Dream of a Dining Set

Loving these Norman Cherner tables and chairs. Oh my...I would plan an entire space around these sculpturesque pieces. It's wonderful to see them thrown into a more traditional kitchen, to mix things up a little! Love it.

You can find Cherner reproductions online for a pretty penny or vintage pieces on Ebay for a little less.

photo via Metropolitan Home

Mansfield Park Soundtrack

I volunteer with many-a-lovely-lady at my church and one of them was kind enough to re-introduce me to the Mansfield Park soundtrack. I find it makes perfect background music to my often chaotic day. In fact, I'm listening to it right now...

Sometimes I wish I lived back in that era; especially after reading a book by Jane Austen or after seeing a movie based on her books. The cinematography, music and costumes are always exquisite. I do wonder, however, if it was really as romantic as I've made it out to be in my mind.

P.S. Has anyone seen Northanger Abbey--the version that came out last year? I've read the book and am curious about the movie...

Double Lemon Bars

Once you've tasted the real deal with lemon bars, you'll find it difficult to go back to the boxed mixes. The perfect mix of tang and sweetness you find in the homemade versions is addicting. I can attest to that fact! I just ate one at 9:19 in the morning. That good. If you are like me and often buy the big bags o' lemons at Costco, this is the perfect use for them once ripened.

After cutting the bars I placed them in white chinese takeout boxes with squares of parchment paper in between each bar to avoid a big sticky mess. Unfortunately I forgot to sift powdered sugar atop the bars before delivering, but I'm optimistic they'll hold their own despite it all :)


Double Lemon Bars
Bon Appetit, 1991, Lana Sills

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl. Add butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into bottom of 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Maintain oven temperature.

Beat eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon flour and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend. Pour into crust. Bake until mixture is set, about 20 minutes. Cool.

Cut into 24 bars. Sift powdered sugar over top before serving :)

Justin Hackworth Photo Session GIVEAWAY Winner

If given the chance to have a "thing" or an "experience", I'll typically opt for the experience. Why? Because experiences make life rich and I consider great photography to be one of those priceless experiences. The pictures that I have of my family, my children, my wedding, were all worth every penny. Soon, you'll all be able to make your own sweet memories. Curiosity piqued? Keep reading...


Before I move on with more good news, I'd like to announce the randomly chosen winner of this giveaway:

"kelli", who said, "wow! his style = my style and I'm instantly in love. this would be an amazing win.. especially with our soon to be new family addition."

Kelli, your loaded photo session awaits!! Please contact me asap!

Although the rest of you may have not won the "grand prize", you are all eligible for a prize of your own. Justin's generosity continues...


He is offering a free one hour session at his Provo studio to every reader. Every. Reader. and again, it's free! That is a $200 value! If you live in-state, this will be simple! If you live out-of-state, it's about time you came to visit Utah :) The only thing you need to do to call Justin's studio (801.916.6993), tell him you're a "stephmodo reader" and would like to take advantage of his generous offer for a free session. You'll need to do this within the next week to secure the free session (deadline is August 6). That doesn't mean your session will be in a week or less, just that you'll have one scheduled, on the books if you will. So take advantage of this generous offer and start dreaming of your own beautiful family pictures!

Hop to it :)

Last Day to Enter...

...the Justin Hackworth Photography GIVEAWAY.

Click here to sign up if you haven't already. What a fantastic opportunity to have amazing photographs taken of you, your family, your sweetie, your children, etc. Sign up for yourself or gift it to someone else!

Packing Well

I'm laughing as I write this post title because I'm the world's worst packer. WORST! In fact, I can't remember the last time I was actually satisfied with my packing job. Typically I have too many of the "wrong" things and too few of the "right". I'm attempting, yet again, to get it right this time around as I prepare for our upcoming trip. Hopefully a good dose of determination, and sound advice from others will do the trick.

Here are a few things I've gleaned from friends, family and random people along the way:


1. Pack clothing that isn't prone to wrinkling...

...like matte jersey pieces. You can find stylish pieces via BCBG, Ann Taylor, J.Jill ("Wearever" line), Banana Republic, Talbots and Victoria's Secret (amongst others). These pieces are often machine-washable too, making them perfect for international travel especially (foreign hotels--at least the ones I've visited--are not as well stocked with irons and what not as their American counterparts). Matte Jersey also holds up well over the years too, making them worth their full ticket price if you can't find them on sale. If you do find a few wrinkles once you arrive, put the clothing on hangers and steam in the shower for a few minutes while you do your hair & makeup.

