Make This From That

2011-07-20T19:09:00.000-05:00

It's Someone's Birthday

So here's the deal:

Let's pretend it's someone's birthday and you're out for breakfast or lunch somewhere. The birthday person is ordering a cinnamon roll or a piece of cake and you're all sitting around enjoying the moment and it's nice, but it's...well it's a BIRTHDAY.

Or maybe you're caught off guard. Let's say it's an ordinary lunch and then someone goes and spoils it all by saying something stupid like, "It's my birthday." Oh so now we're supposed to buy your lunch or something? I am unprepared. I have no gift. I have $3 in my checking account because my kid goes to college and I'm broke all day every day. Maybe. It could happen.

A birthday has certain elements that make it special and "hey happy birthday" is sometimes lame especially if you're in a restaurant and the reason you're ignoring your 5000 emails while downing a quick Wendy's is to be there for this person's big day. What's big about it? It looks like every other day to me.

You need CANDLES! yes that's right. As soon as you bust out the flame, it's a party.

So who carries around candles all the time?

Well, as of today...I DO and so can you.

Introducing the

EMERGENCY BIRTHDAY CANDLE KIT

courtesy of Altoids.

Never be at a loss for fire again.

Here's all you do:

1. Empty a small Altoids tin. (Scrabble tile is for size reference)

2. Spray paint the lid. I taped off the base so it would continue to slide easily. No biggy.

3. Then I laid a little tissue paper in the bottom to keep things from moving around too much. You could use fabric, or scrapbook paper, cotton, or nothing if you choose.

4. I put a green and pink candle in there (boy girl thing) and
a couple of "strike anywhere" matches.
Then I put a couple of cute stickers on the top and called it ADORABLE!

It lives in my makeup bag.

And I never leave home without it.

I am prepared for any birthday emergency!

And that kinda is a biggy.

Pantry Raid

2011-06-01T21:11:00.000-05:00

A well stocked pantry is the key to success in the weeknight kitchen. No time to run to the store. No cash for store running, and no motivation to do anything but act like

a queen

on the couch flanked by a couple of dog sentries, some knitting, a book on audio, and comfort food that will still allow me to zip up my jeans in the morning.
Many of my "go to" recipes require only a few simple ingredients: an egg, some pasta, some herbs and spices, cheese, frozen dough of one kind or another for instance. Oh and an emergency brownie mix. Key.
I keep these things at the ready most of the time and always have the makings for a stir-fry or salad dressing or saute of one kind or another depending on that special mood, my creativity level, and what's fast, thawed, and ready for take off.
I don't have a large pantry - well my laundry room could be considered my Kitchen Walk-In Closet, but inside the kitchen footprint is just a small closet with about 4 shelves. I find keeping few ingredients that are always fresh is more important than an elaborate selection.
I like a variety of oils: Canola (for baking mostly), olive (regular and extra virgin, peanut (for stir fry and deep fry.) I have a good measure of Asian seasonings like soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, chili oil, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, Tamarind, and miso. And then there are vinegars. This is where it gets interesting. I have a slight obsession. And they have a really long shelf life so I'm inclined to indulge. Essential: Cider vinegar (for pickles and dressings,) wine vinegars (red, white, champagne, sherry,) seasoned rice vinegar, balsamic, and of late, a dark chocolate balsamic that is amazing. You can drink it straight up, but I like it to dab behind my ears on date night, or occasionally drizzle on a grilled something.
And then there's the unrefined "other side of the tracks" distilled white vinegar... Sadly this poor soul has been reduced to an occasional pickle, but most often -- a cleaning product. However in that respect he's highly regarded as we glow-in-the-dark Americans attempt to get all the pollutants out of our cleaning products. I buy it by the gallon. However when it comes time to cook, I hate lugging out a big gallon jug of it, so I decided to raise his self esteem by making him an outfit before inviting him to dinner.

Here's what I did.

I saved an interesting bottle. In this case, a Knob Creek whiskey bottle. I love its square unidentifiable shape and the tailored cork.

I soaked off the label using a dishpan of hot water laced with baking soda. Let it dry and used a funnel to load in the "juice".

Then I made a cute tag. I didn't stick on a label because it would just get icky after washings or drips. This way I can remove the tag during usage and slip it back on when he's ready to go back into the pantry.

Distilled White Vinegar Made Fancy

If you think it's silly, I dare you to try it. I think it's gonna make you smile every time you pull it out. And wait til your Mother-in_Law gets a load of it!

Springtime and renewed

2011-03-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

Most people who head out to Monday through Friday jobs are not that fond of Mondays.
Right now I am not one of those people and am somewhat privileged to work from home listening to books on tape and podcasts for about 6 hours per day.
I also get to do my laundry while I work.
It all sound great, but I am pretty isolated, what with no water cooler chat, complimenting the new earrings, or asking about how the anniversary dinner went. I miss that. I miss getting dressed for work. I know, I'm a real odd ball, but I'm a girl who likes to wear her knitted stuff out and I am literally all dressed up with no place to go. Except Sunday, when I go to church.

