Brooklyn Bean

I've moved!

After months and months, our house is finished! I'm happy to be in our own house, happy to have more than 450 square feet of space, and happy to have that backyard. Now if I could just get that internet up and running. I will be sharing with you all during the next month or so some of the before and afters of our renovation. 

I've also moved blogs. You can check me out here at Brooklynbean.squarespace.com. This will be my last post here so please move with me and don't be afraid to say "hi" if you haven't yet. I can't yet reveal the details on the whys behind my move but you will find out shortly. It's very exciting!! 

I promise that with my move will be the return of more blog posts. I have been trying to figure out how to balance my new working life with my hobbies. I am still "in process" but should have it down soon. (I hope). Until then, meet you at squarespace.

I'm back, well sort of

It really has been a long time since I have posted, it feels like it too. I have been so out of touch with everything lately. For starters, I went back to work, as mentioned before, we finally moved into our old/new house, I'm up to my nose in boxes with little or no energy to unpack them, and we have no internet. I'm doing well despite some of the things that are a void in my life; sewing, playing with Luke everyday, emailing, calling friends back (I have 20 voicemails), baking, exercising,  blogging. I need to find a balance in my life, someway to do do everything, but not in excess, anyone have any suggestions?

In attempt to get back to at least one of my hobbies, I baked up some cornbread this weekend. I have a serious love and/or obsession with cornbread. My mom made it occasionally growing up, and sorry mom, but I just wasn't a fan. It was usually dry and most likely something she improvised on to make it "healthy" or "low fat". It wasn't until I moved to New York that I discovered how incredibly satisfying cornbread could actually be. I enjoyed  a cornbread muffin wrapped in tinfoil from the local diner toasted and smothered with butter almost every morning for the first year I lived there (and I wonder why I gained 10 that year). 

A couple years ago my good friend Andi so graciously shared her cornbread recipe with me. This recipe makes up the most delicious treat you could ever wish for. Buttery, sweet, moist, and oh so mouth watering. I doubled the batch this weekend. This is what was left of my batch after just a few hours.

 

And for my bestest work friends who also share my love of cornbread.

The recipe for this cornbread is unfortunately on my home computer, I'm using a borrowed computer tonight. I will post it this week though.

And in other news, my blog is moving too. I will announce the new URL this week. It will still be Brooklyn Bean, but with a different blog source. I am so excited, and can't wait to share with all of you. And yes, I will be back to updating on an at least bi-weekly basis!

 

New hairdo and a 5 dollar dress

After putting it off for way too long got my hair done Saturday and I love it. In my lifetime there have been only a few years that I haven't worn my hair curly as in perm curly or with my natural waves. My stylist straightened my hair only to finalize and finesse the cut, but I must say although it has been shocking to everyone, I like it. I might even change it up a bit now and then; curly, straight, wavy...so many options.

 

And Target, how you've really come through for me lately. With fall around the corner and my need for new work outfuits I have talked myself out of feeling guilty for the clothes I have been purchasing, especially when they are under $25 dollars. This dress in particular I felt beyond great about buying. It was $5.38, seriously. The most comfortable dress I have ever worn and probably the cheapest.

And with the savings on that dress I was able to pick up a couple of other items. Another maxi dress, and this skirt. ( I also justified it all by telling myself that I could have spent 3x's the amount at Banana Republic and I'm pretty sure I will get more wear out of this stuff). And I didn't buy this one, but I came across it while I was browsing for links. I could imagine myself wearing it while vacuuming or something.

Work clothes

A couple years back I quit work, for good. I gave away and sold all of my suits, dress pants, silk tops, and only kept a few of my favorites I had collected over the many many years I worked there. I wasn't sad to see them go, in fact it was quite liberating, but now I kinda wish I had some of them back, cause I'm back there again, back in retail, back at the BR.

With a full time job comes a dramatic loss of any free time. The little I have now is spent playing with Luke, not designing and sewing clothes, although I still have plans to use up the $50 of fabric I just picked up at Joann's. I am enjoying putting outfits together again however. I feel more excited about getting dressed now that more than just the moms at the nearby park will see me.

These are some of my workwear outfits that sadly cannot include denim. 

Top: Old Navy, current
Skirt: Banana Republic, 2 years old
Shoes: Frye, almost 1 year old

Top: APC madras, current
Pants: Banana Republic, 3 years old, I had to steal them back from my mom.
Shoes: K Jacques, current

Sweater: Old Navy, current
Skirt: somewhere on ebay, 2 years old
Shoes: Banana Republic, 1 year old

Top: Gap, current
Pants: Gap, current
Sandals: Old Navy, current

Incidentally, it is a good thing I work for Gap Inc. I have pretty much only shopped within their three brands for the last 16 years. Before I quit I used to dream about the day when I didn't have to wear their clothes anymore, but even during my 2 year hiatus, I almost exclusively shopped either at Gap or Old Navy. I love the simplicity of their clothes, the straight lines,how I know my size without ever having to try anything on, and mostly the prices, you really can't beat the prices.

Glad to be in a new week

Last week was rough, really rough. And if I may put this out there again, why does it seem when things can't get worse, they do? That's me for you, and if you've known me long enough you can vouch for it.

But this week is much better. I have my first day off today in what feels like an eternity, and I'm finally spending time with this guy, boy I've missed him.

 We have big plans for the next couple of days: the park, a date at Chipotle, rides on our scooters, & Seven Peaks tomorrow. It seriously feels like forever since we've hung out.

