Leap with Me

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:59:45 -0600

Today I am making a leap. Follow me.....

If you need to revise my link on your website, just put me down as www.stashstudios.com. My registrar is in the process of pointing everything to this address. Don’t forget to update your RSS feeds.

No matter what I do, that will always the best way to find me.

Lightning

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:50:07 -0600

We like things fried down here in the south. The saying goes something like if it is fried, pickled, or smoked, it has got to be tasty. However, I have recently discovered something that I do NOT prefer fried - my cable modem, my routers, my receivers, my mac, my wii.... The list is long.

In case you were wondering why I haven’t been lurking around my favorite blogs, it is because we received a direct lightning hit last Friday night. Only late yesterday evening was our internet service restored.

Really, we were incredibly lucky. A dear friend’s home was recently hit by lightning and sustained such intense damage that they had to move out immediately and live in a hotel as their home was repaired. We just have shattered tile in the living room and a stack of fried electronics and appliances.

In light of this, I have my hands full so I am hunkering down to get things back on track around here. I just wanted to tease you with a special announcement that I hope to make on Friday, February 29th. I couldn’t think of a better day to tell you my news so stay tuned until then....

Buck It

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:28:31 -0600

Stash Studios is psyched to be teaming up with Urban Prairie to cover collecting and inspiration Warrenton-style for the debut issue of REFUELED.

REFUELED, is a twice-yearly online zine, produced by Urban Prairie, your number one resource for Alt Country Style + Design.

Even if you are not antiquing Texas, come along for a ride with us to visit Warrenton, Texas . Meet some of the colorful characters that make us return year after year and keep up with the latest Found Style, where maverick designers don’t follow the trend, they buck it.

The artists and collectors you meet along the way are making and breaking trends - giving you alternatives to mindless, copy cat styling so prevalent in the blog and mag world today.

Cheers,
Cheryl

Bat Phone

Sat, 9 Feb 2008 18:03:36 -0600

I’ve always had a fascination with the Bat Phone. Something stuck from early years watching too many episodes of Batman and Robin with Adam West and Burt Ward. Anyone remember that? Anyone?

Get yours a Bat Phone for valentine’s day from Red Hot Phones.

the Future is Now

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 13:58:10 -0600

Thanks to Chelsea at Frolic for sharing this little gem by Matt and Kandace at MNKR Clothes. My daughter is a born activist. Just the other day, a fellow parent commented that she is on track to be president. Since she expresses the sentiment on this shirt weekly, I am getting it for her for Valentine’s Day.

Speaking of activism, my little activist is participating in the American Heart Association Jump Rope for Heart with her school. If you would like to do a little good, visit her website and make a donation by Valentine’s Day, next Thursday, February 14th. She has set her goal at $500 - this is approximately one-third the cost of a defibrillator. If you cannot reach the website or would like to make a smaller donation, just email me and I will give you the address to send your donation.

Cheers,
Cheryl

You know you want one...

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 13:23:38 -0600

...and even if you don’t, these are cool. Admit it. I figure the tattoo adhesive bandages will tide me over a few years until my 40th birthday. I hope to figure out what I want and where I want it by that time.

Pick up your box at Fred Flare and various websites. Just search “tattoo bandage.”
I’ve seen the kiss version at Jubilee - a gift shop in the Heights (in case you are local).

Dye Hard

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 21:02:44 -0600

We love our Red Velvet cake but we don’t seem to love the red dye (see Sweet comments). Being the voracious researcher that I am, I had to see if there were alternatives.

Why am I dedicating space to this? Because I felt a challenge to find an alternative. It is what I do with a cast off piece of fabric or furniture. I spend time generating ideas on how I can work it into a revitalized piece. Consider it just another application of Stash Studios mantra- NEW IDEAS OLD THINGS.

I’m not going to relate the long checkered history of the Red Velvet cake. Everyone seems to have a different version.

All your dye hard cooks (yes, I know how it is really spelled) make Red Velvet with red dye, end of story. However, there were a few mavericks out there who used beets instead. Don’t gag on me. Well-cooked beets are caramelized and sweet and melt in your mouth kind of like candy.

So here are a few alternative recipes out there and though I haven’t tried any of them yet, I plan to make this for that sappy, sweet card-selling holiday coming up in 13 days. If anyone beets me to the punch (get it - beets me?) and makes any of these first, let me know how they turn out. I will report back with my results as well.

Just one more note before you dive in here. If you decide to use beets, I would think that real beets would offer fresher and stronger color.

This one looks most promising...
Low Fat Red Velvet Cake from suite101

My second choice from the kitchn doesn’t look red but one commenter points out that the recipe should call for 2 teaspoons of cocoa rather than 2 tablespoons.

This one purports to be the Steel Magnolias version and it has both beets and food color. I was wondering what might happen if the food color was left out.