Lately, I'm a bit over dressed.

I woke up to 66 degrees this morning. It's promising to be a glorious day and I have spring energy (what spring fever mellows into with age.) This weekend windows were washed, rugs were shampooed, the yard was raked and combed, lists were written. And there were walks, and the grill was checked over, and the windows were open all weekend.

We have two sets of company arriving in early April and I am enjoying the planning processes for each. Making special welcoming spaces for the people I love feeds my need to nurture. At this stage in my life with no children running around, and no grand children find I have all this good love energy that needs a picnic ground. So I'm thinking about plugging it into some good volunteer work. I needs to get out of the house and there in this troubled world I feel I can wear my Superknitter Ninja cape out to do some good.

So, that's my challenge for the week while I continue to air out the wintery dust from my little corner of the planet.

Today's Best Thing EVA: Knit a Journey Podcast I have really enjoyed Susan's philosophical and approachable way of connected people through bits and chatter of daily life and of course, knitting. If you enjoy listening while crafting, give Susan a try.

Be well. Do some good.

and then I woke up...

2011-02-23T08:37:00.000-06:00

So yeah, here we are firmly planted in 2011 and feel like I've been somewhat asleep since before Thanksgiving.
Not that I've been lying around or anything. There was plenty of this:

and THIS:

a bit of THIS:

before we did THIS:

and then there was THIS:

(sorry for the poor quality)

and some of THIS:

and LOADS of THIS:

and then there was some of THIS:

and THIS:

SIGH

So now we're well into February and my goal and To Do List need a good dusting off.

Today's Best Thing EVA: No Knead Bread

I'm not kidding, this works and is amazing. I almost need to eat it all day long it's so good.

One of the good things about living in St. Louis is that spring comes early. We even had 80 degree temps last week for a couple of days. It was crazy and we loved it! But then the thermometer plummeted back to its normal number and we quickly closed up the windows and resumed the knitting, snuggling up to a movie, and napping routine.

In the mean time I will continue making those long lists! Preparing for the new season ahead is a wonderful exercise and although the thoughts of a magical but distant holiday season keep me warm every day, I can't wait to play outside more and dig around in my new garden.

A Day of Me

2010-11-22T08:48:00.003-06:00

I adore my husband. He's my best friend, he "gets" me, he's a good listener, can fix anything (no joke people), knows yarn lingo, brings coffee to my nightstand every morning, can buy a greeting card that will bring me to tears, looks like Santa, and provides great bear hugs whenever I need or want them. There isn't a day when I don't realize how incredibly blessed my life is because he's in it.
Sometimes he travels for a few days and my routine changes.

Here are 10 Things I love to do when my husband travels:

1. Eat cereal for dinner
2. Skip washing my hair
3. Make messes that can stay that way for a day or two or three. (like a sewing project!)
4. Leave spontaneous shopping purchases out in the open instead of stashing them deep in the bowels of my home where no one will see them...
5. Sleep with the dogs on the bed
6. Eat over the sink
7. Watch chick flicks or Pixar movies back to back
8. Stay up til after midnight working on a project and sleep in the next morning
9. Talk to myself using any and all language choices
10. Sleep in his tee shirts...sorry to be weird, but I guess I am kinda weird that way. Well, and a few other ways too...

Cuz really, a couple of days is all I can take before I start to stare blankly into space having forgotten my role or rituals of daily life and number 9 turns to talking to him as though he were here. Once when he went to Australia for three weeks, we even argued...

I know that the only consistent thing about life is change, so I guess one day things will be different and we will have to say goodbye to each other til we meet again. It's that way by design and when you hit your 50's you start thinking in those terms from time to time. But for now, I'm taking a minute to express gratitude for a great companion and a day or two of
ALL ME!!!

And since you took the time to stop by for this, here's an amazing recipe from a dear friend of mine. It came out of a church cookbook written by a whole lot of amazing Albanian Orthodox ladies who can cook like nobody's business. They love their spinach and they love their Feta cheese. It's a great brunch or pot luck take along. Consider for days after Thanksgiving too when you're "turkey'd out!"

BISQUICK SPINACH PIE

1 Pkg Fresh Spinach

16 oz. Cottage Cheese

2 Cups Bisquick

3 Eggs

1/2 Lb Feta Cheese, crumbled

1 Cup Milk

1 1/2 Sticks of melted Butter

Preheat oven on 350 degrees.

1. Wash and shred spinach.

2. Mix spinach, cottage cheese, eggs, and most of feta and most of Bisquick (reserve some for topping)

3. Add milk and mix well.

4. Pour into a greased 9x 13 baking dish and sprinkle with remaining feta and Bisquick

5. Pour melted butter on top

6. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

I found a variation here that looks good too. Not so much butter, some added parm and a sprinkling of green onion. Will try both and see how they turn out.

