Simple Pleasures | Inspiration for This Season

Is it just me or is it hard to find a new idea out there?  After years of blogging and pinning and scrolling, I find I'm looking at the same concepts over and over, season after season.  I'm also anti-trend, so that makes it harder.  The trends hit you over the head.  Of course, I could do another post about a charcuterie board or a charming picture perfect picnic on a plaid blanket, but that is everywhere.  You can't search on Pinterest for one minute without coming across 10 photos of the most charming things you ever seen, except you've already seen it 10 times before.  Searching out fresh inspiration that isn't already the "big thing" has become my goal.

For me new inspiration has to come from sources other than what everyone else is looking at.  And it often comes in real life.  A great meal at a restaurant, a discovery of an old favorite, a new combination of familiar things.

I set out this morning to make a list of simple pleasures for this season that would light my fire a little bit.  New recipes, new weekend activities, new family traditions that would help us embrace the next month before the Fall season is here.  I don't want to spend the next month pining after pumpkins spice everything, but enjoy what we have to experience right now.

Apple Party

I'm planning a little family party this weekend to embrace Apple Season.  I know I just dis-ed on overly styled picnic images, but this one did inspire me : )   I've grown into a place with entertaining that is sort of anti-styled, real life.  I hardly share our real entertaining anymore, because it isn't really photo-shoot worthy.  It is real and normal and we do it all of the time - which is my favorite kind of entertaining.

For the party, I'm thinking bonfire and weenie roast with caramel apples.  I'm going to make some individual boxed sides, too.  I'll share the menu once I get it planned.

Simple Nature Walks

You know my love for walks (post here).  Our favorite days of our England vacation were spend walking about the country side.  We kept saying, we need to do more of this at home.  More that ever, this new Back to School season leaves me needing to be recharged over the weekend.  I need to feel that life giving feeling of slowing down and getting in touch with nature again.

This month we are going to set out on some country paths and breathe in some fresh air.  I'm hoping to pack a picnic (not sure if it will be Pinterest worth or not... but it will be yummy) and make a day of it.  We need to clear our heads after weeks of work and school.

I have big opinions about the 'hiking' industry (and that it has convinced people that you need to be in the mountains, and need tons of gear...) and will do a post later about how we like to go on simple nature walks.  A favorite weekend activity for us that costs nothing and is easily found all over the country.

Family Card Games

Now that family dinners are back in full effect,  we've started playing card games after dinner.  I love that we are teaching Emma classic pastimes that can all be played with a simple deck of cards.  Here is a list that will remind you of some classics.

Taking the Paper

In this photo you'll also see a newspaper, specifically the funny pages.  We started taking the paper twice a week, Wednesdays & Sundays.  It seems like a step backward, but as we try to unplug more at home, it is a fun old fashioned way to spend some time.  Emma's obsessed with the comics and will spend a half hour on the sofa reading them - a fun new, old fashioned tradition that keeps her from asking to watch a show a couple times a week ; )

New Recipes for This Season :

Along the way, I came up across some new dinner recipes.  My goal is to try at least a new recipe a week.  Here are some that I'll add to our rotation of favorites.

Chicken, Potatoes & Spinach Skillet Dinner

We made this last week - so good.  Very easy, all made in one skillet.  Mike kept saying, "oh, like a skillet sensation"... now, we all refer to it as that, against my wishes!

This tortellini soup looks really good, but I'm not sure about the sausage... I'll let you know what I think.

I'm also really interested in this dish for some make-ahead dinner ideas.  Emma's favorite green is broccoli, so I think this might be a big hit.

This caramelized sweet potato and kale rice looks really yummy for the fall.  I'll probably make it along grilled pork tenderloin.

To see what else is inspiring me this season, see my Pinterest Board that I've been updating lately.  Also, I'd love to see what new inspiration you've come across.

