Nectar and Stone; Sweet Edible Art

I'm totally smitten!! … and when I am done with this post, so will you be, no doubt about it!!

Everyday I am treated to an amazing, delicious-in-every-way photo from nectar and stone, via my Instagram… I study each image; I can almost taste the chocolate and the cake, imagine the sugar jewels in my hand, smell the scent of the flowers… an absolutely beautiful experience, for all the senses!!

The designer in me, is loving everything about this picture…LOL! I mean, paint chips for color inspiration!! Think about this for a minute. Perfect for a pulled together party, color coordinated desserts, does it get any better??? :)

Mini cupcakes with the most luscious colored frosting…

Yes, Please, I will take a box of those!! I mean, really, so tasteful and elegant! Even the amount of a few sprinkles and chocolate shavings. Perfection!!

The macaroons… so delicate, love the color coordinated "drizzle". The devil is in the detail for sure.

Chocolate "anything" goes over well in my book, how pretty are these miniature cupcakes? 

I'm thinking baby shower…

Edible gold, such a pretty little detail.

... I mean, really? Are you drooling yet?? The complete attention to detail, in every sense of the word! Nectar and Stone have figured out how to stand out, how to please all the senses, in one amazing moment!!

If you would like to see dessert Designer Carline's full website, it can be found here. I love to follow her Instagram page - all the sweet goodness, without all the calories - and there is a Facebook page as well.

Bon Appetit ,

Natasha

All images via nectar and stone website & IG page.

Celebrate!

I was the lucky recipient of an invitation, to celebrate the one year birthday of a friends daughter this weekend. The feast was all home cooked & a great time was had by all...

Don't forget to show up for those small gatherings, means a lot to the people around you!!

Natasha

All images via

Sunday Flowers... sort of.

I have been drawn to beautiful food photography this weekend. This simple white cake with its woodsy feel, beautiful roses and orchids bridges the gap of my regular Sunday Flowers post and my "new found love" of sweets...

... and what's better on a Sunday morning than a stack of fresh pancakes, decorated with fresh berries and a slight sprinkling of powdered sugar?

Almost too pretty to eat, almost!

Look at this layered cake decorated with Lilacs and single petal Roses. Just beautiful! I can recommend this board, as well as this board for more visual yummy-ness.

This past week I had brunch at a very dear friends new home (Hi CHB!), and in her bookcase I spotted  a  cookbook I had not seen before. The book was from Anthropology, (no longer available, trust me, I immediately looked for it) and the photography made me want to dive right in... I guess that's where this weeks inspiration came from! Do you ever pick up a cook book, just to look through the images? Or the amount of ingredients... ??

Do you have a favorite cook book? Do share!

Natasha

All images via Pinterest

Call it what you want...

... Sweet tooth, choc-a-holic, craving, comfort food ... you fill in the blank _________ ,      
These images just make me drool :)

 

Totally decadent and yummy! Perhaps it's this seasons first cold-snap in Florida that is making me gravitate to these images? Un Fortunately there is no chocolate in my home, what about yours :) ?

Drooling yet?

Natasha

Images via Pinterest, some via Sweet Paul & WKA

S'more, please!

Look... a new way to work the pretty Glassy Baby votive's!
I don't know if was yesterdays sweet tooth or just the yummy colors of the S'mores that made me look for these images... I guess it's less calories for me to look at the images, rather than indulge in the real stuff!   :) 

Are s'mores part of your holiday entertaining menu?
Don't they look amazing? I love dark chocolate and graham crackers, and the marshmallows are just the glue that binds this treat together!! :) Would be a good idea for  Halloween, if you are entertaining...

Hope you have a wonderfully sweet weekend!

Natasha

All images via Pinterest

New on the virtual newsstand...

First spotted here, and subsequently here.

This one is for all you foodies out there!!
Great photography, fantastic colors and yummy recipes.



































So while you ponder what to make for dinner or dessert, check out this new Summer Issue.

Happy cooking,
Natasha

Images via Mowiekay Magazine

Mouthwatering

I just found the website of Aran Goyoaga, a food stylist and photographer, and I can not get enough!! I am told it is difficult to photograph food, but by the looks of these images I'd say they had me at the first bite :)

WOW, such fantastic color and they make me want to start baking and serving up some of these delicious treats!!!

If you would like to see more, check out the website here, and the blog here! There are recipes to be discovered and many, many wonderful images of the most mouthwatering dishes you have ever seen!!

