Woof Nanny

Museli Recipe

2012-01-24T13:05:00.000-08:00

One of the things I find helpful with having a blog, is I can post recipes that I want to keep, and always have a way to access them.

I tried a recipe for homemade granola after hearing Lisa Ann Walter talk about it on her radio show out of Los Angeles, on KFI 640AM.
It's fabulous (just like Lisa. Her show is The Fabulous Lisa Ann Walter).
She says, "I eat it every day and it's wonderful. I never feel hungry, and it doesn't make me feel like I want to go back to bed like when I have carbs or too much fat in the a.m."

To me, granola is something held together with honey and maybe maple syrup and baked.
That's fine, but this recipe is raw, and in my opinion more of a museli.
And I loooove museli.
Nuts are loaded with nutrients and good fat, and will help you feel satiated so you don't want to reach for that quick junk food fix.

Homemade "Granola"
1 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1 cup raw, unsalted pecans
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup psyllium husk (I skipped these. I think they're kind-of a laxative thing, but I'm not sure)
1/2 cup flax seed
1/2 cup flax meal (note Trader Joes sells all of these items)
1 box high fiber cereal (also TJ's) or you can use 3-4 cups organic whole oatmeal instead of fiber cereal (I used the oatmeal)
You can also add as much/little as you want of other nuts - pistachios, pepitas, etc - it's really up to you.
I added 1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut

Lisa suggests, "Just buy a few bags of frozen mixed berries and pour a cup or more into a bowl, nuke and then add half a cup of plain greek yogurt on top, finish with a giant handful of the granola mix."
I'm not fan of Greek yogurt, so I use Whole Milk Cream Top Vanilla yogurt by Brown Cow (sooo sad that Stonyfield farm stopped making theirs. That was the best yogurt on the market).
Sometimes I add the fruit, sometimes I add the yogurt, sometimes I add both.
Sometimes I pour milk over it and eat it like cereal.
It's a great any-time snack.

Put the mix in a zip-loc bag and keep in the fridge.

Remembering 2011

2012-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

A new year, a clean slate.
This is my favorite time of year.

I started a tradition for myself of remembering things I accomplished during the previous year.
I like the idea of reminding myself of adventures and accomplishments, versus the human tendency to lose ourselves in "what if", "if only", and failures.

2010's list

In 2011 I:
*Finally had a Mai Tai at the Bali Hai (something on my San Diego bucket list)

*Splurged and bought myself an IPhone!

*I read 16 books (um, about half of last year's total. Due to that phone, lol, I spent more time on Facebook than reading. That's going to change this year)

*I heard Bruno Leone play piano, sing, and tell stories at the Atheneum (the La Jolla Music and Arts Library). It was magical

*I saw Amos Lee at Humphries

And spent a couple days at Tiki Oasis, listening to bands, learning how to apply pin-up make-up, and shopping for cool stuff like this vintage fabric

*I won second place in an essay contest that garnered me a $1000 scholarship. So I decided to go back to school!
When I talked to the enrollment person on the phone, she said,
"wow, not many people get a thousand. You must be really special."
That made me feel great.
I am attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition
*With my school's assistance, I got my own website,
Wishing Wellness, focusing on health coaching (and eventually art classes)
*I got my own business cards

*I took a class to learn SoulCollage.
I intend to get certified to teach this art technique.

*I finally started selling on eBay

*I took my first Burlesque class

*I took a vacation to Seattle for the first time, and to Vancouver.
I never did blog about that, and I have so many cool pics to share...perhaps soon I'll blog it belatedly.
The trip included finally seeing Dale Chihuly's amazing blown glass art
(and I obviously fell in love with the Hipstamatic app)

*I finally tried a Suncrest Peach. Absolutely amazing (for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, read the book Epitaph for a Peach.This is how God intended fruit to taste.
Not the picked green varieties that are available in the grocery store now.
Those bland varieties are chosen because they ship well, but they have no flavor.

*I saw my first example of Urban Knitting, aka a Yarn Bomb

*I finally saw a movie at the La Paloma Theatre
(another entry checked off my local bucket list)

*I finally finished Jen's Mosaic Pot
*And I finished another set of personalized baby blocks (I still need to blog about these)

*I had boudoir photos taken for the first time. Definitely something I'll do again

*I met with a financial advisor in a huge step toward getting back on my feet and out of debt

*And, most importantly, my ex-boyfriend came looking for me and we got back together. It has been amazing

How was your year?

Gift Ideas

2011-12-08T22:52:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite gifts, both to give and to receive, are stocking stuffers.
Fun candy, I-tunes gift cards, gold coins, wool socks, art supplies, kitchen gadgets...
Here are a couple more ideas:

If you have long hair, this brush is a MUST HAVE.
The Wet Brush blows a comb out of the water. It is awesome!
And affordable.

I like these dog leashes that loop around to form their own collar.
This one is at LL Bean.

Hee Hee....Dog Slobber Hand Sanitizer
At Perpetual Kid.

I didn't mean to turn this into dog-related gifts, but I've just happened upon some cool stuff.Doggie water bottle adapter

T Rex tea strainer, at Fred Flare

What is on MY "gimme" list this year?
A food processor
New pillow (a chiropractic type)
Chanel foundation
curling iron with a wide brush, like this
a vintage Polaroid. Maybe the SX-70 (see this)
Fermenting class, from Nourished Kitchen

Green Dip-- YUM!

2011-12-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

This is a delicious cross between a salsa verde and a pesto.
Serve it with tortilla chips, or use it as you would any salsa.
It's also a great alternative to guacamole, because you get a lot of salsa yet use very few avocados.

4 bunches cilantro (yes, I do mean bunches. Four sell units)
14 Tomatillos, husks removed (either raw or charred in oven, depending on your preference)
4 Avocados (not too hard, but not overly ripe either), use a spoon to scoop flesh from skin. Remove pit
4-8 Serrano chilies (depending on your heat preference), seeds removed
You can add jalapenos too, but I prefer just Serranos
1 full head of Garlic, skins removed and each clove crushed with your knife

Remove cilantro leaves (just use leaves, not stems), chop, and place in blender
Roughly chop rest of ingredients and add to blender
Add a bit of lemon or lime juice to keep avocados from browning
Add 1 white onion if desired
Salt and/or pepper if desired, to your taste

Blend until all ingredients are chopped and mixed well
Enjoy!

Brie en Croute

2011-11-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

(photo stolen from The Girl Who Ate Everything)

Three words for this recipe: Oh.My.God.

Amazingly good.
I could have gobbled the entire thing, but a girl has to maintain her composure in a crowd.

This is a great recipe to bring to someone's house for an appetizer.
DEFINITELY a keeper.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen (The Food Network)

Show: Paula's Home Cooking Episode: Formal Entertaining
Total Time: 58 min.Prep10 min. Inactive20 min. Cook28 min.
Yield:8 servings, Level:Easy

Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, pre-packaged
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup walnuts
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
Crackers, for serving

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Saute the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well.
Place the walnut mixture on top of the Brie and sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture.
Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface.
Place the brie in the center of the pastry.
Gather up the edges of the pastry, pressing around the brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine.
Brush the beaten egg over top and side of Brie.
Place Brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Serve with crackers.

To give a special look, cut extra pastry into heart or flower shapes and bake until golden.

Note Paula has another version of this recipe that uses raspberry jam

I heart pudding

2011-11-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me well probably know that my white trash guilty pleasure, especially around the holidays, is chocolate pudding in a pie shell.
I love it.
It has been my favorite treat for as long as I can remember.

You also probably know that I love to bake, and I'm a snob about it.
No mixes, thank you very much.
All my baking is from scratch, using the highest quality ingredients.

Except for this.

I have tried multiple recipes for pudding pies, and chocolate pies.
I have tried multiple brands of gourmet chocolate bars and pain stakingly chopped each one.
I have not found anything as yummy as, I'm embarrassed to say, Jello brand.
And it has to have that skin on the top that recipes say to get rid of by refrigerating the pie with plastic wrap on the top.
Why would you want to do that?!

The only thing possibly better than eating ~~the entire pie~~ a slice of pie is taking a spoon to the pan after you've emptied the contents into the pieshell, and licking up every last drop (equally as delicious as licking the beaters after mixing cake batter. I am still eight years old when it comes to the delights of baking in the kitchen).

This is ironic considering I'm attending nuitrition school, and am learning to shun processed foods.
Sigh...
I'll keep trying new recipes, but for now the Jello stays.

That being said, today in the mail I got a package from an unfamiliar address.
Inside was no note of explanation.
No letter of reference.
Inside was one box of Jello brand chocolate pudding.

Interesting.

Whoever was so thoughtful: I thank you.

Random quote...
"Your face makes my soul want to eat chocolate pudding!"
~Andy Milonakis

I promise I will get back to regular blog posting again.
I was without a computer for awhile, so I got out of the habit, and Facebook tends to fill the gap.
But I have multiple catching up posts of gifts received, a trip to Seattle, etc.

And bear with me if some of my photos aren't visible.
I am trying to get my pics off Flickr, but not finished yet.

Bringing Sexy Back

2011-08-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

Many of us, especially women, turn to food in times of stress, depression, or boredom.
Emotional eating is used like a narcotic to self medicate.
Impulse eating is what I think I need RIGHT NOW, versus caring about true nourishment for body or soul.
And all that emotional eating leads to weight gain, which impacts self hate...and it's a vicious circle.

After my dad died in 2003, and my boyfriend pulled a surprise exit a year later, my weight shot up about 60 pounds.
Sixty!
I wouldn't exactly say I shut down, because I continued to grow emotionally and gain strength in terms of how I felt about my own character, but I lost interest in putting myself out there into the dating world, and I lost interest in being the best I could be physically.

Finally, earlier this year I decided to enroll in a nutrition school, basically as a mentor to get me to a better place.
In the meantime, my ex-boyfriend belated figured out he had made a mistake, sought me out, found me, and said,
"I lost you once, I don't want to lose you again."
What?
So we're back together (!!!), and surprisingly, my weight gain doesn't bother him.
It bothers ME though, and I want to get back to a healthy place.
I decided, however, to embrace my weight at the present, and have some boudoir photos taken.
Might be a nice little giftie for said boyfriend for his upcoming birthday.
The steps to get there were all about self care: I got my hair cut and highlighted, my nails and toes manicured and painted, my eyebrows tinted and waxed, my ears re-pierced, and I bought some new lingerie.
It was all somewhat magical.

I saw this absolutely amazing post by Health Coach Cora Poage on Michelle Perrone's website, about body image.
Her comments rang so true for me, having experienced similar circumstances when I was younger that carved wounds in that nasty chatterbox in my head that continually tells me I'm not good enough.
You know that voice--we all have it, and we all need to learn to ignore and quiet the noise.
Cora says, "I began wearing looser clothing with less shape, dark colors (Nun-esque). I tried to hide my curious and confident Spirit behind a demure smile and quiet presence. I attempted to 'blend in'. I started working out as much as possible to straighten out the curves. Sexy was my enemy. I was playing very small. In other words, I stopped being ME. I let one man's random comment keep me from experiencing the fullness of who I am, my Wholeness."

It saddens me just reading that, knowing I did the same for years and years.
But, like Cora, I'm finally coming back into my own.
Cora says, "My Sexy is part of my Power. As a woman, this is my Divine Birthright."

Why would I post boudoir photos, you say?
Well, why not?
It's the ultimate expression of self acceptance.
As Cora says, it's time to bring sexy back.
To be perfectly honest, the photos posted to the public here are the tame ones.

I like what Handcrafted Hitching Post says about her shoot,
"Even if you don't have a perfect model body, I still encourage you to do a boudoir shoot. It was so empowering, and really boosted my self esteem! I never thought I'd get a chance to feel like a Victoria's Secret model, or like I was on ANTM. I'm just amazed that I can look that good..."

She also talks about how some people will be shocked by the fact she posted these online, but really, how different is it from photos on Facebook of girls in bikinis at the beach?

I went online and looked through photographer's galleries to see what resonated with me.
I ended up choosing Sherry Martin of Sherry Martin Photography

Make-up and hair by Jackie Ellis of Je'llis Faces

Creme Brulee French Toast

2011-07-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

(from All Recipes)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
6 slices French Bread
5 eggs
1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy-based orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)
14 teaspoon salt
(note--I think a pinch of cinnamon would be good)

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Mix in brown sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Remove crusts from bread (note--I thought this step was silly, so I skipped it).
Arrange bread in the baking dish in a single layer.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, vanilla, orange brandy, and salt.
Pour over bread.
Cover and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove dish from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned.

