Category: Get Inspired

Mother’s Day is around the corner and we worked stylist Janelle Gonyea to style a modern brunch perfect for Mom. Read along to learn about Janelle’s style choices + watch her how-to video on creating your own mini flower corsages. Here’s Janelle:

Mother’s Day is a good time to have fun and be playful with color. I tend toward classic colors layered with accents of jewel tones in pinks, violets, and berry tones. My own mom loves purple, so maybe that’s why! If we’re lucky, our moms have been a staple in our lives, and this is the time to show them our appreciation. What better way to do that than to host a celebratory brunch?

The Grid Black Tablecloth is the perfect base for any table. It provides a neutral, yet bold, backdrop while allowing the tableware to really stand out. The Eve Brushed Gold Flatware layers in some luxury, while the Heller Fuchsia Mugs give a shot of color to tie the table together. The Omaggio Vases were a great pairing with this linen, because they have a variety of sizes to play with. 

With any brunch, I like to keep things easy to access for the guests. I created a light side table complete with Stelton Gold + Chrome Carafes of coffee both caffeinated and decaf, a the Oak Paddle Board with a cheese spread, and chilled champagne in the Black Ceramic Champagne Cooler. To continue the look throughout the space, I added the Brushed Black Vase of purple blooms to complement the main dining table.

(Virtu Cheese Knife Set, Kronos Champagne Glasses + Grid Rectangle Tray)

For the florals, I wanted the color to really stand out and accent the mugs, so I stuck with that same vibrant pink. Anytime I’m using a limited palette with florals, I try to use texture to add interest and differentiate the blooms. I topped off the place settings with a petite pin corsage for guests of honor, because who doesn’t like wearing inspired blooms?

(Heller White Dinnerware, Grid Black Napkins + Cork Black Placemat)

To create a pin corsage of your own:

Choosing blooms is the best part of creating a petite wearable bouquet. Florals are in wild abundance in May, and any local flower shop should have a wide selection. You can focus on florals with full blossoms, go with all greenery, or some combination of the two. For these Mother’s Day corsages I chose dark plum scabiosa, checkered fritillaria, and pink heather boronia to complement the table setting.

1. To create these sweet little bundles, you’ll need floral clippers, your bloom choices, and ribbon or twine of your choosing.

2. Gather together the blooms you would like to use.

3. Clip the stems of each of the blooms to about 6″ while you piece them together.

4. Nestle the blooms together, starting with the largest bloom and moving outward to the greenery. 

5. Once you have an arrangement you are happy with, tie the blooms together with your twine or ribbon.

6. Clip the stems to a half inch to an inch of the tie.

7. Pin to your lapel or garnish your place setting and enjoy!

Here’s the last in our 3 part series with Paige Adams from Last Ingredient Blog, this time Paige is serving up dishes for your Easter table. Here’s Paige:

Easter Recipes

Holidays are the best excuse to go a bit overboard in the kitchen and have family & friends over to enjoy a big feast complete with all the details and décor like fresh flowers and the proper linens on the dining table. With everything to take care of on my to-do list, I like to focus the menu on trusty, no-fuss classics with seasonal flavors. Of course I want the food to be perfect, but ultimately, the people are the most important part of these special get-togethers.

For Easter, I love herby rosemary roasted chicken and fingerling potatoes. Chicken is a simple crowd-pleaser, and with this recipe you can make your main dish and side in a single pot. With any big meal, I like to use the stovetop since there isn’t time to rely only on the oven. A grill pan is great for asparagus that can be served at room temperature along with soft-boiled eggs and a few spring salads, all with elements that can be prepped in advance.

Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Fingerling Potatoes

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 pounds assorted fingerling potatoes, halved or quartered lengthwise, depending on thickness

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

One 3-1/2 to 4 pound whole chicken

1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed

Half a lemon

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil in the bottom of a cast iron casserole pot. Add the potatoes and toss with the leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs & 1 thyme sprig, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Cut off any excess fat from the chicken and discard with the giblets. Rub the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. With the chicken breast side up, stuff the remaining rosemary & thyme sprigs and garlic into the cavity. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and then place it inside the cavity before tucking the wings under and tying the legs together with kitchen twine. Nestle the chicken into the pot with the potatoes.

Roast the chicken for 25 minutes before reducing the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue cooking the chicken until the juices run clear and the internal temperature in the thigh is 165 degrees F, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Grilled Asparagus with Soft-Boiled Eggs

Serves 4

4 large eggs

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon minced chives

Place the eggs in cold water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs stand for 4-5 minutes before using a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Wait a few minutes before peeling the eggs and halving lengthwise.

For the asparagus, preheat a grill pan over medium high heat. Toss the asparagus with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill the asparagus, turning occasionally, until it is warm and has grill marks, but is still a bit crisp, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve the asparagus and eggs together sprinkled with chives and the remaining salt and pepper.

Thanks again, Paige and stay tuned for more recipes with Last Ingredient!

