'twas a great year!

(Photos by Ericka McConnell (1, 5) and Laura Flippen (2, 3, 4). Prop & Food Styling by Leila Nichols)

new work: food styling for walmart.com

new work for chambord!

meat & eggs

(Photos by Aubrie Pick. Prop & Food Styling by Leila Nichols)

new work for restoration hardware!

miranda's french toast - or the best french toast ever

(Photos by Scott Peterson. Prop & Food Styling by Leila Nichols)

This is easily the best recipe to make for brunch. Start the night before (it takes 15 minutes) and finish it up before your guests arrive. Every time I make it, I am asked for the recipe. And I make it every time we have friends over for brunch.

Miranda's French Toast

One loaf of Semifreddi's Cinnamon Twist Bread (or any Challah), cut into cubes

5 eggs, beaten

1-3/4 cups milk

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup fresh blackberries

Place bread cubes in a greased 13in x 9in baking dish. In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla; pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Sprinkle almonds over egg mixture. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar, maybe 3 tablespoons worth, or more if you want sweeter, evenly over top. Then drizzle melted butter over the top.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with berries. Bake 10 minutes longer or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean.

Yields 6-8 servings.

an easter feast

(photo by Thomas Kuoh)

cherry lemonade

(photos by Eric Zepeda)

lotsa new pix

...on my website. Go look!

(photos by Eric Zepeda left and Heather Sourwine right)

poppy creative

my new agency

new work for prevention magazine

(photos by Stephanie Rausser. wardrobe stylist: Shannon Dunn. hair & makeup: Tricia Turner left and Yvette Swallow right)

tuesday in st. helena

a bit of warmth this winter

I just got a surprise from Caroline Schiff, a photographer I worked with in July. She put together a 'behind the scenes' video of the shoot we did at Spring Mansion. It was fun to get this reminder of summer, especially since it will be so cold and rainy this week. Thanks, Caroline!

(directed by Caroline Schiff)

watermelon radishes are pink inside

I've just added some new food shots to my website.

(photo by Heather Sourwine)

i can't believe it's fall

Summer doesn't really happen in the Bay Area. It was mostly pleasant during June, July and August, but didn't get hot until late September and then, last week, we felt the chill of the changing season. I've disappeared because I was (thankfully) busy with work for most of August and September. I took a few days off last week to do my first food shoot, with Marshall Gordon and Daniele Maxwell, an homage to fall. Hoping to style more food soon.

summer table

I prop styled a photo shoot on Saturday at a dilapidated mansion in the Berkeley Hills. I had a great time and was on a high all day and then pretty much crashed as soon as we put the kids to bed. I spent most of Sunday asleep (and celebrating C and washing and re-shelving/storing all props). We had an incredible crew on this shoot (I could not get over the clothes or how amazing the model looked) and an incredible environment. Lots of palm trees and lots of deterioration. With each job, I learn so much. Here is a picture I took of the picnic table I styled. Looking forward to getting the photographer's pix. Pictures and a video from several other shoots should be trickling in in the next few weeks. I'm excited!

sneak peek

Here are a few snaps of the picnic table I styled in Sonoma on Monday. Many, many more pix to come...