Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Sycamore Street Press

Sycamore Street Press was featured on Design Mom a couple of weeks ago. As I mentioned previously, I love letterpress! I think their frame mats are a great idea, and gift tags would be really useful with the holidays approaching - especially pretty letterpress ones.

Thursday Tunes: Peter Breinholt

Peter Breinholt is an incredible Utah artist who I first heard as a freshman in college. His music is kind of folk-rock, but whatever you want to call it, it is fun. I saw his show at Sundance in September of 2002 and bought the Live September album - it honestly helped me through many hard times. It's beautiful. As Jana pointed out, Tony and I played "Grow Old With Me" at our wedding. I love the version with Nancy Hanson, but you can hear a newer version here. I have yet to purchase the two most recent albums, but I'm sure they're great. I love Peter B.!

Burleigh Transferware

Burleigh Transferware is something that I found out about quite by accident. I was remembering a little shop in the Sugar House area of Salt Lake where Tony and looked around 5 years ago. They had this stoneware canister that I loved that said Burgess, which was my last name at the time. In trying to look it up online, I came across Burgess & Leigh pottery from the 1800s. They were bought by the Dorlings in the 1990s and continue selling beautiful stoneware as Burleigh. I really want to buy the mixed blue set of mixing bowls (below).

Old Basics

One day while reading the lovely blog, Modern Country, I noticed in her list of links a place called Old Basics. I'm a sucker for anything Dutch because of my father's heritage, but this site is really great. It's in Dutch, so I have only vague imaginings of what any of it says, but I know that winkel means store. So go to the webwinkel and check out all of the cool stuff. I'm guessing that banken means benches, because if you follow the link you'll find wonderful pieces like this. Isn't is incredible?

Late July

When we were in St. Louis last Friday, Tony went to the new Whole Foods Market in Town & Country (yes, that's the name of a place). He picked up some of these Late July cookies. For not having anything in them, they are delicious. I really love Whole Foods, and I sure wish I had another box.

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: She's Crafty

Last year I learned how to knit - just well enough to make a washcloth. My sister, Beth, also learned how to knit last year, but now she is on to wonderful cupcake hats and such. Today's Etsy seller is a knitter. The She's Crafty shop is exquisite. They're kind of in transition right now, but I'm sure that you can expect great things to come. Also, visit her blog for ideas and for a free Vintage Pixie Cap pattern!

Thursday Tunes: The Police

I can't believe I've gotten this far on this blog without mentioning the Police. I'm not quite old enough to have known them when they were together. I mostly came to their music in high school and could not get enough. I own the boxed set and love even all of the old obscure songs that don't get radio play (like So Lonely - below). So when we heard they would be playing in St. Louis in July of '07, we spent all of our money on tickets. It was so worth it. Sting is the ultimate rock star that he's always been. Andy is still the older, not-as-attractive one, and Stewart is still the nerdy/awesome fastest drummer ever - but without the gym socks this time. Love them.

The Work of Creation

A while back I wrote in our weekly journal about the creative process and how fascinating and powerful it is to me. So I really loved it when President Uchtdorf spoke about creating in the semiannual General Relief Society Meeting of the Church. Here is an excerpt:

The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—and I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children.

You might say, “I’m not the creative type. When I sing, I’m always half a tone above or below the note. I cannot draw a line without a ruler. And the only practical use for my homemade bread is as a paperweight or as a doorstop.”

If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.

But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy. Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things.

If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next.

You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.

What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.

If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it.

Nearly a century and a half ago, President Brigham Young spoke to the Saints of his day. “There is a great work for the Saints to do,” he said. “Progress, and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds. Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations. In the mean time continually seek to adorn your minds with all the graces of the Spirit of Christ.”

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.

3191

I saw this blog when Martha did a post about blogging and thought that it was a great idea. 3191 is a visual blog where two friends each take a picture each day. One of them lives in Portland, Maine, and the other lives in Portland, Oregon. They don't discuss their photos beforehand. The result is so interesting and inspiring.

Slippers

We live in a 100-year-old house with wood floors, some of which aren't in very good condition. So we have to wear slippers to avoid getting slivers. These were in Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion. I'm trying to work on my sewing so that I can make a pair. (Or you can make them for me if you have some spare time, Sara!)

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Michelle Brusegaard

Today's Etsy shop is Made by Michelle Brusegaard. She offers a great mix of printed cards and linens, photos, batik, paintings, and whatever else she feels like including. I just purchased these red poppy dish towels, and I'm so excited for them to arrive. I also got some little cards with the same print. So cute.

Thursday Tunes: XM Radio

I know it's Friday, but I wanted to do a Thursday Tunes post. This one isn't about an artist or album or song even. It's about XM Radio. We have had XM satellite radio for a few years now, and we really enjoy it. They have great stations (like '90s and the Starbucks station), and you can listen to it wherever you go. No more static AM country as you drive through Kansas. I was just noticing that you can get an online-only subscription for about $8 a month. Check it out.

