I wonder how much other families spend on groceries each week. Is that too bold of a thing to ask? I've been wanting to pose this question for several days now, yet admittedly, I don't really know why I need the information. But then I thought, maybe it's not just for me, maybe we all need the information - from one another. Maybe it would help us to feel a little less alone as we hand over however much it is to the cashier in our respective hometown markets each week. I was taught growing up that our grocery budget is the one area in our household finances we have the most control over, and I do believe that still. But I also am still so amazed at how much so little costs each week, regardless of not buying packaged foods and doing all of our cooking from scratch.
I went shopping last week and these four bags (which represent only one of the two stores that I shop at) cost $120. We are a family of three. There is not a single fancily packaged $5 box of organic granola bars in there... or a $7 box of organic cereal... there is just food, whole food. There were two splurges (which I factor into our budget, those splurges change from week to week). The first was goat cheese from a local farm - $6 for a tiny but oh-so-delicious portion, and there was some fresh figs, $5 for a large handful. The rest? Well, grains, beans, a bit of dairy and eggs, a few spices, other simple pantry items, and produce. Lots of good for the body, mind and soul produce. I am willing and able to ration/go without in many areas of our diet. Meat only once a week if that? Sure! Spaghetti every Wednesday because it can feed the whole table for $3 (homemade sauce and bread of course)? Bring it! Money saving Brown Rice Patties once a week? Absolutely! But please don't ask me to pass up our desired amount of organic/non-GMO vegetables or fruit, I can't mentally justify rationing the most important medicine we have.
A lot of times we hear it costs so much less to eat healthy (you know, the whole price of beans per pound vs. the price of beef per pound discussion), and I agree to a certain point. It's not the grains and beans that challenge my budget - it's the fruits and veggies! And well, I've decided to make no excuses about it, they are here to stay... in all of their abundance. Now please pass the rice and beans to balance out the $3.75 bunch of kale that when cooked just a bit and wilted, I could eat in it's entirety by myself...
We are living in a time when how we spend our food dollars is arguably the strongest political voice we have. It matters what goes into our carts and into our bodies. It matters which companies we support and those we do not. I stood next to the farmer who grew this lettuce for my salad as he filled his bins at the co-op, the very bins that stood empty upon my return (two days ago) due to damaging hail on his farm last week... I need this kind of connection, we all do. So I'll continue to squeeze and stretch every grocery dollar I have, stopping short when it comes to sacrificing fruit and vegetable intake. Afterall, in this land where health care has become a true luxury, eating well is the best (or perhaps only) health coverage we have.
It is true that cooking from scratch, buying in bulk (I'm not talking about cases of Vitamin Water and canned soup from the food warehouse) will save you a ton of money, and that does free up a good amount of space in a modest food budget for fresh produce. I guess what prompted this discussion for me was that I so often read about families larger than mine eating on $50 or $75 a week! Is food just extra pricey in my corner of the globe? Care to have a little discussion within the comments? This isn't about passing judgment on one way of living or eating, this is about sharing information... and it's perfectly fine if you prefer to comment anonymously today.
What does grocery shopping look like for your family cost-wise? Where do you live, how many people do you feed, how do you eat (whole foods, menu planned around what is on sale, etc.), do you have any favorite dollar stretching secrets to share? Share as little or as much as you'd like! I'll get things started...
Of course you could just stop in to say hello too! ;)
A while back I greatly reduced the size of my sewing space. It occurred to me that I was monopolizing 400 square feet of our home (the part which happens to be the best, most private, opens to the deck kind of space...) and it would probably be a nice thing to share it a little more with my family. So we turned it into our everything room; in addition to a very scaled down sewing space, it now houses our library, family computer, a few video games and our movie watching set-up, it also has lots of comfy seating for hanging out with friends. We were sure to leave plenty of wide open space too - for goofing around.
Anyway, a great deal of my fabric and supplies was packed up and moved to the basement. The intention was to set up a storage system down there that I would pull from while working on a certain project or new design. I have a small shelf near my sewing table for storing the materials for current work, everything else stays downstairs.
In theory it seems like a good plan, but here's the thing... I have yet to develop a good system of storage in the basement, and I am busy! I have the market, custom orders and a little shop that needs sprucing up once again, yet I've been having a difficult time finding inspiration when my entire fabric pallet is boxed up downstairs. I just needed something to get the ball rolling again... maybe a little of this and that to be exact.
