Cocktails, anyone??

I think entertaining can be a great creative outlet. (I can just hear you... does this woman need more creative outlets??) Well, I view it this way so that when I'm planning it doesn't become this arduous thing. My husband John (at left) is known in our family as Uncle Margarita... really, he can make a mean drink! He also makes a killer Mojito... If you have never tried one, be warned... First, they are strong little numbers, just to be clear. (I’ve never met a strong drink I didn’t like.) Second, you never seem to make enough... So get out the BIG pitcher and some pretty glasses... always cool to use a range of glassware... different colors and sizes... Festive indeed. John will love your comments if you do try these!

John’s Mojito

Black Strap Rum
1 can of Limeade
A good handful of mint leaves (not stems)
Sugar
Club Soda
Limes
Water
Ice

Place mint leaves, Limeade, 3 cups of water, and 1/2 cup sugar in blender; blend thoroughly (until leaves are just little green specs). Let soak for a few minutes - the longer the better to imbue the sweet-sour limeade flavor with the mint flavor. Pour mix through a fine mesh strainer - to remove all bits of mint. (They tend to end up on your teeth in the middle of the most compelling stories, which will of course ruin the story and give your friends ammo with which to ridicule you!) Pour into a beautiful pitcher (hint!). Fill a tall glass with ice; add 1-1/2 oz. of Black Strap Rum (or dark rum); fill 1/2 to 2/3 way up with your mint/Limeade mix (depending on how well you like the mix). Fill rest with club soda; squeeze in one wedge of lime; stir; drink; laugh at how hard everyone thought you worked and how easy it really was!

Hors d'oeuvres... fast and happy about it

I like delicious and fast. I am a girl that likes to wing it, but having said that, planning is essential for me when it comes to having good ingredients on hand. (This is what makes "winging it" work!) Usually I’ll put down thoughts... buzz through some cookbooks to get inspired... think about tastes that I love, and go from there. Sometimes when we have a weekend houseful, I will go for really easy noshing... For instance, I always put out fantastic olives in great little dishes... sometimes I will warm the olives in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or so. If it’s summer, my herb garden is wonderful and I’ll put rosemary and thyme on the olives before going in the oven. I will always drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic as well, perhaps even some blue cheese chunks on top. I love to put out big chunks of cheese, genoa or soppressata salami, and sometimes roasted almonds.

This may make you laugh, but one of my all time favorite appetizers is rumaki. (Very 60's of me, I know!) I like them because they are instantly gone... we all dive at them! Serve them immediately in a lovely low bowl or a gorgeous tray or platter. My recipe is incredibly simple... I have read way to many recipes for this over the years where people tend to overthink it. No need to marinate as others suggest... or use too many ingredients.

RUMAKI

1/2 C. soy sauce
1 C. ketchup
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
2 (4 oz.) can whole water chestnuts, drained
1 package bacon, pieces cut in half lengthwise
skewers or toothpicks

In a shallow bowl, combine the soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and 1/4 C. brown sugar. Set aside. Warm oven to 400 degrees. Wrap chestnut with bacon, skewer with a toothpick, and dip in remaining brown sugar. Arrange rumaki on wire rack over shallow roasting pan and bake about 30 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Remove from oven and drain off fat. Pour sauce over the skewered pieces (be sure to turn them and fully cover each). Put back into the oven for another 12 minutes.

p.s. I also make these with pitted dates and chicken livers… but it seems not as many people are reaching for those as the water chestnut type!

Behind the scenes... inspiration

People often ask me where my inspiration for designs come from. So... for instance, this year in our catalog we have these very avant-garde salt and pepper sets on pedestals. They are luscious and dripping with detail. Well, years ago when John and I were first married (16 years and counting!!) John bought me a lovely hand blown glass set of salt and peppers... I thought they were just incredible. I have sort of been infatuated with the idea since then. So this year we gave it a shot... I just figured if we made them so unique... beautifully sculpted and hand-painted and some metallic gold accents (can’t help myself) that you’d fall in love! They are most definitely one of my all time favorite things we’ve ever created. I love how they are classic and whimsical at once. To me the idea of several different sets on the dining table is just too good. It’s always fun to see our flat artwork come to life... I will never tire of a new box of goodies coming up those stairs for me to peek at! Wish you could be here to see the excitement in the studio when our new designs arrive... the initial samples, which sometimes need a bit of tweaking, are still always such a visual treat!!

