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HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Holidays all you little birds! Wether you celebrate Christmas or not, here's a blessing of happiness and peace on a special day. I hope you will be spending the day with family or relaxing in some way.

Today has been a fantastic day in Nashville.  It's a perfect Christmas day with so much food that I'm fighting an official food coma as we speak. Not that I'm complaining.  Surprisingly I haven't baked anything for the day, but my lovely aunt who is quite the baker brought tons of yummy sweets. And tonight we will be eating fried chicken and collard greens - just like any good southern family should.

2011 has been a fantastic year full of craziness and love. I am so incredibly thankful for all of my experiences this year and look forward to spending the next year furthering my career, my self, my relationships, and my creativity.

Happy Christmas, birds!

OH. And next week will be a fantastically special week. why? Because MAGPIE IS COMING TO NASHVILLE! So excited. We will be blogging as a duo, which is a rarity since we live so far apart.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!

-- Eagle

The True Meaning of Christmas

It is 3 pm on Christmas Eve. I am spending the holidays at my parents house where my grandparents, my uncle, and 2 cousins have also organized. I've got a toddy in my hand, peanut butter cookies in the oven, my most festive vintage party dress on, and this is exactly how I love spending my Christmas Eve. In about 2 hours, I'll head off to church and in the midst of all the cozy merry-making, despite my efforts not to forgot, I hope the Lord will take me by the shoulders and remind me very firmly and clearly that the reason I live is to glorify Him. I'm praying for such a reminder for all of you dear readers :)

God's Love to All of You!!
-Magpie

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Butter Cookies

Alright yall. It's officially cookie baking time. I want to share with you my favorite cookie recipe. It's super easy and super delicious and I just know you will love it.

This is originally a recipe a la Paula Deen. That woman makes the most magical baked goods. I think its because she is not afraid of butter. Here we go:

The cast of characters:
-A box of fudgy chocolate cake mix
-A stick of butter (softened)
-A block of cream cheese (softened)
-1 egg

Mix all your ingredients together in a bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes. Next, roll the dough into 1" balls and roll in powdered sugar. *Warning* This is a messy cookie to make. You will get your hands dirty. Don't let that stop you!!

Bake for about 15-20 minutes. These are supposed to be really soft and fluffly cookies so don't be tempted to over cook them. You do, however, want to make sure that they are not gooey in the centers.

Finally- cool them off and display them on something adorable, like the cake plate you made after last week's tutorial! ;) And try not to eat the entire batch in one go. Have milk on hand.

Happy Baking Little Birds!
Love,
Magpie

DIY Cakestands!

Hello little birds! Firstly, I should let you all know that I'm obsessed with cake stands. Cake stands and tea pots are my downfall, really. And today, as I was meandering through my local Anthropologie store, they had some really beautiful plates and stemware on sale. I don't even use the stemware I already own and the plates match nothing in my kitchen but they were too pretty to pass up! And they were on sale! Plus 30% off!

So I decided to buy them and turn them into cake stands! I got two glasses of varying heights and two dessert plates for just under $20. Using some E6000, I glued the bottom of the glasses to the center of the bottom of each plate and Wah-Lah! Cake Stands!

Here's the finished product:

So easy and adorable! Now I just need to entertain!

Au Revior!
Magpie

Brrrrr!!! This morning, Houston, TX hit 29 degrees! That's probably the coldest we're going to see all winter and I couldn't be more content! I may have mentioned this recently, but I love the cold!

With the weather shift, comes a whole new slew of wardrobe and beauty malfunctions that we as women ought to be prepared for (if not for ourselves, then for the poor girl at the office who did not think ahead)! Here's what's in my arsenal (aka my purse):

1. Clear Nail Polish- It's been cold enough to wear tights for approximately 3 weeks and I've snagged approximately 3 pairs of tights in that window. Clear nail polish will stop the snag from worsening as the day progresses.

2. Cherry Chapstik- cold wind equals parched lips and you just never know when someone might want a kiss!

3. A Hankerchief- stop your runny nose in the classiest way possible

4. Hand Cream- dry parched hands do not beg to be held.

5. Sweet knit or leather gloves- to seal in the moisture from your lotion and fight off the dry cold!

6. Nail clippers- you don't want your jagged nail causing a snag in your tights!

7. A dryer sheet (only on days when static cling is an issue)- rub a dryer sheet over the static-y skirt of your dress or tuck it in your waistband (out of sight-of course!) to ward of cling! You'll smell fresh too!

