Time away

I'm lacking inspiration, so I'll be taking a small hiatus From this blog until september! :) Have a beautiful rest of your summer everyone!

Design: Sofa

Finn Juhl



via cococozy

Peter Hvidt

via design sponge

fainting sofa

Photorealism

Its been a long week. Sorry I haven't written much lately! I've felt like the girl in the painting below.

Diego Gravinese

These photo realism painters are some of the best of this century. These paintings are so amazing! I would love to see them in person!

Diego Gravinese

Glennray Tutor

Glennray Tutor

Ralph Goings

Alyssa Monks




Alyssa Monks

Alyssa Monks

Alyssa Monks

Eric Zener

Eric Zener

Are there any other photo realism painters you can think of that should be included in this list?

Foodie Tuesdie

A long while ago I bought these measuring spoons from Anthropologie. They have the greatest gold accent on the tip of their faux coral handle.




I have yet to use them....So I thought making these S'more cupcakes would be good. :) Mmmmm...





I've seen a lot of recipes, but this one seems pretty good! :) I might even drizzle some chocolate on the top of it and add more graham to the muffin bottom.

Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Marsh mellow Frosting

Ingredients:
For the graham cracker crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

For the cake:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
½ tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter; mix well with a fork. Drop about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down to line the bottom. (Note: I found the bottom of my squeeze bottle to be the perfect size to do this job neatly and quickly.) Sprinkle a small amount of the chopped chocolate on top of the graham cracker crusts. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and maintain the oven temperature.

To make the cake batter, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed just to combine. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; whisk together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir just to combine (batter will be thin).

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full. Return the pans to the oven and bake about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. (Note: I just set my clean, dry mixer bowl over simmering water, to avoid dirtying two bowls.) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Brown with a kitchen torch and garnish with chocolate and graham cracker segments (optional).

Recipe from Lovin' From the Oven.

This Town

I love this Town - Fabric print 8x10 by Annilygreen

What a great statement. I do love this town. Minneapolis is my home and its a damn good one!





Here is our beautiful Minneapolis skyline! This is a painting made by Chicago artist Anastasia Mak for the Powderhorn Art Fair. Coming up next weekend, August 7-9!

Interior Inspiration

Goodmorning all! These colors/textures best describe how I'm feeling today. I wish I could live in a space with all of these things!

Perfect Paper

I've been having trouble getting inspired this week, which is why I didn't post yesterday. Today I'd like to make up for it by showing you work from Mia Pearlman! She's an amazing artist who does papercut installations.







Her latest work (pictured below) was in an Exhibition called Escape from New York at the Fabricolor Building in New Jersey.


Prior to that, she exhibited work in Minneapolis at the annual Chablis fundraiser/art auction for the Midway Contemporary Art Museum. So disappointed I didn't know about it sooner!


Her next exhibition isn't scheduled until 2012, at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.