Celebrating Autumn

Wouldn't these be the cutest thing on a little girl's backpack or jumper for picture day? What would Ellie wear? Hmm... she would probably choose the squirrel, then proceed to tell us everything about squirrel life and habitation! She most likely would include a cycle book about how the squirrel finds the acorn, hides the acorn, then eats the acorn. She is super smart and adorable! I miss her already! Emily - does Ellie get her school photographs soon? Mine should be here any day - I'm going to swap Ellie :) I think she'd love that!

"Here is my school photo! To Pammy AKA, Fool"
A quote from Ellie in regards to Pammy, while looking at our (Maggie, Molly, Kari, Emily, Amy, Andy, Laura, Cody, and my) elementary school photos.

Happy Wednesday

As I look forward to my long, long day (but happy nonetheless), I am looking for a cheery song to get me up and going! I think this works, as it has a glockenspiel in it! Hurray!

This is The Conretes - On the Radio

Man Shops Globe

Having worked for Anthropologie, I now have a love for the eclectic aesthetic. I did always wonder where those lovely objects came from. Now we are able to find out thanks to Sundance Channel's new show, Man Shops Globe. I'm keeping my fingers crossed Joseph can find it online* for me!
*We no longer have cable, so we find things online, put them on a flash drive, and plug it into our DVD player! Best quality ever!

Adventures in Art Class: First Grade

I taught the kids how to draw rabbits like Beatrix Potter's Peter
Rabbit, and this is what I got. Go figure - I love kids!
Rocket rabbit

Be Gentle with Me

I am a sucker for songs with glockenspiels! I used to play the glockenspiel in high school and I have to admit I loved it! My ex-boyfriend even taught me the more complicated method of playing with two mallets on the marimba - I think it is a brilliant talent to have in my repertoire. ;)

Now if I could only play the accordion...

Today is a gentle day for me - I only have to teach the little ones, and it is the last day of my rotation, therefore we are finishing up projects, doing some Scottish dancing, and making bookmarks. I think that sounds like fun!

Tonight I'm looking forward to a nice rest. Someone offered to cover my 4 hour shift at J.Crew so I could enjoy a proper dinner with Joseph. This time off allows me to run errands without stressing out, read our new Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall books (The River Cottage Family Cookbook and The River Cottage Cookbook) and tuck into housework that is a little overdue... Yikes!

What are you doing on this fine Tuesday? The sun is shining here, but it is chilly - hello Fall weather! I think it is here to stay!

The Importance of Being Wilde

One of my favorites, Oscar Wilde once said

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
―Oscar Wilde

If anyone should know, it would be Wilde. When I was living in Dublin I had the privilege to study his works, see his play (The Importance of Being Earnest), see his first editions, visit his flat, and walk through his old haunts. I feel lucky. I love a good eccentric who understands the oddities of life and that nothing is perfect.

Sundays with Jane

Sunday night, Joseph downloaded my favorite English indulgence (next to Earl Grey), Masterpiece Theater.

What brilliant masterpiece did we watch? Emma! Admittedly it is not my favorite, but I love watching Michael Gambon and the breathtaking manor houses surrounded by green gardens in the English countryside. I really can't say that Joseph enjoyed this classic, but he is a good sport!

Which makes me want to stroll around Crabree & Evelyn, read The Sweet Life & All for Love, or participate in other refined activities.

It's All in the Bag

I'm inspired! I'm all in for inexpensive, yet oh-so-stylish crafts! Kudos to the creativity of some ex-MS peeps at Inchmark and Blonde Designs.

Right on the Mark - all you need for this cute bag is a beautiful letter, printer, freezer paper, iron, fabric paint, and a canvas bag from a craft store or any old one will do!

I'm also digging these cute fabrics from Purl! I've taken the liberty to pass it on to Jaren, who I know wholeheartedly will be inspired to sew some crazy crafty creations of her own!

Check it out:
School Bag
Letter Bag

Moody

Don't you wish your toast wouldn't look at you this way in the morning?

Moody Toast via Wonderthunder (Etsy)

Now that I am thinking of moods - I've been somewhere between glass half full/empty this week. I'm working a lot, which makes Stacey tired... and when I'm tired I'm either really happy-go-lucky, or emotional. I think my emotions are definitely catching up with me, especially since I've been reflecting a lot on life and death, family, friends, and the future. Don't get me wrong, I am of course the chipper Stace that everyone knows... just some days when I get home, slow down, and tackle those tough thoughts... you know the feeling.

I've had a cover of Super Trouper by Camera Obscura stuck in my head (original by ABBA) which seems to make me feel pretty mellow at work. I'm a big believer that songs can get you through life's tough stuff, or make you feel like your the happiest person in the world. It reminds me of all those cheesy movies about music and the monumental things that can happy in a person's life based on a powerful ballad. But hey, why not!!! I like Almost Famous and High Fedlity! Music is inspirational! Just ask my father, or Patrick, or any of my cool high school (ex)students!

I can't find an original video, but here is a pretty good one taken from a live performance.

