Fall in love in The Little Traveler‘s Naot Shoe Room.

]]> http://www.littletraveler.com/content/the-sign-of-a-good-shoe/feed/ 0 http://www.littletraveler.com/content/serving-idea-blueberry-lemon-topped-waffles/ http://www.littletraveler.com/content/serving-idea-blueberry-lemon-topped-waffles/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 15:36:44 +0000 Bev http://www.littletraveler.com/content/?p=4111 Continue reading →]]>  

Take your waffles to a whole new level.

Next time you make Stonewall Kitchen’s Farmhouse Waffles, top them off with Stonewall Kitchen’s Wild Maine Blueberry Jam and The Little Traveler’s own Lemon Curd.

(All three of these delicious products are available in The Little Traveler‘s Gourmet Room.)

As pretty as they are delicious. And easy too!

Here they are in miniature form as we served them at our Mother-Daughter-Grandmother Tea on May 12, 2012.

The Little Traveler has an exciting new addition to its tea collection: Be Active Teas that will enhance health and well being at a whole new level. These five herbal tea blends by The Republic of Teas are made with a base of organic green rooibos, sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified™* farms, which retains it’s antioxidant value up to 80 mg per 6 oz – more than double the rate of green tea!

Each of the five blends serves a different purpose: endurance, flexibility, metabolism, hydration and recovery. They’re delicious hot or iced.  So go on – sip and get active!

*Buying products with the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal of approval safeguards the rights and well being of workers, conserves natural resources and protects wildlife and the environment.

For this task, Peggy’s primary weapons are:

1. Cloth Napkins – available in a wide variety of prints and colors to suit any decor.

2. Fiberfill

3. Liquid fabric adhesive, such as Unique Stitch

Peggy doesn’t see just a cloth napkin, she sees finished fabric that she can use in a hundred different ways.  In this post we’re going to show you three.

1. Decorative Square Pillow

Begin with a fringed napkin that fits your decor (this is a great way to find a use for that random napkin in your collection that you love but has lost all its mates).

Lay the napkin flat and fold two opposite corners into the middle of the square.  Fold the bottom corner to the center so that the edges overlap (like an envelope—see image to the right.

Liquid stitch the overlapping edges and stuff fiberfill through the remaining opening until pillow is desired fullness.

Fold the remaining corner to the center and liquid stitch the edges.  Use liquid stitch to secure a button or other decorative item to the center of the pillow.  And— voila!

2. Decorative Long Pillow

Fold your napkin of choice in half to create a long, narrow rectangle.  Liquid stitch the long side and one short side at the inside edge of the hem, leaving one end open.

Stuff fiberfill into the open edge until pillow is desired fullness. Liquid stitch the inside edge of the hem to close the  opening.

Cut or fold a napkin of a different fabric to create a decorative strip.

Liquid stitch the strip around the center of the pillow and let the ends hang a bit longer than the seamed edge.  Finish pillow off by liquid stitching a decorative ribbon over the fabric strip and attaching a bow to the bottom edge.

3. Two-Minute Pillow

Select a double-sided fabric napkin. (We have a nice selection of double-sided napkins by CNF in our Linen Room at The Little Traveler.)

Pull the two sides of the napkin apart and cut an opening at the center of the seam just large enough for your hand to fit through.

Fill the pillow with fiberfill until it’s the desired level of fullness. Whip stitch or liquid stitch the opening.  Attach pre-purchased tassels to each corner.  You’re done!

See Doodle Daisy inspirations on Pintrest

Doodle Daisy is a playful new Vera Bradley fabric that’s inspired by…doodling!  At first glance the pattern of big blue & crisp white flowers on a green background looks simple, but on closer examination you’ll find this new Vera Bradley fabric is infused with intricate geometric doodlings.  Doodle Daisy has a retro feel to it, and this is enhanced with the retro-modern windowpane design on the inside fabric.