Comforting Things

2010-11-17T09:07:00.002-06:00

Seeing my hand knit socks hanging on the drying rack makes me smile. Dave and I now have a good inventory of woolly warmth going into the winter season. Today I'm casting on his Christmas socks. Cashmere. Cuz he's so worth it. And cashmere socks are about as good as it gets.
It's getting to be that time of year when the weekdays fly by and not enough gets accomplished in preparation for the holidays. Fortunately I'm at the age where I have very little gift giving to do and most of my knitting or hand made items just need finishing. This will make for a first ever - no holiday stress. A little gift to myself. (prepare for small rant here...) In so many years past I've knocked myself silly with an intense number of handmade gifts most of which were never recognized or appreciated.
SIGH
Oh well, adjustment made and we move on. I think people who don't make things don't get all that's involved. Shipping is pretty expensive too and now that we live away from all our family and friends, everything has to be shipped.
TODAY'S BEST THING EVA AND TASTY TREAT:

Creamy Crunchy Chicken Rice Bake

So here's a recipe I put in the category of "The Best Bad Recipe You'll Ever Make". When my diet goes out the window and I need pure comfort I go to this recipe. I've had it for 30 years!!! Back in the day when Cheez Whiz was king and no one ever knew what a trans fat was. I might make this once a year. Honestly it's so good, I drool just writing it down...

1 8-oz jar Cheez Whiz (gaaa! I know...once a year won't kill you. Moving on...)
1 1/2 cups hot cooked rice
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 10-oz pkg frozen peas
1 2.8-oz can Durkee French Fried Onions (stop it! I know. But so is fast food. Get over it.)

Preheat oven to 350
Combine cheese spread and rice, mix well. Add chicken, peas (still frozen) and half the onions; mix thoroughly.
Pour into 1 1/2 quart casserole dish that is sprayed with vegetable spray.
Bake for 15 minutes. Top with remaining onions and continue baking 5 minutes or so until they are lightly browned.
Serves 4-6

TODAY'S "SQUIRREL!!!!" MOMENT: Christmas decorating! This will be the first Christmas in this house and I have to figure out how to use all my decorations from PA in this configuration. It's a very small house, so it will be a challenge. Must think simple. But it's on my mind because next week is Thanksgiving and I'll be spending all weekend getting the house looking pretty for my son's visit.

Just a Day

2010-11-11T22:20:00.002-06:00

It's been sort of a disjointed day. Work and listening to podcasts - right now it's The High Fiber Diet. The lady who hosts it has a husband deployed to Afghanistan right now. She's the closest person to me who is in this situation and she doesn't even know me. I commented on her blog that she's in my thoughts today. Just sayin.

Marie Osmond was on Oprah today talking about her son who killed himself last February. Tough to get through when you have a child close to that age and recognized some of the signs during certain moments of those rocky teenage years. My heart ached for her.

Sigh.

So this picture is of one of my house mates. He (or she) lives between my screen and storm window over the kitchen sink. I say "he" only because there seems to be a somewhat masculine demeanor (although the same could be said about Ellen Degeneres I suppose...) I think he's a spider, but he looks a bit like a lobster too with those big claws coming out the front. He doesn't show up every day, but he's gotten a little bigger since I first saw him almost a year ago. So far we get along. I leave him alone and he leaves me alone. Frankly I'd prefer him to be a hummingbird, but hey.

I made a big pot of chili today. The weather continues to be warm, but it seemed right. I'm in the mood for Paula Deen food right now. And curling up with this shawl around me.

Dave and I got back to P90X after taking a couple of weeks off. It feels good to be working out on a regular basis again.

Next Year's Garden

2010-11-10T08:09:00.001-06:00

Isn't it beautiful?

We've decided to stay in our crappy little house for another two years. I know, it may not make sense to those of you who know us. It's a rental. It's small. It's on a busy street with no trick-or-treaters, but we are staying put and doing other things besides, packing, unpacking, hanging curtains (I'm still doing this after a year!) and looking for missing stuff.

SO

There has to be a garden. The area shown above is along the back of the house walkway between the patio and this weird stone foundation-like square in the ground.

I'm using the technique from this book which I've used before and it is awesome!
The technique calls for no digging or tilling, but rather layering organic materials and letting it sit over a season and having lovely, rich soil for planting. It works! You can use just about any plot - even hard packed areas with crappy stuff underneath. You start by laying wet newspaper over the area and then add thick layers of peat moss, barn litter (manure), compost, yard waste, grass clippings, and other organic stuff until it's about 12 inches high. Then you let Mother Nature take over and wait for it to "cook". The worms below will come up through the paper and turn and tumble through it all creating a lovely lovely growing medium. So far I've gotten about 4 layers down and plan to have the rest finished before the end of the month.
THEN I CAN DREAM ALL WINTER ABOUT WHAT I'LL GROW!
That's the best part.

Today's Best Thing Ev-va: Finishing Nick's sock - first one. (see yesterday for picture)

Today's Tasty Treat: Real home made mac and cheese from Martha's website

and Today's "SQUIRREL!!!!!" Moment: Realizing my house is covered in a thin layer of dust from long neglecting this lovely exercise... So I'll use the 15 minute timer technique and dust in one room for 15 minutes every morning till it's done... Actually we ALL KNOW it's never done. You just begin again... which is why mine isn't done at all, but my sock knitting is!

