Enjoy our blog below:
Well being that my training and passion for years has been graphic design I am drawn to paper goods. I just love all things paper. In my 20’s, from my sign shop, I use to design and produce very unique original wedding invitations and announcements. I produced them all myself. They were beautiful with combination of hand cut folders and unique papers, ribbons and dried leaves or punched shapes etc. Now can find this type of announcement at stores like Paper Source or even Michael’s. 20 years ago those stores didn’t exist in my world and my creations were one of a kind. I use to devour paper sample booklets that my mom had at her graphic design studio. I would ask for all the old ones so I could use them for things. I would cut them up and make cards and hand-bound booklets and all sorts of creations. Just like everything I do, I immersed full force. I took paper making classes, marbling paper classes, and book-making classes. I would hoard all sorts of interesting things, like copper garden tags or pressed flowers or antique seed packets to use in cards. Then the scrapbooking sensation took over which was interesting. It took my custom invitation making and sort of made it not so special, or maybe I lost interest because it had become mainstream. But it also created a lot more stores with all sorts of fun supplies that made finding things much easier to find. I went on to making other things and kept making fabulous fun creating for my own events.
I find stationery to be like small pieces of art that you can collect ( in my case I have a bit of problem with collecting, I like to collect)
. Or you can send these cards to friends and family and share these little art pieces with them. So this is part of the reason I am drawn to greeting card and stationery artists like Anahata Katkin of Papaya Art and also Fiona Richards of Cartolina The aesthetic these two artist’s use definitely inspires me to no end. I have my favorites of their designs sprinkled around the walls in my studio. And I also sell their designs in my store SilverBotanica.
So I am excited to announce I have finally created my first start of a line of cards to sell in our store SilverBotanica in Honomu, Hawaii. I hope that this is just the beginning for this endeavor because like many things I do I have a lot of ideas of where I would like to go with making cards. My grandfather Herb was a printer and maybe it was the fascination of visiting his print shop as a kid, that made me interested in it. In highschool, I went to a high school that had a Vocation school on the premise and I took Printing and Graphics. I loved every second of it. We did all the artwork by hand and with old typesetting machines and we even had the fist generations of Mac in that class. We then did all the stat work ourselves, developing the camera ready artwork. Doing color separations all by hand. Then we even burned the plates for the printing press. And printed all of our designs. We made note pads and 4 color greeting cards, along with t-shirt screen printing. My other grandfather Russell Daigle use to sell greeting cards for years and years. The brand he sold were called Norcross. My grandmother and he would always send a card for almost every holiday that deserved one. So I kind of feel like it runs in my blood. So it’s my time. I have finally had some time to develop some of my ideas. I had a company in the states print them for me, my days of running printing presses were short. I prefer the design aspect. This first batch is in the Chinoiserie Style. Many of the cards feature a Foo Dog water color painting that my husband Brad painted and then I have added a variety of layered imagery and patterns with them. The cards are available in note card packs of 5 cards and 5 envelopes and are blank on the inside. You can purchase them at SilverBotanica and on our etsy store here.
Crab Rangoon is a favorite appetizer that I have come across in my culinary travels. I first had it a Thai restaurant in the US, where it was called crispy parcels. And typically Thai restaurants are where I have found it most successfully. I have heard that it was originally found on the Polynesian-style menu of Trader Vic’s, probably another reason I love it.
So for this recipe, you will need:
Cream cheese (really you can use any style and even Tofutti) For this recipe use the whole rectangular package.
Imitation Crab Meat (if you have an Ikea around you can get Crab in a metal squeeze tube)Won Ton Wrappers at room temperature
Oil for frying – here I am using Vegetable but you can use Canola, Peanut or Coconut
Lemon Juice about a 1 tablespoon
Plum Sauce
Salt and pepper to taste about 1/2 tsp each.
Plastic Pastry Bag
Cookie sheet layered with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Cut up about 1/2 the package of the imitation crab and dice it into small pieces put into your stand up mixer bowl
Then put the cream cheese in your stand up mixer, use the whole tub or bar.
Turn mixer on low speed. Mix in the Lemon juice and salt and pepper.
Once the mixture is thoroughly blended. Remove from mixer. Put mixture into a plastic pastry bag.
Now is a good time to get your oil warmed up if you haven’t done so already. I put mine on a medium temperature.
Now take wonton wrappers out and squeeze a dollop onto the center of each wrapper.
Then Pinch together two opposing corners
And then the other corners and give the wrapper a twist, while pressing down. I like to squeeze close any openings in wrapper.
Take your parcels and place them on your spoon and slowly lower them in your hot oil. Leave them in the oil and keep an eye on them so they don’t get too brown. I like mine on the lighter side. As shown in the photo below. Once cooked take them out carefully on your spoon and put them on a cookie sheet with layered with paper towels to absorb any excess oil
.
Serve your Crab Rangoon on a platter with a dipping sauce of Plum Sauce. I only use about half of the filling for this recipe. I like to seal up my pastry bag with my Foodsaver machine and stick the bag in the freezer until the next time I am ready to make crab Rangoon again.
