Better Late…
May 18, 2014
than never. While I usually schedule my Spring clean-up for somewhere nearer the middle of March, this past Winter and Winter-like Spring has only now allowed me the luxury taking stock and pulling on my gloves. Clearly Mother Nature has taken her revenge and has left my property to resemble Chernobyl after the blast rather than a rural retreat in the Midwest. Boxwood hedges…gone. Yew hedges…stripped to skeletal by hungry deer. Japanese Skyrocket Hollies…a moment of silence please. And, what is left in the way of birches, pines and spruce had taken one last good beating during a severe hailstorm on Palm Sunday. Devastating. At least the grass is finally green. And, on that one positive note I will look to the light at the end of this tunnel, entertaining the thought of rewarding myself in a setting like this…pea gravel soft underfoot, a gentle afternoon breeze weaving its way through the masses of miscanthus, and a cocktail. Oh yeah…after this mess there will be cocktails.
photo via: http://cabbagerose.tumblr.com/post/85363575103/outdoor-room-via-lorrainepennington
April Showers…
May 15, 2014
bring May…OK, more showers. While we’re waiting for the May flowers to grace us, there is the Chiara Chair to consider. Designed in 2013 by French designer Noe Duchaufour-Lawrance it has a decidedly 60’s appeal…ready to complement your growing collection of modern classics or infuse a more traditional space with a little punch. The generous flower petal inspired shape and self-returning swivel base provide the perfect perch to lounge, relax and wait.
Photos via :http://hivemodern.com/pages/product6578/bernhardt-design-noe-duchaufour-lawrance-chiara-lounge-chair
Bridging The Gap
May 11, 2014
Gabions. Wire cages filled with rock, bridging the gap between rustic and modern, old and new, hard and soft. A landscape application that I’m surprised I don’t see more of. Retaining walls, fences or even enclosures can be achieved cost effectively using steel wire gabion baskets with rock or stone…even recycled concrete. While it might look like a DIY project, seeking out a landscape professional could save some time and expense.
photo via Pinterest
photo:gp
photo via http://remash.tumblr.com/
A simple, lighter spin…
May 4, 2014
on potato salad. We want to move into Spring and Summer but the weather’s still holding us back. While a side of potatoes is comforting we want to shift into salad mode right? Isn’t it about time? This simplified version of an Everyday Food favorite…Potatoes Vinaigrette…is the perfect simplequietmodern transition salad. Young Yukon Gold potatoes, celery and the simplest Dijon vinaigrette will get you there in no time. Served at room temperature on a cooler day or chilled when the temperatures start to rise and you’ll find that this might just be your new Summer “go to”.
I’ve done a simple adaptation on the original recipe below by using either new white potatoes or small Yukon Gold, as much celery and celery leaves as I like…and I like alot. My vinaigrette uses only Dijon mustard, general-use olive oil and apple cider vinegar… because that is what I always have in the pantry. http://www.marthastewart.com/315005/potatoes-vinaigrette
Now, That’s A Shed
May 1, 2014
OK…I don’t need a shed, but I’d like a shed. More specifically, this shed. It falls right into my simplequietmodern sensibilities. Maximum awe accomplished with three humble materials… wood, galvanized steel and polycarbonate sheet. And, it was pre-fabricated and assembled on site. Thanks to the minds at Hufft Projects design collective mine is running wild with the possibilities. While I might not use it to store riding machinery or heavy equipment, I could certainly put it to great use as a studio, gallery, gym, or chapel…a place to create, host, retreat, rock, nap, meditate, hide out or… simply hang out.
photos via:http://hufft.com/residential/the-shed/
Test Drive
April 27, 2014
So I’ve created yards upon yards of my newsprint yarn. Next? An appropriate needle for its super bulky size. A quick trip to Amazon, a few bucks and a couple of days later, and I have this great birch circular… in a chubby size 36. They seem to be made for each other this yarn and these sticks. One skein in and the resulting fabric is showing great promise with both its color and texture. I’m not sure where this is going , but I think it’s going to be an interesting ride.
I must be channeling…
April 24, 2014
my inner Jackson Pollock. Liberty of London spatter fabric Vans. They somehow seem appropriate for kick-starting Spring. When it’s close to the end of April and it’s still cold and gray…well, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
It’s no wonder…
April 20, 2014
that they were once more valuable than property or gold. What man could even come close to producing anything near the tulip? Some simple…some exquisitely complex, each holds a special delicate beauty that is unrivaled. While white is typically my first choice, after months of gray all Winter long I am opting for a bit of color this Easter. And, lucky me…this bunch of parrots just seemed to evoke the very feeling I was looking for. The eggs? How about let’s leave ’em white?
Better like this…or
April 17, 2014
better like this? They’re everywhere… used pallets by the untold number. And, we’ve seen every conceivable re-use…from the expected platform bed ( yawn ) to elevated or vertical gardens (zzzzzzzzzzzzzz). Disassemble, kiln dry and turn the design of Studio Mama over to skilled cabinet makers and the lowly shipping pallet takes on a new level of simplequietmodern sophistication. The “Waste Not Want Not” conference table by Studio Mama. Brilliant.
pallet photo via http://irvinewoodrecovery.com/services/pallet-services/pallet-disposal-cincinnati/
Waste Not Want Not Conference table photo via http://www.studiomama.com/waste-not-want-not
Blueberry Pancakes…the remake
April 13, 2014
The idea of blueberry pancakes always sounded good but seemed to lack a little something once I took a dive in. I finally figured out that it wasn’t the individual elements, it was the way they went together that mucked things up. So, to simplify, I start with an Austrian Pancake. While that’s baking there is just enough time to reduce some pure maple syrup by about a third…to thicken it and intensify the flavor. Off heat the fresh berries are gently added to the syrup…warming them and taking the raw edge off without actually cooking them. Then plating. Who knew that a little deconstruction would lead to this… simplequietmodern pancake perfection.
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