Chalk it up to a Monday Thing

2010-11-09T08:17:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was one of those days where you have to really step back and ask yourself what you learned from it.

Coming out of our really great weekend I hit the Monday ground running. Laundry flew from the hampers, dishes whizzed to their respective positions, and clutter was lassoed and corralled in almost every room. My normally 5 hours of computer work turned into 6 hours (my choice) but because of the long breaks I took to tend to house stuff (read: DISTRACTION) it took me right up to 6pm leaving no time for dog walking since it's now DARK at 5pm.

I did prepare a lovely chicken pot pie for Dave out of Sunday's roast chicken - using crescent rolls for the topping - his fav. And I decided to make myself a vegan casserole from Alicia Silverstone's cookbook, The Kind Diet. I've made several recipes from her book and they have all been really really good - even Dave-the-Omnivore approved! I craved The Barley Casserole during all hours, the chocolate-peanut butter cups were a rich daily indulgence for a week, and her use of good, whole ingredients always makes me happy. But I need to state firmly here and now that I DO NOT LIKE POLENTA!

This casserole had a kicked up polenta topping that tasted (to me) like child's sandbox scrapings.

( In the past I've purchased those cute little compact logs of polenta in the produce section of the store and expertly sliced them, fried them, and topped them with wonderful melanges of veggies, cheese, and herbs only to spit it into the trash. I should have known. Somehow I thought it was going to taste like a cornbread topping.)

It didn't.

I hate wasting food, but this is inedible for me and I have to let it go.

As I drove to the office at 7:00 I had a short but firm discussion with myself about the day.

Lesson One: Set timers for break times and don't answer the phone, knit, watch TV, or clean the house.
Lesson Two: Don't expect every recipe trial to be awesome. There are going to be some duds, especially when wading into new vegan waters using ingredients I'm not familiar with.
Lesson Three: Things did get done, I just have to look around to notice.
Lesson Four: Tomorrow's another day, so just get over yourself.

I will use leftover veggies from the casserole debacle to make a new veggies saute of cauliflower, peas, asparagus, and corn, mixed with a lovely pan gravy and poured over mashed potatoes. BRILLIANT!

And Nick's first sock is almost done, the laundry is half way to finished, and my dogs still love me.

An unexpected day off

2010-11-04T18:16:00.002-05:00

So it's some sort of blog appreciation month where bloggers commit to writing every day, or so I've heard but have not taken the time to research.
Since I have been remiss (insert understatement of the year here) in writing my blog, I thought I'd make a better effort. It's not that I don't have a lot to say, it's more that I am lacking confidence to think anyone is going to find my rather ordinary, yet extremely fulfilling life, very interesting.

HOWEVER!

Since so few people read this, then I can just write it for me!

And so I shall.

Today was a really good day, and it isn't even over yet. Work forgot to put my Rubbermaid of papers necessary for me to complete my work into the mail-room where I pick it up, so I had an unexpected (and UNPAID!) day off. I spent the better part of an hour steaming about it - getting nothing but...

"My apologies"

...from my boss when I raised the issue via email.

So, I decided to move on to take full advantage of the opportunity to get a jump on Christmas gift making, grocery shopping, yarn shopping (I know!) and preparing a great dinner for Dave and me which included some really good beer and a bottle of wine. I even took the dogs for a nice autumn walk.

Keeping the heat off as long as possible has me in a big woolly mood and I've got fingerless gloves/mitts on the brain. Both methods of cutting the sleeves off of felted sweaters as I showed here and knitting them from some soft yummy wool like these.

You can find lots of free patterns here.

Today's Best Thing Ev-va: Going to my local yarn shop and learning I had $110 store credit to spend! Took me all of 15 minutes to do so...

Today's Tasty Treat: Trader Joe's grilled eggplant and zucchini. Frozen and ready to to make into just about anything! A little sauce, a little Parmesan and some pasta. Yum and Done!

and Today's "SQUIRREL!!!!!" Moment: Finding a big ol' box of fabric I'd forgotten about to use for Christmas projects. Spent almost an hour playing with it and pairing it up with things to make.

Another purse discussion

2010-09-01T08:11:00.000-05:00

It's the week before Labor Day so I'm wearing as much white as I can, because, well, you know the rule...
I guess there are no fashion rules anymore so it's probably going to be fashionable to have rules again one of these days.
Actually my mother in law came to visit us a few weeks ago and we got to talking fashion. She mentioned this neat sounding white leather bag she'd bought but couldn't use because of her shoulder injury. She described it as having a big ruffled flower on the front. We all know that ruffles are big right now. I told her it was too bad I didn't live closer so I could take it off her hands - or in this case shoulder - and add it to my never-quite-enough-but-we-all-know-too-many purse collection.

A week or so after she left I got a package from Doug...

and I now own this great summer bag!

Which I feel I should use until Labor Day...

This morning's dribble is brought to you by yet another great idea for making this out of that...

