kitchen envy

Image courtesy of elledecor via hookedonhouses.net

I have seen this one shot of actress Ellen Pompeo's home no less than a dozen times in various places online. Every time I think- I love this kitchen. It is not at all what I usually covet, which are the crisp, light, white kitchens with large islands and streamlined cabinets as far as the eye can see. This is actually one of those spaces I can see living in. I mean truly living in...with toddlers... and their often spilled delicacies and tracked in mud and ground in crayons. I think I am usually drawn to light and white interiors because they are total fantasies at this point- any night of spaghetti or afternoon with Crayola would be a looming disaster, but this room is different because it feels "real".

It is laid back and stylish (I think it has to do with the awesome choice of an oversized black and photograph for the wall) and the terra cotta floor makes the space, otherwise filled with the more industrial feeling stainless steel, so warm and welcoming.

Time to start saving my pennies for terra cotta tile :).....

"What the Living Do"

Johnny, the kitchen sink has been clogged for days, some utensil probably fell down 

there.

And the Drano won't work but smells dangerous, and the crusty dishes have piled up

waiting for the plumber I still haven't called. This is the everyday we spoke of.
It's winter again: the sky's a deep, headstrong blue, and the sunlight pours through

the open living-room windows because the heat's on too high in here and I can't turn it 

off.
For weeks now, driving, or dropping a bag of groceries in the street, the bag breaking,

I've been thinking: This is what the living do. And yesterday, hurrying along those
wobbly bricks in the Cambridge sidewalk, spilling my coffee down my wrist and sleeve,

I thought it again, and again later, when buying a hairbrush: This is it.
Parking. Slamming the car door shut in the cold. What you called that yearning.

What you finally gave up. We want the spring to come and the winter to pass. We want
whoever to call or not call, a letter, a kiss--we want more and more and then more of it.

But there are moments, walking, when I catch a glimpse of myself in the window glass,
say, the window of the corner video store, and I'm gripped by a cherishing so deep

for my own blowing hair, chapped face, and unbuttoned coat that I'm speechless:
I am living. I remember you.

by Marie Howe from What the Living Do

{Stevan Dohanos illustration via ondiraiduveau} 

Plate wall

lisa congdon plate wall via ooh_food on flickr

Earlier this week on the haystack needle there was a post on melamine plates that mentioned Lisa Congdon's much loved plate wall. It reminded me that 1) I really wish my kitchen was not such a "before" picture and 2) that I would love to try a plate wall in said kitchen at some point.

Every now and then I will look around for the perfect plate, the one that would make a great jumping off point for a collection, but so far I have not found it. I was not even 100% sure I had the right space for a plate wall, but seeing these images made me realize it seems to work in all sorts of layouts....so the search continues!

Image via google

Image via Cote De Texas

Image via remodelista

Treats

Crackly Sugar Cookies courtesy of chow.com

This week is all about sweet treats around here. I decided to put up three favorites- some classic sugar cookies, Gramercy Tavern Gingergread, and a Christmas cocktail (for after all the wrapping gifts, making food, and hanging stockings with care).

Crackly Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar (sanding or granulated) for rolling cookies

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom. Add yolks, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.
2. Add flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar and mix on low speed until dough comes together. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons and roll between your hands until smooth.
3. Roll dough in sanding or granulated sugar to coat and place on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Bake cookies until they are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center, about 16 minutes. Immediately transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Image courtesy of smittenkitchen.com

Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread

INGREDIENTS

1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Accompaniment: Unsweetened whipped cream

INSTRUCTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess. 2.Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.
3.Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. 4.Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
5. Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles.

6.Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes.Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.
Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.

Image courtesy of marthastewart.com

Candy Cane Cocktail

INGREDIENTS
Makes one cocktail

1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish
2 ounces strawberry vodka
4 dashes white creme de menthe
2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
Ice cubes

INSRUCTIONS

Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.

Thursday, a praire pantry, and Etsy

"Laura Ingalls Wilder - The Iowa Story" by William Anderson via JulJa

As inspiration for this week's Etsy room I am using the sweet scene of Laura Ingalls Wilder discovering and admiring the pantry that her new husband made her in their new home (as described in "These Happy Golden Years"). Yep, I'm stocking a pantry this week. I did not go crazy with the mason jars (though it was hard not to), but I could not keep myself from including a couple of touches from the prairie. What can I say? I just know the prairie life so well...

Laura returned to the front room. She took up Ma's basket, and opened the last door. She knew it must be the pantry door, but she stood in surprise and then in delight, looking at the pantry. All one wall was covered with shelves and drawers, and a broad shelf was under a large window at the pantry's far end....

"The ultimate country kitchen collection, vintage" via thebluejar

One whole long wall was shelved from the ceiling halfway down. The upper shelves were empty, but on the lowest was a glass lamp, Almanzo's bachelor dishes, and two pans of milk, with empty pans near. At the end, where this shelf was above the window shelf in the corner, stood a row of cans of spices.

