beauty that moves

sunday morning ramblings

There is a project I've been trying so desperately to begin for some time now, and couldn't seem to find a proper window of time to sink into the quiet creativity it requires. I was afraid I might have to walk away from the opportunity, that my life simply wouldn't allow it at this time. Then I had the idea to just ask our Director at school for one day off a week... could that work for them? I was honest about the project I was hoping to embark on. She understood, so did the head teacher in our classroom. They made the necessary arrangements for the classroom and I now have one full day per week to pursue something so deeply meaningful. I am totally unaware of where it will take me, and am making sure the end result is not where the weight of my focus lies. The work and the process are the true gifts of this journey.

My day off started this past week, and I stayed right at this bright little table by the window at our local cafe. It began to get a little loud around lunch time for my easily distracted mind, so I packed up and headed up the hill to our home for a few more hours of work before Emily needed to be picked up from school. It went pretty well, but I did feel the pull to do other things such as picking up, laundry, tidy up those few dishes in the kitchen. I know myself well, and the most effective way for me to accomplish all that I hope to is to take this show on the road, I am easily distracted at home. If the cafe is too loud at times, I will head over to the University library (which is just around the corner), and this project will be born into the world at some point, in some form.

Two books arrived yesterday in the mail, I LOVE when book orders arrive on a Saturday. The timing is perfect and I'm looking forward to sinking in further today with these two titles; Taking Flight: Tips and Techniques to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings, and 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women. One of my goals for this year is to carve out more time for exploring my creative self. For me, it's critical to the overall balance of body, mind and spirit that this part of my being is honored, and more importantly, given it's rightful place in my daily routine. In making this commitment, some others priorities needed to shift.

I have decided to close my two shops for a period of time. I am not sure if they will re-open before the summer, and I'm so sorry I didn't have enough cash budget pouches listed for all of you, they will come again I am sure. Both shops will re-open, in time. For now, I see a very full five months ahead of me as we sell, pack-up and move our home two states away... there is my day job keeping me busy... my family that loves to be well fed and cared for... the project I mentioned above that I am fully committed to this late winter into spring... my own yoga practice and very clean-eating path that I'm learning so much about myself from (though I have not shared it here yet...). All of this and huge, deeply soul fulfilling periods of time for nurturing and expanding my creative self. I hope to share much of my process and artistic results as they arrive, but I am not so sure any of it will manifest into a shop update of sorts for some time.

Anyway, this is such a lazy Sunday morning rambling kind of post. Lastly, I changed some things around on the blog design-wise... I might play with it a little more. This space felt due for a change. Now I think I'll go make some oatmeal with banana, mango and coconut... thank you for checking in with me as you do.

how we store our greens

A while back a reader asked how I store our greens. She was looking for a way to not store hers in a plastic bag or plastic container. We are an everyday green smoothie kind of family here (well, Emily not so much, but Adam and I... yes!). We hope one day she learns by our example of making fabulous choices. ;)

It would be kind of a pain to take out the big bunch of greens to wash and chop every morning in the midst of showering, dressing, lunch packing, and just the general business of a weekday morning. I can't really add much more to the list. So every few days I wash, chop and store fresh greens so they are ready to go by the handful each morning. Into the bender also goes fresh apple, frozen strawberries, water, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Wash the greens first and drain/dry a little.

Remove the stems with a knife or tear the leaf off the stem by holding the stem end and pushing the leaf off with the other hand in the opposite direction. Similar to taking thyme leaves off their stem.

Give it all a rough chop.

This was a small bunch, it will only last (maybe) two days.

Now, the part I really wanted to share with you. I worked at a restaurant for several years while Adam was in law school (mama by day, wait tables at night sort of thing...) and I would always ask the chef if I could take home the gallon sized glass jars that all of those Italian condiments came in; artichokes, marinated mushrooms, roasted peppers, etc. They otherwise would have been tossed in recycling but they are perfect for pantry storage. I have well over a dozen of these and keep everything from oats to dried beans to granola to leftover soups to GREENS in them! They have a really wide mouth at the top for easy access. Check out your local deli or restaurant. Be really nice about it and just ask... "Does your kitchen order any food items that come in those wonderful gallon size glass jars? Would it be any trouble to set them aside for me and I could pick them up once a week?" It never hurts to ask. I made sure the guys knew not to feel troubled by washing them, I'd do it at home. They just gave a quick little rinse and that was it. Ask around in your area, you might get lucky!

Note: Our favorite greens are kale and collard greens. Both are really sturdy and can hold up to being washed and store for a 2-3 days just fine. Spinach or swiss chard is a little more tender, but with really fresh greens and careful, thorough draining, it can be done.

At the top of my "hope to find" thrift list right now are a few of those square/rectangle enamel, lidded containers. The big ones. I passed over a couple at the flea market last year and am kicking myself still. They would be great for all kinds of produce storage.

Do you have a favorite method for storing produce that doesn't involve plastic?

blog interrupted

One of our computers was attacked by the virus of a lifetime over the weekend. It is the one I use to upload and edit all of my photos. Things are slowly getting repaired (and some destroyed), I will be back soon when everything is completely smoothed out. In the meantime, orders are being worked on quite steadily. Thank you all so much for your interest and support! Be back soon...

i happen to have an apron collection

As part of the great clean-up/pack-up that happens with the sale of a home, the purging and organizing of things has been entirely satisfying.The other day I washed my apron collection. I generally do not consider myself to be a collector of things, the idea of it makes me feel a little claustrophobic. But to my surprise, once they were all gathered, washed and folded, I see there is no denying it, I do indeed have a collection of aprons. And I'm making no excuses about it.

My very favorite is the white with blue roses on the right.

It was my grandmother's apron and I feel her presence each time I tie it's strings around my waist. I could easily let go of the rest of those piles if I had to, but not this one. This one was Mema's, and it is one of my greatest treasures.

Tell me, is 22 (and counting) aprons too many for one girl to have?

market reality sets in

We spent two hours yesterday in this room interviewing realtor number one to sell our property. He was perfectly nice and sells many homes in our area, we appreciated his personal and genuine interest in historic homes. Now we are processing the reality of our home's current value. Shocker. A $60,000 decrease from 5 years ago kind of shocker. Our home is definitely in the "starter home price range" for our area, so that kind of money is a pretty big piece of change. Of course, we realize those bigger numbers from five years ago were false given the unsustainable housing market craziness that was going on. Still, we can't help but feel (like so many people) a little disappointed not to make a bit off our first time home purchase investment. Isn't that why we buy those first homes? For investment's sake? Oh well, life is still moving forward, we'll just cut our losses (or hopefully break evens) and move on to the next chapter.

Have I ever told you about these chairs? I'm not sure. The makeover these chairs received six years ago was courtesy of one quart of Old Sturbridge Village Antique Black paint. It was applied over not at all pretty 90's beechwood chairs. The best $10 I ever spent. This tone of black is not modern looking, it is somehow muted and old feeling. Highly recommended if you have anything that could use a facelift. The table is not black, it's antique, wood, just looks dark in the photo.

Thank you all by the way for your orders this week, I'm so happy you like the new colorways! I'll be taking orders through the weekend for the cash budget pouches.

Okay, time to go and get this family moving with our day, see you soon.