Here's a slightly different version by Smitten Kitchen, using brioche. Yum!

Patriotic Recipe Ideas

2011-07-03T21:54:00.001-07:00

A girl at work today was talking about fruit kabobs shaped like an American Flag, so I googled and found this fun blog post on 4tunate, by Chandler + Brianne.
So I just kept on looking for ideas because it's fun, and I love the whimsy of the red, white and blue.
Check out this cute idea from Lisa Storms

Patriotic Sangria, from Recipe Girl.
Recipe girl also makes Patriotic Cheesecake Bars. Yum.

Fireworks cookies from Dainty Chef.

Happy Fourth

2011-07-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

This is such a fun vintage photograph from Charles Phoenix.

It's a beautiful sunny weekend in California.
Tomorrow I'll be poolside with a South Carolina-style hot dog, macaroni salad, deviled eggs, and of course watermelon.
Happy Birthday America!

Wow, my new exciting adventure

2011-06-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, sorry for my absence.
My laptop is broken, but will be fixed soon.
I'll be back to blogging more often.

In the meantime, I wanted to let you know that this year is a transformational journey for me.
I am back in school, and am studying (of all things) nutrition.
I am studying to become a health coach.
And I am loving this journey.

I enrolled in the school initially because I wanted a mentor to help me lose weight.
When I won second place in their essay contest (and a $1000 scholarship), I figured it was meant to be.
Then I learned more about coaching, and I thought...well I could do that.

I just got my business website up, and I have my first blog post on why I chose the business name Wishing Wellness.
Please check it out!

Tiered Plate Stand

2011-05-09T13:53:00.000-07:00

The February/March issue of Readymade Magazine featured a tiered plate stand, made with sundae cups, candle sticks, and epoxy glue.
I had to give it a try.

I found these amazing Walter Kimble hen plates at a thrift store, and decided to use the similar designs together even though the options are open for mixing designs and sizes.

There are some examples of tiered plates on Etsy that use a large plate on the bottom and transition up to a tea cup on the top.
Perfect for chips and dip, cupcakes...you name it.

Here are just some of the glass items I picked up at the thrift store for possible pillars.

Here's the final result!

I used a candlestick as a pedestal too!(versus having the bottom plate just sit on the counter. A candlestick and one plate makes a cute cake stand)

I am much more apt to use a tiered stand versus a singular plate, and it really dresses the plate up too.
What a great way to showcase sentimental china patterns, or varying designs of a favorite company.

I have a stone egg I may place in an egg cup on the top as a finial, but I need to find the perfect egg cup first.

My first blog post via phone--not too shabby.

Coronado Flowers

2011-04-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for Spring Garden Tours.
My mom and I love going to different home tours and getting inspiration and ideas.

Last weekend we drove out to Coronado to see their Flower Show (I even got a later shift at work so we could go).
The plant sale started at 7am, and the paper said the show started at 10am, so we got there right about opening time.
We were surprised to find the show closed off, saying judging was going on, and the show wouldn't open until 1pm.
Um, wtf?

We couldn't wait around since I had to work in the afternoon, so instead of calling the day a bust, we got a program from the library and cruised around a few of the streets looking at home gardens.

Several home gardens had received blue ribbons for their designs.
I especially am attracted to plants with contrasting color and texture placed next to one another.
Sometimes a dark foliage is shocking next to a pale one, or a bold leaf can add a sculptural component.

I am definitely going to incorporate this stone path idea, with its organic lines, into my own garden

Bird of Paradise always reminds me of my grandmother's garden

Michelle's Candle Tray

2011-04-25T19:40:00.000-07:00

Yet another old project dusted off and finished.

I posted about the candle tray I mosaic-ed for my friend Michelle way back in 2005.
I had the same problem as I described before, with the glue not holding up.

I took a metal tray that I purchased at a thrift store, mosaic-ed using Coca-Cola themed broken plates, and embellished with bottlecaps, marbles, and mini bottles.

So I finally re-glued some of the mini Coke bottles and marbles.
You can't even see the pic I posted earlier, so these are much better.
Michelle, obviously, is a collector of Coca-Cola memorabilia.

Jen's Mosaic-ed Plant Pot. Finally.

2011-04-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

I'm determined to finish some old projects this year.
I started a mosaic on a plant pot for my friend Jen way back in 2005.
Oh my gosh, I finally finished it!

Way back then, I had started out using a couple different construction grades of PL glue that are used with a caulking gun, but they were too heavy duty and too messy.
Also too hard to remove if I had any excess.

I switched over to Liquid Nails for Small Projects to hold all the extra decorative trinkets.
When I grouted, however, the grout just knocked all the trinkets off.
Aarrggghhh!
I did some research on glue, and reviews suggested Weldbond.
Unfortunately, I had the same problem--the decorative items just wouldn't stick.
So frustrating!
I got so annoyed that I just wrapped up the projects and stashed them away.

Finally, I think I've solved the problem.
E6000 seems to actually hold, and it dries clear.
I'm crossing my fingers it lasts.
So far so good.

This pot started out when Jen bought a condiment tray in Mexico, and broke it even before she got it home.
I asked her if I could have the pieces, and I made her this pot as a surprise for her birthday (that I um, stashed away until now).
I used garden imagery throughout.

I also used other broken plates, broken pottery, and I embellished with pebbles, rocks, tumbled stones, marbles, half-marbles, jewelry, metal pins, coins, and buttons.
See the coin on the right? (click on the photos to enlarge)
There are three butterflies--two pins, and one that had been part of a plant pot.

I love the caterpillar on the mug handle, and the frog face.
There are three ladybugs.
I enjoy working in layers, and I love the three dimensional quality, versus just thinking in terms of pieces being flat.

Jen loves frogs, so there are three different frogs on this pot--this gold brooch, the green face that was a pitcher, and a small ceramic one that had been on a vase.
The dragonfly is a large button.
Note some of the additional broken plates include more sunflowers.
I think the large leaves may have been part of Jen's original item.
I added another mug handle, this time a solid blue, both to counter-balance the one on the opposite side, and to add fun to the design.

The little caterpillar figurine is by Hagen Renaker, and is one of my favorite embellishments on the pot.
There are three watering cans (or parts of) on the piece--the silver one was a pin, the small white spout below was a figurine, and the large blue spout was on a vase.
Note the ceramic rose, and there's the froggie.
See the ceramic stem with thorns? What an awesome find that was! (that was thrifted, but I did purchase some embellishments on ebay. Most of the other plates used I already had in my stash).
The small silver sunflowers are buttons
The large silver sunflower is a brooch.
The little gray bird is from a larger figurine, if I remember correctly. This is one of three birds on the piece.
The three dimensional piece is part of one of the condiment trays of the original piece Jen purchased--a blue-glazed pottery with a sunflower design, it featured of six (or was it four?) trays that grouped together side by side to form a circle.

Geez, I finally sewed something again

2011-04-01T23:20:00.000-07:00

I finally dusted off my sewing machine and made a gift bag for a friend's birthday.
(Jen, if you're reading this, look away....at least until I give this to you this weekend!)

I first came across this gorgeous grape fabric by Martha Negley for Westminster Fabrics.
Jen is a wine aficionado, so I figured she might like this.
Initially I just thought I'd make a simple drawstring bag, but my projects always tend to get more complicated, so I decided to make the Slouchy Yard Bag (tutorial on Lazy Daisy Cottage).

That meant another trip to the fabric store to find more designs in the Autumn Medley fabric line, and I ended up liking this Bright Mix even more.
So the grape fabric that started me on this project became the lining

I got the grape vines in the green colorway (it's called Burst Twigs) for the interior pockets.

I decided to use a wide purple satin ribbon for the handles.
I'm hoping maybe she can reuse the bag for light shopping.

Inside, my favorite gift to give friends right now: a soy candle from Bottlehood.
Bottlehood is a San Diego company that takes trash (bottles from restaurants, bars, etc) and cuts them into reusable bowls, vases, pendants, goblets, lamps, and candles.
They also make flattened bottles into cheese boards and spoon rests.
Eventually they hope to even turn glass into countertops.

They use unusually shaped bottles, and/or bottles with permanent designs (etched designs versus paper labels).
Most of the bottles are rather manly designs, like Stone Pale Ale's Arrogant Bastard.
But I love the harder-to-find Dolce wine bottle for feminine gifts, with its gold swirls and cascading grapes
I love supporting recycled projects, mom and pop businesses, and local businesses.
Bottlehood sells at San Diego Farmer's Markets, and also have a shop on Etsy.

Recent Thrift Finds

2011-03-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

Numbered and signed etching in a tree scene that I love, and it matches my room perfectly.
I just need to get it out of its dated brass frame (I may just paint it a nickel color).
$40, which is a lot for a thrift store, but I really like it.

Cute little tiny sewing box--perfect for my portable lifestyle.
$10 at a house sale.

From the same house sale, this hand-painted lap desk.
Perfect for sitting on the couch and balancing my laptop.
$15 Pockets and cubbies for papers and pens.

Sparky shoes.
Brand new. $5 at an upscale thrift store.
Wedge platforms covered in a natural fiber.

Work Out Ready

2011-03-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

I just bought some clothes to work out in.
Finally!
Now there's no excuse!

Heart and Core is having an awesome sale--check it out.
Two sisters started this company when their mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and couldn't find comfortable sports bras to wear.
So these are products for women, made by women.

Along with sports bras, the company has a ruched top that looks good on everyone, and some capri-style athletic pants as well (more products and colors to come in the future).

How Do You Wish To Sparkle?

2011-03-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely fascinated by the idea of taking the
Sparkles class
offered by Jamie Ridler, and including many guest teachers.
We all still have time to sign up, but we have to hurry.

And I certainly need some sparkle in my life!
I want to be glittery and shiny.

Several years ago, I bought a friend of mine a little tiny glass bottle filled with "fairy dust".
The stopper top was connected with a little tiny spoon (wait a minute...was it a wand?), and you could scoop out the glittery dust and blow to the wind...and cast your wish.
I wish (no pun intended) I had bought one for myself--what an amazing little treasure!

The idea of wishcasting right now is serendipitous, because this is a big year of change for me.
I'm tired of being tired, so I'm concentrating on health and wellness.
I enrolled in a nutrition school, and am being trained to become a holistic health coach.
My first client is myself, and I'm going to learn all the ways I can to bring myself back to a healthy place physically, emotionally, spiritually.
Basically the school is my mentor, and then I will take all the things I learn on my path to wellness, and will be able to help others do the same.

So right now my focus and my wish is success on this path...the path I'm meant to be walking...my intended niche.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to include art therapy in my coaching, and I know this year is going to be a huge transformation.
I'm excited!

Unlikely Friends

2011-03-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

This little skunk and raccoon have come to my mom's back door for several days in a row now.
At first I figured they happened to come to eat at the same time, and just put up with one another.
But considering I've seen them several times together now, I have to wonder if maybe they're friends?!

Sorry for the glare and the blur, but I took this through her sliding glass door on a zoom and on my phone camera.

Pics

2011-03-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, poor neglected blog!
The days zoom by so fast, and Facebook takes up more of my time than blogging lately.

For now, a couple of pics around San Diego.

Outside the La Jolla Music and Arts Library, The Atheneum.
I took my mom to see a three-part series by Professor Bruno Leone, where he told stories, sang, and expertly played the grand piano.
The series highlighted the lives of George Gerswhin, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers.
Absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend signing up for any event given by Bruno Leone.

Huge vase of flowers that appears to be a paper-mache sculpture, inside the Atheneum. Huge meaning it was about ten feet tall.

A red leather (or vinyl...I'm not positive) couch at a local thrift store that I am absolutely coveting.
Looks brand new, and I'm on a red kick, but I can't afford it right now.

I've always thought of this as a lifeguard tower on Fiesta Island, but it may actually be for some kind of judging or for spectators. I'm not sure, I just know I walk by it often.

Reese, at Fiesta, pre-daisies.

My little three-legged kitty, Kai, is getting all grown up!
He's around 7 months old now.
He's actually quite smaller than my other cats, so I call him my "weenie".

Watts Towers

2011-02-13T20:53:00.000-08:00

Seeing Watts Towers is on my bucket list.
I will have to make a point of seeing it this year.

This awesome image is from Charles Phoenix.

Homemade Pillowcase

2011-02-04T18:59:00.000-08:00

I made a pillowcase for a little boy for Christmas, but just gave it to him recently, so I can finally blog about it.

