Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The fall issue. An online lifestyle magazine about home design, fashion, entertaining, kids, work, weddings, and doing good.
Citation preview
delightedISSUE TWO | FALL 2012
FALL 2012
copy Delighted Magazine 2012 delightedmagcom | hidelightedmagcom
Cover Styled by Amanda Gomes | Photo by Pictilio
follow delighted
delighted 3
TABLE OF CONTENTSdelighted
Fall 2012
HOME
Seasonal Home Finds
DIY Hanging Art
pages 10-17
WORK
Etsy Success
Career Story
Give Back
pages 18-49
FALL 2012
ENTERTAIN
Thanksgiving Table
Pumpkin Recipes
pages 50-77
STYLE
Accessory Finds
Four Fall Outfits
Sophiersquos Picks
pages 78-85
delighted 5
KIDS
Bento Lunches
A Motherrsquos Story
pages 86-103
WEDDINGpages 104-127
Real Wedding
Etsy Wedding Finds
An Engagement Fiesta
FALL 2012
delightedISSUE TWO | FALL 2012
BE PART OF THE NEXT ISSUE
Contact us for information ADVERTISE adsdelightedmagcom
FEATURE CONTRIBUTOR contributedelightedmagcom
EXTRAS
From the Editor 7
For Fun Football 128
Contributors 8
delighted 7
Happy Fall Each year as the weather turns cooler and the days be-come shorter I get a sense of anticipation about whatrsquos to come And not just due to the pending festive holidays but because of all the other joysmdashthe impromptu family gatherings the scarves and boots the pumpkin spice lattes and pulling out the cozy blankets
Thanks to many talented contributors and photographers this second issue of Delighted is just as exciting to share as the first As you flip through each page I hope yoursquore inspired to make some-thing delicious with pumpkin and excited about the lives being changed in Uganda I hope you learn something about adoption (and even football) and find the perfect accessories to add to your fall wardrobe But mostly I hope therersquos plenty in these pages that brings you delight
I appreciate all of you for your support and readership Best wishes to you for a fall season full of comfort and laughter
THE EDITORfrom
Fondly Amanda Gomes
With my best girlfriends circa Fall 2009 (Irsquom on the left)
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
copy Delighted Magazine 2012 delightedmagcom | hidelightedmagcom
Cover Styled by Amanda Gomes | Photo by Pictilio
follow delighted
delighted 3
TABLE OF CONTENTSdelighted
Fall 2012
HOME
Seasonal Home Finds
DIY Hanging Art
pages 10-17
WORK
Etsy Success
Career Story
Give Back
pages 18-49
FALL 2012
ENTERTAIN
Thanksgiving Table
Pumpkin Recipes
pages 50-77
STYLE
Accessory Finds
Four Fall Outfits
Sophiersquos Picks
pages 78-85
delighted 5
KIDS
Bento Lunches
A Motherrsquos Story
pages 86-103
WEDDINGpages 104-127
Real Wedding
Etsy Wedding Finds
An Engagement Fiesta
FALL 2012
delightedISSUE TWO | FALL 2012
BE PART OF THE NEXT ISSUE
Contact us for information ADVERTISE adsdelightedmagcom
FEATURE CONTRIBUTOR contributedelightedmagcom
EXTRAS
From the Editor 7
For Fun Football 128
Contributors 8
delighted 7
Happy Fall Each year as the weather turns cooler and the days be-come shorter I get a sense of anticipation about whatrsquos to come And not just due to the pending festive holidays but because of all the other joysmdashthe impromptu family gatherings the scarves and boots the pumpkin spice lattes and pulling out the cozy blankets
Thanks to many talented contributors and photographers this second issue of Delighted is just as exciting to share as the first As you flip through each page I hope yoursquore inspired to make some-thing delicious with pumpkin and excited about the lives being changed in Uganda I hope you learn something about adoption (and even football) and find the perfect accessories to add to your fall wardrobe But mostly I hope therersquos plenty in these pages that brings you delight
I appreciate all of you for your support and readership Best wishes to you for a fall season full of comfort and laughter
THE EDITORfrom
Fondly Amanda Gomes
With my best girlfriends circa Fall 2009 (Irsquom on the left)
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 3
TABLE OF CONTENTSdelighted
Fall 2012
HOME
Seasonal Home Finds
DIY Hanging Art
pages 10-17
WORK
Etsy Success
Career Story
Give Back
pages 18-49
FALL 2012
ENTERTAIN
Thanksgiving Table
Pumpkin Recipes
pages 50-77
STYLE
Accessory Finds
Four Fall Outfits
Sophiersquos Picks
pages 78-85
delighted 5
KIDS
Bento Lunches
A Motherrsquos Story
pages 86-103
WEDDINGpages 104-127
Real Wedding
Etsy Wedding Finds
An Engagement Fiesta
FALL 2012
delightedISSUE TWO | FALL 2012
BE PART OF THE NEXT ISSUE
Contact us for information ADVERTISE adsdelightedmagcom
FEATURE CONTRIBUTOR contributedelightedmagcom
EXTRAS
From the Editor 7
For Fun Football 128
Contributors 8
delighted 7
Happy Fall Each year as the weather turns cooler and the days be-come shorter I get a sense of anticipation about whatrsquos to come And not just due to the pending festive holidays but because of all the other joysmdashthe impromptu family gatherings the scarves and boots the pumpkin spice lattes and pulling out the cozy blankets
Thanks to many talented contributors and photographers this second issue of Delighted is just as exciting to share as the first As you flip through each page I hope yoursquore inspired to make some-thing delicious with pumpkin and excited about the lives being changed in Uganda I hope you learn something about adoption (and even football) and find the perfect accessories to add to your fall wardrobe But mostly I hope therersquos plenty in these pages that brings you delight
I appreciate all of you for your support and readership Best wishes to you for a fall season full of comfort and laughter
THE EDITORfrom
Fondly Amanda Gomes
With my best girlfriends circa Fall 2009 (Irsquom on the left)
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
ENTERTAIN
Thanksgiving Table
Pumpkin Recipes
pages 50-77
STYLE
Accessory Finds
Four Fall Outfits
Sophiersquos Picks
pages 78-85
delighted 5
KIDS
Bento Lunches
A Motherrsquos Story
pages 86-103
WEDDINGpages 104-127
Real Wedding
Etsy Wedding Finds
An Engagement Fiesta
FALL 2012
delightedISSUE TWO | FALL 2012
BE PART OF THE NEXT ISSUE
Contact us for information ADVERTISE adsdelightedmagcom
FEATURE CONTRIBUTOR contributedelightedmagcom
EXTRAS
From the Editor 7
For Fun Football 128
Contributors 8
delighted 7
Happy Fall Each year as the weather turns cooler and the days be-come shorter I get a sense of anticipation about whatrsquos to come And not just due to the pending festive holidays but because of all the other joysmdashthe impromptu family gatherings the scarves and boots the pumpkin spice lattes and pulling out the cozy blankets
Thanks to many talented contributors and photographers this second issue of Delighted is just as exciting to share as the first As you flip through each page I hope yoursquore inspired to make some-thing delicious with pumpkin and excited about the lives being changed in Uganda I hope you learn something about adoption (and even football) and find the perfect accessories to add to your fall wardrobe But mostly I hope therersquos plenty in these pages that brings you delight
I appreciate all of you for your support and readership Best wishes to you for a fall season full of comfort and laughter
THE EDITORfrom
Fondly Amanda Gomes
With my best girlfriends circa Fall 2009 (Irsquom on the left)
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 5
KIDS
Bento Lunches
A Motherrsquos Story
pages 86-103
WEDDINGpages 104-127
Real Wedding
Etsy Wedding Finds
An Engagement Fiesta
FALL 2012
delightedISSUE TWO | FALL 2012
BE PART OF THE NEXT ISSUE
Contact us for information ADVERTISE adsdelightedmagcom
FEATURE CONTRIBUTOR contributedelightedmagcom
EXTRAS
From the Editor 7
For Fun Football 128
Contributors 8
delighted 7
Happy Fall Each year as the weather turns cooler and the days be-come shorter I get a sense of anticipation about whatrsquos to come And not just due to the pending festive holidays but because of all the other joysmdashthe impromptu family gatherings the scarves and boots the pumpkin spice lattes and pulling out the cozy blankets
Thanks to many talented contributors and photographers this second issue of Delighted is just as exciting to share as the first As you flip through each page I hope yoursquore inspired to make some-thing delicious with pumpkin and excited about the lives being changed in Uganda I hope you learn something about adoption (and even football) and find the perfect accessories to add to your fall wardrobe But mostly I hope therersquos plenty in these pages that brings you delight
