Favorites de la Semaine

Some of my favorite blog posts this week...

• Outdoor Envy, delight by design
• Roast Chichen with Dijon Sauce, Smitten Kitchen
• Loving, Simply Lovely
• Gray Kitchen Cabinets, A Perfect Gray
• Hot Pants, Oh Joy!

{photo source}

{photo source}

Trailer: "Beginnings"

Definitely a film to see.... new and unique storyline + superb actors.

Checkout Thumbsucker and Paperboys, also by Writer/Director Mike Mills.

Friday Foodie: The Crepe

There's truly nothing better than fresh crepes on a Sunday morning.  My favorite recipe surprisingly comes from the Pillsbury Cookbook, because it's ridiculously simple, as crepes should be.

You only need 4 main ingredients and the best part is that you don't need a special pan to make a perfect crepe - any skillet will work {I prefer a cast iron one}.  I lied - the best part is the plethora of yummy fillings... can you say banana + nutella = true love?

I really do hope that you try this out at home for yourself - I look forward to reading your comments and hearing any recipe suggestions!  Enjoy...





Recipe:  Savory Crepes

Yields about 10 medium crepes {perfect for two people}

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

2 tablespoons oil, margarine or butter, melted {please, please, please use butter like the French do!}

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt, if desired {I actually never add this}

*To make this into more of a dessert crepe... add 2 tablespoons of sugar

Directions

{1} In a medium bowl, beat eggs slightly.

{2} Melt Butter.  It is imperative that you use melted butter {otherwise the mix will be lumpy!}.

{3} Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.  Batter may be covered and refrigerated up to 2 hours or cooked immediately.

{4} Have someone take a photo of you cooking in all your morning glory {no shower + bed head}.  It's just plain cruel.

{5} Heat pan over medium-high heat {I prefer a fairly hot pan}.  A few drops of water sprinkled on the pan sizzle and bounce when the heat is just right.  Grease the pan lightly with oil {'lightly' is the key word here!}.

{6} Pour 1/3 cup batter into pan, titling pan to spread evenly.  When crepe is light brown and set, turn to brown the other side.  Place crepes in oven at 200 degrees to keep warm.


{7} Serve + enjoy!  A little French Press coffee doesn't hurt either.

Some filling ideas for you...
Nutella, Banana, Honey, Apple Butter, Syrup, Fresh Fruit, Sugar, Scrambled Eggs, Yogurt, Granola, Guava Paste - and the list goes on - most importantly, have FUN with it!

{Do you have a favorite breakfast recipe?  Want to be featured as a Friday Foodie?  Leave a comment!}

Snap Discovery: Lon ny Magazine

Check out the wonderfully executed Lon ny magazine, packed with lots 'o style:

Lon ny Magazine {online version}

I especially love their feature on "Laser Cuts" as used in decor, fashion and accessories...



{What's your go-to design/inspiration resource?}

Inspired DIY - Whitewash

I came across this post by Design*Sponge on the DIY whitewash/distressing process and was immediately intrigued.  They, of course, made it look so easy!  And suprisingly it was... below are the details of our first attempt.  I would recommend this as a great beginner project that can be completed in a day.

Directions
{1} Find a free piece of furniture on the sidewalk!  As long as it's structurally sound, it really doesn't matter if it's in bad shape {see below - ours had clearly been attacked by little monsters}.




{2} Lightly Sand it {if your wood has a thin veneer, be careful not to take off too much}.


{3} Now, for the very best part... distressing {and where we got to add our own touch}.  To be honest, I was a bit surprised when Kevin came into the garage holding a very large chain.  But he quickly explained to me the fun we could have distressing the wood.  Do this project just to experience the thrill whacking something with a dangerous object - it's a delightful way to release stress!


{4} Buy some white or light gray latex paint and dilute with water {until you reach the desired color shade}.  You can also mix in a little blue paint if you want a slightly different hue {but I prefer plain white, so that it can easily complement any other colors in the room}.

{5} Use a paint brush to apply the whitewash mixture.  Make long strokes following the wood grain.  Remove the paint from any areas with a wet sponge {to make the paint job look a little more random}.  Also, notice the scratch marks in the wood from the chain.


{5} Allow the paint to dry fully.  Apply as many additional layers of paint as you wish.

For the finishing touches we added large casters to the bottom and used a simple white rope for handle pulls {Kevin's genuis idea!}.

{What's your favorite DIY project?  Please leave a comment with description and/or a link... I'd love to hear about it!}

Moccasin Love

I have fallen in love with Moccasins.  They protect the foot while allowing the wearer to feel the ground.  They are super-duper comfortable.  They make me feel like Pocahontas (what girl doesn't want to feel like Pocahontas?).  And in researching for this post, I learned a few new things about them:

• The Plains Indians wore hard-sole moccasins, given that their territorial geography featured rock and cacti.
• The eastern Indian tribes wore soft-sole moccasins, for walking in leaf-covered forest ground.
• The word originated in the 1610s, from an Algonquian language of Virginia, probably Powhatan makasin "shoe".
• They were traditionally made of deerskin, moose hide, or sheepskin.
• They are considered "America's first footwear".
• A Moccasin is also a poisonous water snake commonly found under logs.

The Old-Time Warrior, Nez Perce 1910

Apache Women Cooking

Modern-day moccasins are made by Minnetonka Moccasin.  Established in 1946 and based in Minneapolis, MN, they make a variety of mocs ranging from $39-$75 (including an awesome chocolate suede slipper), but here a few of my absolute favorites and some fun ways to wear them...

Male Photo Source, Female Photo Source

Snap Discovery: Learn Something Every Day

I can't help but smile every time I visit this site.  These random facts + original sketches = weird art, in a good way.

Enjoy...

LEARN SOMETHING EVERY DAY