3.31.2011

a curry recipe!

Made this delicious curry yesterday, and wanted to share!  We've really been getting into lentils this year...mmm :)  Also, I had never cooked with curry powder before.  It smells (and tastes) SO good!!  

(photo and recipe from whole foods.)

LENTIL CURRY
(serves 6)
2 cups uncooked brown rice
salt to taste
1 cup lentils, rinsed and soaked overnight in 1 cup water
1 large tomato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbls curry powder
1/2 cup chopped cashews
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Rinse rice until clear.  Transfer to medium pot.  Cook rice over medium-low heat, stirring gently, until fragrant and toasted (3-5 minutes).  Add 4 cups water and salt, cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed (about 1 hour).  Uncover pot, fluff rice and set aside.

Meanwhile, simmer the lentils in 3 cups water, partially covered, for 20 minutes.  Add tomato, onion, garlic, curry powder and salt.  Simmer for 30 more minutes, covered, until lentils are tender.  Serve over rice.  Top with cashews and a dollop of yogurt.

3.30.2011

eat drink chic DIY/freebie!

I was quite excited when I saw that Amy Moss (of eat drink chic) was giving away this little font & DIY idea!  I SO enjoyed her gift tags at Christmastime.  Head HERE, for her blog post and to download the "woodsy number set".




 ps...if you're not planning a wedding, this little font is still beautiful 
and I'm sure you could find some fun things to use it for ;)

3.29.2011

inspired by: they draw and cook.

I'm sorry that these images are so tiny!!  It's just that...if I had posted them larger, they would have run into everything on the side and I just can't go for that.  So, click on them! They'll get bigger and prettier!  Anyway, I saw this on the creature comforts blog and was so intrigued and excited by these illustrators and their recipes.  So, I picked out some favorites that I thought were really beautiful/fun.  Yes...I went for aesthetics before taste, but really there are only 2 recipes that I wouldn't be as keen to make.  I would happily eat/try all of these!  Check out the site (they draw and cook) for more.

by Sofia Lourenco

by Julianna Brion

by Jessica Rae Gordon

by Nata Metlukh

by Hannah Clark

by eva forget-me-not

3.28.2011

music monday: seven swans reimagined (link to free mp3's!!).

So I know I have already posted about this album, but I had found a couple of mp3's and I'm really liking what I'm hearing!  So, I wanted you to be able to listen too :)

Head HERE for 2 mp3's from the album.
Head HERE to listen on bandcamp (tomorrow) when the album comes out!!

Also, a new issue rue magazine came out last week.  Check it OUT.

Happy beginning of the week!!  Let's hope it's a productive start over here...I've still got a lot to do even with last week away from here!  And, we're coming off of a lovely (and exhausting) weekend as we had one of my closest friends in town.  She and I lived and shared quite a bit of our college life together, and we have some really fun and beautiful memories.  We headed to the Art Institute with a Chicago Public Library museum pass (AWESOME), ate some delicious food with friends, had intelli coffee (of course), stopped in the Chicago Cultural Center (to see this sweet exhibit), and more!!  We also stayed up late.  I will share some photos from the museum when things slow down a bit more :)

3.21.2011

music monday: liz janes covers. AND...a break!

If you follow me at all on facebook then this will be old news (sorry!) but this post should still be fun in a few ways.  Seven artists/bands covered seven different Liz Janes songs.  It includes a few of Liz's fellow Asthmatic Kitty artists including...SHARA of course!  Ahh, my favorite.  Listen/buy HERE


and it has beautiful cover art by DM Stith (OF COURSE)!

ALSO...I wanted to let you know that I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with soon-to-be deadlines & such so I am taking a blog "siesta" the rest of this week.  I know, that word doesn't really work here, but...I wanted to use it.  So I am.  I am so excited to have projects to be working on though, so needing to take a break is a good thing!  See you soon...

;)

3.17.2011

for japan with love.

Joining the day of silence and donating my thoughts, love, and prayers to Japan...


to donate or learn more head here and/or here.

:)

I AM GETTING MY CAMERA TODAY!!  