His bedroom is mostly brown and bright orange, so when I came across this fabric at the San Diego Quilt Show last year, I just had to buy it.
Then vendor had complimentary fabrics arranged in kits along with a pattern, but I can't link the vendor since she didn't label the kit at all.
She had miscellaneous prints and colorways, but I gravitated to the orange in the fun robot print.

I used the pillowcase as a gift bag for small toys.
He got another stuffed toy snake, a train whistle, a nose flute (!), and a creature from the Black Lagoon-style set of swimming goggles.

I'd been away from my sewing machine for so long, it felt good to brush the dust off.

Accomplishments not to forget

2011-01-23T19:29:00.000-08:00

People tend to concentrate on their failures, their "what ifs", their shortcomings.
I think it's important to remember all those little goals we DO tackle, all the "to do" we check off our lists.

Inspired by Andrea's "59 Things",
I decided to keep a list of things last year that were accomplishments.
Remembering accomplishments is a good way to start the New Year, along with eying new goals and inspirations

Last year I:
*Read (or listened to) 37 books.
24 books, 13 audio books.
This does not include craft or cookbooks.

*Got a computer, then an updated version--a gift from a very nice guy who reads this blog.
It has been life-transforming. Really.
I entered the 21st century--goodbye dial-up, welcome high speed!

*I reconnected with some old friends/clients after five years
*reconnected with a friend of a friend after more than a decade
*reconnected with a childhood friend after a year, and another very close friend after two years.
*reconnected with several old high school friends and former co-workers via Facebook
*reconnected with a girl I went to elementary school, Junior High, and High School with, but never really hung out with.
Via Facebook we arranged to meet at a concert, and discovered how much we have in common.
It's awesome to start up a friendship that's so strong from the get go.

*I finally made a bowl from a record.

*I finished my first knitted scarf.
*Then I made another.

*Took the online course Unravelling from Susannah Conway
I still need to really delve into it.
It's an introspective journey.

*Took an online class about food myths from
Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Amazing.
I've become a fan of Weston Price, and traditional nutrition.

*I took a tiara class with Sally Jean Alexander.
I still need to blog about it.

*I got a Brazilian blow-out.

*I met one of my blog friends/Facebook buddies face-to-face.
He is one of my closest friends now.
Go figure.

*I fixed up my bedroom.
I had a wood floor installed, as well as trim around the doors and windows.
I bought draperies, new drapery rods, and I painted the wood doors white.
I bought an area rug.
I painted the walls two shades of green.
Huge improvement.

*I made a cute dress for a little girl

*I bought some CD-roms on how to speak Italian.
I haven't really gotten into them yet, but it's a beginning.

*I finally saw three bridges in San Diego that were on my bucket list.
I still need to blog about it.

*I attended Tiki Oasis again.

*Planted an old wheelbarrow

*I bought (actually I'm still buying...) an old Ford Explorer since my Land Rover needs a new engine.
I really like it!

*I rescued an 8-week old feral kitten and welcomed him as part of my family
Initially I named him Trey, but it didn't stick.
He is now Kai (and "little guy").

gimme

2011-01-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

Joy comes to different people in different ways.
Sometimes it's interactions with those we love,
or it's learning something new, or seeing a new place.
Sometimes it's a quiet afternoon alone, a favorite scent, a cool breeze, a perfect recipe.
Sometimes it's a child's laugh, a dog's smile, a streak of sunlight.

But I ain't gonna lie, as the saying goes...
sometimes, despite the superficiality, material things give me joy.
Sometimes you want to wrap up a bright shiny package and hand it to yourself, you know?
My friend debs calls those things she wants to buy her "gimme list".
I love that description.
It's a good gimme, not a bratty one ;)

Right now, this bright red thermos is something I love.
I just ordered it from the Sundance Catalog.

Also from Sundance Catalog, this Gathered Truths intrigues me.
It's a box of quotations..."words to hearten and enlighten".

On my "gimme" list, these sparrow clips (from Crate and Barrel).

I don't even have a Wii yet, but I think I might buy one just so I can have fun with Just Dance.

And...I cannot stop obsessing about Finny's new bike.
I am hardcore coveting that thing of beauty.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T22:10:00.001-08:00

New Year's Day is my favorite day of the year.
It's a clean slate, ready to be filled with goals, hopes, ambitions, and dreams.

Writing down our wishes...our intentions...can be magical, and fun, and fruitful.
Some families have wish jars, and some properties have wishing wells.
Times Square has a Wishing Wall.

I love the idea of The Wishing Wall in Times Square

"Initiated in 2007, The Wishing Wall was created with the idea that people all over the world would submit their wish for the New Year to be dropped along with the 2000 pounds of confetti at the stroke of midnight on December 31. It’s a way for the entire world to be a part of the historic Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration."
(source: Zoomerang)

Roast Turkey Recipe

2010-12-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!
I made Jamie Oliver's Christmas Turkey, and it was amazingly juicy and aromatic.
There are several more turkey recipes on his website, but this one is simple to make, with amazing results!

Jamie says, "If you’re worried about cooking the perfect Christmas turkey because you’re afraid you’ll get it wrong, don’t be. This recipe is nice and simple and will help you achieve brilliant results for your Christmas meal."

Jamie Oliver's Christmas Turkey
Serves 8-10
(my notes in parentheses)
• 5kg turkey, preferably free-range or organic
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clementine, (or a tangerine)
• a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped (quartered)
• 2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped(including leaves, cut in thirds)
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped (large pieces. If you think you'll eat them later, then peel them)

For the stuffing
• olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• a few sprigs of fresh sage, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 300g good-quality pork mince (that's more than 1/2 pound, but less than one. It's just over 10 ounces. By "mince", he means ground pork)
• a large handful of breadcrumbs (I used two slices white bread with crusts removed, pulsed in the food processor)

Take your turkey out of the fridge about an hour before you’re ready to cook it so it comes up to room temperature before roasting.
Give it a good rinse then pat it dry with some kitchen paper (paper towels), making sure you soak up any water in the cavity.
Drizzle the meat with a good lug of olive oil, add a few good sprinkles of salt and pepper and then rub this seasoning all over the bird, making sure you get in to all the nooks and crannies.

Preheat your oven to full whack (as high as it goes. The key to this recipe is that initial heat, then the decrease) then get started on your stuffing.
Pour a lug or two of olive oil into a large pan on a medium heat and fry off your chopped onion for about 10 minutes or until softened.
Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper, the ground nutmeg and your chopped sage leaves, then continue to fry and stir for another minute or two.

Spoon the onion mixture into a large bowl and let it cool completely.
Once cooled, add your pork mince (raw) and breadcrumbs and use your hands to really scrunch everything together.
Once it’s mixed really well, bring the stuffing together into a ball, then cover and chill until you’re ready to stuff your turkey.

Pull the skin at the neck-end back so you can see a cavity and push about half of your stuffing inside your turkey (meaning not the neck hole, but right beneath it near the breast. Filling that cavity gives the turkey a nicely rounded appearance). Not too much: you don’t want to pack it so tightly it slows down the cooking.
Once done, pull and fold the skin over the opening and tuck it under the bird so it looks nice. (this goes downside in your pan, so it stays without pinning)

Turn the turkey around and drop a few small pieces of stuffing into the larger cavity (small pieces torn off. Fill maybe an inch deep) along with your clementine halves and a few sprigs of rosemary.
Place your roughly chopped veg in the bottom of a roasting pan and lay your turkey on top. (this keeps the turkey off the pan bottom)
Cover the turkey with tin foil then put it in the hot oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 180°c/350°f/gas 4.
Cook for about 35 to 40 minutes per kilo.
The 5kg bird in this recipe will take about 3 to 3½ hours.

Check on your turkey every 20 minutes or so and keep it from drying out by basting it with the lovely juices from the bottom of the pan.
After 2½ hours, remove the foil so the skin gets golden and crispy.

When the time is up, take your turkey out of the oven and stick a small sharp knife into the fattest part of the thigh.
If the juices run clear and the meat pulls apart easily, it’s ready. (about 165 degrees is considered correct now. It used to be 180, but 165 is fine)
If not, pop the turkey back in the oven to cook for a bit longer then check again. Once ready, cover the turkey with tin foil and a few clean tea towels for 30 minutes and let it rest while you get your veg and gravy ready.

Enough!

2010-12-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

We've had non-stop rain in Southern California, and that's really unusual for us.
I've been home sick from work, and it's a blessing not to be out on the road.
Southern Californians don't drive well in the rain.

My mom's driveway this morning

Beside the fence is a stream that is currently street level

Water was threatening to flood into the house this morning. Ugh.
My poor seedlings in my garden are probably washed away.

I'll bet the scene at the beach is really something right now.

Time Frame

2010-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

I made this frame several years ago, but I just pulled it out of storage.

Collaged around the frame are little mementos and trinkets from childhood.
The memorabilia surround a photo of me as a child, playing with my Mickey Mouse puppet, toy telephone and kaleidoscope.

I think this is such a fun time capsule, and it's a great way to showcase little toys and items that might just be collecting dust in a drawer (or worse, thrown away).
I mean, this would be a fun way to celebrate every year of a child's life--from McDonald's Happy Meal toys, to ticket stubs, to photobooth strips, to party favors.
It's a great way to use broken toy parts, game pieces, doll parts, beads, buttons, rocks, coins, and little pieces of jewelry.
You could incorporate stickers, bottle caps, labels, stamps, or whatever else might be of significance throughout the year.
This might make gifts for Grandma, or Mother's/Father's Day.
Really, it just gets better with time.

It's best to use a frame with a flat surface, and to use a glue that dries clear (inexpensive frames from Ikea are perfect for this).
Grouting is not necessary--just pile up all the trinkets and overlap at places.
You can hang some items off the edge for effect (like these diary keys).

On my frame, there are game pieces from a vintage Monopoly game (the thimble, race car, and canon), a Goofy-shaped eraser, disco ring, miscellaneous jewelry (including parts of old charm bracelets), and plastic cat off a wine bottle
More jewelry (mostly pins), and Blue Chip Stamps!
Barbie rollerskate, Smokey button, Susan B. Anthony dollar, jack toy, Scottie and shoe Monopoly pieces, shell from clam that used to be in my acquarium

Pin from Nixon's campaign for President, wing pins that the airlines used to give to kids, and a Weiner Whistle!

This project is similar to the Memory Jugs I posted about previously (in fact I mentioned this frame in that post).

This is also a great project for adults--you could make themed gifts.
For example, a wedding gift with trinkets that symbolize the couple's years together.
Or a vintage design with cat eye glasses, kitschy figurines, etc.
Maybe a Christmas frame.
You can commemorate a vacation (shells, sea glass, sand, matchbook covers)

You could make a large scale collage around a mirror with larger items like a doll head, parts of mugs or teacups, and larger collectibles (or parts of).
There are tons of possibilities.

Other collage materials to consider: (similar to items you would use on an art collage, but try to aim for date specific items...think in terms of capturing a moment)
wine cork
crayon
keys (especially skeleton keys)
chess pieces
collectible spoons
concert tickets
dice, marbles
tarot or loteria cards
fair ribbons, parts of trophies
rhinestones, faux jewels
doll arms or head
broken pieces of plates, tiles, teacup handle
toy parts (steering wheel, tire, gears)
foreign coins
scrabble tiles
old typewriter or computer keys
swizzle sticks
"I Voted" sticker
part of Halloween costume (eyepatch, earring, etc)

Batty Bday

2010-11-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

My friend Jen's son Ryan just turned six, so I wanted to make his favorite cupcakes--yellow cake with chocolate frosting.
But I wanted to do some "boy" decoration, and got inspiration from the bat they recently found in their house.
It was my first sight of a bat, and I had no idea they were so small and so freakin' cute!
The little guy was captured in a bucket (per a bat rescue website) and released at dusk.

I cruised Google Images for inspiration, and found a simple design using a cookie and a Hershey's kiss.
But there were variations.
I like to compare and contrast before I embark on any project, artistic or cooking-related.
Yep, I'm one of those detailed types who analyze all the options.

Initially I saw designs with the kiss turned with the base forward, but I can't seem to find an example now.
Most examples place the point to the front.
Here's one from Purple Kitty

Sometimes the kiss is close to the wings, and other times there's a big gap, like this one by Mommy's World

Usually the wings are chocolate cookies (like Thin Mints) but Finger Food Recipes used Shortbread

A photo on All Recipes used two kisses

Sometimes the wings were flat
From Chocolate Candy Mall

Or the wings were arcing down, which looks good
These from Creative Cupcakes

I really like the design on Gummibunny, though the wings are arcing opposite the previous example.
The red gel eyes (or orange) look best.

