FM.

Sitting here, drinking some tea this morning (yes, trying to crack my unhealthy addiction to coffee, despite my recent transition to half-decaf--realizing it's more about the warm cup in my hand than anything), wondering just where the days of August went. September in two days, really? Avidly hoping that cool, crisp breezes arrive  (and therefore boots, scarves, and my favorite jackets) with the calendar. But pretty sure my patience will be tested a bit more--like--until December. Hmm...Charleston, I love. But the weather?...

Anyway, I do entirely adore the weekly parade of the downtown Farmers Market, despite the steamy humidity that's trapped in tents of clustered produce shoppers. But hey--local, organic, and delicious--such a treat from the under-ripened, imported finds at the grocery.

Below, my most recent loot:

For pizza, but of course!

Yes, maybe a bit obsessed with our very recent pizza stone purchase.

:)

Because

my life is a whirlwind this week and there's really no spare time to post something riveting.
inspiration, nonetheless...

feeling a bit like this today:

mostly because i am a procrastinator, though i prefer to say i work best under pressure.

thought i'd graduate from that title when i suma-cumlauded college. 

not so much.

anyhow, blog readers, i am a busy bee this week, so please forgive any m&s shortcomings.

lots of excited happenings around here...though not without lots of work!

working to get magazine to press (yay yayayayay! did i say yay?).

website design work.

dinner party for Seattle-bound friends.

whirlwind trip to Kentucky.

though, on a very happy note, i became an Auntie to my fourth little niece last night. Serenity Maple, undoubtedly beautiful, as two gorgeous people are the bebe's parents. so, congrats to Christopher and Gabrielle--so happy that she's here.

if i could i would

live every minute of everyday entirely in this room alone.
yep, i'd sit right there...with my laptop and coffee...typing away...dreaming away...gazing out that window, knowing i had an ample supply of chopped, rustic wood in case a dreary, cold rain started falling (my favorite weather...weird, i know).
love? i think so.

 {paul costello via madebygirl}

have such a lovely weekend.
i'll be spending mine catching up with good friends and a good husband, wishing for the weather to cool (impossible hope) and preparing for a dinner party early in the week (yay!) and a whirlwind of a trip to Kentucky.

h.i.m.

maybe it's because i just had a warm little breakfast with a really dear friend.
or maybe it's because a steamy cup of dark, rich coffee (in a crisp, white mug) brings me
utmost comfort.
or, really, because the creative powers behind yes, please! and bash, please! rock my
world and inspire me beyond end...

in any regard, all of the above made me really quite happy this morning.

h.i.m.

{linus lohoff}

inspired photography, discovered via the ever-inspired creature comforts.

have a lovely day...mine certainly will be :)

recent obsessions:

this sweater.

{fashion toast}

this bag.

{la garconne}

this sequence.

{jonas peterson}

these essays.

this shoe.

{jcrew}

this decor.

{design is mine}

now, if only these obsessions were accompanied by crisp air and colorful leaves. red wine and walks in the park. wool sweaters and herringbone scarves. worn leather boots and garlic-infused pot roast. white bowls of chili and white mugs with coffee. 

entirely ready for fall (and the cozy lifestyle it beckons)...if you can't already tell.

h.i.m.

happy, this morning, due in part to:

also, reeling with happiness thanks to the lovely and talented author of oh, hello friend, for sponsoring this exciting giveaway:

fingers crossed!

en la cocina: roasted, chicken-stuffed peppers

serves 4

prep time: 30 minutes

cook time: 25 minutes

you will need:

4 medium-sized red peppers that are able to stand upright (preferably short and wide)

1 ear of corn, cooked

1 lb ground chicken

1 large shallot, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 large, vine-ripened tomato, diced

2 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino Acid
2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1/4 C feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 C parmesan cheese, shredded
4 slices of bread, crumbled.

to prepare:

boil corn. remove from water and set aside to cool. remove kernels from cob.

standing your peppers upright, remove the tops by slicing 1/2 inch from the stem. scrape out the seeds with a spoon. if pepper won't stand straight, trim the bottom to even it out, being careful not to make a hole. (very large peppers should be halved lengthwise through the stem and laid on their sides to bake).

steam peppers over boiling water for 10 minutes. pat dry and stand upright in a lipped baking dish in which the peppers will fit snuggly.

preheat oven to 375.
heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
saute shallot til translucent.
add ground chicken and saute til meat is tan in color, about 10 minutes.
add tomato, garlic, jalapeno, Braggs and corn to skillet.
saute over medium heat for 5 more minutes.
transfer contents of skillet to a medium-sized bowl.
fold in cheese.
spoon mixture into each upright pepper and place in the oven.
bake for 15 minutes.

combine bread crumbs with a drizzle of olive oil. it's important to lightly coat the bread, not soak it through.
remove peppers from oven and sprinkle crumbs over each.
return to oven for 10 minutes.
brown the tops under broiler for 3 minutes if necessary.