2. Revolve your wardrobe around one dark neutral...

...be it black or chocolate brown. In this case I'm choosing black. Everything I bring will match black in some way. This way I can bring fewer pieces but have more mixing and matching options. Also, this eliminates your need for two handbags in many cases.

3. Limit your shoes to 4 pairs total.

I plan on bringing one pair of hiking shoes, one pair of dressy shoes, and two pairs of more casual walking shoes. This will be quite difficult for me to adhere too--I love options when it comes to shoes. But, I am trying to turn over a new leaf here so I'm going to give it a whirl. I think I can, I think I can...

4. Try on your outfits before you pack them in your suitcase.

You may find you don't like the combination after all, or that there is a missing button, or a stain present. If you know these things before you arrive at your destination, you'll be able to take care of them before you leave home.

Wish me luck...

Dinner at Dusk

Dinner at 7 turned into dinner at 8:45. Oops. Sometimes I just can't get the timing thing down :)

Anyway, we discovered that dinner at dusk is exquisite in the summer. The colors in the sky are ephemeral. The temperature...comfortable. And in this case, the view was lovely too. We almost ate inside, but then the cover of this month's Living popped into my head and I was again reminded how glorious it is to eat outside in the warmer months. Quickly we clipped some wildflowers growing close by for a simple centerpiece and transferred everything outdoors. We had such a great time outside-- that is, until the sprinklers joined our little fete :) Luckily, Chris moves faster than lightening and saved the day in .5 seconds (that was for you honey).

(Many thanks to Nana Becca & Grandpere who allowed us to use their condo for the weekend!)

80th Birthday Invitation

I made these invitations for my sweet Grandma Willa who is turning....you guessed it...80! It was difficult to choose which pictures to feature on the invitation--there were so many precious photographs of her. My favorite included her and a few siblings sitting on the side of what appeared to be a Model T style car. Wow. Next time I do something like this I'll do a "test run" at Costco's Photo Center as the colors turned out differently in print. Live and learn :)

If I Was the Kind of Girl...

...who could justify spending more than $20 on a wallet, I'd buy this at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale going on now (thank you Rachel for the tip). I'd be thrilled to pull this out of my purse/diaper bag on a daily basis. Then again, that's not really a good thing :)

Fun to look...

Ali's Oh-So-Fabulous Moving Sale

If you're in the area, check out this stylin' moving sale. Grab the details here.

On My Mind

photo from Justin Hackworth's 30 Strangers Project


Once a friend mentioned,

Everyone has something to offer.

You may not see it on the outside, but it's there on the inside. And you never know what that "something" might be!

P.S. Was that you Lesli? My mind is starting to fail me :(

Yogurt Parfaits

A refreshing treat for breakfast or lunch, a yogurt parfait is the way to go in the summer with so many fresh berries at our fingertips. It's also the time of year when berries are the least expensive so go ahead and indulge in this healthy and delicious treat. My oldest could eat three of these in one sitting so offer them to the kiddos as well as the grownups :)

Yogurt Parfaits

Mountain High Original Vanilla Yogurt* (can be found at any local grocery store)
French Vanilla granola (found at Harmons & Whole Foods)
Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries

Starting with the yogurt, layer ingredients one heaping tablespoon full at a time. Continue until you hit the top! Garnish with a mint leaf for extra points in the presentation department :)

* This is my absolute favorite yogurt. It holds zero artificial sweeteners and although it's not officially "organic", it does not play host to any additional growth hormones. It's tart, yet tangy, just like the European-style yogurts I love so much. It's not expensive, it's available at most any grocery store (at least in my area), making it a great buy for us all! The "original vanilla" is much better than its "lowfat" counterparts, so don't expect the same experience. Go for the Original!

2-for-$5 at Old Navy

Set one of these delicious-smelling (and beautifully packaged I might add) soaps atop a pile of fresh towels for the next guest that arrives at your home this summer. Making your guests feel like they are truly on vacation is what it's all about, right?! If you are in the mood to take your thoughtfulness a bit further, insert a handwritten note along with the soap & towels. These added touches will put them at ease as they are away from home. If you live near a fantastic chocolatier, throw in a tiny box of your favorite chocolate confections too. Before Xocolate closed, I bought mine there. So sad...

She Sells Seashells

...not by the seashore (wouldn't that be nice?) but rather, by the side of the road :) The sweet little thing follows in her mama's footsteps and decided to make a little cash on the side selling a few things that she thinks others would find desirable. This time, however, it wasn't pink lemonade--although she had fun doing that with her cousins...