The Baking Pan had some gorgeous ones

Okay, now that I'd gotten a design figured out, I needed to choose a cake and frosting recipe.
When in doubt, I always go with something from The America's Test Kitchen, because they've done all the hits and misses and their recipes are excellent.

They have several versions of yellow cake though, so again I had to sort between several options.

One recipe was posted on Throwing Spoons, along with a frosting recipe by Hershey's.

I decided instead to go with a the Foolproof Chocolate Frosting on the Test Kitchen's site (note: this recipe is free to view, you just have to submit your email address. Other recipes on the Test Kitchen's and Cook's Country's sites are only available to paid members. I wouldn't mind that so much except they have more than one level of paid memberships. I mean, if I'm already paying for the magazine and access to the first level of recipes, um, isn't that enough? It turned me off so much I canceled everything with them. Honestly, I'd rather see ads. That's my opinion anyway).
Unfortunately, I thought the frosting was horrendous, so I dumped the whole lot.
What a waste of perfectly good chocolate.
But 3/4 cup of corn syrup? Really?

The Cookbook Junkie has a recipe for "the best yellow cake I ever made" that is supposedly based on a Test Kitchen recipe.
That one looked really good, but I had buttermilk on hand, so I thought I may as well use it.

The Test Kitchen site has one recipe for Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake, that is different from examples I was finding on blogs, so I was getting confused.
The recipe incorporates buttermilk, but I didn't want to bother with separating eggs (even though the dogs would have appreciated the leftover yolks).

I decided to go with the Classic Yellow Cake recipe on Gastronomer (she posted some great tutorial photos too).
I also used her frosting recipe, which oozed on smoothly like ganache.
The cake part was okay.
Next time I'll try Cookbook Junkie's recipe.

I ended up taking the cupcakes over to Jen's house late, when her son was already in bed.
We left the cupcakes on the kitchen counter so he got this fun surprise when he woke up.
She said her kids had cupcakes for breakfast!
I hope it was a little bit magical.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T12:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!
The best part of this day, for me, is watching the Macy's Parade.
It's Americana, tradition, joy, optimism, hope...all rolled up into one.
It is the best of family, gratitude, and sharing moments together.
Fun post about previous balloons in past parades.

More vintage photos here.

Vintage goodness

2010-11-20T22:17:00.000-08:00

I love the cherry pin I got at Donnaland today!

The sale continues through Sunday (until 6pm) at
Frock You Vintage on Park Boulevard in North Park.

Clothing from the 40's through the 80's, shoes, bags, sunglasses...
Pretty awesome.

Ooh, pretty

2010-11-18T00:49:00.000-08:00

I just have to say that I am completely coveting this dress.So simple yet timeless.
So flattering.

The fabric is navy silk jersey, designed by London-based fashion label Issa.

I want a knock off!

In case you've been living under a rock, these photos were taken at the engagement announcement of Prince William to Kate Middleton.
The color of the dress matches the 18-carat sapphire engagement ring (the same ring Charles once gave to Diana).

Gift ideas!

2010-11-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

Well, 'tis the season.
Time to start getting ideas for Christmas presents.
Too soon, you say?
No way!
I mean, put some thought into it!
No running around at the last minute getting useless crap--think of the recipient, and what they love, and who they are...and pick out something special.

Need ideas?

Well, first get your surroundings all fa-la-la.
Nothing says festive like twinkly lights.
Decorate inside your home with lighted winter branches from Gardener's Supply (they also have lighted pussy willows.

Absolutely adorable Barbie stiletto shoe necklace from the Etsy shop House of Magenta Tarantula.
There are so many great gift items on Etsy

Note cards featuring vintage photos that include pitbulls, these cards the support the amazing Animal Farm Foundation.
They also have tee shirts, or this cute necklace with a silver pitbull-shaped charm.Or just send them a donation because they're helping to rehabilitate dogs that have been in abused situations (like Michael Vick's fighting ring)--this organization deserves your support.

I'm a big fan of themed gift baskets.
For the baker on your list, a bowl with ingredients for cookies, and accessories to make the recipe is a fun gift.
Pier One Imports has an assortment of unique measuring cups (I like the cherries one), like these elephants Pier One has other fun kitchen gadgets, like these Ladybug measuring spoons

I'm not normally a fan of packaged food, but The Waffle Lady is an exception.You can buy from the website (lots of yummy flavors), or some stores carry this product also.
Honestly, the price is worth it.
Besides, the box makes a lot of pancakes--I freeze in individual portions and take them to work for breakfast.
If you live in San Diego, Keils market carries this brand.
And for gift basket goodies, the Costco Delivery in Kearny Mesa (off Convoy, where the old Home Depot Expo used to be) has a fun selection of baking gadgets.

For the women in your life who wear high-heels and may want to take a load off at the end of the day, how about Flexi-Flats--a "compact go anywhere flat".These easily fold up into a little pouch that you can carry in your purse.
(I have to note that Metro Magazine called this idea out as a fashion accessory that shouldn't exist, but I think they'd make a great stocking stuffer. The writer of Metro Magazine obviously doesn't have any foot problems if she thinks women walking home barefoot after a night on the town are wimpy).
Lots of brands of these out all at once, but I also like Spare Pear.

My new (well, new to me) favorite product is coconut oil from Tropical Traditions.
It's a much more healthy alternative to vegetable oil for cooking, but it also makes an amazing treatment for your hair.
The site also sells wonderful soap, lotion, and other items.

Speaking of roses...

2010-11-13T18:51:00.000-08:00

I was cutting up veggies tonight for homemade minestrone soup, and when I sliced off the root-end of a bok choy, oh my gosh, look at how gorgeous it is!

Remember as a kid, doing stamping with shapes cut from a potato?
So I was thinking it would be fun to stamp wrapping paper with this, or even fabric paint on a shirt--like a border of roses!

Who knew a cabbage could be so pretty!

A rose by any other name...

2010-11-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

I know I introduced you to the kitten as "Trey", but I'm not totally sold on that name yet.
I never could figure out a name for my last cat, so now he's stuck with "That Baby", since that's how I always referred to him.
I'd better figure out what I want as the new kitten's name, or this kitty is going to be stuck with "Little Boy", or "Little Guy".
And that's just not right.

Hmmm...maybe a combination of Li-something. Liam?
That's cute.

Other contenders are inspired by that cute little circle on his chin.
It kind-of reminds me of a halo.

Halo.
That's nice.
I tend to like two-syllable names.
And he most certainly has had an angel watching over him (as well as being an angel himself).

You know what else that circle looks like?
An eclipse.
Well, it does.

And no, that's not a good name, but it sends me on a Twilight tangent, and I wonder if Edward might be a cute name.
Just sayin'.
Yeah yeah yeah....I admit I read all the books in that series.

But Trey is still nice too.
I don't know.
Sadly, on his vet papers they think his name is "Feral".
Sheesh.

I guess I could go "Ferrell" but "Ferry" just doesn't sound right.
Sigh...
Why is this so hard for me?

I watched an old episode (well, from the newer series in the 80's) of the Twilight Zone recently, and all of sudden all the words were different, and everyone was dialed in except this one guy.
Like all of sudden "dinosaur" was the word for "lunch".
He had to learn all over again.
An interesting concept.

Wreath tute

2010-11-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

See the book wreath on my reading blog.
Link here.

Trey

2010-11-05T21:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know me on Facebook, this is an update.
For the rest of you, this is an introduction.

There's a new member in my household.

My mom was leaving food out for a feral calico and her two three-month-old kittens.
One kitten was yellow, the other a tuxedo black and white.
While I was pet-sitting, my mom said the cute little black one disappeared.
She figured a coyote got him--it's a hard life for strays, with coyotes, other animals, traffic...
I had a weird feeling he was trapped somewhere, but I brushed off the thought as silly.
I should know by now, however, to listen to my intuition--it's usually right on target.

I went over to my mom's to sort through some boxes.
I have a lot of stuff stored out back (placed there when I first started renovating my bedroom, but kept there now because I knew the mama cat was hiding beneath the tarps. I figured it was keeping her safe).
I heard some clawing on the fence, and I just assumed it was the mama sharpening her claws.
It wasn't, but I didn't investigate.

Almost a full week after my mom noticed the black kitten was missing, I spent the night at her house, and couldn't sleep for all the mewing outside.
I got up three times to find out where the crying was coming from, but didn't see anything.
Was the yellow kitten caught in between some boxes? Did the mama have another kitten?
Finally, at almost 6 a.m., it was still dark outside, so I took a flashlight out to see if I could find the kitten.
I saw the yellow one outside my door playing, so I knew he was okay.
The light from my flashlight caught the reflection of eyes, and wow, it was the black kitten.
How was he possibly able to survive for a week without food or water?

There's a gate near my mom's pool made of old skinny pickets.
The kitten must have tried to climb over the top, but his back left leg slipped between two of the boards and he was caught, hanging there.
The boards are wide at the top, but get closer at the base, so as he struggled to get free, his foot got wedged in there.
He had a compound fracture in two places.
He had not been visible because of the fence line, and my mom couldn't hear him from inside the house.
Thank God I came home when I did!

I was beside myself, trying to figure out how to free him.
Remember he's feral, so even the sight of me sent him into hissing, spitting, and spinning.
God, it was so sad and scary.
I got online to try to find someone to help me.
Alone, I couldn't figure out how to get the boards apart.
The county animal control said I live in the city (uh, my mom pays county taxes),
and the city said there was nothing they could really do. Huh?
Thankfully, they did have the name of a volunteer rescue organization.
A lady came over, and together we were able to break the fence, free the kitten, and get the kitten into a carrier.

Another woman from the rescue organization suggested I take the kitten to a vet that is familiar with feral cats.
We walked in, and the vibe was so off for me that I got up and left.
I took the kitten to emergency, and they were wonderful.

They couldn't save his leg, but they did save his life.
The surprising part is he is totally mellow and sweet!

Right now he is isolated from my other cats so he can heal.
He gets two kinds of medicine for a week.
The surgeon said "cats are strong" and that he'll adapt to having three legs just fine.

Look how cute the circle is on his chin

The vet said he weighs 1.88 pounds, so he's tiny.
Judging by his appetite, I have a feeling he won't be small for long :)

The name Trey initially came about because "tre" in Italian means three (you know, three-legged kitty).
But Trey is also a cute boy name, and his sweetness so reminds me of my beloved Terry, and so many of the letters are the same that it just feels right.

Halloween ideas

2010-10-18T11:02:00.001-07:00

hahahahaha I love this Big Bad Wolf costume for dogs (as seen on Craftzine).
You can purchase this costume from Down Under Dog Designs on etsy.

Check out this fun Owl-o-Lantern (also from Craftzine)
I also just posted some trick-or-treat bag tutorials on
my purse blog, so be sure to get ideas there too.

Festa!

2010-10-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to attend the annual Festa downtown in Little Italy, and today I had the opportunity.

Kids must have "decorated" the street today before the crowds arrived.
A lot of people were just walking over the mini masterpieces, not noticing, but I thought it was fun to acknowledge the doodles and scribbles

I've been to other events in Little Italy, and those were actually even more romantic because they featured opera-singing waiters.
The singing was sadly absent today, but the Festa does feature several bands, a show of luxury Italian cars, vendors, and lots of food.
The show stoppers, however, are the artistic entries in the chalk drawing competition--all voted on by the public, and vying for cash prizes.
The sidewalk or street chalk drawings are Gesso Italiano.

The art featured homage to Italian masters in painting and other arts, but also to this year's sponsor: Fiat

Gorgeous!

My favorite drawing was a tribute to Caravaggio.
My photos don't do the drawing justice--the detail and realism was amazing

Miscellaneous:
Awesome mermaid balloon sculpture

Lots of scooters, and this pristine vintage Corvair

I love the juxtaposition of old against new (the whales painting is by Wyland)

A mosaic on a column

Birds on a wire (photo taken through the window of the Trolley)

My favorite moment of the day: watching an elderly couple dance, alone in a small plaza, to a smiling man playing an accordian.

Planted Wheelbarrow

2010-10-09T00:49:00.000-07:00

I figured I'd copy the ideas I've seen on garden tours, and utilize unusual items as creative planting containers.
I've seen lots of items recycled into planters--chair seats, a grandfather clock, an old enamel stove, red wagons, coffee pots, pitchers, boots, wooden shoes...the possibilities are endless.
This is a way to incorporate mementos into your outdoor space, or whimsy, or pockets of treasure.

