Kid's artwork by guest: Suann

I'm always on the lookout for simple, ABC-themed artwork for our 2.5 year-old son. Especially anything having to do with his name (Ike) or the letter "I". Here are a couple of the things he has in his playroom.



I'm always thinking about adding more -- here are a few things I've recently spotted and would love to add.




Links:

Top photos:
Custom "I" animal print by Elephantine (I'm not sure if she does these anymore)
IKE/ABC print by me
Vintage I LIKE IKE campaign stamps from EBay

Bottom photos:
Animal spelling prints from Present and Correct
B is fo Bicycle from Paperfingers
Limited edition Alphabet Print by the black apple


That's it for me this week here at Black*Eiffel. Thanks so much, Rachel, for having me! I loved having the opportunity to guest blog and hope you'll visit me over at my little blog, simplesong. Happy weekend!

Friday flowers

The sweetest mini mums - white with tiny hints of lavender.

I've been keeping them close to me while I work.

Drumroll please....the winner of the Pamware's apron giveaway is Genevieve! Congratulations! Bake something wonderful while wearing it, please. And many thanks to Pam for providing such a fun giveaway.

anthro mail

Hopefully you aren't too sick of my adoration for Anthropologie yet? Because I got two pretty pieces of mail from them this week {in the midst of my bills and flyers} and I just had to share. Each piece is simple, but well designed and cuter than can be. I'm scratching my head at how they were able to pull off these seemingly handmade pieces for a mass mailing though. They are just too clever!

Giovanna Battaglia

Giovanna Battaglia = fashion editor of L'Uomo Vogue, model, stylist. Yes... I guess women this stylish really do exist, isn't she one of the most stylish ladies around? See more images of Giovanna's style here and here. Who's style are you inspired by?

Images by the talented: Garance Dore
via Simple Lovely (another stylish lady)

Summer Meal...

Dinner last night : greek salad and chicken with pesto. What types of meals are you enjoying this summer?

Everyday Favorite Supplies by guest : Suann

I’m always trolling my local office supply or craft store looking for simple, everyday products to incorporate in my packaging and/or every day life. I thought I’d share some of my everyday favorites and the sources. I think there’s so much you can do with these little goodies - a simple muslin bag or baker’s twine goes a long way in making a pretty package that much more special.

1. I love glassine bags and use them all the time from organizing to sending a letter
2 & 12. I keep full sheets of label paper around all the time and cut them down for all sorts of use
3. White baker's twine*
4. Mini clothespins*
5. Custom rubber stamps
6. Everyone's favorite Japanese masking tape
7. Cotton muslin bags
8. Muji square paperclips
9. Flat brown bags you can run through your printer
10. Red beading string*
11. Simple kraft tags

* available at most craft stores

Modern Kids Bedroom

Last night we moved V out a crib and into a big bed, her bed dominates the space and I wish it looked more like this minimal and playful room designed by Angie Hranowsky.

Image from Cookie via Merry Mishap. (btw... did you see her gorgeous pregnant photos?! Stunning...)

Baked zucchini fries

4 weeks into our weekly CSA box adventure...

D has developed an intense kale addiction. I have officially overdosed on cucumbers and feel slightly ill at the thought of them (I'll be over it soon, I'm sure). We are swimming in summer squash and looking for ways to use them up.

Fries are always a good bet. I opt for the oven baked version, out of respect for my waistline and fear of getting splattered with hot oil. There are a couple of key factors in successful oven fries - light breading, high heat, and plenty of breathing room. If you crowd your baking dish, you'll end up with soggy fries. I usually bake them in small batches, even though it's bit more tedious.

Baked zucchini fries

1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic
Pinch of salt
Pepper to taste
3 or so zucchini, washed well, unpeeled
1 egg

: Toss everything except the zucchini in the food processor and blend it well. Alternatively, finely mince the garlic and use well grated Parmesan and just mix everything together. Put the mixture into a wide, shallow bowl and set aside.

: Slice the zucchini into fry shaped pieces of similar size (but don't worry about being too fussy).

: Beat the egg in a wide, shallow dish. Toss the zucchini pieces, a few at a time, in the egg wash and then shake them off a bit and toss them in the breading. Lay the pieces on a baking dish, making sure none of them touch. You'll probably need to do a couple of batches.

: Bake in a 475F oven for about 20 - 30 minutes, turning just once. Fries should be browned and crisp when finished.

In the winter, I use this same recipe to make sweet potato fries. You really can't go wrong. I don't actually measure the breading ingredients. I just sort of pour and toss everything into the food processor and it always turns out fine. With the exception of the time I accidentally dumped a pile of pepper in there, and even then, we still gobbled up the fries while drinking lots of water. They're very forgiving.

nifty nic-nacs

How cool are these?! I like when people take old things and put a new twist on them. I would like a set of all of these for my house...starting to rethink the whole no registry thing!! The "Daily Aesthetics Collection" and more cool things can be found online at Abitare...I might want a registry there!

