Stamps, Purging + Best Trail Mix Ever

We finally mailed our invitations out. Being the artsy people that we are, we really liked the Abstract Expressionist stamps. I didn't realize until I brought them home how large they were. The Pollock and Motherwell stamps are about a whopping 2" x 3" stamp! I found it hilarious, and made sure to give some of our sillier friends both huge stamps on the front of their invite. It was also fun to pair up some of the stamps with our artist friends, since we have so many of them!



Every time the season changes, I feel the need to purge and donate many of the belongings that I no longer need or want. I like to take advantage of these moods, so I can finally rip my emotions away from a 15 year old tee-shirt with my name in plastic letters back.

My friend Kari used to say that she wanted to own a uniform of 7 outfits, and I thought she was nuts. Some days, that starts to make more sense. I definitely need a bit of a makeover in the clothing department, but that's for another day.

When I was going through clothes and belongings, I finally tackled a box full of projects and research from my Interior Design program in college. I trashed most of it, but it was fun to look at the old projects and sketches. I always loved the beginning of a project, where we could sketch and dream big. I'd sketch quickly and just let a roll of trash paper (or tracing paper) keep going and going so that the ideas would not stop. If it was 2am or time for a chocolate milkshake break after 2 days of not sleeping, we'd use my 11 foot long drawing as a faux wedding veil to tease one of our wedding obsessed pals.

Needless to say, this 11 foot drawing was one of the things I kept. And my final project boards with the original illustrations, I just can't trash those! Plus, it's fun to see how your work and style has evolved over the years.



On the flip side, it's funny to see how some things do not change. I'm looking at this latest recipe card I made, and my handwriting and line quality are about the same. I've gotten a little looser with my line work, but other than that, it's pretty close!

Moving on. Behold, the Best Trail Mix Ever. It's the Pumpkin Seed Dried Cherry Trail Mix by Claire Robinson. My Martha Stewart-like friend in the office gave me a taste of hers, and I asked for the recipe mid-bite. I finally made it on Tuesday, and I am in heaven. Just thinking about it makes me want more.



I followed the instructions, but had to go out and purchase Grade A Maple Syrup on hand (you shouldn't use Aunt Jemima, which I'll admit, I love on pancakes sometimes!), and added pomegranate to the mix.

It is so good. And the colors are lovely too, with a green for the pepitas and a maple brittle that makes everything stick together. It satisfies the sweet, salty and crunchy categories (which is my favorite, probably since I was a biter as a kid).



Why aren't you making this yet?! Go on, and git!!!

Enjoy your weekends, everyone. I'm looking forward to a weekend in D.C. to celebrate my cousin's graduation part deux for her Masters from George Washington University!