Covent Garden Lantern Earrings

Covent Garden is a district in London, England, located in the easternmost parts of the City of Westminster and the southwestern corner of the London Borough of Camden. The area is dominated by shopping, street performers, and entertainment facilities, and it contains an entrance to the Royal Opera House, which is also widely-known simply as "Covent Garden", and the bustling Seven Dials area.

Think "My Fair Lady" - On a rainy night in Edwardian London, the opera patrons are waiting under the arches of Covent Garden for cabs. Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl, runs into a young man called Freddie. She admonishes him for spilling her violets in the mud but cheers up after selling one to an older gentleman.

These bicone beads are vintage and a soft, pretty pink; barely translucent as you can see a faint pink glow in the photo. There are also purchased from "across the pond" so the name is only fitting.

Brie with Caramelized Pecans

Brie with Caramelized Pecans

1 brie cheese, 5-inch wheel
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 baguette, sliced thin

Warm a sharp slicing knife in very hot tap water and carefully cut the top rind off the brie wheel. As a slicing guide, you can insert skewers into the cheese just below the rind. Let the knife blade rest on the skewers as you slice off the rind.

In a sauce pot, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half and sauce is dark brown. Remove from heat and add the pecans and cream. Stir well. Return mixture to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about another 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in butter.

Place the brie on a large plate. While it is still hot, pour the caramel and pecan mixture evenly over the Brie, letting some of the caramel run over the sides of the cheese.

Surround the finished brie with baguette slices and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 320 calories; 18 g fat (8 g saturated fat; 51 percent calories from fat); 30 g carbohydrates; 42 mg cholesterol; 441 mg sodium; 10 g protein; 2 g fiber.

A friend of mine, a local event planner and featured in InStyle Wedding and more; she has used this recipe at her own parties. I love to find recipes that impress my guests, but are easy to make!

Please watch my blog for more fabulous recipes!

The House of a Thousand Lanterns Earrings

From Victoria Holt's "The House of a Thousand Lanterns," one of my favorite authors.

Jane Lindsay never dreamed she would be wealthy. Nor that she would fall in love with a man she could not trust. Against the background of 19th-century England and Hong Kong, the story of a young Englishwoman in a strange new world unfolds . . .

Earrings to salute this fabulous author and novel. -Emily's mom

Silver Jubilee Earrings

Our 2nd pair in the Queen Series earrings - The Silver Jubilee Earrings.

During my 1st summer in England, a very special event was taking place, the Queen's 25th Anniversary on the throne. It just occured to me I should take a photo of the earrings dangling from my "Silver Jubilee" mug purchased during my summer in England and Paris.

The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne. It was celebrated with large-scale parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth throughout 1977, culminating in June with the official "Jubilee Days," held to coincide with the Queen's Official Birthday. The anniversary date itself was commemorated in church services across the land on 6 February 1977, and continued throughout the month. -Emily's mom

Jeanne d'Évreux (1310 – 4 March 1371)

My mom is very busy so she asked my to tell you about the new series of earrings we'd like to add to our shop - The Queen Series. Along with earrings, we will also give you a short history lesson. Enjoy! Here is our 1st listing (earrings pictures below). -by Emily, the cute tabby

Jeanne d'Évreux (1310 – 4 March 1371) was the third wife of King Charles IV of France, daughter of his uncle Louis d'Évreux and Margaret of Artois. She bore no male heir, thus "causing" the end of the direct line of the Capetian dynasty. She was also the king's cousin, so Pope John XXII had to agree on the marriage, Jeanne bore Charles two daughters, Marie and Blanche.

Two of Jeanne's remarkable possessions survive—her prayer book and a statue of the Virgin and Child. The Book of Hours, known as the Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux, is held in The Cloisters collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The small statue of the Virgin and Child (gilded silver and enamel, 69 cm high), which Jeanne left to the monastery of St Denis outside Paris, is held in the Louvre Museum.

Jeanne d'Évreux Earrings

* Beautiful vintage style earrings with a glossy shine!
* They would look fabulous with a simple black evening dress!

- Large Vintage Style Teardrop Antique Silver Beads
- Bead measures approx. 27mm x 18mm
- Made out of acrylic – pattern both on the front and back
- Gunmetal headpins and bead caps – blackened earrings

OUR ETSY SHOP - CHECK IT OUT !!

Photography by JMK - "The Naboo Swamp"

We've added a product to our shop - photographs by my son Jake. A great gift idea for your Star Wars and/or Lego fan. First we have "The Naboo Swamp." Naboo is a fictitious planet in the fictional Star Wars universe with a mostly green terrain and which is the homeworld of two societies: the Gungans who dwell in underwater cities and the humans who live in colonies on the surface. The main city and capital of Naboo is Theed.

Naboo is the home planet of Padmé Amidala and Jar Jar Binks, as well as Senator (later Chancellor and then Emperor) Palpatine. In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, it was the site of a blockade by the Trade Federation and the Battle of Naboo between the Federation and the native inhabitants.

From Star Wars Episode I – The Naboo Swamp featuring Jar-Jar Binks, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. Jake’s Naboo is actually the woods in the backyard of his grandparents home in Wisconsin.

Please visit our shop, click on zoom to get a better look at his pictures. - Thanks, mom

Photography by JMK - "Chase on Endor"

New product in our shop - photographs by Jake. Here we have "Chase on Endor" from Star Wars Episode VI. Endor (also known as the Forest Moon of Endor and the Sanctuary Moon) was a small forested moon orbiting the gas giant planet of Endor. An enchanted world, Endor was notable for being the native home of the Ewoks.

From Star Wars Episode VI - Here we have the scene where Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker have a speederbike chase with Storm Troopers. The speederbikes were designed by Jake and he also staged the setting for his photography. Jake's Endor is actually the woods in the backyard at his grandparents in Wisconsin.

An ideal gift for any Star Wars and/or Lego fan. Please visit our shop, click on zoom for a better look! -- by mom