Paris day 3

Versailles was better than I expected, it was over the top, gigantic, and a bit peaceful all at the same time. I arrived super early to beat the crowds and used the complimentary Rick Steve's audio podcast on my phone which made the tour much more meaningful and educational. (I also used them for the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, just download before you go).

hello israel!

In light of our upcoming trip to Israel for my wedding, I decided to show you a little bit about this beautiful country we are going to see. Its funny because as I was researching Joelle Bloomer coincidentally sent me this link {Tel Me More, Tel Me More!} that she received today from DailyCandy! Such a clever title...wish I came up with it myself! It gives a few ideas of where to go in Tel Aviv. Specifically I'll be taking the family to shop on trendy Shenkin Street, for sweet potato latkes at Orna & Ella, and the Nachalat Binyamin market! We are also going up north to the the Golan Heights, to my favorite town Zichron Ya'akov, to Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and many, many of the glorious beaches. And oh yah...my wedding :)

I found some pictures on a blog called The Real Israel that I think are a great snapshot of what we'll be seeing. As for the wedding I'm pretty much done the planning however I'm still having trouble with the bouquet. Sadly poppies just aren't going to work there. I think I might research big orange dahlias instead...stay tuned!

{The Dead Sea...one of the most magical places to be!}

{View of Old Jerusalem}

{Artists' Colony in Einhod which is near Haifa}

{The stunning Bahai Temple in Haifa}

{The port in Haifa}


{Tel Aviv!}

new house: grey with mustard?

I got a very exciting call from our house developer today. I am to come in next week and finalize my colour choices, as the builders are expected to begin building in only one or two weeks. Yay! I really WILL have a house one day and can move out this little closet I've been living in for 2 years! Now, I've told you all before that I'd like to go very neutral and minimal - I need a space that will allow for the de-cluttering of the mind. No need for lots of stuff! I liked the idea of the plainest whitest walls and dark wood floors ... but then again, lately my mind is going to greys as well, especially for the upstairs. I just love grey right now, and especially love it when mixed with yellow or mustard - kind of like Joelle and my bridesmaids dresses for the circus wedding looked! Here are some of my favourite pics of late ... pics 1,2, 4 from Anne Sage and pic 3 from inBloom Studio's blog via House and Home magazine.

Come visit me!

You can find a wedding-y belt version of my ruffly headband project over on the fabulous 100 Layer Cake today!

{photo by kristina, via 100 layer cake}

Come on over and check it out! Thanks for having me, ladies.

simplesong Business Collateral by guest : Suann

I love, love designing and creating business related products, especially business and calling cards. I particularly love business cards because its such a small piece of paper but you can still do so much and make a big impact and impression. Here are a few pieces I recently finished.

I was excited to work with Wiebke of Line + Liv as we pretty much share the same aesthetic of simple and love for white space. This is the 2-sided card I did for along with labels and tags. The other pieces are simple, classic cards that really reflected the taste of each client.

Pesto

Made some yummy pesto yesterday with basil from the garden. Do you have a favorite pesto recipe? I tried one that it is pretty classic and the same from multiple sources. Pesto is so fresh and summery, don't you think?

(photo by me)

Pamware's apron giveaway!

I have a lovely giveaway for you today.

{clockwise - 1, 2, 3 - all images from pamwares etsy shop}

Pam sells these perfect little aprons in her etsy shop. You know I'm a sucker for Ikea fabrics, and Pam and I are clearly on the same wavelength - many of my favorite Ikea patterns have made it into her aprons. It's so nice to see bold graphic fabrics used in such sweetly feminine designs.

She kindly let me choose which apron we would give away, and I settled on the sunny yellow beauty pictured above after quite a bit of indecision. It's just so cheerful, isn't it?

Hop over to Pam's shop and leave a comment on this post for your chance to win her let the sunshine in apron. You can also see more of Pam (she shares some wonderful etsy finds) on her blog.

I'll be announcing the winner on Friday, so get your comments in!

Paris day 2.5

Repetto
Musee de l’Orangerie
Store Windows ... most every store has a sale in July in Paris!

simplesong Wedding by guest : Suann

I’m a small studio (just me) and because all the work I do is custom and I work very closely with my clients I take at most 3 - 4 custom projects per month. Two of those projects are usually wedding related. Here are a couple of wedding-related invitations I recently finished. These were particularly fun as it gave me the opportunity to stray a bit away from my normal simple aesthetic and produce something a bit more involved. The wedding suite was for a couple who is having an old-word, French-inspired fall wedding. I loved the color theme of moss green and dark brown. The second invitation was for the lovely Maria of Ritzy Bee and the bridal shower she was hosting for her sister.

You can find out more about my work on my website which is very much in need of a big update!