3 more day until 40% off Black Friday Sale!!

NEW Summer Flower Accessories

I made some new flowers for Summer~what are YOU wearing to the beach/pool? All of these flowers are available at Bellababy Studio.

Happy Summer!

Summer Cucumber & Onion Pickles

Nothing says Summer like crispy, cold pickled cukes! This recipe is so simple and I actually already had all the ingredients in my kitchen! No processing necessary~You HAVE to try this!

What you will need:
1 large canning jar with lid (you could even use old pickle jar from store)
1 cup white vinegar
1 large cucumber (peeled & sliced into thick rounds)
1 medium yellow onion (peeled & sliced into thick rounds)
1 cup water
1 tbs pickling spices (I use Ball Mixed Pickling Spices, available at grocery store)
2 tbs salt
1 tsp black pepper

Mix all these in a small saucepan and heat over high until hot, remove from heat and stir. I like to do this so pickling spices' flavor really gets in there!  Let sit until it's about room temperature (you don't want to cook those fresh veggies!).

Ball Pickling Spices

sauce pan mixture all cooled...

Next, get your jar and start layering your cukes and onions while alternating between the two. I like to really pack them in there so they aren't floating in the brine while pickling in fridge.

Cukes & Onions layered...

Then take your pickling liquid and pour into jar about 1/4" from top rim. If there is any pickling spices left in sauce pan, just strain them out and put them into jar as well~don't want to lose any flavor! Next, screw the lid on tightly and give it a good shake to assure those spices are evenly distributed throughout the jar.

All mixed!!!

Are you drooling yet? Cuz I am! Keep these babies in the fridge for at least 48 hours (if you can wait that long!) then open and crunch! These will keep in fridge for about 3 weeks but I don't think they will last that long. Mine never do! ENJOY!!!

UPDATE!!!

It's only been 3 days since I've opened the jar and my 6 yr. old son has eaten practically ALL of the cucumbers! I've enjoyed the onions on a burger, sloppy joe and in salad. You simply MUST try this!

 Eat up!

DIY Citrus House Cleaner

DIY Citrus House Cleaner

I originally found this recipe on Pinterest (here is link).

I used the leftovers from juiced lemons (rinds and a bit of pulp), cut into quarters. I emptied old pickle jar and stuffed lemons in there then filled with white vinegar. Wait 2 weeks then strain and mix 50-50 with water and put in spray bottle. Pretty easy, eh? Can be used on just about anything!

Happy cleaning!

xo

Bellababy

Italian Flatbread~Easy Recipe!

Italian Flatbread

Recipe here!

Found this simple and easy recipe for flatbread ~ no yeast needed! (which is good because I had none!)

Instead of lugging out my cast-iron skillet, I used my electric griddle which also gave me the option to cook 2 flatbreads at a time! Genius! I did brush a little oil on the griddle before I cooked each flatbread to aid in browning. I also turned griddle to highest temp (which is 400 on mine).

To store, cool breads completely and store in large ziploc bags for up to 3 days then transfer to fridge for about a week. But I bet they dont last that long! This recipe made 6 flatbreads for me that average about 12 " long.

BON APETITE!

My Hummos

My Hummos Recipe (that everyone asks for!)

2 cans garbonzo beans~drained
1/4-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1 cup water
1 tbs olive oil (I used Expeller pressed Safflower oil)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt

Blend until smooth. Too thick? Add more water, stir and resume blending. Eat!
I ate mine with home-made flat bread. Find Flat Bread recipe here.
ENJOY!!!

Domenica's Wedding Day

I wanted to share some lovely wedding photos from my clients wedding day. Her name is Domenica and she is gorgeous! All photography is courtesy of Jonas Seaman and I would like to sincerely thank him for sharing his work with me!
You can also find Jonas here:

Blog: http://americanvirus.com

Portfolio: http://www.jonas-seaman.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/americanvirus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonasSeamanPhoto

Domenica is wearing her Khaki Peony with white Ostrich feathers.