and voila! roasted, chicken-stuffed peppers.
mmm...so very tasty.
hope you enjoy as much as we did.

jam.

interested in making jam?

mmm...me too.

check out what the LA Times has to say.

zooey deschanel.

she, absolutely, is my favorite.
her voice.
her dry, laid-back humor.
her vintage style.
the fact that she's pale--and rocks it.
yep--girl crush. i admit.

i think:

1. i really want this poster.
2. i eat entirely too much almond butter.
3. i should maybe break my coffee addiction--although i'm convinced it makes me happy.
4. i have the weirdest dreams. and now think way too much about them. thank you, inception.
5. i have internet attention deficit disorder.
6. the older i get, the worse i spell. no, not smell. spell.
7. cooking is therapy.
8. the ocean is breathtaking. giant. scary. and peaceful.
9. i can't wait til september, when we will sit and laugh and cook and just be with my family on the beach.
10. i need to stop procrastinating and conquer my writer's block.

giveaway announced!

hello morning glories! it is thursday, which, if you recall, is the day i promised to announce the giveaway winner. yes, someone will be receiving a free business card design from moi, and i couldn't be more excited about it.

ready to see who won?

...

congrats, miss claire! i believe you said you'd like to pass the winning along to your friend, the NYC guac champ. which, by the way, i'm totally borrowing that recipe the next time i have friends over...sounds divine! 

anyhow, be sure and email me. 

hellomaplestudio@gmail.com.

we'll get the design process going!

congrats, dear reader. 

and all you others,  i hope you have a lovely thursday.

imafoodie.

the Mr. and i went on a little date last night.
i, of course, requested the farmer's market, after finally submitting to 2.5 hours of Inception.
(LOVED the movie, in case you were wondering. was wrought with anticipation the entire time).
we went with the idea of perusing the veggie stands for dinner inspiration.
and inspired, we were.

our F.M. loot:

are you seeing those tomatoes? are you as awestruck as i was by their zebra stripes?
yes, indeed, they are "zebra stripe tomatoes."
they're zesty, and delicious, and made my mouth quite happy.


and...!!!...tada! (there was an enthusiastic drumroll in case you missed it):

stuffed & roasted red peppers.
created by moi.
filled to the brim with chicken, tomatoes, shallots, corn, jalapenos, feta, parmesan.
topped with fresh, homemade breadcrumbs.

i have two things to say:
  1. roasting, indeed, makes everything better.
  2. the leftover filling makes for a sumptuous breakfast burrito.

recipe soon to follow, dear shaders.

ahem...

i do believe a congratulations is in order.

to my patient, kind, generous, humble, ever-so-handsome, loving, talented husband.
good luck on your first day of work, my dear.
and congrats on winning them over.
you're my love. forever.

h.i.m.

happy, in the morning.

need i say more?

what type are you?

found while perusing the ever-inspiring Something's Hiding In Here. 

(umm...never know i loved bow ties so much)!

anyhow, brought to you by the brilliant folks of pentagram 

who fervently studied people and type to bring you this bit 

of enlightened entertainment.

so...what type are you?!

i'm dotted matrix.

rather wishing, though, i was archer hairline.

so pretty.

h.i.m.

made happy, this morning, by shades of crimson and orange.

{clockwise: madame cupcake; chocolate therapie; once wed; mary ruffle}

it's a gorgeous, sun-filled morning here in Charles.

hope it's the same for you :)

p.s. don't forget about the giveaway! ends tomorrow.

sheer brilliance.

on anthropologie's behalf, of course.
they're really one of the only institutions i allow email updates from.
and here's exactly why:

if this doesn't make you want to dive into the pages of anthropologie.com, well...i don't know what will.
not only is the founder brilliant...the buyers...the stylists...the head haunchos running the place...but their web directors and graphic designers. and of course they found the most amazing illustrator of all time to draw some nifty little items.

oh, anthro, i want to work for you.

where i blog.

so, i mentioned last week that i did some rearranging in our teenie apartment to accommodate a little desk area for myself. work's been picking up, so yes, i needed a nook where i could escape the world and its distractions and focus. the dining room table (err...folding leaf table against the wall in our living room) just wasn't cutting it anymore. behold, my new desk, where i think, write, design, blog, and attempt to resist the distractions that loom on that nifty world wide web.

i did a bit of styling with stuff i had laying around. granted, there's more to do. i'm dying to fill the entire wall with cork tiles so i can display all the tidbits of inspiration i collect. the desk was my mom's growing up. she was in need of a paint job, so i slathered on a coat of pale minty green that i scuffed up a bit. the hardware is original--love how its antiquity now pops against the light paint.

anyway, this is where i'm posted on any given day. with plenty of coffee in that mug, of course.
thought you might like to see :)