a u b u r n & i v o r y: February 2008

Thursday, February 28

4.

won't be around much tomorrow so I'm posting a little early (ok, a lot early). Thanks for hanging out this week. The first Greenie will go up on Monday. I only have enough posts so far for 2 weeks so go make something, get over there and comment! Thanks!!!

Lovin' Locally ~

IMOTIME

Have you been wondering what to do with that old bed pan in the attic? How about that viking helmet you inherited from Auntie Helga? Well, IMOTIME could give you a few ideas or if you don't have any of these items just lying around the house you could buy one of his clocks. He may not be a man of many words but you know he'll always be on time. Can he really make a clock out of anything? I want to know.

My favorites are

Wednesday, February 27

I heart heart heart Things I Heart Today

Today is a very happy day for me. One of my absolute idols and best friends has finally started a blog. I have only been nagging her to do so or to at least guest blog on here for weeks (ok so I've only been doing this for four weeks...you know what I mean!). She is without a doubt the most talented, crafty, and inspiring person I have ever met. Someday her and I are going to open up a boutique and knock all y'all's socks off (if we can ever stay on the same coast for long enough!). Anyway, enough gushing. I almost don't want to send you this link because I know her blog is going to be WAY cooler than mine and I don't want you to stop reading mine but here you go. Introducing the ever sassy, ever fabulous, the Queen of Quotes - Miss Kristy of Things I Heart Today.

TA DA!

So Fresh

Why do I have a thing for designers who photograph their models as crafty looking girls in gardens??? I stumbled across Saltwater the other day and I love their tender, soft styles. Too bad I haven't figured out how to order in the states (probably waaaay out of my price range anyway but they are oh so nice to look at)!

I love that they describe some of their inspiration and design process as well!

Make It Work!

I first clicked on Elegant Musing's Flickr because of the dress (that she MADE). And then I was like "Look at that jewelry display!" so she gets super crafty points for that. I don't know what thrift stores this lady goes to but I need to get there!

UPDATE: Guess I'm not the only who has noticed Elegant Musing's wardrobe! Painfully Hip and I are on the same page this week.

What's In Your Cupboard?

One Sweet Peach has some really crazy stuff and displays it in some seriously wacky ways. But you know I love a kook so...

Tuesday, February 26

I DID Make Something!

I was going to post this earlier and then I thought I wouldn't because I don't really want to be a foodie blog but then I've been thinking about these cupcakes ALL day long and just had, had, had to share them.

THE BEST (SOMETIMES VEGAN, SOMETIMES GLUTEN-FREE) CUPCAKES IN THE WORLD!!!

The way I make them is NOT vegan nor gluten-free BUT they can very easily be turned into vegan or gluten-free and I will tell you how!

For Vegan and and Regular cupcakes you will need:

Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Cake - This is VERY important for the VEGAN recipe

Vegetable Oil

Water

Favorite chocolate chips

Favorite chocolate syrup

1 package Simple Organics Vegan Chocolate Pudding

1/2 cup Sour Cream (nix in the Vegan version, natch)

1. Follow the instructions on the Cherrybrook Kitchen cake package

2.Pour in a bunch of chocolate syrup

3. Pour in a bunch of chocolate chips

4. Dump the box of pudding mix in the bowl

5. Get that sour cream in there (remember - not vegan!)

6. Mix that mother all up, pour it in a bunch of cupcake cups, and cook 'em up for about 20 - 25 minutes

7. Slather some frosting (vegan frosting recipe here) on those puppies and eat up!

For Gluten-Free:

Your favorite gluten-free cake mix. I have adapted a gluten-free cake mix for this recipe so it won't taste all crumby and dry if you do use a gluten-free product (the secret is in the pudding, seriously).

1/2 cup sugar

1 package Simple Organics Vegan Chocolate Pudding

4 extra large eggs room temperature

1/2 cup canola oil

3/4 C orange juice

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons good vanilla extract

Favorite chocolate chips

Favorite chocolate syrup

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1. DO NOT follow the instructions on the box for this one.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3. Mix the eggs, oil, OJ, and vanilla extract together.

4. Mix the sugar, cake mix, and pudding package together

5. Now mix the dry stuff with the wet and stuff and beat for two minutes.

6. Pour in as much chocolate syrup and chocolate chips as you want. Mix in sour cream.

7. Pour batter in cupcake/muffin cups and cook for 20-25 minutes

8. Slather some gluten-free frosting on those puppies and eat up!

Look What I Made..

Ok so I didn't actually make anything. I haven't had time to work on anything outside of actual work this week. So here is a little collection of other people's projects -

1.

You know I'm hot for some chandelier action. This Milky Way Outdoor Chandelier isn't really what I had in mind but it's still pretty snazzy.

2.

I love this thrift-store coffee table turned bench over at Design for Mankind.

3.

Another great way to use recycled newspaper!

A green theme in honor of The Greenies 2008!

Need it...

I'm broke but I need this print. Look like anyone?

From the always amazing ashleyg.

Monday, February 25

Dream of Spring

Ok. So I'm officially obsessed with this crazy Etsy community. There is We Love Etsy, Etsy Bloggers, Etsy Flickr. Something else I'm obsessed with - swaps. So when I found this swap on a blog I found on We Love Etsy I was pretty excited. I'm planning on going thrifting this weekend anyway! There are a lot of rules but I'm going to give it a shot.

