black crane

Black Crane is one of my favorite collections for myself and my store, I wear most of it ALL of the time and I feel great. It's simple and easy, and it makes me feel put together all day. We just took markdowns on the Fall collection so there are some amazing STEALS at the moment - add to that the 'extra25' and you can kill it!

But I will admit, while I like the photos that I take for my website, I LOVE the photos of the website No. 6, yes, as in those wonderful No. 6 clogs! They also have a shop that is lovingly curated in the most amazing way. They also have the Black Crane collection and when I saw it on their beautiful model... well I just HAD so share these photos with you. I love their model, she is super chic, has the most gorgeous hair color (changes quite often) and she is just so perfect in my opinion (in a non-perfect way).

painter dress in black (grey) or purple

this poncho just arrived in the shop

in white or black - essential and easy

Any way you look at it Black Crane will do it!

shop Black Crane on Nonchalantmom
shop No. 6 store (and don't miss the yummy shearling clogs!)

Can You Dig This - fantastic Doc!

I can't wait to see this movie! It's showing tonight in Newport RI at the Jane Pickens if you are a local - and what better a movie to see just before Thanksgiving! If you aren't a local, find this movie and see it!

It's going to change the WORLD!

happy gardening

RMS beauty - green friday special

Just because I am a lover of the RMS beauty products - just for today - they are offering 20% off for GREEN FRIDAY - use code: 'greenfriday'

and if you don't know about RMS beauty you can read our interview with the amazing Rose Mary Swift where she tells us more about herself and her products, they are so natural you could EAT them! (but I don't think they would taste good, haha) I feel good about using her products and never worry about any harmful chemicals. When you are using something each and every day you want to be sure they are 100% natural.

This is one of my favorite products - the Buriti Bronzer it always makes you look sun-kissed in the most natural way. I also like the UNcover - easy and perfect for every day.

enjoy!

link to RMS here
link to my interview with RMS here

Join us!

Each year is different and no matter how many times I take notes like... nobody shops in October or don't buy those weird pillows ever again, I usually forget and each year I wing it on my whims and just buy what I want for my store. People ask me how I know what works for Nonchalantmom, and after I think for one moment I almost always say "I DON'T" -- when I have interns helping me I tell them to follow their heart and not the trends, now if the person is talented and knows what's out there they will do great, if not they better hope they have a BIG wallet because this whole deal is not easy.

Did I just call myself talented, nope... I just have talented friends! I fill my store with things from people I love, people who have talent and usually NOT a big wallet. Which usually means that we run ourselves a tight business. We constantly remind each other that we are all in this together and it just so happens we all LOVE what we do. Lately, I have heard a lot you all about how much you like what we are doing here so I think I am very lucky, best customers and best, most talented people making great products.

This is a tricky time of hear, we have so many new things arriving every day, the UPS man is like Santa Claus to me. The above compilation photo is new things together with some things we have had around the store for awhile and these are some of my favorite gifts.

ITEMS: (starting from top left)
Matta Indian shirt - (not on the website yet but up soon in the Matta section)
Wovenplay - tiger necklace
MQuan Studio - flower bell
Beck Sondergaard Scarf - Mill scarf
Jess Brown Doll - circus doll (I just noticed that this doll is not on the website! email me if you want her)
Clare V - leopard flat clutch (coming soon on the website)
Village Common - natural, small batch made room and body spray
Fredricks & Mae - horse hair key chain

and use code 'extra25' to take 25% off your entire purchase!
shop now!

and remember us when you SHOP LOCAL - we like that and we work with only local people we love!

new Melissa Joy Manning jewelry

I was introduced to Melissa Joy Manning through my neighbor, Angela. Angela has a way about jewelry that I really love, she changes her pieces every day, she always, ALWAYS looks amazing and elegant (even picking up the kids and the bus stop!) and she inspires me to try to look good every day. Because let's face it, when you live in a small town, work from home a big part of the time and have a penchant for jeans (yea that's me) you COULD actually not dress up very well each and every day - but Angela does! She kills it in Pip-squeak Chapeau, Melissa Joy Manning and now Black Crane!

