music post, halloween edition

Radiohead - You and Whose Army


TV on the Radio - Hours


Ladytron - Nuhorizons


Gnarls Barkley - The Boogie Monster


The Clash - London Calling


The Shins - Red Rabbits


TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me



I'm envisioning some robots, a few scary, brainless zombies, and maybe a little sprinkle of Wednesday Addams (you know, to lighten the mood). At least that's what I was going for with this playlist... and every Halloween playlist has to include TV on the Radio, right?

Have a great Halloween!! Don't do anything too silly.

tapered shield ring in silver

{hannahnaomi tapered shield ring in silver}

It's up!

You saw a little snippet of it in yesterday's post, but here's the tapered shield ring in a silver version. I love how these photos show the shield ring casting little glittery sparkles all over my finger. It's a pretty fab ring.

Tomorrow's Halloween! What are y'all doing? I'm a bit of a bum when it comes to dressing up -- but I love to hand out candy to all the little kids that come by. I can't even say that I'll be up watching scary movies, because I really hate them. I'm more of an Addams Family girl... that's all the scary I can handle.

prepping orders

Here are a few photos of four orders I shipped out today. I thought they looked so pretty together that I just couldn't resist snapping a few shots before I packaged them up.

{a pair of custom ordered gold foil dangle earrings to match the ring}

{from left to right: oblong arrow earrings, shield ring in silver, rounded shield ring in brass, gold foil earrings}

wishful thinking

... if I could have any shoes in the world, it would be these. Hands down. They make my heart ache a little, I love them so much. Four words:

Glitter. Peep toe. Velvet.

It's probably a good thing they're not even available anymore.

Miu Miu Glitter Peep-toe Pumps

NEW Rectangular Abalone Shell ring!

Rectangular Abalone Shell ring

... the newest addition to my ring collection -- the rectangular abalone shell ring! These rectangular beads are some of the best abalone specimens I've come across. Every individual beads features intricate swirls of iridescent blue, green, and purple -- they're so gorgeous!

I'm thinking I might make a pendant to match this ring. I don't usually do the match-y-match-y thing, but the ring is so stunning in person that I think a pendant has to be made. Just for variety's sake.

Rustic Mashed Potatoes with Sauteed Kale

I've had an intense craving for kale all week. And I usually avoid eating kale at any cost. It's kind of bitter and sour at the same time, and a bit stringy, too. But my body told me to buy a bunch of kale, so I did. And somehow I managed to make magic out of a Russet potato and half a bunch of kale. This recipe is so easy but so so good. You all will have to try it -- even if you hate kale.


Sauteed Kale and Garlic, serves 2

ingredients
3-4 large cloves garlic, sliced fairly thin
2 T EVOO
1 T butter
3 cups chopped kale
S + P, to taste

directions
Add butter and EVOO to a skillet over low heat. Once the pan has heated up a bit, add the sliced garlic and let brown gently over low heat. Once the garlic is nice and browned add the kale. Cook the kale until its slightly wilted but still looks crinkly. Serve with Rustic Mashed Potatoes.


Rustic Mashed Potatoes, serves 2

ingredients
2 medium/large Russet potatoes
2 large cloves garlic
1/3 cup milk
1 T butter
S + P

directions
1. Cut potatoes into 1/4 or 1/8 size pieces. Place in large pot in cold water and bring up to a boil. Allow the potatoes to cook until the peels start to peel away and you can easily poke through the center of a potato with a fork (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and drain. Cool slightly.
2. Remove the peels off the potatoes and set them aside (but save them!) Place peeled potatoes in a big bowl. Finely dice the potato skins and sprinkle them on top of the peeled potatoes (it adds texture and a bunch of vitamins/minerals).
3. Start mashing the potatoes. Add butter, milk, garlic, S + P. Keep mashing until everything is evenly distributed and smooth. Add more milk if potatoes are dry.

buying handmade

Frye Carmen boots, Level 99 jeans, American Apparel tee, Ann Taylor cardigan, vintage belt, vintage scarf, hannahnaomi Oblong Arrow earrings, hannahnaomi Gold Spiral ring.