First, I have to answer these questions -

a. What's your favorite part of spring? wet grass smell and flip flops
b. What are your favorite flowers? tiger lilies
c. What types of hobbies/crafts do you enjoy? lots and lots
d. What types of vintage do you collect or look for? i like pretty dresses and fire king jadite dishes
e. Any allergies or things that you absolutely can't stand? allergies - i don't like when i want to go camping and my eyes swell shut and all i can do is take medication and sleep.

Go visit Vintage Indie I Dream of Spring and maybe you'll be my secret swapping buddy.

Auburn & Ivory Etsy

Here is a sneak peek of what I've been working on for my Etsy shop. I'm really excited to be making stuff again. I started making homemade paper a couple months ago out of recycled newspaper. The paper pendents are paired with vintage glass beads and pearls and other fun stuff. I'm hoping to re-open the shop for real in a couple weeks!

Sweetie Necklace

Mordecai Necklace

I'll be uploading pics to flickr as I make more before I re-open the shop!

The Greenies

In honor of the upcoming green March (according to every magazine publication!!!), I want to start a little group project. I want to see what you make that is green and eco-friendly. Maybe you will reuse or recycle materials. Maybe you'll be eco-concious while you make what it is your making. It can be a work of art, a craft, a piece of jewelry.

Update: I love that there are so many artists and designers being eco-friendly out there. This project is for everyone, artists and non-artists alike, and I would love if you used it as a starting point for creating something new. I can't wait to see the creative ways you come up with to make something in a greener way!

To be involved just go to the greenies link below and leave a link to your project in the comments or shoot me an email with pictures and a description and I will post ALL the creations EVERY week of March at http://www.greenies08.blogspot.com/!

Here are some of my favorite green products and crafts~

1. Recycled bowls and trays from Bitters Co. - a really great green shopping resource. 2. I know everyone has been blogging about these textiles from Plover Organic but they are fantastic 3. The life and work of everyone at R. Wood Studio is inspirational. These bowls are made by hand from red clay from Georgia. 4. I want this fancy schmancy no electricity required coffee maker from Toddy Cafe. 5. This favor box is part of the Paper-Source environmentally friendly line of stationery and paper. 6. greenKarat's goal is to end destructive gold and diamond mining by creating ecologically and socially responsible jewelry. 7. My baggu is one of my favorite accessories. I use it for groceries, a lunch bag, library books, everything. 8. Cute felt birdies from the sustainable living experts at Branch Home.

Jessica Gonacha

Everyone should know someone like Jess Gonacha. If she is anything like her artist statement then she is probably always the perfect person to have around for any and all occasions. For Gonacha, this life is it, the one big chance to do what you love and she takes not taking life too seriously very seriously. Her "spontaneous" art is inspired by conservative painting elements and influences from the artist's childhood growing up in Boulder, CO. Typically, I think that "childhood" inspired art can come across as being too, well, childish. The subject might be too juvenile or the technique comes across as undeveloped. But these paintings and drawings are very grown-up but at the same time they remind me of less complex days and inspire to imagine my life that way now. What really drew me to her pieces when I first saw them was her use of color. Such imaginative responses to color combinations! How can something so daring appear so organic? I’m really excited to follow her new work and see what other possibilities she discovers.

Jess has affordable art and art inspired home decor at her etsy shop as well!

Other places to find Jess Gonacha -

Flickr

Her blog

Friday, February 22

3.

This is the image I meant to put with my chandelier post (below) but forgot. oops

Thanks for bearing with my tardy posting this week!

Yetis Oh My! with Megan Whitmarsh

Thrifty and Inspirational How-to

Rock N' Roll fashionista and decor guru

Artsy Farsty photoshoots starring clothes we heart

Lovin' Locally artist, Jaime from Design-Milk, and artspot, Belly Up

Have a great weekend! I'm going to think up an interactive activity for next week (email me if you have any ideas)!!!

Friday Favs

Dangles and Bangles

I want a chandelier. And I won't settle for no wall decal (even though that's cute too). I want a real, hefty, clunky, dangly, chandelier. I don't care if it's hanging from the ceiling in the bathroom, living room, bedroom, or on the floor like in the anthropologie pick below. I just want one. I wish we had flea markets here on the weekends like I used to go to in New York. There were always tons of chandeliers for the taking!!!

Anthropolgie (above) and Domino Magazine (below)

Thursday, February 21

Lovin' Locally Part II

In honor of Flatstock 16 (thanks sfgirlbybay!), I wanted to showcase some of my favorite posters from the Belly Up here in San Diego (well, Solana Beach). I keep meaning to collect posters from shows I see there (the Neko Case one is my fav but I couldn't find Will Oldham!). I really love show/event posters of all kinds especially work from Diana Sudyka and Francesca Montanari .

You Heard It Here First Folks!

What did I tell ya!? Owls! In the LATimes!

Storage Solution

Bill sent me this link this morning (I'm supposed to say "My boyfriend is so cool he found this I love him so much" or something like that). Anyway, we have been trying to come up with some sort of solution to the CD situation we have aka hundreds of CDs stacked against the walls in a heaping, ugly mess. Granted we only have one floor so we don't need stairs but if we did have stairs this would be awesome!

Lovin' Locally

I've just discovered that one of my favorite "bloggeresses", Jaime at Design Milk, is a fellow San Diego friend. I love the prints and original artwork she has up on Etsy right now. And I've already told her that she charges too little for her stuff so you better go grab some now!