s t e w a r t & j a m e s

Today only!

2012-02-09T11:18:00.002-05:00

Valentine’s Day is (literally) right around the corner! Our house has exploded with a sea of pink and red hearts and even if you aren’t crafting valentines for classmates or feeling the love just yet, this heart will get you in the v-day spirit!

We are offering a one time special - these super fun gigantic hot pink hearts. Put your order in today and we will deliver tomorrow (sorry – Albany AND ATLANTA folks only)!

in love with these hearts as much as we are?

email us at stewartandjames @ gmail . com / $50 / dimensions 25” wide 40” tall

For the Boys

2012-02-07T12:47:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun creating the Valentine's post for yesterday, I had to do its counterpart today!

For the Boys by aflow on polyvore.com

The Bee's Knees

2012-02-06T12:30:00.001-05:00

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I couldn't help but dream up a little treat that would surely make any girl smile.

Valentine's Treat by aflow featuring tote handbags

in recent news…

2012-02-02T09:53:00.001-05:00

Molly turned 5! (on Tuesday) and we are celebrating this sweet girl some more this weekend. Life has been crazy so I still have so much to do for her party but thought I would show you pictures what we have in store (next week, party pictures!)

First – a little about this precious 5 year old.

She is super sweet, is kind to everyone, is really quiet but has a contagious laugh. She is sensitive, loving, and our sweet sweet molly. And as always – i can’t believe she is another year older. Molly has been planning her blue’s clues birthday party for 6 months now – I believe it was mid summer when she was hanging out with Arre and I received numerous emails with pictures attached related to her blue’s clues party (from arre, chosen by molly). The only trick – nowhere sells blues clues items, do they even MAKE new shows anymore?! I don’t think so. So we are going with a blue theme along with a paw print here and there along with a scavenger hunt, should be fun!

the “real” birthday – with family

Have a wonderful weekend and keep your fingers crossed for no rain!

how cute is…

2012-01-27T09:48:00.000-05:00

Marie?!

I love a group of old family photos so when Marie inquired about framing a grouping of her old family photos we were so excited to see how it turned out. I love that she chose theses adorable frames with a pop of color to bring life to the images. And we love an odd man out (4th unmatched frame) just to change things up a bit :)

frames!

2012-01-26T13:07:00.001-05:00

Check our updated shop! We added more frames for you lovely customers – happy shopping!

and happy new year from me!

2012-01-25T17:31:00.000-05:00

{It should come as no surprise to any regular readers that my happy new year post comes weeks after Kristen's}

2011 was a good year.

I learned a lot about relationships last year. I learned to value the good ones. I learned to not worry about the rest of them.

I've long struggled with the 'what do you do' part of being an adult. For the greater part of the past decade I've done a little bit of a lot of things - never knowing which was really my... job. Interior design leapt ahead in 2011 cementing its place as my real job. It's nice to have one answer.

After a few silly foot injuires sidelined any sort of exercise for me in 2010, getting back into running and yoga last year was huge for me. I've always done both but temporarily losing the ability to do either made me realize their importance - and it's far beyond physical fitness alone.

I became more comfortable in the kitchen last year - cooking in the new house is far more enticing! - and I had a revelation: if you love good food, you should eat it. all the time. One night at a wonderful dinner, I was raving about how I wished I could eat "like this" all the time. One of my dinner mates flatly said 'well, then you should.' And so I do. try to. most of the time... There are not a lot of great restaurants in town, so finally putting into practice the theory I've long had about being better at preparing for myself the meals I love most has finally started to become a reality.

A lot of progress was made at our house in the past year (and beyond). And though it is still so far from finished, it is starting to feel a lot more like home and a lot less like a project.

entertaining re-entered my life in 2011. All parts of the move sent me into an entertaining hiatus. By late last year, I just couldn't stand it anymore. I remembered that all you have to do is keep champagne in the refrigerator - and I do that anyway (and if a little more effort is involved, there's always my sweet neighbor, Melissa (remember?))!

faith is something that is always important to me, but not always present. For some reason, I let it fall away - often. After struggling with some decisions - for a very long time - it occurred to me recently that I haven't even considered praying over them - for shame! As soon as I did, all of the anxiety went away - like that! I still don't have all the answers to every burning question inside of me, but knowing that all things aren't up to me anyway ended up being the answer I'd been looking for all along.

One last - and certainly not least - part of 2011 that was particularly stellar: travel. I really like to go. anywhere, any time. I always have. Last year, beyond the standard trips I can take in a car, my sister and I spent two weeks in Spain. It was incredible. Every single part. Even the parts that didn't seems so incredible while they were happening.

on that note, i think i just came up with my resolutions for 2012:

eat {better}
work {hard}
live {freer}
host {frequently}
pray {without ceasing}
go {everywhere}
move {daily}
love {completely}

(did not mean for this to sound like a favorite book. but the girl did have a point)

2011: the second half…

2012-01-09T13:22:00.001-05:00

(plus a few days into 2012) captured via cell phone. Isn’t it convenient and frustrating at the same time that a lot of our lives are captured by cell phone cameras and are rarely organized to fit in or order with our “regular” pictures? I downloaded 700 pictures from the second half of the year that were capture on my cell phone and here the highlights are, as organized as they will get!

birthdays

uncle matt

our friend, Molly

our friend, Jamie

our friend, Brandi

babies

Bates

this is one of my nephews, i am not sure which!

Susan

mills sitting on all her babies, they are all named Daisy

my sweet (new!) nephew – Jack, my younger sister Kathryn’s 1st!

Kathryn & Jack

mills and her real babies (frances & luke)

the 3

at the beach

at the zoo

at s&j

at my mother-in-laws store

at Nanny’s creek

at Su Su’s

back porch

halloween!

stewart & james

food & drink

Hope you have a fabulous January and are staying well. Cheers to last year and the new year just beginning!

New West Elm

2012-01-04T14:18:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the latest West Elm catalog? It's endlessly inspiring.

The iconic parsons desk has been updated with a hand wrapped antiqued metal, new mid-century pieces are spot on and their answer to Beni Ourain rugs isn't half bad.

What's more is their clever partnership with 20 x 200 and inclusion of beloved bloggers featuring with their own we products - genius!

Not to mention, countless pages feature etsy art.

The whole thing is a treasure trove and they have a blog: Front & Main - love!

image source

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Now let’s all get our shit together. And let’s do that by starting with some charts.

While Christmas is such a wonderful time of year for family and friends and celebrating the birth of Christ, it can also do a number on your kids (or wife or husband). I started to notice some certain children drifting towards extreme bratiness and away from humble angelic beings (don’t get me wrong we have never been on either end of the continuum, more like somewhere in the middle but we like to stay in the middle, not drift )

After a vent session with my sweet neighbor – she gave me a couple of ideas of how to get things back on track, and to enforce those ideas I made a chart. If you have boys I am not sure how they will respond to charts, stars, peace signs, and hearts but my girls love when i snap into drill sergeant mode and demand we get things back on track – maybe extreme chaos demands order sometimes? Either way a chart and letting them pick out avatars (that’s what i called it because embarrassingly, they know what that means) really got their attention. MJ: peace signs, Molly: starts, Mills: hearts

For every ten peace sign, star, or heart they get a surprise. Not something we buy, but time doing something fun, mostly (and hopefully I can keep this up) go somewhere with one parent alone or have a friend over.

We decided together on 3 categories and brainstormed what each category means:

Manners: please, thank you, yes ma’am, telling moms we enjoyed it after a visit, etc. The kids get a star, heart, or peace sign if I witness the manners or someone else mentions they have good manners (keeps them on track even when I am not around)
help others: this could mean a million things but first and foremost for our purpose it was to help the kids think of other people first. This seems really hard for kids to grasp sometimes so we went over examples: helping sisters learn or do something they are having trouble with, give up a toy and be happy that the other person is now happy (i think i heard gagging sounds coming from MJs direction at this point), giving to Good Will and keeping in mind a child smiling that wouldn’t otherwise have the toy, etc. Mills’ help others chart (2 years old) involves sharing mostly and she gets a heart if she takes a nap or sleeps through the night …that is greatly helping her mother :)
say hello!: This came from my neighbor, something she wanted to help her 8 year old daughter learn. It’s not just saying hello but learning to carry on a conversation with an adult. If they ask you something about yourself, ask them something back. Except maybe the “how old are you” question. :) My children lean towards the shy side and will many times, not even respond when someone tells them hello – like another friend of mine said – i don’t care how shy you are, you can utter the word Hello. And it’s true…this, they can get. But the conversation thing seems to be stretching it so we will keep it on the board for a while until we get it!

So far so good – After 2 (or is it 3?) weeks now, Mills finally got 10 hearts (the older 2 were a little quicker). So on to 20 now. Once I feel like we have mastered these categories, we will move on to 3 more.

And since success seems to be ringing true with the behavior board, I decided to move on to food. Like many parents I struggle with kids and food. They want the bad stuff, always….and in my feeling of getting this shit done I took a big step for us and removed a good bit of the processed food from our home. It was just yesterday so no one has noticed and I am not so sure it’s going to go over well, but I feel like if it’s not an option, they will choose a whole food over starvation. It’s not too extreme but it is a step in the right direction. Our dinners are usually pretty healthy – but it’s the kids lunches I wanted to focus on.