My mom had a rusted-out wheelbarrow spattered with concrete, its bare front wheel stuck in the ground at the tail end of my garden.
Last year I moved a few rocks in it, but since then it sat abandoned and unused.
It was time I brought it back to life--not with paint, but with plants.

First I covered the bottom with rocks to aid drainage

Then I added horticultural charcoal so collected water wouldn't sour (turns out there must be some rust holes in the wheelbarrow, because water actually drains through. Bonus)

Using the method I learned from The Garden Compass, it's most aesthetically pleasing if containers incorporate
"thrillers" (upright plants for drama),
"fillers" (plants to fill the area),
and "spillers" (plants that cascade over the edge)

I like to plant in odd numbers, so I chose five plants for now, and will watch to see how they fill in.
Later I may add more of the same plant, or I may eliminate.
Time will tell.

Two grasses for thrillers
Achillea "pink grapefruit" for filler (a pink-colored yarrow)
and I'm hoping the Mexican Primrose will bend and cascade as it grows and blooms, to become my spiller.

If you haven't seen Mexican Primrose, it's really beautiful, but it's invasive, so often best kept in a contained area (photo grabbed from google images)

Other garden happenings:
Zucchini still producing
Pomegranates are growing
Aloha Lily
Tuberose

San Diego Peanut Butter Chews!

2010-10-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

Previously I posted a recipe that I had read was the infamous (in San Diego) Peanut Chews from the San Diego School District.
Since then, however, I have received a second version.
I'm pretty sure this version is the actual, honest-to-God copy, as it's from a woman who used to work in the cafeteria.
Oh happy days!

Madison High Peanut Butter Chews

Grease (with shortening, not oil) two 8" x 13" pans.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix and set aside:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In another bowl, mix until creamy:
2/3 cup butter (original recipe calls for "oleo", but eeewww. Always use butter)
1 cup peanut butter
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups granulated sugar

Combine creamed mixture with dry mixture.
Add and blend well:
2 cups quick oats or 2 cups coconut
(I wonder if regular oats would work? I think they taste so much better than the quick. Or I wonder if half oats and half coconut would taste yummy?)

Pat into two greased pans and level.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes (don't let them get too brown)

While the bars are baking, mix up a very thin (but not watery) glaze of powdered sugar and vanilla icing (ingredients and quantities not listed, but I always thought the glaze from the previously posted recipe wasn't enough).
Spread glaze on baked chews while they are still hot.

Cool, then cut into squares.

Mmmmm....pie

2010-10-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

I love watching cooking shows on television, and reading cooking-related magazines.
One of the best of both is Cooks Illustrated Magazine, which is also responsible for America's Test Kitchen, and Cook's Country.
The great thing about all these is they go into their kitchens and test test test until what comes out is a recipe tried and true--and one you can trust is going to be excellent.

So when I heard that their Raspberry Chiffon Pie is one of their top ten most requested recipes, I had to give it a try.
I wasn't disappointed.
In fact, I made it for a get together of friends, in place of a birthday cake.

It's a sophisticated version of, surprisingly, a jello pie.

Get the recipe on Artic Garden Studio, just don't leave out the whipped cream layer.
And check out her link to Batter Splattered.

San Diego Quilt Show, 2010

2010-10-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

After my laptop being broken for so long, and then misplacing the battery to my camera, I've got a lot of catch-up to do on this blog.
My mom and I attended the San Diego Quilt Show recently, and I had planned to go through the program and identify all the artists, maybe even identify some of their inspirations.
But this cloudy weather kicks my butt, and I just don't have the energy.
So, for now anyway, I'll just share some photos of some of the quilts (and hope it inspires me to get back to sewing!)

This one used techniques to create rust, for added texture, color, and interest!
It also incorporated a real photograph

Fun fabric

Of course I always favor the quilts that incorporate neckties

modern log cabin in batiks

thread art and textural contrast create images in cloth

An example of using one shape only

Miscellaneous

Confederate quilt

Incorporating hand-painting

I love the three-dimensional kite

Three dimensional characters

Notes and messages
Tee shirt memories
Scouting quilt recycles mementos

Using shapes and photographs

ha! That's cute

2010-10-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

This cracks me up.
Ice cream cone from Chick-fil-A (they have awesome ice cream), that says "Eat It All"

Where's my pot of gold?

2010-09-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

View behind my mom's house tonight

Kinda cool--the clouds look like a man's face...
like the North Wind maybe, or a Genie in smoke.
You could see the rainbow's beginning, the full arc, and the other side, plus a partial double on the left side.

Raining dogs at Fiesta

2010-09-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a perfect day for a walk in the rain.
The weather is a far cry from Monday's triple digits.
Today we had rain, thunder, and lightning.
I went to Fiesta Island with my friends Cindy and Renee, and their dogs.

It was Roxy's first visit to the beach!
One of my favorite things is seeing the kind of joy the beach brings to dogs--there's nothing like it

Duke

Rudy

Bedroom corners

2010-09-29T11:10:00.001-07:00

Interior Design isn't fluff--your home really needs to be your sanctuary.
And that means surrounding yourself with colors and art and items that scream who you are.
Forget trends in style or what some 'expert' deems appropriate.
I used to date a contractor, and he had clients who filled their homes with the latest imported whims...but why?
Just because something is currently trendy doesn't mean it's applicable to you or what you love.

I admire minimalist design, but I could never live in it.
It's often beautiful, but I personally find whimsy and a bit of clutter holds more character.
That's just me.
My own style is sort-of Shabby Chic and Romantic Home magazine combined with an artist's studio.
Maybe cottage style at the beach.
I like making little vignettes.

I figured I'd share a couple corners of my bedroom, just for fun.
Just because they make me smile.
Yeah, they're probably an interior designer's nightmare.
So what.

I bought the mirror at a thrift store, intending to mosaic it, but the color was such a good match to the dresser, it looks like they belong together.
Encaustic crow atop mirror is by Jennifer Conway.
Vintage tiered metal basket displaying a collection of vintage seed bracelets.
The dresser is covered with a scarf I bought at H&M that happened to be the perfect colors of my room.
One of my favorite books, The Tarot Garden, features the art of Niki de Saint Phalle.
Fun, whimsical.
Wire man made by a guy I sat next to in sculpture class (I wish I had kept more of the items he left behind).
I made the flapper potholder.
Joy angel a gift from Mary Ann.
Top tier holds the card Jen made, and a magnet I love
The chihuahua statue is a like a Magic 8 Ball!An interior designer would say there's too much clutter, and it's too juvenile.
I say if it fuels my inspiration, then it stays.

Vintage enamel bowl by Catherine Holm.
Architectural book in Spanish. Cookbook by Tessa Kiros.
Sparkly candle from Indiana--a gift from my friend Michelle, to have something beautiful in my room.
One of the several metal banana leaf-shaped trays that I collect.
The bracelet is blown glass.

Anthropologie cabinet from a garage sale, over a smaller dresser, featuring some of my collection of seagull items.
Note the 'B' that I posted about yesterday.

Along with two saints ;)

Vintage photographs,
handmade ceramic seagull planter (ebay purchase),
and blue bird vase/planter by Haeger.

Sculpture/fountain of Saint Francis of Assisi.
The metal seagull was a hood ornament (I'm told).
Vintage postcard from Folies Bergere, with a woman dressed as a mermaid.
Vintage books, including Rebecca (still on my "to read" list), and Aunt Jane of Kentucky.

Easy transformation

2010-09-28T23:21:00.000-07:00

I found this brass 'B' hook at the Thursday Club rummage sale earlier this year.
Ironically, they also had the initial for my last name, but I only bought the one.

I'm not really hip on brass or gold, so I roughed up the exterior with some steel wool, and used a nickel-colored spray paint with just a touch of sparkle to transform the hook into something a bit more modern (and a bit more 'me')

Ta da! Silver hook with new silver screws, holding an ornament I purchased at Rogers Gardens

It's amazing what a little bit of paint can do!
Tomorrow I'll show you more of my bedroom

Well excuse me...

2010-09-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

I have been posting photos on this blog via Flickr, but so many "upgrades" to that site has really made it not user friendly.
So my aim is to take all the photos since 2005 (my God it's overwhelming) and replace them with a permanent copy.
You see, if you delete a photo on Flickr, it evaporates from your blog.
Poof! Gone.
I intend to exit Flickr altogether, though I will miss some of the groups there, and the comments, and the social interaction.

I have a lot of vintage patterns posted on Flickr (and many also on the blog), and I get so tired of people asking for copies, or if they can buy the patterns.
What gets especially old is the people who "just seen (sic) it" and demand a copy.
No "please", no "thank you", just "gimme gimme gimme".
Okay, some people are polite, but the end result is the same.

I mean, I've given a lot of the items away, and the rest are in storage, so they're just not accessible.
I try to help people out when I can, though I'm not always successful.
Even if I could find the pattern, it means a trip to the copy center (if it's even possible to copy the big pattern pieces found in clothing patterns), and then the post office...
and I basically just suck at getting it done.

I had a lady contact me yesterday asking for a pattern, saying she wanted to use it for a noble cause, to help disabled kids.
I directed her to ebay, to the library, to amazon, and gave her search ideas.
I mean, that's all I can really do.
I have no clue where the pattern I posted a few years ago is, or if I even have it anymore.

She responded "thanks anyway, obviously you don't want to share, so you should really take this book off of your blog, It really isn't helping anyone is it?? And Thank you for compassion also, this would have been for a very good cause. But I will continue to look further, I'm hoping to find someone that will be helpful. Good bye and Have a nice day!"

Okay, really?

First off, I didn't even have to respond, but I tried the best I could.
You really need to slam me for not wanting to be compassionate?
Geez.

Blogs and Flickr are, in my opinion, fun places to post vintage stuff that we can all admire.
People post vintage collections of things like old needle packages, old apron patterns, maybe old cookbooks.
They're not posted to "help" or to sell, unless it's on etsy.
It's just a hey, look what's out there...look what once was.

Birthday Whimsy

2010-09-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

My gosh, so long since I've posted!
Well, thanks to Ben, I have my laptop back and repaired.
Actually, it's better than that--he replaced the laptop he gave me with a newer model.
I feel like I've been reunited with a fond friend, and it's true.
Initially I was a bit disappointed that my first laptop was gone, because I'm just not good with change.
I never will be good with change.
I was just laughing with a co-worker today about how she initially returned the coin counter we were given, insisting we were just fine with counting by hand, thank you very much.
Geez, what were we thinking?!
But I'm glad I'm not the only one who accepts change kicking and screaming.
(lol, change and coins...pun not intended)

But I digress.
I have a lot of catching up to do here!
Let's start with a belated birthday gift that I received over the weekend.
Three of my friends and I got together on Sunday for the first time all year (how did the time zoom by?).
My friend Tracie handed me a gift bag which held a rectangle wrapped in tissue.
I opened it to find a Willy Wonka chocolate bar, its label saying it may possibly hold a golden ticket.

Tracie sort-of nonchalantly said, "see if you won".
I opened up the candy (yummy, by the way), and look what Tracie had done:
Eek! $50 gift card!
(she sliced the back open, inserted the card, and carefully re-sealed)
I absolutely LOVE whimsical, creative ideas like this.
How fun!

To add fun to my friend Jen's 7-year-old daughter's birthday, I decided to make some cupcakes that looked like her.

The recipe made a dozen, but, um, one disappeared for a quality control check ;).

The blonde hair is made with vanilla chocolate wafers, just like the cupcakes I made for my friend debs last year, only these were less sophisticated.
I think they're fine for a little girl though, and Callie seemed to like them.

I pride myself in baking from scratch.
This time I chose a recipe from Cooks Illustrated Magazine for Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting.
Very good.

Bella

2010-08-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished dog sitting at a little beach cottage, for long-term friends.
The house and garden are comfortable and familiar, as are the three old dogs and the three cats.
But they have a new kid on the block too--she's almost four months old.
Isn't she sweet?

An Interview With Jamie Ridler

2010-08-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

This is so inspiring.

An Interview With Jamie Ridler by the blog Your Courageous Life

For those of us who love shiny things

Hair News

2010-08-08T16:22:00.000-07:00

I recently splurged on myself and got a Brazilian Blowout.
I was talking to friends about it at a pool party July 4th, and someone said it was worthwhile to spend money on your hair.
After all, when your hair looks good, you feel good.
So I was motivated to give it a try.

