Home Videos

Have you noticed the trend in stylish homegrown videos (or alternative to traditional TV programming) on the blogosphere?  They're appearing everywhere, it seems, and I love it.  Finding these little delightful pieces of media is like discovering a new variety of tomato at the farmers' market.  I can't wait to take the first juicy bite.

Stumbling around the internet lately, I've found a few treasures.  I've even started trying to figure it out how to do it myself a bit with my iPhone4 and iMovie.  I'm not at the level I would like to be yet but I'm learning and trying to put myself out there.  The movie's I've made recently are featured last.

Whole Larder Love's Rohan Anderson cooks pasta at home for this online cooking series in Australia.  His back to basics style of living and photographs are really something that inspire. 

Olive Us: An American family in France who loves each other and gardens (among other things).  They've started a series of weekly "episodes." It appears they've been able to fund this endeavor and dress the kids fashionably with the help of a popular major retailer. 

Food 52's How to Make Your Own Cooking Videos: A fantastic DIY instruction for a more professional outcome. 

Apple Town Plum Jam: This one is by Daniel Grey.  It's a polished and stylish intimate peek into a family in their home making jam out of their backyard bumper.

And now, for my little movie debut, please enjoy these two short movies.  The first is on artichokes and the second, tomatoes featuring a new seed from Johnny's called Indigo Rose at Crooked Sky Farms.  They star farmer Frank Martin, my daughter and me.

If you have any new favorite videos or series' I should know about, I'd love to hear about them!

Simplicity Parenting Virtual Book Club at Fern and Feather

The sweet and talented Alexis from Fern and Feather is having a book club discussion about the book Simplicity Parenting this week.  Simplicity Parenting is all about removing the stresses in our kids lives so that they can feel more calm, safe and secure.  Who doesn't want that for our children?

She's asked me to co-host a chapter and of course I said yes!!

Today is the discussion about the "Environment" chapter and I gave my two cents about how I've incorporated it into my home and how incredibly well the kids have responded.

Come say hello and tell share any insights you might have over at Fern and Feather.

*That's my dad and me at Torrey Pines State Beach when I was a little thing.  I can't wait to go back and visit this summer.

croissants and root beer

Please don't think that my blog has been hijacked.

It is getting a little fluff and scrub.

Croissants and Root Beer is growing up.  It's taking on a new name and new life with a title more thoughtful and, I think, more fitting.  As a brand new mother, I named my blog after the two foods I craved most during my pregnancies -- croissants and root beer.  I still love both foods.

With the help of some friends today, we've come up with a new name that will reflect my transformation into a hopefully more resourceful food blog with more of a focus on stories, recipes and seasonal meals: The Humble Buttery.  What do you think?

Buttery can be an adjective that you could use to describe your dressed up corn on the cob, but it's also a noun.  A buttery is a Medieval pantry or storeroom where the ale was stored.  I don't literally have a buttery but like to think of my backyard garden, refrigerator and freezer all as my pantry.  I absolutely love the word buttery and thought it would be a fantastic one for this blog.

Outside of my internet space, my real-life home is getting a little scrub down, starting with my family room.  We've taken down the baby gate covering the sooty fireplace, the neon plastic kiddie toys went to a new home and the wooden blocks were given a new location, a new thrifted wicker basket and firewood a round metal bin, also thrifted.  I love my local Goodwill.

It feels so good to sit in this room.

I hope you will enjoy spending time in this new space of The Humble Buttery, too.  I look forward to more time together with you.  If you get a sec., please say hello and tell me what you've done to spruce things up in your home lately.