I send 3 items in their school lunch so we made 3 categories and each child had to put their avatar by 2 choices in each category (just so they won’t be eating the same thing every day). I did not take a picture of the final chart but here are the categories in type: (we brainstormed together again…this seems to be helpful to involve them)

protein
fruits & vegetables
nuts & grains

We listed out the possible food items for each category. Of course, they have to be unprocessed (i used this definition of unprocessed: read the ingredient list if there is one and if it’s not something commonly found in a pantry or fridge, you can’t use it) Missing from our list (on purpose): chicken nuggets, gold fish, and fruit gummies, which had unfortunately become a normal lunch for them. I always have good intentions and start the school year out on a better note but time is always against me and convenience takes over. To battle this I am trying to be prepared and have a plan to have snacks made a head of time and get them to eat a variety of whole foods. So we did a taste test, Mills almost threw up (seriously ran to the bathroom saying “I am going to throw up”) when she tasted my homemade granola bar, MJ admitted they were OK, and Molly took the most minute bite you could possibly take and said she would rather pick a different item. That is mostly how it went – someone almost throwing up, passing on the food, or admitting “maybe” with every food but the important part: no one got up from the table and most times, they actually tried.

I will do a follow up post on new food ideas but we are still in the process of “tasting” and figuring out what the girls will eat. We have a long way to go, but I will tell you this site: 100 days of real food is helping me tremendously.

But I could use some help from YOU..I know you must have some fabulous lunch item ideas out there...please share :) I will give you a peace sign.

Here’s to a wonderful 2012!

a holiday recap

2011-12-31T12:32:00.001-05:00

whew! I am not sure about you but I really love the end of the holidays – a chance to start fresh. The girls did have a wonderful Christmas though and I finally got a new camera cord (lost the old one) so I am able to share :)

We started it out right with some friends over for a tea party & ginger bread making

and of course – a proper goodbye

Cousins arrived! And do you know that 2012 will bring us 2 new cousins? (boys!)

Christmas morning!

Molly has a love affair with the nutcracker and Santa somehow knew!

and a really exciting gift!

Look how much she has changed from last year!

I hope y’all had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year’s Eve!

wine tips

2011-12-20T12:44:00.000-05:00

'tis the season of cheers aplenty, so thanks to joanna for a little how-to (with cute illustrations to boot)

image source

Book Bin Christmas

2011-12-13T15:23:00.000-05:00

This morning I went out to try to wrap up Christmas shopping - and I think I got a book for everyone on my list. There are just so many great ones - I want to keep them for myself but since it is the season of giving, I'm going to hurry and wrap them up and tuck them under the tree before they accidentally find their way to my bookshelves!

All the books got me thinking... for anyone on your Christmas list, a stewart & james book bin is the way to go. Fill it with books to suit the recipient and you're set!

For nieces of all ages:

Book Bin for Nieces by aflow on polyvore.com

For sisters who way out-do you in the kitchen:

cookbooks for sister by aflow on polyvore.com

For me ;) :

bookshelf wish list by aflow on polyvore.com

We've still got a few in stock, so email us at hello@stewartandjames.com to order in time for Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas Music

2011-12-13T10:23:00.000-05:00

Though you wouldn't guess it by the looks of the blog lately, I love Christmas time.

I created a little Christmas playlist to get me and you through the work days over the coming weeks ~ enjoy!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

Do you remember our Thanksgiving last year? Well here’s a link – Arre & Matt are the ultimate hosts and we were honored to be a part of their Thanksgiving festivities once again this year. Arre did a fabulous job with the decor as usual and It did not hurt that the weather was absolutely beautiful for dining outdoors.

Matt & Arre’s house is perfect for playing hide-and-seek

If you clicked on the link from last year you may notice Molly has on the same dress – this was on purpose – she is a creature of habit. a cute creature

arre has another niece other than the ones i birthed for her (to be an aunt of) and elsa is one lucky girl to join arre’s niece crew (although she has been part of it for over a year now ;))

a pinestraw braid by abby

the next photo was from our Christmas card attempt that we tackled while at their beautiful home. More on this later (once my cards go out) but it was pretty funny

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving as we did!

mills in november

2011-12-09T13:45:00.001-05:00

I didn’t intend to write a post on mills but changed the title once it ended up being about…mills :) so here’s a little happy mills post for the holidays.

Early November Mills came to work with me – while I can’t get enough of her sweet chubby cheeks most of the time, working with her is a bit of a challenge.

This is how she spent the day. It’s kind of tricky to work with 30 pounds attached to your leg

The most important news of the month: Did you know that for the first time in 6.5 years I do not have a diaper to change? Well it’s true and it has been liberating and sad all at the same time. I have lots of pictures of Mills in panties to prove it but I have a feeling she’d rather me not post those (one day). So I will just post this picture of her with her sisters all grown up

She asks 10 questions every minute, loves babies, loves her sisters, has her daddy’s personality (outgoing and happy), doesn’t understand that she’s only 2, she still laughs when I change her clothes, loves to sleep in her crib (wondering if she’ll ever want out), has us all wrapped around her finger, walks with her hands on her hips (and shakes them – the hips) because she knows it makes us laugh and she keeps us all smiling every day.

Hope your day is as happy Mills’ :)

Albany, we love you!

2011-12-07T16:48:00.001-05:00

Once again Albany you have shown us the love! We thank you many times over, enjoy some pictures from our oh so fun Get Ahead of the Holidays show 2011. And for those that have requested – our inventory is up on our site, you still have time to order a frame before Christmas!

this adorable puppy hook board is still available….i can’t believe it hasn’t been snatched up yet – it’s so fun and perfect for a girls room!

Mills sporting some jewelry

and i promise there were (lots) of people there! I just never picked up the camera when we had customers :) Thank you again Albany!

Thanksgiving Sneak Peek!

2011-11-28T12:57:00.001-05:00

I snapped these few pictures as we readied our home for Thanksgiving. They make me smile with gratitude!

sweet little pumpkins - thanks to my sweet husband making a last minute run across town!

table almost set - glorious weather granted an eleventh hour change of plans!

bar stocked...

I think we're ready!

SHOP stewart & james

2011-11-28T08:15:00.013-05:00

It's here - the holidays! Are you ready? I'm so proud of myself, I already have so many check marks on my shopping list and even have a wrapped gift just waiting to take its place under my tree - now if I could just get the tree part taken care of :/

To help you have a similar sense of accomplishment, Kristen busted it yesterday to get all of our inventory posted online, so get your Cyber Monday shopping off to a proper start with a little visit to the stewart & james online shop! And for today only, FREE SHIPPING!

to see what's over there, a few shots (from the show - only new to you if you're not our friend on facebook ;) )

image source (1)

The Couple Who Works Together...

2011-11-21T14:38:00.000-05:00

Lee and Kevin Kleinhelter of Atlanta work in similar lines. They've recently created a combined office space that is drop. dead. gorgeous.

The two work spaces are mirror images of each other with similar design elements. Both are wallpapered and feature a pair of lamps on a console with a mirror. Then they have identical desks, pendants, desk lamps and chairs. Love the concept.

The common area is home-like in layout and furnishings. The pieces are so ... Pieces! That driftwood on the wall is fantastic.

Even if Matt and I ever could share an office, neither of us are neat enough to achieve this level of chic.

image source

show sneak peek

2011-11-15T06:07:00.000-05:00

Do you know that our Annual Albany Show is THIS WEEK?!

thursday november 17: 5pm-9pm

friday november 18: 9am-5pm

saturday november 19: 9am-1pm

to be exact ;)

Please excuse our blog absence while we push it until the very last minute as usual .. In the meantime, enjoy some frames that are done and ready for thursday!

I don’t want to give away too much but as our s&j items slowly fill my house over the next few days you may be seeing more sneak peeks so stay tuned!

As you (should) already know – we have 2 more talented ladies joining us this year. Abby from Bellum Designs

And Melissa from MB Strother Designs

We will see you soon!

Being Followed By...

2011-11-14T08:40:00.003-05:00

Michelle!

I am so thrilled to feature the adorable JMB of A Huckleberry Over My Persimmon this morning. Her blog is a window into the lovely life she shares with her handsome husband and beautiful babe. Though we've never actually met, we feel quite linked to Michelle as she'll reveal in her answers below:

Found!

I actually discovered it through my stat reporter. I was getting hits from a familiar link to your readers. Yours! I clicked the link and discovered you guys gave me props on earth day a few years back and I had to tag you guys back. Your work was (is) beautiful! I was so touched to have a reader that wasn't a close friend or family member, it was one of those moments that I felt like, wow- I have to keep doing this, it feels good and feeling good is addictive.

Favorite s&j Reads:

Without a doubt the posts about the parties that you ladies host, or are a part of. I love to entertain, my husband jokes that I can throw a dinner party complete with fancy candles and ambiance together in about 10 minutes. I think that comes from inspiration, like your blog. I keep those simple touches in the back of my head.

Give Me More:

I really enjoy the posts about other local entrepreneurs around South Georgia, especially in the 20-30 something club. My husband is from Albany and there are some amazing folks around y'alls hometown doing good things to keep the economy going, and they are incredibly creative about it. They have the entrepreneurial spirit that their parents and grandparents probably had, but it's hipper, it's tailored to a new way of doing things and that's refreshing. I love to see progression, I am seeing a lot of that in my home town of Griffin, Georgia too. It makes it feel good to come home.

Daily Blog Lovin':

I just thinned out my Google reader because I had over 1000 blog posts to read each day, it became impossible and overwhelming. The ones that I had to keep are Ohdeedoh, Smitten Kitchen, Garden and Gun, Listful Wishful, family members blogs, you ladies of course, and so many more- but now I have about 50 to scroll through, it's much more manageable.

Why (read) Blog(s)?

I love the community feel of it, the spirit of the common writer, and the creativity that is far from mainstream. I read a lot of personal blogs, especially do it yourselfers. It keeps me focused on saving money and figuring out a cheaper and more creative way to fix up this old house of ours.

What About You?!
A Huckleberry Over My Persimmon came from the southern phrase- I'm a huckleberry over your persimmon, which means I'm better than you. I adapted that and made it over MY own persimmon, meaning a bit above my own ability. I write the blog to help push myself. It helps me finish things because I have the reward of tracking my own progress and looking where we, my husband and I, have been and what we have accomplished since we got engaged in August of 2008. You can forget how far you have come in so little time. It's funny we actually just discussed this topic last night, and we stood a little taller. Sometimes you can get so caught up in what you need to do, you forget what you have done. I also write it to get sentimentality out there, I am incredibly sentimental, but can be a bit stoic sometimes I think. I wrote about my mom a lot when she passed away last October, it was incredibly therapeutic for me. I was able to say things to everyone without losing too many tears in front of them. So I write about whatever is on my mind, mostly family life, home projects, recipes, the earth, saving money.

Where to Find YOU: http://ahuckleberryovermypersimmon.blogspot.com/

How Old is Your Blog?
3 years.

why (do YOU) blog?
Other than for the reasons that I stated above, to share with family and friends. It can be a blessing to live in the times that we do. Some folks complain about technology and transparency on the web, but I really appreciate it and use it to our advantage. All of our friends and family are spread out across the country, it's amazing to see what they have been doing, and to share with them what's going on in our life too. I am the worst phone friend ever, I detest talking on the phone, but I'm working at getting better at that. I hope to remain a work in progress.

thanks so much for following, michelle. i love your answers and your blog. we really appreciate your support and participation in this series.

xx

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Being Followed By Series. We've quite enjoyed getting to learn a little more about who's out there ;) This is the end of this - for now. If you are interested in being featured in the future, please email hello@stewartandjames.com.

happy friday!

2011-11-04T16:49:00.001-04:00

Have a rockin’ weekend!

5th Annual Albany Show

2011-11-02T09:24:00.000-04:00

Our 5th annual Albany show is right around the corner. It's that time of year again - make sure you come see us to get a jump on your holiday shopping!

Invitations have been mailed but it's not too late to get one! E-mail us at hello @ stewartandjames . com with your address.

You don't want to miss it this year! We have Abby from Bellum Designs jewelry (arre's sweet sister) & Melissa from MB Strother Designs stationery (arre's sweet friend) and of course stewart & james frames. The dates are November 17-19. Hope to see you there!

sneak peek for Kathy!

2011-10-28T08:43:00.001-04:00

We have been working on Kathy’s frames for a while now, she wants to do a wall of them and we always want to get frames on a wall just right. So we are hoping this will be the last shipment of them that completes the job. I must say, I do love every frame we have sent her so I can not wait to see the final display!

Do you have a favorite? I can’t pick! I love the natural colors, and you can’t go wrong with diagonal stripes on molding, and what about those adorable zig zag frames!?

Have a lovely weekend!

Being Followed By

2011-10-25T10:02:00.000-04:00

Natalie!
yep, her again! ;)

Natalie - the cutie who went home from our Atlanta show with the coveted yellow frames! - is a sweet friend of my brother's who I've know for... ages! She is the mother of one precious babe with another on the way and documents her darling life on her very own blog, which you'll learn more about down the page.

Found!

Through Facebook via Arre's page!

Favorite s&j Reads:

I love seeing party ideas and what the girls are working on for new collections. I especially love when Kristen's girls are included:)

Give Me More!

I'd like to see more of the frames- always! I love them.

Daily Blog Lovin'

I read Recycled Interiors (http://www.recycledinteriors.blogspot.com/) because she has amazing design ideas and she is so resourceful. I also read
Tommey Girl (www,tommeygirl.blogspot.com) and The Adventures of Ordy & Joon (ordyandjoon.blogspot.com) for the same reason! I am lucky that they are all my friends in real life, too!

Why {do you read} Blog{s}?
I started reading blogs to keep connected with friends and family. Now blogs fill my scattered brain with ideas of DIY home design, sewing projects and substitutes for expensive store-bought products. Not to mention too-easy recipes and party ideas.

***
and about your blog...

What is your blog about?

My blog is mostly about my sweet little girl and the baby on the way. I like to sprinkle in some true-life "what was she thinking" moments along with the occasional boast on my husband. I try to keep it real even though I embarrass myself often.

Where is your blog?

http://www.guffeylove.blogspot.com/

How old is your blog?

A little over a year and a half.

Why {do you} blog?

I blog to record memories that I will surely forget, to let family & friends who are far away still be connected to our little family and to brag on my little girl. (Hey, she's awesome). I also like sharing my failures as a chef, homemaker and woman in general to make other people laugh and feel better about themselves.

Thanks for sharing this sweet peek into your life, Natalie. And, as always, thank you so much for your support of stewart & james! xx

namaste and a rainbow

2011-10-24T14:46:00.001-04:00

For ~~months~~ years now I have been trying to come up with an exercise routine that works for me and my hectic schedule. I have tried every angle, I COULD possibly get up at 5 a.m. but then i am BEAT by 6 pm just when things get crazy around the house and I need the energy to get through baths/dinner/homework. I COULD also wait until Jim gets home but by then all I want to do is crash (I am a morning person). I COULD possibly try mid-morning while kids are at school but then that takes away from the few hours i can dedicate to stewart & james and my second part time job (working at our church editing videos and handling online media) – and i treasure the time I have with each of these. So that leaves me to force the kids to join in in the afternoons …

We started an exercise class that is part yoga part dance aerobics. We call it danceslashexercise (there were no open time slots for creativity obviously). MJ insists Beyonce starts us off every day.

Molly was sick last week when I took pictures so she wasn’t really game, but MJ and Mills embraced the idea.

here’s to hoping it sticks! there is no set time it just happens when it happens so if you want to join us just stop by and we’ll dance until our heart rate is at an acceptable level to quit.

We also witnessed a beautiful rainbow the same day the above photos were taken

Right at dinner time, my mother-in-law called and told us to look out the front door and this is what greeted us!

Of course, pictures can’t do it justice, just take my word for it (unless you also witnessed it!), it was beautiful.

Molly couldn’t get over it and insisted that we eat our supper on the porch.

so we did.

have a lovely week!

How Cute is...

2011-10-21T09:33:00.001-04:00

Natalie?!

This darling little mama of one (plus one on the way!) was so sweet to come to our Atlanta show (with her adorable daughter in tow!) and with her purchases made such a cute wall (these are some of our favorite frames!).

how precious is this doily bunting?! nice work, Nat!

love yellow and gray!

Great job, Natalie! Thanks for sharing!

boo!

2011-10-20T11:46:00.001-04:00

The kids have been on me about the lack of holiday decorations around here so last week when Molly wasn’t feeling so great we decided to spread some halloween cheer.

I started with kraft letters from Hobby Lobby

I used some gold spray paint

Glue sticks (although we would have been better off with some sort of spray adhesive)

and of course, orange glitter

notice Mills is the “artists” of the week with the candy corn picture framed next to her picture.

happy halloween!

a sweet & simple baby shower

2011-10-13T09:33:00.000-04:00

for sweet Kathryn! As I mentioned on Friday, my younger sister Kathryn was coming to town for a little baby celebration for her baby boy (Jack). She is due the beginning of January and we all know how crazy the holidays get so we jumped ahead a little and gave her a shower this past weekend – enjoy the pictures

invitations from minted

Menu

sweets:

the flags on the cupcakes were made from the extra invitations, 4 inch bamboo skewers, & double sided tape

savory

cheese straws
chicken salad on croissant
marinated asparagus
orzo

drinks

coffee punch
bloody mary (used Zing Zang – my favorite)
water
glass bottle cokes

cute mama to be ^

I used the leftover envelope liners to make a mobile over the gift table and added baby pictures of Kathryn & her husband, Brent

I can’t wait to hold my sweet nephew!

waaaahooooo!

2011-10-12T12:03:00.000-04:00

We have new followers :) If you’d like us to feature you! (which we DO want to feature YOU!) Please send us an e-mail at hello @ stewartandjames . com with the title “feature me!”

If you aren’t a follower yet – become one, it’s easy! Find the section (pictured above) in the right hand column of the blog and click “Join this site”. THEN send us an email and we will get a follower feature started on YOU!

red is in

2011-10-11T09:45:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Arre’s links to fashion blogs and her own fashion posts (because that’s the only way I know anything about fashion and still it seems to escape me most times) – I hear red lipstick is in.

And apparently so are red frames

I think that’s true (about the lipstick) until Arre texts me and says red is out we will go with it being in for now :)

Being Followed By...

2011-10-10T08:43:00.001-04:00

Jamie!
I met Jamie about a year ago when she moved into a house our (my & Arre's) husbands were renting out. Jim called and asked if I would mind taking some dinner to a new family that just moved in and was really nice :) He said he really thought I would like the wife (if you know jim, you know that's what he said). And he was right! I delivered some soup & homemade tortilla chips to a sweet family of four. Jamie & Mike have two kids, Brody (2) that mills loves & Vicki (14) who the girls adore and is a good sitter by the way for those of you looking ;). We have had a great time getting to know them over the past year. They (refreshingly) LOVE Albany and Albany loves them! Here's Jamie!

how did you discover s&j?
Through purchasing a house that the Fuller Brothers owned

what is your favorite thing to read on s&j?
I love to read about travels taken, childrens milestones and yummy recipes. The inventory updates are nice too :)
what would you like to see more of on s&j?
I really enjoy the recipe portion and spotlights on local eateries (is that a word?)

why do you read blogs?
To be nosey....nah, just kidding. Usually to keep up with my friends chaotic life as well as coming up with new ideas for parties, decorating, products, etc.

***
and about your blog...
what is your blog about?
All about me and my chaotic life as a Momma and Wife. I blog about everything; recipes, depression, motherhood, rants and raves, travel.

what is your blog url?
http://beemerbunch.blogspot.com/

how long have you blogged?
January of 2011
why do you blog?
Stress reliever as well as a way my family and friends can keep up with our life in Albany since we are 8 hours away from home!!!!!

Thanks Jamie, see you soon! :)

how cute is….

2011-10-07T11:51:00.000-04:00

Kathryn!?

Kathryn is my younger sister and is due with her first baby (it’s a boy!) in January. She snapped this picture of a frame in her nursery (which I can’t wait to post once it’s finished!) Look how adorable my nephew already is! We are celebrating her and this sweet baby this weekend - look for a baby shower post soon!

you’re stuck with me!

2011-10-06T11:43:00.001-04:00

So normally I try to back off of kid post sometimes on this BLOG ABOUT FRAMES, but thanks to Arre’s series on featuring followers it looks like y’all actually LIKE the kid posts :) And that’s a good thing because you really are stuck with me, for a couple of weeks at least!

Arre went with her sister on an amazing trip to Spain – jealous?! me too!!! But I am so excited and happy for them and can not WAIT to hear all about it – we are expecting a full on recap when you get back Arre! Until then – I will fill you in on our life lately.

Fall is my absolutely favorite season! I think my favorite thing to do is eat outside but if you live in South Georgia with us you know that can only happen (comfortably) 2-3 months out of the year (how sad is that?!) So when it happens I embrace it!

impromptu outdoor dinner:

sweet molly loves dance

Last weekend we headed to the beach for a wedding that the girls were also invited to…they had a blast – who knew a wedding could be so much fun for kids?! Saturday morning I had the rare chance to have just Molly & Mills on the beach by myself (MJ is not a beach lover and chose to head off with her dad)

the weather was beautiful (do you know that October is the BEST month to be at the beach?!) and I think I spent at least 40% of the time laughing at Mills chasing birds

she would chase them and as soon as they flinched she’d jump like they were attacking and head the other way. She tries to be brave but is a chicken at heart.

can you believe this clear water?

Sadly, this is the only picture i got of all the girls dressed for the wedding

They danced their little hearts out at the reception, Mills met a boyfriend or two (i am scared of her as a teenager) I know they will remember that night for a long time!

When we returned, the girls had fall break so we had some friends over to my parents house for pizza and a little painting (they have a fun tree house and lots of room to run)

And that’s it! That’s our start to fall.

text all of your friends and call it a birthday party

2011-10-04T13:01:00.001-04:00

I know you love posts about elaborate parties that Kristen plans way in advance and executes with panache. This is not one of those.

My husband's birthday was last week. It wasn't a particularly significant one but birthdays are a big deal in his family. All of them. So even though he wasn't actually turning 8, we celebrated like he was.

At the very last minute, he texted about 15 friends and invited them over to watch football on Sunday "for his birthday party". I even planned to be there (this is a rarity. i don't do football season. it was in the spirit of celebrating).

This turned out to be a pretty good idea for me because without any time to accomplish the countless house goals we still have on our list(s), I really couldn't stress. that much. I just ... did this:

picked up the most decent looking flowers from the florist

called in all of his football food favorites

busted out some crayola water color paints (these come in handly on a regular basis at my house. anyone readers who have ever gotten a birthday card from me are probably a little disappointed right about now) and a piece of poster board (note: if you can possibly have this idea at least one day in advance, it works a lot better.)

cleaned up a (very) little

made a few drinks

made a few (boxed) cupcakes

and called it a party.

(a few more notes, don't worry if the only table cloth you can find is pink. your husband probably won't even notice. actually, he may even be color blind. and if you don't have any art on your walls yet, don't worry about that either. hopefully the mother of a childhood friend of your husband's has blown up a newspaper article from 25 years when your husband actually did have his eighth birthday party and given to you for Christmas - that works just fine in a pinch. and in case you haven't noticed, this was a pinch.)

Happy Birthday, sweet boy! Thanks for thinking even parties like this are super fun!

Being Followed By...

2011-10-03T09:00:00.025-04:00

Angie!

Angie is a fellow-Albanian and an avid supporter of stewart & james. Her home has been featured on the blog before - more than once as her s&j collection is ever-changing, as is her life. She and her family (yes, even her small children) lead a selfless, God-fearing life - which is executed in part by their commitment to an organization close to my heart, Young Life. They are inspiring (by 'they' I mean the Elliotts but YL is too!). And you aren't going to want to miss what they have coming next, so be sure to check-out her very own blog (after you learn more about her here, of course!)

Found!
I can't quite remember. I think I was invited to a show and fell in love there.

Favorite s&j Reads:
I love just about everything!

Give Me More!
nothing?! ;)

Daily Blog Lovin':
Darby-s blog, of course- flythroughourwindow, Andrea Young's blog- babeofmyheart, some of our good friends who now live in Peru- goodfellowfamily

Why {read} Blog{s}?
It's a great way to stay up-to-date on friends that live far away, but I also love seeing all of the creative things other people are doing. I also love the encouragement I find through so many people's blogs. It reminds me that we all go through similar situations and that others understand.

and about your blog...

What is your blog about?
My family, my kids, life

Where is your blog?
http://elliottsadventures.blogspot.com/

How old is your blog?
About 3 years

Why {do you} blog?
To keep a scrapbook for my kids and to update family and friends we don't see often

Thanks for following Angie - and - as always - thank you so much for your continued support of our business!

xx

familetime

2011-09-29T11:27:00.001-04:00

Close to a year ago, a friend of mine approached me about being part of a focus group for a product called familetime. She gave me a little run down on the product and i was in! Her brother-in-law is the man behind the product – Chris Hatcher.

Here is a little bit about the site (taken from the site)…

Familetime allows you to share family experiences today while recording lasting memories for tomorrow. With familetime, you can post photos, create messages and blogs, review the schedules of other family members, record family history and a whole lot more.

I was sold immediately – somewhere we can post pictures we don’t want on facebook, record memories we want our children to have access to, have a family calendar so I am not texting everyone on the day of a school program… I couldn’t sign up fast enough!

Chris explained how this idea came about when he posted a video on youtube of his youngest child (1 of 3 boys) saying the pledge of allegience – mostly because he thought it was cute, wanted to show family, and couldn’t figure out any other way to share the video. After the video has 200+ hits he took it off! That is NOT what he had intended and he wished he could share things with his family without the world seeing it.

I will give you a little tour using snapshots from my family’s familetime.

Home page:

As you can see, to the left are all the family members (you can include as many or as few as you’d like) here I have included My mom & dad, my two sisters and their husbands, along with all our children. You create an account for each child and I will get to why in the next few screen shots! Notice the pictures in the middle top section above – you can add photos to your own account and tag family members in them, the last 20 photos uploaded are available for viewing by scrolling through with the arrows at the top of the page.

Notice the refrigerator – it’s like a wall – you can “talk” here.

Next, I clicked on the Calendar to view our family’s calendar. As you can see, there are a few events listed. When these events are within a 7 day window from today’s date – they show up on the homepage (above) to the right under familevents. My older sister (with kids) & I love to use it to “book” our parents to keep kids :)

Click on the recipes tab and the following window appears! This is one of my favorites…I can’t tell you how many emails have passed between me, sisters, and my mom regarding recipes. We’ve just gotten started but I hope to have the page filled pretty soon and then no more questioning about recipes – they will all be there for the fam to see!

If you click the “add recipe” button above the following window appears

so easy to add your recipes!

Next tab: famileblog. I don’t have a screen shot for that but it is just that – a blog for the family!

NOW! Here comes in the family record keeping! Remember when I said that you make an account for each child – this is why. You can click on one of the family members listed on the left hand side and it’s that individuals personal life book. Here, I have logged in as Mills so I could update her familetime account. But really, if I wanted to just view her details I could’ve stayed logged in as me and just clicked her picture.

As you can see, there are different categories to add info. The idea is that when Mills is old enough, she will have control over her familetime page but will be able to see (and retain) all the info I added over her childhood. When you add photos you can “tag” other family members in the photos so that it shows up in their familetime categories.

Next, I logged in as MJ because she wanted to add to her “Wish List” – her FAVORITE part.

How wonderful for the grandparents, aunts, uncles to see this for Christmas!

There is much more to come for familetime! In the future look for a History Section (In Memoriam, Medical and Written HiStories) and an ICE Box (“in case of emergencies” section).

Go sign up today, you’ll be glad you did! Oh and only one person pays for the account ($9.95/month or $85 for the first year), you add the rest of the family members and they enjoy familetime for free.

two steps forward...

2011-09-28T11:15:00.002-04:00

... two steps back. Or at least something like that.

In house news, we finally have hardware on our kitchen cabinets (we are still missing three cabinet doors and three drawers (not to mention one entire cabinet and a pantry) but who's counting?). We also have a working laundry room (it looks basically the same but I can wash clothes at home, so I'm counting it as a win (I really have to reach for those) aaand we finally installed shoe molding in the rooms that were missing it - which were many, in case you were wondering.

We now however, have this situation going on in our den:

That's right, the painters are back. I'm not sure how much blog time I gave the painting of this house last year but it was, in a word, the-longest-process-of-this-entire-experience. And, as evidenced by the above photo, they didn't even finish the job. So here we are (NINE. MONTHS. LATER.) with the painters back again - this time to finish.

I'll (try to remember to) keep you posted.

xx

hair love

2011-09-27T17:11:00.000-04:00

I always want and never get a new hair look.

For my entire life my hair has been light brown (I didn't actually realize this until a boy told me it was brown. and this was only a few years ago) and wavy and basically long - save for the jet black curls I had at birth - maybe I was switched - and the white blonde streaks i would inadverdantly end up sporting at the end of every beach-filled summer of my childhood.

A couple of years ago I cut it shorter than my shoulders, which - for me - was short! It's taking forever to grow long again. And I'm not even sure I want to. Not every day, anyway.

I'm always collecting images of hair I wish I could have. My hair-guru (that's you, Leslie) always tells me which ones aren't possible (it's most of them *le sigh*).

But it's still fun to dream.

this is my latest (as in today) idea:

If any hair rockstars out there think they can tackle one of these styles on this mane, let me know!

unfortunately, many of these images were collected without sharing in mind, so i don't know their source. the ones i do know are linked, though: 1, 5 & 12

Being Followed By...

2011-09-26T09:00:00.008-04:00

Callie!

I met Callie in my early foggy college days. I am sure it was one of those rush parties. She is (was? or are we for life?) a sorority sister. While the parties I don't remember that well (I am still not sure what happened or didn't happen or was supposed to happen or not that first night, are you as confused as me yet?) but i will always remember the amazing group of girls I met that day and I absolutely LOVE running back into them and being reunited whether in real life or online. I re-found callie when I came across her blog and was able to catch up on her adorable fun life! She just recently (as in less than 2 weeks ago) had her second child (Rinne - how cute is that name?!) to accompany her equally adorable 1st child - Rush. Check out her cute stationery business - Calliespondence! and well, here is she is to tell you about it :)

Found!
kristen was one of my sorority sisters at the u. of georgia! she always had great style and i LOVE what y'all have done with s&j in using reclaimed products and giving them a new life. i'm big on recycling and reusing so that really gets to me!

Favorite s&j Reads:

hmm...i kind of like it all?? i love seeing how your clients incorporate s&j into their homes in your "how cute is..." series and also what's going on in your own lives and projects. OH and the recipes and party features are great too!

Give Me More:

can't think of anything?

Daily Blog Lovin':

let's see, i love elements of style (elementsofstyleblog.com), urban grace (i think y'all have a tie to them? so fun! -- blog.urbangrace.com), fly through our window (flythroughourwindow.com), dixie delights (dixiedelights.blogspot.com) and of COURSE s&j :) several more, too, that are listed at the bottom of my blog - there are so many wonderful blogs and bloggers out there!!

Why Blog?

i love getting ideas from creative folks out there...and also hearing relatable stories / advice that i can use in my own life. wow that was deep. no really, i rely on other bloggers to tell me what's in fashion, what i can make in the kitchen for dinner tonight, how i can make my house look fabulous, what i can do with my crazy 2 year old little boy...AND make me laugh. it's a tall order, but somehow i am always fulfilled!

and about your blog...

What is your blog about?

my blog focuses primarily on stationery, but i really enjoy doing features about the parties (and weddings!) my clients throw for which the invitation sets the stage, home decor (we just moved and have been slowly trying to get the house up to speed - and will definitely be needing some s&j on these walls), things i run across that are fabulous in fashion and elsewhere, the occasional recipe and also goings-on around atlanta, where i live.

Where is your blog?

www.calliespondence.blogspot.com

(website is www.calliespondence.com)

How old is your blog

coming up on a year next week!

and that week has since passed, so happy birthday to calliespondence!

Why {do you} blog?

originally i started blogging to have an interface with my clients...i thought the website was very one-sided and i much prefer a dialogue as to a monologue! i've found it's a fantastic way to show new ideas and products to my clients, and have them get to know the gal behind the scenes - and for me to get to know them as well, which i love. i have so enjoyed being a part of the blogging community; it's the MOST fun!

Thanks for following us, Callie! And keep up the adorable work!

p.s. I love that Callie "remembers" me having great style - her college years were obviously a little "foggy" too because all i wore were second hand clothes and looked like a thrown away hippie..

this post was written by Kristen

it’s that time of year again

2011-09-20T11:26:00.001-04:00

We are getting out orders and starting to stock pile for our annual Albany Show, more details to come soon! In the meantime be sure to e-mail us at hello @ stewartandjames . com with your updated mailing address to receive an invitation.

a quote

2011-09-20T11:20:00.001-04:00

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

i don’t know about you (you meaning you with small kids) but my bones ache every night and I have a feeling it has something to do with these 3. but they are worth it all as are all things that make your life worth living. I don’t always do it right but we always have tomorrow.

Being Followed By...

2011-09-19T09:00:00.008-04:00

Rebecca!

Much like our first follower featured, Rebecca is one of my oldest friends (full diclosure: at almost 30 years old, the majority of my (real, true) friends are among that same group (that group being 'oldest friends'. Is that strange? Discuss.). She is hilarious+smart+a lot of fun - most of the prerequisites for me to like you (in case you were wondering. the smart part is not necessary though. that wouldn't be fair ( to you)). She lives a state away :( and is currently planning her wedding :D which I wish she would blog about...

Here she is:

Found!
I discovered s&j when Arre, my dear friend of almost 19 years, started it. I guess I don't remember exactly how or when, but I have been following it since the beginning!

Favorite s&j Reads:

I love reading about Kristen's precious girls, but I love when they mention new websites, recipes, drinks, travel and of course, seeing how other people use all of the beautiful frames in their home.

Give Me More:

I think I would like to see a feature like a 'Fab Friday" and it features one fabulous new thing discovered by either Kristen or Arre, or by the suggestions of their followers. That would be a great way to feature a variety of different things!

Daily Blog Lovin':

Gosh I read a ton of blogs....mostly friend's blogs that document their family life, and I enjoy interior design sites to get inspiration on new ideas for decorating.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/

http://alifesdesign.blogspot.com/

http://www.flythroughourwindow.com/

http://www.modgblog.com/

http://www.ourbestbites.com/

http://www.thefoodgospelaccordingtoruth.com/

http://www.baxterbarktwice.com/

http://www.ciaochowlinda.blogspot.com/

http://stewartandjames.blogspot.com/

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/

Why (read) Blog(s)?

I think blogs are a wonderful distraction to my own life, and they give us a glimpse into the worlds of so many other things.

I used to blog...about finding great fashion deals for women of all ages. It lasted maybe a couple of months then I felt like my material was lacking....maybe I should start a new blog about my dog. It could be called "Charlie and Me," or I could blog about wedding planning and how it can easily make one crazy.

Thanks for following us - always! Can't wait until you start your new blog... you're going to do it, right?!

xx

Weekly Round-Up

2011-09-16T14:55:00.004-04:00

Without even noticing, I've collected primarily fashion oriented links to share this week... I guess that's because
Fashion Week took over the ~~world~~ blogosphere - what fun!

J.Crew made their Fashion Week debut and knocked it out of the park!

Erin attended (!) (Fashion Week, that is - not J.Crew - TORY BURCH!) and looked amazing. but she wasn't the only one. Even the invitations were phenomenal.

{This just in! In case Erin's week didn't start out fabulously enough, it ended with a gift from KELLY WEARSTLER. (yes, that Kelly Wearstler) What a designer darling Mrs. Gates is turning out to be)}

Jordan has me already thinking about Christmas with these super cool strings of lights. (Full disclosure, it's not entirely her fault. I work in retail. I've been thinking about Christmas since July (market).

My sister is having a trunk show in Savannah this weekend. If you're in the area, you should most definitely attend. (There will be champagne!)

A new downtown shop brought the festivities to Albany with mimosas last Saturday morning. I hadn't been in before, and to be honest it was the drink offering that lured me their way, but once I was there (and before I had a total buzz) I stumbled upon more than one great find. If you haven't shopped at Verge yet, this weekend would be a great time to get there.


My finds were so fun that I don't want to share them with you in such a busy post but here are your hints: fur, sequins and skin!

Another super fun part of living ~~in this super small and sometimes boring town~~ here is the fact that very few Albanians get into Target's designer collaborations, sooooooo while my way hipper friends were lamenting from their big cities over the instant sell-out of Missoni for Target (in their stores and on their computers), I scored at our store ... after work. There wasn't even anyone else looking!

I wish I could've/would've(?) gotten more - but I was very self controlled and only got the contents of two (small) shopping bags.

And I haven't yet had time to get into the latest issue of Lonny (confession: I actually just read the last one a week ago - for shame!) but it's cover, sporting a pink sofa and the tagline: Fall Fashion Issue, is promising. Hopefully this weekend will allow time for a little downtime indulgence.

Now that I'm thinking about it, Rachel Zoe was on the series finale of Entourage and a new Sarah Jessica Parker movie opens this weekend... maybe fashion week has taken over the world.

Happy Weekend!

xx

butterflies

2011-09-15T09:10:00.001-04:00

Last week Molly was sick – well sort of, she was definitely sick on day 1, but by day 2 I thought she may still be contagious so I kept her home from school. Well, home with my mom at her house because I had a lot to catch up on. But my mom just sent me the pictures of how they spent their day and I must say – I wish I had a sick day at her house! Here they are

Picnic

noticed butterflies everywhere

they then found this (on the tree house at my parents house)

and witnessed this:

I’m so happy my only nature loving child was the one to witness it. I did hear all about it that day but it’s nice to have pictures to go along with the story.

have a beautiful day!

Being Followed By...

2011-09-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

Lindsay!

Welcome (back!) to what is sure to become an actual series this time around!

I think I met Lindsay in college (true or false, Lindsay?!) ... regardless, I remember these three first impressions (can you make three 'first' impressions? i'm going to go with yes - actually, these three elements made up a singular first impression. how about that?) about her:

Before I met Lindsay, it had never before occurred to me that Lindsey could be spelled with an 'a' - how clever!
She likened her last name to Fritos (I still can't get over that - even though it's not been her last name for years!
Her fun-loving personality and big smile were infectious - and I'm sure they still are - I just don't ever see her in the real world anymore :(

Lindsay is a mother and an artist and her blog, Paint Me a Picture, not only showcases her crafty nature and adorable artwork but also gives readers a peek at her charmed life accented by two darling boys! And she has a little series of her own going on right now - be sure to check out ♥ I heart art ♥ on her site.

And here she is:

Found!
I joined Etsy back in May of 2009. I was searching around for handmade goods and found S&J's Etsy shop which led me to their blog only to discover I knew Arre in person I just didn't know she was part of S&J.

It's a small world after all.

Favorite s&j Reads:

I think my favorite things would be Kristen's posts on what I like to call mama-drama. She never gives the impression life is all unicorns and rainbows, though I am sure there are lots of the two around her house with three girls. My other favorite would have to be their travel posts filled with site seeing shots and food pictures.

Give Me More:
I just love the "how cute is" posts. It's fun to see where S&J products end up so keep those coming!

Daily Blog Lovin':
Plum Tree Studio, From the Natos, and Eclectic Whatnot, oh and Life Made Lovely (each are linked)

why {do you read} blog{s}?

To keep up with friends lives (IRL friends and real life ones), for inspiration, for encouragement, for amazing finds, for creative ideas.

***

what is your blog about? Paint Me a Picture is about tales of my own mama-drama, inspiration, art I adore, art I create, handmade goodness I come across, and the occasional DIY project complete with horrible directions and too many pictures.

where is your blog?

http://paint-me-a-picture.blogspot.com/

how old is your blog?

I think I started blogging back in 2005 and had a person blog that maybe one other person read. In 2009 I started Paint Me a Picture to help share the art I created online, kind of like using my blog as a free website. I started connecting with other bloggers and my blog evolved into what it is today.

why {do you} blog?

I blog to share inspiration and funny stories, to give a glimpse inside my life and my "studio". I grew up keeping a journal and did so until a few years ago. Now having a blog allows me to journal and share it with others.

Thanks for following Lindsay! We not only appreciate your interest in s t e w a r t & j a m e s but also your dedication to communities like etsy and the blogosphere. Keep it up!

***

(I meant to start this last week but the whole week-starting-with-a-holiday-thing really threw me for a loop! It will be a Monday feature, so if you don't already frequent stewart & james, be sure to check back weekly to meet new peeps)

xx

this post was written by arre. i don't know how i logged on as stewart & james...

Jenna Lyons :: Can't Get Enough

2011-09-08T15:12:00.000-04:00

The latest installment of Jenna Lyons love can be found in Vogue UK. Or all over the blogosphere (thank goodness - I'm not exactly sure how to get my hands on a current issue of Vogue UK around these parts).

Even though this article doesn't appear to really offer up anything new in the way of what is shown, Jenna's home is one that is endlessly inspirational ... in a real way.

Though the particulars are out of my world for sure, the look is attainable: Moroccan rugs and mid-centruy furnishings, a very edited (read: black and white only) palette with very strong - and fairly singular - accent colors (hot pink! electric yellow!). And I think that's the draw.

Sort of like the the doll at the helm of J.Crew herself.

image source

Bellum Designs :: A little more alive now

2011-09-07T08:51:00.003-04:00

Remember this?

Well, she still doesn't have a website... or an etsy store... or a blog but she does have a Facebook page for her Bellum Designs wares!

Find her here and check back for updated inventory as well as any news on shows, retailers and maybe even a website... or an etsty store ... or a blog ... one day.

For more information email bellumdesigns {at} gmail {dot} com

and if you're interested in the earrings featured in this post, let me know because she left a few pairs in Albany for me to sell.

cuteness

2011-09-06T15:12:00.010-04:00

in case {Oh}Joy{!} is not cute enough, are you going to be able to stand the mini her that's on the way?! check out the doll's already growing shoe collection for a teaser.

ohhh joy!!!

image source

fish tacos

2011-09-05T08:43:00.000-04:00

With less than a month left until fall I have been embracing some summer favorites. One staple around here all summer were avocados. And the first dinner that comes to mind when wanting to incorporate avocados are fish tacos. The kids love them and so do we so we had Matt & Arre over for some fish tacos last week and thought I would share some pics with you!

ingredients:

this fed 4 adults and 3 children

extra virgin olive oil
1 can of black beans
sour cream
1 jalapeno chopped
lime juice
lemon juice
salt & pepper
2 avocados
chopped cilantro to taste
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
lemon pepper (optional)
5-7 white fish fillets(i used tilapia)
10 flour tortillas
1/8 – 1/4 cup red onion chopped (use more or less depending on your taste)
tortilla chips

Season your fish! We grilled ours but first seasoned with lemon pepper, olive oil, & lemon juice. I split the 7 (small) filets into 3 tinfoil “boats” for grilling.

and wrapped them up, put in fridge until time to grill

next on to the chopping!

and rinsing

Combine the following for your taco “salsa”

1 cubed avocado
1 pint of grape tomatoes halved or quartered
1/2-3/4 can black beans rinsed/drained
1/8 cup diced red onion
splash extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 a lime
chopped cilantro to taste

I like to add a little heat – so I chopped up a jalapeno (seeds and all) and mixed with a cup of sour cream as another topping

surprisingly I had not eaten all the avocados in the process of chopping and mixing so i was able to make some guacamole with the what was left:

1 cubed avocado (or whatever you have left)
sprinkle of red onions, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 a lime

mash with a fork until it’s the consistency you like

Grill your fish (5-10 minutes depending on size). Roughly chop up fish for ease of adding to a taco.

and very important: throw your flour tortillas on the grill at the last minute just to crisp them a bit.

add toppings and enjoy!

how cute is ...

2011-09-02T08:26:00.004-04:00

Bates?!

Our dear friend, Karyn, recently had a darling baby girl: Bates. And lucky little girl that this child is gets to live in a nursery that is just precious enough for her new born status - the design elements will take her years beyond the crib - thanks to her interior designing mama.

stewart & james has a place on the wall and we're thrilled to be there. (we love framing vintage alphabets - have we mentioned that?!). We even heard there may be a need for a few more of our piece - hope so ;)

This pink wood has just the right patina to keep from being saccharine, making it suitable for Karyn and Bates!

Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos, Karyn and welcome to the world, Bates!

xx

photography by S.Scott

Problem Solving

2011-08-26T15:41:00.000-04:00

I haven't mentioned the house in a while. It's still the bane of my existence (I can't lie to you guys). Our latest woes are those of garage doors. The house came without them (though it does have a garage). Now we know why - the openings are minute. My car barely fits in as it is and after a "garage door man" (that's what the guy called himself) came by to give us an estimate on doors. for the garage (in case the title he gave himself didn't give that away) we learned that the openings will get even smaller once doors are installed.

We've spent the past week pondering our options:

-Remove center support post and replace with steel beam installed across the width of the ceiling (there is a room above the garage - so support is necessary) and have one large door / opening?

-Move the center post to the left, leaving a larger area for one car to the right, thus having only one garage door ... off to one side... eh...

-Just forget the whole thing (I'll let you guess whose idea this was. And here's a hint: it wasn't me)

Then I came across this - and it might just solve everything:

The openings could shrink down a few inches and this gem could still slide right in without a problem!

Aren't I a genius? Now I just need Matt to start reading this blog (oh - and doing what it says...)

And surely such an expense is comparable to all the trouble we'd have to go to move that silly center post, right?

Let's Try This Again

2011-08-22T09:17:00.017-04:00

Remember a l o n g time ago when we were super pumped about our new followers and wanted to feature all of your lovely people on our blog as a token of our appreciation... and then we only featured one of you?

Well, it's google's fault. Sort of. I represent the low-tech end of this gig and unfortunately ran into a series of technical difficulties that were not realized until recently (otherwise known as entirely too late to just pick back up without a concilatory/explanatory post such as this) and in the meantime I gave up.
I am so sorry ~~I dropped the ball~~ this didn't work out the first time. I was really excited about it.

And am again now because we are trying again! We will be emailing each of you whose email address we can locate. If you do not have an accessible email address and would still like to participate, please email us at hello@stewartandjames.com (subject: follower feature) and we will get with you on featuring YOU!

The new-new series should be up and running in a few weeks (if not sooner, hurry and respond if you want to participate to speed the process along!) - just in time for fall (can't believe fall is so near!)

Thanks for your patience with us - on all accounts. We appreciate you oh-so-much!

xx

image source

how cute am…

2011-08-19T10:11:00.001-04:00

I?! (again!)

The wall in my den is forever changing. Check it out here a couple of years ago: wall forever ago

This is how it looks today – I love the addition of the over door – what do you think?! We have another one for sale on our current inventory page (which has been updated with local pickup items available).
Have a lovely weekend!

update - over door has sold!

with a story to tell

2011-08-18T10:59:00.001-04:00

I brought my camera to work today and while looking for wood for you frame lovers, i snapped a few pictures along the way. I love to see all the items that come out of old houses and buildings and imagine the story they would tell. enjoy

how cute is….

2011-08-12T10:50:00.000-04:00

Pam?!

A few months ago we received a delightful email from Pam – She wanted to frame this precious picture of her as a child on Lake Superior.

how cute is that?!

She is a captain on a boat that she boats on the Chesapeake. The quote she keeps next to it:"One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." by Andre Gide

Pam and her cute boating companion, Daphne.

And the final framed photo along with the quote:

Pam is going to display it on her boat - what a happy home for her reclaimed frame - Thank you Pam!

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

2011-08-10T15:16:00.001-04:00

There are a few good things about living in good ole’ south Georgia – one of them is being only a few hour drive from the beach. You have heard us talk about the favorite 30A for years now but I have a new spot to cover. One of my sisters lives in Savannah, Ga and it is an 8 hour drive for her to reach the gulf (30A area) and she has two PRECIOUS children (that are part monkey i’m convinced) they would not fare well for an 8 hour trip. So we headed her direction and hit Ponte Vedra Beach, FL for our family beach destination.

this is my niece jane: she is teeny tiny but can perch on top of anything with perfect balance

Although the sand isn’t quite as pretty as the gulf – the kids loved the shells and shallow water

mary james

jane & mills

Jacksonville Zoo

my nephew william – a monkey on a monkey

Happy last days of summer (if you have school age children ;))

how cute is

2011-08-05T09:06:00.002-04:00

Cannon?!

This doll is the latest installment in the adorable Parrish family. Remember her her cute mama, Betsy (they are serious s&j supporters and we love them so)?

Betsy commissioned us to do these great yellow frames to accent the recent redo of her baby's nursery (how much do you love the ballerina fabric?!)

We were happy to oblige and just hope she's as pleased with the end result as we are! Love the graphic patterns and bold color contrasting with the rustic wood - good call, Bets!

Thank you Betsy for sharing these photos and for your continued support!

xx

we're here!

2011-08-04T13:39:00.000-04:00

Hi long lost blog friends! Have you missed us?! We have had a couple of setbacks (one of which my computer is out of order - unbelievably inconvenient!) But we are still at it -

And school has not started yet so we have had 3 interns (i say because they don't get paid) part of s&j. Which is the setback #2. I made them pose for a picture after a hards day of 20 minute work (because 20 minutes of whining was all I could take).

Although they are very supportive they do not want to make frames when they grow up.
Molly is going to be a fairy, MJ a designer, decorator, or artist (she can't decide) and Mills didn't understand the question so she may be stuck with us.

Summer (sort-of) Break

2011-07-29T15:52:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-20T09:01:00.013-04:00

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

2011-07-19T10:31:00.001-04:00

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

2011-07-18T07:55:00.009-04:00

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

2011-07-12T11:37:00.001-04:00

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

2011-07-06T13:05:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-01T13:49:00.001-04:00

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!

take 1

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

In case you are on the fence about attending the Albany show today (4-7!) – just click play as MJ shows you some of the inventory and a few of her favorites:

If you see something you like – come on over!

See you soon!

come in too red white and blue

2011-06-28T10:15:00.001-04:00

Mary James has had some pretty elaborate ideas over the past few years for birthday parties. She seems to start planning the day the party is over (for the next year). And I have always guided her in narrowing down her ideas to something that’s actually doable. This year we did not start talking about the party until a week ago (!!) So I am here to tell you what I have not done for MJ’s party. Not because I haven’t had time or lack of motivation or ideas but because a certain little 5 (almost 6 – in 10 days to be exact) year old has taken over the party planning. Much to my relief - she wants to do it all – that means invitations, cake design, decorations..everything!

here are MJ’s notes:

theme: come in too red white and blue (how wonderful for my wallet that this is right on the heels of 4th of july!) I do not fully understand what the theme means but I don’t need to know since I am not in charge

game plan: spend the night party

# invited: 3 girls (i did suggest this number)

invitations: individually handmade with the invited guest’s name along with a list of the others that are invited, details of the time and house number. A phone call may be required as well :)

cake sketch:

this does make me a little nervous..i’m not sure how to make a cake that tall

Keep your fingers crossed that letting an almost 6 year old plan her own birthday party results in an actual party.

It's a Surprise {SHOW}

2011-06-27T14:00:00.001-04:00

In terms of inventory (and wine and cheese, for that matter) we've got a few leftovers from our recent Charleston show, so we'd like to invite you to an impromtu Albany show.

This Wednesday from 4:00 in the afternoon until 7:00 in the evening, we will be hosting a mini-show at the *usual Albany show location.

We hope to see you there!

*if you want to attend and do not know where this is, please email us at hello@stewartandjames.com for full details.

Charleston {Show} Recap

2011-06-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

Charleston was, in a word, splendid!

A dear friend of Kristen's hosted us (for. three. nights!) and two of her other besties accompanied us just for the fun of it - and it was so fun!

here they are now. too bad the camera (or maybe it was the photographer) was more focused on the cocktails than the people...

Before I get too involved in the love letter I'm about to write to Charleston, let me cover the most important base: our show!

To call it a success {in. every. way.} would be an understatement.

The man of the house - surveying set-up. We love Wiley!

still loving our signature napkins! and we took a cue from our near-home favorite on the cheese accompaniments - Marcona almonds and organic wildflower honey - yum! (and is this really the only post we've done about Liams?! i'm ashamed.)

Our kind host did a great job of inviting friends who showed up, shopped and (at least seemingly so ;) ) enjoyed themselves. It was the perfect s&j show.

thank you to everyone who attended and especially to Corbin ♥

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Now, onto the rest of the trip:

Since we were travelling so far, we left a day early (and stayed a day late, for that matter) - score!

After the first (of many - seriously, I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many times we went) stop at Whole Foods (we all agreed that if we were so fortunate to have one in town both our waistline and grocery bill would most likely double), we unloaded our inventory (it was a work day after all) and uncorked our first bottle of wine (I'm also too embarrassed to tell you how many it was the first of).

here's a hint, though...

While Charleston does charm visitors with architecture and history, shopping and coastlines, the endless eateries are what swept us away. If eating more was possible, we would have.
Per more than one recommendation, we at dinner the first night at Husk. It was incredible.

When reading the menu - which is very Southern - we were a bit wary but stuck with our initial desire to check it out and were beyond pleased that we did.

The view from their bar next door. Carolina blue porch ceiling, of course!

I had a lovely cocktail (or two) that I am going to recruit my mixologist friend to recreate for us (remember him? we were on a kick there for a while last summer! I'm trying to get back to it.) - I'll share, of course! Here's all you need to know for now: it was lauded as the drink of choice at the world's first cocktail party. London circa 1924 (!) (how could i not ~~try~~ love it?!)

It didn't come before a kick-off champagne drink, though (which i chose to photograph here because as delicious as it was, the favorite one is not much to look at. and champagne is always pretty.)

For dinner, I (officially) had the pork chop. And as far as pork chops go, it was perfection - succulent, tender, marble-y (not a word, i know) perfection. It was a piece of meat from Ossabaw Island, which is home to the descendants of Spanish pigs transplanted over 400 years ago. The pork and pigs get a lot of positive attention but I've also read that they are endangered, so I'm not sure what to think - besides the fact that my singular experience was delicious!

The salad I started with was fantastic, too as it featured beets (my current favorite salad food) on the most delicate, buttery bibb lettuce I've even put in my mouth. It was a perfect example of why people eat salad and like it.

Other offerings on the table included corn bread, grits and catfish (I told you it was southern!) - all of which were a whole different calibur than what comes to mind when hearing of any of those foods. It's above that. For instance, I could not have guessed that the delicious plate to my left was catfish - and I've eaten a lot of catfish.

Everything about Husk - inclduing the atmosphere - is more sophisticated and refined than what their name - and menu - suggest. That's by design, I believe. It is country cooking for snobs - food and otherwise. And I mean that in a very good way.

Their James Beard award-winning chef, Sean Brock, calls this a modern approach and doesn't work to redefine Southern cooking but to explore the reality of southern food. (follow his blog here). Call it whatever you want Sean, you're a genius.

(I was going to give a complete run down of the entire trip but if I wax that poetic on every move we made, we'll be here all week - on to the high points:)

Friday was our vacation day - officially.

We spent it downtown - all of it ( am pretty sure we walked a half marathon). Between the pocket map Bethany kept busting out (thank God!) and the camera that Kristen wore around her neck (good thing - this would otherwise be one ugly blog post), there was no denying our tourist status. Our shamelessness was worth it, though! We covered some serious ground.

City Lights Coffee (on Market Street - between King and Meeting. I don't want you to miss it and I can't find a website) is everything you want an early morning coffee shop to be. It is tiny with dark wood and exposed brick. Serving pieces are bright and mismatched; their menu is scrawled on a chalkboard and the barista even had an accent - nice touch. A chocolate croissant couldn't be denied - it looked just like the one Jane Adler makes in her bakery in It's Complicated (the movie)!

A long walk later, we found ourselves at Mac & Murphy, which is exactly where we wanted to be (can you tell yet that we oft-referred to Design*Sponge's Charleston City Guide?!).

This (also tiny) shop on Cannon Street is off the beaten path - in location and otherwise.

We met with one of the owners, Liz, who enchanted us with her tale of two friends who have grown a great idea into an amazing business. One which is punctuated with both restraint and inspired quirkiness.

The light-filled shop, with its spare furnishings, super-friendly and well-informed shopkeeper/owner, white + gray (with a necessary pop of orange! you know we love an ampersand - especially as an accent!) palette and color-saturated and exciting products made me feel like i was walking around in a blog!

Letterpress calendars and clever greeting cards are neatly displayed in the front of their adorable shop (so neat in fact that i went on an unprecedented shopping spree of printed goods. it's really too embarrassing to go into great detail - i will admit this. i cannot stop thinking about the one thing i did not buy: locally printed pow wow invites. they were to die for); a custom print shop is tucked away in the back.

I first saw these and almost ordered them in bulk...

but then i saw this, which promises to obliterate my terrible habit of missing birthdays, thus negating the need for the first cards! (full disclosure: i love the graphics so much that i was going to buy the thing before i even knew that it was a birthday calendar)

A writer friend gave this (precious!) type writer to Liz. She writes her thank you notes on it - could she be in cuter? (no is the answer if you're still pondering this one)

Upon leaving, we popped across the street, per Liz's recommendation, to discover a little piece of confectionary heaven: Sugar. It was so sweet - pun intended - with it's mismatched cake stands and full view of the busy bakers (it's retro feel reminded me of one of my favorite Savannah spots)

We somehow managed to get out of there with only 4 cupcakes. Since we were still on the verge of a diabetic coma (remember the It's Complicated croissant?), they were ~~devoured~~ enjoyed later that evening.

This adorable little chocolate bar is the product of local artisan chocolatier, Sweeteeth (Chucktown is good about keeping it local aren't they?!)

From there, we perused. And when in Charleston, perusing around the town is an event in and of itself.

Age-old cemetaries and bespoke bookstores keep company with the most current of retailers block after block. Let's put it this way, Blue Bicycle Books and Williams-Sonoma were among our stops.

The self-lead city tour led us to one last meal worth mentioning: lunch at Cru Cafe (thanks Karyn for the rec). Again, I cannot adequately describe the deliciousness of this place. You just have to go!

They have culinary chops, too. Chef-owner John Zucker was sous chef for the opening of the James Beard Soctiety nominated "best new restaurant of the year", Canoe when it was granted such recognition. (I am assuming this is the Atlanta-favorite, Canoe, though I cannot confirm that and do know a public forum such as a blog is not the best place to assume...please advise if you know). Despite such accolades, I am pretty sure he was handling table assignments during lunch hour while we were there - impressive. This guy is actually beyond impressive. He graduated number ONE in his class from Cordon Bleu (in Paris, no less) and studied under Wolfgang Puck. He is currently considered one of the most sought-after restaurant consultants in the Southeast (and does such for the highly recommended Charleston spot (that we sadly didn't have time for), Fish (next time. for sure).

Our (lovely!) experience there included a welcomed ~~bottle~~ glass (actually, it was a bottle) of crisp Pinot Gris, accompaniment to fried green tomatoes and the most decadent cold melon soup (we must recreate this, girls - soon!). It was refreshing with cantaloupe and honeydew but made absolutely sinful with the addition of coconut (and some other ingredients, of course, but I'll save that for once we've figured it all out!).

The atmosphere here is old south, once again. Outdoor seating on the front porch and barstools with a birds-eye view of the kitchen make the whole experience feel like coming home - to a house with a fabulous chef, of course! Take their virtual tour to see what I mean. Or just go - did I already say that? ;)

At the end of the day (and this has literally taken me all day to compose), the show was a wonderful reminder of why we do this: to have fun - and hopefully make enough money to keep doing it ('it' being the business and the fun).

Thanks again, Charleston. We really do *heart* you.

all images taken by Kristen except for the one from Husk that says 'today's menu.' that one is from their website. it was just too delicious looking to not borrow.

Summertime

2011-06-21T17:34:00.000-04:00

The heat is on. And strangely enough, has been for weeks already *le sigh* but today officially marks the beginning of the long, languid days of summer.

enjoy!

and happy, happy eighth anniversary to Kristen ♥

image source

Charleston Bound

2011-06-21T13:35:00.018-04:00

In true Kristen and Arre fashion, one of us has had our bags packed since yesterday morning (22 hours in advance) and the other hasn't been home in days (to even begin thinking about packing). Can you guess which is who?! One thing we both are, however is ready! Even if not in a literal since if you are me... I mean... the one of us who is not packed...

I can't wait to return to the South Carolina coast to be charmed by the city of Charleston once more.

Eating is, of course, at the tip top of our agenda - and with so many decadent choices (seriously - too many to list and link too - this post is taking an eternity as it is), we should be able to get that done (please comment with any recommendations!). oh! and ~~breezy~~ balmy (forgot where we were headed there for a minute) cocktail hour(s) atop any roof with drink service - if I remember correctly you have to be far above the ground to keep anywhere close to cool around there...

Here we go!

Check back next week for a full report - and if you're in the area, please *stop by because - oh yeh - we do have an actual reason for going: a show , so please come!

*email us at hello@stewartandjames.com for full details.

Laundry Day

2011-06-17T14:56:00.000-04:00

As I load up my laundry to haul to my mother's for the (this is a rough estimate) 11,593rd time, in the (another estimate) 311 degree heat (that's right. still. no. laundry. room), I can't help but feel like this girl - sans the patriotic pants (and gratitude for that matter):

image source

stocking up for Charleston!

2011-06-14T14:20:00.001-04:00

I’ve been meaning to do a sneak peek post for a while now (for the Charleston show next week) but you know how it goes – time flies by and we realize we are only 1 week and 2 days away, not enough items marked off the to do list and a blog post always gets pushed to the back. Poor blog. We won’t leave you hanging though - i snapped these pics as I was literally running out of the shop (hence the quality)

And invitations have been mailed! so sorry for the poor quality photo..cell phone capture in the excitement of mailing :)

It’s not too late to send you an invitation! If you are in the Charleston area please e-mail us at hello @ stewartandjames . com with your address and I will put it in the mail today!

tomatoes, cucumbers, & fresh mozzarella

2011-06-13T14:14:00.000-04:00

Another garden inspired dish – This has been my afternoon snack every day for the past week…

that is a sticker you see on the tomato, it’s from the grocery store – my tomato plant is producing but can’t keep up with our tomato consumption.

There’s not much to this one! And that’s why I love it. After planning out meals and packing lunches I have nothing left in me to plan out what I will actually eat. So I love that I can grab 3 ingredients, chop, add salt & pepper, eat and enjoy!

bring your child to work day

2011-06-10T10:35:00.006-04:00

...does not exist. Because it's not normally a very productive thing to do. But I have been having some guilt lately about leaving the kids with sitters to work so I swung by the house and picked up my middle daughter Molly.

She mostly chatted with arre and gave her lessons on how to be tough (this was following a previous lesson of how to be patient). I'm not sure yet but I think it was helpful.

Have a wonderful weekend and let me know if your kids (or sister-in-laws) need someone to explain life lessons to them..molly's your girl!

cucumber soup

2011-06-09T08:11:00.000-04:00

It’s summer! we are free!

And it’s HOT. So what better than a cold cucumber soup inspired by your garden. I say inspired because I only had one cucumber ready to use but it definitely inspired me! This recipe comes from Susan Mason’s cookbook. Here are your ingredients (plus all purpose flour not shown)

2 tablespoons butter
1 bay leaf
5 cucumbers seeded, peeled, chopped
1 leek sliced, white part only
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
salt & pepper
1 cup heavy cream
juice of 1/2 a lemon

peel, remove seeds and chop:

melt butter (2T)

add leeks (sliced, white part only), bay leaf and chopped cucumbers

saute for 20 minutes while you change diapers, wipe tears, break up fights, sit for a performance of a circus, wash your hands, go back to your stove…

remove bay leaf and add 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour and stir to form paste

Add 1 teaspoon salt, 3 cups chicken stock

simmer for 30 minutes

go take pictures of container garden

cucumbers jalapenos okra

tomatoes basil & rosemary

come back to your simmering cucumbers (assuming it has been 30 minutes..)

puree in food processor

put it in the fridge to cool and wait

When chilled, add 1 cup heavy cream, plus juice from 1/2 lemon, salt , pepper. Mine was a bit lemony so maybe add lemon juice a little a time until it’s just right!

serve with fresh dill

i love donuts

2011-06-08T10:48:00.000-04:00

do you?

I am looking for a doughnut recipe that I can make at home..any ideas?

p.s. notice s&j chalkboard

pretty in pink

2011-06-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

We have been working on a few pink frames for nurseries lately (the girl baby boom continues!) and I got a little carried away looking through old pink photos so I thought I would share a few. But first - we are excited about this one! We are using the wood below to frame this precious vintage alphabet print for the nursery of a little girl we can’t wait to meet ..soon!

and on to a few findings from the archive:

if you have any pink s&j frames to share please send us a picture!

story time

2011-06-06T12:04:00.000-04:00

translation: A story. Once upon a time is a fox and a hound dog. Do you know what it is? It’s a guess. The fox and the hound! They became BFFs. By MJ. Oh I love stories don’t you? I love to read. The End

Checking In...

2011-06-01T14:54:00.002-04:00

Please excuse our (seemingly never-ending) absence. We've been a bit busy as of late.

s t e w a r t & j a m e s has been getting some well-deserved attention (what, i can be proud of our little enterprise, can't i?!) and our lives didn't get the memo to otherwise slow down. So here are - or aren't, rather.

here are a few previous posts that will hopefully enhance your start to summer (even if it is technically still a few weeks away):

-a summer sip (can't wait to get my hands on one of these in approximately 2.5 hours)
-good use for your summer produce
-good eats at the beach (and athens for that matter (this is a good time to go - very few students and absolutley no football!)

and don't forget, we'll be in Charleston in just a few weeks!

Now I'm off to figure out how to make my real life look like the cover of the latest Anthology magazine.

xx

jump on over

2011-05-31T07:30:00.000-04:00

to just me, my soldier, & our four little chicks to check out the s&j giveaway she is having today!

At a time when we are remembering those that have sacrificed for this country, we should also remember the families and the sacrifices Stephanie and her four (yes 4!) girls are making. A very good friend of ours (Mandy) directed us to Stephanie’s blog (and her to ours). Mandy’s husband is also away right now and I can’t imagine the strength and courage it takes for these women day after day but they do it and they do it gracefully. Stephanie has 4 precious little girls (2 of which are twins!) and Mandy has 1 little boy Ernie (you’ve heard of him!) and one on the way. Mandy will be giving birth to her little one a couple of months without her sweet husband. Please say a prayer for her! And don’t forget to go visit Stephanie’s cute blog and enter to win the frame above!

Have a wonderful week!