Side Door 157

Happy Valentines Day – Kati's Favorite Poem

2009-02-14T11:06:00.004-07:00

Daisies in My Hair and Tulips in a Mason Jar

by Shana Hart

I want to be crazy

sick

in love

I want my eyes to smile

I want to build a house that smells like him

and tastes like us

I want wood floors that creak with his existence

I want a clothesline to air our dirty laundry

Let the weeds grow tall hiding idiosyncrasies

I want a swing in our backyard that reaches

the rooftops and doesn't leave splinters

When night falls I want to live by candlelight

and the luxury of him

Listen to murmuring hearts and

let our bodies talk then finally

soft

small

images of us

to pull at my sides

begging me to teach

helping me to learn

let there be something awesome

immortal and mightier than us

and let us believe in it together

Polka Dot Green - Mini Notes From Juniper Jeffries

2009-02-11T13:13:00.010-07:00

These Mini Notes as we call them are the newest addition to Juniper Jeffries. Don't you just hate it when you need something to write on and you can't find anything. Maybe you missed someone or just needed to leave a note to call. Small, cute, stylish and simple to make, they are easily accessible when in your purse or bag. They even have a small kind greeting printed right on them.

hi • missed you • call me • just a note • thank you

So make and give. It will put a smile on someone's face.

juniperjeffries.etsy.com

Goodbloom - Retro & Whimsical Prints & Originals

2009-02-10T08:05:00.005-07:00

Goodbloom is the etsy shop of Holly Bartos where she sells these wonderfully whimsical and colorful paintings. She started creating when she needed artwork for her daughters room. Self taught, but as you can see quite a natural with shape and color. I just love the simplicity and her choice of hue is inspiring.

goodbloom.etsy.com • goodbloom.blotgspot.com • www.goodbloom.net

Bagel Baker - First Attempt

2009-02-08T15:42:00.010-07:00

Bagels... Nice round plump tasty bagels. I have been wanting to try and make them for a while and since it is Lizzie's birthday this week and she wants bagels for breakfast, I decided to try.

So I went online and tried to find a good recipe on allrecipes.com. But I didn't find one I liked. I did a Google search and found this recipe by a man named John Lee who has been making bagels for years. The above picture is what came from this adventure and I do say... I think it was a success. Half are sesame seed and the other half plain. Lizzie likes plain. I really enjoyed making them and my whole family loved them. So I guess I have a new job in the family. Bagel Baker... and you know... I think I will take it.

And yeah, yeah it is an old yucky looking cookie sheet but it works well! Maybe it is time to buy some new ones though.

Below is the recipe I followed and how I made them. Thanks John!

Bagels

4 cups flour

1 Tbls sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 Tbls vegetable oil

2 tsps instant yeast

1-1/4- 1-1/2 cups of warm water.

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. You don't have to worry about soaking the yeast when you use instant yeast. The dough should feel stiff, but add the extra water if it's really stiff, or you can't get all the dry flour incorporated.

2. Plop the dough down onto the counter, and knead for about ten minutes, or until the dough is uniform and smooth.

3. Cut the dough into 8 equal sized balls, and let rest for 10-20 minutes.

4. Pre heat your oven to 425.

5. Now, take each of the dough balls and using two hands, roll it into a little snake on the counter. When the snake is longer than the width of your two hands, wrap it around your dominant roiling hand. The dough rope should be wrapped so the overlapping ends are together at your palm, near the start of your fingers. Now take the two overlapping ends, and use your palm to squish/roll these two ends together. Once the dough is fused, you should have a perfectly circular bagel-to-be! This is the only part of the process that can take a little practice before your bagels will look really professional. Don't get discouraged if they don't look perfect, it just takes practice!

6. Let your bagels rest on the counter for about 20 minutes, and meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil, and grease a large baking tray lightly. You can just rub a splash of vegetable oil and rub it around.

7. After the 20 minute wait, your bagels will start to look puffy, and it's time to get them boiling. Add them as many at a time as you can to your boiling water without crowding them. Boil for about a minute, turn them over, and boil for another minute. Take them out a let dry for a minute and then place them on your oiled baking tray. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled.

