Disbelief

I can't believe that I've been doing Year of Outfits for almost half a year! I think that this might be fun to compile into a book or something. I could use the book as a Christmas gift for family...a kooky gift from Aunt Sarah...they'd be *shocked* (Note: The last sentence is dripping with sarcasm)

Mystery Knit

I love it when stash busting and Christmas prezzy making go hand in hand! What will it be?

If anyone cares to guess, leave me a comment! ;)

The days get even sweeter

As promised I have a delicious recipe for my sweet tooth minded friends. This isn't the most locally minded recipe, but it was an exercise in pantry cleaning. I only bought one new ingredient, (the dates), to make it!



Coconut Rice Pudding

Adapted from a recipe at Everybody Likes Sandwiches

coconut rice pudding
2 c cooked long grain rice
2 c whole milk
1 c half & half cream
1 1/2 c coconut milk (I used the super rich, 23% fat variety)
1/2 c white sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground cardamom
4 medjool dates chopped
1/4 c almond slices

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of milk with the rice over medium-high heat. When the mixture starts to boil, lower heat and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add in the cream, coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom and return heat to medium-high. When mixture boils, stir for a few minutes and then lower heat to a simmer. The milk will start to evaporate and the mixture will thicken. Stir occassionally, making sure the mixture isn't getting too hot (ie. sticking to the bottom of the pan!). I found that this process took about 8 minutes on my stove. Stir in dates and almonds, shortly before removing from heat. Remove pudding from heat when mixture is just shy of rice pudding consistency. The mixture will thicken up when cool. Place pudding into a large bowl and cover with cling film touching the surface to prevent skin. I find this recipe delicious warm, room temperature or cold! Bon apetit!

Nice things today:

* Took a dance class today that reminded me how much I love to move!
* Coffee and dance videos with a dear friend
* Finishing the elusive second mitten!!! (Pictures to follow)

Sweetness

I did a little yo yo sewing for a few more ballerina brooches today. I found a better way to attach the yo yo to the brooch so that it stays puffy, and I'm so much happier with the final product. Most of these are going to find their way into the shop, except the finished one that you see on top of the pile.



This dancin' lass is a special gift for a blog friend who is very dear to me :)

Today was Matt's first day off in weeks. We spent the day together doing errands, having dinner at the kitchen table, eating yummy rice pudding (recipe tomorrow!) and we're going to see a late show of Juno tonight!

All in all it has been sweet and lovely day -and I'm off to enjoy what's rest of it with my love!

This is...

...me taking a picture of myself in the mirror with my favorite accessory.



I've decided to play along with the "This Is" meme started over at Three Buttons. This week's topic is a difficult one for me, because I consider myself a bit of a self appointed accessory queen! I'm rarely seen in public not wearing the "holy triumvirate of accessories" - big sunglasses, big earrings, and scarf/headscarf. How, oh how, could I pick a favorite?

Well, maybe a little cliche, but I chose my engagement ring. It is one of my most prized material possessions. You can read the history behind the ring way back in my archives.

Busy-ness and the moments of quiet in between

Today was my first official day of vacation. Did I mention that? It's not terribly exciting, since I work hourly and really vacation just means a week without pay - so I can never afford to get away so to speak. On the flip side I *do* get to catch up on everything that's been neglected at the apartment lately, and holy moly molly is that a lot!



I always find it easier to get through doing a lot of chores by working in short spurts and giving myself little breaks. Like blog-reading and quality cat time.

Look at those cheeks!



Sometimes the cats decide that it's going to be a longer break than planned...



Perks of the day:

* Getting a good start on cleaning the apartment
* Watching Chocolat for the first time - (the clothes! I want to dress like Juliette Binoche in this movie every day!)
* Trudging out to my car to clean the snow off thinking that it was going to be a huge task, and having the huge clumps of snow just slide of my car in about five swipes!
* Impromptu dinner party with Jess and Allison, cooked delicious pork chops from Lasting Legacy Farm, and watched Dropped Dead Gorgeous for the first time. Hilarious.
* Ended the night with a few beers and a few good friends.