Inspiration : The Two Great Classics, Martha & Ina

There are two books that I will always love and consider to be my favorite all time examples of entertaining, "Great Parties" by Martha Stewart, and "Parties!" by Ina Garten.  I remember reading each of these books for the first time (shortly after college) and being so inspired by the casual, chic style of each "party." Maybe I was so moved because it was the first time I had seen books completely devoted to casually elegant entertaining?  The parties weren't terribly fancy or pretentious feeling (no fine china or lace in site), but they were parties that I could envision myself hosting - in a dream garden of my own... in the Hamptons, of course ; )

Without a doubt these two books were the cornerstones of my first business, Occasions Entertaining, that focused on "small to medium-sized events" in my clients' homes.  I would tote these two books to my meetings with dog-eared pages to show my clients.

Great Parties by Martha Stewart, 1997

Having moved six times since first starting my business 10+ years ago, I somehow forgot about and misplaced this "Great Parties" book by Martha Stewart.  Last week, I was racking my brain and googling like crazy to find a photo of an outdoor party by Martha Stewart that I knew I had seen somewhere... but couldn't find it online anywhere.  Then, I came across a cover shot of this book and it was like complete deja vu.  I ordered it instantly (used from amazon, it is now out of print!).

Each page was a trip down memory lane.  I remembered each and every featured party and it completely reinvigorated my love for casual, elegant, chic entertaining.  Thank Goodness it is spring and the height of outdoor entertaining season, because almost everyone of my favorites from this book is set outside in a lush garden.

Inspiration is so huge for a person like me.  I find it everywhere.  New inspiration is like gold.  When you have written so many posts and executed so many parties, it can feel like you've done it all.  Old inspiration that feels new again (revisiting it 10 years later!) can be even better because it is the original flame - feeling that new excitement all over again is so special.

Here are some of my favorites :

I can't tell you how many wedding showers I did that started with this page!  This page started my collection of cake stands and mason jars, too.

This book is Martha in her heyday, when things seemed simple, effortless and lovely.  This seems like a world away from the crazy DIY, trend following, modern-chic, urban-chic, vintage-chic, farm-to-trend, everyone copies everyone, everything looks the same pinterest world we live in today.  I promise, my only soapbox of the post!  I just miss the old days of real parties in real homes with classic style as inspiration : )

Do you recognize this garden shed?  This book was my first exposure to Ina, when she was just a shop owner and a friend of Martha's from East Hampton in 1997.

I'm fairly certain my own wedding was based on this feature.

Those lanterns!

This.  This is my dream.  Thank you, Martha, you have just secured my need for a country home with a skating pond to host a party just like this.  Mike thanks you, as well ; )

Why have I never made ice lanterns?!  I will be re-stocking my white glassine bags for cookies after seeing this post - I remember how obsessed I was with them when I first started my business.  Every cookie I made was in a glassine bag.

Sweet, sweet original Ina.  I love all of the color she was embracing.  I know people don't always realize this, but there was a huge shift in design color palettes after 9/11/01.  In 1997 no one would've dreamed of painting their entire house grey.  I'm as guilty as anyone in my love of neutrals, but seeing this feel so happy, easy and comfortable.

Ina's garden and her original crew - Frank Newbold and Martha included.  Always fun to see someone before they are someone.  It reminds me of when we were seated next to her for dinner in East Hampton - so normal and sweet.

Being a Midwest Farm girl, I love all of this... but I can tell you it was probably very staged, as no real farming family I know has ever set up a family picnic party like this : )  I still love it.

Yum!  What a spread.

Love this imagery so much that I bought sour cherries at the store yesterday... I need to find a producing cherry tree this summer!

Another feature that inspired so many baby showers and bridal showers for my clients.

I am aching for this setting - I want the plates and those flowers.  And the chairs.

Love this cake with broken pieces of brittle on the sides.  Those flags made of ribbon are darling, too.  I maybe copying one of these shortly (fathers day?!).  This cake would look spectacular with some of my Celebration Candles (also a favorite of Martha's).

"Parties" by Ina Garten the Barefoot Conessa

The other book that is well worn, but still in constant use is the Barefoot's "Parties!" cookboook.  Yes, that is probably chocolate on the spine... from many years ago when I was making her flourless chocolate cake.

