Her Umbrella Winter 2015 / Issue 2

Winter 2015 / Issue 2 

Her Umbrella 

creating a life outside the lines 

My Hyphenated 

Name: Never 

Losing A Piece 

I HADA 

MISCARRIAGE: 

ALOOKBACK 

RECI PE: A 

Pe r f e c t l y 

Pu f f e d Pe a r 

Pa s t r y 

The Night I Fell in 

Love With Berlin 

Tips For A 

Gluten-Free 

H o l i da y ! 

A Uniq ue 

Gif t Guid e 

FO R KIDS!

YOURDESERTISLAND 

ON-THE-GOPLAYLIST 

JUSTIN BAXTER 

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what would you 

need to survive? Water? Your favorite book? Mascara? Or 

maybe some music to keep you sane? Timeless classics, trendy 

rhythm, these are the songs you can't live without. 

1. Foo Fighters 

Everlong 

2. Dave Matthews 

Band Bartender 

3. Ben Howard Under 

the Same Sun 

4. Taking Back Sunday 

A Decade Under the 

Influence 

5. 30 Seconds 

To Mars 

Closer To The Edge 

6. Bob Seger & The 

Silver Bullet Band 

Hollywood Nights 

7. St. Paul & The 

Broken Bones Call Me 

8. Garth Brooks The 

Dance 

9. Led Zeppelin The 

Battle of Evermore 

10. Q ueen & David 

Bowie Under Pressure 

Winter 2015 / Her Umbrella 2

She embraces 

difference. 

10 Things To Do This Season 

1. Build a SNOWCASTLE. 

2. Experiment creating different types of GRILEDCHEESESwith soup on the side. 

3. Go ICESKATING. 

4. Wear silly SLIPPERSwhile hanging out at home. 

5. SPLURGEon a new scarf and matching hat. 

6. INDULGEin plenty of moisturizing bubble baths. 

7. Try MAKINGyour home smell like a Christmas tree. 

8. WRITEout a letter to a friend and mail it. 

9. Take a DONATIONof clothes, toys and other essentials to a local shelter. 

10. DRINKhot chocolate (with marshmallows) every night. 


She lives out 

the stories 

she writes. 


ALetter From 

SEASON'S GREETINGS EVERYONE! 

TheEditor: 

Inside this edition you will find some articles that, I 

hope, move you. Whether that be with inspiration, 

frustration, sadness or comfort - it doesn't matter - 

I just wish for you to feel something. But don't 

worry, you'll also stumble into some holiday 

delights to round out the winter festivities. 

This edition is noticeably shorter as well. With 

more attention to contributor passion and quality, 

we're starting to shape the future of this love 

project known as, Her Umbrella, and hopefully 

giving you a taste of my personal loves when every 

issue gets launched out into the world. 

Until spring, we're going to soak up every bit of the 

holidays, collect every second of this time with our 

little girl and save it for the memory bank while I 

force myself to make more time to do the things 

that give me inspiration. I'm starting my New Year's 

resolution early and hopefully when I'm writing a 

letter to you in March I'll be gushing about my first 

completely finished novel and taking the next 

steps in accomplishing that dream. 

Wish for snow on December 25th, adopt a puppy 

dog, sing carols loudly, bake cookies - even if you 

burn them, enjoy your family and most importantly, 

love and enjoy yourself too. 

WELCOME 

Grace Lynne Fleming, Editor-in-Chief 

editor@herumbrella.com 

----------------------------- 

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KateSpace 

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Lacey 

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Editor'sCrush: 

Chocolate 

Popcorn DIY 

pop the corn in the microwave & add in 

the chips while it's still warm! 


She is a nurturer. 


I Had AMiscarriage: 

A look back onthepast... 

LAURATOLEDO 

SHE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG - OR, PERHAPS, 

WORRIED HERSELF INTO IT - AS SOON AS SHE STARTED TO 

FEEL BETTER. But she kept going, secure in the knowledge her 

doctor had confirmed the pregnancy. 

The spot of blood in her underwear sent her into worry-mode. But 

her husband assured her everything was fine. Her best friend said the 

same thing. So she tried not to think about it. 

That was the only spot, until the following day. 

They had traveled an hour to get to her parent's house to celebrate 

birthdays and the 4th of July. She hadn't felt good that day - like she 

was getting her period. And then the blood started to flow. 

They had just arrived at her parent's house, and rushed out the door 

to the local hospital. 

She waited patiently in line for her turn at the registration desk. "I'm 

pregnant and bleeding," she said. Everyone behind the desk and in 

line turned. Tears formed in her eyes but she tried to stay calm. 

The nurse behind the desk got up to find a triage nurse, as she sat 

down on a bench close by. She sniffled, trying not to let the tears go 

yet. The people in line looked sympathetic. 

