Urban Comfort

Last-Minute Halloween Ideas

My thoughts on Halloween this year?  Bring on Christmas!!  I had an entire list of projects I wanted to make for myself, but professionally, I've been buried under Halloween for weeks now. So in my down time, I've been making Christmas ornaments. That's how it goes sometimes. 

All is not lost. I've tacked up a couple of decorations and we'll carve the pumpkins tonight. But today I'm focused on details, a few Halloween surprises just for my son - his lunchbox will be anything but boring tomorrow! I have 24 hours, but that's enough time to pull together some last-minute fun.  

Perhaps you're in the same boat, so here are some of my favorite easy, last-minute ideas pulled from my Pinterest board.

 

These make me laugh, and my son might just find one perching on his bowl of oatmeal tomorrow morning. From Family Chic.  

 

Take this downloadable template and basic craft supplies and you have instant fun! Check out Mr. Printables for these typography glasses, as well as other easy projects, like the printable candle wraps. 

 

Being mom to a boy, there's a lot of talk about bugs around here. I love any bug that's not real, so these DIY hand-painted insect plates from HGTV fit the bill.

 

Speaking of bugs, this is a quick and easy spider cake decoration from Country Living. You could pair it with my Black Velvet Cake. 

 

If you'd rather make cupcakes, these vampire bite cupcakes can be pulled off by even the most time and craft-challenged among us.

 

Who needs carving with the whimsical simplicity of these bat pumpkins?

 

Easy, cute bat napkin rings made from nothing more than black construction paper.

 

 

Last, but certainly not least, I love these printables from Creature Comforts. Kids will get a kick out of them, but they're sophisticated enough to entice the grown-ups. 

 

 

Book Review: Made By Hand

 

As I was thinking about creative collaboration earlier this week, I thought of another collaborative project I wanted to share with you - Lena Corwin's new book, Made by Hand, hit bookstores last week.

From 2009 - 2011, Lena held workshops in her home studio in Brooklyn. The first classes she offered were based on techniques from her earlier book, Printing by Hand (one of my all-time favorites), but then she began inviting friends and designers to contribute their expertise as well.

Made by Hand is a reflection of those workshops, with 26 "classes" presented in book form. As expected from Lena Corwin, there are plenty of textile arts in the book, taught by various artists. These include an easy rotary printing technique, using a rolling pin as the rotary tool. There's also screen-printing, sewing, knitting, tea-dyed applique, batik dyeing, crochet, embroidery, weaving, marbling, and tie-dyeing fabric. Then there are a few other techniques such as soap making, jewelry, weaving, coiled bowls, even making your own beeswax birthday candles. All are presented in a user-friendly format, along with observations and advice for what you can (and can't) control.

With winter nipping at our heels, it's the perfect time to start gathering with friends to acquire new skills. Even if none of you know where to begin, you can easily use the projects in this book as a guidebook to hosting your own classes, however informal they may be. Some projects take more time and space, so perhaps you'll just have a couple of friends over. Others, that are more stationary (such as knitting and needlework), are easily adapted to larger groups.

Another nice thing about craft groups - you never know what you'll learn.  Last year I had a friend who brought a different cheese and beer pairing with her for every group. I faithfully wrote them all down (because they were brilliant) to remember for the future. It had nothing to do with crafting, but it sparked all kinds of possibilities for me. Not to mention, craft groups are a great excuse to get away from your computer, to walk away from the tedium of everyday routines, and to just find the space to settle in a bit, to relax. I highly recommend them!

Of course you don't need a craft group to benefit from the pojects and techniques offered in the book. Any self-motivated crafter will enjoy it as well. But why not take a friend along for the ride? 

See the book trailer here.

 

Sucré Giveaway Winner

I so wish I could send a box of macarons to every single person who entered the giveaway! But alas, there can only be one. The random number selected was #12, which goes to Carole. Carole, you can look forward to something sweet in your mailbox soon.

To everyone else, thank you for entering. Hopefully some more good things to pass along in the future!

 

Creativity by Collaboration

 

Most of my creative life has taken place in solitude, a solitude that has seemed necessary but at odds with my personality. It gets a little lonely sometimes. That loneliness has been more pronounced over the last year or two. The more creative I felt, the more I felt the loneliness. I knew I needed to start a new chapter.