Natasha

All images Canelle et Vanille

Interview: Line Thit Klein (II)

Now that you have been introduced to LTK the person (see previous post) let me share a little more of our interview, along with some of her (mouth watering) work. ENJOY!

Northern Light: I am fascinated by your food photography! I can almost taste what I am seeing, what's the secret?

Line Thit Klein: I just love food, I love everything about it. Looking at it, tasting it, smelling it... For me it's not just food but art, and it's my passion and job to present it to the world in the most amazing way I can.

The light is the secret!! If you know how to control and work with daylight, then you have come a long way.

NL: Besides being an AMAZING photographer, what else do you like to do?

LTK: I read a lot of magazines and I love to cook. I'm very lucky to learn a lot of tricks, all the cooks that visit my studio have showed me wonderful dishes and all the tricks to make it easy. Besides that (cooking) I love to take a long walk by the ocean, it clears my mind.

NL: What are you currently working on?

LTK: A new cookbook and I promise you - it's going to be fab!! It's very me and so are all the recipes. They are simple and easy for those who don't have five hours to bake a cake. We even have a chapter called "5 ingredients". There will be bits and pieces from the book on my blog.

NL: I truly love your portraits! (discover them here) What do you do to "connect" with the person? - to bring out their best side...

LTK: Luckily I find it very easy to be around all kind(s) of people. We need to (be) comfortable in each others company. Usually it takes some time, but after a while, and after we have talked some, the shoot comes alive and we create the world and atmosphere that fits the case.

Actress Tuva Novotny

Tuva Novotny

NL: Do you exhibit your work anywhere?

LTK: I just photographed a cookbook for famous Danish Chef, Paul Cunningham. So at the moment my pictures are on exhibit in Copenhagen. It's such a thrill to see my work in a big scale, it becomes art pieces in a whole new way.

NL: Do you sell your art pieces?

LTK: Yes, I do, but only on request.

NL: Do you book work in the US?

LTK: Yes, I love to work in the US. I have just finished a shoot in the Hampton's where I did a series on fashion. Next time I would like to visit Miami.

Line Thit Klein to the far right...

NL: How often do you travel for work and pleasure?

LTK: I think I travel a lot. In the next 6 months I'm going to Egypt, Turkey, Napoli and Dubai. I have two small girls, so I'm only away 1 - 2 weeks at a time, or else I bring them along.

NL: What is your favorite travel destination?

LTK: It must be Cote d'azur. I love going there most because of the French mentality. Things take time, have an espresso and relax. The decadence, I love it! Their temper... their wine, baguettes, (the) shopping center Carrefour, the food.. the smell of the warm air mixed with perfume.

NL:  Doing a little research for this interview, I noticed you are "everywhere"... Face Book, Website, Blog. You also have a young family... How do you keep up?

LTK: I don't! BUT, I love to blog and I try to find time every day, even though I'm busy. I try not to answer the phone and check my email when I am home with my kids, but when they are asleep, I open up to the world again (online wise).

I hope you have enjoyed reading this interview as much as I did doing it! I encourage you to check out Line's website, and check in on her blog from time to time!!

A HUGE Thank You to Line for participating, it's been a pleasure, and I hope to see much more of your work!

Let me know when you are booked for Miami ;) !

Natasha

Interview by Natasha for Northern Light Blog

All images Line Thit Klein

Interview: Line Thit Klein (I)

When on vacation this past fall, I came across some fantastic food images... I was curious to find out a little more about the photographer, and this led me to an interview with Line Thit Klein. I am absolutely sure you will love her work, but first let's get to know her!

Northern Light: I have been looking at your blog and your website. You cast a wide net; Food, Interiors, Fashion, Travel, Books and last but not least Photography. On a daily basis what inspires you?

Line Thit Klein: Actually blogging is a good way to be inspired. You stumble upon very creative people, beautiful ideas (and) passionate souls. Besides that, I have a very skilled assistant and we often have long creative talks in a visual world where there are no boundaries, and that really opens up to new thoughts.

NL: I noticed you have an inspiration board in your office, how often do you ad to that? Change it?

LTK: I don't really change it, by changing it all. (But) Everyday I find something interesting and (I) ad it, so it's constantly evolving. My mood board takes me in (a) new direction all the time, I need to be inspired on a daily basis.

NL: What made you fall in love with photography in the first place? Do you remember your first camera? The first time you thought about making photography your trade?