The Top 10 reasons I love Christmas

• 10. Winter weather. Living in the desert, I learn to appreciate the cold MUCH more than when I lived in Ohio.
• 9.   Reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" for the very first time, this year, to my son. He would never listen to it before!
• 8.   Digging out my Christmas tree from storage (it's always dusty) and testing all the lights--half, of which, don't work anymore.
• 7.   Seeing all my ornaments again and appreciating each and every one.
• 6.   Watching my 6 yr. old son open each ornament and say, "Mom, this is my favorite one!"  and then proceeding to play with it and almost break it every year.
• 5.   Begging my husband to get on the roof to hang our outside lights and then hearing profanity during the course of it. "This isn't going to F***ing work, Erin!". And, yet, it always does.
• 4.   Making Buckeyes (a chocolate/peanut butter treat known well to my fellow Ohioans) and eating 1/3 of them in the process.
• 3.   Waiting til the very, very last minute to shop for gifts and barely getting it done! Whew!
• 2.   Listening to Christmas music day-in and day-out--and getting away with it!!! Also, watching 24 hours of " A Christmas Story"!
• 1.   The joy on my boys face. The delight in his eyes when he sees a gaggle of gifts under the tree on Christmas morning and the feeling we get afterwards, "We did it, again!"

                                   HAPPY HOLIDAYS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Vermont Vows

Just notified I was part of a wedding editorial! A client of mine was featured in Vermont Vows magazine, Fall & Winter issue, along with her husband and their beautiful wedding. Take a peek at their gorgeous photos loaded with the deep hues of Fall! Chayah (the bride) is wearing my Khaki Peony with Burgundy Biot feathers Headpiece, she looks amazing! 

 The Cover.

 

               They did alot of antique shopping for decorations and even table settings!

 

My credits are listed at the very bottom left side, too tiny to see in this photo:(

The colors are deep and earthy, looks like it was a fabulous affair!

So glad I could be a tiny part of it:)

Then & Now

An interesting past few months!

My 5 year old son has started kindergarten, already has a girlfriend (that he's kissed behind the tree on recess!) and is excelling at it--both school and the kissing!. Time seems to be flying by at an extremely fast pace...and I dont like it. No more diapers. No more binkies. No more baby food. And...no more baby. Vince is turning into a full-fledged boy, now. My only hope is that he lets me kiss and hug him for a bit longer. Just a few more years?

Bellababy Studio is gaining a bit more recognition this Fall. Just notified I was featured in Vermont Vows magazine for this Fall. Will be receiving a copy in the mail. I didnt even know it was happening so, a nice bonus! I will also be doing Hullabaloo again this November! This will be my 4th or 5th year...i forget!

I'm trying to focus on more formal pieces, (i.e.) bridal, gala/ball, cocktail hats, Kentucky Derby-style hats, burlesque and slowly trying to learn the Millinery trade. I am becoming VERY fond of felt, velvet, feathers, sequins, appliques and Russian netting/tulle...especially the "dotted" kind. Perfecting my style in birdcage and blusher veils has opened a whole new door for me (and you!) to experiment with color, texture, style, size and boldness of formal, photo-prop and ready-to-wear accessories.

Be on the lookout this season for bigger and better pieces themed around the richness of Fall and Winter. Dont you have a Winter Gala to attend? Or maybe a New Years Eve Ball? If so, you know where to find me. I'll be the one covered in feathers and felt sitting next to the sewing machine.

Fall Frenzy

In lieu of new Fall items coming your way, I have announced my Fall Frenzy sale! 15% off entire stock when you enter "fallfrenzy15" at checkout. Visit Bellababy Studio from now until Oct 1st. to get your Fall savings. Stock up for Christmas gifts! I have loads of goodies still available in my CLEARANCE section and the 15% off applies there too! Stay tuned for more new merchandise soon and...HAPPY FALL!!!

Bellababy Studio at Chasers!

Come see Bellababy Studio Saturday, Sept.3rd (6pm) at Chasers in Scottsdale. 

ALL AGES WELCOME!!!
Live Music & Fashion Show supporting the Arizona Animal Welfare League. 

Prizes, Raffles, $3.50 tall PBR and Auction!
I'll be there with all my latest designs so bring plenty of cash! See ya there!
(p.s. $10 cover to go to AAWL)

 

HUGE end of Summer Clearance!

Summer is coming to an end soon but I am beginning something new! In order for that to happen I need to make room. Until these items are sold, they will be priced to make you giddy! My entire Tattoo Collection is discounted and my Clearance section has been re-vamped and prices have been slashed...like seriously slashed. I'm not even kidding! So jet on over to Bellababy Studio and pick up your goodies before they have vanished!

Happy end-of-Summer!

~Bellababy

Washed Out - You and I. (video)

Just lovely. Close your eyes and listen. 

300 "Likes" for Bellababy Studio (Free Swag Giveaway)

I'd like to reach another milestone--300 "Likes"!
If you "share" my fan page (www.facebook.com/bellababystudio) and POST HERE ( Bellababy Studio's Events Page) WHEN YOU HAVE, then you will be automatically entered to win a Bellababy Studio Swag box! "Share" your heart out for "yours truly" and you will be granted some sweet Summer goodies to keep you peachy-keen on the Summer scene!

