Holiday Advertising + a Gorgeous Kitchen Shelf

Are you a small business owner looking for some increased visibility this holiday season? Want to show off your wares? Well, we'd like to see them. With the holiday season approaching, many of us are on the lookout for the perfect gift. If you have your own etsy or big cartel shop, and would like to try out advertising on this blog, please email an inquiry to: stephmodo@gmail.com. I'll send more details your way!

Merci~

p.s. this is one of the sweetest images I've seen in some time. I keep staring at it and trying to memorize every detail. Isn't it just lovely?

image by Pascal Bonnet for Marie Claire (Italia) via Mandarine et Italie

Looking Out For Each Other

Today I've been thinking about how each of us individually struggles, and how important it is to support one another the best we can. I've learned that even people who don't appear to be having a tough time are often those struggling the most. Life sure can be hard sometimes and we'd do the world (and ourselves) a favor by simply reaching out to others and just being present for them. I love this quote...it embodies exactly what I've been observing lately:

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~Plato

Such a wonderful reminder, isn't it?

image via Bodie & Fou

Easy Ten Minute Meal: Pasta Pomodoro

This has been my favorite 10 minute meal for a few years now and works well on evenings when I have very little time to prepare dinner. Few ingredients are involved and most of them will already be in your pantry anyway. You can fiddle with the ingredients a little--just taste the sauce intermittently and add herbs and spices according to your taste. One of the best things about making pomodoro sauce is the flexibility you have. I'm sharing the recipe over at Zupas today if you'd like to take a peek.

p.s. I love the "pink sauce" version my SIL Tiffany shared with me. Make sure you try it too!

Tiny Prints GIVEAWAY

I'm pretty excited about this giveaway today--self-adhesive return address labels are truly one of the best inventions ever. For whatever reason, I really dislike writing my return address on cards and packages, and the lady at the post office never lets me get away with not including it.

Enter gorgeous return address labels by Tiny Prints. They are pretty. They are affordable. And they have the most incredible selection. I just ordered a set of these for my Christmas cards this year and words cannot express how excited I am to just slap on one of these pretty labels and call it good. Three cheers for simplifying life, even holiday preparations, just a little bit, right?!

Tiny Prints would like to offer you the same luxury. One winner will receive $75 worth of return address labels of their choice. Mix and match if you'd like. Or, choose one pattern you just love. The choice is yours! Get familiar with Tiny Prints' label selections here. Also, take a peek at their holiday photo cards too if you're looking to go in that direction for your holiday correspondence.

Here are some of favorites, although it was tough to narrow the grouping to just six:

Orange Blossom / With Love / Cherry Blossom / Simple Gray / Cherries (these would've been cute with my daughter's cherry party) / Blue Balloon

Giveaway Guidelines:

- You have 5 days to enter this giveaway (closes Friday, December 3rd at midnight).
- Make 1 comment on this post to enter.
- Anonymous comments will be ignored so make sure we know who you are!
- The winners will be chosen via random.org and announced on Monday, December 6th at the top of this post.
- Winners, please respond within one week of the winner announcement to secure prize. Thanks!

True French Classic

You've seen many-a-striped top this season (I for one have posted more than a few), but this is the true French classic. Petit Bateau is not only a maker of adorable children's clothing, but they delve in classic French knits too. It's definitely a wishlist item, but if you're going for quality over quantity, the top is a real keeper.

p.s. I had no idea Olive Juice offered a few pieces for women too, did you?

Giving Thanks + Goodbye Autumn

Outside our little home is a lovely Japanese maple with the most vibrant of leaves. For days I admired its rich colors as I went to and from the house, before finally grabbing my camera. And I'm so glad I did as the very next day the wind kicked up something fierce and blew all those pretty li'l leaves right off. Every.last.one.of.them. It just goes to show how important it is to appreciate and document those small moments right when you are thinking of them...and not later. Because we all know that "later" often turns into "never" :)

Today is Thanksgiving--a day that not only marks a time of gratitude and reflection--but a day that signifies the end of Autumn. For once Black Friday hits, it's all about Christmas (which I am not opposed too--love Christmas!). I am thankful for all the beauty around me, for my family, health, energy, and love and support from those that care about me. Really, that's all one needs in life.