I appreciate all of you for your support and readership Best wishes to you for a fall season full of comfort and laughter
THE EDITORfrom
Fondly Amanda Gomes
With my best girlfriends circa Fall 2009 (Irsquom on the left)
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delightedISSUE TWO | FALL 2012
BE PART OF THE NEXT ISSUE
Contact us for information ADVERTISE adsdelightedmagcom
FEATURE CONTRIBUTOR contributedelightedmagcom
EXTRAS
From the Editor 7
For Fun Football 128
Contributors 8
delighted 7
Happy Fall Each year as the weather turns cooler and the days be-come shorter I get a sense of anticipation about whatrsquos to come And not just due to the pending festive holidays but because of all the other joysmdashthe impromptu family gatherings the scarves and boots the pumpkin spice lattes and pulling out the cozy blankets
Thanks to many talented contributors and photographers this second issue of Delighted is just as exciting to share as the first As you flip through each page I hope yoursquore inspired to make some-thing delicious with pumpkin and excited about the lives being changed in Uganda I hope you learn something about adoption (and even football) and find the perfect accessories to add to your fall wardrobe But mostly I hope therersquos plenty in these pages that brings you delight
I appreciate all of you for your support and readership Best wishes to you for a fall season full of comfort and laughter
THE EDITORfrom
Fondly Amanda Gomes
With my best girlfriends circa Fall 2009 (Irsquom on the left)
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 7
Happy Fall Each year as the weather turns cooler and the days be-come shorter I get a sense of anticipation about whatrsquos to come And not just due to the pending festive holidays but because of all the other joysmdashthe impromptu family gatherings the scarves and boots the pumpkin spice lattes and pulling out the cozy blankets
Thanks to many talented contributors and photographers this second issue of Delighted is just as exciting to share as the first As you flip through each page I hope yoursquore inspired to make some-thing delicious with pumpkin and excited about the lives being changed in Uganda I hope you learn something about adoption (and even football) and find the perfect accessories to add to your fall wardrobe But mostly I hope therersquos plenty in these pages that brings you delight
I appreciate all of you for your support and readership Best wishes to you for a fall season full of comfort and laughter
THE EDITORfrom
Fondly Amanda Gomes
With my best girlfriends circa Fall 2009 (Irsquom on the left)
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Clara ArtschwagerChanneling Contessa
Janet HillJanet Hill Studio
Jodi MorenoWhatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Kate BrightbillStyleSmaller
Kate TaylorCookie + Kate
Liz Forkin BohannonSseko Designs
Lucy Sechemethod
Shannon Maass Tiffany Chow Tim and Shanna MallonFood Loves Writing
Tonette Polito
Serena Olivieri
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 9
If you would like to contribute to the next issue wersquod love to hear from you Contact Amanda at contributedelightedmagcom
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin OrsquoReilly Matt Polito Vivian Sachs
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Blueprint Studios
Brian Brightbill
Brian Gomes
Christine Litwin
Fred Gutierrez
Gordon and Roberta Jensen
Rufflewood
Sonia Ballesteros
PictilioVitaliy amp Candace Prokopets
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Serena Olivieri is a designer whose beautiful blog is an ongoing project where she docu-ments her experiments with paper graphic design and illustration
Serenarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 11
THE GOODSTile Set Lubna Chowdhary $680
Letterpress Coasters In Haus Press $20 Wood Cutting Board Tom Roche $14
Thyme Print Evajuliet $39 10 Wooden Forks Sucre Shop $10
Chalkboard amp Ceramic Jars HomeMint $89 Boulevard Wing Chari Horchow $1969
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Amandarsquos HOME FINDS
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 13
THE GOODS
Antique Early Century Rocker Hindsvik $225 Ditsy Printed Floor Mat West Elm $19
Paper Crochet Pillow Cover Pottery Barn $30 Navy Laurel Lamp Serena amp Lily $168
Yachting Plate Collage Anthropologie $1480 Preserved Topiary CrateampBarrel $40
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 15
HOME
Step by Step Hanging Art
By Tonette Polito | Photos by Matt Polito
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
1 Assemble Tools
Who knew hanging art could be so simple Herersquos a quick step-by-step guide to placing your showpieces in just the right place
3 Measure Distances Between Pieces 4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed
6 Nail Marked Points Into the Wall 7 Remove Paper and Hang Art
SUPPLY LISTButcher Paper Artwork TapeTape Measure Hammer NailsPencil Scissors Level
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 17
HOME
1 Assemble Tools 2 Configure Placement of Art on Butcher Paper
4 Mark Where Nails Will Be Placed 5 Hang Marked Paper in Position Using a Level
7 Remove Paper and Hang Art 8 Step Back and Enjoy
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
ETSY SUCCESS
Janet Hill StudioPHOTOS and ARTWORK BY JANET HILL
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 19
WORK
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012Prev
ious
Pag
e D
ance
rs T
his
Page
Thi
s Is
The
Plac
e Sh
e H
ad B
een
Hea
ding
All
Her
Life
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 21
WORK
If whimsy makes you lighthearted and giddy Janet Hill is the artist for you Her elegant oil paintings and charming titles will take you to a place where old-world loveliness abounds Read about how she became the artist she is today and the success of her beautiful Etsy shop
b e a u t y g r a c e d e l i g h t
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
When did you discover you had artistic talent
I was quite late in discover-ing my ability to paint I think I was around seventeen and I was trying to decide what to take at university I knew I was lsquocreativersquo but had never chan-neled it directly into a specific medium Up until that point I liked to take pictures but the technical side of photography was something that I found frustrating I was much more suited to painting as it is very tactile and the results of your efforts are immediate I sup-pose Irsquom an impatient person
How have you developed your skills
I studied fine art in univer-sity and specialized in paint-ing After graduation I stopped painting for around three or four years as I was more inter-ested in getting a lsquoproper jobrsquo Fortunately lsquoproper jobsrsquo didnrsquot like me and so I went back to painting I basically paint every day and so that helps keep the creativity flowing
Where does your design in-spiration come from
I watch a lot of old movies and spend a lot of time sourcing film stills I also read a lot of magazines blogs and I look at a lot of old portrait paintings
I love the titles you give your paintings How do you come up with them
They usually pop into my head as Irsquom painting the image The painting almost seems to take on a life of its own and so usu-ally a phrase or a short remark repeats over and over in my head during the painting pro-cess A lot of my work is quite narrative and so the title helps explain the purpose of the painting
When did you open your Etsy shop and what inspired you to take those first steps
I opened my shop on January 10 2008 A few friends had told me about Etsy and so I hov-ered about quite a bit before taking the plunge Prior to that
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 23
WORK
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
I was selling my original work on ebay but I never liked the overall feel of ebay However I really like the auction style of ebay and how it gives people the oppor-tunity to bid on an item and determine the market value for the piece With Etsy Irsquom pretty much taking wild guesses as to how popular an image will be and trying to figure out an appropriate price However Etsy is a much better overall fit for me
