Top of the Muffin to You!

I know Seinfeld wasn't for everyone (so if it isn't your cup of tea I won't try to convert you) but I am definitely a fan (the re-runs still make me laugh).

Last week I had a hankering for my favorite Blueberry Muffins and in the midst of everything I remembered the Muffin Top episode and had to take a minute to chuckle. For those not familiar with it here's a little synopsis... 

Elaine starts eating only the tops of muffins and says that it is a million dollar idea so Mr Lippman (her former boss) decides to start a business (called Top of the Muffin to You!). When the business doesn't work he asks Elaine for help and she tells him that he needs to make the whole muffin and pop the top off from the stump  - she also demands that he remove the exclamation point from the store sign ("It's not top of the muffin, TO YOU!"). Unfortunately this results in excess muffin stumps that Elaine tries to (unsuccessfully) give to the homeless... shenanigans ensue, Kramer tries to take the stumps to the dump and in the end Elaine hires "a cleaner" (Newman) to make the stumps disappear...

 

Is it just me or does the show seem even more bizarre once you try to explain it? 

Naturally, part way through baking I realized I was out of frozen blueberries so I decided to try cranberries and raspberries in some sort of crazy experiment and (surprise!) they turned out great.

Here's the original blueberry recipe and the changes I made... These are my favorite berry muffins and are delicious, even for those stubborn people who "don't like blueberry muffins".

1c. sugar

2/3 c. margarine

2 eggs

1 c. milk

3 c. flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. frozen blueberries

Cream together margarine and sugar. Beat in eggs. Mix the dry ingredients together and incorporate into wet alternating with the milk (1/2 dry, all of the milk, rest of the dry). Add the blueberries and scoop into greased and lined muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 Degree Fahrenheit.

For the cranberry raspberry muffins above I added one cup frozen cranberries and one cup frozen raspberries as well as some fresh lemon zest. Try cutting the cranberries in half before adding them as they can be a bit large. 

Frozen fruit works bets because it stays together while you mix it into the batter - fresh fruit has a tendency to be squished. I have strayed from plain blueberries and each time they are delicious. Try mixed berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries!

Enjoy!

Calli

A Jewel in the Rough

A few months ago during a rather fruitful thrift shopping expedition I found this adorable little jewelery stand. For only $4.99 I brought it home, cleaned it up, and found a little Anthropologie sticker on the bottom... imagine my surprise! 

Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to check it out online where I found the exact stand for $16.00 - plus shipping since we don't have Antropologie anywhere remotely close by... 

You can check out the online version here if you aren't fortunate enough to find one at your local thrift store. Can you tell which one is mine?

Enjoy!

Calli

Object Orange Obsession

My name is Calli and I am obsessed with mid-century furniture.

There is a fantastic shop in Kelowna by the name of Object Orange that enables my habit... Last time I was there I found an incredible teak dining table and original Solair Chair - now they both live with me. 

I think my credit card was screaming from overuse after that shopping escapade and I've tried to limit my visits ever since (for the benefit of my bank account and not my condos aesthetic...). 

I was fortunate enough to get 4 new dining chairs from Object Orange for Christmas (thanks Mom!) but when I was in the area a month ago I purposefully avoided the store entirely - I've realized that when it comes to mid-century furniture I can't only look and something always ends up coming home with me...

What a great Christmas gift!

Well now the store has gone and done it in true enabler fashion - Object Orange has a new website and I find myself falling in love with each new photo added...

Here's what has my attention right now:

Oh what I would give for an Eames Shell chair with an Eiffel base...limb, organ, first born child?

I'd be completely content to fill my house with only chairs, lamps, and amazing credenza's like this

This lamp (and it's curves!) literally makes my knees weak

Go check out Object Orange here: http://www.objectorange.ca/index.html

And hurry before I buy everything up!

Enjoy!

Calli

Ladder Found!

Remember when, only a few short weeks ago, I posed here about wanting a beat up old ladder for my master bathroom?