One thing I've always known instinctively is that the first step to attaining your desires is articulating your desires. Out loud, to yourself, to other people. I had my aha! moment after a weekend spent with some passionate and talented girlfriends. I realized what I really needed was a partner of some sort. Not every day, but regularly. I needed hands-on collaboration. Lots of it.

Since that shout out to the Universe, members of my tribe have started filtering into my life, slowly but steadily, as if they've heard my call. Some are much younger, some older, and several don't live here at all, but show up often enough that it feels like they do. The energy they generate is palpable. I am filled up when they leave, satisfied to sit and work in solitude again. They are gifts to my spirit. They teach me, they make me more creative.

One of those people is my friend, Alison. She's a professional photographer and a New Orleanian who lives in Brooklyn. But she's been coming home pretty regularly, and after a few years of friendship, we've started getting together on a creative level, shooting interiors (she shoots the interiors, I tag along and socialize and photograph details for myself).

But this last visit she had something else in mind, a photo shoot in an empty French Quarter apartment that hadn't seen a renovation or a fresh coat of paint in 60 years. Just the two of us, my styling, her eye, no agenda other than to try to capture a moment in time before it became a renovation.I didn't need any convincing. Alison and I work for some of the same clients, so we share a common editorial language, but we share another language common to New Orleanians - we love decay, seeing nothing but beauty there. 

We settled on natural elements, nature and decay a pairing intrinsic to New Orleans, and we lugged what felt like a million bits and pieces up and down stairs, sweating buckets in the heat and humidity of an unairconditioned apartment (but as Alison pointed out, with our own live jazz performance just outside). I had had a difficult night, with 4 hours of sleep and mountains of anxiety, but for those hours I felt zero fatigue. I felt alive.

That good feeling stayed with me for several weeks after Alison left, making me grateful that I'd been able to hone in on what was missing in my life. I need these collaborations and I look forward to more of them, with all kinds of creative people. It doesn't matter in what area their creative expertise lies, there is something wonderful and magical to learn and explore and share. They remind me of what's important, and more importantly, what is not.  

 

 

 

All photographs by Alison Gootee.
 

**I heard an interesting story on NPR a few weeks ago that involved creative collaboration. Singer/songwriter Jim Bianco posted a questionnaire on his website with 69 questions for fans to answer. As a result, each of the 17 songs on his new album Cookie Cutter is inspired by a fan. It's a great story - you can find it here.

 

A Sweet Giveaway from Sucré

 

 

I know it's been quiet around here again. There are weeks when assignment deadlines simply get the best of me. To make it up to you, however, I have a sweet giveaway from Sucré for one lucky reader.

Sucré is a local confectionary here in New Orleans, and it's been a favorite since it opened in 2007. I remember my first visit, consumed by handmade chocolates with regional flavors. Then I had an obsession with the gelato, followed by the homemade marshmallows, and finally, my current obsession - the macarons. 

The good news is that you don't have to be a local to indulge. Sucré has expanded their operation and ships within the United States (with all confections continuing to be made in their New Orleans location).

Which reminds me - I know a lot of people like to order King Cakes for Mardi Gras, choosing to be a New Orleanian wherever they are. Sucré makes the best King Cake I've ever eaten. Usually I suffer through dry, underwhelming cakes or toothachingly sweet, overstuffed versions, all in the name of tradition. But one year a friend brought me a King Cake from Sucré and I've never looked back. The only problem I have with it is that it disappears quickly and I have a hard time sharing it with others.

Back to the giveaway.  Sucré willl send their Signature Macaron Collection to one reader in the contiguous United States, selected at random. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with your name and email address.  Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, October 22, 11:59 PST, with the winner announced on Wednesday, October 23.

That's it - no trick questions, no clever comments required (unless you're feeling clever, that is).  I'll be back soon, if not this week, certainly next.

The Signature Collection includes 15 macarons in the following flavors: almond, chocolate, strawberry, bananas foster, hazelnut, pistachio, pecan, and salted caramel.  

To see the rest of  Sucré's offerings, visit their website at shopsucre.com.  Also, you can find out more about their King Cakes here. 

Child's Play

Last night, under the sliver of a crescent moon, the night air holding the promise of fall, my son scored his first touchdown. 