I've been accumulating some really awesome handmade pieces lately. One of my favorite little shops is having its bi-annual sale this week and I already came away once with a huge bag full of goodies on Friday. They sell really high-quality, unique, handmade goods and it's such a pleasure just to oogle at it all. Their prices are actually really reasonable, but I live on an artist's budget, so the sale always draws me in. My dad loves the store as much as I do, so I'm thinking we might go together this weekend (I'm pretty sure he owns so many pieces from there he could open his own branch).

my favorite vessel of ALL TIME by Braheem Glass

There's no way in the world you could find pieces THIS COOL at any big box store. No West Elm, no Ikea, no (dare I say it??!) Anthropologie (although I do have to give them props for sourcing artisans for their high-end products -- like this designer)

Really though, there's just no way. You're only going to find things like this at your local glass-blower/potter's studio -- and possibly on Etsy.

handmade vase -- I wish I knew the maker!

I ended up buying a coffee mug, a big ceramic vase (see above), a gorgeous ceramic noodle bowl, and a giant utensil jar for the kitchen. They wrapped everything up so nicely for me that I haven't unpacked anything yet. We've been having surprisingly big earthquakes here recently (2 in one day this past Thursday!) that I've been to nervous to set out my new pieces. Plus, I don't really know where they are going to go...

The more I get into this whole handmade lifestyle the more I can really appreciate it. It's such a beautiful way of sharing and communicating within a community. There's something really dirty about buying something from China, or something machine-made. It's really upsetting how deeply ingrained it is in our society to only think about the here and the now -- instead of how every little action and interaction will affect the whole planet -- past, present and future. I think I just officially became an old person.


**Although I'm not saying (by far) that I'm a shining example. I still wear brand-name clothes and support chain stores, as well. Baby steps, right?

Oblong Arrow earrings in Brass

{hannahnaomi Oblong Arrow earrings}

I made these earrings on a whim yesterday and I have to say that I'm very happy with the results. They're super geometric and modern, and a little more edgy than some other designs I've made. I intend to make them in copper as well (although I'm not sure when I'll have the time to make up a prototype of those... color variations always get the back seat)

I still have a bunch of pieces on order and I (should be) prepping for another Fair to Remember this weekend, so I'm feeling a bit swamped. But somehow I made these yesterday without thinking too much about it. I love it when that happens!

I do really have a couple other new design I've been dying to test out -- maybe tomorrow...

Chipotle Turkey Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions

This post is kind of killing two birds with one stone. First and foremost, I had a panini similar to this one at my favorite little cafe in Berkeley and I've been waiting to test it out at home. And secondly, I've been meaning to make grilled cheese sandwich for my blog so I can talk about my favorite Grilled Cheese-themed blog.

Ok, the blog. It's called Grilled Cheese Social and it's the most brilliantly structured, overly-decadent, and incredibly cohesive blog I've ever seen. I mean, I blog about clothes, food, jewelry, and random events in my life -- but this woman only writes about grilled cheese. And really really good looking grilled cheese. She used all sorts of high-quality, fancy, cheesy ingredients and spins entire meals into grilled cheese form. So be sure to check her out. I've never actually made a recipe from her blog (just because I can't justify eating ridiculous quanities of cheese in one sitting, intentionally), but this post is kind of my homage to her vision of a world filled with complex, intricate, decadent grilled cheese sandwiches.

Now on to the sandwich I made -- as I said, it's a take on a sandwich I had a couple months ago. It's ridiculously easy and freakishly delicious. So try it sometime!