I'm not used to finding what I am looking for so easily (I'm the person at the mall finding tons of tops when I really need jeans...) So I was shocked this weekend when I found a ladder at my grandparent's house that was destined for the dump - and exactly what I wanted. 

Talk about 'meant to be' - what are the chances that I would be there on this particular day and my grandma would happen to mention that she had a load for the dump that included a ladder? 

Although I only had my little Honda with me I was able to fit the ladder in and get it home (There would have been more room if I'd only taken out that little thrift store find (post to come) a week ago when I bought it...)

The ladder had been sitting outside for a long time - as evident by the dirt and cobwebs all over it. But, after I gave it a good cleaning with a damp rag and let it dry she was good to go. Ignore the wall colour and horrible yellow lighting in the photos below... what generic spec home colours!

*The ladder is really more weathered gray with blue paint splatters and silver hardware.

More pictures to come once I've got this room painted and pulled together!

Enjoy!

Calli

A Bit of Brilliance - Does it get better than Doughnuts and Shoes?

1. This twist on plain jane cake balls by The Knead for Speed is not only ingenious but adorable and I may just give it a try this weekend if I can

a) find the time and

b) find someone to force them on share them with so I don't end up eating a dozen by myself late Saturday night...

2. My worst fear has come true - a while back Steve Carell confirmed he was leaving The Office and with each new episode I find myself worrying that it may be his last. It will be really hard to enjoy myself with anyone else but Michael Scott (that's what she said!). 

3. I am really into strappy sandals for spring and summer and these ones from Aldo are perfect! The dark brown won`t easily get dirty and worn looking and I love the beads.

4. 'Mean' by Taylor Swift (off of her newest album Speak Now) has been playing over and over in my head. I can't help but make the connection between the lyrics and the whole Kanye West debacle.

5. Check out these great Kamloops Kijiji furniture finds...

$25 Desk - I'd leave some wood and add some white paint.

$10 Chair - love the legs, I see it reupholstered in a big graphic print

Enjoy!

Calli

Clearly a good idea...

Last week I posted here about using photos of my dogs as art. Well, it turns out I'm not the only one with this (insanely smart) idea...

Shortly after that post I found this great photo over at Apartment Therapy.

Yellow Brick Home via Apartment Therapy

On a side note - isn't this picture just adorable?

I will say I was rather proud of myself after spotting this - so imagine how incredibly excited I was when I found this...

Amanda Friedman for The New York Times

Yes, that is Bradley Cooper (from The Hangover and Wedding Crashers) and yes, that is a photo over his dining area of his dog Samson who passed away last year, and yes this was featured in the New York Times! 

I am still grinning from ear to ear - you'd think I was the one that had taken the picture (not some silly girl with a similar idea for art...)

The thing that really got me in this picture is that the dog in this photo looks exactly like my own dog Cruiser. It's amazing how much expression can be conveyed with just the eyes. 

I really like the size of the photo and the thick black frame - it works so well with the warm wood table and bench... Can I also take a moment to mention how gorgeous those glass pendent lights are? 

Anyways, clearly I am still a bit overly excited... I'm a firm believer in the importance of surrounding yourself with what you love - for me that means my pets (they are really part of the family). 

Enjoy!

Calli

Lady in Waiting

The DIY to which all others will be measured...

My favorite furniture re-vamp to date is also the first one I ever took on. A while back my mom tipped me off to a chair that had taken up permanent residence in my grandparent's shop. She (the chair) had originally belonged to my aunt and uncle but had been pretty beat up. My grandfather rescued her during a visit one day but unfortunately the abuse didn't stop - there in the shop she sat, waiting in pieces, subjected to the harsh sun, dust, and occasional barn cat... unloved, her condition worsened.

Turned out my grandparents already had an identical chair, but in much better shape, in their office (might explain the reason my beauty had to live in the shop) so after taking a look at this (way nicer) chair and some encouragement from my Mom, I decided to take on the task of giving the old girl new life and convinced my Dad to help. 

I wish I had some more pictures to share showing just how awful she was before.

