Monica Lee Studios

Pie the New Cupcake?

Here is another card that I created for TinyPrints.com. I read somewhere that "pie" is the new "cupcake". The article said the cupcakes where out-out-out and and that the new trend was leaning towards pie. I, myself, love pie and feel oddly healthier went I eat pie instead of cake. Remember, I have to eat gluten free and gluten free pie crust is tricky...I don't bother making it from scratch but Whole Foods makes a good frozen one. If I were to believe the article then I believe design wise and merchandising wise, it is a little sad to say good bye to cupcakes because you can decorate them in such lovely way in real life AND on paper. This is my attempt at making pie as cute as a cupcake. What is it for you, cupcakes or pie? Do you  really think pie is the next big thing?

Friday is not working for me, where is Saturday?

I am not sure traveling is worth it, I can't seem to stay on top of everything that I left behind last week! I am sure the weekend will help me focus. I seem to have creative freedom when I wake up weekend mornings. I can't seem to figure out exactly why this is considering that I work for myself! Somehow my coffee tastes better, I linger over my journal a bit longer. Saturdays and Sundays have turned out to be my "idea time."  I fill my sketch book with all sorts of ideas for collections and  thoughts for blog posts and I am even tackling a book proposal that all seems to come together better on the weekends.  It may  take forever ever to finish if I am only productive on the weekends. Pretty much at this point I need every day to be Saturday and Sunday, Friday is simply not working for me.  Does your brain shut down over weekends or rev up? Speaking of coffee tasting better, I am OUT of coffee! Is that crazy or what? Here is part of a coffee collection that I call Fiesta Coffee because the colors reminded me of Fiestaware.

Gluten Free Christmas Gift!

I was happy to see Shauna James Ahern, The Gluten Free Girl's cookbook has come out! I am so happy for her. I have followed her blog for some time. She married her "chef" and  now they have a sweet baby. I have followed her for a really long time now that I think about it! They have really tackled some tricky gluten free recipes for this book. I think I emailed her once and asked if she could just start a food company where I could buy their recipes as food instead of me  actually making them...I know I sound really lazy but they seem to put so much love and care into what they prepare. Lately, I have been just rushing around the kitchen like a whirling dervish!

And LOOKEY...here are some more of my recipe cards from Expressionery. I actually used one the other day as a thank you note! I sent it to Jo Packham telling her the Creative Connection Event was a recipe for success, I hope she doesn't think I am a dork. You know  when you have a brief moment that you think you are being clever but later you realize that maybe you were stretching across the clever line into "just weird" territory? 

Anyway, I saw that the cook book is being sold on Amazon as well as Costo, so if you know someone who knows someone (which seems to be everybody) who  has to eat gluten free pick one up because Christmas is right around the corner....oh! and get them personalized recipe cards too! Ok, now I am being clever! OHOH! How about we (isn't that funny how I say "we" as if I am volunteering you to help me?) start a column for Clever Gift Ideas for Christmas!? I am sooo into that idea!!! I already have my mothers gift all picked out. I will post it soon and tell her not to read my blog that day!

Easy Peasy Decoration!

I was sitting in my doctors office the other day, afraid to sit near anyone or touch anything. There have been some nasty bugs  going around and I was just there to get some allergy medicine, I did NOT want to partake of anything germy. I finally broke down and had to pick up the Oct. issue of Woman's Day magazine. I have to grab the halloweenie and christmas issues of everything...not the thanksgiving issues..blah blah  how to cook a turkey, just call your mom, she knows! Anyhoo, I saw this craft/ decoration idea and thought it was cute. I was on the hunt for  the perfect glittery pumpkin, undoubtedly so last year because I can't find one that I like so I thought this would do on my dining room table for now. Easy peasy, I went a little nuts when buying the candy corn, I have like 6 extra bags! I think they made a wreath and strung candy corn in the magazine as well but I am a bit of a lazy crafter as of late.  Oh! don't forget to enter my vintage linen giveaway by the end of the day Thursday, which in my world is 5pm, ok maybe actually 7pm. I also need a name suggestion for my new monthly "old things" column. See...old things doesn't sound good...like right now my refrigerator is full of "old things", sticky and gooey, uck. It needs to be charming...!

bread, sigh

 no capital letters for me tonight. another gluten free baking disaster and with a brand new EXPENSIVE (oops, caps) bread maker, no less. i think i have mentioned before that gluten free baking is a total crap shoot. maybe i need to change my negative confession. i say it is a crap shoot and 2 out of the 3 times  that i have made bread with my new machine have looked like this-AFTER THE BAKE CYCLE! sigh. pretty, isn't it?  where is my beautiful crusty loaf of bread? the last time this happened,  i thought that i had put it on the wrong loaf setting so i was very careful- 2 lb loaf setting- this time and then paddle never manages to grab the top half of the dry mix!!! argh! and let me tell you, these gluten free bread mixes are not cheap. i think this one was almost $7! and this is how it looks. crud. i so wanted a BLT for dinner tonight, i had the bacon and  a nice tomato ... and i walked into the kitchen and shrieked in horror. my poor sister, i was gabbing with her on the phone, she probably wanted to have a real conversation about her youngest daughter going off to college but she had to listen to a tirade about gluten free baking instead. but i am not a quitter, no sirree, i am off to buy dry yeast and try with another recipe tomorrow, which is all kind of ridiculous considering that the reason i got out the bread maker  today was  because i was too lazy busy to leave the house today to purchase gluten free bread for my BLT. (udi's bread, i love you.) tomorrow! i will shower, comb my hair, put on make up, step away from my computer and tackle the evils of gluten free baking head on! (i did put a call into my local alternative market though. they are getting a shipment of  yummy udi's  gluten free bread tomorrow, bagels AND cinnamon rolls just in case. see you in capital letters tomorrow.

Another Weekend, Another Wedding!

 




 This is when New England really has one over other parts of the country. There is simply nothing sweeter than a Cape Cope wedding! The weather was perfect, everyone was just so happy and relaxed. These are my friends Shelley and Tony and Shelley's children. Delicious day!