I'm content.

Thrift Scores!

Oh thrifting, how I have missed you! What a perfect afternoon excursion before the (damned) snow started to fall too heavily to be out and about.

My parents picked me up and took me out to lunch in Exeter today, at a place called the Green Bean. The food was absolutely delicious. I had an egg salad sandwich on fresh olive bread, with roasted red pepper and feta soup. I also shared a gorgonzola, candied cranberry, toasted walnut salad with my mom. You could've rolled me out of there, I was so stuffed!

After that mom suggested that we stopped at an antique store on the way back to my apartment. Oh I am so happy that we did! Everything, for the most part, was so affordable! A thrifting trove!

I love this button card...



I've wanted a polka dotted Fire King mug for such a long time!



And the piece de resistance - a huge Pennsylvania Dutch serving tray I found almost completely shoved behind a bureau. It was only $10!!!



Even Cassie approves...

Dreaming of the Sugar Shack

Maple sugar woods sap bucket, originally uploaded by Cindy's World.

Good news posted at the Seacoast Eat Local blog brought back fun child hood memories. New Hampshire's Maple Sunday is the weekend of March 29!

I've been thinking recently about how my parents always used to bundle me up to go to a local "Sugar Shack" for pancakes or waffles with gobs of butter and gobs of maple syrup.

I love maple syrup.

No, really, I do. Real maple syrup is the condiment of the foodie gods! Maple syrup on baked beans? Yum. Maple syrup on pancakes and bacon? A heart attack I'll risk! Maple syrup in chai and coffee? Delicious. Straight out of the bottle? Yeah, I've gone there.

The post reminded me that Matt has agreed to humor me and come to the Sugar Shack this year, so he can experience the fun. I say "humor me" because Matt prefers what I refer to as "that other CRAP" that occupies valuable fridge space. Log *shudder* Cabin. You see, Matt grew up from "away" (*cough, JERSEY, cough cough*) and doesn't comprehend the deliciousness that is real maple syrup. Apparently this is quite a debate among many people.

What's your favorite pancake topping?

Highs and Lows...Need to Sew

I took a leap today and inquired about a studio rental near my apartment...

...and was *crestfallen* to find that it was no longer available. The moment I saw the interior picture, I just fell in love! For the past 24 hours I was happily daydreaming about my glorious future workspace, and a little e-mail from the real estate agent pooped on it all! HMPF!

I so greatly desire to have my own space and do my own work, and I just feel overwhelmed with how to go about getting it. For the time being, I've committed myself to reading some related legal schmegal articles, so that I feel like I'm *doing something* pro-active towards this goal.

Anyways, how about I stop boring you with my tortured artist rhetoric!? The frustration today led to me to do some instant gratification sewing! I've had the idea in my head for ages to make a kitschy ballerina brooch. Since I've committed my shop profits to the "artistic freedom" fund, I thought I should develop a few dance products for fun and for the sake of keeping with the theme. What do you all think?



I'm especially happy with the how the little bits of tulle behind the ballerina look! I'm thinking some silvery or gold netting might look pretty scooby too!

Sharpen the focus of your artistic intent

I attended a teaching artists' workshop today, and the title above are words that I wrote as a "headline" to describe what I learned to do today.

It was renewing and encouraging to be surrounded by artists, whom all work in different mediums, and just soak up their passion for their art and their desire to pass that passion on to another generation. At the same time it was encouraging to hear that we all have similar frustrations as artists, even those that I would consider to be the more established people there. One of the guests at this focus group was not an artist, but a philanthropist of sorts and he said something great. He said "I've always thought of artists as the antennae of society. It's all of your jobs to tell me what I'm missing out on."

One of the activities of the day was to work on our mission statements. A sculptor in my group opened his with "It starts as a profound act of listening..." I found that thought very striking. Some of the conversations today really got me mulling about my current work. I feel that it is inevitable that something must happen to change my work as it is now. I'm a little scared at the challenges that this change may cause- but oddly enough I feel relieved that I've realized that it's got to happen.

