I Spy...

I came to be hoofing it along High St. in Clintonville (the area of Columbus just south of Worthington) today and I spotted fall trying to blend in amongst a bunch of zinnias. Random pumpkins ♥.

This pretty little garden flanks the entrance to The Cornerstone Deli-Café's parking lot. I've never eaten there, but I like their effort to brighten things up a little bit in the midst of an expanse of blacktop. 

In other news, I am actually, really, truly adding items to The Little Green Vintage Shop. As you read. 

And we're having friends come to visit over the long Labor Day weekend, so the next couple of days are going to be busy getting work done and the house spiffed up prior to their arrival. But the weekend itself should be a blast. 

So in case I'm not back till next week, have a great (and hopefully long) one yourself!

♡,

Erin

What Was For Dinner: Grilled Eggplant with Feta, Tomatoes, and Herbs

With our csa subscription this summer, we are experiencing the bounty of the season like never before. And it's kind of overwhelming. Not that I like wasting food, but for some reason every bit of csa produce that's gone bad before we've gotten to use it I have felt way more guilty about than anything from the grocery store that's ever rotted into inedibility on my watch. I think at least part of the reason for this is that each week we actually come face-to-face with the people working so hard to grow all the beautiful fruits and veg and to bring them practically to our door stoop. And I know the opportunity to eat so fresh and local is a privilege, and a fleeting one, therefore it's a real shame if I don't make the most of it.

I hadn't been feeling very inspired for the last week or so, which isn't good given the pile of produce that's been staring me in the face. Then, just in the nick of time, I came across this post on the Kitchn this afternoon. And as a result we had the delicious grilled eggplant above for dinner. The recipe is here. We had one medium-large eggplant, so that's what we made. I winged it and didn't measure the vinegar or oil. I just had regular balsamic and I forgot to add the sugar, but it tasted just fine to me in the end. I did drizzle just a little more balsamic over as I was eating, but I ♥ a little more of any kind of vinegar than maybe others would. We subbed feta for goat cheese and used basil, oregano, and parsley, cause that's what we had. Easy, delicious, gorgeous, and healthy to boot. It would make a great simple starter, but this was the main course for us tonight. 

Yum!

♡,

Erin  

Happy Belated Birthday!!!

to our brand new niece, Serena! Serena was born a week ago today and we've been enjoying a steady stream of adorable photos from her mom and dad, but can't wait to meet her and see her big sister in person in October when we go to visit them in Florida. 

Serena arrived a bit early, so her auntie is still trying to pull together a welcome-to-the-world present for her, part of which you see here. Remember when I mentioned here that I'd just done a sewing project? Well this little trio was it. 

Back in July I took the Baby Gift Set class at the sweetest sewing shop in the world, Sew to Speak, which lucky for me is located right down the High Street. This is actually the third class I've taken there, all with Michelle Thomas, a super-nice and ever-patient instructor, despite the fact that I've arrived each time not remembering how to thread my machine because I've failed to attempt any sewing since the last time.

In a little under three hours, I managed to complete the bib and burp cloth, and all but stuff and sew up the final bit of the giraffe. And I felt pretty good about myself! I couldn't deal with a limp giraffe, so I stuffed him right away, but just finished sewing him up yesterday.

And then headed straight back to the shop and picked up this adorable fabric to make another bib and burp cloth. I don't know from experience, but I doubt one with a wee one can have too many of either.

And I signed up for a tea towel class this Sunday. I will be sure to share the results of that endeavor!

Sew to Speak has a great blog full of inspirations, from projects to the latest and greatest fabrics. If you are in the greater Columbus area, they have a fantastic bunch of classes to choose from for all ability levels. And if you don't own your own machine, you can even borrow one to use. 

Perhaps in the future I can take you on a tour of the shop. It is bright, colorful, and inspiring, packed to the brim with bolts, notions, patterns, and lovely books. If you're not in Columbus you can shop online. Hooray! Just follow the links.

I have plans to set up a little sewing/crafting/whatever-elsing-I-like nook here at home in the next couple of weeks to facilitate actually doing projects on my own. Just have to get the displaced basement couch out of the way and make a trip to Ikea. I will keep you posted on that too. 

Now to get busy on that bib and burp cloth before she's off to college.

♡,

Erin

Happy Place

Hello there. It's been a bit of a mixed bag of a weekend here with digging further into basement business, but one of the high points was the usual Saturday morning trip to the Worthington Farmer's Market. These posters by Igloo Letterpress have been up all around town for awhile now and I've been coveting one. Going to have to pick one up. And maybe going to have to look into dropping into one of their Saturday morning classes. They're on Etsy too, if you're not presently hailing from these parts.

It is definitely the height of fresh produce season. The last couple weeks I've really had to restrain myself from buying one of everything in sight.

Again, if you're not in the Columbus area, check out Honeyrun Farm on Etsy. They have delicious honey, lovely soap, and sweet moulded beeswax candles. Be sure to check out their profile for a nice back story. And here is their website as well.

Earlier in the season we had sort of made it a habit to stop by House Wine for an a.m. adult beverage (ok, Greg always just got a beer, but I definitely was always after something with champagne in it) on their sweet little patio after our market shopping and before heading on to brunch. For various reasons, we've been skipping over this part of the routine for quite awhile now, however it's a habit I definitely want to resurrect while good weather remains. Earlier in the season their fizzes were with Tessora Limone, a very good locally made limoncello, now it looks like they're on to fresh Ohio fruit. 

Blue Jacket Dairy makes absolutely phenomenal cheese. Their aged cow's milk Ludlow is sooooo tasty, we've been buying it regularly for awhile now. And I just sampled their plain and herbed chevre Saturday and as soon as I finish off the goat cheese I've got in the fridge now, I'm bringing both kinds home. 