Well, alrighty then! We are back at it, through the process of being busy, getting lost in the beauty of great fabric design, ideas are flowing once again. I am remembering certain prints I have downstairs, and I am even locating them! This little Etsy shopping trip really got the wheels turning (and stocked my market booth while I was having trouble locating the best of my own fabric supply). Sometimes I get so lost in the delicious world of vintage/thrifted fabrics that I don't try out enough of the offerings by the current designers out there. It was inspiring to treat myself (and my work) to a taste of this, maybe I should try it again sometime. It was good fun! ;)
A few things will be going into the shop later today...!
Typepad is being very bizarre this morning... I'm going to re-post the winners here as all sorts of strange things were happening at the bottom of the last post.
Drumroll.....
First Winner ~ The full package, all the goodies goes to #100
Becky said... Amazing giveaway ... and highly talented friends you have :)
Please enter me for the prize. I'd love to win!
Second Winner ~ Will receive a copy of Clamor, Emma's CD! #88
Martha said... Wow, what a generous giveaway! Thanks for introducing such a talented musician.
Ladies, please email me your shipping address and your packages will go in the mail! Thank you Bean and Emma, it was a pleasure having you here! Have a great day, I'll be back soon!
Do you have a little time right now? A cold drink, maybe something sparkling or festive? Go ahead and get yourself a little something then come back, I'll be here. This post is lengthy, but you don't want to miss a bit of it, there is a whole lot to enjoy and check out. Give yourself the time to follow some great links, and have a good time.
Are you ready? Each month I grow more and more excited to collaborate with my readers, together we extend a gesture of thanks to everyone who contributes to this space. This month I am joined by two woman, each from opposite sides of the country, each offering you their own unique brand of art.
Isn't this brilliant? Bean starts by crocheting the entire basket out of discarded plastic bags (keeping them out of the landfill!), then she adds oneof her handmade trademark pincushions. Next, she gathers all sorts of vintage sewing notions; buttons, zippers, thread, ric-rac, pretty trim... all sorts of things, then she packs it all up nice and cute. Precious!
Oh look - she also included a couple of vintage fabric pieces. A whole sewing kit, nothing newly manufactured. Talk about a small footprint! Thank you so much Bean for your generosity, what a treasure.
Second, I'm quite excited to share a special friend of mine with you all today. Her name is Emma Weiss, and she is an amazing and accomplished songwriter. Emma and I met several years back, we were both enrolled in the same yoga teacher training program, she was just seventeen when our training began. Easily the youngest person in our class, Emma wasn't held back or set apart in the least (I think she was actually one of the first of us to land a teaching job!). The world has always been Emma's classroom, she settles in comfortably in a variety of settings, taking on studies that most people wait a lifetime to embrace. It is no surprise that by 20 (or was it 19 Emma?) years old, her first studio album was released and she was performing all over the Northeast with her original material.
And here today, Emma is giving away two of her CD's!!!
Remember that show on the Bravo channel Musicians? I don't know if it's still on, or the name of the Rolling Stone writer who hosted the show, I do however, remember the quality of his interviews and the intimate performances he evoked from his guests. Man that was a good show. Anyway, I wish I was him right now, that I could in a matter of sentences sum up the talent and artistry of Emma's songwriting. And I don't mean to overemphasize her age, but the lady is young. I remember telling her on the day we graduated from yoga teacher training that I hoped to know her as an old woman. I just know she will be one of those well-seasoned souls that could rock the day away on a front porch, never running out of stories to tell.
I offered to make a little video of Emma to share a sample of her music with you all. She entrusted herself and her guitar to the hands of me and my not-very-high-tech video camera. Even further she maintained her confidence as I attempted to transfer said footage to my out of date movie editing program... it was hard. We aren't as excited as we hoped to be with the video quality, but we do hope that our best intentions shine through and you enjoy the tune nonetheless.
Emma is a true professional. I have a lot to learn.
I also thought it would be fun to ask her a few questions so you could get to know her a little better. I think I might start doing this with other contributors, Emma shared some pretty great things with us..
1.Last year Clamor was my album of the summer! Stop blushing, it's true... I'm often busy in the studio this time of year sewing away for the Farmers' Market and having the right playlist is essential. Here we are at the beginning of another Summer and I'm curious... what/who is on your Summer playlist list year?
I am so flattered! Thanks so much for listening, that's the best compliment after all.