What was the greatest challenge you faced during your first year in business
There was a lot of pressure to produce original pieces I would get a lot of emails asking how to get my original work and so I ran a sweatshop style business for the first year or two After a while I real-ized that I wasnrsquot really producing what I wanted to and so I slowed down and came to a nice steady crawl I was very
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 25
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 27
Left Page Francine and Her Frenchie The Seduction Catherine Listens to the Ominous Ring This Page Black Coffee and a Blueberry Muffin
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 29
WORK
worried that people would get disinterested in my work if I wasnrsquot creating new pieces all the time Fortunately the slow down didnrsquot affect business too muchmdashalthough I am sure I did lose some buyers When I got over that fear I started pro-ducing pieces that were a little more challenging for me and that seemed to be more im-portant than trying to please everybody else
What has been your most ex-citing sale or learning experi-ence since opening
I think the most exciting part about selling on etsy has been the exposure that I have re-ceived since opening my shop Initially I was just concerned with selling my paintings and prints and didnrsquot think much beyond that However I started get-ting emails from magazines and well established blogs wanting to cover my work Over time that led to picking up clients like Tiffany and Co Hallmark UK and some book publishers Itrsquos the opportunities that I never
considered that have been the most exciting aspect of being online
How do you utilize social media to engage customers and drive traffic to your shop
I use social media very passively Partly because I donrsquot really un-derstand it and partly because I noticed through friends who did use social media quite actively to promote their businesses that it could border on lsquotelemarketingrsquo if you werenrsquot careful It can be like constant advertisements on your facebook page or twitter After a while people tune it out or get annoyed So I only lsquotweetrsquo or post on facebook when Irsquove posted something on my blog which 95 of the time is a new paintingmdashwhich occurs once or twice a week
Can you tell us about a busi-ness risk yoursquove taken since starting Janet Hill Studio What came of it
I would have to say that my big-gest risk was licensing my work
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
It was quite a rollercoaster ride at first I was approached by a large company to license my work for cards and posters At the time I was so excited that I signed the contract without con-sulting a lawyer Stupid I know But I was so naive and presumed that a company of that size and reputation wouldnrsquot be up to naughty deeds Also consult-ing a lawyer would cost around $400ndash$500 and I didnrsquot have the money to do that initially A few months later another repu-table company wanted to work with me but I discovered that I had signed all the rights to every image that I created and would create for the next five years over to the first company A bit of a battle ensued and eventu-ally I did get to work with the second company which proved much more fruitful than the first one Fortunately the first company went under and I was released from the contract I now have an agent who is very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of licensing and so I donrsquot have to have a panic attack when a new contract comes in
What does a typical day look like for you
My mornings are when I spend my time glued to my computer trying to get caught up on emails and organize my etsy shop I then walk my dog and clear my head for the day (very impor-tant) Most of my afternoon is spent in my little studio with in-termittent bouts of procrastina-tion- like staring off into space going out in my back garden or looking at my favourite blogs I usually finish up at around 7pm and try to relax for the eve-ningmdashalthough my mind seems to always be coming up with ideas for paintings Shutting that down is difficult
What is the best advice (busi-ness or personal) yoursquove re-ceived since starting Janet Hill Studio
My husband and my parents are always dishing out good advice but I think itrsquos very specific advice to the problem or con-cern at hand I think the overall best advice that gets drilled into me by them is to just continue
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 31
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
at my own pace donrsquot compare myself to others that seem to have it all and be true to myself and what I do Honesty in your work is the most important thing
What has been the most rewarding part of owning a small business
I really like being my own boss Therersquos more freedom when you have your own business You may not always feel it but in the end if something isnrsquot work-ing for you you have the ability to stop it or change direction
Are there any books or busi-ness resources you would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs
Therersquos a book called lsquoSteal Like An Artistrsquo by Austin Kleon which I only discovered a few months ago It has very honest and practical advice for artists- especially those wishing to es-tablish an online presence
What are some of your favor-ite Etsy shops
Oh goshthere are so many Herersquos a few that Irsquove been ad-miring lately Kari Herer For Strange Women Lisa Rupp Design and mummysam
ldquo Honesty in your work is the most important thingrdquo
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 33 Hot Chocolate
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
What did you want to be when you were younger A cleaning lady Irsquom not kidding I would visit my friendsrsquo houses and clean their rooms for them I was a popular houseguest as you can imagine
What was your major and where did you earn your degrees Bachelors of Arts in English at the University of Virginia MBA from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University
How did you end up working for method I was working in marketing at Clorox (selling toilet bowl cleaners) when my cousin who is a graphic designer at method told me that a marketing
Name Lucy Seche
Locaton San Francisco
Company method
Title Business Manager Personal Care
Age 32
Career Spotlight
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
role had opened up Hersquod been waxing poetic about method for months so I submitted a resume within 15 minutes
method is a socially concious company Which of their philosophies most resonate with you method does a ton of incredibly innovative work around sustainability and health but I love that we conduct absolutely no animal testing on any of our products and do not endorse or commission any animal testing on our behalf (As our green scientists say ldquoguinea pigs should not be guinea pigsrdquo)
What is your favorite method product Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Cleaner mdash the stuff works like magic and smells so amazing you want to drink it But Please Donrsquot I cannot con-done the drinking of all-purpose cleaner Even if it smells as good as ours
What does your role at method entail I am in a general management role on our per-sonal care business (hand wash hand sanitizer body wash) so I help set the business strategy and goals for our ldquopodrdquo This includes everything from new product development to figuring out how and where to sell what we make
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
What was some of the best business advice you received ldquoIf you can say yes say yesrdquo It was in reference to working with kids as a summer camp counselor but I think it applies in the workplace and in life in general
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced on your path to your current position My background was in Public Relations so when I wanted to make the jump to brand management I couldnrsquot get my foot in the door since I didnrsquot have the ldquobusinessrdquo skills an ex-consultant or banker would have I decided to go to business school to get more traditional business training