Her husband walked in from parking the car and sat next to her on 

the bench. She let out a single sob. He held her tight as she finally let 

the tears flow. The nurse sent her to a waiting room. She and her 

husband sat in silence, holding hands. She was fidgeting, trying to 

keep the thoughts at bay. 

They were called back to a room. The nurse took her vital signs, and 

tried to reassure her that they saw crazier things than what she was 

experiencing. She tried to be positive. 

They met with a very young doctor who was awkward in her delivery 

but sweet, nonetheless. She was asked questions, probed, poked with 

needles, waited...for four hours. Her and her husband trying to make 

jokes, keeping tears in or letting them fall. 

They sent her across the street for an ultrasound. While the nurse 

was informative, she said nothing about what she found with the 

instrument. She was dismissed, told they would call her as soon as 

the results were in. 

The doctor called her promptly when she arrived home, almost an 

hour later. She told her that her levels were very low, that they found 

no evidence in her womb of a pregnancy. She thanked the doctor and 

hung up the phone. 

Her body was wracked with sobs - her husband only held her, letting 

her cry. She didn't know what to say, what to do, what to think. 

Had she ever been pregnant? Was this all a fluke? 

She went to work after taking a single day off. She tried to be 

cheerful, happy - or, at least, tried not to cry. But things hurt, and 

every once in a while she had to excuse herself from her desk and 

hide out in the handicap stall, hoping no one noticed her sniffling. 


Her friends rallied around her, tried to offer her support. But no one 

knew what to say or do, and she certainly didn't know how to act in 

that situation. So she tried to keep the talk of it limited. Tried to 

move on, lest she started bawling, which she did so often at home 

with the smallest things. 

The weeks went by and she tried to keep happy. There were 

setbacks, days she seemed sadder than normal. But life went on. 

Her and her husband declared to each other they'd keep trying. She 

tried not to think about it, to stress herself out about it. 

But the day came. 

---------- 

I had a miscarriage. Before my daughter. Before I thought I wanted 

children. I miscarried when I wasn't sure how I felt about having 

children. 

It was devastating. I cried for months. And even now, more than two 

years later... 

Unfortunately, I know of several parents who have dealt with losses 

only recently. And I want them to know: you're not alone. 

I'm putting this out there because when it happened, I had no one 

to talk to. Sure, my bestie was there for me. My mother, my family. 

But as much as they loved me - as much as they cared, they didn't 

quite understand. They couldn't identify. 

I don't say this to minimize their role in recovery. But when things 

happen, you look to others who have had the same experience. 

The more I talked about it, the more I found people who had 

similar experiences. They were out there. They just didn't talk about 

them. And so I talked more. 

Miscarriage can affect anyone. Death doesn't discriminate. 

It's hard to gauge who to spill to. So I told everyone. And I found 

many unexpected stories. Slowly I forgave myself. Because these 

things aren't your fault. And maybe you know that. But I will tell 

you anyway. 

Because at first you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

You're surrounded by grief. But life always circles back, and you 

have to embrace it. 

If I had to think to the future, if this happened to me again, I'm 

actually not sure I could take my own advice. And maybe I'm 

writing this for my future self. What's more likely is that this is a 

reminder. A look back on the past with the knowledge of hindsight. 

It's easier on the green-side; it is. But maybe this helps for a 

millisecond. And I'll put this out there for that one millisecond. It's 

worth it. No one should ever have to go through the pain of losing 

a child. NEVER. 

There will never be any words to make this easier. And our 

situations are not the same, but no one's will ever be the same as 

another. Just know there are others who might be able to take away 

some of the sting, worry, or sadness. For me, it helped knowing 

there were others out there who could empathize, who had been 

through something similar. That it wasn't just me. That there are 

others out there who would take your tears if they could. And there 

are people in your life that only need to be asked to step in and 

help. Don't be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to share. 

Cry. Be sad. But then remember it's OK to be happy. 

It'll come. 


She 

is 

strong. 


MIXINGIT: 

Popcorn & Hot 

Chocolate 

We're crushi ng hard on these 

classic, comfort ki tchen 

staples but givi ng them a 

quick kick i n the pants for the 

wi nter season. Add some spice 

to your popcorn as you wrap 

up those holiday gi fts or 

change your hot chocolate 

i nto somethi ng a bi t more 

gourmet wi th these little 

ext ras! 

Peeking at Editor's Crush 

you'll see that adding some 

Hershey milk chocolate chips 

to a hot bag of popcorn is 

a present in and of itself but 

check out some other 

ingredients that can make 

your sharing snack that 

munch more delicious. 

Just throw these additions 

right into the bag! 

composed by GraceLynneFleming 

1. Cinnamon 

Add a bit of the season into your 

bowl with a dash or two of 

cinnamon. If you want to get 

really creative toss in a bout of 

vanilla too for extra sweetness! 