I think my job as an artist in the coming months is to practice the profound art of listening to my heart, and to see where it leads me.

I'm tired - *YAWN*

Is that Christmas fabric?

It sure is my friends - and yes feel free to think that I'm entirely nuts!



Let me explain... Four years ago I began participating in a "Christmas Unswap" thread on Craftster. The guidelines were to make something monthly, so that you would be more prepared and relaxed when the holidays rolled around. I was *terrible* about this last year! I hate crafty pressure - so I'm trying to revisit this idea this year with a little more chutzpah!

When I saw Linda's tutorial for her deer ornaments on the Repro Depot blog, I knew that they had to be mine! I'm all about some woodland cuteness, so I set to work.



The Christmas tree fabric is Alexander Henry c. 2005 that I purchased on sale from Sew Mama Sew. It's also available in a really pretty blue colorway - so I might make a few more ornaments with that later in the year. Everything else was in my stash. This first dozen should pretty much take care of my tradition of giving a handmade ornament to every household in my immediate family and a few super special friends. A second batch will go to my favorite annual ornament swappers. I love that the little deer kinda look like they're frolicking through the forest!

The tutorial for these is simple, quick and has introduced me to the joys of permanent fabric glue aka super awesome stuff that I'm going to use *all the time* (thank you Linda)! If you are on Craftster, and would like to join me on my yearly Christmas quest, post on the 2008 Christmas Unswap thread that I just started!

Local Sustainable Living Links

Many excellent resources and articles have come to my attention via Seacoast Eat Local and Slow Food Seacoast as of late. I wanted to pass these links on in case any of you local peeps reading aren't aware of the awesomeness of the blogs that I just mentioned. On to the fun stuff...

NH Online Farmer's Market - What an awesome, innovative idea!

Victory Garden Revival - Let's take back our food production values!

New Vendors Sought for Local Farmers Markets - I wish that my crafts would qualify for this!

Slow Food Seacoast brings us SOLE - Sustainable Organic Local Ethical Food Series - The coolest link of all! Alas, I teach dance on almost every single one of the nights of these lectures. I wish that I could go!

Eww - Scary Movie

Mr. Brooks = Good scary movie. However, now I need some Ugly Betty to erase all of the arterial spray that I just saw...

Oh Deer

Crafting is progressing, cleaning is progressing, work is drowning me. O-VER-WHELMED. Oh dear...

Happy Valentine's Day

I present the very first mix that I have ever made my hubby ever! Can you believe that? In four-ish years I haven't found the time to do this. I don't think it's my best mixology work, but I'm pretty pleased nonetheless, hopefully he likes it too. The first few songs are life pre-Matt, and the rest all make me think of him for one reason or another. Some are total stereotypical gushy mix songs - When I'm 64, Natural Woman, I couldn't resist! I'm lovin' the juxtaposition of Nothing With You/Take a Walk - because that's an endless loving battle between us; be hermit couple and watch tv - or get out and see the world!

1. Bob Dylan - Girl from the North Country
2. John Mayer - Love Song for No One
3. Alanis Morissette - 21 Things I Want in a Lover
4. Joni Mitchell - You Turn Me On (I'm a Radio)
5. Feist - Mushaboom
6. Better Than Ezra - The Stars
7. Joan Armatrading - Show Some Emotion
8. Aretha Franklin - Natural Woman
9. Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am
10. The Beatles - When I'm 64
11. Marvin Gaye - At Last (I Found a Love)
12. The Descendants - Nothing With You
13. Edie Brickell - Take a Walk
14. Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
15. The Pretenders - Message of Love (If we had amplifiers at our outdoor wedding, I totally would've walked down the isle to this)
16. Colin Hay - I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You (From the Garden State Soundtrack)

Playing Catch Up

More on this later...

Good Things

Mark Lives in Ikea - I just watched every single one of these videos. Absolutely hilarious!

Little Acorn made this awesome paper cut template for Valentine's Day. I don't have enough hours in the day for this - so cute though!!!

