beauty that moves

my greatest teacher

Isn't it true that if we slow down enough and pay careful attention, it is our children who show us what we are made of? My cousin told me once that many times she's heard the expression "I've lost myself to motherhood." She feels just the opposite, she has found herself in motherhood... (now carrying her fourth babe! - Hi Blaik!) I know what she means, I imagine many of you do as well, our little ones can be our greatest teachers. My own girl doesn't feel quite so little anymore (I can't believe we will be celebrating twelve years next month!). She has so many of her own plans now, her own goals... my job these days feels more about supporting her own ideas than showing her new ones. And this girl is reaching for the stars with her college goals... I have my work cut out for me.

Emily took to drawing about two years ago, filling notebooks with these funky fashionista ladies... almost always including some sort of message within. Sometimes those messages are bold and obvious, other times they are discretely hidden.

This girl on the left is one of my favorites. I think it's the crown of daisies on her pretty little head. Maybe it's the freckles.

I remember when she drew this one... and how sweet I thought  it was that she included prayer flags. My mama heart grew that day.

"You are here, now what are you going to do?"

It was early in the fall that Emily came home and announced she would be displaying (and selling!) her art at a school festival. We had many weeks to prepare, and really wanted to take our time enjoying the process, thinking through what she wanted to offer and how we might go about making that happen.

She decided on prints... maybe 6 or so to choose from, she would stock 5 of each... they should be professionally printed and tucked into those fancy cello sleeves that all the big-time etsy artists use... they should be very reasonably priced... and there should be free candy offered at her table. I am pleased to report that all was accomplished! Emily's display looked beautiful (which I have zero photos of) and she sold many prints of her art that day. I think she made a lot of people smile too.

To get the ball rolling, we had decided to set aside an entire weekend back in early October and do nothing but draw... we stocked up on good paper, excellent pens, plenty of good tunes and yummy eats. For two days we sat together and drew and drew and drew.  I loved watching how Emily just went for it with each and every drawing. She didn't always feel they were perfect, but she did feel that each one captured and expressed what she had intended. I decided to follow her lead, let go of my own inhibitions about whether or not I could technicallyy draw, and just play. I played endlessly that weekend. Sometimes I would float around on etsy, finding something that appealed to me, and tried to see if I could duplicate it. Other times I would draw based on certain pen colors that I wanted to use. Most importantly though, I just kept going, because Emily kept going... and I had decided that my job would be to stay right there by her side for the weekend. Cheerleading, motivating, switching up the Pandora stations, keeping the cocoa flowing... the glamorous role of an artist's assistant.

Through it all though, I discovered that I actually liked a few of the things I made!  I also fell head over heels in love with the process of making those few pretty things, it was so mellow and relaxing... like playing in a zen garden for two days. My little resident artist had quietly converted me for sure. Ever since that early October weekend, we spend a great deal of time doodling together. We talk about different techniques for drawing eyes, lips and leaves. We discuss various points on pens, and which ones we love the most (Emily - the micron brush... me - the micron .005). Mostly we just enjoy the new mutual interest/love that we now share.It's really, really lovely. She is almost twelve after-all ( I know, I mentioned it already...), these shared interests have more value than I can explain. Maybe you can imagine, and there is no need for explanation. It's all very good.

Thank you for visiting this little back story of how my recent drawings came to be. And an extra big thank you to my girl for showing me the way.

I couldn't have done it without her.

it's not all psychedelic babble

Thanks for hanging in there with me with all of this art talk. We tend to blog about what's going on at the moment, right? Let's just say there are many moments lately that I can be found with a pile of pens and paper in front of me, completely at a loss for any sense of time or place. Lately, I feel like it's all I've got to share... "Good morning friends! I drew something last night!..." Oh well, have I told you how much I love the quiet of drawing? It is the very best part.

Some of you have so sweetly and accurately observed the... um... groovy factor in many of my drawings. I suppose they may reveal just a bit about my teenage years. But it is not all psychedelic babble over here (though it is quite a big part of me), I do have a folksy side too!

