Inspiring Apple Pie!

What's your design inspiration? My muse is often one of my favorite things...yummy, delicious foods! So when Spoonflower, the lovely print-on-demand fabric company, posted the weekly competition was about PIES I knew I was up for entering!

Just last fall I discovered a wonderful recipe on Kathy Patalsky's "Healthy. Happy. Life." blog (http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com). It's her Vegan Caramel Apple Pie and it is delicious! I've made it several times, including her recipe for crust (which melts in your mouth!) My favorite way to make the apple pie is with about half the apples WITH peel on (getting those good nutrients) and about half peeled. The pie pictured here used some tart green apples and I hadn't made my caramel sauce yet. Check out Kathy's recipe here
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/01/vegan-caramel-apple-pie-recipe.html
and dig in to warm, sweet, cinnamon and ginger-infused soft apples in a flakey, buttery crust.

So when it came to creating a design for pies...well, I knew apple was my pie of choice and I get a big sense of satisfaction from making this pie from scratch. From rolling out the crust to peeling the apples, this process is a good activity to share with my kids and when it's done, it's just that much sweeter to eat!

Spoonflower fabrics: http://www.spoonflower.com/designs/2472564

and http://www.spoonflower.com/designs/2472515

Color my world with drinkblots art!

I'm enjoying my new "drinkblots" coasters at my desk today. These coasters absorb water and come in sets of 24 different designs. I love them! And I love that they are reusable and recyclable (AND made in the USA). I finally got some pictures of my new collections that are available. I'm fortunate to have two lines with Studio M, the maker of drinkblots (and part of the wonderful Magnet Works family). The first set is "Summer Garden" and is a collection of birds, butterflies, flowers, and patterns in blues, greens and purples. Fresh and cool. The second collection is "Nature Lover" with images from my modern lodge collection. Just the style for a fishing trip, the mountain vacation home, or just remembering the beauty and serenity of our forests and lakes. Have fun enjoying a different image with each coaster you use.

I've been asked where you can order drinkblots. They are available through a number of retail stores. The company Flag Fables carries the whole line and has online ordering. If you are interested in "Summer Garden" (http://www.flagfables.com/product-p/mc-db11327.htm) or "Nature Lover" (http://www.flagfables.com/product-p/mc-db11351.htm) or any of the other inspiring artist collections of drinkblots, check out http://www.flagfables.com/category-s/386.htm.

A toast to artful homes!