happy spring

this posey pin makes me smile and think of all the warm days ahead! found this treasure in the j.crew catalog {from the crewcuts line for children} won't it look adorable pinned on sweaters, jackets and dresses?

labels

i woke this morning with the intentions of checking in on the neighbors' cat, walking to starbucks, making popovers and spending the rest of the day reading (of course 'the other boleyn girl' - still have not finished it. about 400 pages from the end. UGH.)

sunday accomplishments as of yet:

• checked in on wee won - hiding outside beneath the covered patio furniture. lured her inside so she would be protected from the fierce wind & chill in the air.
• walked to starbucks - tried the new honey latte [grande soy/no whipped cream] - yummy! espresso & honey - who would have guessed it to be so tasty!!
• made popovers in my new popover pan. TASTY! {served warm with strawberry butter}
• emailed friends & family
• searched the internet for ideas for fabric labels for my "designs"
  

so no i have not yet cracked open the cover to 'tobg.' i have spent the afternoon obsessing about label designs. what type of fabric, what color, how large/small, graphic, font, blah, blah, blah.

i have decided that i want something simple and would like to incorporate a graphic. AND most importantly - what name i want printed on the label. i like a combination of letterpress and typewriter style. i have not yet created anything to sew the labels on. guess i need to work on that before becoming concerned about labels. . .

another page

does it look like this armoire really needs another book???!! yes granted some are maps, guidebooks and the such for paris, but most are next in line to be read. i intended to plow through the other boleyn girl today {note it is not among those resting on the armoire - i have been carrying it with me today} since the film is to be released this friday. {i would really like to be completed with the book before seeing the film} with the rate i am reading it will be on dvd before i am finished. and it is highly likely i can get b. to go to the film - with natalie portman AND scarlett johansson as leads he is bound not to refuse! what warm-blooded male could refuse those two hotties on the silver screen!!

every gnome needs a home

i know of a little garden in noe valley that would make a PERFECT home for this little gnome! oh maryann. . .

love at first sight!

i know it seems a bit crazy {possibly quite absurb} that i may need another pair of denim, but i just could not resist these darlings! 7 for all mankind farrah - LOVE the trouser style with the button details on the front coupled with the higher waist and flare leg.

of course i had no business investing in another pair of denim {especially since i just purchased a new pair at anthropologie this past saturday} but i just have a feeling this style will not stay on store racks for very long. . . so that means that i paid full ticket for a pair of premium denim - which i rarely ever do. i often seek out that odd occasion when department stores discount the premium denim or find rare gems on clearance/mark down racks. for instance the denim from anthropologie's visit: adriano goldschmied the deco original ticket $182 on for sale $49!!! fabulous find!

ooh la la!

listening to the new goldfrapp release, seventh tree {it is so fabulous!!} and making b. oatmeal pecan cookies. i slipped some golden raisins in only half [b. says he dislikes raisins in his oatmeal cookies] had considered dried cranberries but did not have enough. used a recipe from martha stewart baking and adjusted it for my liking! had a taste from the first batch while still warm - so yummy!

also made a little snack of french bread spread with some meyer lemon onion marmalade {from lulu's in san francisco} with melted gruyere and a side of red grapes. although feeling a bit nervous about eating my grapes. sadly they are not organic and j. informed me this past weekend that grapes, due to their thin little skins, are quite susceptible to pesticides. ugh! i am afraid that my current list of wanted titles from amazon are also going to make me rethink what i pop into my mouth. just a few wants: what to eat, skinny bitch, and in defense of food.

yummy!

mmmmmm! ran across this photo tonight. a delightful little snack from le garde-robe in paris.

project tote bag

the creative juices have been flowing! i have all sorts of ideas for tote bags i would like to create. purchased some inexpensive fabric from ikea on saturday and created a little tote in a couple of hours on sunday. played around with adding a button but did not turn out as expected. . . boo-hoo! oh well what can i expect for my first project.

tuesday i returned to ikea and purchased 8 yards of assorted fabric. they have some amazing patterns on cotton - very modern and simple in attractive colors. many of the fabrics complement one another so choosing was not simple.

using the new material from yesterday's trip to ikea, i tackled another tote idea that had been floating around in my head today. mind you i have not yet invested in patterns or tracing paper just roughly forming, measuring, and cutting - and only using black thread. keeping it simple. so in a couple of hours i created another tote this time complete with an inside pocket! wish i had used interfacing for the strap - would have given it more structure. also need to sew on some velcro to keep it together. . . i guess those are the little things i will continue to learn as i go along.

here are some photos: (the red hippo with striped lining was my 1st project)

if i could turn back time

say it with 'just jack' style and dance big!! dust off the vintage bob mackie and shake out the wigs - - she's going to vegas! i am so excited - we have tickets for caesar's memorial day weekend.

my new baby

i have been obsessing about a sewing machine for the last few weeks and friday i took the plunge and purchased one. i have been doing my fair share of research and had a slight idea of what i wanted in a machine. [mind you this is my first sewing machine and with a little assistance from martha stewart, i began learning some sewing machine lingo that would be necessary in making a wise and educated purchase.] i decided that if i was going to make an investment in something that i would likely have for many years i should not be hasty in my purchase. so off i headed to the local experts in everything sewing - meissner.