A good morning routine

2010-07-09T08:28:00.002-05:00

I have always longed for a solid morning routine. Because my life has been so full of changes lately - new home in a new land, new exercise endeavor, new job...let's just say new life on so many levels, I have only been able to dream of it. You can find me on any give late afternoon journaling about it, or having a silent conversation with myself, or writing a list about it. It wants to be this:

Have coffee - must have coffee while reading for half an hour.
No TV
Yoga 1/2 hour.
Walk the dogs, 1/2 hour
Toss in 1 load of laundry, empty dishwasher (it's ALWAYS FULL), make bed
Shower and dress
Healthy breakfast
Sit down to work

All this sounds great and lively and productive, but the only problem is that I would need to get up quite early to do all these things - like about 6am and frankly...I'm just not that much of a morning person... Which means I am groggy, late to get out from under the covers, needing to reheat the coffee that was so lovingly delivered to my nightstand at said 6am by my knight standing...ha ha get it? Anyway, I digress. The point is that if I did everything on that list when I actually DO FINALLY get myself up, I'd likely be changing "healthy breakfast" to "healthy lunch".

So what I do instead, is I read my favorite blogs and craft sites and catch up with all my cyber friends who really don't know me and I find little treasures like

these.

Although you probably wouldn't need directions to make these (good strong magnets, some good strong glue, and old tins) but there's lots of other cool stuff to check out anyway, so take a look here.

My morning routine will likely get better over time and as I continue to settle into my new digs, but for now, it's not a bad way to start the day. Croissants anyone?

2010-06-16T08:33:00.000-05:00

Check out this very cool way to use doilies! with this Doily Table Runner

These lacy little lovelies are easily found at

flea markets, antique barns, and thrift stores

and for very little money.

Kudos to Ashley Ann (Under The Sycamore) for posting some great inspiration

and to Country Living too!

Join the fun!

2010-06-08T20:26:00.000-05:00

Here's a chance to win a spot in a class for learning some great techniques in layered, painted, stamped, stenciled....um the sky's the limit art doin.

Don't miss out!

EVERY SINGLE DAY

How'd Ya Like Them Biscuits...

2010-06-06T12:12:00.001-05:00

Ask anyone what they love about a really great breakfast, and I think the winning entry will be biscuits. But really good, fresh, home made and not out of a pop open can biscuits.

Ask anyone what they dread about a really great breakfast, and I think the winning entry will be biscuits. And

Making the biscuits…

In my decades of cooking, sharing the kitchen and its table with many people, friends, relatives, co-workers alike, I have deduced that pretty much anything involving a rolling pin is off the menu.

So what is it exactly?

The mess? Flour on the counter… and God forbid, the floor?

The space? I know that a 2 x 2 chunk of counter space is an enigma few kitchens acknowledge as necessary these days. We’re much more interested in flat surfaces for the almighty coffee pot, toaster, and catch all for mail and cell phone caddies.

The demand of their timing? Maybe. Biscuits HAVE to be fresh. End of discussion.

It’s sad really, because with a technique no more difficult than wielding a blow drier along with a reliable recipe, biscuit making can become one’s signature and will get you invited to EVERY breakfast because you’ll be become a SOOPAH STAH with your world famous biscuits.

Pick a morning with no pressures and give it a whirl. They really are hard to screw up. The worst thing you can do to a biscuit it over mix it. That’s it. The rest is pretty fixable. Too sticky? Add a little flour. Too dry? Add a little milk. Just don’t….what? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller? Just don’t over mix it! Write it down.

Yes, biscuits are best fresh. Day old biscuits cash in their sex appeal in for hockey pucks. And let’s face it, part of the SOOPAH STAH element is the smell you’re going to send throughout the whole house – freshly baking bread!

So here’s a simple recipe. 30 minutes start to finish – including baking. Type it into your cell phone to keep it with you at all times making SOOPAH STAHdome a reality and may just take it to SOOPAH HERO lever! - at a moment’s notice. After a few times, you’ll know it by heart. If you’re going to be performing tomorrow, you have today to check for ingredients and maybe run to the market for an ingredient or two before you start partying tonight. Heck, you can pack the ingredients with your jammies before you leave and spend nothing then! Biscuits require some pantry ingredients. If there happens to be a food processor in town, you get to play with toys, otherwise, chances are the good lord has given you the implements needed to get the job done hanging off the end of your arms, with the exception of a bowl and a baking sheet.

BISCUITS

2 cups All purpose flour

1 Tbsp Baking Powder (not too old please or it wont lift your biscuits)

1 tsp Salt

¼ cup Cold Butter

¾ cup Milk (Buttermilk is best, but consider plain yogurt if you like)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and set the rack in the middle.

Step One: Mix your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt)

Step Two: Cut the cold butter into small pcs and sprinkle them over the flour mixture.

Step Three: Use clean hands to lightly but firmly smoosh the butter into the flour using only the tips of your fingers and not the hotter (palm) part of your hand. Turn on some music and do this while singing to about 1 or 2 (3 minute) songs. Small butter blobs are okay. This is the meditative step.