We've been buying most of our meat this summer from Oink Moo Cluck Farms. Very tasty naturally, humanely raised stuff. Their chipotle honey chicken sausages are my favorite thing to be had off the grill of late.

The sweetest, tenderest, juiciest corn. Just add a bit of salt. Yum, yum. Update: I couldn't remember this vendor's name at the time I published this post, so better late than never, they are Wishwell Farms.

Between our csa share from HW Organic Farms and the other odds and ends we picked up, I admit, we're sitting on nearly an embarrassment of riches here. Though we have put a bit of a dent in the pile since just post-market. 

Last Saturday I passed on the gorgeous bouquets the same seller I got this beauty from had because I had brought some zinnias home earlier in the week. Then I spent the whole of last week dreaming of her dessert-plate sized dahlias, so I just couldn't pass again.

And as promised, here is her info.

Going to the farmer's market has really become one of the things I look forward to most each week. And our csa has really been forcing me into the kitchen a lot more of late, and lo and behold I've been quite enjoying myself there. I'll try to start sharing some of the recipes I've followed/concocted. I know I promised one for cherry lemonade and now cherry season is well over. So if I want to be timely, I suppose I'd better get on it.


I hope you had a fresh and tasty weekend.


♡,


Erin
  

Vintage, Vintage Everywhere

Finally, here are the goodies we scooped up at the estate sale I mentioned oh so long ago. I am up to my ears in finds that I need to scrub up, inventory, photo, and list in The Little Green Vintage Shop.

Isn't this baby beautiful? I'm pretty sure that all it needs is good cleaning and a new ribbon (or two, I think there's a button to switch colors). 

All of the keys seem to work just fine, no sticking at all, and the return too, and it still makes that satisfying ding when you reach the end of the line. 

I think it's early 20s. I've currently got two other typewriters as well that I found at garage sales this summer, both a bit newer than this one by a few decades. One is a script typewriter that works just perfectly (even the ribbon is a-ok) and the other has got a few sticky keys and needs a ribbon. I am debating as to whether or not to sell them as is or find a place to get them all serviced and in working order first. Or do the latter and then just have the start of my own typewriter collection. Hmmmmm.   

This gem had been relegated to the garage, apparently it had long ago become too unfashionable to keep the bread. But I daresay its chrome-plated loveliness has come full circle as far as the looks department goes.

I picked up some polish yesterday and I think with a little elbow grease it would look right at home in today's modern stainless-filled kitchen. Or whatever room one might have things to keep tucked away out of sight inside something shiny.

These coasters are a keeper. I already have a set just like them but with pewter rims. The more the merrier.

I keep picturing this basket with one half full of peaches and the other full of blackberries. In keeping with the season.

Perhaps in a couple of months jammed full of yarn, a couple of needles, and the latest project. And I don't even knit. Yet.

It too was out in the garage, with a couple of odd nuts and bolts in it. Now ready for a new purpose.

Speaking of cooler weather, how's about a little Stewart plaid?

Oh, Scotland. I'll be back soon, I promise. (Our honeymoon destination. Hopefully I'll show you in the near future.)

And finally, one gorgeous chenille bedspread. I know you always see bits cut from these, but this one is in nearly absolutely, if not absolutely, perfect condition, so it will be remaining intact. As I mentioned, I first stopped into the sale Friday, but decided to wait on getting anything and go back Saturday afternoon when everything was half price. The one thing I missed out on that I really wanted was another all-white chenille spread. I don't remember if it was wedding ring pattern too or something different, but it was in equally fabulous condition. It would be adorning our bed now, but alas, I suppose that's the risk one takes in trying to get the best bargain.

Well, I am planning to do some chores, get a little exercise, and then spend the rest of the day working towards getting new things into Little Green Vintage. (While enjoying having the windows open for the first time since I don't remember when, as it seems the heat wave is finally over, hooray!) So watch for those items above I haven't indicated I plan to be selfish with, plus many more, coming soon. I am also still working towards a new line of handmade/upcycled items, hopefully in time for the holiday season, if not sooner.

In other news, we've half gutted the previously finished side of our basement, and my Dad arrives tomorrow to help in beginning its rehabilitation. I will do my best to still be a good blogger though.

♡,

Erin

Present

I came across this journal at Anthropologie earlier this year and kinda loved the concept. It occurred to me then and there to get it and save it back to give to myself as a birthday present. I am ALL for self-gifting. I always know just what I want. I didn't get around to properly wrapping it, but I did tie some vintage ribbon around it.  

I've always loved the idea of keeping a diary/journal, ever since I was a little girl, but I've never been very good at it. Every attempt I've tended to go into way too much excruciating detail, so that it takes forever to write an entry, and then I give up because I never feel able to take the time. So hopefully this will allow me to be short and sweet and stick-to-itive (I've thought about this before and I am pretty convinced that there is not a word in the English language that conveys the same nuances of meaning as stick-to-it-iveness. It sounds so much better said aloud, looks horrible written.) in recording myself for posterity.

I ♥ gilt-edged pages.

Liked this number cloud on the inside covers too.

I didn't have the chance to get started on my birthday or for a few days after, but finally yesterday I cracked the spine.

I'm trying not to peek ahead too much, but there's all sorts of questions. When I come to a particularly interesting one in the future, I'll be sure to share here.

I think the most thoughtful present I've every given myself. :)

Gosh, it's Friday again. Already. Happy weekend.

♡,

Erin

PS I just looked and it's available here and other places as well if you just Google the title.