Best Job Ever

Springtime always reminds me of my first, and possibly my all-time favorite job. During the summers of my high school years, I worked at a little neighborhood florist shop. Now, when I say "little neighborhood florist shop" I'm sure it conjures up images of a small store front with a couple of coolers, a table in back and one cash register. The only accurate thing about this image is that it only had one cash register. Nothing about this family owned and operated business was small. They had a huge greenhouse where they forced bulbs, and boarded a myriad of different plants. They also had a huge double lot outback for growing. It was fabulous... really! Their clientele was also fabulous. They handled the flowers for all of the best and most important people (and functions) around Grosse Pointe. I can remember on Wednesdays and Thursdays the household help for the big families around town would bring in beautiful and priceless vessels for the designers to fill with fresh flowers. It was so fun to see these incredible heirlooms being hand carried in by the butlers wearing white gloves, of course! The crystal compotes, antique Chinese porcelain vases and elaborate sterling silver epergnes were things that I had never before seen the likes of. And when they were arranged with flowers... well, it was really something to see! Here are some images that remind me of the good ole' days dreaming about how "the other half" lived.

Images via Martha Stewart

q.a.Design Giveaway!

The wonderfully talented Jenna, at q.a. Design is having a give away! Check out these adorable little bookplates.... Who wouldn't want these little darlings? If you are the lucky winner, she will custom design a set of 25, just for you or your child or whoever! Go here to check out the details. And if you don't win and can't live with out these bookplates, then check out her etsy shop here. I think all of Jenna's designs are ah-may-zing!!! Good Luck!

Connecticut

I'm off to Connecticut to visit my sweet little nephew, my awesome sister-in-law and my brother. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to hit a couple of fabric stores! I'll see you in a week!

Pysanky

Every Easter while growing up, we made Ukrainian Easter eggs or pysanky, with the help of our Mom. Having the last name of Murphy, it's obvious that my family has no Ukrainian roots what-so-ever but my Mom was a great one for encouraging us to be creative and to try new things. She was a very hands on kind of parent and getting messy was encouraged. We kind of adopted this craft and made it a tradition. For complete directions on how to make your own pysanky, click here. And have fun!!

Images via Design*Sponge.

Happy Easter, Friends!

Quin-what? Quinoa!

Who says fried rice has to have rice in it? Well, okay, it does, but in this recipe instead of using rice I experimented with quinoa, and saying “fried quinoa with chicken” sounds like a completely different dish, so I embellished a bit.

If you cook the quinoa right, so it doesn’t have the bitter taste that quinoa can get, this “fried rice” tastes pretty much like the rice version. In fact, I kinda like the quinoa version better than using brown rice over white rice. Also with quinoa you get added protein. I have a new fave dish in my repertoire.

Quinoa Chicken "Fried Rice"

In this recipe, I also used fresh peas because I had them in my fridge. I’m all for using the fresh veggies because it just tastes better and I like the slight crunchiness too.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• ½ lb chicken cut into cubes (to make veg friendly, replace the chicken with “chicken” tofu or cooked tofu)
• 1/3 cup pre-cooked fresh peas
• 1/3 cup cut diced carrots
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 tbsp green onions diced (use as much as you prefer)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (I like the low sodium kind)
• Olive oil or canola oil for cooking
• Salt & pepper to taste

• Cook the quinoa frist and let it stand and cool down. It’s important to let the quinao sit in its water for at least ½ an hour before you start cooking it so you get no bitter taste.

• In a saucepan big enough to hold all the quinoa fried rice, heat some oil and then stir fry the chicken until it’s mostly cooked. Add salt & pepper to taste.

• Add in the carrots, and sautee about a minute with the chicken to start softening the carrots up a bit.

• Add in the peas and sautee with the chicken and carrots for about a minute.

• Scramble the eggs in a cup and then pour in with the chicken, carrots and peas. It is important to cook the scramble eggs before adding in the quinoa. If you pour the raw egg onto the quinoa, the quinoa will get soggy.

• When the eggs are scrambled, pour in the quinoa and the green onions along with the soy sauce. Mix all ingredients together well. Let cook in pan, stirring continually for about 1-2 minutes.

Serves 2-3.

Original recipe via Noshtopia.

A True Original

A few years back I discovered the absolutely wonderful journal of Dorothy Rodgers called "The House in My Head". It is a heartwarming account of her quest to build the perfect dream house in the country for herself, her family and her friends. This little gem of a book, published in 1967, is filled with practical advice, thoughtful anecdotes of her experiences, tips on entertaining, great dinner party menus and the art of household management. It is personal, sophisticated and reflective of a woman of great charm and impeccable style. Mrs. Rodgers, the wife of famous composer Richard Rodgers, was a genius at blending contemporary and traditional elements. Her taste in furnishings is classic. Her home design is a model of well planned space and many of her tips are invaluable. Some of Mrs. Rodgers' ideas are a bit outdated (especially the ones that involve being a doting wife) but don't let that put you off. Generally speaking, this book is timeless and you will find yourself referencing it constantly! One of my favorite elements of the book are the numerous charming drawings of the famed illustrator, Jeremiah Goodman. So, if you are a fan of Martha Stewart and her ability to create perfection (and deep down, aren't we all?) then you will adore the work of Dorothy Rodgers... She's a true original!

Dorothy Rodgers

"The House in My Head" is available here.

Illustration by Jeremiah Goodman. Via Bibliostyle.

"Rockmeadow" Fairfield, Connecticut. Via Bibliostyle.

I'm a Gleek!

Unless you've been living under a rock, you would know that ever since Fox aired the pilot episode of Glee back in May of this 2009, the show has amassed a cult-like following. I don't know if it's all the singing and dancing or the charm of the characters or all of the high school drama. All I know is that everyone (myself included!) is crazy about Glee. Although the show is known for it's music and dancing, I can't help but notice that some of the characters have a great sense of style. In particular, Emma Pillsbury, who is played by Jamya Mays. You know those people who you meet who just look good all the time no matter what? Emma is one of those people. She always looks completely put together, which works so perfectly with her character's neatnik, germaphobic personality. She's a master of the J.Crew-meets-vintage mash-up, slightly prim but always cheeky, colorful and bit quirky. She is giving me serious wardrobe envy. I'm so looking forward to seeing more of her outfits along with the rest of the casts as the show progresses.

I can't wait to see what Glee has in store for us after this almost unbearable hiatus! If you need to catch yourself up or if you just need a Glee fix go to hulu to watch episodes and clips. April 13th! Set your DVR's!