See Lime's Up inspirations on Pintrest

Lime’s Up is a stamped floral pattern that pops with limey greens mixed with teals and kelly greens on a white background with defining elements in black. This new Vera Bradley fabric is cool & zesty at the same time – like a tall, refreshing glass of limeade.  On the inside fabric, the flowers on the outside give way to rows of multi-green leaves outlined in black in a bit of a jungle-y motif.

See Priscilla Pink inspirations on Pintrest

Priscilla Pink is a vibrant and decidedly preppy fabric with stylized green, grey, and vanilla flowers on a pretty-in-pink background.  This is a brand new Vera Bradley fabric that feels like a classic. On the inside, escape into a garden of delicate little daisies.

See Summer Cottage inspirations on Pintrest

Summer Cottage is breezy new Vera Bradley fabric that’s like a floral camouflage.  Many easy-going colors of summer are mixed in, but the most prominent are red, white & blue – 4th of July, anyone? Combined with the inside picnic-basket pattern, this fabric is reminiscent of old-fashioned picnics in a field of summer wildflowers & berries.

Camille Beckman is one of our favorite lines of skincare products. These wonderful lotions and creams are made in small batches using hand-crafted methods and the highest quality ingredients.  We invite you into the Bath & Linen Room at The Little Traveler to sample Camille Beckman for yourself – we expect you’ll love it as much as we do when you see how soft and healthy it makes your skin feel.

The Classic Camille Beckman line originated in 1986 and to the present day can only be found in specialty shops. The charm of the boutique environment matches the charm of the products themselves. Each jar and bottle of Classic Camille Beckman is adorned with Camille’s signature trademark – a tiny hand-tied satin rosebud, rooted in the founder’s passion for herbs, plants, and flowers.

From a young age, the company’s founder, Susan Camille Beckman Roghani, had a creative and industrious streak.

Throughout junior high and high school my parents often found me lost in the kitchen with craft projects – slicing bars of hand made soap or mixing up special potions.

—Susan Camille Beckman Roghani

She moved to Europe as a young adult, spending much of her time studying art history and techniques while learning how to make painting supplies from scratch. Her research for a shampoo and glycerine soap project led her to the Monasteraki area of Athens and its perfumers’ workshops, near the famous Spice Market. Not long after this, she returned home to Idaho and founded Camille Beckman. She had two major goals for the company:

1. To bring affordable luxury products to women.

2.  To provide an income for local stay-at-home mothers. Each of the rosebuds topping the Classic line of Camille Beckman products is individually hand-tied by someone in the community.

Social Responsibility

Not only is Camille Beckman committed to diversity and social responsibility in its own employment practices, the company also gives back to the community directly through the Camille Beckman Foundation.

Domestically, the company partners with organizations that care for the basic needs of underprivileged children and the elderly and donates to charitable organizations, such as the Idaho Food Bank. Internationally, the company sponsors children without parents or food and supports economic development in struggling countries.

Let’s move in a little closer to see what clever tricks Peggy (from The Little Traveler’s Linen Room) used this time, shall we? Looks like she’s used oversized oval placemats, right?  But she didn’t have any at her disposal, so to create this rich, layered look she overlapped two round placemats, allowing the pink coloring to extend out around the green flower.

Fullness in fabrics not only creates interest, it lends a feeling of coziness. It’s more inviting than rigid, straight lines.  In this spring table setting, Peggy adds fullness by sliding decorative napkin rings onto the corners of the tablecloth and poufing the fabric around them.  You’ll notice that she’s also layered the tablecloths – with a checkered design under the floral.

Who says a napkin’s place is to lie demurely next to the plate? Not Peggy. She makes napkins a focal point by treating them almost like a floral arrangement in the glasses.

Well, that’s how Peggy does it – now let’s see what you can do!

In our first edition of “Peggy’s Corner” we’ll show you her tricks for creating gorgeous window valances from unexpected items.

