Summer (sort-of) Break

Hello Friends!

We're still here... we're just not really... here.

As summer - as far as school goes anyway - draws to a close, we have unofficially taken a few days off, so please bear with us while we try to squeeze in a little play while the days are still long.

And enjoy a little music mix, courtesy of NPR. Those guys are so nice.

green (reclaimed) green (old paint color) chalkboards

We don't always have chalkboards in stock but we do this week!  I can not make up my mind about where I want one but am seriously consider taking one of these home with me too (yes, I want that frame from Tuesday too) there are only 3 so let us know asap if you want one!



I have been working with a friend on deciding what to do with her nursery (lots of wall space) and once it hit us that the room needed a chalkboard we were so excited! (yes over a chalkboard).  It makes me (almost) want to have another baby (this is kristen if you haven't guessed by now).  The possibilities for what that board can hold are endless!  baby stats (to jot down before you forget), cute baby quotes, instructions for caretakers, or just draw a pretty picture for your babe!

and I am loving the pale green.

summer days

are coming to an end.  I plan to spend my (almost) last days at the beach (not until Friday though).  I am more than excited to be able to really settle in and love the sun and sand.  But in the meantime – S&J has been busy painting

assembling

(vintage maps will go in the frames above – can’t wait to see them!)

and trying to take cool pictures of our frames :)

 

do you love this next frame as much as i do?!  You can buy it here but hurry before I decide to place it on my wall because i think it would be a really great addition. 

Have a wonderful week!

SHOP {.} stewart & james

As a result of our frames' appearance on the Nate Show, we've experienced an increase in business - woot! to better accomodate our beloved (and ever-growing - woot (again)!) customers, we've opened an online store.

With this shop, what you see is what you get. Each piece is in stock and will ship out *immediately! We are implementing this tool to better serve you, so please let us know how you like it (or how we can better it).

We are new to this sort of thing, so please bear with us and continue coming back for updated inventory.

happy shopping!

*i may use the term 'immediately' a little loosely. it's not an automatic machine - orders should go out the same week they are placed.

red white and blue birthday spend the night party

a mouthful i know!  But that is exactly what MJ wanted for her 6th birthday party.  She redid her cake design (because who uses their first sketch anyway?!) and here was the final:

 

I warned her that I have no earthly idea how to do the columns on the cake so if she was ok with letting go of that idea I thought I could sort of pull it off.

I was given lots of directions and had lots of (2, 4, & 6 year old) help for the actual cake which explains the lack of pictures of the cake baking process.

The cake:  I bought 3 boxes of cake mix (2 chocolate, 1 white) and 3 cans of icing.  I divided all the batter up between a 13x9 casserole dish (chocolate), regular 9” round cake pans (chocolate), a smaller round casserole dish and for the top – large muffin tins (divided the box of white cake between these two).   I did the usual – made earlier in the week and froze (wrapped securely in saran wrap).  On her birthday morning we assembled!

invitations:  She made her own and while they were adorable – they were a little tricky to understand so I attached a note for the moms

decorations   supplies:  red and blue construction paper, scissors, balloons, string, 4 & 6 year old star drawers

    

favors  red white and blue tin buckets filled with red & blue chalk, blue bubble wands.

We put as many blow up mattresses as we could fit into the little room off of our kitchen (which happens to also be my kids playroom).  Look how calm this looks.  I think it just so happens that the one second that they were all laying down watching the movie I took a picture.  Because this is not quite how I recall the night (that lasted until 2 a.m.)

it was more like this (insert squealing as loud and high as you can get it times 5):

 

But so much fun… I think it’s safe to say the girls all had a blast and as far as parties go – it was very low maintenance in terms of prep work and we’ll definitely do it again (in a year. maybe.)

"Good things DO come in small packages." -Nick Olsen

In case you have not yet picked up the latest House Beautiful, do so.

There's lots of loveliness - as always - but among it this time, is a darling feature of a teeny, tiny Brooklyn apartment decorated by the ever-fabulous Nick Olsen.

(oh! and it happens to belong to my friend Rebecca (who is - just while we're talking about her! - a yoga instructor . picture taker . sanity seeker. (her words). She's pretty fascinating (check out a few of her photographs and yoga poses to see what I mean!)

Behold this sneak peek:

That gorgeous art above the sofa is a photograph by Rebecca - see, amazing!

And this video, which is just fun (I always feel like a much truer translation of a space is dictated in a video - ah, to live in the 21st century)




Now go get the magazine! (please)


image source

homemade granola bars

A few months ago my sisters, mom and I went to Canyon Ranch (a health and wellness center) in Lenox Massachusetts for a little getaway.  It was AMAZING and deserves it’s own post (coming soon), but we learned so much from our trip that it’s been hard to narrow it down to one post.  One thing that stuck with us though were the yummy granola bars they had on hand for you all over the campus.  Luckily, they offer up the recipe on their website here: fruit & nut bars

And I am bringing it to you – along with pictures!  my notes in red

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped pecans use whatever nuts you have on hand and the don’t have to be chopped to begin with
1/2 cup chopped almonds
3/4 cup honey honey quality is important!  I used a mixture of sourwood and wildflower honey because it’s what i had – tupelo is good too
2 3/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup dried chopped apples
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sliced dates, about 10 medium
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325º. Lightly coat a 9 x 13 x 1/2-inch baking sheet with canola oil. Spread nuts on baking sheet and toast lightly for 5 minutes.

 
Warm honey in microwave or over low heat on stovetop to the consistency of a thin
syrup. 30 seconds

Place nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Chop briefly.

Add oats, cranberries, apples,raisins, dates and cinnamon. Turn on machine and mix briefly until all ingredients are chopped.

 

While machine is running, drizzle in warm honey until mixture binds.

 
4.  Lightly spray baking sheet (same one used for nuts) with canola oil. Press mixture into baking sheet.

Lightly spray parchment paper with canola oil (or don’t it didn’t matter much for me). Using a rolling pin, roll (over parchment) until mixture is even.

next time i will add chocolate chips (MJ is a HUGE fan but thinks they need chocolate and i agree!)

Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Cut into 16 bars.

Serving Information
Makes 16 bars, each containing approximately:
190 calories
36 gm. carbohydrate
5 gm. fat
0 mg. cholesterol
3 gm. protein
7 mg. sodium
3 gm. fiber

For best results, store wrapped or in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

I like to put mine in individual baggies for serious on the go snacking and then store in the fridge in an air tight container

 

If you have time – make some to take along for the 4th of July festivities and have a safe and fun holiday!