What is the most rewarding part of your job Methodrsquos Friday afternoon drink cart JUST KIDDING Working for a small company means that I can actually see how the work I do contributes to our success as a company method can also move fast since wersquore small so in under a year Irsquove seen a product go from concept to shelf which is pretty awesome
Where do you see yourself in five years If method continues to grow internationally I would love to work in a method office abroad Hong Kong Paris LondonmdashIrsquom not picky
What advice would you give to others considering a similar career Start big go small Classical training at a bigger consumer packaged goods company will come in handy for the rest of your career even if you know you want to work for a smaller company or start-up in the end
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
Lucyrsquos Short ListHome Shop
Hindsvik on Etsy or the Alameda Flea Market
Accessory Shop Tessyla on Etsy
Clothing ShopDesigner JCrew
Fall Nail Color Essie Punchy Pink which is an absurd shade of neon pink
(not fall but fun)
City Dubrovnik Croatia
Place to Visit Cape Cod Massachussetts
Book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Ethnic Food Vietnamese
Online Shop Spoonflower
Fall Treat Sunday morning football at our local bar
Fall Activity Going up to Tomales Bay for oysters at Hog Island
(Since fall means the end of the June Gloom in San Francisco)
WORK
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 39
WORK
Interview with Liz Forkin Bohannon
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 41
What is Sseko DesignsSseko Designs is a foot-wear and accessories company based in Uganda Sseko was created to educate empower and provide employment op-portunities to high-poten-tial young women in East Africa Sseko began as a way to generate income for high-potential talented young women to continue on to university Sseko has graduated three classes
of women Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursu-ing her college degree In addition to our university-bound team Sseko also employs a full-time team of women from all walks of life By creating an envi-ronment of dignity honor creativity and dedica-tion Sseko Designs pro-vides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty
and create a more equi-table society
What inspired you to start Sseko
What Sseko has become is somewhat of an acci-dental result of blind de-termination While living in Uganda (I moved there to pursue journalism) I met a group of incredibly talent-ed and ambitious young women who needed economic opportunity in
Liz Forkin Bohannon is living her dream by providing opportunity to Ugandan women in the form of work and education Here she shares about her vision and the amazing change her company Sseko Designs is making in East Africa
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
order to continue on to university and pursue their dreams I knew I was in a certain place in a certain time and that the story of these women would become a part of my story I couldnrsquot have cared how that took shape Almost everything about Sseko was born from necessity We needed to generate income We had to do something that 18-year-old girls could be a part of for a season and then move on to pursue their
goals We had to create something out of the lim-ited materials available in the East African region After several other ideas (including a chicken farm) I was reminded of a pair of funky strappy sandals I had made a few years earlier I spent a few weeks scour-ing the country for the materials we needed and trying to learn everything I could about making foot-wear I hired three young women and several weeks later under a mango tree
a sandal company in East Africa was born
What does Sseko meanEnseko is the word for Laughter in Luganda
You turned a dream of helping women in Uganda into a business that truly benefits those you want to help What has been the great-est challenge in getting where you are today
The infrastructure for production and logis-
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 43
tics is still very limited Our hope is to not only to make Sseko success-ful but in the process to contribute to the overall climate of doing sustain-able business in East Africa
What has been most rewarding since starting this venture
Sseko graduation when our women graduate from our program and start university It is such a joy to be a part of watching
them take the next step to pursuing their dreams
What does a typical day look like for you No such thing It might in-clude being in East Africa scouring the market for new materials or sitting at my desk in Portland outlining our marketing plan managing interns or speaking on a college campus Or letrsquos be honest making a Post Office run or emptying the trash at the office We all wear lots
of hats The joys of a small company
What is the best busi-ness advice you have received since starting Sseko Designs
To do for one person what you wish you could do for many It is so easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged while working for social justice But great things donrsquot happen in a day It is about being faithful and putting one foot in front of the
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
The Sseko Accessory Line launched this September Check out the online store to view the collection
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 45
Do for one person what you wish for many
ldquo
ldquo
WORK
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 47
WORK
other and walking slowly towards to goal One person at a time
What advice would you give to others who are considering start-ing a business that gives back
Know that you canrsquot solve every problem in the world If you try yoursquoll fail But even worse yoursquoll become discouraged and burnt out Focus on one thing yoursquore absolutely die-hard passionate about And then run towards it with all your might And donrsquot forget to cele-brate the small victories I love that there are so many ways to tie the sandal straps to create
unique looks on a whim Who comes up with all of the tie ideas And what is your favorite way to tie your sandals
Wersquore always coming up with new ties Honestly a majority of the most popu-lar ties have been designed by our customers Wersquore always getting photos or videos from super cre-ative Sseko lovers who are AMAZING at styling their Ssekos We love sharing their creations with the rest of the Sseko-wearers who need a little inspira-tion If I am being super active I always opt for the Classic Tie because it is so comfortable and sturdy But when Irsquom in the mood to spice things
up I opt for a style like the Braided Thong with a me-tallic strap An elegant and classic silhouettemdashwith a twist
What are some ways readers can be part of what Sseko is doing in UgandaWear Ssekos Tell your friends Seriously the only way wersquove been able to grow at the pace we have is because of our incred-ible fans sharing our story Wersquove got lots of ways to get involved from hosting Sseko parties (order 10 or more pairs and yoursquoll receive free shipping and 10 off your order) to joining our team as an intern employee or retail partner
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Global Fund for Women
US-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Kauffman Foundation
CITY Portland or Kampala
PLACE TO VISIT Right now my wanderlust list includes Peru Bali and Morocco
BOOK East of Eden
ETHNIC FOOD Thai or Mediterranean
ONLINE SHOP Etsy
FALL TREAT Hot apple cider And carmel apple pops So bad but so good
FALL ACTIVITY Camping
Lizrsquos Short List
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 49
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
G I V I N G THANKSPhotography by Pictilio Styling by Amanda Gomes
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 51
ENTERTAIN
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
With so much shopping and cooking required to host a Thanksgiving dinner simple and festive is the ideal way to decorate your table for this yearly gathering Use these tips for setting your table with ease and beauty