I just got Brad Barr's solo album which is called The Fall Apartment. He is the guitar player from the band The Slip which has been a longtime favorite band of mine, I've been going to their shows for a number of years, at this point there are too many shows to count! They are a really talented trio who's beginnings stem back to Berkley School of Music in Boston. I have admired Brads playing since the first time I saw him play in The Slip, he's a very creative player who knows how to break rules and piece together a lot of styles of music. He does a couple of nice latin sounding tunes on this solo album, a really good cover of Nirvanas Heart Shaped Box and some masterful songs of his own. If you get the chance definitely check out The Slip and also Brad's album.
This is a dangerous question to ask me, because the list can get very long and descriptive very quickly!
Next on the list would be Alice Russel who is a singer from Australiawho's soul stylings are in the same vein as Sharon Jonesand the Dapkings (they're another must listen if you haven't checked them out already) I have the her latest album which is called Pot of Gold. If you like doing investigating you can find some good side projectsgoing on with other members of the band. Alice also sings for the Quantic Soul Orchestra, a DJ who plays several instruments, goes under several different monikers and has some real funk based songs.
Also, Club D'elf, a boston based world music/electronica bass bumpin group headed up by Mike Rivard. Soul Coughing, Rudder,Tower of Power, I was listening to the Rolling Stones on my foggy flooded drive home tonight! Out of the fog arose a big oak tree limb down in the road which I managed to navigate safely around, I was listening to the Stones song Shattered though, so that might have had something to do with the busted tree showing up just then.
3. Let's talk about fueling the fire. To be at it's most bountiful, creativity needs to be nurtured, tended to and must be well fed. Can you paint us a little picture of what an afternoon, evening or morning of songwriting might look like where everything is aligned and your creative process is flowing abundantly? What needs to happen for your artistic self to arrive in that space?
Creativityseems to show itself a little more easily for me late at night. I tend to have more focus for a technical practice, working on different techniques or being more theoretical in the earlier part of the day, late at night I tend to have more free flowing ideas lyrically and with my playing. I usually come up with the instrumental parts first and then come up with lyrics that fit the mood and tempo of the song. I've begun writing down my chord progressionsand song lyrics and tunings in a black notebook instead of writing on random scraps of paper which is what I've always done. This is a huge organizational step for me, there's been a lot more time to play, rather than searching for envelopes, receipts, folders etc. to compile my writings on them to be able to practice!
I enjoy having materials for writing and recording on hand to use when coming up with ideas. Pen, paper, mic, a nice rainy day. Very conducive to idea grabbing.
I also like to drink lemonade when writing songs, but I don't usually remember that until the song has already been written...
4. Can you tell us a little more? Music aside, what other areas of interest; work, learning or play, have your attention these days?
Well in terms of music I have begun playing with a friend of mine who is also a guitar player, Brandt Taylor who is a very talented local musician, he plays with several bands and projects and I'm learning a lot from playing with him, and I'm excited to be working on the material we've been coming up with together, so stay tuned for a band name and some gigs in the near future for he and I as a duo!
But as you say, music aside! I am working on two organic farms in the area, this is my third season on both of these farms, so I'm learning alot still, working really hard, and usually getting rained on these days! We've been having quite the deluge around here in the northeast and there are certain problems that arise with farming when it's this wet, so having some sun would be great. I recently finished a yearlong course in Biodynamics in NY which was a great agricultural course, the content of which focuses on the work and writings of Rudolf Steiner, a German philosopher and writer and imaginer of great things!
I am going to be attending The Swananoa Gathering in NC at the end of this month, there are classes for a solid week on guitar playing, I'm going to be learning Hawaiian slack key, percussive techniques, all kinds of new cool stuff, I'm really excited to connect with other musicians from all over the country.
Thanks for including me in the give away this month and giving me the opportunity to share my music, my thoughts in writing, and your good company!
Please be sure to visit Emma's Myspacepage for upcoming show information, and listen to more of her songs too! She also has loaded her new Etsy shop, Dancing Nomad, with CD's! Nothing quite feels as good as supporting an independent musician, and at such an affordable price, you might just want to hop on over and grab one. ;)
You know I try to join in the fun for these giveaways too. I almost bowed out of this one as I knew it would be a hefty post... but then I thought about the newest thing I've been making and haven't shared here yet.
