music monday: FLEET FOXES! (link to free mp3 here!)

Oh my!!  What delightful news!  Fleet Foxes have (finally) announced the release of their new album and with the excitement they're generously giving a FREE song from the new album! GO get it, it's lovely :) The album will be out May 3rd.

Unfortunately, they won't be coming through Chicago for their tour...I am very saddened by this!  Anyway, I hope this news excites you as much as it excites me!

PS...tomorrow, I'll be posting a valentine's day FREEBIE for you!!  Come back & get it :)

inspired by: becca stadtlander.

Wowee.  I like these so much!  They feel so nostalgic, as some of the style and color reminds me of Charles Wysocki puzzles that I used to do with my mom, aunt, and grandma (1 & 5, really).  They are by illustrator Becca Stadtlander.  Check out more of her work here.

found here.

Also, issue three of RUE magazine is out!!  Check it.

honesty.

Sorry about being away for a couple of days.  Sometimes you just need that, you know?  I find that with this blog I go through regular feelings of excitement and disheartenment.  One day I will find a plethora of things that I can't wait to share and then when the day comes where all of those things have been shared, I feel a terrible pressure to be inspired.  As much as I like the idea of communicating through this regularly, I don't want to be a designer that essentially gets paid to update!  I have no idea how the folks that DO do this are so consistently inspired (and really, I already waste much more time than I should going from window to window finding new things that I like...I don't want to do that all the time just so that I can have something to say or share!).  Don't get me wrong, I don't think there is any problem with posting something wonderful everyday and getting paid to do it---but for now, it's just not for me.  

Well, the point of my rambling is that I want this to be a thing that feels good.  A thing that I am excited about and not discouraged by!  And even though I know how much more fun it is to click on a page in my bookmark bar and see a brand new post, I hope that you'll be along for the ride here, whatever it is and whatever it looks like :)

Despite my lack of posts about 'homeseed' things and work...I am actually working on some things!  Those things include...a save-the-date and invitation suite for a wonderful couple (that I really really like and can't wait to share...in, September ;D), a valentine FREEBIE for YOU! (thank Valerie), and some invitation/stationery templates!!  I am also feeling quite close to being able to make a BIG purchase.  A camera :)  So, that brings all kinds of excitement to my heart and little business.  That means I'm getting much closer to being able to list things in my etsy shop!  Woo!

There are good things on the way, they just might be a while.

Enough from me, here are a couple of things to share:

The 2011 brownie bags from twig & thistle are done!  They are the same as last years but with the correct year ;)

This brand new online magazine is super neat!  There is an interview of Rifle Paper Co.'s Anna Bond and her husband Nathan.  So sweet:

music monday?! (link to free mp3's here!)

I'm considering deeming Monday's "music Monday"...How about it?!  I have just been finding out/hearing about so much that I'm excited about and want to share!

Asthmatic Kitty is my source for today's exciting stuff.  Shara Worden is doing some new things!  With yMusic!  See:



She also did a little something with Owen Pallett which is available for FREE---here!

AND...amazing saxophonist Colin Stetson's new album (which Shara is of course featured on) isn't available yet but you can get a little preview here.

Also, this is just fun to observe.  She was a part of two albums that made NPR's top 5 genre-defying albums of 2010!!

Woo!  Go Shara!

inspired by: alissa strattan.

I want to share some of my friend Alissa Strattan's work with you today.  She is one of my very multi-talented friends :) She paints; plays the flute, piano, accordion, and glockenspiel (she is in the band, Milano!); she sings; and...well, she is just really sweet and neat!!  Check out her work here, the colors and textures are so beautiful!

Here are some of my favorite pieces:

"dusk" acrylic on canvas; finger painting.

"river" acrylic on canvas.

"for dan" acrylic on canvas; finger painting.

"bedhead" acrylic on canvas.

Happy Friday :)

more valentine's day things!

I couldn't resist posting Rifle Paper Co.'s v-day goodies!  They are so beautiful.  I feel like this holiday is such a good one for Anna to illustrate for, they pair so well together with all the whimsy and romance :)  I also wanted to highlight Yes Jess's knitted hearts!  They are so stinking cute (and...they are only $7!).  Check it all out:

(1, 3, 5) from rifle paper co.

(2, 4) from yes jess

inspired by: nan lawson.

My friend Lily (who I really like and love) sent me a link to Nan Lawson's etsy shop. She thought I would really enjoy her work and...well, she was right.  Thanks Lily!!  Nan's sense of humor and creativity (and love for stories that happen to be my favorites...HELLO harry potter and pride & prejudice!) speak smiles and joy to my spirit.  

Here are my favorites from her shop:

come ON, mr. Darcy!!  YES please!

Most items are $10 or $16, however the hogwarts trio is $40 ;) oh and the darcy & elizabeth combo is $17!

a delicious soup.

