fill it with family and friends

i'm back! what a few weeks it has been - the royal wedding has come and gone, spring has finally sprung her in vermont, and i made a few new vermont discoveries that i will be sharing with you all over the coming days as i jump back into blogging in a big way. so, to kick things off, i bring you: vermont farm table.

long story short, if i had a beautiful old home and all the money in the world, i would spend my money and fill it with piece after piece of beautiful furniture and i now know that this furniture would all be from vermont farm table - my newest and most favorite made in vermont discovery.

i mean, how can you not love everything created by a company whose mission statement goes a little something like this: make it yours. love it. beat it up. fill it with family and friends, and then plan on passing it down.

trust me: it's worth a trip to burlington to see their beautiful brand new show room (it smells good too) at 197 college street.

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wedding wednesday: the bags.

first of all, i have to apologize for disappearing the last few days. life, once again, got in the way of blogging. the good news is that i have been stockpiling some fun little blog ideas, so hopefully i will be back at it with avengence this week.

(just wait until my comfort food post tomorrow! i think a few lovely ladies out there are already salivating over this heavenly concoction - and they probably have been since sunday night...!)

but since it is already wedding wednesday, i must share with you this adorable made in vermont treasure that was featured just the other day on the vtvows blog. i mean, c'mon, how perfect is this for wedding welcome bags? or just a trip to the grocery store?

seriously. it's green, it's local, it's reusable and just too darn cute to pass up. love love love. i think i just might be making some phone calls today.

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vermont evergreens.

you know how i feel about simon pearce. everything they do is pretty darn perfect in my book. but i have to admit that my very favorite thing they make are their vermont evergreens. they are simply stunning, weather you have one or a million lined up on your mantle. (although to be honest, seeing a dozen lined up is breathtaking!) they are perfectly vermont and they add the perfect amount of holiday decor to any room....so perfect that when i got the email today, just seeing these beauties put me in the spirit!

also, check out this video of the brilliant craftsmen at work in their quechee shop. if you haven't stopped in there yet, it is a holiday season must do! how cool is this?

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solving the wedding gift puzzle

i am loving this puzzling cutting board for a wedding gift idea. it also multitasks as an hors d'œuvre tray. cheese and crackers anyone?

plus, just think of all the clever little sayings that you could write on the card: you two fit together so well! so happy you found your missing piece. life is like a puzzle and you two are cut out to solve it together! ok, that's enough. sorry.

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tie one on.

good morning, friends. please meet my new made in vermont obsession - beau ties. it's our version of vineyard vines (and in my opinion...so much cooler!) all sorts of fun patterns that are perfect for any occasion. i don't think mr. f is the bow tie type, but maybe after seeing how cute they are he might be singing a different tune. but, just in case you or the men in your lives are in the same boat, they do make your standard necktie as well.

but after seeing these, how can you not be a fan!? so, what do you say, kids? should 2011 be the year of the bow tie?! i think so.

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wine wednesday - neshobe river.

there are few things i love more than a good bottle of wine, and certainly one of those things is a well branded bottle of wine. especially when it comes form vermont.

i was wondering around city market last night (not even meaning to venture to the wine section) when i saw these clever little bottles out of the corner of my eye. i love the font, i love the names, i love the colors, and i certainly think that since i judge wines based on the cuteness factor of their bottles (shh...) i will certainly love sipping each and everyone one of these.*

well done, neshobe river winery, well done.

*if you think these are pretty to look at, check out their purple haze red and white dog chardonnay.

