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Taking a break with a summer cocktail

Cotton & Flax coasters

I’ve been hard at work preparing for Renegade Craft Fair the last few weeks, which means long hours cutting fabric, silkscreen printing, sewing, and ironing. Don’t get me wrong – I love my work, and the feeling of flow I get while I’m working is incredibly fulfilling – but it’s also pretty exhausting when I am preparing for a big show.

moscow muleOne of the hardest things about that grueling schedule is that LA has been pretty darn hot lately, getting into the mid 90’s most days. I drink lots of ice water during the day to stay cool (the AC unit in the studio is unreliable, to put it nicely), but in the evenings, I’ve been cooling off with my favorite cocktail, a Moscow Mule. While I don’t drink it in a copper cup, which is apparently the traditional presentation, it’s just as cool and refreshing in a regular glass.

The recipe is simple: 1/2 ounce lime juice, a few ice cubes, 2 oz. vodka, and 4-6 oz. ginger beer (not ginger ale)

I may even make a non-alcoholic version to enjoy during the day! A little sparkling ginger lemonade sounds pretty good as well. If you have a drink to recommend to help me stay cool, let me know in the comments!

Southern California Breakfast

so cal breakfast

Going out for a light breakfast is one of my favorite treats. I don’t go as often as I did when I lived in Portland (a city where the breakfast options are legendary), but since I moved to Los Angeles in 2011, I’ve found quite a few local favorites to add to my breakfast routine. Here are a few of my favorite local treats.

1. Handsome Roasters Coffee – so delicious it doesn’t need cream or sugar
2 & 3. Small espresso cup and Mug from Heath Ceramics – each piece is made in CA
4. Cotton & Flax coasters – handmade in Los Angeles, of course
5. Sqirl Jam* – the Seascape Strawberry & Rose Geranium is my favorite flavor, best on a thick slice of brioche toast
6. Moon Juice – Their flavors are amazing, and the juices are freshly cold-pressed from 100% organic fruits and veggies

*I’m feeling extra motivated to try different flavors of Sqirl Jam after attending a recent Creative Mornings event where the owner of Sqirl, Jessica Koslow, was a speaker. She spoke with so much passion about her work, I love encountering other creative folks who are pursuing work that they love.

New coasters, and an Autumn cocktail recipe.

Cotton & Flax red triangles coasters

Do you want to know Cotton & Flax’s top selling item this season, hands down? My new 100% wool felt coasters, hand silkscreened with my original patterns. If you follow me on Instagram, I posted a few snippets of the felt when I was whittling down the color choices, and when it finally arrived at my door. The wool felt is a luxurious material to work with. It’s beautifully thick, and the colors are a great match to the fabrics I’m using for the rest of the Cotton & Flax collection.

Cotton & Flax cocktail
I did a few different photo shoots for these coasters, one of which was styled with a delicious seasonal cocktail I found on Pinterest (via The Tampopo Post) not too long ago. It’s 2 parts fresh apple cider, two parts ginger beer, and one part Kentucky bourbon…yum. I love this cocktail because it’s perfect for LA winters… when it stays above 60˚ most days, it’s hard to justify making a Hot Toddy. The new coasters will keep your wooden tables safe as you enjoy hot and cold beverages all winter long.

Shop for Cotton & Flax coasters here.