Chipotle Turkey GC with Caramelized Onions, for 1 sandwich

ingredients
2 sliced good white bread (preferably locally made -- just so it's more flavorful and fresh)
3 slices Maple Honey turkey breast from Columbus (highly recommended); or any sweet glazed turkey you find
4 medium slices Swiss cheese (or 2 large pre-sliced slices)
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 T chipotle mayo (see recipe below)
2 T salted butter

directions
1. Caramelize onions in 1 T butter and a little S+P.
2. Assemble sandwich in the following way: one slice bread, 1 T chipotle mayo, 2 medium slices Swiss cheese, Maple turkey breast, caramelized onions, remaining Swiss cheese, remaining chipotle mayo, second slice of bread.
3. Butter the outsides of the sandwich with remaining T butter.
4. Grill in slightly preheated saute pan on low heat until both sides of the sandwich are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
5. Remove from heat and allow the sandwich to cool a few minutes so the gooey cheese doesn't burn your face.


Chipotle Mayonnaise, makes 2 T

ingredients
2 T store-bought mayo
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
a pinch of cayenne

directions
1. Mix well and serve.

the 8r in chocolate

Gap tee and cardigan, Zara skirt, Frye Harness 8R boots in Chocolate, Andean Collection layered necklaces (in two different colors).

So, here they are (as promised)! The most hardcore boots I officially own. Notice that I layered two big, multi-strand necklaces on top of eachother to balance out the visual weight of the heavy boots. The necklaces (one in burgundy, on it bright red) also add some darkness to my upper half to balance the darkness of the boots. Otherwise I think this would look a bit funny (since the skirt/cardigan are very light and summery). Although really, sometimes I think I articulate some of these details in excess. It's all natural, right? It looks good because it just looks good (not because I sat around figuring that I had to make the darkness and/or weight of the boots balance out visually). Sometimes I even confuse myself.

Check out this blog. I'm pretty sure she's the antithesis of me (style-wise). Which I love. I really don't understand how she makes her outfits work but they always do. And they always look super unique and smooth.

aren't they so cool?!

angel food cake

I have to say, I don't really get angel food cake. I had about a dozen egg whites left over (after making a raspberry tiramisu last weekend) and I figured angel food cake was the way to go. It's either that, or meringues (and I get meringues even less than angel food cake). So I made my first ever angel food cake and it tasted alright. This recipe uses almond extract and vanilla extract, so the flavor is pretty good (and I really like her superfine sugar substitution). Although, (and I'm sure you can tell by the photos) the most exciting part of the cake was all the fruit I served alongside it. Hah.

Have you guys checked out my Foodie Post page?? It's getting pretty long! And it's really beginning to look like a pretty solid collection of recipes.

music post!

Led Zeppelin - Friends


Radical Face - Ghost Towns


Radiohead - Lotus Flower (Jacques Greene Remix)*


Radiohead - Little by Little



* free on itunes this week

harness 8r

Frye Harness 8R in Chocolate

I'm so excited about these boots. I ordered them last week and I've been wearing them non-stop since -- which is funny, because the first time I put them on I kind of had second thoughts. I mean, they're pretty serious boots. They're pretty heavy and have sort of a masculine shape. I really didn't know whether I was cool enough to pull them off. And for a second, I wasn't quite sure whether they would go with anything in my closet. But I was so wrong.

They're beyond fantastic. They look good with jeans tucked-in (which is how I've mostly been wearing them around), and as I discovered today, they look equally good with skirts and dresses. And apparently I am cool enough to wear them, because no one's laughed at me quite yet. I like to think people look at me with fear in their eyes. Fear, or envy (for having such cool boots). I'm ok with either.

vintage, re-worked

Vintage dress, Steve Madden shoes, layered hannahnaomi necklaces.

I can't believe I've never featured this dress on my blog! It's probably my absolute favorite. It's a dress that used to belong to my Austrian grandmother, Eva. Originally, the skirt was down to my ankles and and sleeves were full length, but otherwise it fits like a glove. I had it tailored so that the fit would look more modern and would flatter my shape a bit more.

It's really the best kind of vintage. Since I don't live in Austria anymore I don't get to see my grandmother much, so this dress is really special to me. I love to think of her wearing it before me. And I love the fact that we must have been the same size, since the dress fits me so well in the waist and shoulder.