8. Brush the top of the bagels with egg whites and sprinkle with sesame seeds or whatever you like.

9. Add the tray to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes and they're done!

10. Let them cool and feast on what's got to be one of the best weekend brunch treats possible!

DIY - Fantastic & Easy Windowsill Planter

2009-02-05T15:41:00.006-07:00

I saw this on Apartment Therapy and had to blog about it myself. It is made out of a rain gutter. What a great idea. The idea was found on the Flickr site of Kalani Kordus. It only takes a few materials and looks quite easy to put together for a stylish look. Bring a little organic decoration to your windows and home or make some for friends filled with their favorite plant varieties. All the materials & tools needed are at the link below.

Kalani Kordus on Flickr

Krisblues - Prints & Original Artwork

2009-02-05T10:57:00.011-07:00

Krisblue is full of these wonderfully sophisticated and beautiful prints by Kristiana Parn. I love the colors, the style and illustrations. They would take any room in your home and bring it warmth and beauty. You can purchase prints as well as originals from her Etsy or web site.

krisblues.etsy.com

www.kristianaparn.com

Mixtapes Revised

2009-02-04T13:44:00.008-07:00

Remember those mix tapes you used to make your friends from the radio or dubbed from another cassett? Well now you can make your own again MP3 style. SuckUK has make its own version. With the fun cover where you can write all the music you are giving in your own way. I love this idea. It's fun and brings me back to the good ole days. There is also a video on YouTube illustrating how you use it. Find the links below.

Mix Tape

Mixtape on YouTube

Let's Play • Printable Children's Valentines from Juniper Jeffries

2009-02-03T15:57:00.011-07:00

These are the printable Children's Valentines I have created for this season. The theme for these cute cards is Let's Play and there are 4 different greetings in this set. Let's Fly a Kite, Let's Pick Flowers, Let's Climb a Tree & Let's Fly Paper airplanes. Each one comes with a strip of paper to wrap around the card to write a friends name on. Attach a piece of candy to make it a special treat! Take a look around our shop to find your printable love.

juniperjeffries.etsy.com

Vintage Card Catalog Love - Contest: What would you do with it?

2009-02-02T16:58:00.012-07:00

So I was looking at the blog Apartment Therapy when I came across this post about old card catalogs and what they could be used for. This one is actually holding bottles of wine. I love vintage card catalogs and have a few smaller ones myself. I use them to hold art supplies. I love that they have these small separate drawers that are perfect for organizing brushes, carving tools, paints and such. You get the picture.

So tell me. What would you do with an old card catalog? Leave your idea in a comment. The most creative idea will receive one of my printable stationery templates of your choice.

If you haven't seen them yet. Click the Juniper Jeffries link on the left side bar and take a look. I will pick the winner next Monday, February 9th at noon (mst)!

Kitchen Stories

2009-02-02T09:52:00.007-07:00

Don't these look absolutely delicious! Using the freshest and most natural products, Kitchen Stories cooks up baking and party food mixes for you and your guests to enjoy. I just want to dig my fork into those Mixed Berry Pancakes!

kitchenstories.etsy.com

From top to bottom...

1. Mixed Berry Pancake Mix

2. French Herb Pasta Salad

3. Double Trouble Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Beautiful, Soft... Lilly Moon

2009-01-30T06:58:00.006-07:00

When I saw Lilly Moons work I just smiled.

lillymoon.etsy.com

From top to bottom... Left to right...

1. Little Wise Bird

2. Pink Poppies & Fairytales

3. The Bird Girl (Blue)

4. At a Distance

Juniper Jeffries Printable Love...

2009-01-29T16:42:00.011-07:00

Print a little love this Valentine season.

juniperjeffries.etsy.com

Photography By Bomobob

2009-01-28T19:50:00.008-07:00

I love photography. Especially when it gives a different point of view and evokes imagination and emotion. The photography of bomobob, as he is called on Etsy, does just that. I love the muted yet vibrant colors and the angles and depth of field. His photographic interests run the gamut from intimate portraits to landscapes to ephemera to street life. And although firmly entrenched in the digital age, he has a weakness for film and for old cameras. I just love looking at these works of art.

bomobob.etsy.com

From top to bottom... Left to right...