In this second part of our Spring Recipe Series with Paige Adams from Last Ingredient Blog, Paige shares recipes for three infused waters. These waters are quick, easy + super refreshing. Here’s Paige with the recipes:

Infused Waters

I think it’s safe to say that flavored water is officially a thing. While I can’t refuse bottled or canned infused water, it could not be easier to make your own. Then you don’t have wonder what the mysterious “natural flavor” listed on the label actually means. A bonus of making your own infused water is how beautiful the colorful ingredients look floating in their pitchers. (Shop Cylinder Pitcher )

Fresh fruit, veggies, herbs and spices are all fair game. Don’t be shy about experimenting with different combinations. I added sliced jalapenos to cucumber lemon water to give it some heat. If you want stronger flavor, muddle the ingredients and let them infuse longer. You can even add a splash of vodka or gin or freeze the water into ice cubes and add them to drinks later.

Blueberries + Blackberries + Mint + Lime

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup blackberries

1 small handful mint leaves

1 lime, thinly sliced

Grapefruit + Raspberries + Rosemary

1/2 grapefruit, thinly sliced

1 cup raspberries

3 sprigs rosemary

Cucumbers + Jalapenos + Cilantro + Lemon

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

1 small handful cilantro leaves

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Place the ingredients for each infused water in a pitcher. For stronger flavor, gently muddle everything. Fill the pitcher with cold still or sparkling water. Let the water infuse for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours.

(Shop Epicurean Cutting Board)

Get more recipes from Last Ingredient Blog

We recently ventured over to Last Ingredient Blog founder, Paige Adams’ Wicker Park kitchen to cook up some yummy recipes with our cookware for Spring. In this three-part blog series, Paige takes over and guides us through preparing spring salads, cooking for Easter + infused waters.

Without further ado, here’s Paige:

Spring Salads

After a winter filled with hearty meals and comfort food, I get very excited about spring produce and especially salads. What better way to show off delicate fruits and veggies than keeping things seasonal and simple? For a fresh and easy from-scratch lunch or dinner for friends, I like to serve a variety of salads, each with a different base—baby greens, grains and even toasted bread.

What makes salads satisfying is using a mix of flavors and textures from the salty & sweet combination of strawberries and smoked almonds in a spinach salad to crunchy croutons and creamy cannellini beans in a spring panzanella to crisp green beans and radishes in a bowl of fluffy quinoa. Go light when dressing the salads. You can always add more or serve extra vinaigrette in a small bowl.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Serves 4

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

5 ounces baby spinach

1-1/2 cups quartered strawberries

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped smoked almonds

In a large bowl, whisk together the shallots, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper followed by the olive oil until fully combined. Tip the bowl around to coat the inside and pour the excess into a small bowl.

Toss together the spinach, strawberries, onions, goat cheese and smoked almonds in the large bowl. Add more vinaigrette as desired.

Spring Panzanella Salad

Serves 4

1/2 loaf crusty country bread (about 6 ounces)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1-15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups baby arugula

1/4 cup grated Parmesan plus shavings for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Tear the slices into rough pieces and place on a sheet pan. Toss the bread with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake the bread until it toasted and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through baking.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and remaining salt, pepper and olive oil until fully combined.

In a large bowl, toss together the bread, beans, arugula, grated Parmesan and vinaigrette. Top with shaved Parmesan before serving. (shop Epicurean Slate Utensils + Merchant White Bowls)

Quinoa Salad with Green Beans, Peas & Radishes

Serves 4

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 pound green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons minced chives

Combine the quinoa and water in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. (shop Epicurean Slate Cutting Board)

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil. (shop the Knob Spice Grinder)

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the green beans and peas until bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl of ice water. After a few minutes, drain and stir the greens beans and peas into the quinoa followed by the radishes, scallions, chives and vinaigrette. (shop the Falcon Prep Set)

Full list of Unison cookware used:

Epicurean Cutting Board

Eve Chrome Salad Servers

Merchant White Bowls

Epicurean Cutting Board

Epicurean Slate Utensils

Knob Spice Grinder

Thanks Paige! Stay tuned for more fresh recipes for spring, and check out more on her blog: Last Ingredient

We celebrate women-run businesses all year long. But especially today —
it’s #InternationalWomensDay. As a salute, we chatted with some of our favorite Chicago boss girls and want to share their unique stories with you.

Danielle Lenczuk is the co-owner of gift boutique Bow & Arrow Collection.
Matti Sloman and Emily Winter are the owners of artist-run industrial
weaving studio The Weaving Mill Chicago. And Kelly Marie Thompson is the
proprietor of floral design studio Fleur.

Enjoy the Q&A and happy #InternationalWomensDay!

Unison: How did you get started, and was there an awareness or desire to
build your business with women at the forefront?