These two photos are from different parts of the same drawing. I'm having a really good time exploring this homespun, cozy sort of image. And I think I want to just draw coffee mugs and pot holders forever and ever. There is so much to learn still, but I feel like I'm in the right place lately, lost in this new process. It seems fitting that I shouldn't stray too much further down this path without sharing the sweet beginnings of it all. I know I mentioned briefly when my artist-self was revealed, but in my next post, I will share it in detail. And you will get to learn about my greatest inspiration of all. She is eleven years old, and artistically she is totally uninhibited. I have learned so much from her and am really excited to share her beautiful work here.

sunsets, haircuts and art

Last night Emily took these photos of the sunset. I didn't edit them at all, they are a little blurry but isn't the color out of this world? Winter sunsets are pretty hard to beat.

This morning I got myself a little haircut... whenever I need a pick-me-up I just add a whole bunch of layers to my hair and it seems to do the trick.

I've been drawing some more (are you guys tired of this yet?)... and wondering... if I were to put together a little collection for the shop, what do you think people would be interested in (assuming there is any interest at all). I'm specifically wondering if people would be drawn to originals, open-edition or limited edition prints, postcards or notecards... things of that sort. I would be able (and very excited) to put together a modest, colorful, whimsical offering for handmade holiday shopping. I'm just trying to get a sense of interest. Which makes me feel extremely vulnerable...this is all very new for me.

Now I am off to work. I hope your Monday is off to a great start. I am such a Monday/clean slate/all things are possible kind of girl.

saturday

morning :: basketball clinic (looks like we will now be a basketball family!)

mid-day :: made and brought lunch to friends

afternoon :: home alone, my yoga mat and i made the most of it

oh, and it rained all day. which i love.

yummy, kid friendly dinner in no time at all

For the sake of my eleven year old girl, I try to keep a balance at dinner time of things that appeal to each of us. It's not sweet potato curry or kale and brown rice every night around here... as much as I would like that. I cook a few nights a week with just Emily in mind. Maybe it won't be a meal I would prepare for myself alone, but we're all in this together, you know? It's important to me that she doesn't see dinnertime as a dreaded point in her day where mom's going to place a pile a roasted roots topped with a handful of toasted walnuts in front of her, or who knows what other kind of hippy concoction. It's all about balance, right?

There are many things in the world I don't understand. Little pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches you can buy in the freezer section is one, chicken nuggets from a box is another. Our (big) grocery store stocks organic chicken and we pick up the tenders (many packs at a time) and make our own. You can freeze them breaded (but not cooked) which makes them super convenient for for quick meals.

My method is simple: Soak them in milk for a minute, coat them with bread crumbs (seasoned or plain, you choice - there is a gluten free kind that we love and I can't think of the brand right now...), take a minute to really press the crumbs onto the chicken. Do this with one hand so your other hand that goes into the milk bowl is the only 'wet' hand. Place them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-17 minutes (a few minutes longer if they came from the freezer). My oven is a convection oven which they say cooks a little bit faster. Just don't overcook them! Cooked just until done you will have the most tender, juiciest chicken tenders around.

Emily likes to dip them in homemade applesauce, I also put out homemade cranberry sauce mixed with wholegrain mustard for dipping. Let's see, also on the table were some reheated roasted potatoes from two nights ago (reheated on the stove-top), roasted asparagus that was tossed with olive oil, sea salt and pepper, and placed in the oven with the chicken for the last 10 minutes. Oh! And cut up raw carrots. I always try to have something raw on the table, sometimes fruit, sometimes veggie, but there is almost always a plate of cut up raw goodness to munch on. Easy weeknight meal, I made up the tenders while the oven pre-heated and the whole meal was on the table in 30 minutes. 

How much do we all love taking food photos since daylight savings? Hmn... you know what we say to daylight savings around here?

Ha! Take that daylight savings! We will get out the ladder and string flood lights way up in the magnolia tree and play soccer regardless of there being no sunlight. We are resourceful people...

Happy weekending friends.

is your shoe size 6.5?

As if those boots weren't yummy enough... these remind me of a certain girl that wanders. They will be in the shop later this morning. Happy day!

ETA :: They are gone! Thank you to the lucky size 6.5 gal who scooped them up. I am a very jealous of your dainty feet. ;)

ruminating

Pondering so much these days. These drawings I've been spending time on lately have me so intrigued. Quiet evenings spent with a few pens and some paper; a playlist or podcast playing in the background that is actually enjoyed and not competing with a loud sewing machine; sitting with my family and not across the room (or tied to a machine in one room as they hang out in another). I'm loving it so very much, and I wonder what it all means. What it will become. Will I always keep it all tucked into my own drawing pad or will I eventually put some of them out into the world for others to hopefully delight in? I have no idea right now, but I do wonder.