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the secret spot.

i was in the car for a million hours over the weekend. literally. after spending a lovely with weekend with mr. f in the connecticut 'burbs, i hit the road and headed north alllllll the way back to canada. normally, this ride would be excrutiating (crummy cell service and a major lack of good country radio) but luckily, i have a little secret that makes the drive north on I-91 just the most wonderfully exciting and mouth watering ride.

that tasty little secret is...the vermont country deli in brattleboro. and as much it pains me to share this knowledge, it is just too good to keep to myself any longer because it truly is the most wonderful country store in the world. it is a precious little building (conveniently right off exit 2) filled with platters upon platters of pasta salads and grilled vegetables, homemade soups and pulled pork. all made with fresh and local ingredients. plus, hundreds of fresh baked cakes and cookies and lots of yummy vermont made products and an excellent wine selection. dinner for me last night was tortilla crusted tilapia, grilled asparagus and just a bite of the best mac & cheese on the planet. (don't judge, but i ate it in my car in the parking lot, it was that good.)

definitely worth the stop (or make it a destination!) trust me, you will not be disappointed.

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wedding {gifts} on the brain

i have weddings on the brain today. could be a result of the five lovely wedding invitations that were waiting for mr. frederickson & me upon arrival back in vermont. could be the fact that i am just dying to see photos from carrie underwood's wedding this past weekend (a diamand tiara & hockey puck place cards - how ever did she pull that combo off so brilliantly?!) or it could be that my stylish and fabulous friend is tying the knot in less than one month and it promises to be one for the ages.

so with all this love, lace and stationery so top of mind, i must work hard to focus my day dreaming on presents for all the future betrothed. one of my favorite gifts for any occasion is something that celebrates the event and the commemorative collection from shackelton thomas does just that. in my humble opiontion, the wedding plate (or bowl) is just the perfect gift for any wedding...it's classic, simple, useful, commemerative & made in vermont! doesn't get any better than that!

even if it's not a wedding plate you are looking for, shackelton thomas is worth scoping out! the husband and wife team - he does furniture, she does pottery - makes the most beautiful pieces, perfect for any occasion...even if the occasion is just a lazy thursday in need of some internet shopping!

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let your light shine in

i clearly have lighting on the mind this week (see lampshade lady post below), so while i apologize for the random theme, we need to talk for just a minute about how fabulous these light fixtures are. the crew at burlington's conant metal & light creates one of a kind beauties out of "everything from insulators, antique flashlights, paint cans, fire engine lights, drink shakers, and soda and wine bottles" and while they are all fabulous, you know i have a soft spot in my heart for the one made of a mason jar. and i am not alone in my love for this particularly iconic creation - soon after the doors of farmhouse tap & grill opened, where 10 of these lights hang, demand went through the roof!

so now, to keep up with demand, they need our help because they are running out of jars. so, here's the deal: for every jar people bring into the store before the end of the month, the shop will give one dollar to the vermont foodbank and enter the donors into a raffle for store discounts. “we’re hoping for 1000 canning jars and $1000 to the foodbank by July 31,” conant says. “if there’s a take-home message in this,” he notes, “it’s that the national farm-to-table movement has residual effects: local manufacturers benefit, too, not just farmers.”

so, ladies and gents, get your old canning jars out and head on down to pine street! it's all about keeping your mason jars, lighting fixtures and food local.

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the lampshade lady

the most recent issue of yankee magazine featured an article about judy lake, aka lampshade lady. and, yes, she is just as wonderful as her alterego would lead you to believe. in her pawlet, vermont studio, lampshade lady creates one of a kind creations out of vintage postcards, photos, fabric, and, yup, you guessed it, lamps.

what a great project it would be have one created with memories from all my summer travels. or what about a lamp as a wedding gift - one that chronicles places important to the happy couple or photos from their past? oh, there are just so many fun ideas! and if you are feeling brave and crafty, it can be a great DIY project (she teaches a workshop too!) and doesn't her studio just loook like the most welcoming place on earth!? i can't wait to visit!

