As I was searching for an old image, I came across this photo from last year. I looked back through the Whipped archives and discovered I had never shared this treasure with you! My friend Ebony surprised me with this holiday gift last year. The handmade juicer is part sculpture and part kitchen tool. Every detail of this gift is so lovely, down to the wax sealed note the owner sent along.

It gets even better. Herriott Grace began with a lovely father-daughter story involving a long distance correspondence and a love of things made by hand. Because each item is a work of art, their inventory is limited, making the treasures even more wish-worthy.

It almost feels like I shouldn’t tell you all about Herriott Grace as these gorgeous pieces feel like a secret worth keeping!

1. La Creuset Classic 11-piece in Green

The cool weather is whispering sweet messages in my ear and it is saying that it is time to start cooking things slow and long. I have always coveted  La Creuset cookware. For some reason, I have never pulled the trigger and bought myself any. During a little work break, I browsed through the website and let out a little audible gasp when I came across this set. Now I don’t want just one dutch oven, I want to build a new visible shelf in my kitchen to showcase this lovely family of cast iron. It could change my winter cooking for years to come!

2.Chai Tea Glasses with Carrier

We stumbled into a cute store in Lincoln Park last weekend called The Green Goddess Boutique. The vintage chandeliers in the window first caught my eye. Upon entering, we found additional treasures including sets of little glasses in wire carriers.The boutique clerk explained that they were chai tea carriers. (I had imagined carrying good bourbon around a standing room only party!) When you aren’t using them to serve something sip-able, you could use them flowers like they did here. What I really wish is that this set with a green carrier was still available. See a pattern emerging? I am in a blue/green phase.

3. One-of-a-Kind Dresses from Six Two Designs

This summer at the new art festival focusing on recycled materials, Ravenswood Remix, I found Lori Horne. She makes the coolest, greenest fashion I have come across yet. Lori designs and sews clothing made out of old t-shirts. This idea could easily be executed poorly but her keen eye and sense for sewing yield some awesome dresses. I fell in love with this blue number, especially because it says Chicago Joe’s on my right “cheek.” What a way to wear city pride! I also coveted a handful of her black dresses with more of a rock ‘n’ roll feel. I wore this dress yesterday and due to its comfort level (think pajamas at work) I am dreaming of buying another. Check out her etsy store. And, if you are in Chicago, she may be able to meet you to show you are current styles.

I am always struggling to drink enough water. I get busy, forget, don’t have a vessel… a dozen excuses. When I do manage to stay hydrated I feel better, my skin looks better and I eat less. Like my organizational systems, I have found that if I try to  mix up my water consumption methods a bit, I am able to stay on my toes and keep on track.

A few summers ago, I was preparing these pitchers of sexy water. Then I made a rule that I had to drink a full glass of water before every meal or snack. When the folks at CamelBak® asked if I wanted to try the new CamelBak® Groove™, I agreed and decided I would carry it with me everywhere I go and see if I could increase my water intake.

Having a cool, aqua colored water bottle is nice. Having one with a built in water filter? Even nicer. The little white tube that you can see inside is a carbon water filter that freshens up your water with every sip. Don’t go dipping your bottle into a nearby river or anything, it doesn’t remove dangerous or harmful substances but it does make tap water taste better.

If you have used a CamelBak® before, you are probably familiar with the bite down, straw system. It keeps water from spilling when the bottle tips and it is pleasing and soothing to drink from (as a mom of a 3 month old, I can’t help but notice some similarities.) The downsides for me are that I am a bit lazy about remembering to pull off the straw piece and really clean it as well as it should be cleaned. And, I am not sure I will remember to change the filter inside every 3 months. But, those are minor concerns compared to the fact that I AM drinking more water. AND, it is tasting better. AND, i am not purchasing wasteful bottled water. AND, everyone in my Masters Swimming group thought my water bottle was cool!! :)

So, you want one? Well, I am giving away 5 of them. Just leave a comment about your water drinking and hydration habits, problems or thoughts and you just might find yourself toting around a Camelbak® Groove™ like me. At the end of the day Tuesday, I’ll randomly choose 5 winners. Happy hydrating.

Lucky for all of us, Ebony has started blogging.  In the past years, I have had the pleasure of not only becoming her friend but working with her and getting a sneak peek “behind the curtain” at Snow & Graham.  You know what I have learned?  That woman can churn out creative designs and ideas like Prince can write hit songs.  They just seem to come to her.  Now, thanks to the immediacy of blogging, we now all get more Ebony, more often, more of the time.  Feast on her ideas and inspirations here.

This recent post about how to make cupcake wrappers is complete with instructions and even a downloadable PDF template.  If you (or when you) fall in love with her Snow & Graham papers, you may use the code WHIPPED at checkout to receive 10% off your online orders.  Happy Cupcake Wrapping!