Wristlet Key Chains!! I have been using mine for a few weeks now and am amazed at how many times I slip it onto my wrist while I'm doing other things with my hands; carrying the groceries, gathering up all the soccer balls (you adopt a trunk full of soccer balls when you live with the coach and they all need to come out when you go to the park), roadside wildflower picking... they are fabulous! I want you to have one too, but the skeleton key needs to stay here - it is the key to Emily's room. ;)
Also, if you follow many of the Northeast blogs, you know we are pretty much drowning over here. Nothing but rain for weeks now. In my mind though, it is sunny and warm, we are camping and hiking, there is lots of swimming, birdwatching, and summertime adventures. I searched through my vintage books for a few titles that should be appropriate for this time of year. May the sun shine brightly very soon!
I hope you love our offering this month!
Let's wrap this up, you know I keep it simple. Leave a comment on this post and I will be drawing TWO names on Tuesday morning. The first name will win the full package in the picture above, the second winner will receive a copy of Clamor, Emma's album.
Feel free to share lot's of love for these two wildly talented ladies here with us today. Thank you Bean and Emma! Have a fun and safe weekend everyone!
Comments are now closed, I'll be back soon with the winners!!
My last post wasn't deleted, I just removed it. It felt a little intense for my daughter's eyes, she is my number one blog reader. ;) However, I truly appreciate the time you all took yesterday to support and challenge me; the good, the bad, the misunderstood, it all matters. How would perspective ever be gained without all of those things? I still have the comments that were contributed yesterday, the post is just not public anymore. You all shared so much here, I am very grateful today.
I'll be back mid-day with July's First Friday giveaway!! So make sure to come back - comments will be open until Tuesday morning this month - yay! But first, we have a bit of drying out to tend to around here this morning. I ran out to snap these pics while making dinner last night. I'm so worried about the farmers... let's make sure we all buy their possibly less than perfect veggies this year (buy extra!), we're all in this together.
My goodness, how could it not be? We went up to Vermont over the weekend to look at a possible property for us to move to. We have since returned feeling inspired and excited, yet remarkably patient and content, an interesting combination that is difficult to explain.
This quintessential Vermont homestead sits privately on it's very own dirt road (town maintained - yay!). Hop in the car and you are a short ten minute drive to the library, an amazing food co-op, museums, a bustling Main St. with great restaurants, thrifting, galleries and shops, hospital (should there be a need), etc.
And to top it all off? This property is made up of 240 pristine and vibrant acres. Where open space, forest, wildlife, flowing water and clean air are all abundant and just outside the front door... or the back door, or any window you gaze out of. 240 acres!
It's no wonder you all asked for a recipe, it does take a pretty picture doesn't it? It goes without saying of course that I have a fair level of anxiety around writing this recipe. I'm a maker of things... not a stop and take notes-er of things. I'll do my best, this dish deserves to be on dining tables across the world. ;)
Summer Pasta
1 pound penne pasta
3-4 small/medium zucchini squash, washed and sliced in half moons about 1/4 inch thick
bouillon cube or heaping teaspoon vegetable bouillon (i buy Frontier in bulk)
8-10 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup loosely packed, freshly and finely grated parmesan cheese, more for sprinkling on top if you'd like
seasoning salt or montreal steak seasoning (my choice, it's a guilty summer kitchen pleasure)
olive oil
butter
salt and pepper (the good stuff on both of these)
Before we get started - you should know that I subscribe to the Lynne Rossetto Kasper school of cooking pasta. Your water should taste like the ocean... salt it generously!!
Cook pasta according to package directions (with addedabove suggestion!). Towards the end of pasta cooking take out about 1 1/2 cups of pasta water and put in a glass bowl. Add bouillon and stir to dissolve.
While the pasta cooks, heat up a large cast iron frying pan on med/high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a bit of butter. Sprinkle a little seasoning (montreal or seasoning salt) in the pan, add zucchini (try your best to get a single layer), sprinkle with a little more seasoning and black pepper. Cook hot and quick - two minutes per side at the most. Remove squash once both sides are lightly browned. Add reserved pasta water to the pan to de-glaze, then add ricotta cheese, turn heat way down to low and let it melt in, stir in parmesan cheese. Adjust flavor by adding a little salt and pepper and a few more glugs of extra virgin olive oil, add the zucchini back in. By now the pasta should be somewhere in the kitchen cooked and drained but still hot - put the pasta into a large shallow serving bowl (I love the one in the photo for pasta saute type dishes), maybe add a little more olive oil. Now carefully and evenly cover the pasta with the sauce, gently coat pasta. Top with more parmesan if desired.