{images via here & here}

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wine wednesdays & wedding season.

today is wine wednesday, but it is also the unofficial beginning of wedding season**

mr frederickson and i have quite a few celebrations to attend this summer and with that honor comes the task of buying wedding gifts, which i, like many, find to be a bit daunting. however, i think i discovered a loopole in the whole "you must buy things off the registry" concept. are you ready...? drum roll please....my new rule of gift giving is to buy things from the state in which you live. now, admittedly, this may be easier for me since i am lucky enough to live in the fantastically well branded and creative state of vermont, but i think it can work for you too - wherever you are from.

think about it - it supports local businesses, tells a story, and you may never have to visit the pottery barn registry site again...a win win in my opinion. so, c'mon - visit a local art gallery, or craft fair, or swing on by etsy to see what you can find. let's get creative!

so, the next few weeks will be filled with creative "made in vermont" gift ideas, but to start it off, and to honor wine wednesday check out these beauties from the brilliant and talented folks at simon pearce. pair two of these lovely stems with a bottle of local wine and i'd call that gift giving perfection.

{top row: hampton & hartland collection, bottom row: wellesley, barre & stratton collections}

** i say this for no real reason other than the fact that i spent last night making a 2010 wedding spreadsheet. more on that later. in the meantime, please don't judge me.

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top twenty tuesdays - my little cupcake.

this post needs no introduction, other than to say that i just discovered the yummiest vermont company - my little cupcake. and, holy cow, they are just the most amazing little morsels of sugary perfection. and it seemed like a timely discovery, seeing that someone will be celebrating a birthday at the end of the week...

as seen above, there are a zillion mouth watering flavors, but the following are a sampling of my twenty (yes, twenty) personal favorites.

1. s'mores: chocolate cupcake topped with marshmallow frosting, crushed graham crackers and a piece of hersey chocolate.
2. chocolate peanut butter: chocolate cupcake dipped in chocolate ganache topped with peanut butter frosting and a reese pieces candy.
3. birthday cake: vanilla cupcake with chocolate buttercream and rainbow sprinkles.
4. cookies and cream: vanilla cupcake with oreo cookie crumbles with vanilla buttercream and a piece of oreo cookie on top.
5. carrot cake: carrot, walnut and golden raisin cupcake with cream cheese frosting.
6. sundae: vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream drizzled in chocolate with sprinkles.
7. fauxstess: a version of a hostess cupcake; chocolate cupcake with a creamy vanilla center, dipped in chocolate ganache with a swirl on top.
8. snickers: chocolate cupcake with caramel buttercream sprinkled with chopped snicker candy bar and peanuts.
9. butterfinger: chocolate cupcake with peanut butter buttercream, dipped in chocolate ganache and sprinkled with crushed butterfinger candy bar.
10. margarita: lime and margarita flavored cupcake with lime buttercream.
11. pina colada: pineapple, coconut and rum flavored cupcake with vanilla buttercream sprinkled with coconut.
12. pb & j: peanut butter cupcake with peanut butter frosting, a dollop of strawberry jelly and crushed peanuts.
13. lemon raspberry: lemon cupcake with raspberry buttercream.
14. mexican hot chocolate: chocolate cinnamon cupcake with cinnamon buttercream.
15. dreamsicle: orange cupcake with vanilla buttercream.
16. caramel apple: apple cupcake with caramel buttercream.
17. peaches and cream: peach cupcake with a vanilla-honey buttercream.
18. blueberry pancake: vanilla/blueberry cupcake with maple buttercream.
19. salted caramel: chocolate cupcakes with a caramel swirl buttercream, caramel drizzle and sprinkled with mediterranean sea salt.
20. chocolate chip cookie: chocolate cupcake stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough, vanilla buttercream and a homemade chocolate chip cookie on top.
    

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kate's sweet tooth.

we all have kate seaver's sweet tooth to thank for the newest made in vermont confection - natural, artisanal, marshmallows. yup, that's right, marshmallows. and if you think that's good news, just wait to you hear about the flavors in candy kate's collection. rose, lemon meringue, toasted almond, honey & cinnamon - with lots more on the way. can you say, yum?!

oh how these beautiful pillows of (natural) sugar make me long for a campfire. and it just so happens there is one in my near future thanks to the the upcoming birthday celebration for my fabulous friend SEB. i think i know what my contibution to the barn/birthday/bonfire party might be! now i just need to decide where to purchase the graham crackers and chocolate....choices, choices...

