who loves cats?

i do!  i have one 7-year-old gray tabby cat named denise.  she is queen!

denise, the super green queen

some of my favorite cats from around the web...

from design sponge

dubious orange kitty

lucy the cat, by ashley oostdyck (love her work!)

edible communities

 

if you are a fan of food and of shopping locally, you might want to check out edible communities seasonal publications which focus on local foods and recipes.   the publications cover a range of culinary communities throughout the united states and canada.

escazu artisan chocolates

escazu artisan chocolates makes delectable, handcrafted works of art. this "bean to bar" shop started in 2006 with one bar made from fine venezuelan chocolate. currently, escazu has a thriving retail shop near downtown raleigh, nc and sells to wholesale buyers from all over the country.  they offer a variety of chocolate bars, hot chocolate, and confections made with real ingredients like ginger, habanero, and peach!

you don't have to live nearby to enjoy escazu's wonderful creations.  check out this list of places to find them.  they also make a great gift!

they're almost too pretty to eat...

passion fruit, lemon ginger, mojito

NC purple sweet potato with brown sugar & cinnamon covered in dark chocolate topped with hazelnut brittle

vanilla sour cream ganache, cashew-maple syrup and white chocolate kalamata olive


all photos from escazu facebook fan page

intriguing art by kentucky artist

louisville artist kathleen lolley has some very intriguing work.  check out her etsy shop, lolley's curiosities, for giclee prints, pillows and cards.

"nice to meet you" by kathleen lolley

tea owl pillow, by kathleen lolley

can't let go, by kathleen lolley

toro y moi

i keep coming back to the music of 24-year-old chaz bundick who plays under the name of toro y moi.  the columbia, south carolina native is getting quite a bit of attention these days with his"chillwave" style which has been likened to neon indian.  added bonus, this video was filmed in super 8 in columbia.

handcrafted furniture

version 5 rocker, courtesy of skram

wooddrop stool, courtesy of skram

skram furniture in hillsborough, nc, is designed and handcrafted by jacob marks along with a small staff in a 100-year-old cotton mill.  the company is committed to innovative and sustainable design and produce some very thoughtful pieces.  see more photos of marks at work in his studio here.

butterflyfood blog

i love to cook (and eat), but unfortunately i have no skills with a camera.  i don't even own a half-way decent camera!  thankfully my fellow blogger juli is a master photographer.  whenever i cook something, i take it to her house for dinner and we always save a little for her to photograph the next day.  not a bad trade-off, especially with these cookies!   

i am always on the lookout for new and interesting food blogs and websites.  it is rare to find one with great recipes and great photography.  so i was thrilled when i came across ashley's butterflyfood blog, which combines wonderful recipes with beautifully styled photos, all by ashley.

check out this baked camembert.  whoa.

  
or how about the chocolate-covered maple sponge toffee???

ashley also sells her food prints via etsy!  i am a little partial to this peaches print.  i am so excited for summer and all the fresh fruits that will be available!  and i love these little turquoise bowls.

all photos by ashley greer colbourne