I hope this works for you and makes sense! If you have a minute stop on over to the Simple Green Frugal Co-op, I'm there today too.
{{ Thanks for all the summer reading suggestions! I'm going to try and put them all in a list in one handy reference spot on the blog. Please feel free to keep adding to it! }}
Oh, June. What can I say, you've had better years. Remember just last year, how my shoulders had a little sunburn before school even let out? How when I chaperoned the end of the year field trip to the beach I had already been there twice on my own? I miss that sort of warm and sunny June, please come back soon, okay?
Truthfully, I've appreciated this extra time indoors, settling back into my home after many months of regularly working outside of it. The past several days have been filled with cleaning corners, putting away all of the laundry, cleaning out the freezer, washing the outside (and all those little buttons and knobs) of the washer and dryer... I've cleaned and sorted everything around here, I even dusted my headboard! It's felt so good coming home. I am truly at my best here, no doubt.
I even set aside a little crafting time for myself, now I have a pretty (and big!) new bag for summer. Big enough to hold my everyday gear plus Emily's when needed. I'm hoping this bag will join us on many sunny outings once these clouds roll out of here. Next up, I think a few new tops are in order.
This bag is the same design as the Summer Totes, with the addition of fusible fleece as interfacing to beef it up a little. I've always resisted this (and regular interfacing), feeling like their synthetic make-up wasn't worthy of hanging out with my linens and cottons. Well, I may be a convert. At least with the fusible fleece, I don't see myself ever really loving interfacing. But the fusible fleece has certainly proved it's value to me. This bag and the others are quite large which is fabulous. With the addition of the fleece, this bag's 20 inches wide, 11 inches tall and 7 inches deep self sits firmly and proudly on the floor like a big ol' basket - without looking like cardboard (a common trait of interfaced projects). I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of this and this as we speak... a girl can't possibly stop at just one you know. ;)
So, rainy cool gray June, I've made the best of you staying inside, puttering around my little nest, settling back in. But maybe I'm just making the best of me. I'm so happy to be home again, doing what I love. For me, nothing (as good as many other things are), nothing compares to keeping the home fires burning and the bellies of my family and friends well fed. I think it's going to be a good summer, rainy and cool or blazing hot... I'll take all of it, right here at home.
Steady, happy, and thriving home... steady, happy, and thriving world.
We are expecting some heavy rain today and perhaps more rain tomorrow. It sure has been a pretty nerve-racking growing season so far here, how about where you are? Goodness, can we get a little sunshine please!
The Farmers' Market committee has asked a few of it's vendors to take the day off tomorrow if they would like... they are expecting the field we are in to be a little messy and might need to do some re-arranging/condensing of booths to stay in the drier areas. So this is to let those that might be looking for me tomorrow know that I will be taking the day off. I will likely be floating around collecting my veggies for the week, but my booth will not be there. I am however trying to take photos of some of the things that were meant to be there and fill up the shop a little bit. It is quickly getting darker and darker out there with the rain on it's way so we'll see, I hope I can make it happen, maybe tomorrow if not this afternoon. I have some very cute summery things to brighten things up over there.
Now, let's talk about summer reading. What's on your list? Better yet, what have you already read and checked off your list (maybe from years past) that I should read too? These are my first three of the summer; The Mighty Queens of Freeville will be finished up just as soon as I sign off here. ;) Brooklyn intrigued me, perhaps because my mom was a little girl in Brooklyn during the 1950's, which is when this book takes place. Prayers For Sale had me at the mention of quilting, the depression period, and a mountain home. I think I might actually get these three finished before their due date which is of course totally unheard of but very good news. So what should be my next read, or added to the list at least? Please, do tell!
I bet we'll all get some great ideas from each other!
So far we've made one strawberry pie, 12 jars of jam, 15 pounds are waiting in the freezer for smoothies, several pounds were simply eaten fresh, and then there was the overstuffed plate of chocolate covered strawberries for breakfast as we headed out thrifting last weekend (eaten in the car at 7:30 am, it's nice to be a grown-up and make these sort of decisions for yourself... and your children!). Because when you have freshly picked strawberries on hand as well as some of your favorite chocolate, naturally they should come together. Should I defend the breakfast part of it though? Hmmm... I bet there is no need, you all understand these things.