8. A bottle of water- hydration in the winter is soooooo imperative!

9. A tea bag or packet of instant coffee- a cup of coffee is my favorite accessory and you just never know when a caffiene fit may come on, be it summer or winter.

10. A silk scarf- weather I'm using it to keep my neck warm or my hair in place, I almost always have one on hand.

And now, I'm drafting an agreement for everyone to sign. The four rules of winter will be: 

1. I will NOT blast the heater in my car or house, pointing directly at me- this will cause my skin and hair to dry out even worse than what the cold does. I will direct heat toward my feet and let it engulf me- even if it means I have to be cold for an extra 30 seconds.

2. I will NOT honk my nose, no matter how bad my cold is. Ladies never honk.

3. I will drink water obsessively, even more than I drank to stay hydrated during the summer!

4. I will take full advantage of all of the best winter accessories- scarves, ascots, gloves, hats, tights, etc. I WILL properly accessorize.

Did I miss anything? What are your winter rules to live by?

Stay Warm, Little Birds!
Love,
Magpie

Haul Out the Holly and All of your Wonderful Black Clothes!

It’s December! It’s December! While I know that the holidays freak a bunch of people out, I on the other hand, thrive during the holiday season. First and foremost, it’s almost Christmas which is the best holiday ever, what with all its cheer, delicious smells, reasons to be crafty, and of course, the birth of our Savior! But more than Christmas, I am just such a fan of winter! I despise hot weather and here in Texas, it finally drops below 70 degrees in December. Coats, sweaters, and boots, come out and swim suits get stuffed away (praise the Lord!) Black makes a reappearance accompanied by a myriad of colorful, patterned tights and scarves. Hair colors go darker and pale skin is social acceptable!

Before you people in snowy states get all crazy on me, telling me that winter in Texas isn’t really winter and I should try one where it REALLY gets cold, let me tell you- I have and I loved every minute of it, save for a few slippery car-ice situations. So there! *sticks tongue out*

I thought I would share with you an ode to my black turtleneck, which I am currently wearing and will wear religiously throughout the remainder of the cold months and likely into the months where it should still be cold but gets unseasonably warm anyway.

Ah the color black.

You hug the curves you should, and

Make the rest look flat.

Warm  wishes,

Magpie

Gobble, Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving from us Birds!

May your day be filled with loving family and friends, parades, dog shows, and pie! We are so thankful for all of our many blessings, but especially for each other!

Love,

The Birds

Time for Tea (And a Recipe)!

Hello Little Birds!
This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my church's Ladies Winter Tea. It was such a lovely time for fellowship with my sisters in Christ, but even more importantly, proceeds from the tea went to Redeemed Ministries which rescues women trapped in the sex trafficking industry here in Houston. For those of you who don't know- Houston is the largest human trafficking port in the United States which is an absolute atrocity. I am so grateful for groups like Redeemed Ministries.

Anywho- the tea. I am a very old soul. A classy event like an afternoon tea is right up my ally. What's more, is that for this tea, women in the church were allowed to 'adopt' one of the tables to set however they liked, so that other ladies might have a unique and beautifully set place to eat. I have lots of memories of my mom and grandmothers pulling out their beautiful china for various teas and I was so excited to adopt a table of my own. Here's what I did with my table:

I got to use my great-grandmother's china (which is my favorite of all the china patterns floating around my mom's house) AND my Mason jars, which made it perfectly eclectic. My sister helped me to pick out fresh flowers this morning and we were both beyond excited to incorporate some fabulous purple thistles into the mix. I wish the pictures did them justice! I even worked in some of my jadeite collection and some favorite vintage etiquette books to prop up flower arrangements. Over all, I was extremely pleased and proud to sit at my adorable table.

I also did a little baking for the tea. I made a bunch of really tasty apple-pear hand pies, but I also decided that since I was channeling my grandmother and great-grandmother with the china, that I should also make some of grandma's bourbon balls- one of her holiday favorites. They are so tasty and so so easy so I wanted to share the recipe with you all! Here we go:

Here's the cast of characters.

-A box of Nilla wafers (about 3 cups crushed) 

-1 cup of powdered sugar

- 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

-1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts

- 3 tablespoons of lite corn syrup

- 1/2 cup of bourbon

Crush your nilla wafers in a food processor or in a plastic bag using a rolling pin- old school style. That's how I do it. Then combine all of your ingredients. 

