FOOD: Preserving Summer

Hi MadeByGirl readers, it is Alison here from Heart of Gold! Today I am sharing with you some  products that can help you preserve the goodness of summer. Is anyone else in disbelief that we are already near the end of August? I feel like the summer months have just been flying by at record speed. It is my goal to really savor these last months of beautiful weather.

One easy way to do this is to preserve your favorite summer produce like peaches, berries, cucumbers or radishes by turning them into jam or pickling them for later use.  If you haven't noticed this has become quite the culinary trend, from cooking magazines to your own grocery store shelves that seem to be stocked with mason jars and books on home preservation.  Here are some of my product picks to squeeze every last bit out of your summer!

Weck Jar 7.4oz Tulip / Weck Jar 12.5 oz
Stainless Steel Canning Funnel / 21 Quart Enamel Canning Pot
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Ball Pickling Salt / Pickling Herb Collection 
Personalized Embossing Tongs / Chalkboard Labels
Mauviel Hammered Copper Jam Pot

 -post by alison dulaney

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Ceramics From Harabu House...(Via Made By Girl)

Ever since my KITCHEN was finished.... I've been looking around for cute little ceramics that I could display & use. I have a collection of SEA SALTS, spices & other that could work well with ceramics, especially to display at dinner parties! 


Harabu House just might be a great source to satisfy those little desires!  I'll let Shilpa the owner of Harabu House tell you more about her shop..... (in her own words) below. 

"I recently launched Harabu House, an online boutique for modern home accessories which has a global element to it. Having grown up in Singapore, I was exposed to varying influences, since Singapore is a country that bridges both modern and ancient cultures seamlessly.  

My design aesthetic tends to be primarily modern, with asian influences (indian, cambodian, thai, malay, japanese etc) in design and art. So some of the products i procure tend to lean in that direction. First and foremost modern, but with a bit of a global influence, if i can find it.  Also, several of my finds are handmade and eco-friendly as well." 

Thanks to Shilpa for sharing this with us!  I have to say my favorite is the salt & pepper cellar with the gold spoon! How cute would that look on my breakfast table?? Love it!

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Kitchen Trends....Miele Automatic Coffee Maker

I love NEW kitchen trends....well, not all trends. However, Miele has designed a really nice high-end machine that is scratch resistant and anti-fingerprint. Love it already....oh and of course it makes cappuccinos! (my fave) This machine uses the Nespresso capsule coffee system and for all you cappuccino LOVERS, Miele has designed a unique cup for frothing the milk!

Also, you don't need a special connection for this built-in machine, it does EVERYTHING right from it's central piece. I'm hoping I will own one of these for my home (one day). Of course,  I would then blog about it with reviews & let you know what I thought.  :) They aren't cheap though, one of these bad boys will run you about $2400! That is what you'll have to pay if you want the VERY best at a push of a button!


Do you own a Miele or other automatic built-in coffee machine? If so, how do you like yours??

images miele

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Green Tea Designs- (Kim's Kitchen) Before & After...

If you haven't seen the amazing remodel job that Kim from Desire To Inspire did in her kitchen, take a look at these few pics below. Kim remodeled her entire kitchen last fall with Greentea Mizuya Cabinets, and covered the entire process on her blog.

However, if you're looking into re-designing your kitchen, head on over to Green Tea Designs website to read all about the Demolition process and to see the finished kitchen in it's entirety...along with MORE PHOTOS! Very good read!

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The perfect home...

Den Vita Skolan is a great international blog I found. Hanna was kind enough to let me share her fabulous kitchen with you all. I noticed quite a few items from IKEA in her kitchen, don't you just love that store? You can put an entire kitchen together for half the price of a custom one!! Hanna seems to use very little color in this space, still managing to make it look super modern and amazing. I LOVE how her pup's bed fits right in! An open kitchen has always been a dream of mine along with exposed bricks, very reminiscent of a NYC loft. What do you think of this kitchen?? Visit her blog to see more of her home renovations.

* Thank you Hanna!

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THE BIG CHILL

Big Chill combines the iconic look of a 50's-style vintage refrigerator with all the modern amenities of today's contemporary appliances. I love these and came across them for the first time in Dwell Magazine. They also have stoves and you can purchase custom pieces in colors of your choice. I'm in love with the RED fridge!

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2 Great Decor Ideas!

Here are 2 interesting decor ideas I found on Women24. Make your kitchen more inviting by creating a nook for seating – real important in a busy kitchen. Built-in seating is always comfortable & looks great. Adding pink curtains will create a soft light and a warm feeling to the nook. Also, If you've been thinking about wallpaper lately, but aren't too sure. How about opting for stencils? Not only is wallpaper expensive & hard to apply, it also limits your choice of colors and patterns. Find a pattern you like and have it lasercut into a stencil. Choose strong colors that complement each other or muted colors like mother-of-pearl as an accent for a softer interior. The 2 lower images are from Stencil Library.

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