...and it wasn't paintings either. She already did that with her Seattle cousins too...


...but rather, sea shells. These are precious to her mind you. To jazz them up a bit she wrote adjectives like, "bumpy" and "soft" and my favorite, "wow!" (because it makes you want to say that when you see it according to E.). She had the Husband and I in stitches as we watched her out in the 100 degree heat, waiting for someone to drive by and buy a descriptive sea shell for a quarter (we live on a cul-de-sac by the way).



Many, many thanks to the Allied Waste Management guy who dropped fifty cents for two shells. What a man!

Domino Delight No. 1

To say I enjoyed the most recent issue of Domino is an understatement. I found myself tearing out about 3/4 of the magazine and throwing the pages in my design binder for future reference. There is so much goodness inside. Mmmm...

This was one of my favorites. Loving her mix of traditional and modern elements. Well-done whoever you are!

A Must See: Children of Heaven

This movie has been on my mind lately. The fact that I'm still thinking about it months later indicates how deeply it has resonated with me. Consider watching it for your next "Date Night In" (with some frozen junior mints). I deem it one of the best films I've seen to date.

Millcreek Canyon

When visiting a few weeks ago, my sister and I took the kiddos up Millcreek Canyon to cool off a bit. Some photos from our afternoon jaunt:

Justin Hackworth Photo Session GIVEAWAY

This is, so far, the granddaddy of all giveaways on this blog...a photo session for you {and your family or sweetheart} from renowned photographer Justin Hackworth (do you remember me talking about him here?) As if a photo session isn't generous enough, he'll also throw in one 12x12 fine art print and a $50 credit towards prints! (a $350 value) This is the perfect opportunity to gift yourself with beautiful photographs of you, your sweetheart, your children, your parents, your pet, or just you!

Justin recently captured our family on film and we are loving the results. Here are a few of my many favorites:




Here in Utah there are many choices when it comes to photographers, making it important to choose wisely. Let it be known that Justin isn't your average photographer and I'll tell you why:

1. His talent is not limited to one type of photography but all genres. His 30 Strangers project is a case in point. I've enjoyed keeping tabs on this project so much!

2. He is incredibly personable and has a hip look to match his hip photographic/photo journalistic style (as in, he won't show up in jogging pants on your wedding day!).

3. His photographs never look the same. Everyone's session is unique and you really see that come through when you view your individual proofs.

4. He's popular. Stylish boutiques like this one and this one are some of his many clients.

Are you getting the idea? :)

On to some of his many fabulous photographs to help you catch a glimpse of what might be in store for you and your loved ones...






Giveaway Guidelines:

- You have 6 days to enter this giveaway (closes Tuesday, July 29th).
- Make a comment on THIS POST to enter.
- One entry per person please.
- All anonymous comments will be ignored.
- The randomly chosen winner will be announced Wednesday, July 30th.
- Winner must respond by Monday, August 4th to secure prize.

Make sure you check out his fantastic website and blog in the meanwhile!

Bamboo Bowls

Last year I found a good-sized bamboo bowl on the overstuffed shelves of Homegoods (TJMaxx) for a total bargain. I love the way the light colored bamboo contrasts against dark wood and compliments other colors in my living space. You don't have to have an Asian-inspired home to house bamboo bowls nicely.


So...when I found these lovelies I became pretty excited. These colors do nothing but evoke feelings of happiness and brightness and we could all use a little of that most days, no?

Robin's Egg Blue? Tangerine? Yum.

Menu for the Week: Fresh Summer Meal Ideas

Singapore Shrimp Stir Fry, salad

Tandoori Chicken Kabobs with dipping yogurt, fruit
from this month's Parent magazine

Simple Roast Chicken with Red Potatoes, salad, corn on the cob
okay, this is not what most would call a "summer meal" but it worked for our late evening dinner nonetheless :)

Grilled Beef Skewers & Green Onion Pesto, crusty bread
from the December 2007 issue of Donna Hay

Couscous & Parsley-Crusted Fish, roasted potatoes, salad, fruit

Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake with Blueberries, Strawberries & Raspberries, whipped cream

Little Guys

Oh the fun things you could do with these two :) Supposedly they are lunch boxes but I'm fairly certain they are waaay too small to hold a proper lunch. Party favors?

Lucky Star Press

They're lucky. I'm lucky. You're lucky. That is, if you make it over to Paper Creations in time to snatch up a box of these letterpressed goodies from Lucky Star Press. You'll find a set of 6 letterpressed cards with matching envelopes for only $12. Seriously, when is the last time you saw a letterpressed card for less than the price of a Hallmark card?