This home of ours that we are leaving soon. We love our home for so many reasons. It was built during a time when I think some of the very best building practices were the norm. This house is made of wood. Lots and lots of wood. I love that very much. Before we lived here we lived in a log home and I remember feeling so grounded as I worked in my kitchen, surrounded by trees. The walls to the side of me, the ceiling above me, trees everywhere. Someday I'll have to dig out a photo or two of that place (pre-digital) and share them here. It was wonderful, as is this home. This home just happens to be in the entirely wrong location for our family, so we'll move on.

I am often asked "why" we are packing up and making such a major life change.  "How" did we get the nerve to do it? "What" are our motivations behind such a big decision? I think that would be a good topic to dive into at some point in the very near future. I think our story could be motivating and inspiring to others who dream of a similar life change. And I say that not because we have some grand secret or large sum of cash that is the answer to all of the challenges or obstacles a decision like this usually encounters. I think if I have anything to share, it has to do more with our willingness to give up a little in order to achieve the big picture... the power of putting "it" out there... staying open to working very creatively in terms of employment and housing (and consequently being eternally grateful to others involved who are willing to do the same)... our story is one of ingenuity more than one of privilege (for lack of a better word). So yes, a story I think worth sharing in detail soon.

But for now, back to this current house of ours. I think I'd like to do a regular series where I capture and share corners of our cottage. It is a current category on my blog already, but not one that I intentionally seek out posts for. Knowing that our home will no longer be ours in the near future, it seems fitting to share some of the beauty of this house on a more regular basis. Of course I also see it as a way to permanently keep a record of sorts for our bungalow, the first home we ever owned. Watch out friends, I feel a period of deep nostalgia coming on...

And there's more. I'm thinking a lot about writing lately. In particular, doing so on a bigger scale. What it would look like, how it would manifest, feeling completely supported and amazed by others (who write for a living!) as they encourage and believe in me. It's quite a motivator to explore this uncharted territory. 

Goodness, I'm all over the place, blissfully ruminating the day away. A day that also celebrates 14 years of marriage to my beloved. Wow. We were a very young bride and groom. I am so happy to be right here, right now, reflecting on the past and dreaming of the future.

back at it!

Well. How can I possibly express how much of a comfort your words were in regards to the duration of this dang flu. Hugely comforting! Sometimes all it takes is to not feel so alone in something to be able to move past it. For some reason I had it in my head that I should have kicked it entirely when my fever broke. How wrong I was. Hearing about your experiences helped me to put it into perspective though... and indeed, by day 9 (Saturday) I started to feel healthy again. Right now I'm sipping a green smoothie and feel so ready to take on the day. The cough is still kicking around just a bit, and I can't really take the deepest of breaths, but I can stand, and standing is an important part of the day it turns out.

I took a few pictures of some shop goodies this morning (so many more things to take pictures of!), and these lovelies will be making their way into my handmade and vintage shops this evening.

In case you were already starting to think about it, those boots are size 8 1/2, and they are absolutely as divine in person as they appear in the photo.

All will be listed tonight. I hope you all have a remarkably healthy day!

ETA :: I was having a bit of trouble loading items on Etsy last night... it looks like things are more cooperative this morning. Those items will be listed within a few hours!

still here

Before the utterly miserable swine flu entered my life (yes, that is what it seems to be), the very night before in fact, I made a little something to keep all of my art supplies in. I wanted something that would be sort of a bag, sort of a pouch... I didn't want it to have handles, the purpose would be to slip it inside whatever other large bag or basket I was carrying around... it needed to close entirely so no granola crumbs or who knows what from said bag or basket would mix and mingle with my pens and drawings... the fabric needed to be durable, the inside light in color so I could see everything within easily.
Over the last couple of months, I have gratefully sewn well over three hundred little zipper pouches to  fill your custom orders. When the very last order went out a couple weeks ago, I put my handmade shop into a well-deserved vacation mode, and wondered what little item(s) I might like to sew for myself now that I had some extra time. Funny that I would wind up making yet another pouch!

Well, this one is of course slightly different. I used a 12" (or 13"?) zipper, fusible fleece to beef it up a little, and a heavy, vintage drapery fabric that I love. But still, indeed we are looking at a gigantic zipper pouch.

Oh well, it's perfect for holding my things and it slips perfectly into my basket. Now I am taking a little break from zippers...