I didn't want him to play football. Too dangerous, too much worry. But he's been waiting for this time, waiting since the first moment he touched a ball. Indeed it was the first word from his mouth. All the other sports he's patiently participated in, all were but a dress rehearsal for this. I am learning to manage my fear, to breathe through it, to let go. Sometimes I almost get there. 

But as much as I didn't want him to play, I worried the first few practices that he would quit. His coach is tough, old school, a military man interested in discipline and winning. I could see my son's lip tremble during water breaks, afraid to meet my eyes, afraid that he would start crying. But he toughed it out week after week, even though this game of football wasn't meeting his expectations, even though he longed to to catch and run instead of block and tackle, even though he couldn't get anywhere near the ball. I'm a mom. I worry about his safety, but I worry about his heart, too, and I could feel the disappointment building even as he continued to show up.

Then last night he got his chance to touch the ball. It was the last quarter, we were winning anyway, and I think the coach felt it was safe enough to let a rookie have a go at the ball. I realized what was happening, my chest tight, my breath caught in my throat, and he was off. Fast, caught up in traffic, zigzagging his way loose across the field, keeping his legs moving, right into the end zone. Of course, I got a little weepy.

My son wasn't nearly as proud as I was. He just looked at me after the game, relaxed, confident, said he knew he could run the ball, he was just waiting for someone to give it to him. He was a lot prouder of the fact that he'd recovered a fumble, something he hadn't expected of himself.  I miss that confidence of childhood, the absolute belief that the world is open to you, that you cannot fail. Where does that go?

I've been thinking a lot about being a child, trying to remember what it was like, what I created, how I felt. I remember being incredibly prolific, staying up til the wee hours of the night to create. I sold my creations for pocket money. I feel like I did some ambitious things, things I can no longer do, but maybe they were actually simplistic. I don't know; there aren't any photos, no evidence of my youthful endeavors. My son asked me a question from the backseat the other day. He asked me if I could remember the first photograph I ever took. It kills me; I wish I knew. I wish I could remember all of those "firsts."

Do you think about your own childhood, the risks you may or may not have taken at that time in your life? Do you think it's possible to get back to that liberated, unfettered state? It reminds me of a quote from The Little Prince, one of my favorite books - "All grown-ups were once children...but only few of them remember it."

 

Friday Cocktail: The Hurricane

It's Friday and I've managed to post four times this week (I am on a roll!) - both good reasons to have a cocktail. With Tropical Storm Karen due to pay us a visit this weekend,  I thought I might as well make it a Hurricane.

The Hurricane is one of those cocktails synonymous with New Orleans, but I know very few locals who drink them. The sickly sweet, brightly colored cocktails found on the tourist path are one of the quickest routes to a hangover. But my husband and I both thought there wasn't any reason that a Hurricane couldn't be good - it just needed a makeover, with better ingredients.

He won a cocktail competition with this version, redolent of passion fruit and rum, rounded out by a few drops of Black Strap Molasses bitters. The resulting cocktail is a more grown-up version, fruity and complex rather than simply sweet. It helps, too, that it contains Zacapa, one of my favorite rums.

The passion fruit flavor comes from a homemade syrup rather than the bottled versions that are generally available and the difference is discernable. Most prepared passion fruit syrups on the market are too heavy and sweet. The good news is that the passion fruit concentrate we use is readily available by mail order and yields a bright, fresh flavor that's useful for more than this cocktail. I highly recommend it.

Cheers!  Have a great weekend.

 

Hurricane:

1 1/2 ounces Bacardi white rum

1 1/2 ounces Zacapa rum

2 ounces passion fruit syrup (see recipe below)

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1 ounce fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon grenadine (see recipe below)

3 drops Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters

Shake all ingredients (except the Blackstrap Bitters) in an ice-filled cocktail shaker; strain into a Hurricane glass filled with ice. Add 3 drops Blackstrap Bitters and stir to combine. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

Passion Fruit Syrup:

4 ounces Maguary pure passion fruit concentrate 
2 ounces water
3/4 cup sugar 

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil; stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Transfer to a glass bottle and refrigerate. 