I love the scalloped neckline, the fabric-covered buttons, the fuzzy, sweater-like fabric, and the throw-back style of the all-over pleated skirt. It' just pure perfection.

I just came to a realization while writing the above. I think I've just realized why I'm so adverse to this recent vintage clothing revival. I see these young (boys and) girls walking around in vintage clothing because it's cool. But (almost) none of it fits. And the clothes don't (usually) flatter these people. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer clothes that fit. And don't get me wrong, I think re-using clothing is a really beautiful concept. But in my opinion, the best way to give true vintage/reused clothing new life it to tailor it to fit your body. Because I'll tell you something I know for sure -- this whole (ill-fitting) vintage trend will eventually end. And then everyone will move on to something else, and those vintage piece will be totally forgotten. But if these trendy boys and girls would put a little effort into re-working their clothes, these vintage pieces could become true staples that never go out of style (because clothing that fits properly never.goes.out.of.style. -- just watch a 10 year old episode of What Not to Wear). And that's much more eco-conscious if you ask me. And in addition, we'll keep all the tailors of the world in business!

Wow, I'm really sorry for the rant. Feel free to totally disagree.

Rustic Tomato soup with a Maple Honey Tukey baguette

This is the perfect transition meal between summer and fall. I had about 15 overripe tomatoes on hand (let's just say that I can't resist the 99 cent bargain corner at my local produce market -- how can you argue with unbelievably high-quality product for mere pennies?) and no idea what to do with them. I mean, I love a good tomato salad, but eventually it does get a bit old. So I came up with my own version of a tomato soup.

It's ridiculously delicious.

Naomi's Rustic Tomato Soup

what you'll need
15-20 medium-sized, ripe to overripe tomatoes (they can be Roma, heirlooms, or whatever else you have on hand -- I used a mixture of mostly Roma tomatoes and a few heirlooms)
half a large red onion, diced
4 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1 T butter
1 T dried basil (you can use fresh basil, just double the amount)
1 tsp dried thyme
S+P, to taste
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 T grated Parmigiano and/or Reggiano cheese

directions
1. Melt butter in large soup pot. Add chopped red onion and cook until it becomes translucent.
2. Add garlic, basil, thyme, and some salt and pepper. Cook for a couple minutes.
3. Chop all your tomatoes into small, bit-sized pieces. It's ok to leave the skin on -- it will add some texture to the soup. Add all the tomatoes to the soup pot and stir them in*.
4. Allow the tomato mixture to cook over low heat until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and the onions and garlic are tender. This step will take about 15-20 minutes.
5. Remove mixture from heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Use a whisk to mix in the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, and grated Parm/Regg. cheese mixture. Whisk everything together until the soup looks uniform.
6. Serve warm.

*Note: Your tomatoes should have enough juice inside to keep the soup nice and watery. This is why it's better to use overripe tomatoes (apart from the deeper flavor). However, if your soup starts to dry out a bit feel free to add some water 1/2 cup at a time. We don't want the soup to turn into a stew.


I ate my soup with a piece of sweet baguette I sliced in half, topped with some Goat Gouda, toasted in the toaster oven for a couple minutes, and topped with some thinly sliced Maple Honey Turkey Breast (made by Columbus). And it was so delicious!

new circus collection pendants

I've been working with a lot of unique, hand blown glass beads recently. They're so much fun to work with, especially because most of my day-to-day routine involves making about 10 million stacking rings. I actually really love making stacking rings (I'm honestly totally content with selling mostly stacking rings on Etsy), but these Circus Collection beads allow me to get creative.

Since my hannahnaomi line is very ring-heavy I've been trying to make more pendants. Because I don't have a boss, I just make whatever I'm inspired to make (which usually means rings because I love to wear them). But when it comes to make a cohesive, professional line it's really all about balance.

So, all that being said, here are the four new pendants I made this week for my Circus Collection.


Ruby Blue Pendant

Teal Sparkle and Swirl Pendant

Dreamy Green Pendant

Unique Multi-Color Spiral Pendant