I read somewhere that Ina and Martha first bonded over building their new "old homes" in East Hampton.

Everything thing in this book, like Martha's, is timeless.  Both were written almost 20 years ago, but I still love every single page.

How many of us dream of spending our days like this?  This is probably what I thought my business days would look like - sometimes they actually do now, but when I was running my event planning and catering business it looked a lot different!

I love that Ina isn't afraid to set a table wherever it fits.  She gave us the courage to not "need" a formal dining room.  Did you know that Ina uses Creative Candles, too?  My sales rep says Ina's assistant calls her orders in for Tapers to keep on hand.

I love this.  I love the blue and white, I love the muscari and I love that coffee cake on a pedestal dripping with glaze.

Such a pretty setting with beautiful color.

Don't those glasses look familiar!  That combination of roses is so stunning.  I can always tell when a book was shot - though they are going for a fall table, it still looks like summer.

My love affair of parchment paper starts here!

Stripes are  never out of style.

I used this photo as inspiration last month for Joy's birthday party dinner!  Emma picked it from the book.  See those 6" Celebration Candles?

One of my favorite recipes of all time.  Herbed grilled shrimp with pesto pasta.

Are these the same green plates from Martha's book?  Ok, I might have to add to my white plate collection : )

...

Do you have timeless sources of inspiration?  I would love to know what copies of books and magazines that you keep around.  I would also love to know about bloggers out there doing timeless, classic posts - such magic when you find a good one!

Weekly Menu | Pork Roast, Caramel Corn, Moroccan Chicken Stew & Martha Videos

This week's menu looks a little different than most weeks.  Actually, this week is going to look a little different in general.  I'm giving myself some free time this week to check off some to-do's before holiday business begins.  The biggest thing on my list is to complete a couple of years worth of photo albums!  Remember this post about Emma's 0-1 book?  Well, shamefully, that was the last one I completed : )  So, this is the week.  I'm spending the week in photos - creating a gallery wall in our stairwell and completing all of the books I've missed... including a wedding album for Mike and Me.  Since our 5 year anniversary is this year, I thought it was high time.  Whoops.

As I was saying, this menu looks a little different because this week I've challenged myself to find some new recipes and fresh inspiration this week.  I love fall cooking and have already made many of our favorites, so I'm ready to reach out and look to others for inspiration.  I have a new favorite (pork roast with onions and apples, served with a dollop of apple butter, cheddar grits and salad with cranberry and pumpkin seeds) pictured above that I'll share tomorrow.  I thought it would be fun to share some spots where I find inspiration along the way.

Updated : Pork Roast with Apples & Onions Recipe

Another way this week is going to look different is because I'm going to write more.  When I added the store two years ago, it takes up most of my allotted "work" time, which leaves me less time to write and share other aspects of our life and home.  I miss writing - it is actually one of my favorite ways to unwind and reflect.  I love looking back on a week or a moment and taking time to relish in it.  So this week, I'm allowing myself some time to write more on the blog and reflect on some of the "thin moments" of time that bless us.  Now that the Halloween products are available in my store, and I have a little breathing room until Thanksgiving and Holiday collections come along - I'm going to take it.

I hope everyone has an opportunity (or makes an opportunity) to enjoy this week.  Taking time to slow down and just enjoy is such a treat that we all deserve.  Make an effort to do that for yourself, or better yet - to help someone else do the same.

. . .

Monday :  The first thing on my list is this Caramel Corn from Tessa.  I'm planning this for an after school snack and for dessert tonight.  Tessa treats you to two recipes in the same post, this caramel corn and a Moroccan Chicken Stew that I've been itching to try.  I love the way Tessa blogs - it is well worth your time to look at her years past posts of Fall months- one of my favorite things to do..  Lots of great fall traditions to put on your list.

Caramel Corn

Chicken Moroccan Stew

I'm looking for a really great Lasagna recipe.  I've never made one with a béchamel before and have been day dreaming about it for a while.  I always start with a google image search for new recipes.  If you have any favorites, please share!