Tell us what you add atop your popcorn and hot chocolate! 

@herumbrella 


2. Ranch Mix 

Sprinkling some Ranch mix will give your popcorn a 

salty flavor that will make the munching become 

unstoppable. 

3. Oreos 

For a sweeter snack 

that the entire family 

will dive into, add 

some crumbled Oreo 

bits to your popcorn. 

You may even want 

to melt some vanilla 

chips onto the 

mixture as well for 

extra sticking-power. 

1. Peppermint 2. Chocolate 3. Coconut 

Preferably in the form of a candy cane. This 

one is an obvious choice but it doesn't get 

much better than a minty hot chocolate on 

a cold, winter night. 

This may seem redundant but the 

extra milky richness after you drop 

some chocolate pieces (a truffle 

even) is mind-blowing. 

Add a bit of the tropics to your warm 

cup with a sweet mix of coconut 

shavings! 



She is never afraid 

to be herself. 



A dollop of whipped cream, a 

scoop of vanilla bean and a warm 

cup of coffee will set off this wintery 

sweet for a night of gift wrapping 

and holiday movie binging. 

APERFECTLY 

PUFFEDPEAR 

PASTRY 

Cameron Mason 

Ingredients: 

- 3 pears 

- 1 sheet puff pastry 

- 1/ 2 tbsp cinnamon 

- 1/ 2 tbsp sugar 

- 1 tbsp brown sugar 

- 1/ 4 tsp salt 

- 3 tbsp raisins 

- 1 tbsp flour 

- 1 tbsp butter 

Instructions: 

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Peel pears then slice in half. 

With melon scoop, scoop the seeds out of the center. Place 

pears sliced side down on non-stick baking sheet or lightly 

greased sheet. 

In small bowl, mix cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. 

Sprinkle seasoning mix lightly over the pears. 

Dust countertop or cutting board with flour. Spread puff pastry 

(will need to be thawed) out over the flour. Cut the puff pastry 

in to 6 squares. Dust off flour and cover each pear. I like to 

"tuck" my pears in so the puff pastry doesn't grow upwards. 

Plus, it's cute tucking the little pears in smile emoticon. 

Take a knife and cut small slits in to the pastry. This will also 

ensure that the pastry will not grow too much. After the slits 

are in the pastry, lightly brush with melted butter. Sprinkle 

raisins over top of buttery pastry. 

Pop in oven for 13-15 minutes. Serve with your favorite ice 

cream flavor and enjoy! 


3 FORWINTER 

SARASTRAUSS 

What'sthebest part of winter? 

Snuggling under the covers with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate! Unfortunately, I can't 

hibernate in my apartment forever, no matter how many books I have waiting to be read. So the next best 

things about winter are snowball fights, all of the fun holiday parties, and snowflakes, of course! 

Snowball Fights 

The snow is freshly fallen. The air is crisp. Your 

hat is on and your gloves are ready. It's time for 

a snowball fight! 

A good snowball fight truly makes you feel like 

a kid again and it makes drinking hot chocolate 

when you get back inside that much better. Go 

for warm layers with a touch of burgundy (my 

favorite color of the season!), a pom-pom hat, a 

gray sweater, burgundy socks, and lace-up 

booties. 


Snowflakes 

There is nothing more calming than watching 

snow fall. It's beautiful and mesmerizing and just 

plain amazing. (Of course, then I have to shovel it 

all up!) Get inspired by snowflakes by wearing a 

white dress, a sparkly belt, a lilac cardigan, and 

taupe booties. 

Holiday Party 

Whether it's a work party, a family party, or a 

friend's party, this holiday season you need to 

wear some sparkle or some lace or both! Black is 

always sleek and put together, so I threw on a 

gray sweater blazer with a bit of sparkle, a striped 

lace top, black jeans, and booties. 

Shareyour favoritewinter lookswithus! 

@herumbrella 


She nourishes her 

mind. 


She is 

secure. 


A personalized story that 

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DIY: AROMATHERAPYSCRUB 

Perfect for dry & rough hands, elbows, knees & feet in the wintertime. It's 

super easy to make & great for gift-giving too! 

AMANDAQUEEN 

find more recipes at Apothecary Amanda 

CinnamonVanillaSugar 

Ingredients: 

- 1 cup organic sugar 

- 1/2 cup coconut oil (or substitute avocado, 

almond, or carrier oil of choice) 

- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

- 3-5 drops of cinnamon bark 

Instructions: 

Mix all ingredients together well in a large 

bowl. Transfer and store in a glass jar. I like the wide 

mouth 8 oz. Ball jars but anything you like works! 