I am not sure about you but I like to get a little creative with my Thanksgiving leftovers. This year I decided to create a yummy quiche. My goal after Thanksgiving is to coast as long as possible on the leftovers. This one was so good I wish I would have made two. The amazing thing with quiche is that for the most part, you can’t really go wrong.
Gather your leftovers, mine included
Cooked Turkey pieces (1 Cup or More)
Mashed Potatoes (2 Cups)
Then I gathered your typical quiche ingredients.
Pie Crusts – I like to save time and buy these premade. I have had great luck with Pillsbury Pie Crusts and many of the generic brands as well. I like to take them out of the box and let them come to room temperature before I begin. For this recipe, you just need one. Go ahead and read the directions on the box to cook the crust.
5 Eggs
1 Cup Milk I use Coconut Milk.
1/2 Bar of Cream cheese you can really use any kind you like or even Cottage Cheese.
1 Cup Grated Cheese (I like to use cheddar/jack combo)
Fresh Spinach Leaves about a Cup
1/2 of an onion diced
1 TBLSP of Butter
1/4 tsp of Nutmeg and or Vegesalt
Other items to consider adding:
Mushrooms
Broccoli,
Squash
Zucchini
Bacon
Prepare your pie crust as directed on the box.
For the Quiche Preheat your oven to 350°, if you just prepared your crust mostly likely your oven is all ready to go.
Using a skillet melt the butter and saute your onions.
Add your Turkey leftovers and any of the veggies you have decided to add (in the photo above I used spinach only)
Saute the items for a couple minutes while stirring regularly.
I like to make my quiche in my stand up mixer so in your mixing bowl:
Add the cream cheese and eggs and milk, slowly crank the mixer up in speed so the cream cheese dissolves nicely into the eggs and milk, then add the mashed potatoes.
In your cooked pie crust add the items from the skillet,
Then top with 3/4 C of cheese saving a bit to put on the top of the quiche.
Then add your liquid mix over the cooked leftovers
.
Nutmeg, Pepper or Vegesalt are a nice addition at this point.
Top the top of the quiche off with the remaining cheese.
Put your leftover goodness into the oven at 350° for 30 – 40 minutes, until the quiche looks firm and the yummy smell drives you crazy.
Remove from oven let cool, then devour. The best thing about quiche is it’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Recently I escaped off island and went to Southern California to visit my son,which meant I had a chance to visit a few of my favorite shops.
Loved these Kokeshi Ornaments I spotted at Solo,in Solana Beach
More treasures and wonderful display at Solo.
Love the disk garland at Solo,by Jennifer Price.
I thought these Wax Sachets were interesting and beautiful.
Some fabulous looking soaps by Finchberry that look edible.
I love the base of this ceramic cake stand with the colorful mushrooms.
Retro glass ornament with such fabulous colors
.
Anthropologie’s Winter Gingerbread like display of course is wonderful.
And I love the VW Bus in the window too.
And ginger bread looking star snowflakes, love the peak a boo view and the colors used.
This is a note to myself to make Dish towels.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
3 C Flour ( I use white)
2 3/4 C Coconut Milk or Cow milk
10 Eggs (I use fresh my chickens at room temperature)
2 TBLSP Sugar
2 TBLSP Coconut Oil (sometimes I forget this don’t worry they still work)
2 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Salt
1 C of fresh Blueberries – You can omit blueberries too
.
Cooking Spray
Muffin tins or pans
You can half this recipe too.
Add all the ingredients except the blueberries into a large mixing bowl. Mix by hand with a whisk. Mixture will have some small lumps. Try to mix it long enough so the as many of lumps are reduced to pretty small. Then spray your muffin tins if I am using the silicone cups in the muffin tins I spray the inside of them too. Pour the mixture into the tins. Then add your blueberries to all the tins.
Bake in your oven at 425 for 20 minutes. This recipe make the quantity shown above. They will raise and look this shown above immediately out of the oven then as the cool they start to sink and fall.
I like to serve them on a plate with butter, cialis generic cinnamon and sugar and syrup. They taste great plain too.
Plain version – 1/2 recipe
Topped with peaches and Mac Nuts
I have been dabbling in Textile Design and Fashion Design,a> here are some of the things I have been trying.
I started with a watercolor painting that I did on our trip to Bali this past summer of a Protea or Sugarbush Flower. Here is a photo of the painting. Then I scanned in the artwork and created a design with text to be repeated as the fabric design. Also shown below is a photo of the design printed as fabric. These designs are for sale on Spoonflower: I have quite a few more designs in the works, I just haven’t made time to get to them up online yet. If you haven’t been over to Spoonflower, click on over there and give it a looksy. My brain goes into hyperdrive with all the possibilities I start thinking about.
Click the photo below to watch a video on my design process.
Below is an example of a tunic design I have been working on. I designed the fabric and the sewing pattern, then had the items printed on fabric using the spoonflower site. This was just a trial, a work in progress. Since I created the sewing pattern as well, I did have a couple kinks I had to work through. Which I have now. Now I just need to print the final design again and sew it together.
Here is a photo of the work in progress on me. Once I get this design finalized and complete I will post another update.
Here is a video that explains the repeat design process.
