. Valentine from the General Roman Calendar because, so little is known about him.  Regardless, celebration of Saint Valentine’s Day continues to become a bigger and bigger deal every year.  I’m not saying that it has to do with my mother in-law’s birthday, but I’m not saying that it doesn’t.

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Ore’ Originals

Happy Products for Good People and Pets

You know how I love my group exercise classes at the gym?  Well, one of the reasons is that I always meet such nice and interesting people there.  One really wonderful woman who I met in yoga class (she is also a fellow member of Rachel’s cycle groupies) is the owner and designer of her own gift-ware business called Ore’ Originals. They make happy products for good people and pets.

I love creative people, so when someone mentions that they are a designer, I always want to know more.  Lisa really did start this business in her garage.  Now she has this awesome facility with light-filled offices and her warehouse on site. 

Ore’ Originals world headquarters

Lisa has this beautiful energy, it’s like practicing yoga next to a sunny day.  I think that she infuses that energy into her products, I mean, I’ve never had such a happy feeling looking at baby teethers before.

She is always working on new ideas and making sure that her products are safe as well as attractive and useful.  When I visited her, she showed me some new products that they were just coming out with and some concepts that were still in development.  She also told me about how they send samples for testing to make sure that there aren’t any dangerous chemicals.

Ore’ Originals has three lines:

Sugarbooger

Sugarbooger is the kids line.  The core product line – sippy cups, divided plates, suction cup bowls, lunch boxes and accessories, etc. come in so many super adorable patterns that Lisa created.  Of course my favorites are “Go Kitty Go!” (because what is better than kitties and bicycles?) and “Flamingo.”

Ore’ Pet

Ore’ Pet is the pet line (surprise!).  I know Lisa as a fellow cat lady, but it seems that the pet line started when she had a pet dog (that’s ok, I won’t hold it against her).  Now, they carry almost as many cat products as dog products.

As a new baby kitten present, Lisa gave Anabel and Sally a set of these beautiful kitty dishes.  I had been feeding them out of tea saucers but Anabel would step, then sprawl onto her dish (she was a slob).  These precious little dishes solved the problem and helped her learn proper table manners.  I love the aqua with the pretty, orange rim.  I also love how the pattern on the dish is textured, it’s a lovely touch.

These “Wish You Were Here” toys are so beyond cute.  They would make really pretty Christmas tree ornaments, don’t you think?

Living Goods

Living Goods is the original line which encompasses all sorts of fun around-the-house-type things.  It’s the stuff for grown-ups and the products are all based on the idea of eclectic home organization. 

There are three styles of mugs: “Pop of Color”, “Cuppa This Cuppa That,” and “Cuppa Color.”  All the designs are really cute, I would hate to have to pick a favorite.  My neighbor had one of her mugs that he really loved, I would see him running out to catch his ride to work with his Ore’ coffee mug in hand.  He said that it had a “great mouth feel” as opposed to that coffee mug that I had once that would trick me into dribbling coffee down the front of my shirt pretty much every time I used it (I’m not kidding!  I thought it was me, but my drinking problem stopped when I switched mugs).

There are fun tabletop things like placemats and coasters.  And how brilliant are these chalkboard placecards?  I feel the sudden urge to plan a party.