Step Four: Use a fork and work in the milk until it’s reasonably incorporated.

Step Five: Turn the loose and sticky mixture out onto a lightly floured surface (2 x 2 foot square)

Step Six: Smoosh and knead three times with the heel of your hand. No more. Pull it into a circle.

Step Seven: Use a floured rolling pin, empty wine or beer bottle or drinking glass to evenly roll the dough to about ¾” thick. Use a drinking glass to cut into circles or heck, cut them with a knife into triangles, or Isosceles triangles even! Honestly: You can even pat them out to the right thickness with your hands.

Transfer them to a baking sheet and you’re off to the races.

If you want a perfectly golden glossy magazine cover look, brush them with a beaten egg (use a spoon if you haven’t got a brush.) If not, it doesn’t matter cuz it only ups the wow factor and will have no real impact on their flavor or your SOOPAH HERO status. I promise.

Bake them for 10-15 minutes until golden and you can smell them. The range is wide here because it all depends on the size you chose to cut them into and the working condition of the oven you’ve been invited to use.

I arrange them in a wooden salad-type bowl, or basket lined with some cloth. A clean dishtowel works or a napkin. Do what you can. Get creative with a clean bandana or tuck in something from the garden.

Aw...

NOW: The good part. Of course, butter and a big ol’ plate of bacon is eggs is all you need for these babies, but if you feel like being creative, you can add some things to the dough. Fresh herbs, like rosemary, thyme, dill, chives make these biscuits great for dinner. Add some roughly chopped raisins or dried cranberries and you can call them scones. If you brush them with eggs, or milk, you can sprinkle with sugar, or cinnamon-sugar (Gah! So good for afternoon tea or morning coffee with nothing else.)

So learn to make biscuits for heaven’s sake. Make them your trademark. Your legacy. You can be famous for your biscuits!

Wear your SOOPAH HERO cape around your waist…

fyi that's not me...

Goodwill A Go Go

2010-05-13T16:08:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you walk into Goodwill with one thing on your mind...

CROCK POTS!

That's right.

See, I needed a cheap crock pot to help launch my latest endeavor - yarn dying. For over a year now I've been collected the lion's share of tools and supplies needed to dye my own fiber.

~~Too many~~ A few books with detailed instructions and color photos written at 2nd grade level...check
Fiber in several weights...check
Assortment of dyes...check
Funky chemical things like vinegar and sinthrapol...check
Rubber gloves....check
Measuring devices that won't get used for food anymore...check
Drying rack...check
Enthusiasm....check....always check...

Big pot to mix it all in....crickets....crickets...

So I figured Goodwill was a good place to start looking for a good sized crockpot or pasta pot. Heck, any excuse to go to Goodwill I say.

Imagine my surprise when wandering in the household goods department in search of just the right implement, when I spotted

these little gems all near each other!

So, into the cart they went and a new supply list started playing out in my head....

"I have two white shot glasses from Pier One that still have the tags on them...."

"I'll give it all a good scrub and dry"

and then stick it all together with some Gorilla Glue two part epoxy!

So that's what I did...

and they all lived happily ever after...

Tin can stars

2010-03-04T09:13:00.000-06:00

Check out how one creative crafter makes serious treasure out of trash with these tin can stars!

2010-03-03T10:01:00.000-06:00

Spring fashion appears to be about a whole lot of citrus. Especially lemon yellow. Not a ton, just a splash here are there.

Maybe it's a scarf

Something for your home...

or this for your couch...

Maybe a garden dress...

What about some earrings for your favorite knitter???

So today, when you hit the grocery store, get inspired by picking up some of these....

and some of these....

And think spring!!!!

I love a pin!

2010-02-01T12:02:00.000-06:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I HEART pins. For some reason, they really speak to me in ways that other jewelry doesn't.

Sometimes it's a chocolate poodle pin that I found on Ebay. I have a chocolate poodle and wearing "her" on my chest, close to my heart is a way to express my love for her.

Sometimes my pin is a campaign button.

Sometimes my campaign is a cause:

I have pins (and buttons) for just about every mood, holiday, season, and occasion! And I have a lot of fun finding them in my travels, online (esp ETSY) and of course,making them.

TIP: If you don't want to poke your shirt, thread your pin onto a chain and wear it like a pendant!

I wear this one to knitting group. Isn't it adorable? I bought in here.

Here's a needle felted heart pin HOW TO:

Pick a pleasing mixture of wool roving and blend it lightly - keeping it in its lengths. Or use a plain, solid color.
Find a cookie cutter in a small heart shape. The one above is approximately 2 inches at the widest width.
With a single or multiple needle tool, felt the roving into the inside of the cookie cutter. When you can, remove the cookie cutter and continue felting with the need smoothing it out.
Continue until nice and smooth. And then do some more cuz you want it very nice and smooth!
Embellish with beads, buttons, charms, silk flowers, or mixture of all. I used a sewing needle and thread and burriend any stitches toward the back.
Add a pin back with small stitches or glue. (Note: I sandwich a small piece of commercial felt between the pin and heart for added strength and stability.

