NC MADE

Cross Creek Box

featuring Farmer's Daughter Brand Preserves, Copper Pot and Wooden Spoon Pickles, and Mt Olive First United Methodist Church Blister Fried Peanuts

$39 from NC MADE

NC MADE are these totally awesome thoughtfully curated beautifully packaged gift boxes stuffed full of handcrafted NC-made edibles. The company was recently launched by my new friend Nicole Bogas who has traveled all over the great state of North Carolina sampling and selecting each product that goes into her brown paper packages tied up with string. YES! You heard it right! There is brown paper and string involved! They include all sorts of delectable snacks and fancy drink mixers, and right now she has four different gift sets to pick from at various price points, so you're sure to find something for anyone in your life who deserves a nice present. Which is pretty much everyone you know, right? Yeah, I thought so. Check out www.ncmade.net for some seriously tasty treats. 

A closer look inside the Cross Creek Box

Plank Road Box

featuring Cloister Honey, Ritchie Hill Bakery Cheese Straws, Big Spoon Roasters Peanut Butter, Farmer's Daughter Brand Preserves, and Copper Pot and Wooden Spoon Pickles

$59 from NC MADE

Inside the Longleaf Box

featuring Hickory Nut Gap Farm Milano Salami, Crooked Condiments Autumn Night Apple Butter, Blue Blaze and Soda Syrup Co. Honey Ginger Ale Soda Syrup, Num Num Southern Grilling Sauce, Big Spoon Roasters Peanut Pecan Butter, and Ritchie Hill Bakery Cheese Straws

$79 from NC MADE

Old North State Cocktail Box

featuring White Whale Cocktail Mixer, Crude Rizzo Bitters, Blue Blaze and Soda Syrup Co. Honey Ginger Ale Soda Syrup, Hickory Nut Gap Farm Milano Salami, and Mt Olive First United Methodist Church Blister Fried Peanuts

$79 from NC MADE

- Cathleen

New Mama Care Package

When I was just home from the hospital and friends started coming over to see us and meet the new baby, we received so many thoughtful presents. One of the best things people brought was definitely FOOD. There is something so meaningful about the gift of sustenance, made with love to give you strength in those first few days, something easy that you can just put in your tired face when your hands are too full of squirmy baby to do much beyond microwave. 

Through the miracle of Facebook, I recently reconnected with someone I worked with YEARS ago who now happens to live near me in NC and just had a baby herself, so I felt it was time I returned the favor that so many others helpfully granted me. Last night I whipped up a big batch of Lasagna Soup to bring over to her today (the very same that I made in advance of Graham's arrival), with all parts labeled for easy assembly and reheating. I also got her a couple bars of nice chocolate as well as a book for her baby because chocolate and books always make the best gifts. 

I can't wait to see her again and meet little baby Juniper for the first time! 

- Cathleen 

Artwork of the Week: In the Middle of the Night

Illustration by Adrienne Adams

from In the Middle of the Night by Aileen Fisher

It's official: we are moving to Durham, NC THIS Friday! So while my guys and I are busy packing up and heading down south this week, I thought I'd post some art that really resonates with one of the reasons why we chose to move out of the great big (New York) city: a yard! 

I cannot wait to finally have a yard of our very own. Where we can plant rosemary and tomatoes and blueberries. Where we can go hunting for fireflies at dusk. Where we can tromp barefoot through the grass without any fears of stepping on broken bottles or possibly human turds. 

It's going to be awesome! 

- Cathleen