Dottie Angel just made these outstanding curtains out of old table linens, vintage material and a doily. I'm going to be on the hunt for table linens and doilies when I'm yard sale-ing this year!

Have you seen Alicia Paulson's free embroidery download for her newPleasant Kitchen Towels? I'm completely smitten.

Etsy just had an illustration contest for new shop swag and my favorite design won, so it's now a t-shirt that I *had* to buy. I think I'm developing a little bit of an Etsy problem...

Wheee!

Too tired for words...a little loopy.

BALLET DAY!

I'm off to brave the snow to see Festival Ballet Providence's "Masters in Motion" So exciting! I don't know if I'll be home before midnight, but if I am I'll give all the details!

How am I supposed to get anything done when a cat this cute is sitting on me?

Night Cut Short - Still Sicky

Not much new here. Nahcotta was full to the brim with lovely pieces of art tonight! I really liked Amy Ruppel's beeswax pieces. They had such a beautiful sheen in person! I couldn't believe how many people were there - I even ran into my friend Abby from high school!

Sadly my night at the gallery was cut a little short when I began spiking a fever and sweating like a madwoman. Jamie and Allison escorted me out of there and we got some usually yummy Flatbread, but sadly again my stomach was having nothing of it. The hanging out was good, but I'm happy to be home now, so I can snuggle up with my kitties AND a new issue of Marie Claire Idees! Whoo-hoo!

Enormous Tiny Art Show

ETA III postcard front, originally uploaded by nahcotta gallery.

Matt's flying to South Carolina tonight, so I am immersed in a Buffy marathon this evening!

Tomorrow evening should be good times, because after I teach my class for the evening I'm off to check out the Enormous Tiny Art Show at Nahcotta. If you live near Portsmouth, NH you should definitely check it out. I'm so looking forward to meeting a certain brilliant gal there - so it'll be extra fun!

...more...buffy...

Flu?

This is me less than 24 hours ago - all cute and happy with freshly cut bangs:



This is me five seconds ago with evil black death upon me:



I can't ever remember being this sick, and it came out of nowhere! I was fine last night, sitting on the couch, I went to get up and go to the bathroom, and I felt a twinge of pain in my back, and from the walk from the couch to bathroom it's like my whole body decide to bail on me. Every muscle tightened, my skin got hot, my head felt like it was in a vice and I was shaking. I felt like a boiled potato sleeping last night - I just kept getting up drinking water, go pee, go to bed, get up, drink water, go pee, go to bed.

I took some Dayquil this morning and it seems to be doing something. I don't have the shakes and all the other pain is slightly milder, except now I have a sore throat.

Anyways - who cares about the nasty details. I am some sort of SICK!

Something to inspire...

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --

Yes. We. Can.

P.S. I cast my vote for Obama in the NH primary. I don't like to get too political on here, so if Obama isn't your cup of tea please be respectful of my choice and don't yap about it on the comments because I will promptly delete them, thanks.

YES, or seven things that I like

Okay, I felt that I needed to post twice today to make up for the woe is me pity post that I posted in the wee hours this morning. I decided to snag Jen's invitation to tag myself for the Seven Things I Like meme going around, and I came up with this:

Sea Urchins have such a lovely organic shape and texture that's really appealing to me right now. I love this pair of earrings and this huge ring via Star of the East. I'm also loving the completely different take on sea urchin jewelry by Honey Bee such as these earrings.

Sew Mama Sew Blog and shop. The blog is great, because there is so much fun information, and the posts usually follow a theme for a few weeks - this month is quilting. I enjoy that Kristin takes the time to highlight some of the readers stories, so it feels more like it's a group blog, even though it's not. The shop's service is impeccable. They ship quickly and they include a "50 Things You Can Sew" postcard and a vintage button with every order!

Tunics: like this one-and this one, via MaryInk. Also loving the Anna Tunic and Lotus Tunic via Amy Butler.

Knit Bangles - I must make these, because I really need another craft project like I need a hole in the head!