I just love the kitschy goodness of this recipe from Channel 5 which looks more like circa 1975 rather than 2000.

Epicurious manages to reduce the food coloring to 1 tablespoon but the berries just don’t seem to go with the concept that I have of the cake.

And finally, the mother of all cocoa information is available at baking911.

Our favorite recipe will win space on the Cook page.
Good luck on all your sweet adventures!
Cheryl

Sweet

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:20:12 -0600

Honestly, I was hoping to share some studio work with you this week but I’m not quite ready yet so in favor of stalling for a bit more time, I have to share a link that popped up in my email.

As a kid, I loved to bake. One of my favorite creations was a Red Velvet Cake. Imagine my fascination as a child because more than your average recipe, this one is a real science experiment. Now, I am a jaded parent, educated in the sure perils of red dye number 3, and the cake loses a bit of its original joy.

However, I am a foodie at heart and a few cupcakes shouldn’t kill anyone, so check out Bobbie Lloyd of New York's Magnolia Bakery demonstrating how to make delicious red velvet cupcakes for Valentine's Day at epicurious.com (more on epicurious below).

Then go to Fancy Flours and rustle up some fancy cupcake wrappers (thanks for the recommendations UB). Perfect fashions for those decadent red velvet cupcakes, doncha think? These cupcake wrappers make me want to make cupcakes.

As it turns out, Fancy Flours is also a great source for vintage wedding cake toppers. And not that I need any, but that’s just cool.

Just a note here, if you haven’t heard of epicurious.com and you love food, you are missing out. I had used their recipe search engine in the past but recently discovered that they put out bon appetite magazine as well. I just figured bon appetite didn’t fit my cooking time constraints but I was so wrong. Rediscovering back issues of the mag over the holidays and then their website has rocked my cooking world. Aside from their comprehensive recipe site, they also have an informative blog. Plus, bon appetite is great if you are a traveling foodie. They feature restaurants and cuisines around the globe. What a great resource. And if you aren’t going to be be traveling then you can cook it.

All for now,
Cheryl

Ten Things

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:41:19 -0600

Where o where has Stash Studios gone?
Right here, just meeting deadlines. Now let’s catch up.

ONE
Even if Stash Studios is radio silent (which you must admit is rare), you can always check my Share page. Here is a running tally of interesting things I see via Google Reader. I have intentions to expand the page further but one step at a time.

TWO
If you need to laugh, check this out. I don’t usually surf You Tube unless I have been directed there by a friend. Thankfully, my new friend Uncle Beefy pointed me to Man Cold. Thank you Uncle Beefy!

THREE
If you have a soft spot for canines, then you may want to visit my friend Suzy at Georgia Peachez. She shares some information about a well-known artist who is working to fund a shelter and is accepting online donations. Which by the way, is a very cool process.

FOUR
The online donation spot - Network for Good - got me to thinking. What a great way to be charitable. So if you are ever considering a really good giveaway, set up a donation portal to your specified charity then all who donate are entered for the giveaway.

FIVE
Having said that, I must also point out to be cautious when giving money on the web. You know this already but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

SIX
Whether you have been blogging for a year or a month, you might want to check out All Things Bright and Beautiful. She has a fantastic blog on a regular basis but she has done an informative series on the ins and outs of blogging. She also did a great piece on copyrights and the use of photos in blogging.

SEVEN
I was recently tagged by Uncle Beefy and asked to share seven things about me. So here goes...

I taught creative writing for Writers in the Schools.
I am a certified Master Gardener. (Incidentally that does not mean that I kill fewer plants. It means that more people think I should know better.)
I distressed a door last weekend with the hub (see left).
I am a voracious researcher.
I have a background in usability design and I find that I apply those principles to many aspects of my work and design and life.
I design custom memory quilts as a sideline.
I grew up working in my parent’s lumber yard /construction company and my grandparent’s decorating center.

EIGHT
Now, I am supposed to tag seven more people. But I am a rebel at heart. I guess that makes eight things.
 NINE
Take a look at these Sweet Sofas and thank you to Design Snitch for sharing them.

TEN
And finally, whatever is eating at you, cast it off because life is too bloody short!

Cheers,
Cheryl

Sew Inspiring

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:54:56 -0600

Since we are talking about Amy Butler and Lori has gone and dusted off her sewing machine, I need to tell you about the Amy Butler Sew Inspiring Contest.

It is sponsored by Chronicle Books and CRAFT Magazine. I’m not sure if I will have time to enter or not but I’d love to see a friend win. Suzy? Sarah? Ash? Anyone?

Entries are posted on Flickr and as of this post there are fewer than 18 entries.