Danielle: We have always had a passion for personal gifting and a desire
for us to create something together! We took a look at our skills and
realized that with the three of us, we could create something really cool
and meaningful to others. We are a girls support girls kind of store! We
actively support other women owned businesses. Not only do we focus on our
vendors but we put in the extra effort to make sure every type of girl is
appreciated in our store. The Bow & Arrow sisters strive to provide things
that are not only unique to Chicago, but unique to retail in general, by
incorporating our forever and current obsessions IRL. We think the best
part about Bow & Arrow Collection is that we get to do this together, as
sisters. We each bring something different to the table and together we are
stronger than any of us are alone. #sisterbosses

Matti & Emily: The Weaving Mill is an outgrowth of the Chicago Weaving
Corporation, a textile company that started in the 1940s. The CWC began in
Wicker Park, moved to the suburbs in the mid 80s and in 2005 partnered with
social services agency Envision Unlimited to create a job training program
for adults with developmental disabilities. We took over the facility in
the summer of 2015 and have been running the studio together ever since.
The decision to work together was not primarily about women working with
women, but we do see it as one strength of our partnership.

Kelly: I was very young when I first began Fleur, and to be honest I didn’t
have much background in running a business. I knew I loved floral design
and was good at it, but that’s pretty much it. Because of that I began to
reach out with a lot of questions, and soon realized that there are a lot
of people out there searching for guidance, reassurance and offering one
another encouragement. I think the acceptance that I had a lot to learn
and losing my fear of asking questions when I needed help is what drew me
to build a lot of relationships with other women owned companies.

Unison: What makes running your own business rewarding?

Danielle: Having a creative outlet that allows us to share our passion for
gifting is incredibly rewarding! We have had such a warm welcome from the
Chicago community filled with positive feedback and fun times. From our
supportive neighbors to kind customers, we cannot believe how gratifying it
is to watch our business grow. Being small business owners can be stressful
at times but the outpour of love & support makes the whole process
worthwhile.

Matti & Emily: We work very closely in collaboration with one another, both
creatively and on the day-to-day operations managing TWM. We come to the
studio with different skill sets, as well as creative instincts and
interests. Keeping both of our voices present across all the work we do
together is fundamental to our studio practice. What has been satisfying
has been developing our own systems and strategies that complement both of
our working styles. By prioritizing open communication with one another, we
have developed shared expectations for each other, while allowing space and
freedom for our work as individuals.

Kelly: I think it has a lot to do with accomplishment. I have a very goal
driven personality and I love the feeling when a project is completed, and
we’re ready to pour everything into the next one. Equally as important is
witnessing the happiness that people receive from Fleur. Making sure other
people are happy from our guests to my team is a number one priority, and
their joy makes me always want to do the absolute best that I can.
Happiness is encouraging.

Unison: Do you feel there is more equality/acceptance of women run
businesses?

Danielle: We are extremely fortunate to be in an industry where women
support each other.

Matti & Emily: We recognize the tireless work of feminists in previous
generations that made it possible for us to think of ourselves primarily as
artists instead of women artists. We embrace and celebrate our feminist
histories. We know that this focus on work over gender is a luxury not
extended to many people, namely non-binary and trans people and we try to
challenge any complacency we might feel in our privileged gender positions.

Kelly: I think we have a long way to go. Without a doubt I’ve experiences
a lot of sexism, and I think that there are also a lot of women out there
who can be very judgmental.

Unison: Do you support or engage with other companies that are also
women-run?

Danielle: It is a major focus of ours. The vast majority of our vendors
are women and we are constantly partnering with local women business owners
to collaborate on workshops, pop-ups, events, etc.

Matti & Emily: All the time! We have collaborated with artists and several
brands on projects, and we are constantly looking to mentors and teachers,
many of which are women. Our collaborators have included Rebecca Atwood
Designs, founded in Brooklyn by Rebecca Atwood; Studio Herron, Dee
Clement’s Chicago based business; Production Mode, a Chicago fashion label
by Jamie Hayes to name a few! We also get all our buttons made at Busy
Beaver Button Company, owned here in Chicago by Christen Carter.

Kelly: In addition to our brick and mortar boutique, which is open to the
public we have a special events studio in the back half of our location.
We design an average of 70 weddings a year, and in the wedding industry
there is a huge amount of women owned companies. It’s wonderful and I love
it. We always have an ear to lend, a shoulder to lean on and an extra pair
of arms to lift one another. I feel very fortunate to be a part of such a
warm and intelligent and kind industry.

Unison: What advice would you give to women that would like to launch
their own business?

Danielle: Some things to keep in mind: don’t underestimate yourself, be
bold in your choices, collaborate with women instead of competing against
them, always trust your instincts and don’t compromise your vision. Stay
true to you & your brand.

Matti & Emily: Do not wait for permission or an invitation to declare
yourself ready. Trust your talents and be courageous enough to learn on the
fly. Do not let your ego or pride stop you from asking for help and advice
from others – getting help is not a sign of weakness. Allow yourself space
to evolve and be responsive to what is happening in your work.

Kelly: It’s an invigorating and exciting thing, and don’t be afraid of what
other people say or think. Watch your numbers, and make decisions that
best reflect what your goals are. But be sure to have flexibility in your
plan, because you don’t always end up where you think you’ll be. Running
your own company isn’t always the most comfortable, but when you realize
that leaving your comfort zone from time to time is a good thing you’ll
really begin to grow.

Thanks ladies for all the insight and Happy #InternationalWomensDay!

Learn more and support these amazing ladies here:

bowandarrowcollection.com

fleurchicago.com

theweavingmill.com