Here's a little peek at some of the doodling I've been doing (well, all of this is from before the flu). Some of it is still in progress, hopefully you can get a feel for it.

Thank you for all the well wishes and viewing recommendations by the way, wow! I have been watching far too many programs and movies... and now I want Tina Fey's hair and glasses.

A question about H1N1 for you - Does anyone know first hand how long I should expect this to last? I'm on day seven, my fever has been gone for two days (which spiked at 103.7 Saturday into Sunday), but I still feel really tired, weak, and generally unwell. Can't figure it out exactly but I am really ready to be done with this.

this art retreat has been interupted by the flu

That's right. For the last 24 hours I have pretty much been right here, in bed. I left work early yesterday after feeling certain that the scratchy throat I awoke with had more to do with an impending virus rather than the dry air in the house that comes with shutting the windows and turning the heat on. Fortunately, when you work with children, there is no question about whether you are well enough to stay or not. It is always, "Go go go, and don't come back for a good long while, you hear!?" Very wise policy.

So home I went, and home I will stay. Bummer that it is Halloween weekend, if you've followed this blog for a while you know it's a pretty big deal around here. I'm sure Adam and Emily will do just fine mustering up spooky madness without my direction. (Oh, who are we kidding? He is the one that is all about the gore and I am all like "More candles! More candles! What this front porch needs is more pretty candles! And must you pour so much fake blood all over my freshly painted covington blue porch floor?" Yeah... they might be better off without me.

About my symptoms. They are indeed very flu-like in nature. Fever, tightness in chest, terrible cough, body aches that make you crave childbirth instead, sore throat. You know, the whole gamut of seasonal flu symptoms, and yes, you guessed it, the other flu symptoms as well. Hmm... those two lists are so close aren't they?

My breathing is in check, my temp has not gone above 101, and the rest? Well, I guess that all just comes with any flu territory. As long as my breathing and fever remain at a comfortable place, I'll just stay right here and let it ride out. (With of course lots of fluids and rest, Mom! And Adam's chicken soup. The man does not love to be in the kitchen, his place of culinary comfort is outside on the grill. But man, he makes the very best chicken soup, homemade stock and all.)

All of this brings me to a question. I've got my computer here (bedside) and I can stream videos/shows/movies (I'm kind of half watching, half sleeping). Here is what I've watched so far, in part or in whole:

Episode 1, Season 5 Weeds (Streamed from Showtime website. Wasn't in the mood for it, seemed too dark and violent. Was the show that way in the beginning? I thought it would be different.)

Episode 1, Season 1 United States of Tara  (Also from Showtime's site. I liked this better, but cried a lot because I wondered if this is at all an accurate portrayal of someone with multiple personality disorder and how hard it must be for the person and the family living it. Plus, I love Toni Collette.)

Episode 1, Season 2 of This American Life (Same site... of course we all love this show. I loved the story in the beginning about the inner city teens riding horses who were "ghettofabulous," I wished that story was longer. And as if we needed another reason to love Johnny Depp, the fact that he stepped in and granted the wish of the man in the second story... well, that made me teary too, as did the love and struggle between Sarah and Mike.)

Okay, so I'm dealing with a little fever induced sensitivity it seems. Can you recommend something for me to watch, maybe something refreshing? We have Netflix too so I can stream anything available from their site that can be instantly watched. I'm going to be here for the weekend it looks like and I don't really have the energy for drawing, knitting or reading... I feel like vegging out in front of a screen and watching a few flicks. Can you help me out?

Many thanks, and I hope you all have a spooky and healthy weekend!

we have improvement!

Just popping in quickly to share the excitement... my ladies are actually starting to look like, umm... ladies!!!

Softer jaw-lines... not-so-crazy eyes... we are making a tiny bit of progress over here. Phew!

(I'm also celebrating because my point and shoot actually captured a little depth of field in the above photo. Now that is something to get excited about.)

It is a perfectly rainy Saturday today. We made a wonderful breakfast this morning of french toast using homemade bread, then headed to the library to pick up some fresh reading (I brought this home, I see there are some pretty poor reviews on Amazon. I loved the cover and the title, we shall see about the inside...), we also stopped at the art store for a handful of new pen colors (Did I mention that the art store is two blocks from my house? Dangerous.), now we are back home sipping chamomile lavender tea and jazz is on the radio. The rain isn't supposed to let up until tonight so you can imagine I will be spending the afternoon settled in right here putting those new pens to good use.