Dress it up with some ribbons or a bit of twine for an 

easy, personalized gift! 


She 

is 

a 

boho 

girl. 


COFFEE 

PUNCH! 

MELINDABIRDWELL 

Ingredients: 

Holiday parties or friendly 

hang-outs, this recipe is fit 

for all those looking for 

something a bit more unique. 

Yields 2 punch bowls 

- 1 1/ 4 cup instant decaf coffee 

- 2 1/ 2 cups sugar 

- 5 cups hot water 

- 1 gallon chocolate ice cream 

- 1 gallon vanilla ice cream 

- 1 gallon milk 

- Kahlua (optional) 

- Cinnamon 

Instructions: 

Mix sugar, coffee, and water. In a 

large punch bowl, scoop out slightly 

melted ice cream (half of each flavor); 

pour half of the warm coffee mixture 

over ice cream and add half the milk. 

Poor in Kahlua to your own taste. 

Stir until mixture becomes creamy. 

As is put into glasses, top each with 

drink sprinkle of cinnamon. 


SINGLENESSISNOTACURSE 

BY: JENNIFERABRAHAMS 

Everybody wants to be happy, everybody wants to be 

loved, and everybody wants to be treated well. Every 

single person wants to be with someone who will 

treat him or her with respect and honour. Every single 

person wants to be with a person of great quality. But 

nobody seems to be focusing on becoming an 

individual of great quality within his or her own 

mindset. 

Love is so much more than a feeling or sensation; 

love is a way of thinking, a way of acting, and a type 

of character. 

Too often, we want things from people without 

attempting to gain for ourselves what we want from 

them. It?s one thing to find somebody who will love 

you well, and it?s another thing to be someone who 

will love his or her partner well too. You might be 

looking to enter into a relationship, but you might not 

be ready yet. 

Love and Wisdom is more than just a book; it?s a 

reality check and a reality guide. It will help you 

re-establish your reality so that you can eventually 

enjoy a loving relationship with another loving 

person. 

About the author: 

As a born-again Christian and now minister, Jennifer 

Abrahams is doing nothing but extraordinary things 

for the Kingdom of God. After facing her own reality 

and going through many hard battles, Abrahams 

decided to write, ?Love and Wisdom.? Through her 

book, she hopes to touch millions of lives to be the 

best person they can be. Residing in London, England, 

Abrahams enjoys singing, drawing, and spending time 

being a single mother. 


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MONICAENCARNACION 


She is more than a 

stereotype. 


THENIGHTI FELLINLOVE 

WITHBERLIN 

KIMBERLYSKODA 

?OVER HILL, OVER DALE, 

THOROUGH BUSH, THOROUGH BRIER, 

OVER PARK, OVER PALE, 

THOROUGH FLOOD, THOROUGH FIRE. 

I DO WANDER EVERYWHERE? 

When Shakespeare wrote those words for ?A Midsummer Night?s Dream?I don?t 

think he meant to personify the wanderlust that burned in my heart but, like the fairy that 

spoke those words to the mischievous Puck, I too longed to wander everywhere, despite 

the floods or fires I might encounter along the way. After I graduated college with a 

liberal arts degree, I found myself unsure of my next step. I relentlessly worked three jobs 

for a year saving up for a big move to New York. A bustling metropolis seemed like the 

next logical step given my career path. As the date to move grew closer and closer 

something felt off. New York City began to feel more like a jail sentence and less like my 

next big adventure. I found myself devoid of passion for the art that once sparked 

creativity inside me. I no longer trusted myself because my wants had changed so 

drastically. I felt stuck. I knew the key to reviving not only my passion but myself was to 

make a huge change. 

I said goodbye to my jobs, apartment, and friends to backpack Europe, hoping to 

find my old self along the way. 

Here are the things I knew about Berlin before arriving: it's in Germany, there was 

a wall there but it got knocked down while I was a baby, there was an east side and a 

west side & if you want to go to Prague from Amsterdam, Berlin is directly in the middle 

of the journey and cuts the 12 hour train ride in half. Which is how I found myself 

standing on a train platform trying to make sense of a map wondering how on Earth I was 

going to find my way around this ridiculously huge city. 


It quickly became apparent that Berlin was the place European millennials were rushing to in droves. The architecture read like 

a street out of a dystopian novel: grandiose towers mixed with grey abandoned soviet-era cement buildings. Street performers littered 

the sidewalks with different music and art. The streets were plastered with graffiti. I?m not talking about gangs marking their territory. 

Artistic statements. Every inch of the city was a canvas inviting young artists to write their messages. 

All the young people who lived in Berlin had moved there to become artists or philosophers and join in on the renaissance the 

city had been so desperately denied during the Soviet occupation. While the rest of Europe was swinging through the 60?s experiencing 

the trippy and freeing art that the Love revolution brought, Berlin was simply trying to stay alive. When the 90?s hit and The Berlin Wall 

fell, Berlin was left wondering what kind of city it would become. 