Don't judge my use of a cake pan as a mixing bowl. My bowls were in the dishwasher and I just didn't have time to wait for them! After everything is all mixed, roll small spoon-fulls into balls and then roll in powdered sugar.  If your mix is too dry when you try to roll it, add a little more corn syrup. It should pull everything right together. 

Needless to say, they were delicious. They are a perfect throwback treat. For all of you little retro birds who are planning mod Christmas cocktail parties- Bourbon Balls are a must. 

Happy Season's Baking to you all!
Love, Magpie

Sweet, Sweet Jewelry

Happy Thursday!

I just wanted to share a local Nashville couple who started their own jewelry line this summer.  They are called Honey and Marrow and I am OBSESSED with their antique-infused, industrial style jewelry. So, so great.

I'm all about supporting small businesses, so give these guys a thought when you do your holiday shopping!

Check them out  here !

-- Eagle

Pillow Talk

This weekend was filled with lots of homework and projects.  In my Textiles class we had an assignment to create a garment or accessory using a finishing method (i.e. printing, embroidery, pleating, dyeing, etc.). I chose to create throw pillows because I have been wanting to try out an idea that I've had for a while.

I had some extra wool leftover from a jacket I had made in my Clothing Construction class earlier this semester and decided this was a perfect opportunity to use it up.  I hate wasting materials and get some sort of sick OCD rush when I use up extra stuff lying around.

I bought a linoleum block at my local craft store and quickly drew on my design and then carved it out with a gouge.  I don't spend a lot of time contemplating and measuring designs - I kind of just go with the flow.  The more random the end product is, the better I like it.

Next, I laid out my wool and started printing with my textile ink (also found at a local craft store).  I use one of those cheap sponge brushes found in the kids section of the store because A).  sometimes I'm just not in the mood for clean-up.  Yes I know that's not very green of me.  B).  I like the texture that using a cheap, stiff sponge gives my print.  

Again, I didn't really focus on printing super-straight or getting an even coat of ink.  I personally love the way imperfection looks.  I even put different papers and bags underneath my fabric to give it some extra texture and oomph.  

After my print had dried (it didn't take long with the wool - maybe half an hour), I cured it with an iron on the wrong side of the print and took to adding some top stitching.  I have a pretty consistent love affair with primary colors and decided to add primary-themed top stitching.  

After I was satisfied with the top stitching, I sewed up the sides, leaving a few inches to stuff it, flipped it right side out, and stuffed it with our good ol' friend Poly-Fil.  I finished by slip stitching the opening shut and this baby was ready to meet the world!

I ended up making a second pillow the exact same way, except I used pink top stitching and made the pillow shape a square.  

There is nothing else I love more than creating something with my own two hands that is cuddly AND pretty.  So satisfying.  

Go forth and create, little birds!

-- Eagle

P.S. If you are interested in this pillow, check out our newly-created Etsy shop! We are working on getting items up and making our new little nest look pretty. 

For Eagle & Magpie goodness fly on over HERE .

Footloose Friday!!

Morning little birds!
So.... I'm obsessed with the new Footloose. I recognize that this makes me a traitor to the classic 80's film, but let me state for the record that Kevin Bacon's Ren has a very special place in my heart. However, this new one blows my mind. I went to see it AGAIN last night and I definitely think it was even better the 3rd time around.

Ever since my first viewing I've been a bit obsessed with a particular line dance that the young'uns do mid-movie when they head to the big city for some serious country dancing. The song is called 'Fake I.D.,' by Big N' Rich and Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald make this look like the most amazing line dance ever choreographed. Here, for your viewing pleasure:

Now that you are totally jealous of Julianne's skills, here is the tutorial that's been evading me for weeks!! Now, it's Friday and that means that tonight will be dedicated to mastering this line dance in my living room. It's going to be the most eventful Friday night I've had in quite some time! Anyone with me? 

Cut Loose Tonight!
Love, Magpie

What-the-heck Wednesday

Wednesdays are always the point in my week when I need a stiff drink and a back rub. My first half of the week is so jam-packed between school, homework, and my internship that I barely have time to breathe until Wednesday nights.

Tonight is no different.