Thank you for the encouragement by the way, you are all waaaay too kind. I hope your weekend is mellow and moody... I love a good moody vibe on the weekend.

a newly discovered part of myself

We declared this past weekend in our home to be an Art Weekend! Mostly it was for Emily's sake, she will be selling prints of her art at a school festival in a few weeks. I will share more about that when the time comes. To help motivate and inspire her creativity, we decided to put all other weekend details aside and join her at the table for hours and hours and hours of drawing, Seriously, I have a blister/callus thingy on my thumb.

Funny thing happened along the way. I discovered I LOVED drawing with these fancy new art pens that we purchased after school on Friday. The ink flowed so easily, the colors were beautiful and kept me wanting to add more here... more there... it was endless.

I have never really done this before. There was the semester of drawing I took in art school, but I never really found my voice with pen and paper. But this weekend, I  think I heard the call. It was distant, wobbly, and extremely shy... but the voice was there. Sitting here on Monday morning I can't help but to feel curious and excited. I completed three drawings and another is in the works. Doesn't the lady in this one look like Kathy Griffin? Hee...

All of this to say I am going to take a two week break. I'm feeling the pull to investigate this newly discovered part of myself. In the midst of work, family, cooking and other life details, I will carve out time for a little at home art retreat. It's exciting to think of the colors, characters and designs (and hopefully improvement!) that will come of it. As amateur as it all is...

So, for two weeks I'll step away from the blog and focus on groovy patterns and funky colors. Oh! The part of it all that I am loving the most?

The silence.

As someone who usually creates with a rather loud sewing machine, it is possible that the silence of this work is filling me more than any other part. It's cozy and portable, two things that are much appreciated these days.

Take care friends, I'll see you soon.

Updated: Many of you asked for info on the pens that I used. The black pens are Micron Archival Ink (I got many sizes) and the colored are Prismacolor.  The colored were expensive, almost $5 a piece (at my local store, maybe cheaper online) so I started with only ten colors. There are well over one hundred to choose from so I will build my collection over time. I am also on the lookout for other types of pens... I think I'm hooked!

i took a walk yesterday

I feel so unbelievably aware of each passing moment these days. Maybe it's the change of season, maybe it's the desire to squeeze every last drop out of a chapter closing. Regardless, I am savoring the feeling of immense presence.

Yesterday, I spent some time walking around the property of Emily's school. The sky was grey, the ground damp, and between the two a gentle rain was released. I will miss this school. For all the second guessing we can so easily do as parents, this I know I got right. It's a peaceful feeling.

a giveaway of the book variety!

 

Many weeks ago on a perfectly rainy Saturday, a package arrived just as hot tea was coming off the stove. It was books! Craft books! I wasn't even expecting them kind of books!

Both books are from Make Good Books, they specialize in offering "charming Japanese craft books in English for the first time." What a beautiful treat! Now we can get lost in the dreamy photos and projects while understanding the instructions!

Needless to say, on that rainy Saturday afternoon with chamomile tea in hand, I devoured these two beautiful books. Felting for Baby is still in my possession and has a nice little handful of bookmarks carefully keeping track of holiday gift ideas. I'm thinking the soft flower vase is my first choice. Isn't that the sweetest?

The second book, Carefree Clothes for Girls, didn't stay in my own hands for too long. About a week after it arrived, I found myself placing it in the hands of another mama, she seemed to be going through one of those stretches that only another mama could understand. I thought she could use a bright spot in her day. The book is entirely beautiful, reminding me of what I imagine Anthropologie for the little ones to look like ... should they ever decided to do such a wonderful thing.

Now it's your turn to enjoy the book love! Both of these titles will be released on October 13th, very soon! As part of their celebration, Make Good Books is excited to offer FOUR Beauty That Moves readers a chance to win a copy, two of each title will be in the drawing. Please leave a comment on this post and the winners will be announced on Sunday night. Good Luck!

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The comments are now closed, thanks everyone! I will be back later today with the winners. We are in the midst of a Farmers' Market and multi-day soccer tournament weekend around here... it is wonderfully hectic. ;)

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Finally, we have some winners!!

Felting For Baby

Jenny said:  "Ooh, I like books... :)
And my daughter would love both of those!"

Vala said: "oh I cant put into words how much books mean to me....especially now living in a foreign country where the only access to books in my language or english is by ordering online....its a real treat....."

Carefree Clothes for Girls

Sarah said: "I have been not so patiently waiting for copies of my own! What a wonderful giveaway!!"

