Confessions of a Confessions of a Pioneer Woman Addict

(Photo courtesy of Confessions of a Pioneer Woman)

I love Ree the Pioneer Woman. Ree and I go way way back - I started reading Confessions of a Pioneer Woman when I was in college. I spent my days delighting my city friends with tales from the ranch. Ok, Ok - they weren't delighted per se. More concerned with my infatuation with country living and penchant for recipes calling for large amounts of butter. Sometimes they wondered if I really belonged in a city. What other college girl makes cornbread and black-eyed-pea salsa and biscuits and gravy to serve at beer pong parties?

In any case - I've always been a Ree devotee. I love her blog, love her writing, love her recipes and just generally wish I was more like her. This morning, whilst sipping my fave coconut iced coffee from Breaking New Grounds and perusing some fave sites, one of Ree's posts introduced me to this YouTube gem.

This kid just totally made my Monday. I love a kid that can entertain on command. Genius, baby, genius.

Now give me some Evil Eyes, pronto!

Congratulations Whitney!!

Our beloved, dear Whitney is being inducted into the Plymouth State University Athletic Hall of Fame!!

Read all about it here.

We are all so so proud of you, Whit! Congratulations on being inducted - you deserve it. What an amazing, lustrous athletic career. Go Whitney!!

Finger Lickin' Friday: Pizza Pizza!

(Photos and recipe found here)

Hello world! It's my day off today (thanks Whit!) but I couldn't resist posting about this pie that Karen and I are going to make tonight. Feel free to come over for a slice if you're around. We'll be the ones gleefully filling our bellies with homemade pizza pies. I'll have sauce on my shirt in approximately 3 places.

Tell me this doesn't look absolutely, unbelievably delicious? Actually don't tell me that - because that's just plain wrong. It does!

Happy weekend and happy eating.

Designer Spotlight: Moleskine

(All photos courtesy of Moleskine)

Moleskine notebooks have a serious following. And I mean serious. It seems that once people go Moleskine, they never go back. Something about the acid-free, thick paper and minimalist design seems to be a suitable canvas for artists, writers and dreamers alike. Though we've only had them on the shelves for a few days, we've already had plenty of customers come in and exclaim in delight when they see that we are carrying Moleskine.

The Moleskine brand, an Italian company, is the modern successor of a legendary simple black rectangle notebook that was produced for over a century by a small French bookbinder who supplied the stationery shops of Paris. The notebooks, with their rounded corners, elastic page-holder, and internal expandable pocket, were used by such great thinkers and artists as Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Bruce Chatwin. Chatwin himself nicknamed the notebook the Moleskine.

Today, Moleskines come in a variety of sizes (from tiny, palm sized jotters to large desktop varieties), in a rainbow of colors and in all different formats: ruled, agendas, sketchbooks, blank notebooks. The list goes on and on.

We've got a pretty awesome selection here at the shop. Stop by and see what all the centuries-long fuss is about.

A labor of love. (Happy Labor Day!)

(All photos courtesy of Ned Jackson Photography)

One of the best perks of starting Gus & Ruby Letterpress has been the opportunities we've had to work with and get to know some incredibly talented and wonderful people. Emilie, our mentor and photographer extraordinaire, gave our name to wedding photographer, Ned Jackson, when he was looking for some help with his business cards.

Ned's card design was clean and fresh and elegant; once we letterpress printed them on super thick 220# cotton paper, they just "popped"! The gorgeous cards reflect Ned's stunning photography. While we haven't had the pleasure of working with Ned ourselves, his portfolio and his kind, detail-oriented and relaxed personality make us sure that he'd be amazing to work with. Based out of Boston, Ned will travel throughout New England to capture your special day. Here are a few of our favorite photos from his fab website.

Finger Lickin' Fridays: Cookie Cocktails

(Photo found here)

Why is it that after a certain age having cookies and milk after dinner is sort of...not so cool? I mean, no one bats an eye at ordering a fine Cognac or even something adult like creme brulee. But cookies and milk is sort of - kiddish?

Well guess what, adulthood? I'm rebelling! Sort of. Check out these cookie-inspired cocktails - found via my fave Friday read, CakeSpy, who found them at Edible Crafts. CakeSpy is a baker/sweet-tooth mecca. It's an awesome compilation of interviews, recipes, art, links and hilarious experiments. I'm never disappointed by a visit to CakeSpy.

Anyways - these drinks look delicious and sophisticated and totally Finger Lickin' Friday worthy. I may just make one tonight.

Ready, set, organize!!

(The utterly fabulous MomAgenda - not just for moms!)

While I'm not in school anymore (tear), don't have kiddos and am not a teacher - September will forever be "Back to School" for me. I'm hard-wired to think of September as the start of a new year.

And, much to my delight, starting anything new means getting organized, making lists and setting schedules. I live and die by my daily planner and could make a career out of list-making.

So - the store is stocked with the best of the best organizational tools and fun bits. I'm in heaven! A few to pique your interest...

One of the best agendas out there (and trust me, I've been through my fair share of agendas) - the MomAgenda - in an array of candy-colors.

Adorbs fabric-covered push pins from Girl of All Work to deck out your cork board! Hang up cute pix with cute push-pins - a total must. Right?

Utilitarian Task Clips from Knock Knock. I've put a stack of papers on Whit's desk clipped together with "Urgent." They are mostly cupcake recipes. Hopefully she'll get the hint.

Errand Organizer also from Knock Knock with pre-set check-mark boxes (a list-makers paradise) and separate folders to keep receipts, notes and items organized!!

Can't forget these Forget-Me-Nots from Girl of All Work.

Totally awesome and eco-friendly agendas from EcoJot with handy elastics to keep them closed even when they are jostling around in the deep dark depths of your bag. Not that that happens to me ever. Nope. Never.