I feel so blessed and thankful to be able to make this purchase.  Just a note for anyone else who might have been considering a Canon t1i...they are on a super sale at Target (clearance...get 'em fast.  Thank you t3i!)!  This means I'll be one step closer to getting my etsy site going!  Thank you for your support and love...and, just being here and looking at this.  WooHOO!!!

3.15.2011

2 sweet recipes.

Made both of these yummy things this past week and decided that I needed to share them with you!!  Click on the names to get the recipes.  I hope you like them :)

CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE (in the slow cooker!!)

This was SO delicious and SO easy to make!  You just need some time to let it do its thing in the crock pot.  Also, I didn't have a 1.5 quart dish so I sort of joined the first recipe I found with this one so that I could use 4 ramekins.  Oh it was so good.  Super rich though, definitely plan for that ;)

(photo by Yvonne Duinevvoorden, from Chronicle Books)



These tasted SO incredible.  And they really do get crunchy!!  Ohhh I can't wait to make them again!

(photo from smitten kitchen)

3.14.2011

music monday: robin pecknold! (link to free mp3's here!)

Well, if you check stuff out on Pitchfork or if you've been in tune with what Musicnow Festival has posted on twitter than I'm sure you already know about this!  But....just in case, I think you need to know.  Robin Pecknold (aka White Antelope) released a few recordings on the Fleet Foxes twitter account last monday.  Head HERE to download them!  Exciting!  

Robin Pecknold @ MusicNOW 2010
(photo found here)

Also...you might want to listen to this.  It's Shara Worden & Colin Stetson covering an old Willie Johnson tune.  Oh!  And...I really enjoyed reading this note to fans from Shara.  Good insights about record labels and supporting artists...from an artist :)  And...tickets go on sale tomorrow for Musicnow Festival 2011.  We'll be in San Fran!  But I have NO doubt it will be incredible.

3.10.2011

300&65 ampersands.

I SO wish that I would have found this some time last year because now the anticipation of seeing each new ampersand a day is lost!  However...it is still SUPER cool.  It was a tumblr project called 300&65 ampersands.  I like the perspective you get from the archive page.  Hope you enjoy looking at all of the neat varieties like I did!







3.08.2011

inspired by: joe lieske!

Well, I know I've talked about my friend Joe Lieske a few times already, but I really wanted to share something new of his with you!  He just returned from a trip out west and while gone was daily updating his website with photos from being 'On The Road'.  I was so excited to check out each new day's adventures through his lens/perspective.  I thought the photos were beautiful (I've posted my favorites below) and I think that you should check out the rest of them!  Head HERE.  Also, he's opening up a print shop soon...Awesome!!







The photos also encouraged my excitement for our trip to SF in May!!  Ahhhh!  Dan and I just keep talking about how excited we are :)

3.07.2011

music monday: seven swans reimagined.

No sounds for music Monday today...just a little cover art to get you excited!  15 artists cover Sufjan's songs from Seven Swans (plus 3 b-sides)...It comes out on March 22nd!  It's called Seven Swans Reimagined and it's been put together by On Joyful Wings record label.  All of the proceeds of the album will be donated to the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.


The artwork was done by 'Ben & Vesper's' Vesper.

3.04.2011

inspired by: steven alan.

When I saw this guest post on A Cup of Jo, I headed to style.com to see it all.  I think these maxi dresses and skirt from Steven Alan's fall 2011 collection are sooo very beautiful.  The textures, patterns, and colors feel so rich...




Happy Friday :) :) :)

3.03.2011

a sweet video.

I found this on a friend's wall on facebook and thought it was so neat/sweet that I really wanted to share it!  Hope you like it :)



The poem is by Tanya Davis (the lady you're watching/looking at) and I think she's great (now that I know about her)!

3.02.2011

march desktop calendar.

Just wanted to make sure you knew about this!  I really like this one (I think I say that about all of them...hmm)!  To download double click the image and save it to your desktop (or head here to do the same!).


(desktop calendar by shanna murray & jordan ferney)

Also, issue 2 of the online magazine matchbook mag is out!!  Check it out HERE.

3.01.2011

inspired by: bella foster.

Found Bella Foster through Wayne Pate's shop (the 3rd painting down is sold there) and had to check out more.  The pieces on her blog are fascinating.  Just look at how beautiful these works are: