New Year / New Stash

Happy new year everyone! This year has flown by and with it came a lot of ups and downs for friends dear to my heart. I won't get into specifics but moving onward and upward while pausing to take in special moments seems to be the theme for this new year (and life in general, huh?).

So what's this new stash I speak of? Back in November I entered the Chronicle Books giveaway on June Kim's Instagram (I am a huge fan of June's work and love following her on Instagram) and ended up winning! Yay! I am super excited for my new stash of amazing books published by Chronicle Books. Best part is that for every person who pledged to #givebooks, Chronicle donated a book to a child in need through First Book. We love books around here and definitely gifted a good number of them this year.

And now through 1/9/15 get 30% off + free shipping with code NEWYEAR at Chronicle Books. Love that logo!

And for kicks, here's a shot of our family holiday card this year. With photos from our friend, the amazing Sarah at Modern Kids Co. (who was super pregnant at the time of our shoot, thanks Sarah!), we listed our Top Ten highlights of the year, along with some of Lucas and Theo's favorites. These include Legos, swimming, lots of music, and of course eating stuff off the floor (yes, I'm talking about you, Theo!).

Looking forward to a bright new year!

Recipe: Lemon Meringue Marshmallows

Each year for the holidays I try make small handmade gifts -- last year it was hand screen printed tea towels, the year before that was homemade caramels, and the year before that was chopping blocks hand carved in the shape of a slice of bread (thanks to Nick who did the actual hand carving). The holidays creep up on me every year but this year was the craziest. Ummm, maybe it's because I have two kids now!?!

My friend Nancy gave us a huge bag of meyer lemons from her tree and and when my friend Sarah posted this recipe for Lemon Meringue Marshmallows, I knew I wanted to make them. I have never made marshmallows before and they seemed intimidating -- candy thermometer, sticky mess, oiling a knife, wtf?! But they were surprisingly really easy to make! During the whole process from the sugar boiling, to the fluff forming, to the marshmallows setting, I kept saying, "I can't believe I'm actually making marshmallows!" They came out so light and fluffy with flecks of meyer lemon zest and just the right hit of sweetness. 

I packaged them in glassine bags wrapped with some easy homemade wrapping paper printed with a quick hand written "lemon meringue marshmallows".

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This and That Lately

Oh man, it's been super crazy busy around here. Between work at both jobs, room parenting for the kids' preschool, the kids' schedules, and just trying to keep up with everything, I am so not ready for the holidays! I need another month to prepare myself mentally. Anyway, here are some recent photos of what's been going on lately.

Lots of cozy brother time / Theo totally chooses to wear those glasses and hat

We got a Christmas tree!

I've been so floored by the love and support for the 2015 Calendar I designed in collaboration with Jennifer Young. It's been such an awesome experience and we've nearly sold out of them. The calendar has made it into several gift guides curated by some rad mags like Rue (see here) and Mother. Thank you!

I was lucky enough to make it to the Lovemade (Hi Jeanne and Janette!) DIY Gift Wrapping event with Yellow Owl Workshop (Hi Christine!) at Rare Device with my friend Lisa and her daughter Bijou. How cute are Bijou and Theo together?

One of my faves -- Lucas said here, "Ahhhhh, this is the life." (stole that from The Pigeon Needs a Bath, and he's right!)

Went with my friend Nancy of Anthology magazine to the West Coast Craft show. Got to see some amazing designers/artists and ooh and ahh at all the things I wish I could make or have in my home. Nancy has been featuring a few stand out designers each day on the Anthology blog with the photos I shot. Can't wait to go back!

In the midst of all the craziness, I somehow find time bake Cranberry Orange Morning Buns and Apple Turnovers. I guess baking (and eating the end product) is kind of therapeutic for me in a way.

I made this countdown to Christmas scratch off treasure hunt calendar for Lucas inspired by one of the projects in my friend Erin's new book Make and and Give. He's been scratching one gold circle off since December 1st. Underneath each circle is a clue to where a small gift is wrapped and hidden around the house -- anything from a pair of new socks, a piece of chocolate, a new book, or a trip to the museum.

Happy weekend friends!

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Recipe: Easy Apple Turnovers with Vanilla Custard Sauce

I have to say I have been a little obsessed with puff pastry. I had no idea how easy it is to use. Plus, it looks like you spent hours making something when really it was easy breezy. Back in college, my friend Annie turned me on to those Pepperidge Farms raspberry turnovers. It was the perfect dessert to pop in the oven and eat with ice cream, whipped cream, or just plain.

Savory or sweet, you could doctor up the puff pastry with Mushrooms, Ricotta, and Thyme, or  simply add pears and cardamom for a quick and impressive dessert. Today, I'm sharing my recipe for Easy Apple Turnovers and combining it with a recipe for Vanilla Custard Sauce from Oana Iancu at Through Oana's Lens. It's a fun and easy recipe to make with kids too. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

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Favorites: Kids Toys/Gift Guide

When it comes to toys, we have everything in our house from quality wooden American made toys, to metal tractors from Nick's toddler days, to commercialized Spider-Man figurines made in China. Here are some of our very favorites that keep Lucas and Theo (and their friends both boys and girls) super busy and happy (think hours of unsupervised fun!). Many of these were gifts to us and we are always recommending them to friends or giving them as gifts.

1 /  BluTrack 18' Starter Set - This is the most popular toy in our house. Engages kids of all ages and it teaches them physics, I promise!

2 /  B. Pop Arty Beads - Lucas and Theo spend quite a long time making necklaces, bracelets, and other trinkets. Great because they can take it apart and make something new. Also excellent for fine motor skills. Just watch for small pieces.

3 /  Grimms Large Wooden Conical Stacking Tower - The kids (mostly Theo) still play with this one. Big pluses: made from sustainably harvested natural alder wood, the sides of the rings are flat so you could roll them, can be stacked in any order, and looks pretty on the shelf!

4 /  Vilac House of Balls - Most kids are drawn to this toy at house. Theo loves watching the balls zig zag down and ring the bell at the end.

5 /  Modern-Twist Placemat - We love these coloring placemats and use them for every meal. Super easy to clean and helps the kids stay seated at the table (about half the time at least).

6 /  Kinetic Sand - I had no idea this existed until we got them as gifts. It's incredible how you can pack it, squeeze it, and shape it. I love watching the boys create things over and over again (construction sites, buried treasure, food molds) without the mess of real sand in the house.

7 /  Little Sapling Toys Rainbow Stacking Stacking Nesting Toy - This well designed wooden toy not only looks beautiful on the shelf, but Lucas and Theo still play with this all the time. While Theo loves to stack them, Lucas loves to make ramps (using the BluTrack) or pretend they're boats, tunnels, or bridges.

8 /  Battat Garbage Truck - This was Lucas' favorite gift from his 2nd birthday (can we say obsessed?). They both love pushing it down the hallway and jamming as much stuff into the back as possible.

9 /  Janod Robots Chunky Puzzle - Brightly colored, wooden puzzle is super cute and great for teaching object orientation, fine motor skills, and creative play. Plus, who doesn't love robots?

10 /  Munchie Mug - Okay, not technically a toy, but this is one of my all time favorite kid products. It's spill resistant (don't you hate it when your child puts their hand into a snack bin and everything comes out including the top?), easy for little hands to grip, a snap to wash, free of lead, BPA, phthalate, and latex, and made in the USA.

11 /  Oeuf Gold Crown - Also not technically a toy, but I love all things Oeuf, and this crown has been in our family since before Lucas was born. The kids wear the crown every birthday -- it's kind of a little tradition over here (not sure what I'm going to do when their heads get too big!). See the crown in action on Theo from his second birthday.

NEW 2015 Calendar / Jennifer Young Studio x Good on Paper

I'm beyond excited to share with you a fun collaboration I've been working on for the past couple of months -- a 2015 calendar I designed with super talented photographer Jennifer Young. This special limited edition calendar was inspired by Jennifer’s travels around the world and our love of clean, minimal design, coupled with hand lettering and copper foil printing. It is now available in an edition of 100 copies in my Shop as well as Jennifer's shop (she's got some amazing prints for sale). Each calendar is hand numbered on the front cover.

+ Photos by Jennifer Young Studio
+ As seen on Anthology, Shop Sweet Things, Oh So Beautiful Paper, Mother, Rue, SFGirlbyBay, and Design*Sponge (thank you all! so honored and humbled!)

My Work: Card Set Collaboration with Sally J. Shim for Brika

I recently designed a card set in collaboration with blogger/designer/crafter/mama/author Sally J. Shim that is available exclusively for Brika in limited quantities. The cards are part of the Pretty Paper and Packages Gift Set which includes Sally's new book Pretty Packages (published by Chronicle Books), 1 'Thank You' stamp + 8 hand-lettered gift tags by Ampersanity, and my set of 3 cards with graphic patterns inspired by the book's cover.

It was so fun and easy collaborating with Sally (remember when Sally and her boys came to visit us in Berkeley this summer?). She is a crafter extraordinaire and magically turns any package into a beautiful gift. Way better than my wrap-gift-in-tissue-paper-throw-in-old-bag style! Lucas and I did the Hand Carved Stamp Wrapping Paper Project and we had so much fun! The book is chock-full of creative gift wrapping projects, many of which are kid-friendly which we loved. Check out the Gift Set at Brika for the holidays!

+ Photos courtesy of Brika
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Recipe: Spiced Lentil Soup with Herbed Yogurt

It's getting a little chilly around here (you know, in the 60's) and that calls for a big pot of soup with some crusty bread on the side. I have been making this easy Spiced Lentil Soup with Herbed Yogurt for a few years now ever since my neighbor/friend gave me a copy of it and raved about it. It's seriously easy, comforting, healthy, hearty, inexpensive, and makes tasty leftovers. The original recipes calls for bacon but I use turkey bacon since we don't typically eat pork around here. And sometimes we make it vegetarian by omitting the turkey bacon all together. Hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Whole Foods Market Gilman Street Preview

Last week I had the most awesome shopping experience at a store that's not even open yet. I was so honored to be invited to an exclusive preview event celebrating the opening of Whole Foods Market’s newest location at 10th and Gilman in Berkeley, the 41st store in the Northern California region. I got a firsthand look at the new store before doors open to the public (November 4th), and then feasted on an amazing dinner at the Berkeley Rep featuring local vendors such as Diestel Turkey Ranch, Capay Organic, Local Greens, and Gelateria Naia. As much as I love going to the Whole Foods on Ashby and Telegraph, I have been eagerly waiting for this Gilman location to open.

Cut-to-order cheese department with two on-staff Certified Cheese Professionals.

Ultimate dream pantry right here!

Who knew panko came in so many flavors?

I must say I was completely blown away by the new store. The woodsy interior with pops of sunny yellow and teal lends itself to an airy and bright feel as soon as you walk in the store. It feels roomy (wide aisles you guys!) and welcoming with lots of eco-friendly materials ranging from the reclaimed redwood exterior from a demolished sawmill in Mendocino County, to the indoor store fixtures made from wood from the Port of Oakland.

How cute is my friend Sarah from Snixy Kitchen?

LOVE the wide aisles and clear signage

This is where the grab-n-go prepared food is going to be. Portions for 2, 3, or 4 ready to go!

In addition to the environmental design of the store, some highlights that stood out to me include the new rating systems for produce and meat to help shoppers make more informed choices, the cut-to-order-wrapped-in-paper cheese department, the Allegro Coffee Roaster and huge cafe inside the store (they open at 6 a.m.!), the Artisan Bakery's breads baked daily from scratch, the grab-n-go section that serves meals of various portion sizes for super busy people and families (like me!), and the Whole Body "Try It" Bar that offers large samples of various skin, hair, and beauty products. I'm also excited to check out the prepared foods section and salad bar.

This might be my favorite spot in the store.

Sourcing Director Darrin Daniel and Jeremy Stone tell us about the small lots of specialty coffees, their team of passionate coffee experts, daily cuppings at the store, and their Loring™ drum roaster used to roast beans on-site. Interesting to note is that the roaster is one of the most precise and environmentally-friendly roasters available so you won't smell that burnt popcorn scent of roasting beans. Oh, and their Espresso 924 is named in honor of local punk venue, Gilman Street’s own 924 Gilman.

More than the physical aspects of the store is the innovative spirit and sense of community this store brings. Local sourcing is a priority for Whole Foods and they work hard to discover local food entrepreneurs and bring them to us. There is so much transparency about everything in the store and I think that's really important to people, especially families with children. They are committed to helping the community through store programs and local drives. Employees were enthusiastic, skilled, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to and ask questions.

After the store tour, we were treated to A Most Excellent Evening, an amazing community dinner at the Berkeley Rep hosted by Whole Foods Market Gilman. I had the best time meeting new people in the community as well as Whole Foods staff and partners, including the president of the Norcal region who had a pretty funny story about how he first started at Whole Foods 20+ years ago.

The official opening, at 1025 Gilman Street, is on Tuesday, November 4th. There will be a bread-breaking ceremony (and a check presented to Berkeley USD Gardening and Cooking Program) at 9:45 a.m. The doors will open at 10 a.m. Hope to see you there!

NEW Holiday 2014 Photo Cards in the Shop

The holidays are just around the corner and I'm so excited to announce that I'll be selling a few Holiday 2014 photo cards right here in my shop. Customize yours with a personalized greeting and photo. Each card design comes in three colorways to choose from and includes kraft envelopes. Take a look here and let me know if you have any questions!

From now until 11/6/14, get 20% off your holiday card order. Use code HOHOHO at checkout.

+ Photos by Sarah Hebenstreit of Modern Kids Photo