Fabric Window Valance #1

This elegant valance was made with two simple items – a floral tablecloth and clear fishing wire.  She used fishing wire to cinch the two sides for a scalloped effect, and then, as Peggy explains, she “szhuszhed” the fabric to give it fullness and interest by pulling more fishing line through it.

To create a shorter, more casual window valance with the same materials, fold a round tablecloth in half and use fishing wire to create an even set of scallops all the way across.

The embellishments on either side of this valance are simply pieces of metal art adorned with silk floral details.

Fabric Window Valance #2

Window treatments for bay windows can be expensive, but have no fear, Peggy’s got tips for creating a great looking bay window valance without spending a lot of money. The materials this time – two table runners, curtain hooks (inexpensive and available at craft & home improvement stores)  and nails.

She simply clipped the hooks to the runners and hung them on nails distributed along the window molding.  Peggy says the important thing with valances is to arrange the fabric so it has fullness rather than laying flat across the window.  For embellishments on this more casual valance, she folded checkered dinner napkins in half, fanned out the bottoms, and tied the tops with a yellow ribbon.

So by taking premade fabrics and applying her secret weapons – fishing line and curtain hooks – Peggy was able to make two fabulous window treatments.  Make sure to check out the window treatments in our Linen Room to see what else she’s come up with.

Ingredients

3 cups Confectioner’s Sugar
1 stick Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
1/4 cup Whole Milk
1/4 tsp Salt
1 cup Callebaut Milk Chocolate*
1/4 cup Water
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

* You can find Callebaut Finest Belgian Chocolates in The Little Traveler‘s gourmet department.

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift the sugar and salt.

2. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla extract. While mixing on low speed, slowly add the milk.

3. Whip mixture on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

4. In a separate heatproof mixing bowl, microwave the chocolate on HIGH for 1 minute; stir every 30 seconds. Let the chocolate cool to lukewarm and add to the mixture.

5. Whip mixture on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes, until fully incorporated. Add a little water while whipping to lighten the texture and make creamy.

More chocolate recipes at callebaut.com

Ingredients

2 cup Whole Milk
3/4 cup Callebaut Milk Chocolate
1 1/2 cup Callebaut Dark Chocolate
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ancho Chili Powder
Garnish: Whipped Cream

Directions

1. Heat milk on the stove until steaming; do not boil.

2. In a separate bowl, combine both chocolates.  Pour steaming milk on top of chocolate and let sit for about 20 seconds to melt chocolate slightly.

3. Whisk milk and chocolate together until fully incorporated, creating a liquid mixture.  Add cinnamon and chili powder to taste.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a touch of cinnamon on top.

More chocolate recipes at callebaut.com

Callebaut selects, roasts, and grinds its cocoa beans itself, which is rare among chocolate makers. Because of the company’s special connections with the cocoa growers, it has access to the best cocoa beans. In their particular roasting process, the beans are roasted in their entire shell to retain the subtleties of the aromas, yielding a more intense, more complex, and deeper cocoa flavor.

Callebaut grinds its ingredients extremely fine, much finer than most other chocolate makers do, in order to yield particles so tiny they can’t be sensed individually by the taste buds. Adding pure cocoa butter and a dash of natural vanilla rounds off the taste and texture of the chocolate, and all ingredients become one smooth flavor that melts together on the tongue.

Over the generations, from father to son, Callebaut’s oldest customers have found that the taste, the workability, and the quality of Callebaut couvertures never change. There is never any need to add cocoa butter or cocoa liquor.  Callebaut guarantees chocolates that enable bakers and confectioners to work quickly and efficiently. From cocoa bean to chocolate: Callebaut’s Finest Belgian Chocolates are produced with 100% Belgian craftsmanship.