I learned all this on a street art walking tour that I took on my first full day in Berlin. It was lead by a scraggly middle aged 

Australian in a green army coat who happily translated common German phrases for us. 

We passed art plastered on buildings and billboards created from someone's personal experiences yet, I related to every single 

piece. Berlin slowly morphed into one long hallway at a museum for alternative art which I gladly soaked up. Because of the city?s past, 

censorship is considered to be on par with other major crimes. The artists of Berlin created without fear of judgement or society?s 

misunderstanding. On this tour, I was surrounded by other young artists like myself. The passion and creativity that I felt had drained 

from me slowly began to fill back up. 

The first person we met on the tour was a 

towering gorgeous Australian girl named 

Amy who I immediately felt a kinship with. 

She gave us piggyback rides through the 

streets while we dreamily wondered what it 

would be like to live in Australia. 

On the tour, we walked for hours, listening to 

the history of Berlin. Having met a group of 

people we got along with, we all decided to 

join a pub crawl that night. It was the street 

art tour that brought us together but it was 

the pub crawl that would solidify our bonds 

as long time friends. Pub crawls are a staple 

of backpackers life. They lower inhibitions 

give you an alternative look at a city through 

a local's eyes and, frankly, show you the best 

party spots that aren?t saturated by big 

chains common in America. 

Pub crawls are normally lead by an ex pat 

working at the hostel. In this case it was an 

artist from New York named Sebastian. He 

seemed less than thrilled to be leading the 

pub crawl and spoke about uniformly as if he 

had walked by the same street performer 

doing the same fire dance for the past 5 

nights. 

One aspect of all European cities that I found comforting and familiar was how dependable the public transportation system 

was. They weren?t trustworthy in the sense that they were ever on time but trustworthy in the sense that they were there. I found 

pride in myself as I was able to navigate the twists and turns of each city's unique public transportation. Despite my experience and 

confidence, Berlin?s transportation system broke me. There was a railway above my head going one way. A street level one going a 

different way and an underground train that took me to a stop I?m still not certain was even in Germany. 

?We?re going on the underground but don?t worry if you don?t have cards we can just wing it,?Sebastian apathetically said to 

our group. Sebastian must know what he?s talking about, I thought as I pushed anxiety about the trains away and skipped along in 

anticipation for what the night held. 

Sebastian ran down the stairs and on to the subway train in one huge leap. We all breathlessly followed. I remember thinking 

if this is hard for me now what's it going to be like with a few drinks in me. 

Think of the typical European road. Curvy and littered with cobblestones, right? Berlin was a few steps away from that. There 

were miles and miles of long straight highways that cut through the architecture and art. Nothing really seemed to match. You?d blink 


and suddenly find yourself in front of a uniform government looking building when just seconds ago you were passing through a 

covered bridge splattered with a multi color 1960?s version of Mona Lisa. Berlin had it?s own rhythm that was impossible to follow 

along with. 

We became friends with all the pub crawl patrons. We were all comrades- falling in love with Berlin for different reasons. Our 

love for the city only grew as we walked from bar to, skirting across six-lane highways while the do not walk sign blinked at us. Hand in 

hand on one side and arm in arm on the other we traveled down the wide sidewalk of Berlin?s club district with Australian, British, 

English and Spanish accents spilling out from our mob. 

More and more travelers joined our group as we stumbled from bar to bar meeting new people and learning about what 

brought them to Berlin. It was always the same. Berlin had a reputation as the epicenter of new art and culture free from any influence 

set by years and years of pre-existing history. Berlin was the youngest sibling in the family of European cities, desperate to make a 

name for itself. 

At the fourth bar, we met some British business men who owned an apartment in a suburb of Berlin. We talked about the draw 

to the city as they bought everyone rounds of German beer that tasted more like beer than anything I?d ever had in The U.S. ?What bar 

are we going to next??someone from our pub crawl asked. We had been so wrapped up in conversation with each other that we had 

forgotten we only had an hour at each bar. We frantically began to search for our guide. We ran onto the street hoping he was simply 

across the street. Sebastian was nowhere to be found. The street lights created orbs of gold around everything I looked at making 

everyone blend together into a big beautiful water color. 

?It doesn?t matter.?the young British businessman said to us, ?Sebastian got us here but we can find our way back.?At the time I 

shrugged, thinking that at least one of us in the large group that had left the hostel could find our way back. It?s funny how a few drinks 

and misplaced confidence play hand in hand can lead to new adventures. 