Dishtowel Valance in 15 Minutes. On your mark, get set...

2010-01-25T12:22:00.001-06:00

GO!

I’ve had these dishtowels kicking around for quite some time.

Too pretty to mess up doing dirty kitchen work.

No sense in having them if I’m not going to use them.

I chose them because I liked the earthy green color and the artichoke motif.

My kitchen has just one window over the sink and I don’t really want to block out the light or the view of the back yard.

So I decided press the towels into service over the window.

Here’s how I did it in 15 minutes, and with 3 sewing steps.

I know, right?

For this project you will need:

3-4 clean kitchen towels that have been

washed and dried and pressed

1 spring-tension curtain rod

(1/2” diameter) that fits the window

Sewing machine with straight and zigzag capabilities

Matching thread

Iron

Step 1

Back in home economics class (when dinosaurs roamed the earth) I learned how to install a zipper using scotch tape. I decided to apply the same principals here. Since the seams are already finished and I didn’t want to create bulkiness or a raw edge, I butted the seams of each towel along their side edges and taped them in place.

Next I set my sewing machine on the widest zigzag I have and positioned the foot centered over the trough where the two towels meet and zigzagged right down through the tape catching each towel at the left and right. Repeat with second towel.

Pull off the tape from each side et voila!

You now have all three towels nicely connected into one large rectangular “curtain” piece. (wish I’d taken a picture at this step, but it’s too late now, so close your eyes and picture three towels sewn together at the sides. Nice huh?)

Step 2

Next I folded the curtain piece in half horizontally matching the top and bottom together ALMOST!

Note in the picture above that I did not butt the back EXACTLY along the bottom edge, just to be sure it wouldn’t show from the front.

The artichoke motif is now at the bottom looking at you there’s a fold at the top and the other half can not be seen from the front side but is hanging nicely against the window.

Use your iron to press on the fold.

Measure 1.5” from the fold. Mark with chalk or other invisible/washable marker.

(I keep soap slivers which are great for this!) Recycling yet again. Love that!

Stitch a single, straight line all the way down the marked line.

...and we're sewing...

Step 3

Measure second line repeating Step 2 except
THIS TIME MEASURE FROM THE STITCHED LINE YOU JUST DID instead of the fold, marking and stitching just as before.

You know have a pocket for your curtain rod and a nice ruffle across the top.

DONE!

It's Going to be a Great Birthday!

2010-01-21T09:09:00.000-06:00

Not a bad way to start a birthday...
I already love "her" and she hasn't even arrived yet!
I'm going to have to think of a great name for her...no one wants to be called, "The Laptop" right? I'm sure we can do better.

Thanks to my Facebook, internet, and cell phone connections, the good wishes started pouring in before I even got out of bed!
It's just wonderful and I am so grateful.
Although it's difficult to accept anything for myself during such troubled times in the world, Haiti, war, poverty, it is great to take note of how much I am loved and what a blessed life I have.

Three Ingredient Oreo Truffles

2010-01-15T08:38:00.028-06:00

If you want to make friends, and I know I do, then find a place to go (especially where there will be wild women knitting!) where you can bring chocolate.
Specifically these:
Oreo truffles. If you haven't found them on the Internet yet, they are now here!

Three ingredients:

1 bag Oreo cookies

1 bar Cream Cheese (8 oz)

1 Bag Chocolate Melting wafers

Note: You'll need a food processor

1. Buzz (technical term) the cookies in the food processor using the steel blade. You'll use 2.5 -3 "sleeves" of cookies to make 3 cups of crumbs. Reserve extra for garnishing the tops.

2. Put three cups of crumbs and cream cheese block back into processor and buzz again to a creamy paste consistency.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoon fulls onto a baking sheet. (I like to line with Silpat or parchment, but waxed paper will do.)

4. Chill while you melt chocolate. You don't HAVE to do this, but the mixture is quite wet and chilling makes the dunking a bit easier to manage.

5. Melt chocolate in your microwave according to package directions. I usually melt about half the bag on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until ALMOST melted, then let it sit for a minute or two and it magically finishes to the perfect consistency. WARNING TO YOU OUT THERE WITH NO PATIENCE: If you try to rush this you will burn your chocolate and it's OVA (that means OVER in Boston talk.)

6. Now dip your little balls of love into the melted chocolate, one at a time, with two forks, tap off excess and return to baking sheet.

7. Stop giggling from last step or you'll miss this step: Sprinkle with leftover crumbs, if desired, and BEFORE the chocolate sets. If you are reading this too late, just brush a little extra chocolate over the top with the back of a spoon or knife and sprinkle at the end.

I keep mine refrigerated because A: There's cream cheese in them and

B: They seem to taste better cold to me, but that's your choice. They can sit out at room temp for a long time and I kept them out for days over Christmas and no one got sick or anything. The cream cheese is sealed inside the chocolate.

IF THIS DOESN'T DO IT FOR VALENTINE'S DAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL.

The girls were moaning with delight at knitting group when they bit into them. It's a guaranteed hit.

HI NEW KNIT FRIENDS READING THIS!

