Culture | Apples & Onions

The Homegrown Collective

April 17, 2013 by Lydia Ellison Howerton

I have finally found the perfect gift for the person in your life who has everything (assuming they don’t have a kit to make rose hip infused raw honey.) I was very lucky to receive a delivery of the Homegrown Collective Green Box from a friend. The motto of the company is “delivering a homegrown lifestyle to your doorstep each month.” Each monthly box contains all the the supplies to make your own green products and step by step instructions for easy and informed execution. Great for Eco-conscious families, curious kids and busy professionals who don’t have time to make their own Kombucha starter.

The Homegrown Collective

The packaging and literature are artfully crafted. Each box has a different theme, the one I received was called “How Sweet It Is”, with projects, food stuffs and recipes featuring all things honey bee related.

The Homegrown Collective

Honey, Bee Pollen and Bee’s Wax oh my.

The Homegrown Collective

All the supplies to make shea butter and beeswax lip balms flavored with almond and citrus oil.

The Homegrown Collective

Local raw honey and rose hips to infuse the honey in the provided mason jar.

The Homegrown Collective

Delicious and nutritious bee pollen and a recipe for a protein packed vegetarian smoothie.

A single box costs $39 + shipping and there are discounts for 3, 6 and 12 month subscriptions. Don’t you love this concept?

xo,

Lydia

Spring Weekend

April 12, 2013 by Lydia Ellison Howerton

Tulips

This weekend I’m catching up on spring projects…

Cleaning our garage

Making this Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

Hiking in Griffith Park and then enjoying brunch with a gal pal at Sqirl

Baking a million batches of Sugar & Spice Pecans to donate to this amazing event

Filling my home with tulips in every color of the rainbow

Happy Weekend!

Lydia

Happy Easter

March 29, 2013 by Lydia Ellison Howerton

Wishing you a colorful weekend!

Bottega Louie Macarons

xo,

Lydia

Deck Towel Posters

February 28, 2013 by Lydia Ellison Howerton

Pretty proud of my little brother’s latest product from his luxury linen beach towel company. He put out a line of poster prints made from his photographs. The price point is spot on for chic original art for your home ($85-$115.) I want to hang Rowboat and Ropes side by side in white frames in our living room.

“Spring is coming. To celebrate, Deck Towel is debuting a set of three limited edition silk screen prints. Each poster was inspired by snapshots from one our favorite vacation spots – Shelter Island, New York.”- Deck Towel

Ropes by Deck Towel

Tomato by Deck Towel

Rowboat by Deck Towel

This is what Buck told me about the prints. “They’re hand printed silk screens in a mix of two colors, sprayed with sea salt water to give them this sort of spotted effect, so each one is unique. The images are all from our first look book shoot on shelter island in the Hamptons – tomato, rowboat, rope. They’re signed deck towel and number on the back and come rolled in a tube. They’re roughly 20 x 30 inches printed on this super high quality hähnemühle German paper.”

Which one is your favorite?

xo,

Lydia

Pop of Pink

February 12, 2013 by Lydia Ellison Howerton

Currently crushing on pretty pink accents for my home and wardrobe. February is thematicly the most appropriate month to welcome a little of this flush colored hue into your life so I’m going for it.

All images form Pinterest. I’m ready for a pop of vivid color as winter starts to whisper about spring.

xoxo,

Lydia

The Georgetown Academy Series

November 14, 2012 by Lydia Ellison Howerton

I hate to brag but I’m now friends with the authors of a soon to be MAJOR hit book series. In fact one of these authors was my roommate just after college and a bridesmaid in my wedding. I’m sure I’ll have a cameo once the movie/tv show is made, right?

“Georgetown Academy takes place at a prep school in D.C. where all the most powerful politicians send their children, and where one teenage misstep can turn into a national scandal faster than you can say CNN. The series combines the edgy fun of Gossip Girl with the snappy energy of The West Wing, with each book containing sharp, snarky commentary about party lines and current socio-political issues.”-Jessica Koosed Etting

Georgetown Academy is a Young Adult series that’s really smart and funny. I think any older soul who wants to escape to a world of saucy high school political princesses will love reading these books. The cliffhanger ending of Book One is so intense you will be grateful that Book Two is already out for IMMEDIATE download.

You can buy the books on Amazon or Barnes&Noble.com (only available on e-readers, tablets and computer download for now) and please spread the word with anyone you think might enjoy these stories. Let me know if you read it, I’m dying to discuss your fav characters.

kisses,

Lydia

Fall Hibernation

October 22, 2012 by Sarah Lagrotteria

image via

Happy Monday, lovebugs.

We’re heading into a wee hibernation for the next two weeks. Time to buckle down with work and baby (when she finally comes).

We’ll be back in November. Until then, take care. We’ll miss you.

xx Sarah

Happy Weekend!

October 19, 2012 by Sarah Lagrotteria

image via

Happy weekend, friends!

Every morning I wake up and ask the little bee in my belly if today is her birthday. So far…silence. We’re spending the weekend trying to distract ourselves from the waiting!

What are you up to?

A few things I’m loving this week:

Two favorite coconutty recipes:

Shanti’s granola

Nikki’s healthy cookies

Cashmere and a boat neck? In poppy please.

I’m hooked on The Skimm.

Do you juice? We just bought our first juicer (on sale!) and I’m excited to get going. Some starter juice recipes. (I’m afraid to try beets.)

This and this– my dream gourmet tailgate menu!

Baby ballet flats. These are already waiting for my little one thanks to La Femme Epicure.

Enjoy this beautiful fall weekend.

xx Sarah

Pumpkin Patch

October 14, 2012 by Lydia Ellison Howerton

Thanks to a hot tip from friends I visited the BEST pumpkin patch today. Forneris Farms is just outside of LA in the Valley. A family run farm who sets up a mini fall carnival with tons of pumpkins at very affordable prices, a big corn maze and lots of yummy food. Most of the gourds I bought are for a work event but I found a few favorites to liven up our home for the season.