LTK: My dad introduced me to photography when I was quite young and I fell in love with some of his old B /W pictures. He was a skilled photographer in his young days and he gave me my first dark chamber when I was 14. That just did it for me. Our entire house was a mess filled with copies all over the place. I had an old Nikomat Camera, simple and beautiful. It's so fun to think about; so much has happened since. I have almost forgotten my early work...

When I left high school, I got a job at Denmark's largest paper and that kind of opened my eyes to the possibility that I could make a happy living out of it.

NL: If you were not "in the arts", where would you have ended up?

LTK: I think I would be quite unhappy. I really love my job and I believe I'm lucky to have such an all-around everyday life. It's fun to think about, because I can't imagine doing anything else. But, perhaps, (if) anything I would have a little flower shop, or an organic food shop, or something like that....

NL: I noticed on your blog that a little while back you picked up the Domino book. What is your take on American interiors?

LTK: I really like it, because it's so different from the typical northern simple living. In America everything is very fancy and extravagant, and I see the beauty in the difference between American and Scandinavian living. You show how lovely you live by having expensive pieces on display. In Scandinavia we also like expensive things - it just can't be obvious - very strange. Here we have a tendency to simplify everything and we are also a little scared of colors. I love Domino because it represents the complete opposite style.

NL: What does your home look like? Trendy, Nordic,

Exotic?

LTK: It's Nordic and a bit ethnic, with art and lots of cookbooks on the shelves. It's very HYGGELIGT (cozy) and with natural toned walls in grey, white and caramel.

NL: Are you adventurous? Food, clothes, travel etc?

LTK: Oh so much YES! I try not to repeat my experiences and try something new all the time (Travel). My hunger for food and new tastes is big and I don't want to miss out on anything, so I try to eat new things, but not snails or weird stuff.

NL: Free time... what is your favorite "free time" filled with?

LTK: If I had 2 hours free from the studio, I would turn off my phone, go to a nice cafe by the dock and have a good salad and do nothing. Besides that; big dinners with lots of friends, long walks and of course my family!

It's been such a pleasure getting to know Line Thit Klein, the women behind the camera, and I can't hardly wait to share Part II of the interview. Stay tuned, it will leave you drooling :) !!

In the meantime, check out Line's blog.

(find her in the blog roll to your right)

Natasha

Interview by Natasha for Northern Light Blog

All images Line Thit Klein

Brownie points!

How to do Brown in your home without it looking heavy and old....
Here are a few suggestions for different rooms in your home, let me know which one is your favorite!

Entryway; Some hallway table.... plenty of room for the keys and the mail! Check out the beautifully carved legs, they give life to the table, and moves your eye from the floor to the top of the ornate mirror. You do not even notice that there is a lot "going on"....

Bedroom; Tufting the headboard adds visual interest to the bed. A plain brown headboard would have been borring!! The openwork in the nightstand and the delicate print on the awning, keeps the feeling light. This is layering at it's best, from the wood floor, to the rug, the bed linens...

This bedroom reads cozy to me, and not at all heavy!!

Is this one of the fanciest dog beds you have ever seen?

I say "go for it" if you have the space!!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Bathroom; What initially got me to look at this image was the floor tiles! So interesting!! (I am not familiar with the rest of the property, where this image came from, so I don't know if they are original to the house.... They could be, I guess!) The vanity is quite a heavy piece of furniture, and the thickness of the mirror frame suggests that this is a large room. I think the vanity balances out the pattern in the tile, and neither element takes over the room.
 

Kitchen: Earthy tones in an otherwise white kitchen, looks great to me! Love the texture of the chairs, and also the pendant lamp.... The darker brown color grounds this light and airy kitchen very well!!

Food: And while we are in the kitchen, why not stick to the theme? How absolutely delicious does this espresso and ice cream dessert look? Heck, I would have it for breakfast....

So tell me, is Brown a Go, or a No-Go?

Have a yummy day,

Natasha

Image #1 & #3 via Flourish Design+Style, Image #2 ?, Image #4 via Flickr, Image #5 here, Image #6 Karen Modechai for MSL

It's the Weekend...

Happy 4th of July weekend!

For everyone here in the states, this is a big holiday weekend; people leaving their jobs early on Friday, not to return until Tuesday, a long weekend get-away is what many plan for! I am sure coastal towns from Maine to The Hampton's to Miami Beach will be jam packed!!



The flag will flying high all over, parades & barbecues will be held and everyone will be enjoying the beautiful summer weather! I will be in town, relaxing.....



Happy 4th of July to all, and remember;
Thank all the men and women who make it possible...

Natasha

Images here