Sweet paul

Crafty Friday

This craft project was inspired by something almost identical I saw in a fancy shop here in NYC.
It cost almost $500, and I thought to myself, "hey, I can make that".
And so I did!

Start by printing out butterflies.
I found mine online, simply google butterfly prints and millions comes up.
Cut them out.

Hot-glue or super-glue a small branch to a vintage saucer.

Fold the butterflies a little, so they look more alive and simple hot-glue them all to the branches. Place a glass dome over and voila.... You have a very cool objet D'art of your own. (And it didn't cost you $500).

Photos by Alexandra Grablewski

Gravlax

A couple of weeks back my dear friend Frances came over and we made Gravlax together.
Or I made it and she shot it for her blog.
Gravlax is a Scandinavian dish that involves curing salmon with spices and herbs.
Really easy and so wonderful.
You can see more images and the recipe on Frances blog, right here!

Recipe Monday

A few months ago I went out and bought myself a soda maker.
I was getting really tired of shlepping heavy bottles and cans of soda water home.
Not that I have to walk that far, as the grocery store is downstairs in my building.
I also wanted to make the carbon footprint a bit smaller, think about the bottles of fancy bubbly water that gets flown in from all over the world. Kinda crazy.

So I got the soda maker and started making sirups for it.
Its really great, the tastes are clean, fresh and no nasty ingredients.
I think this simple strawberry syrup is my favorite, and its great to make now since the strawberries are in season.

Strawberry Soda
Makes about 20 glasses

3 lb strawberries, trimmed and hulled
4 tablespoons white vinegar
2 cups sugar

Place the strawberries in a blender and pulse until smooth.
Add vinegar and mix well.
Pour into a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and let drain.
Stir so that you get all the juice from the berries.
Discard pulp.
Transfer juice to a medium pot and add sugar.
Stir and bring to a boil.
Let me mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
Cool and mix with soda water and ice.
Keeps, chilled for 1 week.

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski

Crafty Friday

I love decoupage, but it can be quite the task and once in a while its ok to cheat.
So this is my own little "decoupage" .
You will need a color copy of a motif, old books are a great source.

You need:
Copy of motif
glass vase, this one is from www.ikea.com
self adhesive spray

Start by cutting out the motif and making sure it fits the vase.
Clean and dry the vase.
Spray the adhesive on the back of the motive and place it on the vase.
Let it dry and voila, you have a very stylish one of a kind vase.
Photo by Frances Janisch

And the winners are.............

Drumrolls please......

Katie Rodriguez
Milk Tooth's Rain
Megan from Thought Luggage
Marie at Etincelle Creative Studio
Super Stiches from Chimera Threads

Congrats to you all!
Please email me your full name and address.
Magazines will go out monday!

Recipe Monday

Im sure you have made this dish like hundreds of times, but it still is one of my favorite summer snacks.
Simply cut up a honeydew or cantaloupe melon and place sliced prosciutto over them.
It's so simple yet so good.
The salty meat goes really well with the sweet melon.
I think that's my favorite taste combination, salty and sweet.
So I'm off to get a big melon and more prosciutto then I can afford.
Photo by Frances Janisch.

Give her some blog lovin.....

My dear friend and photographer Frances Janisch has started blogging.
She is new at this and need some good old blog lovin for you all.
I love her latest post about her husband Chris's Vongole dinner.
Love the photos off course and I really need to try out that recipe, looks amazing.
Check out her blog right here!

Crafty Friday

People often ask me what do I do with all the stuff I make for Sweet Paul Magazine and others as well.
The honest truth is that T hardly keep any of it.
Simple have no room for it and I also don't want my home to look like a crafty friday,,,lol.
But this needle cushion I kept.
Its from the "new life for old tins" story in the summer issue.
I just love this, so practical. I mean, how often haven't you looked for a needle?
I know!

You need:

1 small clean can
fabric scrap
cotton filling
2 rubber bands
hot glue gun

Cut a 8x8 square of the fabric and place a bunch of cotton filling in the middle.
Pull the edges together so that it forms a ball. Fasten the edges with two rubber bands.
Hot glue the ball to the can.
Make a ribbon of the same fabric and hot glue it in place around the can.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski

Printed Copies Giveaway!

Hi friends.
I have 5 freshly printed copies of the summer issue of Sweet Paul Magazine.
Im giving away 5 of them.
One of them can be yours, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what story you enjoyed most in the summer issue.
You can see the issue right here!
The winners will be drawn june 22nd at noon.
Good luck!

Recipe Monday

Go to dip
We all need a go to dip, mine is this lemon and feta dip I have been making for years.
Never fails me, great for anything from chips to grilled chicken.

Lemon and feta dip
Serves 4

8oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil+ extra for serving
fresh thyme

Place feta, lemon zest and juice, garlic and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth.
Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with thyme.
Serve with grilled tomatoes and grilled pita bread drizzled with olive oil, salt and thyme.
Photo by Frances Janisch