I just hold her hands and look at her bracelets, rings and all that, because she wears it all at once and it's amazing. Melissa Joy Manning is a perfect connector for Angela and her style, it is the opposite of bling, it's like taking a part of nature and wearing it in the most elegant way. I happen to choose small pieces from her collection, cause that's just me and the way I feel about Nonchalantmom. But, you can visit her website and find giant pieces of stone, gems and a combined use of metals that will make you drool. All handmade in her studio in California and New York City from recycled materials, in a sustainable way, she's a woman who does things right and is making it work for her.

these gorgeous earrings are Imperial Topaz

Her inspiration is always nature, a sunset floods an arid desert landscape with hues of fire. Ice clashes with an Icelandic sea in a symphony of textures and color. Her jewelry echoes the intrinsic beauty in the world around us. She is inspired by cultures, landscapes and nature, Melissa designs her pieces in ways that highlight the found beauty of the materials she uses. And I'm telling you, it's very evident when you look at her jewelry and you feel it when you wear her pieces - they become a part of you.

black druzy necklace w/mixed metals and the delicate circle, triangle or oval rings

I am a bit crazy about her new collection, these pieces will make any jewelry lover envious. But my favorite person to get started on Melissa Joy Manning jewelry are those who usually don't wear anything. It's the perfect start, and hey let's face it, there is nothing more un-fussy than 14k gold - you don't even have to take your pieces off because you can wear them 24 hours! Now that's my kind of joy!

I hope you enjoy this new collection. click here to see the new pieces.

Ikea and 100% sustainable cotton benchmark

You know I am a fan of Ikea, and one of my most vivid memories as a kid was when we went to Sweden to visit family we would make a trip to Ikea and get new duvet covers for our beds, so exciting! (ha!) This was a different time and duvet covers were not really available here in the US. I don't know how but my mom kept some of them and now my kids use them! And they still look great and very modern.

I just wanted to make my personal connection here because recently Ikea announced that they have reached their 100% sustainable cotton target. No, all of their cotton is not organic (some of it IS) but throughout the store they have reached a 100% sustainable benchmark. As of September 2015, 100 percent of the cotton the company uses for its products comes from more “sustainable sources.” Ikea is the first major international retailer to achieve this. What does this mean, well in 2010, Ikea worked with nature conservation group WWF to create the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) with the goal “to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future,” as noted on the bettercotton.org website.

for the source of this story and to get more information check in with LeSouk - their article is here

Just another reason to love Ikea!

recipe :: BA seeded whole grain soda bread

I am making my way through the recipes in the latest Bon Appétit (November 2015) issue. This is such a terrific issue for Thanksgiving ideas and MORE. First off I had to make this delicious recipe for soda bread! It just grabbed me and I had to make it right away, and while this loaf quickly disappeared (this is the only photo I was able to snap) the whole family loved it.

Even the kids craved this bread - more healthful and delicious than sugary pumpkin and banana breads. It's a perfect snack when kids come home from school with nut butter or any favorite spread. Next up... I am going to start taste testing the side dishes for Thanksgiving - the mushroom dish is next!

