Taking a break...

You might have noticed the lack of posting lately? It's because there's big stuff happening back at the ranch that might lead to even bigger stuff for Swoon Studios. In the meantime, I've gotta take a break from blogging for a couple weeks. It IS, after all nearly the 4th of July - my favorite, non-religious holiday.

While I'm gone, have a spectacular time celebrating the birth of our great country. Wave a flag. Eat something red, white or blue. Enjoy the freedom that is ours to share. And maybe even think a little about why we sing this, our National Anthem:

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Foodie Friday: Citrus water

A couple years ago I was traveling for business and was lucky enough to stay at a Four Seasons Hotel property. If you've not stayed at a Four Seasons, let me tell you they are fancy dancy - mainly because of the little things they do to make their guests feel welcome.

This particular day was terribly hot - unseasonably so. And after a long day of running through airports, finding baggage, running down transportation TO the hotel and getting there, it was a welcome surprise to find a large pitcher of citrus water. It's so refreshing on a hot summer day!

I brought the idea home to share with you today.

You'll need a lemon, a lime and an orange, a pitcher or glass drink dispenser, water and lots of ice. I cut up my fruit so that I'm left with lots of round slices, taking the seeds out as I go. This is especially important if you're using a glass drink dispenser as those seeds can clog up your spout!

Layer your fruit slices in the bottom of your pitcher - I like to layer them in alternating colors to make a pretty display. Save the last several pieces to line the sides of your pitcher. Pour in a little ice and anchor them to the sides of the pitcher in that ice. Continue filling with ice to the top of the pitcher and then fill about 3/4 full with water. Allow that to sit several hours - it's actually better if you leave it overnight - so that the citrus flavor can infuse the water. When you're ready to serve, add more ice and pour into glasses! You can garnish with a sprig of mint for some extra panache.

This is a wonderfully easy party drink that your guests will love!

Inspiration Thursday! Finding inspiration.

"We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship." -- C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Sometimes you have to find your solitude to find inspiration. I'm thankful to have found true friendship though I'm often searching for my solitude.

Vintage Wednesday: Can you tell the difference?

Here we have two unassuming little salt and pepper shakers. Probably Haviland made in the 40s or 50s. What's so special about them? Well let's take a look.















Look closely. I've given you a couple different angles. See anything different? Maybe the holes? Yup! The holes! Look at your salt and pepper shakers at home. Usually the salt shaker has fewer holes than the pepper shaker, but in these they have the same number of holes. What's different is that the holes are LARGER in this pepper shaker. Pretty cool, huh? I thought so!

Working Tuesday: Finding a Supplier

The secret to the best designs are the materials you use to make them. The secret to selling pieces is not only the design, but the price. The key to both these things is finding the right suppliers!

I love bead stores as much as the next beader. It's exciting to see the array of color and feel the weight of the stones in your hand. But once you understand what it means that a bead is 6mm instead of 4mm or the difference between aventurine and aquamarine, you don't have to hold a bead in your hand to know it's for you. And you certainly don't have to pay outrageous bead store prices.

One of the best places to go for diversity of supplies and price is Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. And the best part is, the more you get, the cheaper your final per item price. So if you need a cheaper choice than the bead store, try Fire Mountain!

DIY Monday: Polishing Silver

A couple weeks ago I posted about finding this lovely silver pin for 25 cents at a local community yard sale. I like the "patina" (darker, aged look) of the piece, but wanted to polish it up a bit. The only problem is that the many nooks and crannies make it difficult to effectively polish. So I turned to the aluminum foil method to get into all the tight spaces!

First, find a container in which you can completely cover your object with water. Cover the bottom of the container with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Pour in 1 Tbsp. of baking soda and 1 Tbsp. of salt and then cover the item with boiling water. The boiling water is important because it speeds up the molecules that help remove the tarnish quickly (someone really smart figured that out, not me). You should smell a bit of a sulfuric smell and see the foil start to turn a darker color.

I don't leave the silver in for a long time as I worry about the salt pitting the silver, but it works wonders in a pretty short period of time. Don't forget to use tongs to take the item out of the water - both will be hot! Next week, I'll show you a non-chemical way to finish polishing up your pieces if there's any tarnish left!

Weekend Wanderings: Midnight Monument Tour

Let's face it, there's never really a bad time to see the monuments - maybe unless it's 97 degrees and the Mall is over run by tourists - but their majestic beauty still shines through. But the monuments take on a different feel at night. There's a reverence that falls with the night and it's often accompanied by a hush or quiet whispers. There may still be a hoard of tourists, but somehow the quiet still creeps in as you approach.

Some of the most romantic moments can be found on the steps of the Jefferson pondering the wisdom you've just read inside the dome. Some prefer the coolness of the fountains inside the Roosevelt as you wander through the eras of his Presidency. And my heart swells as I see the men who've died for our country remembering their brethren as they walk through the Vietnam, Korean or WWII memorials.

When's the last time you visited the monuments at night? You might think about planning a trip.