GRAB BAGS ARE BACK

These were a smashing success last time around. And they're back. But in a limited availability. Friends, they're perfect for Christmas gifts. Buy a few, open them up, and allot to different friends and family members. You'll really be the queen of frugal this holiday season!

Be back to Darlybird in the coming weeks for our influx of Holiday Gift Ideas. You won't be sorry.

Phoebe HEARTS Darlybird

For the Love of the Cupcake!

Lots of new cupcake liners....polka dots, pinstripes, solids. I think I want to be a cupcake artist in my next life. Or maybe tomorrow? Have I shared my lime-curd-filled cupcakes with lime butter cream recipe? I best not. You'll be making them weekly.

Recessionista Collection

I wish I could say the recession hasn't hit close to home. But it has. (Just ask my husband what he's been doing lately....he's got a whole new level of compassion for stay-at-home moms!) So instead of crying over spilt milk, I'm trying to spread some cheer. Check out the new Recessionista Collection. Earrings for $6-8/pair. Maybe you can find some sweet Christmas gifts among the lot....? I have!

Goody Bags are Coming Back

OK friends: Last spring I decided to offer Bags O' Goodies....and they went gang busters. I've decided to reinvent them this fall for a very limited time. And there will be a limited number as well. It actually might be somewhere in the range of 40 instead of 140 like last time. So, just check back in the next week and you'll hopefully see some amazing DarlyLove in the form of those sweet grab bags.

Happiness to You (20%) for Back to School Spree

You've been wanting to acquire a little Darly, but wanted to wait for the perfect time? Well, now's that time. 20% off everything. NO MINIMUM! Just a little offer for backtoschool. We just dropped off Leah at her first day of 2nd grade. No better time to inaugurate a new coupon code.

Here's the full scoop.

Thanks be to CJane for "sponsoring" this discount. Ends Sept 7, I think...

Shrek Soup! Read on . . .

While in NYC, Lindy and I happened upon a charming little Italian restaurant on our first night in the the city. We were tired, hungry, and needed some major nourishment. And that's what we got. First course? Zucchini soup. Incredible. So last week, I was trying to figure out what I was going to make....and we happened to have a lot of zucch. So the soup experiment was ON!

What did I do? Chop a bunch of zucchini up (5 medium-sized?) and dice a yellow onion. Saute in olive oil. Add a peeled and chopped carrot or two and a few cloves of minced garlic. Keep sauteeing. Then add a quart of chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and bring to a boil. Simmer till vegies are soft. Add salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. (I added about 10-15 leaves from my basil plant). Use an immersion blender (one of my all-time favorite kitchen tools) and puree until it's to your desired chunkiness. Serve with grated/shaved parm. Some homemade bread or crusty croutons would be divine, too. We actually ate ours with simple quesadillas. YUM!
Why is it called SHREK soup? Jon and I are a bit protective of our kids when it comes to media choices. Leah is 7 and hasn't seen most of what everyone else her age has. That means no High School Musical, no Hannah Montana, no pre-teen Disney crap----because she doesn't need that yet. I'm sure it will come soon enough, and I know being overprotective has its downsides, but so far she hasn't missed a thing. Don't get me wrong....she has her fair share of movies, computer time, etc. So what does this have to do with the freakin' zucchini soup? I digress....it's one of my less favorable traits. She saw Shrek for the first time last weekend. When she saw the soup, she said, "Hey! That looks like Shrek soup!" And that's it. I humbly present Shrek soup. {Leah ate the whole bowl and loved it. Esther was a different story.}