What a week! All my week’s feel like whirlwinds, maybe that’s part and parcel of having a toddler, or getting older (or drinking too much cold brew), but whatever the reason I can’t believe it’s Friday already. Since I work for myself I don’t get a traditional weekend, so Friday’s don’t feel much like Friday’s anymore, but I do remember savoring that feeling of closing time when I was working at an office (actually it was their storage closest) but still. With that lovely feeling in mind of it being time to head out for the weekend I will leave you a few things that are happening around here, happy weekend!

You still have time to enter Maybelle’s exquisite giveaway, remember to leave your comment here and make sure you regram or pin the images with the hashtag #lovemaybelle. We have been loving all your quotes, we are duly moved and inspired.

I have mentioned Maskcara before, I adore her, but this makeover was just outstanding!

I am a huge fan of the artist Carson Ellis, her collaborative project with her husband, Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists ) the book series ‘The Wildwood Chronicles’ is wildly imaginative and would not be the same without her illustrative genius. I am really relishing each chapter. This is a fun interview with Carson, if you interested in probing further and seeing more of her fine work.

Speaking of beautiful illustrations, my daughter is currently on a huge mermaid kick thanks to a stunningly beautiful double page mermaid spread in Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin. E. won’t even let me finish the story anymore and wants to cut straight to the mermaids, I love reading to her so I was in search of book with a mermaid focus and found The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G.Campbell, the story is sweet and original and the illustrations are equally as gorgeous.

Michelle and I recently figured out something close to magic in Photoshop, a new (and easier) way to do a task for the next Foto Rx set we are creating. I love the thrill of discovery and being able to experiment with our new found skills! Speaking of that wonderful program Photoshop we will be having some simple + easy Photoshop tutorials up on the site next week!

photo by michelle p.

My great grandmother always had homemade “coffee concentrate” at the ready in her refrigerator (it was in a tall glass juice carafe with an orange lid – isn’t it strange how childhood details can etch themselves into your memory?). Grandma claimed it made for a proper cup of coffee – flavorful but smooth, without any twinge of bitterness, and it didn’t upset her stomach like coffee from a pot. Well, as any true coffee connoisseur (or mason jar coffee hipster) can tell you, Grandma was right! The cold brew process reduces acidity and concentrates the flavor of the beans, making for a gentler but richer cup.

Whipping up a batch of cold brew has been on my mind for ages,  but I’ve been deterred by the chore of filtering watery grounds through cheesecloth and a strainer – the odds of ending up with a mouthful of coffee grounds or a floor flooded in ice cold coffee seemed high. Then I heard about using a re-usable filter bag instead of a cheesecloth (the same sort of bag that’s used for making almond milk) – hooray! I promptly ordered one, and made cold brew the very next day. My taste-testers positively RAVED (Tristan’s husband requested that she order the filter for their household ASAP), and we devoured the entire 8 cups of brew in 2 days.

//RECIPE//

2.75 cups coarsely ground coffee beans (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Sumatra beans).

8 cups of good tasting water (definitely use filtered water if your tap water is less than delicious).

Place coarsely ground beans into the filter bag and set in your pitcher / container, then add water (if you’d like to make a different amount of brew just calculate a ratio of 1 part coffee grounds : 3 parts water). Refrigerate for 11-12 hours, then remove the bag of grounds- that’s it, your cold brew is ready to enjoy!

Drink it while it’s fresh! Keep your cold brew refrigerated and use it within 2 weeks (or it will start to taste like chewy old coffee – ew).

SERVING

Cold: pour over ice, add milk if desired, dilute with water if needed.

Hot : 1 part concentrate to 2 parts hot water or milk.

Note: 1 part ice-cold brew even when added to boiling water makes for a lukewarm cuppa. If you like your coffee HOT, you’ll want to warm up the cold brew portion or at least bring it to room temperature.

We think bottles of cold brew would make for very stylish homemade gifts or wedding favors – don’t you? The link for the labels we created is below – you are welcome to use them too! (personal use only of course)

//RESOURCES//

Here’s the filter bag I used.

This organic hemp bag was tempting too.

Coffee Bean Grinder

Label PDF

Swing Top Bottles

Kitchen Twine (used to tie on the labels)

Photo edited with Foto Rx First Aid Kit: I played Feeling Off-Color to get the white balance just right, and Slight Light at 30% opacity to make it nice an bright. 

P.S. Reading your quotes for our Maybelle Luxe kit giveaway is like a concentrated dose of inspiration! Cruise through if you haven’t peeked yet, and there’s still time to enter if you have a favorite quote to share!

P.P.S. The font I used for the cold brew labels was created for the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum – and it’s FREE! I recommend heading over to download it asap.

We are thrilled that you all seem to be as excited about our giveaway as we are! Michelle, a fine photographer indeed, shot the kit beautifully and I thought you may want to get a peek at some of the items in the kit. Maybelle’s favorite ink is in the kit, it’s housed in a convenient dropper, with a seriously gorgeous letterpress label. I’d have to say Maybelle’s attention to detail is what sets her apart from her peers, it is unparalleled. I am sure you will agree with me, but I should stop blathering and show you more, no?Read More

Monday’s are not known for being awesome, but this Monday just got exponentially more so! The doyenne of Modern Calligraphy Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls has created a Besotted exclusive, (because she’s amazing like that), and because it’s Monday, it’s summertime and I suppose ‘just because’. We have teamed up for a giveaway–our most extravagant lettering Bestowal to date! This is for all those lettering enthusiasts, packaging aficionados, stationery hoarders and Maybelle fans. This is an exclusive set, created just for you and only available to win this week.

I think I should just get down to business and let you know what’s in this exclusive luxe kit giveaway, shan’t I? Oh, okay, if you insist:

MAYBELLE LUXE KIT GIVEAWAY

• The kit includes a custom built 13.75″ x 10.5″ x 3″ wood slide top box (Maybelle’s husband made it!)
• 26 page Practice booklet (A-Z instructions)
• 1 wood straight holder
• 3 Steel nibs
• 1 Lined Guide sheet
• 10 sheets of vellum practice paper
• 10 sheets black paper
• 1 ounce bottle of Maybelle’s favorite sumi ink (it comes in a dropper bottle with a letterpress label, sigh)
• 1 hand crafted wooden pen rest with 2 glass vials for black and white ink
• 1 Wood ink holder for 9 inks
• 9 glass ink bottles (empty, perfect when mixing your gouache)
• 1 full-size bottle of Dr, Martin’s Bleed proof White
• 1 empty jar for mixing white ink
• 2 letterpress coasters of Maybelle’s alphabet
• 1 letterpress print of Maybelle’s alphabet on thick kraft 4-ply chipboard perfect for framing and a reference
• 1 Botanical canvas tote
• 1 wooden drying rack
• Foto Rx | Vitamin L25 Paper to Pixel Photoshop action set
• Photoshop for Lettering Artists class

This magnificent kit is valued at $500! The only thing better would be a visit by Miss Maybelle, right?  The giveaway is open worldwide and the winner will be announced next Monday, July 27, 2015. To enter to win please answer the following question in the comments:

What is your favorite quote? Or quotes? (we know how hard it is to choose just one!)

For additional chances to enter make sure to follow Maybelle and Foto Rx on Instagram, we will be posting photos of the kit for you to regram with the hashtag #lovemaybelle. Need more chances? I.know. (I wish I could enter!) Pin this photo and hashtag #lovemaybelle.  We wish you luck our friends, we can’t wait to read your fave quotes!

P.S. If you are interested here are some of mine, here, here, here.

photo by michelle p.