Live Plants Succulents from your local home and garden center are fairly inexpensive and can be combined in any vase or container for an easy centerpiece The varied shapes of these plants will provide an element of interest to your table
Candles You canrsquot go wrong with flickering light at Thanksgiving Use tapers in a bold color or place a votive at each place setting to bring a sense of coziness to your dinner
Linens An easy way to add color and texture to your table is with napkins and runners Donrsquot be afraid to mix-and-match fabrics and colors
Gray Linen Napkins Rufflewood Hemp Runner Pottery Barn White Infinity Chairs Blueprint Studios
THE GOODS
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 55
ENTERTAINLeft Page Mix-and-match place setting decor to create visual interest and add color
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 57
ENTERTAIN
Use your buffet table to hold drinks and pre-dinner snacks as well as festive decor
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 59
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
Ruff lewoodhandmade boutique
wwwrufflewoodcom | wwwetsycomshoprufflewood
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
the taste of PumpkinFour talented food bloggers share their favorite pumpkin recipesmdashjust in time for your cozy fall festivities
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 63
ENTERTAIN
CONTRIBUTORS Cookie + Kate
Food Loves Writing Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
Channeling Contessa
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Kate Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 65
Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
INGREDIENTS7 ounces pineapple juice (I like RW Knudsen brand)
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin pureacutee
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 big lemon juiced
14 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 teaspoon cinnamon
18 teaspoon ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or cloves
3 ounces dark rum (I prefer Myerrsquos)
This cocktail is a real treat Yoursquoll be surprised at how well the pumpkin and pine-apple flavors blend together and complement each other These pretty drinks are sweet but balancedmdashperfect for slow sipping on crisp cool fall days
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend well
Fill two double old fashioned glasses with ice
Pour the mixture over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon
Yields 2 cocktails
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Pumpkin Pie and Homemade CrustNote Sweet potato puree or squash puree makes an easy substitute for the pumpkin if you find those more readily available You can also combine them to make the two cups
INGREDIENTS1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe on next page)
2 eggs
1 cup unrefined cane sugar (sucanat)
1 Tablespoon white spelt flour
2 cups pumpkin puree (usually about one whole pumpkin roasted scooped and blended in a food processor)
12 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon ginger
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 teaspoon allspice
12 ounces organic heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450deg F
In a large bowl beat two eggs lightly Add the rest of the ingredients (sucanat flour pumpkin puree salt cinnamon ginger nutmeg allspice cream) Mix together well
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust leaving a little space at the top (I always have like 14 cup leftover which I either bake in a tiny leftover pie crust or by itself in a small ramekin) Bake for 10 minutes at 450deg then lower the tempera-ture to 350deg F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more The pie is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 67
Recipe and Photo by Tim amp Shannon Mallon of Food Loves Writing
Recipe and Photos by Tim and Shanlee Mallon of
Food Loves Writing
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 69
Homemade Pie Crust
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Stir in water Using your clean hands shape the dough into a ball It can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight as long as you thaw it for about 20 minutes before using
Roll out your dough onto floured parchment paper making it larger than the pie pan you want to set it in Using the parchment to help you move it turn the crust onto the pie pan pressing it down and up the sides
Makes one pie crust
INGREDIENTS 1 cup white spelt flour
12 teaspoon salt
12 cup (1 stick) butter chopped into small pieces
14 cup cold water
Note While this recipe calls for white spelt Ive also used whole-grain spelt or a combo of the two as well as sprouted wheat flour
(continued)
ENTERTAIN
DIRECTIONS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Jodi Moreno of the blog
Whatrsquos Cooking Good Looking
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 71
For the salad
1 small pumpkin
4-5 large beets (with green tops)
A couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
salt amp pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 large bunch of arugula chopped
For the dressing
1 cup of carrots chopped
14 cup of ginger peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic sliced
14 cup (or 2 small) shallots sliced
1 tablespoon of tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
14 cup of grapeseed or vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Roasted Pumpkin amp Beet Salad with a Carrot Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS
ENTERTAIN
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Preheat oven to 350ordm
Slice the pumpkin in half Using a spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp Spread the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and remove any excess pulp Drizzle with the vegetable or grape seed oil and season with the salt pepper and cumin Toss to combine
Place the seeds in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they start to brown
While your seeds are baking prepare the pumpkin and the beets Slice the pump-kin into small wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet Brush the wedges with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper
For the beets remove the leaves and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad A quick tip for handling beets so you do not stain everything red is to wear disposable latex gloves and lay out a piece of parchment on your cutting board where you will be slicing the beets Peel and slice the beets into square chunks or thin wedges Place the sliced beets on a (separate) parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper
When the seeds are done remove and set them aside to cool Crank the heat up a little to 400ordm When the oven has reached this temp place the pumpkin and the beets in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes
While the pumpkin and beets are cooking make the carrot ginger dressing and the quinoa To make the quinoa place 12 cup of quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt Bring the water to a boil cover and reduce to a simmer Cook for 15 minutes Remove from the heat remove the lid and allow the quinoa to cool down
To make the dressing place the carrots in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are shredded Then add the ginger garlic shallots tamari (or soy sauce)
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 73
sesame oil mustard honey and vinegar Pulse a few times until everything is com-bined Then drizzle in the oil until everything is emulsified Add a little bit of water to thin the dressing Taste and adjust the seasoning to you liking
Once the pumpkin and beets are done allow them to cool a little and then assemble the salad Start by adding the ginger dressing to the quinoa Stir to combine Then chop up the beet greens (stems removed) and add them to the quinoa along with the arugula Plate the quinoa and top it with the beets pump-kin seeds and a couple of wedges of the sliced pumpkin Drizzle a little more of the ginger dressing on top
Serve immediately or you can make ahead and refrigerate all of the ingredients (separately) for a few days If there is extra ginger dressing it will keep well refrig-erated for about a week
Serves 4-6
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photos by Clara Artschwager of the blog Channeling Contessa