Another big trip to the farm is in order still, next week sometime. I should make another double batch of jam and we could use another 50 pounds in the freezer. Oh yes, I wanted to make and can some strawberry sauce/syrup for ice cream and yogurt as well. I need to locate a recipe for that... do you have one I should know about?
I'm off to cozy-up with my sewing machine for the next 72 hours, this is a Farmers Market weekend for me. I hope to stop back in tomorrow. And by the way, I really love how I can come here and carry on and make lists about what is in my pantry and freezer, discuss my sewing plans for the weekend, take a momentary stand on my soap box du jour, or talk about the latest and greatest method I discovered to shine my shoes... and you all give me the space and support to do that. This virtual playground for creative minds and curious souls is such a fascinating place to hang out. Thanks for being here with me.
Even when things are rolling at full speed in life, a family still has to slow down and eat... and for me, it still needs to be homemade as much as possible. But it doesn't need to be fancy or gourmet; in fact, I prefer it to be down-home and scrappy. Yes, scrappy.
Many months ago I set out to fill a section of my freezer with apple pie fillings. Well, all of those pies have been baked (many were gifts, I swear!) and I am now waiting patiently for September to arrive with all of her beautiful apples to refill those shelves. Though please be certain, I am not rushing or wishing this summer away, absolutely not... I'm just keeping that space available in the freezer for when it's time. ;)
So. With all of that pie baking taking place over the last several months, there have been countless bits and blobs and scraps of pie dough saved and stored safely in the freezer. I could have thrown it all in the compost, but thought (with the thrifty-kitchen part of my brain) that it still had purpose and should be saved. Then, as you know, recently life got quite busy around here... making the thought of compiling interesting menu plans, shopping lists, then actually fetching from the market items on said list seem like an impossible task. So I didn't do it, any of it. Instead, I've been happily and successfully living out of my freezer and pantry, some meals more interesting than others, but all of them perfectly suitable as we made our way through the busy-ness. Tomorrow is my last official day of work for the year... I feel like a kid going on summer vacation!
About that pie dough, I made my own version of rugalah. The yummy cinnamon and butter filled treat, perfect with black coffee. Pastry heaven if you ask me...
This is the pie crust recipe I always make so you can start there if you do not have huge amounts of dough scraps in your freezer. If it is frozen dough, thaw it out in the refrigerator (throw it in there before you go to bed), in the morning (or whenever you decide to make it), roll it out to about 1/8 inch thickness. After the dough is rolled out, butter it (don't be too shy), then sprinkle generously with sugar and cinnamon. Now here is where it gets personal. Some of it I rolled out and cut into rectangular shapes, some I cut into triangle shapes. I don't think I have too much of a preference. Believe me, you give me dough, butter, sugar, and cinnamon and I'll make it come together no matter what shape it is. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into smaller pieces, roll them up. Form them into a crescent shape and pinch the ends in if you can. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20, depending on your oven. You want them to be nice and golden brown. Delish.
People very kindly suggest I should write a book about food. My father told me once that cooking is my calling. However, based on my lack of ability to intelligently write out a recipe (as proven above), I am most certain my food ramblings and ideas will always stay within the pages of this blog. My apologies to those of you who prefer these sort of things to be written in true recipe form, I'm with you on that... I just can't always pull it off. Anyway, try making this, it is so so good. If you've been having rainy, dreary weather like we have, a nice home-baked treat might be just right for you.
Not really having a thing to do with this post, I can't wait to see this movie...
Do you think Julia stored scraps of dough in her freezer?
I'll be back when the calendar clears a bit. If any of you need something to do (ha!), feel free to grab a thing or two off my list. I'm buried over here!
Oh shoot. Note to self: add 5:00 guitar lesson and 6:00 comp. soccer tryouts (three towns apart) to Thursday's list. This is just comical.
Thanks everyone for playing along with Carrie and I, these giveaways are always a good time for me. I wanted to let you know, (a little housekeeping note), I never include any comments left by myself or the guest contributor in the tally. Just wanted to point that out as sometimes we can be seen in the comments a time or two. We are not in the running!
This month's random winner is number #31... Sage of Sage and Simple!
Yay! Please email your address Sage and I will get your goodies in the mail, Carrie will be in touch with you regarding your gift certificate. What fun! Special thanks to Carrie for her generosity and super fun spirit. ;)
I always love hearing from readers who would like to be a part of these giveaways, if you are interested please email me (top menu bar) and we'll chat. I am all set for July, but after that things are pretty open. You just never know how putting your little business out there might manifest...
