Nesting Instinct
April 30, 2012
Whether it’s a Cardinal locking his sights on a large shrub in your yard or a friend scoping out the perfect tree on a bluff overlooking Lake Huron…everyone is looking up this spring for the ideal location. Built of gathered grasses,twigs and bark or construction cast offs and recycled product, each of these tree houses possess a simplicity and modernity that can’t be denied…both the result of design instinct and hard work. If you’re feathering your nest to welcome a new family or looking for a place of quietude from the family you have, start with an inspired plan and you too can enjoy rewards such as these. 
April showers…
April 26, 2012
make everything wet…like tree bark. Mother Nature doing it again, providing the perfect inspiration for this all season blanket I call Bark. Berroco’s Remix is my yarn of choice for this…I love it’s rich ” wet bark” color as well as the recycled mix of fibers. While you’re waiting for May’s flowers, this might be a project to wind you down after a day of spreading mulch.
Dip it…dip it good
April 22, 2012
This white bean dip is easy, easy and easy. It makes a great light lunch when paired with some bread and crudite’ and can rise to the occasion as an appetizer when you’re entertaining. Similar to hummous ( and lower in fat) yet there are no exotic ingredients here…it’s likely you can whip some up right now. Blend in your processor a can of drained and rinsed white beans, a couple of cloves of garlic roughly cut, 2-3 tablespoons of general use olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice (I have found I like to use the brine from pepperoncini as the acid) and a good pinch of kosher salt and a few good grinds of black pepper. This recipe,http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/white_bean_dip.html, can be tweeked as I did to suit you own taste and menu changes. Love some capers? Add the juice and then fold some in…love cumin? sprinkle it on. Now, go make yourself a snack.
Plywood,concrete…
April 18, 2012
where do I sign? I L O V E this space. Maybe becuse it is not only simple, quiet and modern…but it is constructed of my all- time favorite materials; plywood and concrete. I could move in immediately…what else is there to say?
http://www.narukuma.com/main.html
Until then maybe I could be happy with one of these concrete pendant lights. I already have the plywood floors.
simplequiet…poof!
April 16, 2012
And, decidedly modern. Like magic. As if something was there and then POOF!…it’s gone. Or, perhaps something otherworldly is about to emerge from the colored mist. Mesmerizing. In any case it is hard to ignore the beauty and genius of these photographs. Armed with a camera and homemade smoke bombs, Filippo Minelli created these visions in various locations throughout the European countryside. http://www.filippominelli.com/silenceshapes/
Branching out
April 14, 2012
No matter where you are in the country there should be copious amounts of flowering branches available…if not in your own yard maybe a kindly neighbor or friend? A small armload of judiciously pruned branches~ be they cherry, quince, forsythia or peach~can make quite a statement when brought indoors. Pull out your glass cylinder vase, pound those woody stems and let them arrange themselves. 
Five Easy Pieces
April 12, 2012
OK…this is where you start. An empty room…and add five easy pieces. In this case; 1. a sofa 2. a lounge chair 3. a coffee table 4 . an end table & 5. an occassional chair or two. This will kick things off with plenty of places to sit for you and your guests as well as a place to set your coffee or cocktail. Whether it’s a group of classic mid-century designs as illustrated or assorted hand-me-downs of various degrees of style or vintage this formula establishes a strong base to which you can add and embellish…or keep it simple and modern.
Smokey
April 11, 2012
I love the smokey color this Berroco Remix yarn brings to this seasonally transitional slouchy cap. The recycled blend of fibers ( nylon, cotton, acrylic, silk and linen ) keep it from looking too wooly and makes it easily wearable on all but the warmest of spring days. The pattern was genius; simple and easy to follow with a quick and satisfying result that has the added bonus of being reversible. A great treat for yourself…even greater as a gift. Jennifer Adams’ pattern is available here http://nuttyirishmanknits.blogspot.com/2011/11/graham.html
If today were my birthday…
April 9, 2012
I would like a little pate’, a little champagne and a big ‘ol piece of this cake! It’s just too great! Like a big 60’s milner’s confection for someone like Liz Taylor. Simple combination of fluffy white frosting on dark chocolate cake, modern presentation…and oh,yeah….quiet. Fork please.
That’s Italian
April 6, 2012
I’m not Italian,but this seems like the perfect Easter dessert…Ricotta Cheesecake. Simple, light…with a touch of sweetness from golden raisins and a burst of freshness from lemon zest. This would be the perfect addition to an Easter brunch or ending to a dinner of lamb chops and roasted asparagus. My Hungarian grandmother used to make a cake that the flavors and textures of this recipe bring to mind. Oh yeah, she wasn’t Italian either.
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/ricotta_cheesecake.html
simplequietmodern 