there is a constant supply of magnolia leaves around here and are one of our favorite craft supplies. we love to spray paint them for a blank canvas, glitter them for some sparkle, paint or color them, and string them up for a burst of color in a room. harvest some magnolia leaves and make something this weekend!
wild aster
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen
brick and vines
in The Country
i revisited an old factory complex of brick buildings in madison, georgia recently. i'd say they're from the late 1800's. the grass was so green after a big rain,and the color of the old bricks and the blue sky was lovely. and of course, the bricks made a lovely backdrop for the ever growing vines of the south.
photographs and word by rebecca wood
web & leaf
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen
oconee hill cemetery
recently, i explored oconee hill cemetery...it is such a beautiful place. it runs along the river, tucked away in the shadow of the UGA football stadium. it used to be more open to the public; there was even a footpath cutting through it for students to traverse to and from class, but the path was closed due to a rise in vandalism. it is a shame, because there are beautiful monuments, large old trees and plantings, and, contrary to what many may think, a diverse group of athenians laid to rest here...
words and photographs by rinne allen
quarry flora
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen
sweet peas!
i always have a hard time naming my favorite flower, when asked.
but, every year around this time, a batch of wild sweet peas grows on an embankment near my house. and, if i were asked to name my favorite flower on the day that i noticed the sweet peas had flowered, i would most certainly proclaim sweet peas as my favorite.
words & photographs by rinne allen
mountain wildflowers
in Daily Beauty
photo by kristen bach
fermented pickles
over the past couple of weeks we have been getting lots of veggies from our garden and our csa box. so....we have been fermenting lots of them. one of our favorites has been making fermented pickles. these are so simple to make and can be enjoyed for months.
ingredients
1 quart mason jar
2 1/2 Tbsp Sea salt
filtered water
2-3 cucumbers
2 cloves of garlic
a few sprigs of fresh herbs: dill, garlic scapes, parsley, fennel, ect.
1 Tbsp peppercorns
cabbage or grape leaf to hold down pickles into the brine
directions
-put 1 cup of filtered water and salt in the bottom of jar and swish around until dissolved.
-slice cucumbers into coin shaped slices.
-add cucumbers to jar leaving 1 1/2 inch at the top.
-add herbs, garlic, and peppercorns to jar and top with filtered water until all cucumbers are submerged in water.
-put a top on the jar and gently agitate to combine all ingredients.
-open jar and put your cabbage or grape leaf on top to help keep your cucumbers submerged.
-set your jar on your counter for a couple of days (just depends how you like them). the jar will start to look cloudy, and that is good. you can taste the pickles each day to release the gasses and also see how they taste. when your pickles taste good, put them in the fridge and this will stop the fermentation. you can leave in the fridge for up to 6 months.
photos and recipe by kristen bach
late afternoon sun
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen
farmer's market inspiration
'tis the time of year for farmer's markets!
there is so much inspiration at markets...from getting inspiration to cook to color, shape, and texture...take a moment and really look at what is on offer and get inspired!
words & photographs by rinne allen
iron gate
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen
summer road trips!
in The Country
we are working on a little collaboration with our friend pamela from sweet peach that will debut later this summer. it got us to thinking about some of our favorite road trips around the south...here are a few links to a few that are good for a weekend away, if you are in need of exploring this summer...
- rural studio, alabama
- billy reid's shindig (in august), alabama
- edisto island, SC
- foxfire, north georgia
- campbell folk school
and remember,
we now have our online GUIDE that lists all of our road trip posts from the last 7 years! enjoy!
smokehouse with kitty
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen
brickhouse beauty, part two
last week, i shared images from spring studio day at the brickhouse...this week i wanted to share a few more photographs from inside and outside the brickhouse...since we love it so!
words & photographs by rinne allen
thistle
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen
seasonal photoshoot ingredients
the other day i had a photoshoot and needed some seasonal ingredients...they did not have to be actual flowers, but i wanted my photographs to have a botanical feeling, but also one that did not feel store-bought. i walked through the yard and cut a few specimens, and also went and gathered some of my pressed specimens from my studio. each cutting brought a pop of color to my shoot, plus i got to enjoy them in my studio afterwards...the gardenias, in particular, were so fragrant!
words & photographs by rinne allen
quarry lines
in Daily Beauty
photo by kristen bach
mint chutney
our mint plants are exploding right now with beautiful green leaves. the other night i was trying to think of ways to use our mint before the heat of the summer got it. i decided to make a mint chutney to put on top of a moroccan pie that i made. it is a condiment that goes well on just about anything!
ingredients
2 cups of fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 limes, juiced
2 cloves garlic
1 serrano chile or jalapeno pepper
1 1/2 inches of fresh ginger
salt to taste
directions
-put all ingredients in blender or food processor
-store in a covered container in the fridge for about a week
photo and recipe by kristen bach
brickhouse beauty
in Daily Beauty
photograph by rinne allen