For the Chic Home Brewer... although I'm probably the one and only

While my husband and I enjoy drinking and especially trying new beers, we hadn't put much thought into home brewing until a recent trip to the Pacific Northwest.  We flew to Seattle, rented a car and drove the Pacific Coast Highway down to San Francisco while trying to stop at as many local breweries we could find along the way.  When we happened upon the Rogue Brewery in Newport, Oregon we were so inspired by the beer (which is now my new favorite) that we fantasized about opening our own brewery.  So here we are... daydreaming about opening a brewery, but not having the first clue about how to brew beer.

When I purchased a Groupon for a home brewing introduction class at Brewmaster's Warehouse near Atlanta, I had no idea the can of worms I was opening up.  After attending the class, where I was the only girl in a sea of grungy men, we had decided to try it.  It didn't seem like a big investment of money, so we figured, why not?

The process itself isn't hard at all, there are plenty of websites with beer recipes and with the help of the beer geniuses as Brewmaster's Warehouse we had all of the supplies and ingredients we needed.  We dedicated a lazy Sunday afternoon to our first attempt.  Hence, we named it McFindley's First Try IPA.  Now this ordeal is not for the impatient.  Believe me, I am the QUEEN of impatient, and it was unbearable waiting a week for the beer to ferment, then another two weeks for it to condition, and then yet another two weeks for it to carbonate.  Whew!  It was rough, and then after all that waiting was the huge looming probability that our beer just plain sucks.  Luckily for us, it didn't.  It was quite tasty and quite hoppy- which did not go over well with the majority of our friends, who we forced to try it. 

Now, I do love beer, but I'm not a flannel-shirt-wearing tom-boy.  I needed to find a way to make this chic.  So why not take pretty pictures along the way and make adorable tags to label our beer?  Being a beer snob AND a woman is something of a rarity I guess, so I figured I needed to embrace it!

Since our first attempt last August-ish, we have brewed two more varieties- McFindley's Pumpkin Ale and McFindley's Royal Porter.  We gifted the beer to our male relatives for Christmas- and it was a hit!

For all those chickies out there who "don't drink beer"- give it another go 'round.  You really are missing out.  I have an even better appreciation for it now that I know what goes into making it. So cut your man some slack and get on board.

the supplies

steeping the grain

tossing the grain

adding the extract

the beautiful, fresh hops

racking the beer

looks delicious

it's bottling day!

all bottled up

handmade labels

ready to gift!

The Perfect Wedding Shower Gift

While gifting off of wedding registries is quite convenient, and definitely sure to please, the most memorable gifts are thoughtful and personal.  For example, at my wedding shower I don't remember exactly who got me two place settings of china or flatware, but I do remember the friend who gave me a "Breakfast in Bed Kit".  What a clever idea.  My awesome gift consisted of serving trays, pancake mix, and pretty bridal lingerie. 

Now that one of my close girlfriends is getting married, I wanted to expand on the same idea to make an amazing and fun gift.  After running back and forth all over Target for two hours, I was able to find all of the makings for my gift.

Let's see....

• romantic bridal nightie
• beautiful etched glass serving tray
• tiny vase of flowers to set the right mood
• coordinated candle to give it some ambiance
• cozy chenille throw blanket
• plush decorative pillow
• bottle of champagne (for mimosas of course)
• set of wine glasses- my one item from the registry
• a box of gourmet pancake mix and syrup
• and of course a beautiful basket to "wrap" it in

After scouting around the registry I was able to get a good feeling about what the bride and groom would like and what colors they are using in their bedroom.  I coordinated the throw pillow and blanket to their bedding and from there used that color theme to dictate the rest of the items.  Finally, I was able to find a big, beautiful basket to arrange the gifts in and it serves double duty as a great storage item for their home.

Rules for the Perfect Wedding Shower Gift

1. Pick out a fun or romantic theme like "Breakfast in Bed"
2. Scout out the registry to see what the couple likes/needs/wants
3. Pick out one registry item to incorporate with your gift
4. Stick with one color theme/coordinating colors
5. It's all about presentation- a beautifully wrapped gift stands out in the crowd and will be something you will be proud to give

You can always buy off of the registry for the wedding gift, but let the shower gift be fun and memorable. 

New Year, New Calendar?

Not necessarily.  After being inspired by a lovely post on pinterest, I decided to take the plunge and craft my new family keepsake in the making, effectively committing myself to 10+ years of daily calendar journaling.  Originally from designsponge.com, this adorable calendar only pays off if you stick with it.  As the years go by, I'm sure I will be delighted to see just what went down on this date last year, the year before that, and the year before that.  

Pictured here is my humble version. I must say, it does inspire me to make the most out of every day, or what will I write on the card?  Slept in again? or stayed in my pajamas until dinner time? Those are definitely days to cherish, but not to remember.

Where to Begin?

I figured if I started blogging it should be about something that I love- but what?  I love keeping a cozy home.  I love knitting- hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters.  I love beer- and just recently started home-brewing.  I love being comfy- my ideal evening is being wrapped snuggly in a warm blanket.  I'm not sure how all of this randomness is related yet, but I thought I would give it a go....