Some other things are making me happy this week too. I'm starting a few new sewing projects, I just bought this new shirt at the GAP (with my discount, hooray!!), my brother is here for a visit, and I am on a hunt to find these stamps. At my first stop today, funny, the clerk told me the lady that orders the stamps said she wouldn't be ordering anymore because they were too ugly. I could only quickly turn to leave with a smile on my face and happy to visit another post office with more tact and taste.

I also can't seem to get enough of The Dark Knight. I'm going to see it again tomorrow night for the third time but this time in IMAX, is there anyone else out there that feels the same?

Fabric necklaces

I've finally figured out what to do with all of the scraps of fabric I have laying around.
Perfect with a white tee and oh so summery.

Sky rockets in flight

"Coconut Delight"

I don't know who came up with the name for this dessert but as cheezy as it sounds, it is truly delightful. So light and delicious, very complimentary to any meal. I love making it, but it calls for Coconut pudding which was near impossible to find in Brooklyn, so I only made it when I could stash a few packages into my suitcase, and I usually used them up within a month. But now that I'm back in Utah where the grocery stores are endless and well, lets just say I've made it a few times too many.

A friend of mine just had twin girls a few weeks ago so this afternoon I made her a batch and of course doubled it for myself. The few times I have served it at parties etc., I usually get many calls for the recipe so I thought I would share.

Combine
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted        1 cup flour
1-1/4 cup flaked coconut                      1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup slivered almonds

In a bowl, mix the above ingredients together, press lightly into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes to form coarse crumbs. Cool. Divide crumb mixture in half;press half into the same baking pan.

Combine
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) of instant vanilla pudding mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) of instant coconut pudding mix
2 2/3 cup cold milk
Fold in 2 cups whipped topping ( I use heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla)

 

Spoon over crust. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (It tastes better the longer it sits).

And enjoy!!

Wrap skirt #1

This might just be one of my favorite things I've ever made. I know I say that every time, but I really really love how this one turned out. So much in fact that I had a real internal debate about selling it, and I'm am headed back to the fabric store today to a) buy more fabric to make myself one and b) put another one in the shop.

The fabric is still very summery, hey we still have a month and a half of it yet, and is a pin stripe sort of robin egg blue. Pair it with a white tee and red shoes, and you have a perfect fourth of July outfit for next year! I feel pretty confident high waisted stuff will still be lingering for at least another year, so no worries there.

I also just ordered some solid blue chambray which should be here early next week. My goal is to get another wrap skirt up by Wednesday, so check back if you are interested.

Unrelated but very much on my mind this morning, did anyone see Andrew Bird play last night? He is seriously amazing, and to me very inspiring. How have I not known for the past couple of years that he was the one playing the violin? I can't as much talk and play the violin at the same time let alone sing. I want to be him when I grow up, really.

I can't get enough

I seriously worship this guy, Charles Spencer Anderson. Like many others I admire, he is a graphic designer and is based out of Minneapolis. If Tom would have applied and gotten a job with him, I would have moved immediately to Minnesota despite my intense loathing for really really cold weather. He's that great.

My favorite of his stuff is what he designs for French Paper Company, and more specifically his Pop Ink Line.  If I could own all of it I would. He has a knack for camp, and I'm a sucker for it, always have been.

My love for his stuff first started a few years ago, when Tom picked up this book. It has no purpose other than it is filled cover to cover with the cutest illustrations of little animals. It's one of my all time favorite books.

Come on, who wouldn't to use some of this stuff for very special occasions? And yes, these are seriously dinner plates, but wouldn't they look so great on a wall?

And this wrapping paper

 

One of the perks of having a graphic designer for a father and husband is the free paper samples they get. Usually they are from boring paper companies but every now and then they give out something really great. Well, French Paper Company distributed these posters to potential clients, and I couldn't have been more delighted. I think I will frame them and put them in Luke's room, or even in a nursery someday. Oh I really love them, and they are even available on dinner plates.

Weekend Quilting

Cramming cramming. That's what I've been up to. With a list of to-do's piling up and the impending return to Banana Republic in a week, I stayed up all too late this weekend sewing up two baby quilts that have been collecting dust for way too long.

The first, a baby quilt for a dear dear friend I haven't seen in about 7 years. We were pretty close in college, but the distance between Seattle and New York was too great for anything but emails, Christmas gifts, and yes baby gifts. With a boy due any day, I thought a western quilt with a polka dot backing would be perfect for the little guy. This was my first attempt at starting and finishing a quilt in a 24 hour period, with help from You Tube tutorials and a beginning quilt book I picked up over a year ago I was able to start it Friday afternoon and send it off Saturday morning.

And for Saturday and Sunday, I finally got around to quilting and binding this quilt. After many many great suggestions from friends and fellow bloggers, I finally decided on the cherry blossom polka dot from Amy Butler for the backing, and a orange from the kona solid fabric line for the binding. I really love how it turned out and hope it will add just the perfect touch to Luke's almost finished new room.

And as for the rest of the week, it will be spent cramming in as much play time with Luke as possible, finishing up my recipe book (this one has been "in process" for 2 years), making iphoto books for the last three years, sewing up a few wrap skirts for the shop, and hopefully getting some much needed catch up rest.

Oh, the car. yes, it was an accident. It was late, dark, and we backed right down into the ditch apparently not realizing the road took a sharp turn, well I realized, Tom didn't. We got it out the next day with a tow truck. Really though, what good are SUV's if you can't go off roading in them?