My hair is naturally wavy, but I tend to like it best when it's dried straight.
The problem is that I just never want to take the time to labor over a blow dryer (much less a flat iron).
I tend to just let it air dry, but then it has a tendency to frizz, and that's so not attractive.

Before:
I actually did blow dry here, only kind of half-assed in the back.
The split ends are ridiculous.

After:
This pic looks a lot like my hair cut way back in December (way too long ago. The blog post is actually the first time I started seeing this particular stylist), but it was only flat-ironed then.
This is having a keratin conditioning treatment ironed in.

You can't really tell in the photo, but my stylist refused to add highlights this time (I loved what he did last time) because it's too damaging.
Instead, he added lowlights, to mimic the look of highlights
I have to admit I'm not happy with the color this time--it feels too dark and flat.
My natural color is strawberry blonde, and the stylist usually does a great job of getting my hair back to its natural color.
Age, unfortunately, makes it too ashy (and some grays too, sigh...).
I need to trim more off the length next time too.
What I really need is a STYLE, but I haven't a clue what that should be.

So was the Brazilian worth it?
Well, yes and no.
First off, my stylist gave me a special deal, so it wasn't the $350 to $650 usual price (gasp!).
Initially, I felt like (to quote my mom) a drowned rat.
The treatment left my hair limp and lifeless and too flat on my head.
As I've washed it though, the body has returned, but without the frizz, so I like that.
For that reason, I'll probably do it again in four months (the length of time this is supposed to last).
And yeah, I still often just let it air dry, but now it's drying a lot nicer and tamer, so that's a good thing.

Ruby

2010-08-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

I was craving an old-fashioned shake, so I stopped in at Ruby's Diner for a mint shake, but walked out with a pineapple one.
While waiting, I thought it would be fun to photograph the huge rotating waitress statue.
She reminds me of roadside architecture, which I love.

Sign

2010-08-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

Someone messed with the "no U-turn" sign at the Interstate 5-North onramp off Seaworld Drive

A closer look

It cracks me up!
I remember a girl in 6th grade who always pronounced 'didn't' as 'dint'.
She was so beautiful and popular that several of us copied her for awhile.
Funny.

Cookie idea

2010-08-03T19:39:00.001-07:00

I was in Henry's today, which is a local market that has more of a health orientation than the standard grocery store.
I'm fascinated by a product I saw there today--flavor infused peanut butter by Sunland.

The peanut butters are flavored with either raspberry, chocolate, carmel, or most fascinating of all...banana.

I wonder if these would make good cookies?

When I make sandwiches, I like natural-style peanut butter that you have to stir and refrigerate.
But these are too dry for baking, so when I make cookies I use the standard Skippy-type peanut butters with the added shortening.
Perhaps a peanut butter cookie recipe made with flavored pb could be yummy.
I know a lot of recipes are out there using Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread), but I haven't yet tried any.

Hmmmm....

Jellyfish

2010-08-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

In the last month or so, there have been a lot of purple jellyfish washing up on the beach.
My friend who is a surfer says that's an indication that the water is warmer.

Evidently these are called Black Jellyfish, and are rarer than I originally thought.
More info here

They sadly seem to be dotting the beach, especially on Fiesta Island.
The dogs don't seem to be bothered by them, nor interested in disturbing the jello-ish mass.

Banana Bread

2010-07-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

One of the best banana bread recipes I've come across is from the show Down home with the Neely's, on the Food Network.
This recipe is moist and flavorful

Momma Callie's Banana Nut Bread with Honey Butter
Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:10 minCook Time:1 hr 10 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 stick butter, at room temperature, plus more for loaf pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large very ripe bananas*
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Honey Butter, for serving, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and put a rack on the middle shelf. Butter and flour a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a separate small bowl, mash the bananas with a wooden spoon, leaving a bit of texture.

In another large bowl, use a hand electric mixer or stand mixer to cream the 1/2 cup of butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Add the dry ingredients and gently stir in pecans. Pour the batter into the pan and put on a sheet tray.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice and serve with Honey Butter.

*Cook's Note: To ripen bananas quickly, put them into a paper bag and fold down the top. The bananas should ripen in 2 days.

Honey Butter:
1 stick salted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
Mix the butter and the honey together in a small bowl with a wooden spoon. Serve with the banana bread.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Things I Want to do in San Diego

2010-07-10T12:04:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, especially when one lives in a city that is a tourist destination, it's easy to forget about all the fun things to do right in our own backyards.

I'm adding to my Bucket List, things I want to do/see/try locally
It's ever changing, but here is where I'm at right now

Food & drink stuff:
Have lunch and a Mai Tai at the Bali Hai (tour?)
Have breakfast at Hash House a-Go-Go
Gotta try Richard Walker's Pancake House
Eat pommes frites at Cafe Chloe
Have cocktails at least one of the rooftop hotel bars
Check out The Studio Diner
Go back to Lahaina and hang out for an afternoon
Have an artichoke sandwich at The Roxy

Sports stuff: (me? yeah, sometimes)
Learn to snowboard on the magic carpet in Encinitas
Swim the La Jolla roughwater event, even though (actually because) I am petrified of swimming in the ocean

Places:
See a movie at La Paloma
Check out El Plantio Nursery in Escondido
Go on the photo caravan at the Wild Animal Park
Go back to Cinema Under the Stars and blog about it
Tour the US Grant Hotel
Tour Fort Rosecrans
~~Tour the Marsten House~~
~~Tour the Villa Montezuma~~
~~walk the pedestrian bridge in Hillcrest~~
~~walk the suspension bridge in Hillcrest~~
~~walk the Vermont Street bridge~~

Events:
go to the drive-in again
see the flowers bloom in Borrego
attend the annual Mother Goose Parade
attend the annual Big Bay Balloon Parade
Make Tiki Oasis an annual "to do" (I have my tickets for next month!)

Do you have a list of "to do's" where you live?

What's a good side?

2010-06-18T11:53:00.001-07:00

I'm going to my friend Jen's annual July 4th pool party.
She makes homemade pulled pork, and Carolina-style chili dogs with slaw (da bomb).
She also makes this to-die-for Red Velvet Cake with Berries.

Guests bring sides.
Last year I brought Watermelon Pops.

This year, I think I will bring a salad.

Should I bring
a red-white-and-blue green salad?

or a more grown-up salad?

or a simple fruit salad?
(or is fruit overkill since there is fruit in the cake she's making?)

This is a fun presentation!

or maybe just some simple strawberries?
Dipped
or filled

and/or Patriotic Pretzels?

Hmm...and/or I could bring edible shots
(and virgin ones for the kids)

What do you think?
Or do you have any other fun red-white-and-blue recipe to share?

DIY inspiration

2010-06-12T21:39:00.001-07:00

If I could go back in time...if I could have known myself better...I would have become an architect.
Buildings fascinate me.
I actually at one time studied interior design, and it still interests me, especially if recycling is involved.

A recent issue of Readymade Magazine featured this kitchen DIY--with a patchwork of wooden wine crates used for cabinet veneers!
I absolutely adore this idea.
It looks fun and exciting, versus chintzy.

The book Re-Creative: 50 projects for turning found objects into contemporary design, by Steve Dodds, has this entry table idea, also using wine crates (note Costco always has these available. You might ask liquor stores or BevMo if they have the boxes also)
click on images to enlarge

It's not wine crates, but another fun recycling idea from the Re-Creative book utilizes an old window sash.
Ideas like this just completely inspire me!

Playing with the boys

2010-06-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Dylan's new toy

Reese is foam boy at the beach, wind in his ears

Chai Tea

2010-06-03T19:47:00.001-07:00

I stopped at the Cuban bakery after work today for a coconut cupcake.
I also bought a mojito cookie, and a guava pastry for my friend Deb.
And a couple homemade dog biscuits for her dogs.

I stopped at her house to see her new Lab puppy
(about the cutest little girl on the planet), and we ate our goodies with Deb's homemade Chai tea.
This tea is so fragrant, so yummy...even fancy coffees can't compare.

Here's the recipe:

Note, Deb makes hers in a little tea pot with a strainer at the top to hold the spices.
She uses only organic.
If you don't have a similar tea pot, just tie up the spices in a bouquet (or sachet...whatever the word is. Meaning put them in cheesecloth and tie them with a string. After steeping, you can remove the spice bundle, but you can actually get a couple more batches out of it if you'd like)

2 Black Tea bags
1 whole cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods
several slices (use a vegetable peeler) fresh ginger
6 to 8 whole cloves
In three cups of water, boil spices for several minutes.
Remove bouquet, and pour tea into mugs
Serve hot with added milk or cream,
and sweeten with agave syrup or honey

This tastes even better the next day, when the flavors meld.

Out of curiosity, I looked up other recipes.
Some recipes add pepper, fennel, and/or anise.
Several here
and here
This one uses Darjeeling
Several more variations are available online--try different spices to see what you like best

It's interesting that "cardamon" and "cardamom" are both considered correct spellings.

Winter Nest Fabric Panel

2010-05-29T22:27:00.000-07:00

I just bought this gorgeous fabric panel by Kristen Doran.
I'll make a pillow for my bedroom.
The black is exquisite, but sold out currently, so I got the green.

Voila--Ashlyn's Dress!

2010-05-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm finally showing the finished dress that I mentioned earlier.
I talked about fabric choice here.
And solving a problem here.
I used four fabrics, and Amy Butler's pattern for a jumper and bloomers in her book "Little Stitches for Little Ones".

Let's talk about the bloomers first.
I had mentioned already that I added some appliques, but I wasn't happy with the way one of the flowers didn't match on the front seam (not that I had tried to match them exactly, but I actually did think about alignment of the pattern across the front).
So I added a fairy face to the front, which not only solved my problem, it made the bloomers a lot cuter too.
(click on images to enlarge)

The photo doesn't show how glittery the fabric actually is.
I used variegated thread in green tones to stitch her to the front

I added thin silver ribbon to the hem, using a zigzag stitch to couch the ribbon in silver thread

The hem of the dress got two more rows of silver ribbon, overlaid by a green velvet ribbon

The ribbon was just shy of being long enough to meet, so rather than trash it and buy new yardage, I added a flower that I made from the bloomers fabric (two flowers were cut out, one was interfaced, sewn right sides together then turned, hand basted to give volume).

This was another example of a problem having actually been a positive, in that the end result is better than the original idea.
The button in the center of the flower is the same as the buttons used on the shoulder, only in a smaller size.

I added another fairy applique to the bodice, and used the bloomers fabric on the band to tie it all together (the pattern calls for the band and bodice to be the same fabric)

I'm told this fits her perfectly, so that's pretty exciting.
I wish I had thought to enter it in the San Diego County Fair, but I didn't research the option until the deadline had ended.

Thrifty find

2010-05-26T22:56:00.000-07:00

I'm still debating if this is really cool or really creepy.
It's a handmade ceramic head that I bought at a thrift store for $1.
It's signed on the bottom with a date of 1972.
Kind-of looks like JFK.
I thought it would make a fun garden ornament, but I didn't want to ruin it by putting it outside, so it's in a pot under the eaves.

Recycled bags mat

2010-05-24T08:01:00.001-07:00

One of the projects I'm currently working on is knit in the same stitch as the scarf I just posted about, except this is on #10 needles, and the yarn (or "plarn") I made from 1-1/2" strips cut from plastic bags that newspapers come in.
I like this plastic because it's thin and pliable, and the clear bags (when used as yarn) read white, while other bags become a metallic silver.
I'm working this in two halves that I'll stitch together.
The one pictured is in green tones (plus a few yellow and white).
Another one is in blue tones (plus some grays/silvers).
My plan is for this to be a welcome mat.
I'm almost finished with it, but I'm waiting for more green and more blue bags.
Basically right now I'm out of yarn!

Second Knitting Project Finished!

2010-05-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

Yay, I made another scarf.
This pattern is called "The Magic Scarf" in Crazy Aunt Purl's book Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair.

I used #11 wooden needles, and Filati FF Funky yarn, color #46, a wool/acrylic made in Italy.

Here's detail of the stitch.
It looks complicated, but it's just a knit 5, purl 5.