Happy Summer!!

(P.S. Dont forget to post on Bellababy Studio's Events Page when you have "shared" on your Facebook wall or you wont qualify for FREE SWAG.)

Xoxo,
Bellababy

Spring Cleaning

Heads up! It's Spring cleaning time--that means more for you.
I'm offering up more of my hair goodies at a "gotta move" low price. Must make room for bigger and better things! Get your old favorites here for just $5 & $10 while supplies last.
(As always, Bows ship FREE!)

Click:
$5 Clearance
$10 Clearance

March Free Swag Giveaway

Happy March everyone! Spring is in the air and it's time for another Giveaway! Click the link below for full details on how YOU could win a fab box of Bellababy Studio swag!


March Free Swag Giveaway

The move.

Before you read this post, please "pause" music from bottom of page and press "play" here:



We moved. 4 miles north from our original home. I miss my neighbor dearly (and our weekend play dates). But, I now have a bigger and better home. Dogs love it. Cats love it. Son loves it. I love it. The hubs...well the jury is still out on that. He just moved from his childhood home of 18 years. I do think its growing on him though. MORE ROOM for all of our crap! 4 bedrooms, 2 big "extra" rooms to boot. Plenty of room to do whatever to. We have several tiled-in planters in the front yard. I've been planting seeds of flowers and watching everyday for seedlings to sprout up (they are coming). It's sort of a re-birth for me. New beginnings. New surroundings. New digs. Closer to city life and the "Orbit" free shuttle bus--score!

I absolutely adore moving. I tend to get stir crazy in one place. Must keep moving. Must find a new adventure. Must explore. Hubs seems to be a bit skeptical of it all. Now, I have moved a million times in my life. Never has it been disappointing or boring. It's exciting! It's new! I, for the life of me, can not understand why anyone would want to spend "forever" in any one place? Why should you? There's a whole big world out there waiting for you to discover it. It's not going anywhere. It's waiting. Waiting for you--waiting for us.

What I wouldn't give to go to Spain and roast/steam green onions (in news paper) in the ground for 2 hours then eat, drink and be merry! What I also wouldn't give to visit Greece and dance with the men in a traditional Greek dance, kicking my heels high while lamb was slowly roasting over a smokey and rustic spit. All the while, helping prepare the local vegetable fair (while indulging in a touch of wine) and using exotic herbs and spices. Black sand, blue-green waters, foreign hospitality and cheer to go around.

Ok, I' got a bit off track. But, really. Who doesn't like change? Who??? The way I see it, only "good" can come from change. Growth. Knowledge. Understanding. Peace.

Which is why, when I learned of the inevitable "move" I was quietly enthused and relieved. Time to start over. "New beginnings", as I've said before. A new chapter. Move over 2010! 2011 is moving in and taking names! Get the hell outta my way!

It's not all roses and champagne though. Moving is adjusting and setting up shop. New routines, new locations of everyday items, new smells, new friends (if any) and a new life (or at least the dream of one). But for me, it won't just be a dream. It will be reality. New things will happen and I will make them happen. You bet your ass I will. Seriously...bet your ass and your ass is mine. No take-backs. I mean it.

I do apologize for the lack of photos in this post. They are still a work in progress, Don't wet your pants--they are coming eventually. I feel the need to show you, in chronological order, the progression of the "garden" and the inside "decor". Bare with me. "Bare"? (Who knows if that's the right spelling, prob not.)

The reason why I felt the urge to write this is because I don't want anyone to feel "bad" for our move or feel "sorry" for our circumstance. It's all good vibes! We feel very good! We are all in a good place now--geographically and spiritually. It feels right. It feels comfortable.

It feels like home.

Home is where our hearts are.

The best words I've heard this month:
Landlord: "Do whatever you want to the house--it's yours!"

Cheers. Here's to new stuff.

Grizzly Bear--Two weeks

If only our eyes blinked singularly, our cheeks turned into sunshine when we smiled and our heads sparked like fireworks at the thought of it all.

what a strange world it would be.

 

Grizzly Bear--Two Weeks

 

And the WINNER is....

Tracey Taft McMahan from Swanton, Ohio! Congrats Tracey! You are the lucky winner of a FAB box of BBS swag! All you need to do is message me (on FB) and give me ur address so I can send ur prize.

Thanks to all who participated--enter again next month for another chance to win!