Check out recipes using Callebaut chocolate:
Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe
Milk Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Glass can’t be added to or re-fired, so Mary Lou’s process removes chips by grinding and buffing. She also re-bevels and highly polishes items before returning them to their owners.  Through this meticulous process she and her husband Bob are able to repair crystal goblets, vases, figurines, bowls, pitchers – including the reshaping of spouts – and more. In addition, bases and stems can be reattached or broken goblets can be turned into one-of-a kind bells by removing the bases and adding a crystal bead for sound.

Mary Lou can also repair china, such as bowls, plates, tea cups and vases as well as collectible figurines like Hummels, Lladros, Swarovski crystal and most porcelain items.

Mary Lou and Bob Gates have been repairing crystal and fine china for over thirty years.  Some of their work is currently in the National Museum of Archives, Washington, D.C. from President Carter’s Administration and in the Illinois Governor’s Mansion. You may have seen them on Channel 2 News or heard them on various radio shows, and you can frequently find the couple busy at work in the Crystal Room at The Little Traveler in Geneva, IL, where customers are invited to bring in their damaged crystal & china pieces to be repaired.

Check our Events Calendar or current Almanack to see when Mary Lou’s Crystal and China Repair will be on-site at The Little Traveler.  Mary Lou gives free estimates, and most repairs can be done while you shop.  If you can’t make it in on one of the scheduled dates, our store is also proud to be a drop off location for Mary Lou’s Crystal and China Repair.  Mary Lou will pick them up, repair them, and call you when they’re ready.

With a single day Brighton purchase of $100.00 or more at The Little Traveler, receive the Brighton B Mine tote absolutely FREE!! (Retail value $50; Limit one per customer).

Tote dimensions are 14 1/2″ H x 15 1/2″ W x 8″ D

There were no changing rooms, so clothing sizes were intentionally forgiving. Over the next three decades, Cut Loose moved its operations indoors and spread out to women’s clothing stores across the country and around the world—all while staying true to thier creative roots.

Cut Loose clothing is still made of natural fibers—mostly cotton, linen, and cellulose-derived Tencel—and are garment dyed in a San Francisco manufacturing facility. (Sweaters are made overseas.) Colors, styles, and fabrics are refreshed every season, but best-selling items–such as the cropped cardi—are typically carried over.

Besides the company-owned stores in Solana Beach and San Francisco, Cut Loose women’s clothing is only sold in better boutiques, such as The Little Traveler.

January 23 – February 13

Visit The Little Traveler‘s Brighton Room between January 23rd and February 13th and complete a Brighton Wishlist to be entered into a drawing to “Win Your Wishlist.”

On February 13th, we’ll draw a store winner from among entries at The Little Traveler, and one lucky winner can choose 1 item from their Wishlist, up to $100 retail value.*

Also, the winning store entry will be faxed in for the National Grand Prize drawing to be held on Valentine’s Day – one lucky winner will Win their entire Wishlist, up to $1500 retail value!

And because love is all about sharing, contacts listed on the Grand Prize Winner’s Wishlist will receive 1 item from their own wishlist, up to $100 retail value!

Camellia:  Evoking all the romance of the 19th -Century garden, these soulful camellia blossoms offer a harmonious anthem of soft white, dusty taupe and shades of graphite gray.  A wreath of laurel leaves bands the trim and repeats in the circular lining design.

Ellie Blue: Shades of Indigo blue set the stage for papyrus white, golden saffron and a touch of blue-gray.  Inside and out, the Eastern-inspired paisley motif is charmingly highlighted by majestic and lucky white elephants.

Island Blooms:  Reflected in a crystal-clear aqua lagoon, intoxicating white blossoms and tropical chartreuse foliage recall a lively floral painting by Gauguin.  Inside, a suprisingly modernist design blends beautifully,proving there’s a tropic hideaway anywhere you look.  Paradise Found!

Rosy Posies: An eye-catching combination of petite paisleys and oversized florals for the modern-day gypsy.  Layers of colors from burgundy to berry, coral to cream and lemon drop set a happy pace for the optimistic traveler in all of us!