Just when I had given up on my Anthology magazine ever arriving it was plopped into my mail box without so much as a peep.  There should have been more fanfare, a ticker tape parade, a salutation from the postmaster that announced this long awaited gem, but alas, it was just me and the bills that were there to greet my new acquisition.  Was it worth the wait?  Indeed.  I love the petite size, very Euro and pragmatic. The paper quality is similar to Real Simple, a nice matte uncoated finish and substantial stock. Filled with photo’s and brimming with possibility, I am impressed that this little beauty started out as just a dream.  I like to dream too and now I want my own petite magazine.  The best part of the mag?  I really loved the creativity that went into the Anthology ad depicting a cardboard typewriter with their tag line ‘print is not dead.’ Oh so clever & cute.

You can almost miss the jet colored Bailey if you blink but the namesake for the Bailey Doesn’t Bark brand is laying calmly on a pillow beneath the table above in this amazing styled image for the BDB site.  I think I let out an actual squeal of delight when I spotted this. Such creativity  must of went into putting this image together and it all looks so effortless.  I hope to one day own one of BDB’s creator Rin Je Lee’s creations or at the very least have the opportunity to meet Bailey in person and share some Eskimo kisses.

I am very fond of the work of artist Amber Alexander.  The only reason I have not added a piece to my collection as of yet is the fact I can not decide which should come live with me.  Each piece is more endearing than the next which leaves me in a tizzy of indecision.  This little bird caught my eye today, I love the simplicity of the palette and how the little birdie looks like it has just a hint of a smile on it’s sweet face.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, filled with laughter and good surprises.  It’s supposed to rain all weekend here, which thrills me to no end.

I wanted to put together a grouping of images for my studio flat that had a natural history type feel to them.  I plan to make some botanical etchings on tissue of specimens from my garden but that takes time, (you need to press your botanicals before you begin) and well, I am into instant gratification (I blame both the internet + my parents).  I found these pheasant feathers for millinery projects at my local fabric store, they were too beautiful not to pass up and they work perfectly for what I was envisioning.

I started off the class with yogurt and now I am on to granola bars.  I am focusing on the most important meal of the day–breakfast (or it may turn into an exploration of food with bits of red). This granola bar recipe was adapted from my beloved Barefoot Contessa’s arsenal.  I am not a huge shredded coconut fan so I opted out of that ingredient. For the nuts I chose a half and half ratio of sliced almonds and chopped pecans, the fruit I used was dried cranberries because I liked both the color and tartness it lends the bars.  I do find these bars a tad on the sweet side, the Fancy disagrees but he has a sweet tooth so he’s not a good sweet testing barometer.  I tried to lower the honey + sugar level once prior and ended up burning the bars, I am sure it had nothing to do with the honey or sugar but now I am gun shy to improvise on this recipe. I am good like that.