en route to meissner, i mentioned to b. (who i took along so i would not get too carried away in my purchase) that i had not used a sewing machine since 6th grade home economics. our conversation then continued on with trying to remember teachers (mine: mrs. ackerman - quite possible connie, b.'s: he could not recall), school (mine: beagle middle school, b.'s: novi "something"), what we learned (me: nothing i contribute to my cooking or craft skills today, b: placing the measuring cup on the counter to accurately measure liquids - so that explains that quirky habit of his. . . ). so i have digressed - back to the pursuit of the perfect beginners sewing machine.

with a little trepidation i wandered into the world of sewing machines. i encountered an $8000 beauty that could probably clean the house as well as sew my creations! immediately i realized that i needed some assistance. 2 1/2 hours later and with much help from a dear named judy, i had found my sewing machine. with a lot of patience and kind words of encouragement, judy introduced me to all the features on my new viking. in a short time she taught me how to wind and place the bobbin, thread the machine and needle, change the presser feet and how to select stitches.

a toast to the new viking was in order, so b. and i headed to cheesecake factory and discussed all the projects i could complete with my sewing machine. i am still practicing stitches and making button holes on my fabric swatches, but soon i hope to start on some pillows, pajamas, totes and perhaps even attempt a terry cloth shirt for b.!

miss lansing!!???

what? miss lansing? am i crazy? have i been drinking? did i forget my morning meds? [especially to say that i miss lansing in the middle of february.] i actually did utter those words in the midst of searching for candied decorations for my valentine cupcakes last wednesday. i searched the aisles of target, michaels and williams-sonoma in hope of finding the perfect accessories to my valentine delights. i thought to myself, "i know i would find exactly what i have in mind if i could only pop into grande gourmet in east lansing !"

growing up in lansing, grande gourmet was the place to go for anything 'grand' in the way of food, cooking accessories, bakeware, cookware and confectionary delights. i still remember the delicious buttery chocolate croissants. . . grande gourmet was the williams-sonoma + sur la table with a little shot of dean & deluca. although i am sure much has changed over the years and since i last visited, i am certain i would have not been disappointed in my pursuit for the perfect decorations for my cupcakes.

i eventually accessorized the chocolate [made with cocoa from cacao et chocolat] and white cupcakes with chocolate ganache and raspberry buttercream. once frosted the little beauties were finished with an option of coarse sugar sprinkles, coconut or red, white and pink nonpareils. my favorite: chocolate topped with raspberry buttercream sprinkled with coconut - so reminiscent of raspberry zingers

although i did not find exactly what i had in mind, the cupcakes turned out to be delicious and visually appealing. diets were broken and the cupcakes scored many high yummy marks - even a few "i've never had a cupcake made from scratch" remarks and "i cannot pass up a cupcake made with cocoa from paris!" and even a "those cupcakes are sick!" [which i understand to mean very good!]

so even though i did not find the perfect cupcake accessories, they turned out to be a hit and all that remained were scattered crumbs.

i'm addicted!

i am in love with this origins product! it should come with a "do not eat label!" a yummy blend of cinnamon, paprika, clove and nutmeg blended with walnut and coconut shells to make the best foaming body scrub ever!

what's in a name?

so you may wonder why le rayon de miel? well once i had decided that i wanted to create a blog, i started considering some names. of course being the blog snob that i am, i knew i wanted something classy, sophisticated and meaningful. i had considered words and phrases that are staples in my vocabulary: perfect!, perhaps, exactly, oh how very. . . none seemed to have the right fit.

so while perusing through one of my favorite foodie blogs, chocolate & zucchini, i came across an entry about honeycombs. the details are not important, but clotilde wrote that honeycomb in french is rayon de miel which is similar to the expression 'ray of sunshine'. she goes on to describe honeycombs as things of beauty; small structures that are fragile and sturdy at the same time.

so this is my little honeycomb - a collection of little rays of sunshine.

here i go. . .

i must admit i have never been very good at keeping a journal. i have had my fair share over the years - fabric covered, leather bound, pretty, lined, sophisticated, classic, unlined, spiral bound, small, large, pocket sized - the list goes on. sadly they always remained empty; blank pages waiting patiently for heart felt words - secrets, desires, dreams. nothing was divulged and eventually they all met the same demise - landfills or recycling centers. but here i go again, another journal.

did i ever think i would be writing a blog? NEVER! blogging or sharing my life on a "space" in the web just did not seem for me. yet lately blogging has been on my mind.

so i think of this blog as a journal. a public expression of my thoughts, ideas and dreams. a place to share the people, things and places that inspire me and make me happy. i doubt many people will read this (after all my life is just not that interesting), yet that does not bother me. that is not my intent. instead this is my little space for sharing a collection of my favorite things. a place that will develop and evolve over time. if you should visit, please be patient and wish me luck!