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 75
Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Whipped Maple Butter
For the dutch baby
12 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
1 12 tablespoons sugar
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon dried ginger
12 teaspoon cinnamon
12 teaspoon nutmeg
12 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
13 cup pureacuteed pumpkin
12 cup milk (2 or whole)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon butter
12 tsp vanilla extract extra maple syrup slivered almonds and powdered sugar for serving
For the whipped maple butter
3 tablespoons softened butter (salted)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
12 tsp cinnamon
INGREDIENTS
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Recipe and Photo by Clara Artschwager of Channeling Contessa
Visit the Delighted Blog this season for more about the recipes and the bloggers featured on these pages
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 77
Preheat the oven to 400deg Once heated place a cast iron or heavy skillet in the oven to preheat while you prep the pancake batter
Whisk together the pumpkin eggs milk melted butter and vanilla extract Add in the flour sugar salt spices and baking soda and whisk until just combined
Carefully remove the pre-heated pan from the oven Place the remaining table-spoon butter in the pan and swirl around so itrsquos evenly coated Pour the batter into the pan Place back in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until pancake is set and golden brown
While the pancake is baking make the maple butter In a small bowl whisk to-gether the butter maple syrup and cinnamon
When the pancake is done top with maple butter slivered almonds and more syrup or powdered sugar Enjoy immediately
Serves 1-2
DIRECTIONS
(continued)
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
MUST-HAVE FALL ACCESSORIES
Brights paired with brown and black is Kate Brightbillrsquos recommendation for choos-ing accessories this fall Visit her blog Style Smaller for more style ideas
Phot
o of
Kat
e P
ictil
io
London Undercover Umbrealla CLUB MONACO $195
Driving Gloves TORY BURCH $167 Bubble Earrings
JCREW $45
Tangerine Hair Ties NORDSTROM $7
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 79
STYLE
Abstract Rose Scarf KATE SPADE $148
Urban Linked Toggle Bracelet PIPERLIME $45
Calf Hair Loafers GAP $50
Leather HoboBANANA REPUBLIC $150
Bookshop GlassesMADEWELL $35
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
What to Wear Autumn 2012
WORK
Leopard Print Wrap Alice and Olivia $396
Jet Set Travel Tote Neiman Marcus $278
Black Ponte Dress Dorothy Perkins $39
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Wish For Zappos $80
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 81
What to Wear Autumn 2012BY KATE BRIGHTBILL
STYLE
Pyramid and Spike Piperlime $14
Lena Lace Up Booties Shopbop $295
Stud Earrings $157 Boutique1
Striped Modal Tank Net-A-Porter $85
Goldrush Jean Jacket Madewell $118
Folded Snood Topshop $40
Raspberry Skinny Jeans MyWardrobecom $255
CASUAL
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
BRUNCH
Fantastical Voyage Dress ModCloth $90
Goldrush Denim Vest Madewell $88
Double Hoop Earrings TopShop $15
Crazy For You Zappos $140
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 83
Onyx Drop Earrings Shopbop $110
Hammered-Satin Dress Rebecca Taylor $295
Biker Jacket TopShop $110
Rachel Comey Boot Piperlime $395
Wool Scarf JCrew $62
Gracie Eclipse Clutch Shopbop $365
DATE NIGHT
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
SOPHIErsquoS PICKS
Three year old Sophie from the blog Style Smaller shares two colorful outfits shersquod like to wear this fall
Suede Cowboy Boots Zara $50
Heart Sweater JCrew $60
Mini Skinny Jeans Baby Gap $21
ONE
Phot
o of
Sop
hie
Pic
tilio
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 85
Gap + Threadless T Baby Gap $23
Sateen Bubble Skirt JCrew $40
Macalister Boots JCrew $98
Hooded Full Zip Sweater Old Navy $15
TWO
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Back to SchoolBento LunchesPhotos and text by Sonia Ballesteros
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 87
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 89
KIDS
am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat or butterflying hot dogs into octopi or fashioning seaweed strips into a face I care about what my kids eat and I am commit-ted to packing healthy lunches But it has to be easy or it isnrsquot for me Like every other mom of school-aged children I struggle to get my child to eat at school And while I do not consider myself a true ldquoBentoidrdquo the Bentodian concept of serving ldquoa variety of small bitesrdquo has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime
The key to keeping it doable is to have a stocked pantry prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go and the right gear I keep to the for-mula of one protein + onetwo fruitsveggies + one carb + a treat If I have all those components in place I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes and spend all of that time just making it pretty Thatrsquos the fun part
Previous Page Food Peanut butter and nutella sandwiches TJrsquos cheese curls baby carrots grapes ldquocrackerwichesrdquo (Maryrsquos Gone Crackers) with cream cheese and jam half a high-pro-tein granola bar Gear Easy Lunchbox system
Left Food Apples salami zucchini muffin crackers cheese chunks egg salad nutella and cream cheese sushi sandwiches Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Duo
I
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Food Strawberries half a granola bar crackers carrots omelette rollups Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and Scrabble Cheezits
Gear Lock amp Lock snack lunchbox LunchBots Quad
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 91
Food Watermelon chocolate oat bar crackerwiches pineapple salami slices cheese stick
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
KIDS
Food Snap Pea Crisps Larabar chocolate covered pretzels apple chunks veggie booty turkey rollups peanut butter and nutella sandwiches
Gear Lock amp Lock short lunchbox LunchBots Duo
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
SUPPLY LIST
cupcake liners
ldquobentordquo box
variety of fun picks
sharp knife
cutting board
cookie cutters (simple hearts stars or circles)
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 93
KIDS
LunchBots Orange Duo $18
Wilton Basic Metal Cutter Set $5
CrateampBarrel Green Jelli Board $13
Kuhn Ricon Paring Knives $20
Japanese Bento Animal Fork Set $4
Casabella Muffin Cups $9
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
A Motherrsquos
StoryWritten by Shannon Maass
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 95
KIDS
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
A friend once told me ldquoadoption is not for the faint of heartrdquo
No matter how you decide to adopt itrsquos never easy The research the pa-perwork the background checks the home study interview the costs the travel the agony of wait-ing the setbacks the dis-appointments the flukes no one saw coming are all enough to make you want to run in the other direction
Yet sometimes you just feel called to take on the challenging and beautiful adventure that adoption has a way of turning out to be
Adoption is a word that
has been part of our vo-cabulary since early on in our marriage In fact before we had kids we had talked about the pos-sibility of one day adopt-ing But the desire to first start a family on our own outweighed our decision to adopt So it was put off until some time in the future Three years into our marriage we wel-comed our firstborn a beautiful and fiercely in-dependent baby girl Two and a half years later our sweet handsome and quirky little boy arrived Today they are five and three years old the best of friends and little joy makers everyday in our livesokay most days
As we started thinking about a third baby adop-tion talk was back on the table After two early mis-carriages we couldnrsquot help thinking that perhaps we were supposed to grow our family this way
As I began looking more into adoption the wealth of information piqued my curiosity and the desire to adopt burned deeply within me I had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones we were supposed to adopt our next child