Ali said: "I have been forcing myself not to buy these books - but to win them - how wonderful would that be!"

Ladies, if you recognize your comment and would be so kind to email me your shipping info that would be great, otherwise I will email you later on. Then, Make Good Books will send your beautiful books to you!

Thank you Make Good books for the festivities this weekend!

the center is grace

With permission, today I am sharing a portion of an email newsletter that my yoga teacher (pictured above) sent out on behalf of her studio. Anne's words (as well as the poem she shares) really connected with where I am right now... and because we are never alone... I thought of you and figured you might appreciate them as well. 

Things are slow on the blog front at the moment... thanks for hanging in there. That wonderful book giveaway I spoke of will be up by the end of the week though!

In the meantime, rest easy with the words of Anne Falkowski and Danna Faulds.

"Today I reflect on the the many changes that Autumn brings to all of us.  It is difficult keeping the balance always.  But you can't keep the balance unless you've got a center.  Through yoga I have learned that my center is the voice that I hear from deep within. It is never a harsh taskmaster yet it is not the voice of giving up or despair.  The center is Grace and if you work from your center you won't lose your way in all of the confusing and conflicting avenues that are part of our life. Grace first.  

 

The following poem was written by Danna Faulds when she stayed at our home during a workshop last Spring.  She shared with me that this poem came out of the love she felt in our house.  It was a time similiar to right now.  A lot was going on for me and I was striving to find my balance.  I offer this poem to anyone who feels overwhelmed by the fullness of their lives... 

 

Every Act of Love

 

Demands for our attention

tug in all directions-

kids and work, partners

and practicalities, spiritual

practice and the unrelenting

rough and tumble of life.

 

It's a gift to remember

even for an instant that

the Infinite is in this mix,

and every act of love

is an offering that

circles back to us a

thousandfold in ways

we never could predict.

 

Danna's words are a gift and so are you.  Treasure the seasons in your life, treasure your friends, loved ones, work and communities and treasure how precious you are.

 

Jai,

 

Anne Falkowski

Director of Samadhi Yoga Studio"

she has no idea how much kale she ate

Not enough time to write out a recipe today, but I've been meaning to share this idea for a while now. We are actually not doing dairy at the moment, this photo is from several weeks ago.

Ages ago Adam asked me to come up with something that was "like a taco, but a dip." I know there are taco dips, seven layer dips and the like out there... inspired by those and his request, I came up with what instantly became a favorite for him and Emily.

It has all things taco-y and cheese-y... and the best part? It also has about 1/2 a bunch of kale! Diced to smithereens, of course. Emily had no idea! It was a moment of brilliance for this mama. One that will be repeated in various ways, for sure.

Oh, and yesterday was a great day. Thank you!! ;)

a handmade view

Some days are tougher than others. This sight brought a much needed smile. 

:: a pile of handmade bags, made by me and by others 

:: I spy a zipper pouch and a keychain too

:: an Adam made table

:: a beautiful plant that was once a sickly seedling

Just the view I needed. Tomorrow will be a good day. That is the plan...

a housekeeping post :: questions answered

Look at me writing four posts in one week... just like old times! I only have a few minutes, but thought I'd stop in to answer some questions that have come through recently.

:: I am no longer writing at Simple Green Frugal Co-op. I stopped about a month or so ago (forgot to mention it!), and do not know if or when I will be returning. It's fantastic over there, a wonderful group of writers that were always so supportive and patient with one another behind the scenes. My time writing for them was so well spent, the problem was I just ran out of time to do so! So, I'm taking a break. Maybe there will be a place on the roster for me in the future should my schedule open up a little. I'll be sure to let you know!

:: You likely noticed there was no First Friday Giveaway for September. My apologies for not making an announcement about that. The monthly giveaway was the second committment I needed to let go of, as fun as it was!! I can't currently promise the small chunk of time that it takes to produce and run the monthly giveaway, so I'm going to let it go for a bit. There will be other giveaways, they just won't appear as routinely. Word on the street is that a giveaway will be showing up here next week... a giveaway of the BOOK variety... ooooh!

:: I feel a kale post coming on soon. I receive so many questions about kale recipes and such that it deserves a good post. Similar to the grain salads post. Stay tuned for that!

