Hey Kids! Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is enjoying their night. We are absolutely spoiled with some beautiful weather here on the NJ Shore. Like perfect! Windows have been open all day and now it's a super cool and breezy night. We worked in the studio on some things this morning and our afternoon was spent in the kitchen. For me and Aar, working in the kitchen is never anything less than a total pleasure, and this afternoon was even sweeter than usual. Because this afternoon we were in there serving a purpose greater then just filling our bellies...we had an actual Assignment!
We really are so psyched to be a part of the Bake & Destroy virtual book tour / blog tour! First off...because we love cooking GOOD stuff. Second off...because Natalie Slater, author of Bake & Destroy, is the coolest, sweetest gal this side of everywhere. So Natalie asked if we'd like to blog a recipe out of her brand new, fresh off the presses, out-of-this-world amazing cookbook. Right away we said "YEP!"...and then we asked if we could select our favorite recipe out of the book...to which she said "YEP!" This is one of those assignments that isn't an assignment at all...it's an all around win-win for us. We get rewarded with a killer meal and you guys will get turned on to a book that'll supply you with endless amazing dinners and desserts. We made the recipe today but we'll be putting together a proper, step by step blog post this Wednesday in keeping with the daily schedule of Natalie's virtual book tour. So be sure to come back and check out the post this Wednesday...and also check out all the dates in blogland...it's currently in full swing! Some pretty rad bloggers are cooking and baking recipes and sharing them on their blogs...we're talkin' awesome bloggers like CakeSpy, Twinkie Chan, and many more! Of course I'm gonna hold back all the tasty info until Wednesday's post but for now I'll let you know what the recipe is...both me and Aaron flipped through the book separately and wouldn't ya know it...both of us made the same exact choice. We are "taste buds" I guess you could say. Anyway, we're making Indian Buffet Pizza! Oh Boy! Can't even begin to explain how good...I'll make sure to come up with some legit adjectives by Wednesday! We had a great time cooking...and afterwards! Holy yum! We were mostly grunting and ooohing and aaahhhing. Seriously...be sure to come back Wednesday for the recipe! You will thank us...and then you'll buy Natalie's book...and then you'll thank her. That's a promise.
Ok, now let's talk about this amazing "Stay True" affirmation banner! I blogged it a few weeks ago...as a Friday Favorite. It is by Secret Holiday and is handcrafted by artist Ashley Brown Durand. ( I actually saw an Instagram pic a few days before it's arrival of Ashley sewing this very banner for us! I love that! ) At first I envisioned it hanging on our dark grey bedroom walls. But when it arrived the other day and I unfurled it in the living room it looked awesome in there. The living room is the total opposite of the bedroom...it's bright and cheerful...festive pink and cream stripes as opposed to the soothing deep grey walls of our bedroom. So I hung it on our pink and cream striped wall to see if it fit...and guess what?...it did! But I knew I had to try it upstairs in the place where I had first envisioned it hanging.
Our bedroom is very simple. Very different from the vibe of other rooms...and that's just the way we want it...calm, soothing, a break from the daytime world. It's mainly tones of grey cream, black, and tan, but we do have a tiny bit of pink in the form of a chippy old mirror, a pillow on the bed, and victorian era rose paintings. We moved upstairs to this room just after Hurricane Sandy last Fall, after our other bedroom on the first floor was flooded. So the old bedroom was our first repair job after the storm...we quickly cleaned it and replaced the floor and the bottom section of the walls that was submerged in the flood...and within a very short period of time, through very hard work, we had turned it into our studio. We haven't done very much to our new bedroom upstairs. It needs work but the whole idea of it is to keep it simple. It's definitely got a more masculine feel.
So, when the banner arrived and I did my test hangings in each room I posted both of the above photos and asked everyone's opinion on Instagram...where it should hang?...and guess what everyone chose?... the bedroom! So the bedroom it is! I couldn't agree more with the crowd. It looks so at home above my nightstand.
Another wonderful thing I'd like to share with you guys is the work of NS Pottery. I found out about them through Brickyard Buffalo! Well when I say "them" I actually mean a gal named Natalie...(what's with all the fabulous Natalies?) I just had to have one of her beautiful geometric pottery rings! It is a really pretty minty celadon color. And now seeing her etsy shop...ooohhh there are so many other beautiful things to add to my wishlist! I hope Santa reads this post ;)
So yesterday Uncle Walt came home with this...and in typical Uncle Walt fashion he plopped it on little Jack's chair. Jack truly didn't know what to make of it. He actually let out these little squeals...as if he were saying "this big pillow isn't very soft...and it's in my way."
I mentioned that last weekend we did a lot of moving around over here. Lots of shifting, and organizing. Prepping for more renovations. Well in doing so we unearthed this treasure. This old homemade dollhouse. We found it at a junk shop about 2 years ago. It is so so "homemade"...like extremely...comically even! The interiors are all mostly orange and brown, with real bits of shag carpet. One room has an old striped dish towel as carpeting! It needs a bunch of tlc and we hope to start chipping away at it soon. I think it could really be so great! I love the rustic tudor style! For now it sits atop one of our very favorite old chippy cupboards.
And before I say goodbye...just had to mention 16 Candles. Aar was flipping through channels the other night and there it was. It's not possible for either one of us to switch that movie off once we catch a glimpse of it. It is in my top 10 of all time faves. Seriously...ummm Jake Ryan?? Need I say more? I posted this pic on Instagram and immediately all of us "old" gals were chatting about being creepy old ladies still crushing on that kid in the movie. Sure he has aged right along with us...but we're all pining over that Jake...the one from back then. And full disclosure here I'll admit to being a creepy googler. Years ago I had searched him out...to see where he is today. Pretty sure he gave up acting and has a cabinet shop. Yeah, I'm a creep.
Anyways...thanks for popping in friends! Enjoy the rest of your weekend...well, it's pretty much over...how about you enjoy the week to come!
Love from the NJ Shore!
xo Jenny...and Aaron says hi!