1. Delicate

2. In Hopes of an Early Spring

3. Quack

4. Soaring

5. Luminance

6. Fire

Adorable Scrabble Tile Necklaces

2009-01-27T15:34:00.009-07:00

So while searching through Etsy yesterday Kati and I came across these Scrabble Tile Necklaces by Little Blue Bird Studio. Kati really liked them and immediately said she wanted one. I think they are creative and fun too. I think all my girls would like them. They are whimsical and colorful and come in a wide variety of designs. Each one comes packaged hanging in a clear glass test tube. How cool is that!

littlebluebirdstudios.etsy.com

From top to bottom... Left to right...
1. Dark Beauty

2. Poppy Fields

3. Eifel Tower

4. Orange Bird

5. Cherry Blossoms

6. Beautiful Blossoms

Papercut Lamps by Hannah Nunn

2009-01-26T07:24:00.006-07:00

Aren't these just gorgeous. I was searching Etsy when I cam across these Papercut Lamps by Hannah Nunn. I just love their simplicity and glow. Hanna creates her lanterns in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK and is inspired by the natural world and the amazing structure of plants and flowers. And I can see all of that inspiration is these lighting works of art.

hannahnun.etsy.com

From top to bottom... Left to right...

1. Tall Spring Blossom Table Lamp

2. Small Butterfly Meadow Table Lamp

3. Tall Japanese Anemone table Lamp

4. Small Tulip Table Lamp

Paintings By Cathy Nichols

2009-01-24T08:26:00.007-07:00

Cathy Nichols is a brilliant artist. Just look at those colors! They make me happy and I want to be a part of that world & the surfers make me long for home, Ventura, CA, and the warm relaxing lifestyle it provided. When Cathy creates she gathers all of her favorite materials and begins to weave images together with wax, paint, medium and words until something coalesces. On her Etsy site she sells the original paintings as well as prints.

cathynichols.etsy.com

From top to bottom... Left to right...

1. Poem

2. Falling, Yes I Am Falling

3. French Kiss

4. Togethere You Are Less Lonely

5. Aloft

6. Beach Day

Cold Springs Studio Pottery

2009-01-23T05:50:00.004-07:00

Cold Springs Studio Pottery began in 2002 in a small old barn on the Solla families property. Taking inspiration from their garden, travels, the seasons and their grandmothers kitchen they create these beautiful and eye catching items. I love the colors and the organic shapes. Looking at them I want to pick them up and run my fingers across their textures. They would make a stunning addition to anyones pottery collection.

Cold Springs Studio Pottery

From top to bottom... left to right.

1. Large Serving Bowl, Tangering

2. Salad Plate, Blue

3. Canister/Wind Cozy, Turquoise

4. Oval Picture, Lime

Prints By Threesistersink

2009-01-22T06:43:00.009-07:00

Threesistersink is just that. Three creative siblings that put their talents together to start selling these gorgeous and fun prints. I find them highly interesting and the colors are wonderful. I love the birds.

threesistersink.etsy.com

From top to bottom... left to right.
1. Color Pattern2
2. Tweet
3. Owl
4. Lovely Garden

Winter In All Its White, Cold Glory

2009-01-22T05:50:00.007-07:00

I have never been the biggest fan of Winter. But I love the frosted look everything gets. For the past week we have been covered by a thick layer of fog. When this happens everything gets covered by ice crystals and looks dipped in white icing. I love looking out the window just as things are beginning to light up and the world is misty and white. It is one of the good things about winter. Gotta keep the spirits up at least until Spring sets in.

Welcome to Side Door 157

2009-01-22T05:37:00.002-07:00

ok... so I thought and thought and thought about how to introduce our blog Side Door 157. And there just isn’t a good way that I can think of. No spin or anything. Just what it is.

I am an artist and designer and I love things and ideas that inspire and just make life better. It is an extension of of my etsy shop, Juniper Jeffries where I sell my wares. There are a lot of great artists and craftsmen out there and I want to not only show my work but the fabulous work of others. Lets celebrate it!

I have been married for 15 years to a wonderful gal and we have 3 great kids and they all support me in my work. They are awesome and each have their own outlets of creativity. We live in Roosevelt Ut. and I do all my work out of my home studio. I love creating things that make people happy.

Our home is our gallery, our eatery, our workshop and our laughing place. A place we entertain friends and family and share what we love. When our friends come over they don’t knock they just enter through the side door.

Side Door 157 is our virtual home. Within these walls you will find all things good. So welcome friends and stop by often for great ideas and inspiration. And let me know what you think.

Oh yeah... I love Macs so expect some info on those as well.