Everyone decided to wander thinking we would just happen upon something like a subway station or a familiar face. As we 

wandered, I don?t think I looked at the actual ground once. I was hypnotized by the architecture and culture of Berlin. The night 

transformed the city into one big party. People in line for clubs spilled into each other on the street creating miles of young party 

seekers. 

The after bar hunger began to set in and we began to search for food. Someone knew of a burger place famous for it?s food in 

the student district which, luckily, is where we found ourselves. After walking past it about 12 times we finally realized the famous 

burger restaurant was actually just a little stand sandwiched between and liquor store and bakery. There were no tables but still we 

huddled on the sidewalk as we enjoyed Germany?s version of greasy burgers and fries. 

Tired from the night?s activities, we all decided to get a cab. This was the first time I had opted for a cab instead of finding my 

own way. I knew that cab rides could get expensive because it was easy to exploit travelers in a foreign country but with so many 

people splitting the fare how expensive could it really be? We squeezed in to the cab slightly pretending we didn?t understand the 

driver when he told us in broken English it was too many people for one ride and we were off. 

An hour and a half later we arrived at our hostel equaling an 85 euro cab ride. We sadly parted with what little money we had 

and grumbled about how there had to have been a better route to take us. Later that night, I looked on Google maps for the path that 

we had walked. My friends and I had ridden the subway to the other side of Berlin. I finally comprehended how massive this city was 

and suddenly felt very small. After all the walking way had done from the bars to the burger stand we had made our way six miles from 

the nearest subway stop. We had strayed so far from our hostel that there was no way the cab ride would have cost less than what we 

paid. At least I hadn?t been ripped off, I thought. 

I saw Sebastian the next morning in the hostel lobby trying to recruit members for that night?s pub crawl. Amy called out to 

him as we sipped our coffee. He sheepishly shrunk away from my group but, I wasn?t mad. Berlin was the quintessential artistic revival 

that I needed. I had been able to see the city through the eyes of a wanderer and was thankful for the opportunity. 


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M 

E 

GIFT GUIDEFORTHEGIRL 

S 

T 

Y 

L 

E 

Boyfriend Link-Stitch Hat, 

Gap, $24.50 

Cozy Socks, J. Crew, 

$10.50 

Soft-Checkered Scarf, 

Zara, $29.90 

WHOHASEVERYTHING 

(FORUNDER$100) 

JACKIEGOLDHAR 

O 

N 

I 

T 

H 

E 

l 

G 

O 

Double Wall Traveler, 

Starbucks, $11.96 

S'Well Stone Collection 

Water Bottle, J. Crew, 

$35 

Passport Holder, Kate 

Spade, $78 


T 

E 

C 

H 

Leather Card Case, 

Madewell, $30 

Headphones, Happy Plugs, 

$49.99 

Kate Spade Ultra Thin 

Charger, Norstrom, $52 

She 

frolics 

through 

the 

season. 


She is unbreakable. 


TIPSFORA 

GLUTEN-FREE 

HO LIDAY 

VANESSAPHILLIPS& CHEFTRYG 

SIVERSON 

Vanessa Phillips and Chef Tryg Siverson, the husband and wife team 

behind popular gluten-free brand Feel Good Foods, have plenty of 

experience dealing with gluten-free diets throughout the holiday 

season. Chef Tryg shared some of the advice, tips and tricks that he 

and Vanessa have learned over the years. He particularly stresses how 

important communication is; ?No host wants to poison their guest 

intentionally. Unless this is the game Clue, and it happened in the 

kitchen with the gluten.? 

Follow Tryg and Vanessa?s tips below for a delicious, easy and 

stress-free holiday season! 

If you?re the gluten-free guest? 

1. As a person who is gluten-free, you should definitely 

let your host know ahead of time. Explain that you are 

gluten-free and ask them to tell you which dishes 

contain gluten. 

2. Do not be afraid to ask questions ? ?what?s in this? 

What?s in that?? Your host won?t mind because they 

want you to enjoy yourself. 

If you?re hosting a gluten-free guest? 

3. If you are having gluten free guests over, it?s 

important that you take the time to ask the guest about 

their diet or to do some research and educate yourself 

beforehand. The last thing you want is for people to feel 

uncomfortable. 

4. Be clear with your guests on anything that may 

contain gluten. 9 times out of 10, the guest is going to 

be happy and appreciative that you pulled them aside 

and told them which dishes are safe for them to enjoy. 

On Foods to Be Weary Of: 

5. Cornbread is a pretty common Thanksgiving dish and 

a lot of premade cornbread mixes do have gluten in 

them. But cornbread is fairly easy to make gluten-free. 

And it can be quite delicious. Especially if you use a cast 

iron pan and it gets nice and crispy. 