I hope each of you enjoys your day today. Don't get too caught up in the hoopla, the family politics, or anything else that will potentially drain away the positive aspect of this holiday. Try to enjoy yourself, relax, and eat lots of pumpkin pie. Just make sure you save a slice for the next morning. I love to eat chilled pumpkin pie for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving...so good!

xoxo

Mini Mayflower Place Markers

Danyelle made the most adorable Thanksgiving place markers this year. Aren't they precious? She really does take it away when it comes to crafts. They are simple, modern, usually made with on-hand supplies, and don't take forever + a day to create. Perfection.

p.s. her blog has been especially pretty lately...you should take a peek if you haven't already!

Whites + Woods: Gorgeous Dining Rooms

This week I'm focusing heavily on finishing up our dining room and drawing on these gorgeous images for inspiration. Wouldn't you love to eat at either table? I keep trying to branch out with more color, but I'm starting to wonder if that's really "me". Despite efforts, I keep coming back to pretty neutrals that focus on textures and interesting furnishings for visual interest vs. straight up color.

What are your thoughts on the mismatched-chair-look? You like?

image 1 - Canadian House & Home via Kitchenisms / image 2 - Marie Claire Maison via Dwellers without Decorators

P.S. On a totally unrelated side note...does anyone happen to be heading to the Seattle area, from Utah, for Thanksgiving tomorrow? Please email if you are. Merci!

Yummy Yam Replacement: the Carrot Soufflé

Over at Zupas today, I am sharing a recipe for my favorite Thanksgiving side dish--one that is so delicious that it's become a permanent addition to Thanksgiving dinner on both sides of our family :) Enjoy!

image by John Partipilo for The Tennessean

A Modern Chicken Coop

A couple of years ago my sister decided to add a few chickens to her brood. Since her home and yard are tidy and modern, she wanted a similar look for the coop. The budget for the coop was modest so she decided to try her hand on Craigslist. Sure enough, she found someone in her local area willing to build a coop for just $350. It's larger than most I've seen, which I think is important when raising chickens. I love the clean lines and the colors she painted it--the gray and black does a nice job of blending into the scenery. So, if you've got a little Maple, Apple or Clementine running around, this is the way to go.

For those of you with chickens yourself, feel free to share links to pics of your own coops in the comments section. Go on, brag a little :)

One last note: if you live in the Seattle area and are interested in a similar set up, feel free to email my sister at cheranderton@gmail.com. She'd be happy to get you in touch with the person who built her coop.

update: you can view the rest of this modern Seattle backyard in a more recent post. 

Discounted Nordstrom Rack Gift Card + Fun Discoveries at Babble

The highlight of my Friday? The chance to get a $50 gift card to Nordstrom Rack for $25. And this is open to anyone and everyone for the next 15 hours :) This Groupon-junkie is off to pick hers up right.now. (update: Groupon extended the Nordies deal through the weekend due to technical difficulties yesterday--awesome)

Martha does it again! And I was hoping she would...love her new line of modern quilts at Macys. There are definite Denyse Schmidt undertones, which I do love. Plus, they are on sale right now too.

I've never in my life spotted a cuter backpack for toddlers. I've been swooning over these for years. It would be fun to fill one of these with little trinkets and activities during holiday travel.

This pop up turkey timer is borderline Spencer Gifts, but I can't deny how clever it is. Someone has quite the imagination (and sense of humor!).

Four kids later, this is still my favorite baby bouncer. It's worth every penny and holds up well too.

Ikat Accents for the Home

It's taken me awhile to warm up to the ikat trend, but I'm there now and more than willing to cozy up with this gorgeous pattern. What a beautiful look! Ikat seems to work best as an accent piece in small doses, although it really depends on the specific pattern. Some are more subtle than others...

Tell me, what are your favorite ikat finds?

Mini Bowls / Yellow + Gray Pillow / Upholstered Ottoman / Chair

Molly Moon Ice Cream + Lemon Curd

I'm kind of freaking out (in a good way) about the food scene here in Seattle and this local joint marks the beginning of what I see as a beautiful relationship with our new city of residence...