This is going to be the perfect addition to a special friend's birthday gift come August. Can't wait~

P.S. Pretty website too.

Seeing the Everyday GIVEAWAY Winner

Wow. I think we are all sold on this beautiful magazine. I think we all need a subscription :) If your name isn't "Amy" and you didn't say, "This magazine looks beautiful! I would love to win!" then click here to subscribe on your own. It very well could be the best $20 you've spent in awhile. I can't wait until the next issue (see picture right), which I hear is coming out oh-so-soon.

Congratulations Amy! Please contact me to claim your giftie :)

Etsy Pick of the Week: Mod Baby

I can hardly imagine a more hip and highly useful (the best combination) gift set than this one by Mod Baby. Always a sucker for Amy Butler fabrics, this adorable onesie and matching cloths had me at hello. The set isn't overpriced either, always refreshing.

Click here to view the entire shop.

Couscous & Parsley Crusted Fish

Finally! I can start using my December issue of Donna Hay (Australia's summer is our winter). This was the first recipe I tried out of all the beautiful recipes featured and it's a real keeper. The Husband (also a big couscous fan) declared it the perfect summer meal. I served the fish with a side of roasted potatoes, fresh fruit and a butter lettuce salad, which for the record were all super easy to prepare.


Couscous and Parsley-Crusted Fish

1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 TB butter
2 TB minced Italian parsley
zest + juice of one lemon
sea salt & pepper
1 lb. firm white fish (I used orange roughy)
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
canola oil, for shallow frying

Place the couscous and stock in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Then add butter and fluff with a fork. Add parsley, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and mix to combine.

Cut fish into pieces (I halved mine). Dust in flour, dip in egg and coat in couscous mixture. Heat 1/3 inch oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook fish pieces for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden and crisp. Serve fish with a little mayonnaise and lemon juice mixed well; and also several lemon wedges on the side. (The more lemon the better!)

Serves 6-8.

* I don't like the smell of fish in my home so during the summer months I cook all my fish on the grill. This recipe requires the fish to be cooked in a pan so I placed the pan right on the grill. It worked like a charm! You just have to make sure you use a tough pan like a cast iron pan or a heavy wok (what I used tonight).

image via Donna Hay

Wallpaper Travel Guides

I discovered these gorgeous Wallpaper Travel Guides this morning and am in love. Compiled by the staff at the uber-chic magazine Wallpaper, these guides supposedly offer the best insider tips to 50 major cities in the world. You'll find guides from Los Angeles to Marrakesh to Kuala Lampur. I picked up the Paris version this morning :)

Shelves at Container Store

This week for our "project swap", Tiffany and I cleared out my abyss-of-a-craft-closet and turned it into something I can actually walk into--always a plus in my book :) It was such a good feeling to finally tackle this daunting project. That nasty mess was hanging over my head big time.


While organizing things in the closet, I found all sorts of uses for these shelves I picked up in Seattle at the Container Store. They were the perfect solution to utilizing all the dead space between shelves. I love them so much and am now wondering where else I can place them in my home. The shelves are very sturdy and are definitely capable of holding heavy objects too, making them perhaps the perfect solution for my kitchen storage. Hmm...that just came to me as I am writing this post :)

You can view all three sizes of shelves here.

Some Thoughts on Blogging

I love blogging, for the most part. I love viewing so much useful and inspiring information right at my finger tips. I love the sharing of ideas and I love connecting with amazing people out there. I consider it a great blessing in many ways.

There are, however, a few down sides. First, you are putting yourself out there in a big way and sometimes people judge. Not my favorite. Second, friends think they know what is going on in my life by reading my blog, which is really only about 10% of my "real life". Last, sometimes all the ideas that make me love blogging in the first place, become overwhelming. When I realize I can't possibly do all these great things, I get a little bummed. I'm no stylist from New York or LA after all--just a mother of 3 trying to create a life I can be proud of. I try to take it one project at a time and I've learned to be content with that approach.


Anyway, here are a few things I've learned along the way that keep blogging fun, which is what it is supposed to be after all!

1. Designate an amount of time to blog surfing.

2. Don't read every blog in the world every night...perhaps just your "top 5".

3. If you take the time to read a blog, let that person know and leave a comment. They are so fun to read and it's a great way to connect with each other.

4. Do the best with what you have; as in, don't get hung up on what someone else has, does, or completes. Allowing yourself to get sucked into the "I'm a failure because..." trap is not healthy for anyone's self image. Instead, allow the inspiration you receive via blogs to motivate you to shake things up a bit or to finish something you've wanted to complete for some time. Again, it's all about doing your best with what you have and not comparing yourself. I've had to learn this myself.