Google

2010-05-21T10:17:00.001-07:00

I have to say that I love how Google plays around with its logo, especially on holidays.
Today is a PacMan theme, complete with sound effects, but I couldn't get the pic to save.
Here are some other fun ones:

Amos Lee - Colors (feat. Norah Jones)

2010-05-20T22:50:00.000-07:00

I cannot stop listening to this.
Love it so much

Girly Tutes

2010-05-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

A multitude of Fabric flower tutorials on Tip Junkie
How to easily make a tutu, on Cut Out + Keep (an easy-to-follow tutorial with lots of pics)

Or another tutu, this called A Fairy Skirt, by Lazy Mama Designs
Or here's a tutu by Cafe Mom.
I love the idea of using multiple colors of tulle and sparkly tulle
Simple Bandana Dress tutorial, by Joy's Hope
Super Sock Pig Toy!
Tutorial by q.d. patooties

Sewing Tip!

2010-05-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

If you dread sewing in zippers, boy do I have a cool tip for you!
The manager at the Beverly's Fabric Store in San Diego told me about a product called Unique Stitch by Dritz (the package says Collins, but I guess it's Dritz).

Basically this is a glue in a tube, for adhering fabric to fabric (like on a hem).
"A stitchless sewing adhesive".
The bond is permanent and washable, but not recommended for dry cleaning.

But what I like to use it for is holding zippers or ribbon trim in place until I can stitch it.
That way I don't need to waste time basting by hand, and what I'm stitching doesn't shift or twist.
It's great!
I'm not even using my seam ripper for once!!!

The product label says you can use this to permanently add pearls or rhinestones to a garment.
It also suggests appliques, but I personally like the look of stitching in conjunction with fusing for appliques--I think it looks more professional.

I just used this glue when I attached tiny 1/4" ribbon as an embellishment on a little girl's dress.
The glue held the ribbon in place beautifully until I could couch it down with metallic thread.

Now that I've tried this method, there will be no going back to basting--give it a try!
It's very inexpensive too, and it doesn't leave your garment feeling stiff or sticky.

Another Bias Tape Pattern

2010-05-08T22:56:00.000-07:00

I continue to be fascinated by vintage patterns using bias tape to make appliques.
The newest addition to my collection features ducks, birds, a sun, and a ship.

(click on images to enlarge)

This pattern was a Kate Marchbanks mail order.
The date is not indicated, and the postmark on the envelope is not legible.

The unique thing about this pattern is that there are designs inside for several more items.
Teddy bears:

Lamb and Tulip:

and what they call a Cock Motif
(it looks like Pennsylvannia Dutch to me):

These would make a cute quilt! Especially a baby quilt!
They were used for decorating aprons or children's clothing.
The designs were intended to be used with polka dotted or plaid bias tapes--once plentiful, but now difficult to find.
Then again, I guess it's a lot easier to make your own these days, with lots of bias tape makers on the market.
The designs are embellished with embroidery.

Knitting and Cocktails!

2010-05-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

Every first and third Sunday afternoon at The Whistlestop.

Avast, me hearties!

2010-05-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Next weekend, my aunt (my dad's sister) will turn 95!!!
She lives in Puerto Penasco, Mexico, and she's throwing a Pirate Party!
I won't be attending this party, but I went to her 88th birthday party.
I took a bus ride from Tijuana to Puerto Penasco, about eight hours on a Mercedes bus with good movies in English.
The only bizarre part was the random stops so machine gun toting army could get on board and check out passengers.
Machine guns were also at each bus terminal, and all the toilets required pesos to unlock them.
I was so afraid of not hearing my bus boarding notices at stops, I just hung out by the bus.
If you don't get back on in time...they leave without you!
Even after all my years of Spanish classes, I still can't understand the language.

Anyway, at my aunt's 88th party, her mariachi friends played.
There were tables set up, and food cooking, and people were dancing.
It was awesome!

My aunt broke her leg not too long ago, and now she fears walking.
Sadly, a lot of elderly people become too dependent on walkers and wheelchairs and scooters, out of fear of re-injuring themselves, but what they really need is to keep moving! Keep walking!
Well, what kind of present does one get a little old lady who is almost blind, and basically in bed or a wheelchair?

My mom took my advice and got her the Homedics Sound Spa--a little machine that makes the sound of ocean waves, or rain, or (my favorite) birds tweeting.
My mom bought a bag of popcorn to cushion the mail journey (I said, oh no, you should have gotten Pirate's Booty! Oh well)

I decided to get her something she could wear to the party.
I spent hours looking at custom tee shirt sites, thinking I'd get some sort of image with "Show me Yer Booty!" on the front.
My aunt, you see, is a bit of a card.
I found some fun tees like a pink Jolly Roger with pigtails, or a rubber ducky with an eye patch, or a multi-colored parrot.
But I really wanted to add her name to the shirt, and I really wanted to be able to use Olde English script.

I ended up ordering through Zazzle.
I got a lady pirate with Tia Maria (Aunt Mary in Spanish).
I got the party card displayed above from Zazzle too.

When the husband of a friend of mine turned 50, she threw him a little kid's style party, with ice cream caterers scooping out yummy sundaes.
Upon entering, each guest also received a pirate hat, an eye patch, and temporary tattoos.
The fun thing is their last name is Yahr, so all night everyone was saying, "Eye be garr, yarr..."
Pretty funny.
But I love the whimsy of it, the tongue in cheek, the good old-fashioned fun.

Other gift or decorating ideas for an adult's pirate party:
*treasure boxes filled with gold coin chocolates
*scroll on parchment paper (with burnt edges of course) perhaps as part of a scavenger hunt
*or use a scroll for the invitation, using bottle invitations (see my tutorial). Place a handful of sand in 12-ounce plastic bottles, with perhaps a few rhinestones, and a scroll marking the party destination
*food served might be rough and tumble, like a whole pig, or turkey legs
Obviously rum drinks or these cocktail recipes.
More cocktails here.
In my aunt's case, a bottle of Tia Maria makes more sense!

I love the party this lady threw (a photo staging area! Genius!): read about it here

Links:
Pirate Merch
Talk Like a Pirate (pages of more links at this site)

May Day!

2010-05-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

It's May 1, which means it's May Day!
I love festivities and traditions.
May Day with it's flower baskets and Maypoles is based in pagan ideas--I think it's all fascinating and fun.
May Day around the world
Some history of the day: here,
and history of Maypoles: here
interesting history and origin
an amazing collection of Maypole postcards (real photos)

Vintage Japanese matchbox cover:

Peanuts Garden Flag I saw on ebay

May Day craft ideas

Ashlyn's Dress: Continued

2010-04-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I mentioned that I had to cover up a hole in the front of the bloomers made by my wandering seam ripper.
Applique wasn't going to work (too close to the center seam), and a ribbon wasn't going to work (too centered), and a ruffle wasn't going to be in the right place either.
I considered making three-dimensional flowers from the bloomers fabric, but chances are they wouldn't look nice without ironing, and that's a hassle.

So I bought some pink embroidery floss and the plan was to make random French knots.
I figured the knots would cover the one tiny hole, while echoing the polka dots in the fairies print.
I considered metallic silver, but figured the regular cotton would be easier to use.
Unfortunately, the tiny hole was larger than I realized.
Hmmm....now what?

I took yet another print by Michael Miller, Apple Morning Fairies--the same fairies as the skirt fabric, but larger, with green leaves and blossomsI randomly cut out leaves and blossoms, fused them with Steam a Seam all around the bloomers in line with the little hole, then used the tiniest stitch on my machine to stitch each applique.

Ridiculously time consuming, but I think it's cute.
The leaves bring green into the bloomers, and tie the entire design together.
You'll see.

Tomorrow: the finished dress.

Ashlyn's Dress: Part One

2010-04-23T20:41:00.001-07:00

Remember when I made blocks for Ashlyn's baby shower?
Well, now she's turning a year old, so I thought I'd sew a little dress.
Rather than sort through pattern books or even vintage patterns, I decided to use a pattern I already had--the jumper with bloomers pattern in Amy Butler's book, "Little Stitches for Little Ones".
I went to Beverly's Fabrics (much better quality than Joann's) looking for Amy Butler fabric (mom Amber loves her fabrics), but their selection of AB isn't what it used to be.
I had a hard time deciding, but ended up choosing Michael Miller's Rose Morning Dots--a print with fairies, pinkish-colored polka dots, and a dash of glitter.
I paired it with a coordinating stripe, in the Marabella line by Amy Hamberlin of Kati Cupcake Designs for Henry Glass Fabrics (holy cow, that's a mouthful!)
and I added a third print in the same colorway, also by Michael Miller (well, more accurately it's Sandi Henderson for Michael Miller, called Meadowsweet), called Vintage Paisley (in Blush).
It's such a strange shade of pink, I was excited to get a match.
Mom Amber loves lime green and hot pink, and this is more of an apple green with a coral, but I think she'll like it anyway.

I was going to sew French Seams, using this tutorial, but then I realized the Amy Butler pattern is lined, so it would automatically be finished inside.
I'll save the tute for another project.

I have been sewing on the outfit for several hours today, but had some problems.
I put the bloomers together, and was measuring to put the casing in the waistband, but things just didn't look right.
Oops, it was upside down.
Hello seam ripper.
Unfortunately, I had used the tiniest straight stitch and zigzag on my machine, so starting over took some time.
Aarrggh.
Even worse, the seam ripper skipped and made a hole right in the front.
I'll post my solution tomorrow....

Shopping ideas

2010-04-22T20:58:00.001-07:00

My new slippers (from Lands End)

On my "gimme" list"
an alarm clock called "Sunrise", (by Homedics) that mimics the sun rising--it works with your own lamp to wake you more naturally...with light and nature sounds
This is fun--a cake shaped like a sandwich, from Perpetual Kid.The current issue of the Food Network Magazine suggests making yellow cake, with peanut butter frosting plus your favorite jelly.
I think this would be fun for a kid's themed party for someone turning 50 or 60!

I love the vintage teaspoons that have been remade into garden plant markers, by Monkeys Always Look also available in her etsy shop, and coincidentally located in my city of San Diego too!

Cirque du Soleil

2010-04-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my mom and sister-in-law and I went to the Balboa Theatre to see Cirque Dreams Illuminations.
I had seen bits of Cirque du Soleil acrobatics before, so I knew they were magical, but I didn't realize the shows involve something of a theme (like a play), including vocal performances.
It was amazing.

A bonus surprise was the theatrical debut of Robert Muraine, who I knew as the popper from season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance

An article, with more pics of the show here (includes a video excerpt).

Miscellaneous

2010-04-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

I'm loving Urban Threads makeover on Sunbonnet Sue.
The new girl is having a lot more fun!
Urban Threads sells embroidery patterns (machine and hand)

I just bought this pattern to make these adorable felted slippers.
God, aren't they CUTE?!!
Pattern by Melynda of FrenchPress Knits (etsy)
She offers seaming tutorials or her blog.

Jen, of The Felt Mouse, posted a really fun recycling idea:
turning eyeglasses into pins.
I suggested that you could go one step further and copper tape the edge then solder it.
I have to try this

I can't wait to try Bobby Flay's Frozen Mojito

Blogger's Generosity

2010-04-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have some very generous blog friends.

Remember how I recently posted that a lot of my collage materials were damaged by water, and Mary Ann came to the rescue by sending me an envelope filled with ephemera?
Little did I know that package was just the opening act.

Holy cow, in the mail came a STUFFED to the brim box filled with so much more!

Sewing pattern envelopes, not to use for sewing, but to use in collage

Book covers, and books, also to use in collage.
Hmmm, I think I'm keeping that French cookbook though.
But come on--Jenny Lind and her Listening Cat? How perfect!

Oops, image is upside down. Oh well.
Two novelty neckties (my favorite kind)--hot air balloons, and international flags.
Also upholstery samples, and tassels

Scrapbooking supplies, sheets of music, book pages.
Some really amazing French poster images

Eek! Vintage photographs (I about fainted), and postcards

More photographs, postcards, valentines, miscellaneous papers

Really really fun things for collage--bingo cards, tickets, playing cards, postage stamps, etc.
A collage artist's dream

On top of all this goodness, I received another package from another blogger!
Jen, of The Felt Mouse, had just sent me this package.
But sent me another, this time of piggy-themed stuff.
Two pig potholders, kitchen string over a piggy body, and bacon in chocolate (surprisingly tasty)

Then Mary Ann sent yet ANOTHER package, this time a birthday gift!

A rubber stamp with a paw print design.
How cute is that?!

I am spoiled rotten, and loving it.
Thanks so much you guys!!!

Dole Whip Sundae! Yum!

2010-04-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Ooh, I discovered Lapperts Ice Cream in Poway.
They sell Hawaiian ice cream, and Dole Whip (yep, that same stuff served outside the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland!)