I truly thought homemade ice cream didn't get better than Christina's in Cambridge and Bi-Rite in San Francisco (they are both truly amazing!). Well, I stand to be corrected as we've discovered the most delicious homemade ice cream ever at Molly Moons here in Seattle. Flavors like Salted Caramel, Pumpkin Spice, Scout Mint and Balsamic Strawberry are offered as temptations. But it doesn't stop there--they also offer a menu of delicious toppings--one of which is homemade lemon curd (my recipe here if you want to give it a go). And anyone who has read this blog for awhile knows how much I love lemon curd! Sheer brilliance I tell ya. Between that, the ice cream, and the homemade waffle cones, it's pretty much heaven. I am not exaggerating when I say it takes considerable willpower to not visit every day. It's also a family-friendly joint thanks to the chalkboard, pint-size stools, and a little window where guys and dolls can watch homemade goodness being churned out for our ample consumption.

If you're in the area, be sure to allow time to lunch at Oddfellows around the corner (Capitol Hill location). The food is delicious, casual and honestly, any place with vast amounts of Tolix chairs is the mark of a restaurant worth patronizing in my book! Also notable is the adorable Flora and Henri next door to Molly Moon--a lovely place to swoon over gorgeous children's clothing that's unfortunately way out of my budget. But it's pretty to look :)

Petite Tolix Stool at Sundance

A happy discovery this week--Sundance Catalog is now carrying the cute little Tolix stool I bought in Paris for La Maisonnette. While Sundance carries the stool in just 3 colors, they are the best possible colors. Time to save my pennies...I love the thought of having one of these cute little guys around!

Cloverleaf Rolls: a Visual Tutorial

I'm sharing a simple "how-to" over at Zupas today about forming cloverleaf rolls--my absolute favorite shape for rolls. Big and beautiful is the name of the game here! And just in case you're on the lookout for a good bread machine roll recipe, I'll include that too.

How to Search Craiglist with Pictures

The other day on Twitter, I shared a wish list item--the chance to search Craigslist in photo gallery style--and lucky enough the lovely Summer of Eliza magazine responded with a great tip called CraigsEasy. It's the perfect solution to clicking on every single listing in order to view an image, which I find exhausting when living in a place where there are hundreds of listings daily. I've been testing it out all week long as I troll Craigslist in search of a few things for our space here in Seattle and have to say it's outright fabulous!

Getting started takes about 3 minutes...here's how you do it:

1. Head to the CraigsEasy site and download the "Easy" button. The site has a 60-second video showing exactly how to do this as they walk you through step-by-step. I found it helpful to add the "Easy" button to my "Bookmark Toolbar" so it's quickly accessible.

2. Type in the type of item you want to search for on Craigslist. Click "has image", "entire post" and then "Search".







3. Here's the kicker...now click your "Easy" button once. All the listings will show up with all their pictures and all you have to do is scroll down and view. If you want to view more information about a particular listing, all you have to do is click on the listing title to read more. To go back to the images on CraigsEasy, just click your back button to continue perusing.

Another option, which isn't nearly as good as CraigsEasy, (but is better than nothing), is using the image solution within Craigslist. What you need to do is type in the item you are looking for, and then click on "show images"--an option in the upper right corner. Tiny thumbnails will appear to the left of the listing title.







I hope you find these tips as useful as I did! Happy Craigslisting!

For Seattle locals--sources on some of the furnishings shown above:

mid-century credenza / nightstand / chest of drawers

A Fabulous Tartan Shirtdress on Sale + Holiday Babbling

A handful of links I wrote over at Babble that I think you'll love:

A pan worth investing in based on the "cute factor" alone--not to mention it gives you the excuse to not make homemade rolls this Thanksgiving.

A sweet, simple way to package up Thanksgiving leftovers for your guests + a great ribbon resource for you crafters/wrappers/hair-bow making folks :)

Have you seen the fresh, modern sister company to Lands End called Canvas? I like it a million times more than LE, especially when they have a killer sale and free shipping (like they are right now!).

We take 5 minutes at the beginning of our Thanksgiving meal for this simple tradition. Kids and adults both participate!

Deck out your door with one of these stunning wreaths--most of which could be used year-round as well. Bang for your buck!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Edible Flowers

One of my friends in SLC sent me off with a bag o' goodies before we moved and one of those goodies was a box of these sweet little cupcake stands. Aren't they are adorable? In my book, anything with a scalloped edge + any kind of cupcake = a match made in heaven. So...I just had to make a batch of my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe to date. Oh darn.