6. Some families like to stuff a turkey with stuffing. 

That?s a big no-no for a gluten-free guest because 

there?s a big risk for cross contamination. No one who is 

following the diet diligently would ever eat turkey that 

has been stuffed. Don?t be afraid to say to your host in 

advance, "I would love to enjoy some turkey, do you stuff 

yours?" 

7. Gravy recipes will often call for flour. Be sure to ask 

your host how the gravy was prepared. Cornstarch is an 

easy substitute that most people have in their kitchen 

already! 

On the Best Gluten-Free Dishes: 

8. A lot of the side dishes out there ? mashed potatoes, 

roasted sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, green beans, 

cranberry sauce ? are all inherently gluten-free. 

9. This gluten-free potato pancake recipe is perfect for 

Hanukkah! 

10. Vanessa and I like to do fried shallots with the green 

beans. We dust the shallots with corn starch and fry 

them up nice and crispy. They?re amazing! 

11. Check out this recipe for gluten-free aromatic glazed 

carrots. They're the perfect sweet and savory side dish 

for any meal. 


12. You can make stuffing with gluten-free bread and it 

really becomes all about the other delicious flavors. Two 

years ago, Vanessa and I made sausage and apple 

stuffing with gluten-free bread and it was really 

delicious. 

On Desserts: 

13. We love to do Crème brûlée, and one year we did 

warm freshly fried apple fritters that were a huge hit. 

14. Nut based crusts for pies are really great. Almond 

flour or pecan flour for a pumpkin pie or sweet potato 

pie is kind of out of this world. There are a lot of recipes 

out there with recipes for almond flour or nut flour 

crusts, and for a pecan, pumpkin or sweet potato pie, 

those flavor profiles just go really well together. 

15. The recipe (attached) for gluten-free pumpkin pie is 

out of this world. The crust is made from gluten-free 

ginger snap cookies. 

16. These individual chocolate molten cakes are a 

decadently rich dessert perfect for any holiday party or 

dinner. 

GLUTEN-FREEPUMPKINPIE 

Serves: 6 people 

Preparation Time: 30 minutes 

Cooking Time: 58 minutes 

Ingredients 

- 2 cups of ground gluten-free ginger 

snap cookies (35 to 38 cookies) 

- 2 tablespoon of sugar 

- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 

- 1 tablespoon of ginger 

- 1 tablespoon of cloves 

- 1/3 cup of butter 

- 1 tablespoon of rice flour 

- 2 large eggs 

- 1 can (15 oz) of pure pumpkin puree 

- 1 can (12 fl. oz.) of evaporated milk 

Preparation 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the 

cookies, rice flour, and sugar into a food 

processor and pulse until fine. Add the 

butter and pulse until moist clumps form. 

Press the crumb mixture into the bottom 

of a lightly greased pie plate. Bake in the 

oven for 8-9 minutes or until golden 

brown. 

Mix the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and 

cloves in a small bowl. Beat the eggs in a 

large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and 

sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the 

evaporated milk. Pour the mix into the 

pre-baked gluten-free pie crust. 

Bake for 40-50 minutes (to check if the pie 

is ready, insert a toothpick in the center of 

the pie. It should come out clean if the pie 

is done). Let it cool for 2 hours before 

serving. 


AGreat Holiday 

Movie 

Cozy Blankets & 

Pillows 

Montego Pom-Pom 

Blanket, Target, $19.99 

Christmas Vacation, 

$17.99 

Silver Stripe Floor 

Cushion, The Land of Nod, 

$59 

WRAPPINGPARTY ESSENTIALS 

Happy Holidays! 

Hot Chocolate - 

with toppings 

Merry Christmas Script 

Paper, Paper Source, 

$4-$9 

Popcorn Indiana Black & 

White, $18..99 

Stylish Wrapping 

Paper & Gift Bags! 

Holiday Llama Gift Bags, 

Paper Source, $3-$8 

Salty Sweet 

Snacks 



MYHYPHENATEDNAME: 

Never LosingA Piece 

GRACELYNNEFLEMING 

MY PARENTS WERE QUITE PARTICULAR ABOUT CHOOSING THE NAMES OF THEIR 

CHILDREN. There were rules. It had to be strong, it couldn?t be 

shortened into something with less of an elegance and they needed 

to be able to imagine us as adults, using them without imagining the 

cutesy baby we once were. And me, well, my name was just a few 

eye rolls away from being ?Rose.? Thankfully my dad was partial to 

Grace and here I sit with a name that, growing up, I seemed to only 

share with the elderly ladies that checked us out at Sear?s. 