I already have a few favorites. And via the Flickr group, I found Anne Pirlot of Pretty Industries who sells a lot of colorful goodness in the form of bags and aprons (see below) made with a touch of vintage modern flair.

Good luck Anne and great product photos!

So, check it out and let me know if you enter!

Midwest Modern

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:14:39 -0600

Two points of interest...
One, my friend Chris (shown above) did a great interview of Amy Butler at Urban Prairie. She reveals a bit more about the process that went into creating the book Midwest Modern and her love for nature. I thoroughly enjoyed it, hope you do too.

Two, we can now look forward to a new quilting weight fabric line from Amy Butler. The colorways were inspired by Amy’s summer garden and have great names like Orange Dahlia, Ohio Sky, and Pink Dahlia.
Look for this line - titled Midwest Modern - to hit stores in April 2008. Sounds like just the thing to kick off my spring.

Full Swing

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:50:22 -0600

Texas antiquing and thrifting for 2008 is in full swing. The month of January ushers in a number of great shows - Brenham and Red Barn to name a few. Plus auctions are gearing up and container unloading sales have just begun (living in a port city has it’s advantages).
Always good fun!

Although the journal doesn’t reflect it now, I’ve been blogging for just one month short of a year. My blogging adventure started last year by covering a lot of the local antique shows and unloading sales - Warrenton being my preferred show.

I will continue my coverage of Warrenton and adventures of my Junk Posse but I am deferring to one of my favorite local dealers - Theresa with Garden Antiques to provide you local show schedules. She is keeping a running schedule at the top of her blog. So bookmark her when you have an itch to thrift in Texas. But if you ever have any questions on antiquing in the area, feel free to send me an email. I usually have a line on good places to stay and great places to eat.

Many Voices

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:19:41 -0600

(Revised) I didn’t think I had anything noteworthy to share today.
Then Allison sent me here - the World Premiere for
The Polyphonic Spree's video We Crawl from acclaimed indie film maker, Dante Harper.

If you haven’t seen the video yet, go watch and give your week a shot in the arm.
After watching, I really considered putting myself up for adoption to this family.
I love the story about how they made the video. What a feat!
Plus, you have got to love a band that still issues a vinyl album.
That is just cool. Not to mention, they are from Texas.

I don’t care if you don’t think you like the Spree, go anyway.
You’re welcome.
Now have a great week!

Vicarious

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:41:55 -0600

If you’ve been reading for any amount of time, you know I love good photography. And although I have no particular interest in wedding photography, I was tickled to find the photography of Rob + Lauren (shown at right) via Blush. Their photography has a real rock-n-roll vibe. It is brilliantly authentic and they clearly have a gift for capturing the soul of both an event and people on film. This is a rare gift indeed.

I was especially taken with their photos of Marliss + Brad (shown below). The wedding was fantastically creative and the photos just captured the day perfectly. This couple went with a roaring 20s theme and made the event as much fun for their guests as for themselves.

Rob + Lauren have some great non-wedding photography on their site as well - check out the Groves Family session (shown below).

So I looked up a bit more about Rob + Lauren and found out that they have just begun a new adventure traveling around the world. They are documenting their travels via The Wedding Travelers.

So far their adventures have taken them to Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City. I am thoroughly enjoying traveling vicariously and find their website to be a little like watching a delightfully unscripted show on the travel channel.

You go guys and keep the photos coming!

All photos in this post are taken by Rob + Lauren.

Stuff

Mon, 7 Jan 2008 06:56:24 -0600

Mindfulness Monday.
Thanks to Alabama Chanin for sharing Annie Leonard’s clever, fast paced and well-illustrated look at our current production system in The Story of Stuff.

Watching this satisfied a nagging feeling I was having.
Thanks Annie for taking the time to research and illustrate this so eloquently.
My daughter and I have made a date to watch this together after school.

Beauty

Sun, 6 Jan 2008 13:04:33 -0600

Once someone told me they felt sorry for me because I experienced no winter beauty in Texas. Snow and ice certainly are lovely and dramatic. Call me crazy but I’ve had my share of snow travels and I am grateful to not have to traverse the roads in freezing winter conditions.

But this comment made me realize that I do love the winter landscape here. I love the big sky and the colors that pop in a winter field and forest. We go from thirty to seventy in a matter of hours. Some plants are lulled to burst forth new green only to freeze a few days later. The spectrum can be dramatic. But even the shades of brown and gray and gold are lovely.

We made a road trip this weekend and found the small country roads in the hills to reveal one breathtaking landscape after another. The words of this person ring in my head regularly when I travel through my home state and I wish they were beside me so I could say, “did you see that?”

My appreciation for this landscape is not unlike my taste for vintage goods. I love items with a story, a past. I want to bring home a piece that captivates my imagination and my intellect as well as my eye.

Flawlessness is just that - flawlessness. But is it interesting?