:: When we move to Vermont, we do not plan to homeschool again. There is a Montessori school that goes through eighth grade in the area we are moving to, that is our plan. We are going up to visit next week! After that, there are quite a few alternative/private schools for the high school years. So that is our plan, let's see if life has the same agenda. ;)

:: Yes, I do cook with coconut oil! Do any of you? My current favorite is a friend's recipe... she dices a sweet potato or two, cooks gently in about 1/4 coconut oil (maybe a splash of water), once cooked add chopped kale (surprise, surprise) and saute a few minutes more. Season with sea salt and pepper. Seriously good. I think I'll do a coconut oil post too. If you have a favorite recipe, please share it in the comments!

 

:: Yoga! Yoga! Yoga! My goodness you all have the best questions. I get a lot of emails from readers asking for yoga help and recommendations. I''m thinking a full week (possibly two) of yoga posts is needed. It's been on my mind for a long time. I'd like to bring others into the mix as well... other yogis... perhaps my teachers... I'll have to see what my friends are up for. Knitters have been asking for yoga help with neck tension too, which makes me think a couple of short videos demonstrating simple neck-release techniques would be a good idea... it's hard to just write it out. I need to show you.

:: Yes! New bags and Bulks Food Bags are making their way to the shop... things in that area are just moving at a snail's pace right now. I'm shooting for mid October for a BIG spruce up in the shop.

:: In the meantime, the photos in this post are a little tease. There are a few new goodies in my vintage shop, and more will be filling the shelves over the weekend. Did you see those lampshades!? I knew they'd be gone in a flash. So cute.

I'm sure I didn't cover everything, (and much of this was a needed mental purge of sorts)... you all ask some really good questions! If there is something you've been wondering about or hoping I would cover here on the blog, the time is now, ask away! It's good for me to check in with you guys this way. Your thoughts and questions give me great insight as to why you all come here in the first place! ;)

Happy weekending!

where would i be without you?

 

First, it was Miss Smarty Pants herself who persuaded me to fully swing back to the slightly sweet and delightfully creamy way of enjoying my brew. I had a long stint on the "I'll take my coffee black please"  side of the fence, but I'm not sure there's any going back now. Can you imagine making your own vanilla creamer? So good. And clever! I doubled the vanilla because it just seemed like a fun idea. It was probably totally unnecessary but I did. I'd like to try using maple syrup as the sweetener... it might change the consistency though... hmmn. Will ponder that and make it work. Alicia's vanilla creamer is outstanding, I bet many of you have the ingredients to make it right now!

Next, it was Elena and her very lovely recipes that turned me on to three of my favorite ingredients all swirled up in a combination that I have never tried! You should write these things on your grocery list right away and make it very soon. So perfect for autumn.

Then, it was Amanda with her yummy broccoli soup that found it's way to our dinner table the other night. Accompanied by various random things from the pantry to round out the offering. That works, doesn't it?

And finally, it was all of you, my crock-pot friends. Your wisdom and confidence is rubbing off on me!  I decided to put all of Amanda's soup ingredients into the crock-pot early in the day on Sunday. We had a soccer game in the afternoon several towns away, I knew my little athlete would be hungry when we arrived home. I simply gave it a whirl in the blender after we walked in and dinner was served!

You have all made our week so tasty, thank you!

the first of many

Is it too soon to be collecting furniture for the Vermont house? Some changes are needed in the furnishings department for us as we make this move. The house isn't too much smaller than our current home, and actually, it has more rooms, or spaces. The rooms are indeed smaller though, to avoid feeling cramped I think we will need to swap a few things.

In reality, we only have two pieces that I don't see fitting in the new house, and they are big pieces. The rest of our things are older, hence they have a smaller footprint which is just what we need. But it's our living room furniture that we will most likely need to let go of, which isn't a whole lotta love lost. It's a typical, overly stuffed and fluffy modern set of the gigantic variety... furniture is made so much bigger now to catch up with the bigger homes. Seeing as we are going in the opposite direction, I've felt the need to keep my eye open for a few new pieces, particularly of the seating variety.

And they should probably rock too. Well, with all the sitting by the wood stove and things of that sort I imagine will be taking place, rocking sounds rather nice. I'm thinking 3 or 4 various rockers, wooden and solid in construction, sprinkled throughout the house will be just right. If they could be mission in variety like this one, reminding me of the architectural beauty of our current home, well, that will be all the sweeter.

Allow me to introduce you to the first of hopefully many rocking chairs for our new home. I found her while out thrifting this weekend.

Goodness, she's a beauty.