And finally, if you are viewing this post in your reader and can't see the full page, there are a few more market bags in the shop to choose from. Thank you to those who picked one up yesterday!
What a good time we had at the Farmers' Market yesterday. Thank you all for wishing me well on opening day, and thanks to all of you that stopped by to say hello, it was great to put smiling faces to names! Wasn't the weather absolutely perfect? Now let's please hope for a little more of that sunshine for the farmers... spring sure has been off to a pretty gray and cool start for their crops.
The past several nights have seen me heading off to bed fairly early (8:30 - 9:00) and then setting my alarm for 2:00 am to get up and sew. It might seem crazy but I really couldn't have found the time otherwise to sew and prepare for the market. It'll get easier once my weekday job is over for the summer. As hard as it was to get up at that hour, once I did, my work flowed so easily. The house was quiet, I didn't feel like I should be doing something else with my time, and with each hour that passed it got lighter and lighter outside and the birds would wake up one by one which was very sweet. And then my family would wake up one by one, and I felt so satisfied with 5 hours of work behind me.
Anyway, just wanted to pop in quickly this morning to say thank you for asking me to list some of these market bags in the shop, and to let you know that I finally did get a chance to do that! Come on over to have a look if you'd like... and don't forget you have until tonight to enter this month's First Friday Giveaway!
Hi there! This post is going up a little later than intended (I waited and waited for a brighter sky to take the photos... it is only getting darker out there), but you have until Monday evening to enter this month's giveaway so there is plenty of time to comment! Let's get started...
Photo coutesy of Carrie, Little Owl Vintage
This month my very good bloggy friend Carrie (couldn't resist Carrie, I LOVE that picture!) of Rhubarbsky is joining in the fun around here. Carrie and I have so much in common (except she is way funnier), it really is a shame there are 3,000 long and lonely miles between us.A little while back Carrie opened up a vintage shop on Etsy, Little Owl Vintage, and today, Carrie is kindly offering a $25.00 Gift Certificate to one lucky commenter on this post to do a little vintage shopping with over at her her place, woo-hoo! And in an effort to tie it all together, part of my offering to this giveaway was made using fabric that I purchased from Little Owl Vintage! How cool is that!? Here is a message from Carrie...
"I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate to Little Owl Vintage, my wee etsy shop. To enter, please leave a comment on this post. If you purchase something from the shop during the giveaway, it's worth 5 entries, so post 5 comments with a description of what you purchased. Thanks Heather for this fun opportunity! ~ Carrie"
Awesome right? If you purchase something you will be entered 5 times! Make sure to come back after check out and leave those comments. ;) Oh, one more thing... "for the month of June, Beauty that Moves readers can have 10% off merchandise (not shipping) by typing "BTMJune09" in the box thingie that comes up when they purchase something from Little Owl Vintage. I'll send them a revised invoice with the corrected total after they order."Fantastic!
So, for my part of the giveaway... You know I'm all about the Farmers' Market Tote these days.
Well, of course I just had to use some of that great Little Owl Vintage Fabric to make one for the giveaway! And, not to send it off into the world alone...
A companion! This is such a great summery color combination, bright and yummy.
But wait, what if you wanted to be part of the fun? To somehow be connected to this virtual union that is taking place regardless of the endless miles of open land and sea between us all?
How about if I send you some fabric (an incredible vintage decorator's sample) that was about to be listed in my shop, and then you can make a market tote to add to the two here.
Lot's of cosmic, interconnected crafty and thrifty goodness going with this giveaway. Although there is a good chance that is just my own perception. Have I mentioned that I am totally sleep deprived and caffeine induced with our own Farmers' Market opening in 48 very short hours? Big energy is floating pretty steadily around here these days... big energy...
Before you head off to comment, let's recap.
One $25.00 Gift Certificate to Little Owl Vintage
Two handmade Farmers' Market Totes
One Vintage Decorator's Sample (did I mention it was made in England?)- enough to make a market bag of your own.
Everything you see here!
One lucky winner :)
Oh, this is a good one... head on over to the comments! Comments will be closed and winner announced Monday evening. Thank you Carrie, and to all of you who come and hang out here for a little bit each day or when you can. I really appreciate your visit and the time you take to say hello.
Comments are now closed, I'll be back shortly with a winner!