Do you ever...

* Wear scandalously chic shoes with jeans? I love dressing high/low... more eclectic... more interesting... more fun to pull together!

* Read Dominique Browning’s monthly editorial column? She is the editor-in-chief of House & Garden. I love her heartfelt writings and down to earth approach. Truly lovely. She also has several beautifully written books.

* Buy Middle Eastern pastries for parties? They are one of my favorite things to keep in the freezer and they are scrumptious! Try them (www.mepdelight.com). p.s. I always go with the mixed tray... you know me, I love variety! Put them on a pretty platter, and you are in fact good to go!!

* Use a mirror on your tabletop as your centerpiece? This is one of my favorite tricks... I then put lots of candles on the mirror... beautiful... shimmering... glimmering!!

* Go to bed with your hair wet? For me this is the easiest way to get some volume into my stick-straight hair. (No time for hot rollers in my world!)

My London Wall

Last fall we took a trip to London. I LOVE everything about London. (That's a separate blog... I’ll get to it soon enough!) I came back so ridiculously inspired that I was nearly bursting at the seams. What’s the problem, really? First I am an Anglophile... oddly a Francophile as well. (Again I digress... and while I'm at it... don’t worry, I’m also a complete patriot! Oh, stay on topic!!!) So there is no problem really, just top-to-bottom inspiration... Our quote of that week was, ”The charm fairy lives in London." You know, everything is so darn charming, right down to the matches in every bloody ash tray... Even the sugar packets are charming... can it be?! So this very fabulous hotel we stayed at (www.gorehotel.com) was just killing me. All the walls were just crammed with paintings... Of course they were all unbelievably gorgeous and all framed to the nines. I came home and scrounged my entire home for things to hang in our den... I didn't have enough to do all the walls, so I did two walls, and I needed to stretch things a bit... so I took old books and opened them up and hung them using a brass plate holder. (Does this make sense to you guys? Basically pretend the book is a plate... those plate holders are all of $1.95 at the craft store.) I hung little shelves... plates... letters... antlers... mirrors... I even framed some of my kids' funky art and put it right in there with everything. I LOVE sitting in there... the walls just covered with goods. It makes me crazy... in a very time-for-tea-and-macaroons kind of a way!!!

I am crazy for...

The TRISH MCEVOY power of makeup planner. I have owned it for years... I think maybe 5 or 6 years now. So here’s the scoop... It’s small and all inclusive... which for me means my 5 minute makeup routine (no joke) can happen anywhere. I can throw it in pretty much any purse no matter where I am going. It holds everything I need. I literally do not own more makeup than what this holds. (Okay, slight lie... I do have a few “floating” lip glosses on my desk, etc., but that’s it!) You buy it with all the brushes and then you buy the pages separately with whatever your colors are. I even use her foundation which also fits in here. The only thing I dislike is that my eyelash curler doesn’t fit all that well, but I do cram it right in. I have found in the past that her lip glosses sort of ooze out of their tubes, but they seem to be working on it, and are very good about replacing them. Other than that, this is one of my all-time favorite makeup-y things. Just thought I’d share!!

I have another obsession to share...