I had the most amazing bachelorette party.  I'm convinced!  My dear, sweet friends put together the most delightful little celebration.  The entirety of the party was just, so thoughtful!  We cooked together (I had feared the kitchen, and especially when the kitchen had me making food for another person!), we shared memories, I was given 12 unique mugs (Daniel and I reaaaally like tea & coffee and other fun hot beverages) that came with 12 notes from each of the ladies in attendance...a mug and note for each month of our first year of marriage!!  Recipe cards were created that were made exclusively for the Dake kitchen!  The cards had each dish that we prepared that night together written on them, for everyone in attendance.  Well, I recently decided to give one of the recipes a try on my own.  It was a HUGE hit, so simple and delicious.  I'm making it again today!!  Here it is (from the amazing MaryBeth Huntington):

Cream of Wild Rice Soup

3 cups cooked wild rice
1 large onion (finely diced)
2 carrots (finely diced)
1 rib celery (finely diced)
1 cup ham (finely diced)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup flour
8 cups chicken broth
salt/pepper to taste
1 cup light cream or half & half

Prepare the wild rice.  In a 4-5 qt. soup kettle, saute the onion, carrot, celery and ham in the butter about 8 minutes or until veggies have softened slightly.  Sift in the flour, a little at a time, stirring until the flour is blended well, but do not let it brown.
Slowly add chicken broth, stirring until all the flour-butter-veggie mixture is blended well.  Add the wild rice, adjust seasonings as desired.  Heat thoroughly.  Add the cream and reheat gently but do not boil.
Serves 10-12!

We made the soup, spanakopita, baked brie in phyllo, and coffee creme brulee.  I was also given a creme brulee making kit, blow-torch and all!

Ladies, if you're reading this...that was one of the most special events that has ever been prepared for me.  From the deepest parts of my heart, thank you.  I love you!

On a music note, PLEASE check Abigail Washburn and her NPR tiny desktop concert out (I just realized you can download the audio of tiny desktop concerts for free!).  Her story and music are both incredibly fascinating (and, she speaks Mandarin flawlessly-it looks so odd to me!).  Her new album just came out last week!  Ben and Steff, thank you for reminding me of her without even knowing it ;)

On another note completely, this is my favorite nail polish that I have been wearing since I received it at Christmas from my sweet mother-in-law!  I DON'T layer it on like the hand models have (you will find out what I mean by simply doing a google image search...EEK!) but I really like it when it's sparse and unpredictable :)

new music (link for free mp3s!)!

Today's post won't be super exhilarating, but I recently found out about these two upcoming releases and really wanted to share...

Iron and Wine has a new album coming out on the 25th!  It is called "Kiss Each Other Clean".  They did a session on Daytrotter on the 12th so you can get a preview of the album (the mp3s are free too!).  I really like this promo photo and the new album cover art:

The Decemberists have a new album coming out tomorrow!!  NPR has the album "The King is Dead" on first listen for the rest of today.  Here is the album cover for it:

valentine's day (is a month away!).

Sorry for posting so late today!

I wanted to highlight 2 freebies (there will be more this year too apparently!  I'll post those when I find them!) and a fun little DIY woven heart that are all wonderful little elements for Valentine's Day :)

printable brownie and goodie bags are from twig & thistle (get 1, get 2) found here.

DIY woven paper hearts!!  how neat :) instructions here, found here.

inspired by: daily drop caps (jessica hische!).

essica Hische is brilliant!
I have been a fan of her work for some time now (I think was was introduced to it through the daily drop cap).  Please head to her site for more info and to the daily drop cap site to get access to the letters!  They are for beautifying the internet (well, for personal/blog use only-but that is the best kind of internet use anyway!).

Here are some of my favorite letters: 

asthmatic kitty (free mp3s!) & DM Stith.

Just wanted to let you know that there are a number of free soothing (mostly instrumental) mp3s available over at Asthmatic kitty's website.  One is by Julianna Barwick and the other songs are by Serif (there are also available HERE).  There is also some Christmas music!  You could download it and save it for next year ;)

Asthmatic Kitty is up there in the world of labels for me.  I have been a fan of Sufjan and Shara for a looong time and I have been a fan of DM Stith for as long as I've known about him!  Oh!  Can't forget Osso and The Welcome Wagon :) How fun.  Music is a joy and wonder.

Have fun downloading and listening!

ps...DM Stith is not only a fantastic musician.  He is also an amazing artist:

looking at: beautiful (big) bags.

I have been thinking about trying to make myself a big, custom, canvas bag.  But when I see bags like these...I feel very inadequate and so not ready!  They are so nice!  Plus, I never know how sturdy or wearable the things I construct will be.  So, for now I'm dreaming about these:

(1) $128 from free people.

(2) $79 from hickoree's hard goods.
(3) $160 from makr carry goods.
(4) $168 from free people.
(5) price unknown (the shop is out of them at the moment, but I am assuming it will be back soon!) from infusion.
(6) $170 from hickoree's hard goods. 
(7)...LOOK at that organizer pocket!!