5. Keep it real :)

Lucite Accessories

Awhile back House Beautiful published 101 Decorating Makeovers--Small Changes that make a Big Difference. It was a fantastic spread and I saved all 101 tips in my design binder. Curious as to what was no. 1 on the list?

Buy something Lucite. One piece will make any style room tastier--it's like adding salt.

I love that you can add Lucite to any style room--modern, traditional, country, etc. Apparently it's more versatile than I thought. Lucite knock-offs like acrylic are great too; remember, it's all about the look of Lucite. Think of Lucite as the name brand and acrylic as the store brand. Acrylic accessories are less expensive and often easier to come by in the marketplace.

As I contemplate what pieces to add to my living space, I've looked around online and subsequently found a few great accessories along the way.


Translucent Bird Lamp

Peekaboo Coffee Table

Louis Ghost Chair

Magino Acrylic Magazine Rack

Camp Out Craft

If your kids love camping as much as mine do, perhaps consider making something like this with them before the summer closes. My daughter brought this home from her little summer camp and I personally think it's one of most clever crafts I've ever seen!


You'll need:

paper plate
large yellow post-it note
a few brown pipe cleaners
tissue paper
q-tip
toothpicks
pebbles
paint
faux evergreen branch

I can't get over that q-tip! or that tissue paper fire! This could be an excellent "family night" craft, especially if you do it up right like she does here.

Her Desk

Lots of homes are equipped with a desk...but it belongs to him. What about her? :)

This is the perfect desk for any gal. Pink and green? Delightful. Just looking at this picture evokes feelings of happiness and I think if this was my desk, I'd want to spend more than a few minutes there each and every day. I like the idea of having a personal space for writing letters, writing in a journal (something I struggle with...hence blogging?), making lists, light reading, creating something, etc.

As far as contructing a desk like this is concerned, it looks fairly simple at a bare bones level. I bet your local carpenter could make something basic for a bargain. Then, you could add color by painting both the interior and exterior, as well as add some fun hooks from say your local hardware store or Anthropologie. Throw in a few mason jars to use as storage and you're good to go!

photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Recession Gourmet

Each month I attempt to record my expenses in an Excel spreadsheet. "Attempt" being the key word here :) I'm usually good at doing it until about the 13th or 14th and then lose steam before starting up again next month. And so the cycle goes. Although I am now at the "losing steam" point of the month, I've traced my expenses for the past two weeks and I am freaking out at how much I've spent on groceries. Time to re-think some of the meals I'd like to prepare and opt for simpler fare. For this week's menu I'm going to use a lot of pantry items already on hand and supplement with healthy doses of fresh produce, a little meat and herbs from my {very small} garden.

Bottom Line: These days I am thinking a lot about how to continue to eat well and still keep our food expenses within certain parameters.

I guess I'm not the only one pondering this issue...Time magazine appears to be fairly concerned as well. Today's issue arrived featuring an article entitled "Recession Gourmet". My curiosity was piqued by the header alone. Basically, the staff challenged acclaimed chef Tom Colicchio to create a gourmet meal for 4 people for around $10. He came close...$11.88 for Fennel Pork Loin and Pasta Vegetarienne, which ended up feeding 5 :)

You can read more about it here and view several recipes within these parameters here. Fantastic ideas!

a Night in Napa

Some of the Husband's former co-workers are tying the knot at the C.I.A. this October. We are heading out for the wedding and are searching for some accommodations in the area. While we've visited Napa Valley often, we have never stayed overnight. Does anyone have a little B&B or other kind of similar lodging that you'd like to recommend? We're open to staying in St. Helena, Calistoga, anywhere in the area really...

Individual Bakeware

Last Christmas my mother-in-law gifted me with some beautiful French bakers in two itsy-bitsy sizes. I can't get enough of them. They are perfect for individual gratins, cobblers, baked pastas, etc. I've noticed guests love the idea of "individual" anything so I'm slowly stocking up on things like individual salt & pepper shakers, individual condiment cups, ramekins, etc. I have to admit, it is really fun to have your own little dish to consume & enjoy. I'm diggin' it myself.

I can't find anything exactly like the dishes my mother-in-law shipped from France (she said she found them at a French version of Big Lots!), but I did find some other fantastic options easily available online and perfectly adorable. Without further adieu, the little guys (starting top left going clockwise):


round baker with handles

ramekins in all shapes & sizes

white oval bakers

white French casserole dishes