It is no secret that I find much inspiration from Martha Stewart.  Truthfully, while I like the current magazine, I really love the old videos in her archives.  I can vividly remember hurrying home from school to catch the daily show.  My mom would come home from work to find me making some sort of seasonal craft or recipe inspired by the show.  What a nutty kid, right?  I don't know what it is about these old videos that are still chalk full of inspiration for me - maybe the traditional elements, or the settings of classic new england farm kitchens/yards?  Whatever it is, I still love them.

The other day at Target I came across this Country Home magazine (I believe it is a Better Homes and Garden special mag?).  I flipped through it, loving every single photo.  I hardly ever find a magazine that really inspires me or offers something that really speaks to me.  Every home featured was just everything I love.  I didn't buy it because it was $12.99, but I can't stop thinking about it.  So, today I'm headed back and will treat myself to a copy.

I'd love to hear about where you get your inspiration.  I'm on the hunt for recipes and decor ideas this week, so please share.  I hope everyone enjoys this first full week of October : )

Jenny

Emma's Big Girl Room Inspiration Board

It's that time.  Time for Emma to have her own big girl room.  I know what you're thinking - aren't you in the middle of remodeling your house?  Yes, we are, well, sort of.  We are very, very close.  We've hit some delays.  (Inevitable, I've been told.)  It looks like construction is still a couple of months away at this point.  Groan. 

While we're still waiting to get the final tweaks back from the architect (going on 3 weeks now...), I got antsy.  We've been living in our house for a year and a half now, in limbo.  We don't want to fix anything or fix anything up, because we're getting ready to rip it all out.  It is really starting to drive me crazy - the trim that needs touching up, the light fixtures that are broken, the floors that need refinishing... all of the little things here and there that continue to add up, are driving me a little crazy.  It is my nature to fix things.  I love fixing things. 

Mike asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day.  My answer, to decorate Emma's room.  I spent Mother's Day running around town, pinning (here) and gathering bedding and inspiration.  Finally, a house project! 

It wasn't until last week that I finally decided to have Emma's room stay Emma's room even after construction has completed.  We'd debated moving her into our old room, but I just love her room, for her.  It is small, cozy with nooks and crannies, and a huge closet that doubles as a secret play area.

I want her "new" room to feel very collected and layered, with a touch of feminine and fairytale whimsy.  I love the photo in the upper left corner of the floral wallpaper, but, I'm taking that idea and applying it to the bedding I selected (right corner).  It is from Pottery Barn Kids - white fabric with a rosy/brown woodland fairytale print.  I also bought the white ruffle sheets pictured here. 

I'm planning a wall gallery of framed prints, sketches and blank frames to display her own artwork.  I am working on collecting the prints now.  So far, I have the vintage Winnie the Pooh illustrations I bought from the Brimfield Antique Show two years ago.  Mr. Darcy's favorite toy is his Pooh Bear, and seeing these illustrations remind me of Emma and D for some reason : )  I also have some classic nursery rhyme book pages to frame, and her sillouette cutout.  I've been looking all over for a gallery wall that is exactly what I have in mind, but I haven't been able to find one that I love.  I know they have been done, and done again, which makes me a little hesitant, but I think I have a great vision for it... fingers crossed.

I am waiting on furniture for now - but still hunting.  I'd love a real, old farmhouse pine chest of drawers.  I think I'd like it to be a reproduction so the drawers work nicely, though.  Anyone have an idea of where to start?  I haven't decided on a bed, either... maybe upholstered?  Maybe stripped down pine? 

  

This is Emma's room as it stands now (more details here in the original reveal post) the one and only room that will not be effected by the construction, because I love everything about it.   I love the paint color on the walls that we painted when we moved in - Pristine, by Benjamin Moore.  The trim is painted in Navajo White - giving a very subtle tone-on-tone look to the room.  Both are very creamy colors. 

The color palette, as you can see from the inspiration board above, is staying basically the same.  I'm adding some more patterns and layers.