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wine wednesday - an accessory.

this is by far the most amazing thing i have ever seen.

what is it you ask? well - it's the tasters tote. a brilliant creation from a fellow wine loving vermonter that allows you to wear your wine like a necklace. just imagine being at the first cocktail party of the summer and not having to worry about losing or dropping or spilling your precious wine glass...it's priceless really.

happy wine wednesday!

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invitation excellence.

my best friend (of super burbs fame) is tying the knot this summer in what is sure to be a wedding to remember. she is marrying the love of her life in one of the most beautiful places on earth - excluding anywhere in vermont of course. plus she is the ultimate planner and has the best taste ever, which together will make the whole event so incredibly magical. i can not wait!

so, when i was given the honor of being one of her bridesmaids i was thrilled (i mean how could i not be? just look how she asked me!) and i couldn't wait to start celebrating and party planning with her. my first task - the bachelorette party. the first priority - the invitation.

let me explain, both superburbs and i loooove stationary (perhaps more than most) so that was clearly the place to start when concocting what i hope to be a sinful and indulgent weekend that our seven friends will remember for years to come. and i could think of no better person to put to the task than the ever talented kayla hodgdon, a super talented graphic designer, based in, you guessed it - vermont! all i gave her was the theme, colors and voila - invitation excellence!

to see more of kayla's brilliance stop by her blog or email her at kaylahodgdon@gmail.com. she is tremendously talented, soo soo fun to work with and the best part is she is up for anything. oh the projects i have in store for her! xoxo

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local wisdom.

this made my heart happy this morning. (local wisdom cards via etsy)

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the ultimate multitasker.

one of my favorite traits about vermonters is our (yes, our) ability to reuse and recycle things. we are like one big DIY project where everything and everyone multitasks.

and multitasking is precisely the reason i love these clothespins/chip clips/smarty pegs designed by vermont's own dippylulu. think about it - it's a food saver, diet aide and supercute pantry accessory all in one! what's not to love about that?

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sweet memorabilia & memories.

with march almost behind us, the days where i can muse about the joy of sugaring here in vermont and overuse awkward puns about life being sappy & sweet are quickly fading. however, i am hoping some online searching for these antique sugaring tins to start my collection will help me ease into the next season. ebay, here i come!

i am also hoping that looking at this picture (taken this weekend at the magical bread loaf view farm in cornwall, vt) will help me hang on to my weekend glow and remind me that the sun will shine again - even though today it feels like the rain will go on forever...

hope you are having the sweetest of mondays!

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oh, sweet weekend...

it's here! it's here! maple sugar weekend is here.

really, it's better than christmas for any vermonter with a sweet tooth and a soft spot for sap buckets and rubber boots

(hmm..who could that be!?)

with so many great options, where will you be enjoying sugar on snow this weekend!?

for more foodie events across the state, check out the recent post from slow food vermont - looks like it will be a weekend full of pancakes & wine for this girl. yum.

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holy vegetables!

i have a new favorite thing about vermont: CSA shares.

perhaps i am on the real slow boat in discovering such a phenomenon, but i am beyond excited to sign up this spring. (admittedly, my excitement levels could have something to do with my recent crankiness over the cost of good vegetables and last night's spirited debate on health care reform and the wellbeing of our country) regardless, this is the best thing ever.

so, what the heck is a csa? well, community supported agriculture (CSA) is the name of a relationship between farmers and subscription consumers. this direct sale opportunity invites consumers to directly support a farm or group of farms by enrolling in a seasonal share in the farms’ operations. while details differ from farm to farm, csa shares are usually purchased for a set price early in the season in exchange for weekly boxes of mixed produce (which can be picked up at the farm or at a selected drop off location) the partnership allows regular people like us to share in the seasonal produce that these farms work so hard for. so, it's local, it's fresh, it's healthy - and with the selection of products changing weekly, you are forced to go outside your foodie comfort zone. so fennel and radiccio and cauliflower, here i come!

click here for a list of vermont csa's. decisions, decisions...

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