*Side Note to Cozy Fall Recipes

Joseph just came home with a new beer - my new fav - Deschutes Brewery Hop Trip

his Fresh Hop Pale Ale is all about celebrating the hop harvest in the fall. Fresh picked hops have to be added to the brew immediately and in abundance. Roughly 680 pounds of Crystal hops from Doug Weathers' farm outside Salem, Oregon will be added to each 120 barrel batch in addition to some dry kilned whole flower hops. That adds up to approximately 5.7 pounds of hops per barrel brewed. Another deliciously interesting beer in our Bond Street Series.

In 2006 we thought it would be fun to document the trip so Tim Cash from FARfromEARTH films hopped on board with his camera in hand. Click here to watch the video.

Ratings, Awards & Notables
Silver Medal, Ale-Other Category
2007 Australian International Beer Awards

Silver Medal, Ale-Other Category
2006 Australian International Beer Awards

Bon Appetit; Cooking with Pumpkins*

Sugar pumpkins don't just look like October—they taste like it, too. Their solid texture turns creamy with roasting, steaming, sautéing, or pureeing. And their sweet-savory flavor works as well with sweet ingredients (like honey, maple, brown sugar, and molasses) as it does with savory ones (like dried crushed red pepper, salty cheeses, and wild mushrooms). Below you'll find 16 of our favorite pumpkin recipes to light up any Halloween party.

I need to start cooking these cozy fall recipes tomorrow! On my lunch break today I stopped in Williams-Sonoma to check out the latest and greatest necessities for the kitchen. Openly, it was a mistake because now I NEED Autumn-striped towels, a cute apron, burnt orange spatulas, and an Emile Henry Artisan Ruffled Pie dish! I can hardly contain my excitement for Fall-inspired food!
Tonight, since my friends are either sick or at a zombie movie (I love Halloween, but no thanks, I am too scared!), I lit candles, tucked into my J.Crew slippers, popped Hocus Pocus in the DVD player, cut open a squash, and now I'm cooking it and the seeds!

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and rinse, cleaning away any strings and pulp. Mix them with a little oil and salt, and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring frequently, 15 to 30 minutes in a 350° oven, until pale golden. Let stand until cool.
Thanks Bon Appetit!

Pumpkin Doughnuts With Powdered Sugar Glaze and Spiced Sugar Doughnut Holes

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Squares

A favorite from the '70s, pumpkin cheesecake is even more fun as a crumbly, nutty bar.

Pumpkin Pie with Brown Sugar-Walnut Topping

The pie's nutty, slightly salty topping is the perfect finishing touch.

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad

This fall salad balances earthy, tangy, sweet, and creamy flavors.

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Caramel and Cream Cheese Frosting

A little orange peel adds a bright, sunny note to this homey dessert.

Pumpkin and Brown-Sugar Crème Brûlée

Cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, and cloves give this crème brûlée a spicy kick.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Pie

In this fun take on pumpkin pie, a little whisky really puts the "Scotch" in butterscotch.

The Cotswolds and Bath, England

I think it is time to travel for yours truly. Well, I suppose traveling via the internet with Samantha Brown Passport to Europe DVDs from the library!

My first trip for the Fall - Bath and the Cotswolds, England. Joseph would like to sample the local Donnington brews at The Mount Inn, pick up a local breed of cheese at the monger (Like all good inventions, did you know cheddar is English?), have a walk and picnic at Avon River, admire the Roman architecture, and enjoy the velvety green countryside dotted with little white fluffy sheep! You can even stay at the Thornbury Castle! How posh!

I love this Cotswold website - full of great photos!

Visit Samantha Brown's Cotswold Travel Guide
Visit Samantha Brown's Bath Travel Guide

A traditional 17th century Cotswold Inn which started life as a farmhouse, then became a cobbleshop, a tea room and then an off-license. The Mount Inn is of special interest to a 'Numismatist' as there is an extensive display of bank notes & coins from all over the world. No jukeboxes, no fruit machines, but a wonderful, calm and traditional atmosphere.

Share the Love, Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

A carefully measured blend of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg is used to create this creamy fall favorite. Get it while it lasts!

Damn! Why did I not stop by Graeter's to eat this deliciousness? I love being a Cincinnatian! Just another reason to love Autumn... especially Rocktober (October in Denver)! Go Rockies and Graeter's!

A LaRosa's Tradition

Ellie has started a new LaRosa's tradition, creating seasonal cycle books and dinner quiz! Forget eating amazing pizza (with bacon, Ellie's fav), it's all about what you know and how to raise your hand.

You can see Ellie's Fall pumpkin cycle book in the picture above (which is now hanging in my kitchen). I hope she kept my cycle drawing of an Autumn tree. It wasn't completed, so it might not have been up to her standards of quality! Yikes!

A warning to family members - you better hit the books because Ellie "is waiting...."

Survival Kit for September, Hello October!

Who needs important things like food, water, shelter? This is what I really needed to survive the home stretch of September. Count your lucky stars it is October.

Token items that got me through the week:

1. John Legend
   
2. OPI Black Cherry Chutney (my new Fall color)
3. Esther Price Opera Cream
4. BonBonerie Opera Cream Coffee
5. J.Crew soft ochre Corduroys (corduroy is an English invention, btw)
6. Skype (love you mom & da)
7. iPhone (long conversations with friends and family)
   
8. Joseph! {xoxo}