Lucky enough, one day I spotted the perfect little decorations for these delicious cupcakes while picking up a few things at Whole Foods--a package of beautiful, little edible flowers! (next to the fresh herbs). Just keep in mind that the flowers need to be placed in the cupcake just prior to consumption. If you allow them to sit on the cupcakes for a couple of hours (even in the fridge), they will surely wilt.

What fun things have you made with edible flowers?

p.s. baking cups can be found here.

images by Stephanie Brubaker

Modern Playroom

As I'm slowly getting acquainted with our new living space, I find that I keep coming back to this image of Sarah Hicks Malone's playroom (she writes the fab party blog, Sara's Party Perfect). I love everything about it and as I configure my children's small play area here in our home in Seattle, I'll be turning to this image for inspiration. I love seeing how "real" people live--people like you and me--who consider budget, good design, and family when putting together a living space.

You can see more of Sarah's inspirational home on Decor8 and a couple more exterior shots here.

My Four Darlings (for the Moment!)

I met my dear friend Rebecca fourteen years ago when we studied in Jerusalem together one summer. She is one of my oldest friends and means the world to me. Perhaps that's why she always takes the loveliest images of my children--they must know how special she is and feel suddenly motivated to be darling, little photography subjects when she's around. Ha! I think the more likely reason is simply that Rebecca is one of the finest children's photographers around (and that we snapped this in the morning while the kids were still "fresh"). Since I don't follow Rebecca around when she's photographing the kids, I'm always surprised when I receive the images back--it's like Christmas!

To view more images from the session, including the latest of sweet Baby Gray, head over to her professional blog.

all images by Rebecca Mudrick

Getting Settled in Seattle

I know Seattle has a reputation for being gray all the time, but we've had some amazing weather in the past two weeks since moving here. I am trying to cherish it and take advantage of it as I've heard the next six months are slated to be wet, wet, wet. Isn't Autumn in Seattle a lovely time of year? I can't get over the colors myself. While things are a bit challenging still, we are so grateful to be here and are falling in love with this fantastic city. Living by water again is just an absolute delight!

Stenciled Cakes + Brownies

Writing this post makes me want to eat chocolate. If only my chocolate stash were unpacked...

Over at Zupas today I am sharing a delicious brownie recipe and a quick tutorial on making a pretty autumnal design on your cakes and brownies in just a matter of minutes. Enjoy!

image by Stephanie Brubaker

Mini Acorn Muffins, Target Gone Wild + other Good Stuff

Mini acorn muffins. Can you imagine anything sweeter at your Thanksgiving meal? Both kids and adults alike will love and appreciate this simple detail.

Target. iPhone. in the same sentence! Details and other great news about the rockin' deals at the Bullseye this month.

Don't you think a gumball themed birthday party would be cute? Hanging gumballs (spherical chinese lanterns), felt pom pom garlands, and these mini gumball machines (as party favors or place cards) would make an adorable party.

If you want inspiration for the holidays (menus, decor, entertaining, gifting, etc.), but don't have time to search blogs hi and low for ideas, then pick up this book-azine. It's a one-stop-shop for all of the above. I love my Halloween edition and can't imagine the Holiday version being anything less than stellar.

Minted Holiday Card GIVEAWAY

The winner of the $150 giveaway from Minted is the lucky...






Please contact me asap Miss Andrea and we will get your beautiful cards from Minted ordered. Many thanks to Minted for sponsoring this generous giveaway! Also, thank you readers for participating!



































Oh, what a lovely giveaway this is--a generous prize that is both practical and pretty--my favorite! New sponsor Minted, which offers some of the most stylish stationery on the web, would like to introduce you to their well-designed and tasteful announcements, invitations and cards. One look at their website and you'll be hooked! You'll love and appreciate their modern look, muted colors, and unique designs. And when it comes to holiday photo cards--which I know many of you are thinking about right now--you'll be thrilled to know that Minted carries some of the classiest versions you'll ever see.