Some of my favorite maker friends Dean & Madeira Semple of Godspeed Leather and Hideaway Leather Supplies are offering classes on tooling leather at their studio | store in San Diego
. They are hosting their first workshop Nov 14th from 12-4pm at their space at 7854 Convoy Court, San Diego 92111. Come make a personalized flask for yourself or somebody on your Xmas list. This is a great entry level leather working class. They’ll cover working with tooling leather, tickets for the class here: I bet I can convince my leather duo friends to come here to the Big Island and teach their skills while they are here. Comment below if you’re interested.
Handcarved Lotus Bed
Lombok Bed
Totally loving these fabulous carved wood headboards from Anthropologie
. While we were traveling in Bali this summer we saw so much fabulous wood carving in there. Baliense people are true artisans. I am sure these headboards are inspired by the Balinese Artisans.
These Baliense doors below had just the right amount of patina.
When I saw this colorful object on the side of the road while driving by on my little scooter in Bali I had to stop and capture it. At the time I thought that would be an awesome headboard. Turns out when I stop to investigate, what it actually was is a musical instrument similar to a xylophone. I actually contemplating bringing it home. But doing a whole container load from Bali makes more sense then just one item.
Click into the doorway above to take a virtual tour of the store.
We are excited to announce that my husband Brad & I opened a new Brick & Mortar store SilverBotanica, shop located near Hilo, on the beautiful Hamakua Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii in the quaint town of Honomu. Honomu is the gateway to Akaka Falls State Park. Akaka Falls is a pleasant self-guided walk through lush tropical plants including giant timber bamboo, fruit trees and gorgeous botanical flowers. The trail is a concrete trail to scenic vista points overlooking the cascading Kahuna Falls and the free-falling ‘Akaka Falls , which plunges 442 feet into a stream-eroded gorge.
Our retail store features the Artisan Studio of SilverBotanica Jewelry and Hi Octane Jewelry. SilverBotanica is a sterling silver jewelry line inspired by tropical Botanical flowers found here in Hawaii and allows the wearer to carry a little bit of paradise at all times.
Hi Octane Jewelry is a sterling silver jewelry line inspired by vintage automobiles and hot rods and comes from our long love of classic cars and hot rods.
Along with our handmade goods our unique store also carries vintage goods, purses, accessories and stationary
. The Artisan studio is open daily 12-6pm. And visitors are welcome to tour the studio and learn first hand the process of lost wax casting and silversmithing. Silversmithing & Lost Wax Casting Classes and Workshops are available by appointment.
You can see another video of the store here.
SilverBotanica – 28-1652 Old Mamalahoa HWY | Honomu, HI 96728 – 949.547.3859
Special Thanks to our neighbor Jeffery North Wilson of 360 True North Photography for creating this awesome virtual tour for us. You can get one too. Click below and tell him Alicia sent you:
This Summer we had a wonderful adventure to Australia. I love following so many Australian companies like Spell Designs and Buffalo Girl
both are located in Byron Bay near Brisbane. So I got to visit the Spelly Boutique in Byron Bay. I was shocked at how small the actual boutique was, sildenafil ailment but it is wonderfully curated and they carry wonderful items. And, viagra I sure noticed that Macrame is trending hard in Australia and seems to be now trending here too. I am loving all the Macrame Ideas out there
. Oh and of course I have a Pinterest Board of Macrame Ideas too.
Well I am a technology geek. I love new technology
. I love being connected. I like pretty much everything in this cool video, cialis canada no rx although I have one question, viagra buy viagra and that is where are the microphones in this new glass? All the visuals make perfect sense. Watch it and see what you think. Click here to watch the video.
. I had to bring it home as inspiration. Being a gal with long hair I often stick things in my hair to put it up. I was surprised that this hair stick was so short. and had a flattened section. But I am going to try it. I think I may create some sterling hair sticks that are inspired by all of these.

Awhile back I was at a local yard sale and I picked up a book called Hawai’i A Floral Paradise by Leland Miyano.
You can buy it cialis sale and k:hawaii+a+floral+paradise+book&ajr=3″>here
When I started flipping through the book I knew instantly I had to buy it. It instantly took me back to Hawaii. Which coincidentally when we first saw our house and the tropical plants all over in the back yard reminded me of Hawaii and I was hooked and wanted it too. Hawaii has a warm spot in my soul.
Tuesday, I got a tip that Cedros Gardens in Solana Beach has Leucospermum or Pincushion protea which my book describes as looking like red sea urchins, which is dead on. When I got to CG I was delighted to find the plant below. Well I am going to have to save up to buy it. The good size plant was $149.00.
These are native to South Africa and Australia.
And also this Grevellea Banksii
Grevellea Banksii, is also called the Kahili Flower
. I have another favorite Kahili flower which is Kahili Ginger. It is rampant in my yards. I came home with Grevillea, which I am told hummingbirds love, so the ones that frequent my yard will be happy. This exotic flower also had a smaller price tag of only $15.00. Well, I will be saving up for my Protea. And I also want a Purple Passion Flower vine like this. But I may opt for the edible variety, I just love Lilikoi juice.
Follow Us!