BURLESQUE!!! - I've gotta say, I'm a little fascinated ever since I saw the Boston Baby Dolls. It's stripping, but oh so much better, because it's kinda of glamorous, theatrical, and it has an important role in vaudeville history. I've done a little YouTube research, and if you want to see a fabulous tease, check out the queen herself Dita Von Teese - Warning - this link leads to adult-ish content aka boobies!

Artwork with one of these four elements: houses, coffee/tea, trees, birds. I'm a sucker for trends, but I like what I like!

This mini-fire pot.

NO

Patriots lost.

I got pulled over by a cop for doing NOTHING.

And I missed a day of posting by 6 minutes.

I am sad.

Warning Seasonal Food Rant: Real Simple=Simpletons?

I have a confession to make. I read Real Simple.

Real Simple, I feel, is like Cosmo for homemakers. The layout/reader stories/recurring themes are all a tad corny, yet every time I pass the magazine rack in the supermarket check out, I cannot resist picking it up.

Except yesterday - it really really really pissed me off!

I starting flipping through my new February 2008 issue when I come across an article entitled: "Rescuing Winter Produce." Immediately my eyebrows raise, because the 3/4 page gigantic picture above this headline is a tomato with a band-aid on it. Hmm...winter? Tomato?

The sub-line continues: "Transform out-of-season fruits and vegetables - like mealy tomatoes, tough green beans, and woody carrots - into these five lush, delicious dishes.

Huh, so now winter produce, (the season we are in), is suddenly equal to "out-of-season fruits and vegetables." Makes perfect sense to me!? (Oh sarcasm).

The following pages offered recipes to doctor and transform green beans, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, and strawberries. Save the recipe for the carrots, which one might have kicking around in their root cellar, not a single one of these crops scream winter to me. Let's see summer, fall, summer, summer and SUMMER! No kidding all of this produce tastes like crap, Real Simple! BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN SEASON. BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN DOCTORED AND MODIFIED BEYOND RECOGNITION TO SURVIVE TRAVELING THOUSANDS OF MILES TO OUR GROCERY STORES. GAH!!!

When Real Simple is telling us that we have to mask our food with spices and sugar and all sorts of cooking wizardry just to make it edible, I think that that might be indicative of a problem with our food consumption in this country. If it tastes like crud to begin with - it's going to taste like crud wallowing in some sauce/syrup when you cook it. Seems to me that the effort to make these foods taste good in February is not so "simple."

I would prefer biting into a green bean when it's green, a zucchini when there are a million of them proliferating the farmer's market, a tomato off the vine and a strawberry when it's RED and not white or pasty pink on the inside.

Real Simple - as of this moment, I just might be over you.

Cleaning the freezer - and it never tasted better!

Last fall I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle at the end of New England's growing season - October. I attempted to fulfill my burning need to buy local and support farmers by going a little pumpkin crazy.

Currently I'm trying to clear out my fridge in anticipation for new things that'll live in there this next season. I made a tiny dent in the frozen pumpkin tundra with the following recipe.

I. cannot. stop. eating. these. COOKIES!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Original Recipe originally appeared here: Taylor and Beth Crawford

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. white sugar
1 c. light brown sugar
2 farm fresh eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. roasted pumpkin puree
3 c. Flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 bag of Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips (Don't mess around people, buy the good stuff!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat butter till smooth.
Beat in sugars till fluffy.
Beat in one at a time: eggs, vanilla, pumpkin.
Mix in all dry ingredients, except the flour.
Add the flour one cup at a time.
Stir in chips.
Bake heaping tablespoons of dough for 15-20 (less is better!) minutes, till lightly brown at edges.
Let cookies rest for 2 mins. on sheets, then lift to cooling racks.
Try not to burn tongue and roof of mouth eating scalding hot cookies fresh from the oven.

So delicious - and Matt has deemed them inedible because they're made with pumpkin! All the more for me, *grunts like a pig,* MWAHAHAHAHA!

Now I have about 12 cups of frozen pumpkin to plow through.

I might have to look into buying myself one of those scooters for the pleasantly plump.