For this giveaway, Minted would like to offer one reader $150 worth of holiday cards or birth announcements. So, I guess the question is, which will you choose? What strikes your fancy? If you're not sure just yet, take a peek here.

p.s. don't forget to peek at one of my personal favorites--their photo calendars. These are a popular gift for grandparents during the holidays and these versions are amongst the best I've ever seen!

Giveaway Guidelines:

- You have 5 days to enter this giveaway (closes Friday, November 12th at midnight).
- Make 1 comment on this post to enter.
- Anonymous comments will be ignored so make sure we know who you are!
- The winners will be chosen via random.org and announced on Monday, November 15th at the top of this post.
- Winners, please respond within one week of the winner announcement to secure prize. Thanks!

Clever Ways to Capture Your Child on Camera

I get such a kick out of these clever images created by wedding photographer Jason Lee. Aren't they amazing? I bet those two little gals have so much fun when daddy starts mixing things up around the house. They look like they are having an absolute ball and who can blame 'em?!

View additional images here.

images by Jason Lee

Mini Trifle Bowls

I love serving food in miniature dishes--casseroles, ramekins, cake molds, etc.--so when I spotted these mini trifle bowls, I found myself creating ways to use them in my head. I think Jaime's recipe for Black Forest Cake Trifles (one of my all-time favorite kinds of cake) would be perfect for these adorable dishes. Or perhaps a something Autumnal featuring gingerbread cake and pumpkin mousse? Mmm...lots of options.

What is your favorite trifle recipe for the holidays?

Little Winter Market

I was very much looking forward to heading to Portland this weekend for Chelsea's Little Winter Market--it looks like a real show stopper. However, more practical things await me here (like moving into our new place for one!). If any of you are in the area, you should take an hour and stop by--it's poised to be a darling event.

Seattle 5: Stephanie: 0

It's been an eventful first week in Seattle! We are loving the city, but it's definitely giving me a run for my money. Here is a sampling of the highlights that took place in a 7 day period:

1. Parking Ticket
2. Locked Keys in Car
3. Tripped in Heels and Ripped up Knee
4. Slipped in Flats and Ripped up Knee...Again (grace is clearly not one of my strengths)
5. Flat Tire

In effort to turn over a new leaf {literally}, I decided to focus on something positive and take a picture of the most beautiful tree I've seen around town. It takes my breath away every time I pass by. No image editing here folks--this tree is truly the most intense shade of red I've ever seen!

We are having a lot of fun making new discoveries, as time permits, and I've been so grateful for all of the advice so many of you shared in this post about moving to Seattle, and also in lengthy emails. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge of the area with me--it's all been incredibly helpful. Merci beaucoup!

French Rain Boots

A few months ago, I perused an article in one of my French magazines about these handmade rain boots by Le Chameau and I've been intrigued ever since (mostly I just enjoyed all the images--I had no idea what they were saying!). These days I have rain gear on my mind and thought this would be the perfect time to introduce you to these high-quality French lovelies, made in the picturesque French town pictured above (of course).

Where you can get some: Le Chameau Bootson Amazon

I also love my aigle bootsand the French Wellies maker of the boots--is teaming up with Merci (my favorite store in Paris) for a limited edition rain bootand I'm so wishing I could get my hands on a pair. They are really pretty.

p.p.s. Speaking of boots, today is the last today to receive $100+ off a pair of gorgeous, Frye leather riding boots. Amazing, no?

image 1 - Aigle; images 2 - 4 from Le Chameau

Interior Fix: Bursts of Color

As I consider my new living space here in Seattle (we finally nailed down a place to move to come next week!), I'm reconsidering my usual penchant for neutrals. I think one has to consider one's environment when considering design choices and since mine is a bit on the grey side, perhaps more pops of color are in order. It's a little more out-of-the-box for me, but I'm going to try and get cozy with a little more color :)

What are some of your favorite ways to add color to a space?

image from House Beautiful (via The Style Files)

How to Have a Happier Thanksgiving

Okay, so now that Halloween is over, what are we all thinking of next? You go it...our favorite day of indulgence! Last year, my sister and I discovered a simple step that made our Thanksgiving more enjoyable for everyone in attendance; and we wondered why we hadn't thought of it earlier. Today, over at Zupas, I'm sharing just this little idea with you!

image by Stephanie Brubaker