winter hollies

the other day i was on a walk and admired the of the winter hollies and their popping color.

chocolate and pecan molasses pie

with the big pecan crop this year, i have had pecans on my mind.  my friend carrie shared this decadent recipe for her chocolate pecan pie.

during the holidays this pie is a southern staple.

i think i might have to make one for our new years day festivities and feast.

see the recipe after the jump and thank you to  sugar beet catering in athens, ga for sharing!

Chocolate and Pecan Molasses Pie

(makes one-10 inch pie)

Tart dough:

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup ice water

1 1/2 c. plus 1 tablespoons AP flour, plus a little more for rolling out dough

1/2 c. (1 sticks) plus 2.5 Tbsp. very cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Mix together salt and water. Keep very cold until ready to use.

2. Place flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly until mixture

forms large crumbs. Add the salt water mixture and continue pulsing until a dough has

just formed but is not smooth.

3. Chill at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

4. On a lightly floured work surface roll out the dough.

Pie filling

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. molasses

6 Tbsp. melted butter

1 1/2 c. dark brown sugar

Whisk together the above ingredients. Scatter the chocolate chips into the prepared pie

shell. Pour the pie filling on top of the chocolate chips. Carefully place the whole pecans

on top of the filling in the desired pattern or you can just chop em’ and sprinkle them on

top randomly.

8 oz. semisweet Ghiradelli chocolate

2 c. whole pecans

stepping stones

while down in thomasville, georgia, i visited pebble hill, a large hunting plantation, one of many in the area, but the only one open to the public. much beauty to feast the eyes on, and lots of inspirations in the way of hand painted wallpapers in the rooms and gorgeous framed audubon bird prints lining the hallways.

the layout included a creamery, a laundry house, a nurse’s station, a schoolhouse, a swimming pool, stables and the family graveyard, among others. these concrete stepping-stones inspired me to make some squares with leaf impressions. maybe in the spring!

silvered things

i’ve learned that every time i go out to the idea shack i might as well take my camera, because there is always some new beauty there. some new slant of light, or dying flower catches my imagination. especially this time of year. the sun is so low in the sky, shining a silver light on all the detritus, making it all grand.

we are back!

you may have tried to come to our site over the past couple of weeks and received a notice that our site would harm your computer.  we were hit by spammers and have just gotten everything sorted out and cleaned up.  we apologize!  anyways, tomorrow we will resume to our daily posting and move forward.  see ya tomorrow!

studio visit: carol john

i have decided that this post does not need many words.

just enjoy the color.

CAROL JOHN

thanks, carol.

felt blooms

handmade blooms to be enjoyed all year round!

a reminder to support your handmade artists this holiday!

handmade by catie adams

eatocracy....does the south

i recently was turned on to

eatocracy

, which is cnn's food blog.  while i read a handful of different food blogs- i love them each for different reasons.   one for the pretty food, one for the recipes, one because it's vegan, one for the education factor.  i really have been admiring this eatocracy because it really is about the story of the food, where food is coming from, and where the future of food is going.

last week they featured southern food.  they had a secret supper at restaurant eugene in atlanta and brought several  food folks together including chefs, writers, food activists, and of course the farmers.  if you have the time to watch the couple of videos on their site, it is worth it.  they really get into true southern traditional food, not just the food that we oftentimes associate with the south.

visit

here

to be inspired!

brown parcell press.... a gift idea

since i have moved here, which has been over 6 years now....i have met so many creative and inspiring people.  a few years ago i met the folks from

brown parcel press

and have been staying in touch and admiring their work ever since.  they have recently moved their studio to a homestead in sparta, geogia where they print in an old general store.  it sounds so dreamy and it really couldn't be a better fit for them.

my favorite gift pick for this year is their fauna + flora 2011 calender.  it consists of 13 wonderfully designed- letterpressed pages each inspired by the farm.  it is seriously beautiful.  you can find it

here

!

also check out their blog, called

brown's general

,  where they have lots of inspiring imagery to feast your eyes upon.  it is my new favorite thing to look at!

and....megan has invited us down to see the farm.  i can hardly wait, we'll share some more on them soon.

psst.... this is a great way to support your local and independent designers and artisans during the holiday season.

winter stems

i’ve been so inspired by the brown and black skeletons of weeds and flowers this fall.  as gestural and beautiful in death as in life.  i set up a little backdrop in the idea shack and started studying their beauty…