In my garage - reduced to just pieces of molded wood

Little did I know how gorgeous she could be - or of her infamous past. Like discovering your neighbour is a Pulitzer Prize winner, as I Googled, my beat up little chair became so much more. It turns out that she is an original Eames Lounge Chair - which I discovered is kind of a big deal.

Photo by Vitra

 Ok, ok, I know that might not mean a lot to some of you - so like a good inside joke you need to know the history in order to appreciate it...

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman correctly titled Eames Lounge (670) and Ottoman (671), were released in 1956 after years of development by designers Charles and Ray Eames for the Herman Miller furniture company. It was the first chair the Eames designed for a high-end market. These furnishings are made of molded plywood and leather. 

Herman Miller describes the Eames Lounge Chair...

It lives in museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago and in stylish interiors everywhere. It has been the subject of documentary films and books. It even has its own fan website. Calling it a classic is an understatement. It's the quintessential example of mid-century design - elegant and profoundly comfortable.

                     

Herman Miller

It turns out that she is not only an iconic piece from mid-century design royalty, but the Eames Lounge Chair is everywhere - I just hadn't been looking. Once I realized it I started spotting this design all over the place - and got quite excited (she can be spotted on House MD, Frasier, and Gossip Girl to drop a few names).

Unfortunately my famous girl was in rough shape. Her curved wooden headrest was beat up from being banged against something and the wood was rubbed raw through the veneer. The leather upholstery had deteriorated in many spots and the foam cushions were worn. Her legs were also in need of some love and had a few rust spots forming. Although I would have loved to keep the original components intact she was too far gone - I had to take everything apart and start from scratch...

Her unveiling

Starting from scratch meant a good clean and new veneer (thanks Dad) but it also meant reinforced cushioning and new leather upholstery. We had a professional take on the leather work which ended up being the best idea ever - the job was way above any skills I have and I was not going to risk messing up genuine leather. The leather was an investment (and took the place of many Birthday and Christmas gifts) but when you have a classic piece like this it's important to use quality materials. 

 

Her new home - my living room

I am still thrilled, many years later, with how the entire project turned out and I think that we did a great job of keeping the integrity of the chair intact while replacing the parts that were too far gone. I know that this is one piece I will NEVER part with - not only because she is such a classic beauty but because of the time and effort that was put into making her shine. 

It means so much more when you have to work for it...

Enjoy!

Calli

Still a bit chili here...

Here in small town BC it seems the weather is still making up it's mind as to when spring will finally arrive... This winter has seemed really long and cold and I am so ready for some fairer weather. I thought spring had arrived - and had even pulled out my sunglasses and unrolled my car window a few times - but this weekend I woke up to find that it was trying to snow. Bummer. 

When I see the white stuff falling, regardless of if it is sticking or not, I get this immediate impulse to curl up under a blanket, grab a cup of tea, and hunker down with some movies... so this is exactly what I did. I also decided to make a big pot of chili to take me through the work week. It's so nice to have something in the fridge to grab and go or easily re-heat for dinner. My chili is always somewhat random - nothing is measured and it always comes out a bit different so I don't have a recipe to post - however I made some cheddar muffins to go with the chili and will now take a moment to share...

I found this recipe for Cracked Pepper & Cheddar Muffins over at The Spotted Fox and decided to give it a try. I bake pretty regularly (or try to) so I may be biased, but overall I found this recipe super easy to follow. I didn't use muffin liners - I like the rustic way these look without them. The muffins were light and fluffy - I had one right out of the over and the cheese was nice and melted. The cheese flavour is quite mild but you can definitely taste the pepper - something to alter depending on your love of the spice... I think I will keep this recipe for future use.

I'm also going to take a second to share my normal, fail safe cheddar biscuit recipe (that is perfect with chili). I found it a few years back on Food&Whine and it was modeled after Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits (soooo good). This recipe is also super easy and delicious.