Bon Appétit Soda Bread (here's the link to the recipe on the BA website)

SEEDED WHOLE GRAIN SODA BREAD

1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup quinoa
2 Tbsp. amaranth
1 cup old-fashioned oats (plus more for topping)
2 1/4 cups buttermilk, divided (plus more for brushing)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (plus more for pan)
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. flaxseed
1 Tbsp kosher sale
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (plus more for topping)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter cut into pieces
3 Tbsp. brow rice syrup (I used maple syrup)

Mix millet, quinoa, amaranth, 1 cup oats, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Cover and let sit 8-12 hours. (Alternatively, bring ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan over low hear. Remove from heat and let sit until mixture is thick like porridge, about 2 hours.) I actually started to make this then realized the 8-12 hour delay so I put it in the fridge for about 18 hours or so... then took it out and let it come to room temp.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8" diameter cast-iron skillet or cake pan. Whisk whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseed, salt, baking soda, and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Work in butter with your fingers until largest pieces are pea-size. Make a well in the center and add brown rice syrup, oat mixture, remaining 1 1/4 cups buttermilk and remaining 1 Tbsp oil. Mix with wooden spoon until dough is smooth, homogeneous, and still slightly sticky.

Form dough into a ball and place in prepared pan. Brush with buttermilk; top with more oats and sunflower seeds. Cut a large X into the top and bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of loaf registers 190 degrees. 55-70 minutes. Let cool in pan.

it's one of those recipes where yours will look almost identical to the one in the magazine!

good luck! (up next... page 103 - Herby Barley Salad with Butter-Basted Mushrooms)

SNAP! sale

This weekend we are having a SNAP sale... 25% off! take this chance to get some of your gift shopping done or just something for yourself before it all starts!

use code: 'snap' at checkout* - sale ends 11/09/15

*not including new Melissa Joy Manning

get in there!! - shop here

top left: Beck Sondergaard scarves
top middle: heart bracelet
top right: featherweight cashmere scarves
middle left: rugs and pillows by Mayan
center: kids Lucky Fish
middle right: boy+girl - baby
bottom left: mayan pillows
middle bottom: keychains by Fredricks & May
bottom right: Black Crane - woman

recipe :: Paleo Eggs

I can't believe I took so long to post my world famous Paleo Eggs! (haha) This past summer it was my go-to when we had guests or big parties that went into the next day, cause that's what happens when you live by the beach! And even though it's only the SECOND day of November I am already getting excited for all the visitors coming for Thanksgiving. In fact my daughter said to me on Sunday (the day after Halloween, she was already moving onto the next holiday) "So what is our menu for Thanksgiving?" and next... "who is coming!" yes I have created a couple of party monsters!

This is a great recipe for big crowds, or even little crowds because your whole family will like them, my kids like them just because we gave it a funny name PALEO EGGS! We are not on a Paleo diet or anything (not saying I wouldn't LIKE to be on that diet - sounds fantastic) we just like these eggs, it's got everything we love all in one dish!

So here we go, make your own variation, add what you want, it's a bit of a veggie "pitti-panna" but we like ours a bit on the spicy side, my kids don't really love that part but I think it's good for them to have hot and spicy from time to time. I believe the variation builds a good palate :)

PALEO EGGS
6-8 eggs (I usually do as many eggs as I have people-but some people like two eggs)
Kale, Beet Greens or any other greens you have! I've tried almost everything!
1 Yellow Onion or Leeks
2-4 cloves garlic
red pepper flakes (to taste approx. 1/2 teaspoon is good)
salt and pepper
optional: Mushrooms, Beets, Squash... almost anything!

I make them in the largest cast iron pan that I have. I use olive oil but you could also use coconut oil, whatever is your favorite. Saute onion, then add garlic then add your greens - you want to have quite a bit, enough to generously cover the bottom of the pan by about 3/4 inch or so. Saute all so that they cook down and generously season with your favorite seasoning, salt pepper and red pepper flakes. Make as many dents into your greens as you have eggs and carefully crack your eggs into the dents. Then cover and cook until your eggs are just about done (it's like poaching eggs in greens!) - remember they will cook a bit when you turn off the heat so don't overcook. Add a bit more fresh ground salt and pepper and bring the pan to the table! (it looks SO nice!). Then scoop out an egg for each person with a healthy portion of bread (okay so that's NOT the Paleo part! haha)

enjoy! what's in YOUR Paleo eggs - comment or send me an email!