Goodies

2010-04-14T04:47:00.000-07:00

I bought this Alice in Wonderland locket recently. Yes, Alice with pig

and this birch trees print from Lisa Congdon

and this pattern for a crocheted bag

Coconut goodness

2010-04-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

My birthday was yesterday, and my mom baked me a cake!
Yum.
Recipe here.

No Peeking, Jackie!

2010-03-27T20:19:00.001-07:00

I've been intending to complete this project for quite awhile now.
I had taken some super cute photos of doggies Dylan and Reese a year ago (surprisingly good quality from a disposable camera!).
I set the pics aside and didn't show the owners, knowing these were so special that I knew I needed to make something.
I did blog one, hoping the owners didn't see it.

At first I was thinking I'd place the photos back-to-back under glass and make a Christmas ornament.
But that would have meant reducing the size of the images, and I really wanted the full impact of a 4" x 6".

So I thought, well, I can still place them under glass, but I'll make two, with a dog-themed quotation on the reverse.
The finished product can hang on a wall or whatever.
I found some amazing beveled glass at Alpine Glass (a stained glass store in San Diego).
Soldering stuff at the ready

I envisioned these hanging by a chain, so an employee at Alpine glass showed me how to twist copper wire around a pencil to make the loops for hanging.

Christmas came and went, but I still wanted to finish this.
Jackie (their "mom") just had a birthday this week, so I pushed myself to work on the project.
Ta Da!

One of the reasons it took me so long to get around to putting these together was that I got hung up on what paper to use on the reverse--what paper should the quote be on?
Certainly not something plain...but what?
Should I collage the reverse in dog-themed images?
Nah...too busy.

And it finally dawned on me what to use for the reverse--the greenery from Fiesta Island (the same location as the other photographs).

So I took a photo I had of Leroy, and I cropped out the green.

That way the reverse is in the same color family, and I think it works
(a bit of glare from the night shot...lights hitting the glass)

But let's be real, shall we?
These are far from perfect, but the more I messed with it, the gloopier it got.
Ugh!
But then that tends to be my style, if you followed my making of the butterfly charms at all.

At one point, I peeled off the copper tape that I had already soldered, and started again.
Aarrgghhh.

Then my iron got too hot, and repeatedly going over an area left it burned (oops!)
I have one iron that doesn't get hot enough, and another that gets too hot.
I need a really decent stained glass-quality soldering iron
So I mended it.

Finally, at some point, I just had to step away and call it okay.
As Sally Jean Alexander would say, "Love and embrace"
(I will be blogging about my class with her soon, by the way).

I'm pretty sure Jackie is going to love these though.
Between those cute faces and that gorgeous glass--they'll make her smile.

Woohoo--snail mail!

2010-03-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

One of the rewards of blogging is meeting people you wouldn't have found otherwise.
I've known Jen of The Felt Mouse for several years now.
Though we haven't met yet, I consider her one of my friends.
Absolutely.

Jen just sent me snail mail AGAIN (I'm so spoiled!).
This package is especially delicious--look at all the good stuff!
(note she also sent lip gloss, but that was already in my make-up bag, so didn't make the photo)
Oh my gosh, so perfectly tailored to my interests--necktie scraps, a vintage needle case, a car visor wind chime, a kitty pinback button, fun clothing buttons, pin-up cards, and a tiki-themed sticker.

I love this Grow a Pet

and this Woof magnet

A Japanese magazine (oh so good) called Basic Life seems to be about surrounding yourself with things you love (interior decorating, etc)
I like the whimsy here

and the floral sphere

She sent zinnia seeds (my favorite) and this cute little plastic bird feeder

and how fun is this matchstick herb garden?!

Seeds are embedded in the cardboard 'matches', so you just plant those!

But the most amazing gift was the homemade recipe card she made, using my instructions from the article I wrote in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine.
On the front, under vinyl, is a photo of herself as a kid, surrounded by memories from childhood (barrettes, crayons, Bazooka)

and on the back, it's a recipe for "Reliving your childhood".

Note recipe instructions, "Don't be afraid to try all ingredients. Repeat often"
There are multiple ingredients: "dream, wish, laugh..."
and how cool is that filler?
Itty bitty alphabet noodles! I LOVE it!

Jen has pics and descriptions on her blog too.

Thank you Jen!
So much goodness here :)

Photo Ops

2010-03-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Bark

Alone in a Sea of Grass

The Rummage Sale Gods smiled on me today

2010-03-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

Today was the Thursday Club Rummage Sale.
This event is usually an annual tradition for my mom and me to attend, but I was shocked she passed this year.
She preferred warmth and sleeping in, while I got up at 4:30.

I was in line later than I had planned, at 6:30am, and was the 71st person in line (they hand out numbers so no last minute cutting).
The line ended up stretching waaaaay down and around the Activity Center at historic Balboa Park

The large room is arranged in sections of like items: arts & crafts, appliances, sporting goods, etcetera.
I headed first to furniture (my dream is to find and old library card catalog, or an old apothecary chest).
I didn't find those, but I did find a cute little cabinet (end table size), with two shelves, in perfect condition for...ten dollars! Ten!

I got the large, heavy ceramic plant pot pictured, for $5.
I'm always on the look-out for large planters, especially when they have holes drilled in the bottom.

I got this weird wooden coat rack, with alligator hooks, for $4.
It's not in perfect condition, but its character more than makes up for that.

It's wonderfully "shabby"

I was considering making a memo board for my room, and now I don't have to.
Perfect condition aloha goodness, for $5

Cute child's hooded towel I thought I'd give to a friend (I think it was $2), and some flowers for my mom (entire box of pansies and ranunculas $6)

Tiered metal cupcake stand, new with $34.50 tag attached, slight bend on bottom that is no big deal, $10.
Purchase was inspired by a tour yesterday of Cheryl Simpson's craft room (she had a tiered fruit stand filled with tubes of paint, another with jewelry. The most amazing craft space EVER!)

I also got a brass (which I'll end up painting a nickel finish) hook in a 'B' design, for $1.50.
A bar of soap called "Mental Case" (just like this), brand new, for $1.
It was soooo much fun!

Here She Comes to Save the Day....

2010-03-10T19:43:00.000-08:00

Many of you know that I've been in the midst of the never-ending bedroom remodel for the past year.
One delay after another meant the floor wasn't installed until just recently.
Which meant all my stuff has been sitting outside for a year.
Under tarps, sure, but outside nevertheless.

I was optimistic about what I was going to find under those tarps, but was seriously disappointed by what actual damage was revealed.
I had a lot of books and art supplies stored in boxes in an old armoire.
Somehow rain managed to leak in, and boxes upon boxes of books were wet and mildewed.
It was heart-breaking.
A large plastic craft box of ephemera was filled with stale water.
I lost vintage postcards, photographs, papers for collage.

I mentioned this on Facebook, and MaryAnn immediately had a box of ephemera in the mail to me.

God you guys are amazing.

MaryAnn has sent me goodies in the past, and thankfully some of that was inside the house and safe, but she is definitely the queen of vintage goodness (and generosity too).
Check out her Etsy shop.

You see, tomorrow, I start a two-day workshop with
Sally Jean Alexander, author of Pretty Little Things.
The workshop is called Totally Tiara.
So I need collage materials.
And now I have awesome papers to use!
Thanks MaryAnn!!!
Details:

Scenes from my life

2010-03-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

Snapshots from the last couple of weeks

Some days are tough ;)

Fiesta Island right before the flowers bloom

Dog Beach Del Mar with the three boys

The simple joys of life (like rolling in sand)

Fireplace by the sea...
inspiration...

Cute kitchen

Stamped concrete

Leroy

Snapshot

2010-02-23T23:42:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging as often, because I got into "micro-blogging" on Twitter and Facebook.
Twitter is okay but commenting is minimal, and Facebook just changed their layout so I've lost interest.
Which means I'll probably be blogging more often, even it's just minor subjects.
Minor subjects, after all, catalog day-to-day activities, and therefore often become significant.

I got together with my friend Cindy today, and we took her two Golden Retrievers, and the Australian Cattle Dog that I'm watching, down to play at Fiesta Island.
Cindy and I never run out of things to talk about, so time always zooms by when we're together.

Anyway, we were walking by the water, and a Basset Hound followed us.
She was a small dog that we initially thought was a puppy, with very defined markings. and a cute temperament.
Anyway, a couple approached, with the guy saying he had Bassets at home, and he just HAD to say hello.
He talked to the dog, and barked with her.

It was adorable.

And um, so was he.

Cindy and I spent quite awhile talking with them.
Turns out they both graduated from Tufts last year, then traveled to China to teach (yes, they speak Chinese).
They're out visiting her mom.
The girl threw the ball for our dogs and her own, and we all chatted about various subjects.
When we finally parted, and they had walked away, Cindy and I turned to each other at the exact time with the exact thoughts.

He was the epitome of the perfect man!
Tall, good body, handsome, gorgeous teeth, smart, educated, college degree, traveler, loves dogs, talks to dogs, can be silly, friendly, kind, and for God's sake can hold a conversation.

What a concept.

Cindy and I had to laugh.
She's happily married, but for me it gives me hope that maybe there really are men out there that might suit my needs.
Honestly, it's the talking to the dogs part that I love the most.
I want someone sensitive and kind like that.
Someone who will smile at funny stories.
But it was funny how Cindy and I were both talking to them, but at the same time registering so much information.
Like how his eye teeth made his teeth almost flat (a characteristic I adore).

Remember that old movie 'Annie Hall" and how they're on a date and they're talking, but you can hear their thoughts and insecurities and questions?
It's so interesting how our brains are so busy.

Anyway, it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon--
walking the beach in the sunshine, throwing the ball for the dogs, the dogs full of joy, talking with a friend...
it was a snapshot of life at its simple best.

Inspiring Words

2010-02-20T19:20:00.000-08:00

"It may also be that a woman's creative process is misunderstood or disrespected by those around her. It is up to her to inform them that when she has "that look" in her eyes, it does not mean she is a vacant lot waiting to be filled. It means she is balancing a big cardhouse of ideas on a single fingertip, and she is carefully connecting all the cards using tiny crystalline bones and a little spit, and if she can just get it all to the table without it falling down or flying apart, she can bring an image from the unseen world into being."
~ Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves

(from Susannah's blog)

Woohoo, another goal

2010-02-20T08:38:00.001-08:00

In my continuing quest to live to the fullest this year
(inspired by 59 Things),
I just signed up for an online photography course by
Susannah Conway.
Wow, enrollment sold out in 10 minutes!
I'm so glad I got in!

Actually, it's more like an introspective, getting-to-know-yourself class.
The course description:
The Unravelling e-courses are designed to help you heal the way you see your self and your world, using photography and journalling to access hidden thoughts and dreams, encouraging personal realisations and ultimately acceptance. Susannah is your guide through this process, sharing her insights and wisdom gleaned from a four-year voyage through grief and healing.

The original Unravelling: Ways of Seeing My Self e-course takes you on a photo safari into your own life to reconnect with who you are, where you’ve been and where you want to go next...
To date we’ve had participants from over 30 countries around the world – when Unravellers come together online a tribe is formed, and the encouragement and fellowship found in these dynamic groups supports each person in their own journey.

Huge big deal for me to do this.
I can't wait!

My Sunlight

2010-02-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

Loving this, once again inspiration from Andrea.

Voila!

2010-02-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

Yay.
Other than embellishment with either embroidered flowers or knitted flowers, my first knitted scarf is DONE!

I mentioned earlier that I had learned to knit a few months ago, and that I was working on this scarf.
I got the idea from Stitch 'n Bitch's "Ribbed for her Pleasure" scarf.
Because I found all these great wool/acrylic Amity yarn colors at Tuesday Morning, I decided to make some stripes.

I finished the edges with a blanket stitch, but (seeing as it was my first real project and all) it had some problems.
The ends splayed out, and the first few stitches I did were incorrect, making a diagonal pattern. Oops

Maybe those stitches shouldn't have bothered me, but they did.
One lady in my knitting club suggested I fold up the bad side and stitch the ends up... making muffs for my hands.

Doing that made the natural yarn and the heather yarn about the same width, so it was pleasing visually.
Here's the underside, showing the stitched seam.

I think this was a nice solution.
The knitted length was just over 5-feet, so I figured it was way long enough to wrap around my neck a few times.
(pic taken pre-blanket stitch)
Surprisingly, it works best just hanging down straight.
Oh well, overall I think it's a great first project.

His name is "That Baby"

2010-02-10T10:27:00.000-08:00