Well... it seems that since we are now regularly chatting, and you have really been so good to get right in here with me... I will share one (yes, there are more) of my favorite obsessions with you. I have this thing (okay, love affair... to be truthful) with coconut cakes. They can actually take any form... cupcakes are one of them. I will try them anywhere! If I am to "get on the couch" here... I would say my coconut thing started back in Chicago. I lived downtown, but I would drive all the way to Oak Park for a Peterson's coconut malt. To die for!! Then a few years ago my mother made me a coconut birthday cake. Well, that was the end of that. I even keep some all wrapped up in my freezer... just in case I am having a fix (sick, I know)! Now... Ina Garten (www.barefootcontessa.com), who I think is just a doll, makes these fabulous coconut cupcakes. You just have to make them. You may not fully recover! Or, if you don't cook and you really want a major splurge, try this... maybe you’ll have it this weekend??

http://www.peninsulagrill.com/coconut.asp

Welcome!

Okay, well, here we go! My thought with this whole blog thing is that you can get the inside scoop! You know, to pretty much all that goes on around here... behind the scenes at the studio and on our photo shoots... life on a few acres... a husband and wife entrepreneur team... what's on my radar now... cool ideas... what we are inspired by... etc. I hope of course you'll comment... let us know what you want to know. Do check in a couple of times a month if you can... we'll keep this thing interesting. You are good to come in the first place... thanks for that! ... BTW, this is fairly uncensored, so don't get too uppity on us... it's pretty casual around here!!

xoxo,
Tracy

Behind the scenes...

A little sneak peek... in the studio. The fall holiday catalog is out and about, so get your copy! They go fast and really, it is luscious! We have tons more fashion, as you have been so good to love what we are showing. Most of what you see in our catalog is designed in our Wisconsin studio. Also just in... our new furniture collection! It is on our website now... and it is crazy fabulous! Each piece is really beautifully hand-crafted. We design our furniture with a nod to the classics with layers of history, texture, and unique touches that will make you swoon! You know... I do love an eclectic look. It's the way I decorate, the way I dress, the way I eat. I just think a landscape of textures and looks makes for a more interesting life!

Our new furniture collection... I'm out of my mind!!!

I just have to (because I cannot contain myself...) give you more details about the new furniture we've designed. If you don't know our history... we (my husband, John, and I) actually began our company 16 years ago designing furniture. It was wildly successful and people were nuts over it... It was hand-painted and just striking. Well, as we evolved we have learned even more (such is life and growing up...) and added so many goodies to our lines. We have over the last few years really wanted to get back to our roots... so we did! We start each piece of furniture by thinking about all the things that we truly love. Say for instance a chair. I have very particular likes and dislikes about chairs... so I took all of those thoughts... started sketching and thinking... history always plays a role for me, but so does comfort, beauty, texture, and interest. We've taken this same thought process throughout the various pieces. This is really just a start that you are seeing. In fact, right now, many of our newest furniture samples are just being created... I love the entire process... except the waiting, that is!

p.s. I would love to know what you think of the furniture... especially as excited as I am over it!! Please share us with your friends since you can only find our furniture here on our website and in our catalog... I don't want anyone to miss it!!

Do you ever...

* Have poached eggs on buttered toast for lunch on Saturday...with a little side salad? (It's my favorite comfort food.)

* Try XM radio station The Loft? I love it. When I'm at home it's my main station... In fact, we just got XM in the studio and now I love it here as well!

* Take your slippers with you when you travel? I always do... that and my big comfy Polartec. (p.s. On that note... buy new slippers! Oh, how I love new slippers! Here's a particularly darling pair...

* Carry a smaller version of your perfume in your purse? I love it for a quick pick me up!!!

* Wear a big cocktail ring during the day? I do most days... no matter what I am wearing... it's just an elegant thing to do. (Check out our fun & fashiony assortment...)

* Take a big stack of catalogs and magazines onto your bed? Just spread them out, notebook in hand... searching out things to do, places to go... I love doing this!

* Make this? Savory spinach and artichoke bread pudding by Emeril... It is to die for!!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/
0,,FOOD_9936_26639,00.html?rsrc=search

* Light candles at your dinner table? I know it's small... but really, it's so lovely.