The Best Is Yet To Be

Tomorrow will mark the 5th anniversary of our engagement. It was a beautiful fall day at Thanksgiving Point where we walked around and got affianced (as Tony liked to say). Then it was dinner at a wonderful Italian place in downtown Salt Lake followed by Peter Cetera and the Utah Symphony. Inscribed in my ring is "GROW OLD ALONG WITH ME," and Tony's reads "THE BEST IS YET TO BE," from Rabbi Ben Ezra by Robert Browning (below). This verse was the theme for our wedding, and it seems just as true today.

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,

The last of life, for which the first was made:

Our times are in His hand

Who saith "A whole I planned,

Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!''

Tony: The best IS yet to be!

Starbucks

For someone who doesn't drink coffee, I sure go to Starbucks a lot. So what do I do there? I get a cookie and some organic vanilla milk. Or I get an iced peppermint hot chocolate - yes, it's a bit of an oxymoron. The latest is their new signature hot chocolate. It started pouring the other day when we were walking around campus, so we stopped in Starbucks and I had the new hazelnut hot chocolate. It was delicious. I got Tony the new salted caramel hot chocolate. I think I'll have to try it next.

White Kitchen

My sister is in the middle of building a new house. I was talking with her the other day, and she said that their contractor told her not to get white cupboards for the kitchen because they went out in the '90s. While that may or may not be true, I really love this kitchen - almost totally white! As seen on the beautiful blog, Modern Country.

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Blue Bird Lane

Today's Etsy seller is Blue Bird Lane - handmade gift tags and papers with a vintage look. They have gorgeous French-inspired items and right now some really great seasonal things. Don't you love the green seam binding?

Thursday Tunes: Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby

I know I posted about Bruce Hornsby a couple of weeks ago, but he really is so great. Last Saturday we saw him in concert with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Bruce and Ricky collaborated on a bluegrass album a couple of years ago, and it is really good. The concert was fantastic. One of the best (and most hilarious) parts was when they did their version of Rick James - Super Freak.

Check it out:

Tiffany's

I am a happily married woman with a wedding ring that I love - so why can't I stop looking at the Tiffany & Co. web site? Probably once a month or so I get lost on their site. There are so many lovely things to see. Like this ring - isn't it stunning?

TAG

I've been tagged by Rochelle, a reader of this blog (thanks!). I'm supposed to share 6 details about myself and tag 6 others. Here is my list...

1. I currently live in a town of about 200 people in the middle of Missouri. (See map above.) There are a bunch of antique shops and bed & breakfasts and a fantastic biking/walking trail, so it's a fun place to be. It's also not far from a much larger city.
2. A couple of summers ago, my husband and I drove to Toronto over the 4th of July just because we wanted to. It was a really fun trip, and we drove back (all 878 miles) in one day.
3. I have 4 sisters, 4 brothers-in-law, 4 nieces, and 4 nephews. But the balance will be disrupted when my sister has grandchild #9 in the spring.
4. As mentioned previously on this blog, I was able to go to the Olympics when they were in Salt Lake. Awesome. The best part was the medal ceremony and thousands of gloved hands clapping.
5. Our family had our colors done by the Arbonne cosmetics lady when I was 4. I went to preschool and told my teacher, "I'm a fall - I should wear brown."
6. Growing up I really wanted to be an astronaut. When I was 12, I went to Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. So fun. Later I realized that math and physics are not my thing...

I'm not actually going to tag anyone (sorry!), but I'm going to list 6 blogs that I love to read. Hopefully you will love them, too. Enjoy!

1. DesignMom
2. Bloesem
3. bloom, grow, love
4. Modern Country
5. Just Something I Made
6. Eddie Ross

Boo!

Boo on me for not posting yesterday! So here's one a day late. Don't these look delicious? From Martha - recipe below.

These spirits may look frightening, but they're actually quite sweet. Make the faces with melted chocolate painted inside the glass. A ghostly white vanilla milk shake is topped with piped whipped cream. And although you wouldn't want these spooks to haunt your house, they would be welcome at a Halloween get-together.

Ingredients

Makes six 8-ounce servings.

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 pints vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Directions

Blend milk and 1 pint ice cream in a blender until smooth. With machine running, add remaining pint ice cream, one scoop at a time; blend until smooth. Pour milkshake into six 8-ounce glasses decorated with chocolate faces, filling them 3/4 full.

Put cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe spiral mounds of whipped cream on top of milkshakes. Serve immediately.

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Stamp

This week the featured Etsy shop is Stamp - beautiful, simple metal jewelry. I bought the filigree earrings below for myself for Christmas last year and really love them. I was just noticing that the prices have gone up a bit in her shop, but it would still totally be worth it. I've got my eye on the green blossoms - maybe for Christmas this year?

Thursday Tunes: P.S. I Love You soundtrack

I know it's late, but I have been down with a cold for a few days... So here's my post about music for this week. A while back I watched the movie "P.S. I Love You." (Don't worry - I didn't make my husband watch it!) As someone who was widowed at a young age, I'm sure that people would worry about me when they find out that I watched it - but I really enjoyed it. And I loved the music. I don't own the soundtrack yet, but I think I'll get it if only for the first track by The Pogues.