Yesterday I decided I’d take today off, as in off the computer, and do some painting and drawing. I’ve been feeling a little… zapped lately, and I have a few ideas for paintings. They involve plants. Then lo and behold, whose work do I come across but Stephen Eichhorn, who does kind of what I was thinking of, except his work is collages of plant imagery. Which is way cool. You can see a short film of Stephen talking about his process here.
We’ve already added the recipe of the week feature, but I’m also adding a weekly round-up feature to Mint on Wednesdays. Round-ups are challenging and fun to make and this week I got a little over zealous with brooches. I have a few pins from my grandmother, and last weekend when I pulled one out to wear I realized that no one wears brooches anymore. What’s the deal with that? I’m going to go ahead and say they’re the next big thing. At least, I know I want them to be.
[1] leaf & letter pin set, $28 [2] 1880s jet fan brooch, $150 [3] oval rhinestone pin, $8.95 [4] pearl bar brooch, $4.50 [5] tiny pearls brooch, $14 [6] victoriana brooch, $18 [7] blue flower enamel brooch, $30 [8] Russian military pin, $10 [9] oval agate pendant (would have to be added to a pin), $22 [10] pewter & turquoise flower wreath pin, $14 [11] peach cameo pin, $14 [12] rose pin, $21.99 [13] equestrian brooch, $25 [14] vintage amethyst brooch, $10 [15] set of 3 enamel pins, $5
Want more? Recommended shops: Ava Firenze / Vintage in Bloom / Erie Basin / Penorus
Soap packaging always makes me want to buy soap. Or, it makes me want to start making some myself so I can design the packaging :)
first image from sweet petula and second from saipua
This was an obvious choice for this week’s recipe, because Ribollita is an Italian soup which is near and dear to my heart, and perfect for cold weather. In college, I spent a semester in Florence and although I had no eating-out budget (a crime when you’re in Italy!) I did treat myself to a big bowl of Ribollita soup once or twice a week, bought from a market down the street from my apartment. (In case you’re lucky enough to be visiting Florence in the near future, go to the Mercato Centrale and walk all the way to the right of the building. Toward the front there is a delicious little restaurant called Nerbone, much loved by locals and with the best Ribollita I’ve ever had). But if you’re like me and not visiting Florence any time soon, this recipe from 101 Cookbooks might do the trick. Ribollita is a thick soup full of vegetables, and a good way to put a stale loaf of bread to use. Trust me.
Paper Lanterns for Parties, Weddings, and Homes