I?m very attached to it. And not just my first. I?m the only one 

of my parents?three children with a legal middle name. My brother 

and sister received middle names only after the process of their 

Catholic confirmation. But me, I was given one as soon as I rang the 

doorbell to life. My middle name is Lynne, yes with an ?e,? after one 

of my mom?s bestest of buds. It?s got a hint of my southern roots but 

it?s also a play on Graceland that most people that can make the 

phonetic connection find clever. And then there?s my last name: 

Fleming. It may not be the prettiest, the most eloquent, it may not 

roll off the tongue with ease and it may sound like a noise made 

during the deepest, darkest hours of a winter cold when said with 

an accent but it?s mine. And just because I decided to get married 

and share a life, a home and a family with my husband, that decision 

never made my name any less a part of me. 

So I chose to keep it intact. But I did add my husband?s last 

name to the roster, more for our future children?s benefit than my 

own, making it a bit longer, a bit more pretentious and instantly 

labeling myself as one of those ?evil? feminist by every sigh of a 

conservative passerby. Of course, this is my own experience with 

my new, hyphenated identifier, and I?m sure all women that have 

chosen to tack on instead of delete haven?t experienced the second 

guessing, judgment and snotty commentating that I have. But I?m 

also quite sure that fellow forgoers of the age-old tradition of 

taking on the man?s last name have too felt the panic and 

frustration that runs through my blood when someone questions 

the spelling, the ?dash? and the length of my legal name. 

1-Day 

O ld 

Newlyweds 


In fact, I recently read an article completely bashing 

those with hyphenated names and making a list of all the 

reasons why having one is a ?complete nightmare.? Reasons 

being that forms are never long enough and people ignore it 

when addressing wedding invitations (which is, in fact, true). 

Pardon me, but convenience of filling out a form is not and 

would never be a valid reason to change my name and 

essentially erase the first 23 years of my life as a Fleming. I 

hyphenated to serve two purposes: to keep my individuality 

but to also keep the ability to be recognized as a family unit 

once we had a child. 

One question that I?ve gotten plenty of times is, 

?Doesn?t it hurt your husband?s feelings?? Well, even if it did 

(which it doesn?t), what about my feelings? It?s not that I 

don?t want to be his ?Mrs.? I mean, I sure as hell don?t want 

anyone else to be. But, I have a bigger hunger to stay who 

I?ve always been and a big part of that is my name. Erasing 

that always felt wrong, it left a sour taste in my mouth to lose 

that connection to my family that I?d had since birth. I realize 

that may sound silly to some, but I think it sounds silly to be 

a ?Mrs. {insert husband-to-be?s full name here},? it?s an 

antiquated tradition. Wives are more than just their husband?s 

wife. 

Some close women in my life have divulged to me 

that changing their name when they got married was just 

what was ?supposed? to happen and afterward they felt like 

they had lost a piece of themselves in the process. Others 

had been so happy to rid themselves of their past that they 

seemed to be giddier about their name change than the fact 

that they were also gaining a husband in the process. These 

two examples prove to me that women have the right to do 

what they wish and there shouldn?t be any expectation or 

judgment of what?s done afterward. We put names on things 

to identify them and why after 23 years of being identified 

as a Fleming I was expected to change to "Baxter" without a 

blink of an eye seemed archaic. Telling me something is 

tradition has never been enough for me to follow along, 

especially if I don?t believe in it. 

Wives are more than just their 

husband's wife. 

My daughter, Claire, may not have my Fleming name 

on her birth certificate ? although she certainly has the 

mouth and grin to match ? she does have Baxter. And my 

hope is that when she walks down the aisle someday and 

exchanges rings and vows that she walks away hyphenated 

all on her own. When she adds that special, magical person to 

her life, she?ll add that piece of the puzzle to her name 

instead of getting rid of a piece that we gave her. And taking 

away a piece that my parents gave me never felt right, 

besides, Justin fell in love with Grace Lynne Fleming. And 

Grace Baxter? Well, she doesn?t live here. 

Always signing 

as a Fleming. 


She 

learns 

through 

creating. 


Visit Grace's personal blog at 

GraceLynneFleming.com! 


Her Umbrella 

Editor-in-Chief Grace Lynne Fleming 

Contributors 

Justin Baxter 

Laura Toledo 

Cameron Mason 

Sara Strauss 

Amanda Queen 

Melinda Birdwell 

Monica Encarnacion 

Kimberly Skoda 

Jackie Goldhar 

Vanessa Phillips 

Chef Tryg Siverson 

Photography/Art Credits: 

Unsplash 

Daria 

Alexandr Pirogov 

Zoran Stupar 

Michal Jarmoluk 

weinstock 

PublicDomainPictures 

Alex RABBIT 

skeeze 

Philip Pena 

Elba Cabrera 

OpenClipartVectors 

Weinstock 

Holger Langmaier 

Splitshire 

Malachi M 

Jadid 

Kelly Kang 

Berenice Calderón 

Jan Steiner 

Petra Blahoutová 

StockSnap 

Koltrein

Her Umbrella Winter 2015 / Issue 2

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