What's on my nightstand

London Hotels & More (Paperback) by Christine Samuelian (Author), Angelika Taschen (Editor)

I love this book! I have the Paris version as well. Both are outstanding. Even if you do not travel, they are very inspiring... beautifully photographed and written about. I have dog-eared WAY too many pages... I need a really big travel budget if I am going to visit all the hotels and places that I've marked!! Truly lovely... would make a marvelous gift... or a spoiler for yourself!

The studio

Most do wonder... what is the studio like? I have to tell you... it is so cool!! It’s a wonderful old brick building that we renovated a few years ago. We are located in the lovely small college town of Ripon, Wisconsin. So... basically we have three floors of luscious inspiration! I love coming here everyday... as it is always an exciting new experience and there are constantly wonderful things, ideas, and new goodies we are working on for you! (Not that it is entirely stress-free... but that comes with running a business anyway!) We design an enormous amount of new goods (dinnerware, rugs, home decor, bedding) each year, as we literally have our fingers into everything! We are in the midst of a gorgeous bedding collection that I am dying to share with you... but I still haven’t seen the final fabrics since our artwork left the studio! I’ll keep you posted... As I sit in my office and write this, I am looking out at so many stunning things... new dinnerware for spring, gorgeous gift items that you’ll love to give... There is always a new box of something coming up the stairs... I realize this is very teasing of me... and hopefully quite tempting!

A really good read

My favorite magazine is The Week. The best of U.S. and foreign press in a snug little 44 page mag. Sick as it may be... I await with bated breath this magazine's arrival every Friday... savoring every page once I’m in bed. I think I have told everyone I know about this magazine... I am the official walking “unpaid” billboard. (Man... I do hope I have people out there doing this for our company?? Hello...) It is juicy in that it covers every topic and in a very bite size way. Great website as well. I am addicted!!

http://www.theweekdaily.com/

p.s. If you don't read in bed like I do... check out our cozy leather chair to freshen up your reading nook!

Small and lovely... places to stay

I travel a fair amount and the reality is I like nice hotels. I love good amenities... I know I'm not the first oddball to run into the bathroom to see what they stock... Bliss
... L’Occitane... Aveda... hmmm. (Ridiculous, I know!) NYC is always a destination of ours for various meetings. Recently I came across this great list of the best luxury boutique hotels in New York. Well... so many places to stay, so little time! Check it out... I have stayed at many of these... I am always up for trying out a charming boutique hotel!

http://www.tablethotels.com/Location/en/Review/N/70/
the-best-luxury-hip-boutique-hotels-in-New-York-
New-York-United-States

Chasing butterflies

Okay, if you have kids in your life in some way... I hope nature plays a role in your time together. At our home in the Wisconsin countryside the weekends and evenings are very nature driven. Lately with autumn creeping up on us, the kids have their butterfly nets out nearly nonstop. Every lantern in our home is now a mini butterfly conservatory... I recently bought an awesome book for the boys called The Family Butterfly Book... wonderful projects related to butterflies. I also found two really cool websites that I frequent and definitely use as gift spots for my 4 little men. I’ve no doubt you’ll find these to be really inspiring, so cool to search around... let me know what you think!

http://www.acornnaturalists.com/ and http://www.educationalscience.com/

Did you know...

That John and I have been running this company for 16 years?! It has been an incredible journey of ups and downs... nonstop learning and growing! It’s one thing to start a company but for sure it’s another to do that with your husband. Mind you, John is an amazing, remarkable person and truly I cannot imagine doing this without him... but let me tell you... whew... there was some head-knocking going on those first few years! We’ve evolved as a company (and couple) 20 times over, and I have no doubt we will continue to. That is part of the fun really... it’s embracing the change... even when it is not easy and is being forced onto you. It’s looking at the “how do we go forward from here” moments when you are blinded by the blizzard. It’s keeping your perspective when you could lose it entirely. It’s enjoying the everyday and the little moments, even when you want to run like hell to the next thing. I love being an entrepreneur... it pushes me mentally... and quite honestly, sometimes physically. I sleep like a rock because my brain is truly being used every minute of every day. Well... that, and the 4 little boys that rule our house... I’m pretty sleepy after putting them to bed as well!