I'm exhausted. Tonight I had to finish making some bucket bag linings for the artist I intern for, which is actually pretty fun, but still tiring none-the-less. I also have two of my major studio classes on Wednesdays - illustration and color theory. Color theory isn't so bad, but illustration makes me question my existence on a weekly basis. It kills me. Drawing isn't my passion and that paired with the fact that I don't always understand my teacher's methods equals one stressed little bird.

This week we actually got to work with color on our illustrations, which is fun and challenging all rolled up into a ball of neurotic excitement.

I thought I'd share a couple of my pictures from my illustration homework before I make the long-anticipated journey into sleep-land (where all my dreams come true and I sleep on clouds of cotton candy, Katy Perry style).

Enjoy and goodnight!

~ a very tired and delirious Eagle

When did I become an adult?!

I am 22 years old- soon to be 23. I recognize that this is still very young, however I am technically an adult. I know that I'm responsible and capable of living independently as I've been doing it for 3 years now, but I still have a hard time believing that others view me as an "Adult." Does anyone else know this feeling? Or am I just weird? Anywho- every once and a while I do something or experience something that makes me feel especially grown-up or ladylike, even if it's just for a fleeting instance. Here are a few of those things:

1. Leaving a lipstick print on my coffee cup. This makes me think of my mom and makes me feel super classy.

2. Writing checks and mailing them off to pay my bills (yes, I still do it the old fashioned way, mostly because it makes it hard to forget and makes me more concious of the amount of money I spend.)

3. Buying wine with my groceries (no matter that my groceries usually consist of lean cuisines, mac & cheese, and ice cream).

4. Getting my oil changed- it's a terribly boring task but theres something so grown up about sitting with the other grown ups in the lobby at Jiffy Lube.

5. Christmas shopping- As we gear up for Christmas season, I always feel a little impressed at myself, that while I don't have a lot to spend on presents, I still don't have to get $20 from my dad to buy a present for my mom...

6. Cooking dinner in my crockpot. I have no clue why this makes me feel grown up but it totally does.

Those are a few of the things that remind me that I am, infact, an adult. Other little things sneak up on me from time to time but I have a hard imagining that I'll ever not be amazed by the things my age dictates I can do.... Here's to feeling young at heart forever!

Love,
Magpie

Wishful Thinking

Magpie and I were just having a little chat session before bedtime and these were a few things that came up in our conversation.  Tiny nuggets of inspiration, if you will.

We are excited about Christmas and New Years coming up. This means dressing up, classy parties, and cocktails in vintage glasses. Beehive hair-do's, pearls, red heels, red lips, and red dresses.

There is something so wonderfully amazing about the holiday season.  I'm not usually one to get all cheery and lovey-dovey about things, but I have come to enjoy the holidays for the nostalgia that they bring every year.  And who can say no to a little egg nog and pecan pie?

We also decided that to complete our desires of having the most fabulously vintage holiday season, a copy of She & Him's Christmas album on vinyl was absolutely necessary. 

Order this record HERE .

Cheers!

-- Eagle

A Happy Halloween to all of our little crows! Be Safe & Eat lots of Sweets!

My Friend Jack

Friday was a poopy day for me.  It was cold and cloudy and all I really wanted to do was close the blinds and curl up in bed.  It was just one of those days where things weren't quite working in any way, shape, or form.  I had class in the morning and by the time I got home, I decided that baking a pie was really the only way to go.

There is something about a pie that is warm, cozy, nostalgic, comforting - like dropping by your grandmother's house for a hug and a kind word.  Since I don't have a grandmother here I had to settle for my own slice of pie. 

I flipped through my beloved pie recipe book and found one that I knew instantly was perfect for the day:  Jack Daniel's Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie. Not only was it appropriate for the colder days and coming holidays, but a little whiskey never hurt anybody!

Here is the recipe I used:

1 single pie crust (you can use any recipe that works for you or a pre-made pie crust)

Filling:

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup dark corn syrup (this gives it a delightful maple-ish, caramel-y flavor)

2 tbs Jack Daniel's whiskey

2 tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 cup pecan halves

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1.  Prepare the pie crust (if necessary) and refrigerate until firm enough to roll. I usually do 1 hour.

2.  Roll your pie crust and place in 9 1/2 inch deep pie pan.  Place in freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3.  Place pie weights or dried beans on pie shell and pre-bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven to 375 degrees, take out pie weights, and continue to bake for 10-12 minutes.

