jamie of all trades

giveaway :: happy birthday joat!

guess what?  today is jamie of all trades birthday!  i can't believe joat is one year old!  i feel like such a proud mama. it has been an incredible year and i have loved sharing my baking, cooking, crafts, tips and current happenings with you.  

to celebrate i am hosting a fantastic giveaway! i'm giving away a huge stack of cards {+30} from a favorite card company of mine - potluck press.  i just love potluck, they have the cutest cards and the sweetest phrases.  you can find their cards at paper source (nationwide), kate's paperie (nyc), lucca, sweet petula and city peoples (seattle.)

all you have to do is leave a birthday wishes comment.  you have one week, till July 17th, to comment and i'll use the random number generator to pick the winner. good luck and thanks for all the joat love!

   {hello darling + just married}

   {b&w photo cards}

  {how cute are these?}

{tons of cards, at least one for ever occasion!  you're set for life!}

xoxo - joat

fave book :: downtown chic

i recently got my hands on a copy of downtown chic by robert and cortney novogratz and can't stop flipping through this fantastic book.  it's truly inspiring and on so many levels.  their story: after buying their first home, a rundown townhome in manhattan and completely renovating it, the novogratzs started their own company, sixx design, and have been making a living overhauling and designing homes and commercial spaces ever since.  {the name sixx design came about since they have six kids. see, impressive.}

the book is filled with advice, funny stories and beautiful photos of their home designs which are simple but include pops of bold colors and personal touches.  their rooms mix expensive pieces with lower budget items but the main goal is always to maintain comfort.  sounds and looks like a dream to me.

also, i saw on their site sixx design will be a new show on bravo in january.  and i love me some bravo.

:: GIVEAWAY TOMORROW! ::

web site story

this video has been floating around and i love it.  it combines my two favorite things web tech and musicals.  hilarious!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

these days :: carrot cake

researching: carrot cake cupcakes.  

• i'm doing a wedding in august and the bride requested carrot cake cupcakes.  with cream cheese frosting.  i've never made a carrot cake but i'll need to experiment before.  don't these blueberry cakes look good too? makes me want to make a blueberry crisp. 

{via}

stay tune for a special GIVEAWAY later this week!

paperpalooza

if you are a paper lover and are in seattle this weekend you might want to check out paperpalooza.  what is paperpalooza?  it's four seattle stationaires so overloaded with paper {and other stationary goods} they are getting rid of tons and on sale!  

the details:

who :: brown sugar studios, ephemera custom letterpress, mmm...paper and real card studio

what :: paperpalooza - deals on paper and other paper goods

where :: real card studio 117 First Avenue North, Seattle (enter from the alley between 1st Ave and Queen Anne Ave N.)

when :: this saturday, july 11th from 10-4

additional info :: cash only

gourmet s'mores

did you have a good long weekend and 4th of july?  i had a blast on the oregon coast for my friends wedding. one of my favorite parts* of the weekend was sitting around a beach bonfire with my friends making s'mores and lighting off fireworks.  i'd heard of a gourmet s'more but never made one.  i highly, highly recommend the next time you camp or have a beach fire.

  

marshmallows

graham crackers

reese's peanut butter cups

tamark firehouse red and pbr (optional)

on a stick or skewer toast 2 marshmallows to your liking - golden brown or black chard.  on one half of a graham crackers place a reese's peanut butter cup, add the marshmallows and top with the other graham cracker.

*one of my least favorite parts of beach fires, i can't get the smell of smoke out of my hair!

happy :: 4th of july

:: happy 4th of july! ::

today i'm heading to the oregon coast for a friends wedding.  i'm really looking forward to a relaxing weekend filled with beach combing, tide pooling, bbqing, clam bakin', reading in the sun, playing cribbage, sipping wine, cupcake baking - since i'm making the wedding desserts, time with my girls and seeing one of my dear friends marry a fantastic guy.

if you're looking for something to take to a bbq or picnic, try these lobster rolls.  i made them last year and they were fantastic.  and if you can't find lobster, try crawfish.

what are you 4th plans?  enjoy your day!

wedding cookie bar

a friend of mine recently got engaged {congrats kim + bill} and as the wedding planning is beginning, the bride told me she was thinking of having a dessert wedding.  and i think i've died and gone to heaven. {i may have even grabbed my chest when she told me.}

later when i was poking around one of my favorite blogs, the paper pony, and saw a wedding cookie bar! what an awesome idea.  i don't think a dessert wedding would be complete without a cookie bar, just don't forget the milk! 

 {image via}

easy bruschetta + grilled mozzarella sandwich

one of the first things i learned to make when i started cooking was bruschetta.   it's so good and so easy to make.  and to this day, the smell of basil reminds me of being young and some of the first times i cooked for my family. 

normally you top a piece of bread with the tomatoes and basil, but another fun way to eat it is as a side with a mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich.

sandwich:

slices of bread, 2 for each person

slices of mozzarella cheese, 4 per sandwich

mama's hot peppers (optional)

olive oil

bruschetta:

2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup chopped basil

1 garlic clove, miced

1/4 cup olive oil

salt + pepper to taste

heat a skillet or frying pan over medium heat.  brush olive oil on one side of the bread and place oil side down in the skillet.  quickly assemble the sandwiches one for each eater and top with the other slice of bread.  brush olive oil on the side of the bread that's facing up.  grill each side for 3-5 minutes. 

in a small bowl combine the tomatoes, basil and garlic. drizzle with olive oil and stir together.  sprinkle with salt and pepper.  serve along side the grilled sandwich or on top of the sandwich.

my summer essentials

my dear friend and fellow blogger or should i say yellow brick blogger, lyndsy is spreading the word on the essential items you need for summer.  guess who's up?  me!  check out my selections and lyndsy's, shelby nycole's and courtney's from no day but today. 

what are your summer essentials?