This Stokke chair has been our best purchase in the past year. I had seen Stokke chairs at friends’ houses and I always appreciated the sleek Scandinavian design. However, that is not the main reason I love it so much now that we own one. Mini Whipped sits on this chair pulled up to our table for all of her meals. Without the usual tray in front of her, she truly enjoys the family mealtime. She pipes in during conversation with her own babytalk stories, shares sips from my grown up water glass, wants tastes of everything we are eating and has recently started offering us back a few of her Cheerios.

The Stokke chair is not cheap. We happened upon this one at a second hand children’s store for nearly nothing. But, after dozens of the most-fun-ever, memorable family mealtimes with 9-month old Mini Whipped by my side, I would pay the full price many times over.

p.s. modeling the chair is our monkey pal, Jelly. He was given to us by this artist and his talented gal. Said artist also painted the piece on the wall.

Instead, I have decided to drop in and say hello with my friend Blue Bird the Sugar Guardian. I tend to make up names, stories and personalities for inanimate objects. This fellow comes to us by way of the Anthropologie Clearance bin. There was no spoon with the bowl which is likely how Blue Bird made it to underpriced heap. My husband found him and knew he was just the sort of fella that would bring me a daily smile. So, he came home to perch on our countertop. Blue Bird is faithful and takes his sugar roosting quite seriously. He also tends to be a bit stern and lacking in sense of humor. If I reach for a second spoonful for my coffee, he gives me the eye and reminds me to keep my sugar intake to a minimum.

I am thinking about getting Blue Bird some pals. These Early Birds seem fun but they look awfully chatty and I am not sure that will be a fit with Blue Bird’s more stoic demeanor. Or, maybe Cockadoodle Timer will find her way to our home. She also seems a bit more gregarious and maybe not a perfect personality fit. But, who knows… perhaps romance will ensue? They say opposites attract.

Recently, I hosted a couples baby shower for about thirty people. It was the first time I threw a party at our house since having my own baby and it took more planning ahead for all the pieces of the party puzzle to fall in place. Mini-Whipped’s baby room is right off the kitchen. Since the party started at 6pm and she goes to bed at 7:30pm, I knew I didn’t have much time to welcome guests, get food on the table, get her to sleep and stop clanging around the kitchen.

My favorite new party trick greatly minimized clean up and allowed me to avoid getting out and cleaning my big serving platters. I cut a bunch of sheets of wrapping paper (from my favorite Snow & Graham) into sizes to fit under smaller dishes. Then, I put full sheets out, lined them with parchment paper and put some of the food directly on it. In the photo, you can see the steamed dumplings directly on the parchment. The next morning, I just tossed the paper that was soiled and actually wrapped gifts this year with a few of the sheets that were still in good shape. How green!

If you aren’t too crafted out already, I have one more idea to share. Just tonight, I followed an idea from Domino magazine using the final left over sheets of my pretty paper. I cut out three 18 inch squares of foamcore board (found at office supply stores), wrapped them in the paper and then stuck them on the wall in my hallway with poster putty. Now, I am tacking up all my Christmas cards and photos on them.

You know, I just love the holiday season. I love the lights, the songs, the trees, the cookies, the giving, the photos, the cards, the connecting, the parties and the way that people just all stop what they usually do for awhile and do other things. I am Scrooge’s worst nightmare!

Well this ultra sleek pan scraper is just one of those didn’t-know-I-needed-it items that came into my life and has now found a regular place there. I was given the modern tool, which came from this kitchen supply website and learned that it was originally designed by Martin Puryear, a well known sculptor, for the MOMA store.

“A pan scraper?” I thought. What could that really do? Well, the sharp but not too sharp white plastic blade could swivel as you push it around to remove all the crunchy left over bits from searing meat. Or, it could easily lift up the residue of a cornbread cake from a glass baking dish. Or, it could put all the other black, ordinary utensils in your drawer to shame.

Yes, this pan scraper just breezed into my kitchen utensil collection and has quickly become the big man on campus.

Caroline: Oh my. Wow. Is this a wheel of hard boiled eggs to snack on while you wait at the bar?

Bartender: It sure is.

Caroline rummages in her purse

Caroline: This is the most exciting thing I have ever seen. I am so excited, I am going to take a photograph of it.

Bartender: (in deadpan voice) I hope not.

Caroline: (still excitedly)Hope what?

Bartender: (still deadpan) I hope it isn’t the most exciting thing you have ever seen.

Caroline: (nervous fast talk) Oh well, I have low blood sugar problems and sometimes I get so hungry while waiting for dinner. And, well, I love chips but protein helps so much and I would just be so happy to have one of those eggs in a moment of need… (trailing off as bartender continues to show no hint of a smile)

Click. Click. Click.

Camera goes back in Caroline’s purse. Bartender turns around to make her a gin and tonic. When he puts the drink on the bar in front of her, he picks up the egg wheel and puts it out of reach on the other side of the bar. Hmmm.

Caroline Thinks: I’ll come back for you egg wheel.