CHANGEABLE PANTONE ART

I promise this is the last post in which I'll talk about Pantone for a while. 

Last week I shared a bunch of colorful Pantone gifts for the holidays, and I figured it was time to show you all what I did with one of mine! My sister Louisa gave me an early Hanukkah present, and since that dear sister of mine knows me so well, she gifted me this set of 100 Pantone postcards. They were just so pretty that I couldn't bring myself to send them out...at least not yet.

Rather than keep them cooped up in a box, I decided to get them up on the walls. 

I bought a few 24" x 36" frames at Target a few weeks ago, figuring they'd be perfect for changing out art above our couch throughout the year- and sure enough they are!

Here are the awesome Pantone cards- even the box is cool! 

 Since there clearly isn't a method to this, I just started laying out like colors near each other, and secured them with the tiniest square of double sided tape- so when I wanted them to send out, I wouldn't damage them!

Since this isn't anything difficult, I'll cut right to the chase and show you how they look now:

 Pretty right? I kind of love them a little bit too much. Our couch is a grey-brown, so it brings a much needed pop of color to the living room! 

Have any fun, changeable art in your home?

Pass ideas my way please...just in case I actually decide to send out these pretty cards!

xo, lp

Pssst: In case you think you'd like some Pantone postcards/art in your home, or want to gift them for the holidays, you can find them HERE (usually $20, on sale for $15)!

ORANGE CRANBERRY SCONES!

I had never made scones until a week ago because I had heard they were hard to make.

That and saying "oh, I took a lazy Sunday to bake sounds" sounds hella pretentious. But that's exactly what I did, folks. I baked some pretentious scones, and they were delicious. Soft, light, fruity- not at all dry or bland. 

Hats off to my girl Martha for the recipe, although I added more zest and cranberries to it for some extra flavor. For the original recipe, go here.  Wouldn't want to take credit for that little lady's work, now would we? The only reason I'm walking through the steps is because my girl MS does make the process sound more difficult than it needs to be, and I don't want you all getting scared by her fancy descriptions and use of pastry blenders.

What you'll need to make it happen:

1 1/2 cups of flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons orange zest 

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into teeny pieces

3/4 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup buttermilk

Parchment paper

Extra flour for cutting surface

How to make it happen:

1. Get your oven to 400 degrees, and set up your parment lined pan, as well as a flour dusted cutting board to the side.

2. Mix together your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and zest. 

3. Add in your butter. Now, Martha uses a pastry blender, whatever the heck that is. I used a wooden spatula and a knife to cut through and get it well mixed, until it was a thick meal texture. Add in your cranberries and mix well.

4. Create a well/hole in the middle of your batter, pour the buttermilk in, and give it just enough of a stir so there aren't any dry pockets. 

5. Here comes the fun and sticky part. Dust your hands with flour (dear lord wash them first) and transfer your mixture onto the flour dusted cutting board, patting your dough into about an 8 inch wide domed circle. Using a flour dusted knife, cut your dough into 8 triangles, before transferring to your pan, and inch or so apart.

6. Bake for about 14-18 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs. Wait until golden brown and take out!

Voila! There you have it. SCONES people, scones. Not pretentious at all. Especially when you scatter cranberries around them.  Please note below there are only 7 pictured. I got so excited to try them I ate one before remembering to take pictures. #bloggerfail

 So there you have it folks-  easy and delicious cranberry scones!

I'm thinking of trying a cinnamon oat scone next. 

Anyone have any good flavor combos they'd like to see?

Email them to me beautyandbeard@gmail.com!

xo, lp

*pssssssst. mom- are you out there reading this? bet you'd like this recipe!

THE TIME I YELLED ABOUT CHEESE AT WORK

I don't know what was going on this weekend, but somehow the stars aligned and it was kind of perfect.

Badger win. Packer win. 55 degree weather.

-----

A few things from last week:

1. I've been embarrassing myself left and right at work. Monday I almost knocked our CEO down the stairs when I was running down them late for a meeting. Tuesday a board member was being shown around the design area near my desk (unbeknownst to me) and I turned the corner yelling about cheese* (long story) riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight outside the OPEN door he was in with a bunch of higher ups in the company. #fail.

2. Target-NM collaboration? Meh. Underwhelming. Anyone else out there in merchandising? Did you look at that stuff and say "well, clearly those designers had some liability material they had to get rid of and dumped it on Target."? 

3. This is the only outfit shot I snapped last week. Nothing like some polka dots and green shoes to make your day better (especially when you've been embarrassing yourself daily at work).

4. Did you made the recipe last week yet? I need to stop making them weekly. It's dangerous.

5. I shared about my Pantone love last week, and I'll show you what I did with my Pantone cards later this week.... (find me on Instagram here)

FINALLY:

Today I am over on Landi's Blog sharing some fun things. Make sure you check it out here and say hi to her while you're over there!

Have any embarrassing moments last week?

Please share. Please.

xo, lp

*for those of you who wonder WHY the heck I was yelling about cheese, my short answer is: I live in Wisconsin, that's what we do. My long answer is: I had brought in yummy aged cheese to share with coworkers and was stoked about it. Yes, that is seriously the reason I was yelling about cheese at work. #professionallady