We are in countdown mode now. No longer am I looking at the calendar thinking there are weeks or months to prepare for the Farmers Market. It is now all about the days and hours.
I mentioned taking things down a notch this year design-wise. There will (once we are into summer and my Monday-Friday job is over) be embroidered one of a kind patchwork bags, there will be dog collars, there will even be a few mantra quilts and prayer flag sets. All in good time, and probably just little bits of those things here and there.
My focus this year is on practicality. What handmade goodies can I create that are beautiful, functional, and simple enough in design so they are also very affordable? Well, there are quite a few things that will be rolling out this market season, each week that I am there a new eco and pocket book friendly item debuting!
First up... The Farmers Market Tote!
Why haven't I done this sooner? Well, truth be told I was working on a few designs last year but none that I felt completely satisfied with. This one I love. This one is a wonderful size with a nice boxy shape. This one has purpose.
There will be folks that will ask me to make bigger ones, there will be those that ask for them to be smaller. Some will express wanting a zipper or closure of some sort, others will ask for pockets. One lone soul will definitely ask for shorter straps, and contrary to their request, five others will ask for longer. It's just the way it goes. I try not to take it personally when people check out my work and then suggest 3 different ways it could be made better. I know many of you can relate, having sold your own handmade designs before. It's so hard and edgy to put yourself out there in the first place. I should say though, my experience has always been that the positives outweigh the not-so-positive. And many suggestions do work themselves into future designs. Still, I'll be giving myself a little "go team, don't be so sensitive" pep talk over the next few days as market day approaches this Sunday... and I hope people that stop by will enjoy what they see. (And there will be MANY to see!)
:: Thank you for all of your incredible help on my last post. I'll be printing it all out and passing it on to my friend. There was such good information within the comments, what a fabulous resource you all put together!
:: I'd like to give a warm and friendly welcome to this months new sponsors. Coyote Craft and Good 4 You, two wonderful shops that I am thrilled to have on board here this month.
:: Don't forget! This Friday is June's First Friday Giveaway... I can't wait to show you what's in store for this months offering!
:: And finally, how about these finds from the weekend? So much to play with and sort through! Some of these things will be staying right here (like that awesome rocking chair on my front porch, and the beautiful embroidery on linen panels in the bottom shot), but plenty of things will be making it into the shop as well. Though I expect very little listing will take place over the next 2-3 weeks as we wrap up the school year and soccer season. But you can always let me know if something catches your eye and you'd like more info about it.
If you found out that you can no longer eat dairy, meat, soy, sugar, coffee, chocolate, wheat (or any form of gluten), additives or preservatives of any kind, alcohol and possibly eggs, what would you eat? I have a friend that would really appreciate any suggestions (she's not feeling up for a raw diet right now which is where my mind first went). Even this self-proclaimed whole foodie is coming up short on inspiration right now.
Man. That's quite a list isn't it?
Any websites, blogs, or book recommendations? We would be so grateful.
Months ago I felt the need to re-establish a clear, designated space in our home for yoga practice. I've always maintained a corner here or there for this, but it's been ages since I've truly set aside space in our home for yoga alone.
I feel very fortunate to have a family that understands the benefits to be gained from giving up a little square footage (this was previously our den and it was cute and cozy) in our home, to set it aside as a sacred place of wellness and self-discovery.
There's really nothing to it. Less is more when it comes to putting together this kind of space. There is a shelf for my yoga texts, poetry, and journals. There is an alter that has a rotating display of a few special treasures, a docking station for my ipod, and of course, sparkly lighting. Most importantly, there is room for three mats should any family members care to join me... which i think they will both start doing more and more.
I've been using this room for a little while now, but this weekend the final curtain was sewn (I used two matching 70's tapestries - I'm such a sucker for those) and it finally feels complete and perfect in every way. It is such a calm and beautiful space to be in.
Birthright
Danna Faulds
Despite illness of body or mind, in spite of blinding despair or habitual belief, who you are is whole.
Let nothing keep you separate from the truth. The soul, illumined from within, longs to be known for what it is.
Undying, untouched by fire or the storms of life, there is a place inside where stillness and abiding peace reside.You can ride the breath to go there.
Despite doubt or hopeless turns of mind, you are not broken. Spirit surrounds, embraces, fills you from the inside out. Release everything that isn't your true nature. What's left, the fullness, light and shadow, claim all that as your birthright.
Thanks for stopping by our little yoga room, I hope you're having a great week!