 

Homemade Grenadine:

1 Quart POM Pomegranate Juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 ounces Pomegranate Molasses
2 teaspoons orange flower water
1 ounce vodka (used as a preservative, if you'll be storing the grenadine longer than 1 week) 

Simmer POM until reduced by half.  Add sugar, stir until dissolved, then add the pomegranate molasses, orange flower water, and vodka (if you're not using all of your grenadine at once). 

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I admit it, I've been a complete snob about the slow cooker. It doesn't fit in with my "romantic" notion of cooking, with the cast iron pot simmering on the stove for hours, my husband and I working in the kitchen together stirring up something good...However, our weeknights have been anything but romantic, so I've tabled those fantasy cooking scenarios for Sundays, when we're all a little more relaxed and actually all in the house at the same time, and I finally unpacked the slow cooker that stayed in its box for 6 months simply because I couldn't give in.

I purchased the cookbook, Slow Cooker Revolution, mostly because I've been able to trust Cook's Illustrated in all things culinary and this cookbook is produced by the same team, America's Test Kitchen. I've only made two recipes from the book so far, but neither has disappointed, giving me new enthusiasm to continue my exploration. Even my husband, as reluctant as I, has proclaimed himself a convert.

With fall's arrival, Shredded Barbecued Beef (p. 143) and North Carolina Pulled Pork have been just right on my son's game nights. Quick and easy to prep, great flavor, and leftovers for the next day's lunch.  What's not to love?  

North Carolina Pulled Pork
Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 8 to 24 hours for rub
Cooking Time:  9-11 hours on Low or 5-7 hours on High

6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
5-pound boneless pork butt roast, trimmed of fat and quartered
3 smoked ham hocks, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke

1. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper in bowl. Using fork, prick pork all over and rub the sugar mixture over the pork. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.  

2. Place ham hocks in slow cooker. Unwrap pork and place on top of hocks. Pour broth over pork, cover, and cook until the pork is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

3. Transfer pork and hocks to large bowl. Let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces (don't shred meat too finely since it will break up more as the meat is combined with the sauce) discarding skin, bones, and excess fat; cover to keep warm. Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon.

4. Strain liquid into medium saucepan and simmer until thickened and measures 1 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Whisk in vinegar, ketchup, liquid smoke, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Toss shredded pork with 1 1/2 cups sauce; add more sauce as needed to keep meat moist. Serve with remaining sauce. 

 

P.S.  Do you have any favorite slow cooker recipes you're willing to share?

Book Review: Modern Calligraphy

I've been going through changes in my creative life over the last year, finding myself drawn more and more to what I think of as elemental crafting, techniques that require patience and lots of practice. Usually a fan of instant gratification, I find instead that I'm searching for something more soulful, embracing process in a way I haven't before. I want both the modern and the timeless.

Calligraphy is one of those pursuits. It's been on my bucket list of things to learn for so long that it's almost laughable. But when my friend Tristan came to visit, she helped push me over the edge, introducing me to the right nibs and ink, printing guidelines and offering resources. I was less intimidated when she left, but I still felt stymied by one issue that I always bump into - being a lefty. For the most part, I've learned to be ambidextrous over the years, but that's not really an option for me with calligraphy.

So I was excited to see that a new book, Modern Calligraphy, by the talented Molly Suber Thorpe, had a section in it specifically dedicated to lefties. It's a small section, but it's specific and helpful and enough that I felt the door open a bit wider for me. This is not to say that it's not going to take a lot of practice for me to be good enough to showcase my lettering, but I've finally gotten my foot in the door!

It's easy to be drawn to this book. Molly's hand is so beautiful and feminine, a look that I personally aspire to, and she includes 14 pages of handwriting specimens (each letter drawn in multiple ways) that will help you find your own style. But just as important, it's filled with accessible, useful information on everything you need to get started. You can stick with the first two chapters as you begin your journey. When you've mastered the basics, you can move on to Chapter 3, introducing new supplies to your tool kit and learning six new techniques (such as writing with watercolor and gouache). From there, the book launches into a variety of DIY projects. I'm still in the first two chapters, where I'll be for awhile, but I highly recommend this book for anyone's even remotely interested in hand lettering. It's a wonderful addition to your library, especially if you're feeling intimidated, like I was.

 

Read an interview with Molly here.