"Hand Turned, Maple Oil Lamp from a small farm in Tennessee" by touchofparis

"1930's Vintage White with Black Rim Heavy Enamel Ware, 34 piece dinner set" via kellystreetvintage

"Westmoreland Milk Glass Nesting Hen Dish" via VintageEye

"Pair of Cast Iron Pans" via TheWhiteMole

Beneath this shelf were many drawers of different sizes. Directly below the spices, and above the window shelf, were two rather narrow drawers. Laura found that one was almost full of white sugar, the other of brown sugar. How handy!

"Griffith's Spice Rack 18 Jars, vintage, with Rack" via GardenBarn

"Sugar Bowl and Creamer Pitcher" via littlebyrdvintage

Next, a deep drawer was full of flour, and smaller ones held graham flour and corn meal. You could stand at the window shelf and mix up anything, without stirring a step. Outside the window was the great, blue sky, and the leafy little trees.

"Antique Farmhouse Kitchen Blue Swirl Graniteware Pudding Pan" via prairieantiques

"tin canisters" via nostalgictreasures

"King Arthur Upcycled Tote Bag" by onewomanstudio

Another deep drawer was filled with towels and tea towels. Another held two tableclothes and some napkins. A shallow one held knives and forks and spoons.

"six pack of bird towels hand printed" by artgoodies

"Vintage Autumn Plaid Tablecloth" via stilllifestyle

"leaf napkin pair in buttercup/cream" by elisabethbentz

"country style wooden silverware tray" via sydg

Beneath all these drawers there was space for a tall, stoneware churn and dasher, and empty space for other things should they come.

Okay, no one is churning any butter, but what you buy you can keep in one of these lovely French Butter Dishes by barbdunshee

And in terms of that "empty space"? I think I'd fill it with this...
complete set of Laura Ingalls Wilder books (1971) via OopseeDaisies

"Like your pantry?" he asked her, and she thought how many hours he must have worked, to put up all those shelves and to make and fit those drawers.

"Yes," she said.

Thursday, a kitchen, and Etsy

It's my turn to contribute a post to our "Thursday with Etsy" series, and of course I'm a wee bit late, because I'm the frazzled one. My collection, it seems, is also a bit frazzled. I can't guarantee that all of my picks would work in the SAME kitchen, but I consider them all perfect additions to the same TYPE of kitchen.

First a tablecloth. My pick is this sweet vintage number from unclebunkstrunk:

Now some salt and pepper shakers for our table, more vintage goodness from fabulousmess:

Of course we'll need tea towels. These are original screenprinted designs from Etsy superstar
skinnylaminx:

Here's an item I've been coveting for ages, a Doily Clock from andfurthermore:

For the windowsill, a succulent plant in a tidy little teapot, from monkeysalwayslook:

For the table, maybe some amazing crocheted flowers that will never die, handmade by suili:

For the counter, I really, really love this charmingly worn 40s cookie jar from ThePassingOfTime:


For the wall, a letterpress calendar from YeeHaw. I just can't resist it:

Also for the wall (maybe not NEXT TO the calendar), a lovely dandelion print by TwoPoodlePrints:And in your perfect kitchen, to keep your perfect housewife's wardrobe clean, you'll need a mid-century print half-apron; this one is from Flourisheshome:

Finally, my dream is to one day have a kitchen big enough to fit a little wooden kitchen for my children, where they can happily "make dinner" alongside their mother instead of arguing and whining and generally falling apart while I cook. This amazing wooden kitchen is from imaginethatwoodshop, my favorite woodworker on Etsy:

And if you have a play kitchen, you have to have an apron for your little chef. This adorable vintage-inspired child's apron from vidastyle makes my heart go pitter-pat:


I'm afraid my collection belies the problems I have with decorating my own home: I love disparate things, and I have no vision for entire rooms. I like to rummage, find, take home, hang up, and hope for the best. Hopefully you'll be inspired to something much more tasteful with what you find here!

"You take one down and pass it around..."

image via sirkus

I am not at all a beer drinker. I've tried, but it's just not going to happen. All I taste is bitterness and all I want is a girly drink with fruit in it. So why, you may ask, did I go on a brewery tour this weekend?

image via collectible kitchen

Well, the boyfriend likes beer as does the spouse of a friend of mine so we made it a couple's date and took a drive to Holly Springs, NC and to the Carolina Brewing Company. We got to taste a bunch of beers, ask a bunch of questions, and learn how the stuff is made. And it was all free. Yep, free beer.

image via straubted

I still only drank barely a half of a glass, but it was a fun afternoon and I think it would actually be a neat place to go on a date or to take your fella as a gift. And, ladies, (as my friend and I noticed right away) the ratio of men to women, on the tour, is like 10 to 1.... so go with a bunch of girlfriends as long as you don't terribly mind meeting a guy who leaves the tour planning to make beer in his bathtub.

Oh, and realbeer.com has a pretty good database for finding brewery tours in your state.

(And do you think I would be a bigger fan of beer if only I had one of these vintage beer trays? It's nice to think so.)

via LuLu's Vintage Blog

image via the queen of subtle

image via straubted