Cheddar Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt (or seasoning salt)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup butter, cold, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 - 2/3 cups milk

Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Whisk together to combine thoroughly. Add chunks of butter. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into flour until it is coarse, pea-sized (doesn't need to be fine). Add oil, grated cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup milk. Stir together. Keep adding milk a bit at a time, just until the dough is moistened and no longer dry and powdery. (Shouldn't be sticky, just moist enough to hold together).

Drop approximately 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop or large spoon.Bake for 15-17 minutes. Serve warm.Makes one dozen biscuits. 

*On another note - check out the crafty ideas going on over at Today's Creative Blog as well as Your Sassy Sites (and my piano bench makeover that I shared too!)

Enjoy!

Calli

Sew Cute!

A few weeks ago I found an adorable tutorial on Thimble.com for this fantastic Pleated Beach Bag (first mentioned here). Although my sewing skills leave much to be desired (my experience is mostly made up of some high-school projects, pillow covers, and a shower curtain - pictures to come!) I decided to give it a try...

I am thrilled with the final product.

I wouldn't label this a beginner level project (the lining and assembly make it more intermediate) and I probably should have read the instructions completely before starting (instead of skimming quickly) but I was able to find my way through it and am really happy with the results. So happy in fact I think I will make another one - and soon!

It took about 5 hours from start to finish but I think I can cut this down the second time around. A good portion of this time was spent taping paper together to make the patterns because I didn't have anything big enough. I pondered altering the sizes for a few minutes. In the end, I decided to stick with the tutorial just as it is.

More time went to corrections - I messed up the measurements on one of the pattern pieces (I'm blaming it on my cold and not poor math skills) and had to fix it. Then I got tripped up on the assembly and had to pull out the seaming to re-do a step or two. I think most of these errors came down to my sewing experience and not the tutorial - but I did have trouble following along at the point where I put the liner and outside pieces together and added the strap. 

I am really excited about the fabric that I used  - I think that it looks great. I opted for the blue fabric on the bottom after considering how dirty the bag may get, although I really love the strap fabric and could have used it everywhere! I found the fabric pre-cut at Wal Mart* and the great pink polka dot lining is from Value Village (gotta love a bargain!). 

*Unfortunately my local Wal Mart got rid of its fabric department and now only sells pre-cut fabric kits. I've found that the pricing is still affordable, the patterns and colours are fantastic, and for the most part the pieces are plenty big enough for a project like this (but probably won't cut it for upholstery projects...).

Now that I've completed the bag I think I will give it another try and maybe change the dimensions a bit. It's the perfect size for the beach (I could easily cram into it a swim suite, suntan lotion, book, towel, and a whole lot of  beverages) and I've never been one to shy away from a huge purse, but I'd like to make a narrower style to use when running around town. Also, a (tiny bit) smaller bag may force me to carry less stuff around - a blessing for my back and shoulders as well as my ability to find anything. 

I didn't make the zippered pouch included in the tutorial but I think I'll try that next time - I'll keep you posted on how well it goes. Although I had some stumbles along the way I'd rate this as an A...the finished project is great and I didn't throw anything in rage along the way (I may or may not have a bit of a temper).

Enjoy!

Calli

A Bit of Brilliance - Dreaming of Summer

This week got off to a rough start and I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Here's what helped me make it through...

1. This photo from Bright.Bazaar has me dreaming of summer patio parties...

2. ... and summer is the perfect time for some Rock Candy Jello Shooters courtesy of Bakers Royale.

5. 

3. I spotted this adorable tote bag over at thimble.ca - I am planning to make one this weekend using some equally cute fabric I picked up recently (my local fabric store is having a moving sale hooray!). It's never to early to get the beach essentials together...

4. Soda, Soft Drink, Pop, whichever name you choose, it's cool and refreshing on a hot summer day - and this photo from 100layercake is gorgeous! It makes me happy and reminds me that summer is only a few months away... ok 3-4 months but still...

5. Finally, how amazing would these look with a tan? I have fallen hard for Anthropologie's fabulous Egyptian Eye Earrings... I want them soooo bad - but the price ($98 + shipping and handling eeks!) has me wishing and hoping instead of pulling out my credit card.

Enjoy!

Calli