The big question was how to go about adopting Do we adopt internationally or domestically If domes-
CHOOSING ADOPTION
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 97
tically do we adopt pri-vately or publicly through the social services system
After looking into both international and private domestic adoptions the cost alone was so daunt-ing we had no choice but to eliminate these options
How discouraging There are so many babies out there in need of loving homes and here we were a family willing to make a difference in just one of those childrenrsquos lives yet feeling like our adop-tion dream was already slipping out of our hands
before the process even began Questions gnawed at me Why should it cost so much money tens of thousands of dollars no less to adopt a child This was money that we didnrsquot have lying around or even saved up I mean does the average American family
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
even have that kind of ex-pendable money on hand After all adoption fees are not something you can just run on your credit card I was so discour-aged to think we couldnrsquot adopt simply because we couldnrsquot afford it
And then I heard about fostadopt
The cost was minimal if anything at all But the cir-cumstances surrounding foster children waiting to
be adopted werenrsquot pretty It wasnrsquot going to be like those stories I had seen with my friends who had adopted healthy babies overseas or brought their newborn baby straight home from the hospital The stories I had day-dreamed about and se-cretly wanted for my own
No this was a whole dif-ferent ball game
In the fostadopt world children have been re-
moved from their homes by Child Protection Services (CPS) and paren-tal rights are relinquished by the courts due to the parentsrsquo inability to care for their children Children in these situations have usually experienced some form of abuse or neglect usually because their par-ents have a major drugal-cohol addiction All foster children are considered special needs kids as de-fined by the county Not
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 99
ldquoI had no idea what path I was about to head down but I knew that I was moving in the right direction I felt in my bones that I was supposed to adopt our next childrdquo
KIDS
in the same way we often think in terms of physical or mental disabilities but based on the fact that a traumatic event has oc-curred in their lives they have been removed from their homes their place of security with the only par-ents they know and love No matter how bad the situation stripping a child from his or her parents is a traumatic event one that can manifest itself with an array of symp-
toms Kids may display ag-gressive behaviors or be unable to form healthy attachments with other people throughout their lives In addition based on the form of neglect many children in the foster care system have special needs of varying degrees They may suffer from mild to severe developmental delays physical handicaps or behavioral disorders And every single one of them needs a loving and
secure home
On top of all of this is the risk involved in going down this path as a fostadopt parent Because the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunify children with their birth parents you might only be a temporary family for a child you had hoped to adopt You essentially bridge the gap as a con-current family by provid-ing a loving stable home for a neglected child until
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
their parents can gain their rights back Custody can be given back to the bio parent(s) if they accept reunification services to enter rehab treatment get psychiatric help or attend therapy or some other form of treatment depending on the reason the child was removed in the first place If all goes well chances are you will be saying goodbye to the very child you had once hoped to adopt If bio parents do not accept the services then an adop-tion plan will be put into place for the child Enter a whole slew of legal pro-cesses court hearings paper trails and a revolv-ing door of social workers rotating in and out of the scene But this could be your chance Your chance to adopt that baby yoursquove been waiting for and dreaming of all this time
No matter how I looked at it fostadopt was not going to be an easy road but one that over time I felt more driven to pursue
We ended up going with a great adoption agency in Scotts Valley called Hand In Hand Foundation who specializes in both public fostadopt and private adoptions We decided to start down the path of fostadopt unpopular and scary as it was Being a family of faith we trusted that God would continue to lead us down this path if it was the one for us All we had to do was take the leap of faith let go and trust
I remember sitting in one of our fostadopt trainings hearing staggering statis-tics of children ldquostuckrdquo in the foster care system and who are never adopted I listened to heart wrench-ing stories of helpless chil-dren being stripped away from the only mom or dad they knew forced to break unhealthy attach-ments and form new ones but who were offered hope through families who could provide more than the adequate love and care they needed The
work was intense But the reward unmatched
I wanted to be one of those families for that child in need Sounds heroic doesnrsquot it Yet I was shaking in my boots Was this really what I was sup-posed to do Were we even supposed to have any more kids at all adop-tion or not
Despite the doubts and questions we stayed the course completed our trainings our certifica-tions background checks home study and then en-tered that dreaded little waiting phase
We waited And waited And waited
Not one email Not one phone call Nothing but dead silence
When you get to this point there is absolutely nothing you can do There is no waiting list as some people seem to think where lucky you you just moved up to the number
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 101
one spot and are next in line to receive a child It just doesnrsquot work that way (thankfully) Social work-ers and our adoption agency work together to find the best family fit for a child that will benefit everyone involved This is a forever match No one wants to see it fail So it is given much thought and consideration hence the grueling application pro-cess and in-home inter-views It is all completely out of our hands We have absolutely no control over
what happens
And so as I waited I wres-tled with my thoughts I tried to ward off my fears My mind gave into doubts I questioned the call I feared regret time wasted starting down a path we would ultimately be unable to finish I was in a crazy state of mind But I held it together for friends and family who would excitedly ask ldquoAny news yetrdquo I always had a positive answer and a smile plastered on my
face but I was dying on the inside
Six months of silence And then one day a phone call About a one-year-old baby girl A healthy thriving smiley baby girl currently residing in an emergency foster home needing to be permanently placed in an adoptive home Would we be willing to attend a disclosure meeting to find out more
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
that day It was a Friday I remember how my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest how my palms were sweaty and my body tempera-ture had suddenly risen how my stomach shook from the flips it was doing And how I gave an em-phatic and eager ldquoYes we would love to hear more about this little girlrdquo as my answer
All doubts and fears were extinguished and all that remained was pure ex-citement Itrsquos amazing how your heart can be open to love and receive a child yoursquove never even met
And how you can day-dream about her knowing shersquoll be nothing like your bio kids She wonrsquot have your eyes or his smile But no matter You canrsquot wait to meet her You canrsquot wait to show her how much you already love her
The following Tuesday was our big day and after an information meeting with baby girlrsquos social workers and adoption worker we just knew that we wanted her Before we saw pic-tures before we even met her we knew she was the one for us Though healthy and well her background story was heart break-