4.  Allow pie shell to completely cool.

5.  Combine eggs, sugar, and corn syrup in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add whiskey, butter, and vanilla.  Whisk again until combined.  Scatter pecans and chocolate chips over bottom of pie shell.  Pour filling over the pecans and chips.  

6.  Place pie on center rack and back about 45 minutes or until pie is set.  I rotate the pie halfway through the process so it cooks evenly.  When it is done, the top of the filling will be toasted brown and slightly puffed around the edges.  

7.  Allow pie to cool on a rack.  You can serve at room temperature or serve chilled.  I prefer room temperature. 

This pie ended up being perfect and just what I needed.  Baking has a way of calming my nerves and centering me.  My mind is free to wander but not too much.

And of course I always have to have music while I bake.  Jill Scott was my artist of choice yesterday.  Specifically I was listening to her album Beautifully Human - Words and Sounds Vol. 2.  If you have never listened to Jill Scott and enjoy soul or jazzy music, she is absolutely phenomenal.

If you're having a crappy day like I was, consider a little pie in your life.  It always helps me out.

-- Eagle

P.S. I had every intention of posting a picture of my finished pie, but there seems to be technical difficulties.  I will add a picture as soon as it will let me!

Let The Birds Fly

Hey guys! So as Magpie previously mentioned, I recently took a trip to Houston for my fall break. It was a much-needed get away as school as been running me ragged.

It was such a wonderful weekend full of all kinds of great, hilarious, relaxing moments.

On Thursday night Magpie and I had the pleasure of baking a pie together. It was a gluten-free apple pie and apparently we were so busy enjoying our pie that we didn't take one picture of our creation. Sad times :(

Friday and Saturday were filled with great food, great wine, a little line dancing, hopeful window shopping, and tattoos. I ended up getting my fourth tattoo and I'm not going to lie, I'm a little obsessed with it.

Sunday I had to say good bye, which is never fun. BUT hopefully Magpie will be making a much-needed and well-deserved trip to Nashville!!

Until then Eagle & Magpie will be blogging from afar.

Here's to my dear friend Magpie and a wonderful mini vacay :)

Halloween!

Halloween is fast approaching and while I don't necessarily like all the scary, creepy parts, I really love any opportunity to dress up and eat sweets. Eagle and I also share an obsession with most things kitschy and retro, so this year I decided to merge the kitsch and costume. For a friend's Halloween party, I decided to go as a 'beehive.'

I apologize for the quality of the picture but, meh. You get the gist. I styled my hair into a traditional 50's/60's style beehive (didn't get it quite as high as I've seen them- but I was short on time!) Then I attached craft bees (found in the floral section of my craft store) to wires and wrapped them around bobbypins. I finished it off with retro make up- lots of powder, cat eyeliner, false lashes, and red lipstick! I was pretty pleased with the outcome!

This is me and very sweet Tigerlily. We had a blast!

Anyone else have creative costume ideas?

Happy Halloween,
Magpie-

Reunited!!

Guess which Birdies had a little get-together this weekend!? That's right- Eagle & Magpie in one place at the same time! Amazing! 

I hope Eagle posts more on her trip, but here's what I have to say on the subject:

Having Eagle in Texas was marvelous for my soul. This weekend was chock full of beautiful, Godly women, gluten free apple pie, lots of laughing, and a little bit of wine. Even though she just headed back to Tennessee today, I cannot wait until the next time!

Love,

Magpie

Oh just a little of this...

Hey guys. So recently I was a guest blogger for paNASH style, which is run by Lori Bumgarner, who is an image consultant in Nashville for much of the music industry. I wrote about the issues that I deal with as a "curvy woman" and threw in a few style tips just for the heck of it. Check it out!

http://panashstyle.blogspot.com/2011/10/plight-of-curvy-woman-by-ashley-balding.html

- Eagle

A Little Weaving Makes the Heart Happy

So I'm on fall break which means I can finally breathe and catch up on sleep for once. These are positive things. Of course I have many-a projects to do on my fall break, one of which is weaving for my textiles class. Being the nerdy textile lover that I am, this assignment was like an early Christmas present. I kept it very simple and made a loom out of some thin cardboard I had lying around. I bought three different colors of yarn and went at it. It took me a few days but I finished up my little weaving last night. It definitely made me want to have a huge loom and learn how to make super chic intricate tapestries for the modern textile lover. I'll just put it on my list of things to want...

- Eagle