ing So much so that we wanted to play our role in changing the course of her life immediately
The bonus We got to meet her that same day
We thought a bashful maybe even skittish child would come through the door What we got instead was a girl with big smiles complete with two ac-companying dimples She made eye contact with all the strangers in the room oohing and aahing over her Having just learned of her history it wasnrsquot likely that she would ap-proach any of us It took
All it takes is one phone call to change your life forever I will never forget that day
ldquordquo
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 103
everything within me to not reach out and grab her kiss her little face and squeeze her chunky little thighs
Meeting this little girl for the first time sparked a new hope and excitement for the journey of her be-coming our new daughter We knew there was a lot of work aheadmdasha major transition phase transfer-ring her from her cur-rent foster familyrsquos care to ours But we were ready and willing to do what-ever it was going to take to bring her home with us when she was ready And despite her trust issues
she gave us a glimpse at our first meeting that she just might have a desire to get to know us more too During her brief visit she did approach me for split seconds and even took a graham cracker from my hand In just 20 short min-utes with her she gave us something to celebrate A huge first step Perhaps an early sign of her willing-ness to give us a chancemdashto let us build her trust in us to let us into her world and love her as a mommy and daddy shouldmdashwith arms wide open Forever
Today baby girl has been living with us for just over
one month And while the road has been rocky at times we have triumphs to celebrate each day
What a beautiful and chal-lenging adventure the fostadopt journey is turning out to be for us It hasnrsquot been easy but itrsquos an ex-perience I wouldnrsquot trade for the world Because baby girl is not legally our daughter yet we canrsquot publicize pictures or any information about her We look forward to our day in court before the judge to hear that she is officially our little girl Of course she already is in my book
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 105
LOCATION San Luis Obispo CA
VENUE Holland Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER Vivian Sachs
Event Designer Bride and Groom
DAY-OF-COORDINATOR Jaime Strand
CAKE Cupcakes from Madonna Inn Bakery
FLORAL DESIGNER April Peet with April Flowers
BAND Matt Cross and the One Night Band
CATERER Testa Catering
DRESS Oleg Cassini
RENTALS Taylor Rentals
Clay amp Stephanie KuzmaJuly 21 2012
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 107
From the Bride and Groom We incorporated our story on the back of our invitations It was written like this ldquoTen years ago Clay found himself distracted by a pretty girl in physics class at Cal Poly This girl proved a tough sell and Clay failed repeatedly on several attempts to win her affection Undeterred by her steadfastness Clay resolved that this pretty girl named Stephanie would one day be his The two found themselves on opposite sides of the state after college and lost touch for several years Then one day fate intervened and a phone call led to a plane ticket which led to multiple flights per month for almost two years which led to a proposal in Kauai which led to Stephanies job inter view up north which led to a big cross-state move which led to a July 21 wedding which led to happily ever afterfinallyrdquo
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 109
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 111
WEDDING
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
Our style was a vintage shabby chic ranch wedding with a barn house party flare We did the DIY elements with a little help from friends and family including wedding invitations programs altar curtains and chan-delier silhouette painted cornhole games with embroidered bean bags distressed picture frames with chalkboard fillers large distressed picture frame and chalkboard for table assignments and collected all of the vin-tage-esque plates throughout the year from Goodwill We included many personal touches to help make our day special and unique The Holland Ranch was an absolutely idyllic setting with horse barn meadow and rocky peaks in the background Our vendors helped to make the day perfect and it went off without a hitch
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 113
WEDDING
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
spring colors
NECTARINE Pantone 16 1360
paperandparcel finkshop CraftyWoolFelt
FAbridal lillesyster LeccareLollipops
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 115
We chose three colors from Pantonersquos Spring 2013 Fashion Color Report and are sharing some great finds from Etsy to help style your upcoming wedding
MONACO BLUE Pantone 19 3964
ajalon MissSarahCake
somethingshidinghere
dacgiri
borlovanwoodworks ValleyGirlDesigns
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
TENDER SHOOTS Pantone 14 0446
majoiepress BridalBouquetsbyKy
somethingshidinghere
BagNoir
StudioMirela InTheClear
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 117
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 119
TIFFANY amp CHADrsquoS
ENGAGEMENT FIESTA
Written by Tiffany Chow Photography by Caitlin OrsquoReilly
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 121
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
first time I met Chad hed been snowboarding all day and had the smell to prove it Needless to say I was underwhelmed It wasnt until about six months later at a mutual friends Cinco De Mayo party that we had a better chance to have a more in-depth conversation A week later we had our first real date and never looked back Five years later we got engaged and my sisters generously offered to host our engagement party A Cinco De Mayo theme was the obvious choice as it not only serves as a reminder of our courtship but also lends itself well to any joyous occasion Some of my favorite elements from the party were the fuchsia and orange papel picado garlands strung throughout the house inside and out and the made-from-scratch horchata (one of Chads favorite drinks) We were also blessed with picture perfect blue skies and mild weather a rarity for San Francisco The trifecta of amazing food beautiful ambience and perfect weather made for an unforgettable engagement party
The
ldquo
ldquo
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 123
WEDDING
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 125
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 127
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
football with the guys
1
2
3
4
5
Football season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
A touchdown is worth six points A field goal is worth three points
The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play
The offense has four downs to get 10-yards If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs
When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it it is an incomplete pass When caught it is called a complete pass
A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it Either team can recover it
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
delighted 129
football with the guysFootball season is in full swing Here are 10 basics of the game to help you enjoy the season with your guy friends
6
7
9
10
8
FOR FUN
When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people they are theyrsquore trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team
When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it it is called an interception
When a referee throws a flag on the field it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed
When the offense is tackled in their own end zone itrsquos called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball
A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarter-back behind the line of scrimmage
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
FALL 2012
TwitterFacebookMailing ListBlog
follow delightedPh
oto
by V
ivia
n Sa
chs