Lord of the Felt

2010-01-13T09:57:00.003-06:00

I have a mountain of sweaters.
It all started one day at a yard sale...

A college girl was moving out of state to a warm one and was off-loading every sweater she owned for a quarter each. A quarter! Dozens of them! And beautiful! All 100% wool. Some name brands, no hand knits, which for this day was a good thing and you’ll soon know why.

My first choice would have been to put them straight into my own closet, but given that my college girl "ship" had sailed they would not have fit me or the closet and they were styled for someone three to four decades younger than me.
What I really wanted them for was for my felting stash. This means mercilessly (but lovingly!) washing them in hot water, and drying them – ruining them actually. You know, on purpose...

So many projects could be had and by spending so little money,

I thought, and ...I started to get that Gollum look in my eyes as I started scooping them up by the armful while looking out defensively for other shoppers.
When I had every single one, I headed to the card table checkout where the lovely, innocent looking college girl sat with her metal money box delighted to have made a big sale and even offered a bulk discount thinking that I must have a lovely daughter of my own who would know many future happy moments much like hers in these same sweaters. How could this get any better for either of us? Then I told her, with a tad too much gleam in my eye, that I would be cutting them all up for craft projects...Oops. All at once her face fell like a cake at a jack hammer site. For one split second I thought she might take them from me and I sure as heck knew she regretted offering the discount. In my best Schmiegle voice I reassured her that they would be transformed into lovely things with a long second lif. It seemed to be just enough to quell her regret at handing over twhat were obviously old friends with happy memories to the off-her-rocker crafty woman. And after a few quick seconds of contemplative reasoning in her own head, I, Crazy Mrs Gollum Big Sale won and the transaction was completed. Either way I thought it best not to look back as I headed quickly for the car.
I began loading them into the back seat of my friend’s vehicle – I think I may have had 15 or 20 in my arms at once. My friend, now deaf by the way, from the scream I let out when spotting the yard sale sign half an hour ago, gave me that same look Mrs. Parker gave Ralphie’s father in “A Christmas Story” when the leg lamp was pulled from the crate. I ignored her in much the same way and nodded to myself as I acknowledged a short window of safety that was waiting back at my own house where I knew that I could quickly get the contraband into the basement before my loving, but head-shaking husband would get home from his own Saturday morning errands. Not sure Lucy could “esplain” this one to Ricky and neither could I.

I stashed them in a Space Bag in the basement (takes up much less space in a Space Bag - I'm just sayin is all - in case you, the mad shopper, happen to need enabling one day.) Then I spent the next several days scouring books, blogs, and magazines for felting ideas. And there were PA-LENTY!

But the story doesn’t end there.

Along comes half price day at Good Will. It's every Wednesday, and coincidentally (not) timed with my errands that happen to take me right past their parking lot. Driving by on my way to buy bird seed, my car took on a strange life of its own and I drove powerless into the parking lot – with one thing on my mind….~~PRECIOUS~~…more sweaters…
It was May and no one was buying sweaters. I made quick work of slicing my way through the racks feeling for 100% wool fiber (A knitter knows that feel without reading the tags.) I told myself I’d allow three to go into the cart. "They were half price," said Gollum. Okay five. "Some as low as 99 cents." I came out with two Hefty bags trying to twist my justification into some distorted “good cause” scheme. Oh hell. It’ll be fine. Need more Space Bags though.

Fast Forward several months. Time to shelve all projects in order to move half way across the country.

Four HUGE wardrobe-sized boxes of 100% wool sweaters arrived in St. Louis on moving day last October. I anticipated their arrival like Carrie Bradshaw waiting for a Zappos order. I promised them their debut first thing in January, but had to keep them stashed until the holidays were done plowing through. Okay so now I’m talking to them?
Finally, they were broken out, run through the washer, dried with old jeans for extra bashing and shrunk to half their original size. It’s a cold winter and while it lasts I’ll be doing a lot of the woolly felted projects I’ve been dreaming about since that first fateful day at the yard sale. Many I’ll share with you.

Here’s one of them…

FELTED FINGERLESS MITTS

Start with two felted sleeves. Make sure you can get the wrist over your wrist now that it has shrunk. Note that you will be pulling on your mitt backwards with the finished edge at your wrist - or beyond depending on how far back you want it to go up your arm. Cut edge goes across your knuckles. See next pic.

Next slice about a 1.5 inch cut into the side where your thumb will be. Note the seam area on the felted sleeve so you can position it comfortably or descreetly- your choice. WAIT! Before you cut, make sure you're cutting at the BASE of your thumb (try on and feel for it) and not the top or mid knuckle area. Mark it somehow, but only while not wearing the glove though. No blood please.

Make its mate - exactly the opposite don't ya know...

Give them both a shave. Be gentle. Unless you prefer a fuzzier look. It's all about you.

I like a blanket stitched edge. Takes 5 minutes. But this is optional too.

You could also embellish with beads, appliques, buttons, add a decorative vintagey pin, your choice.

Go wild.

I think I'm in love!

And now for just a few more...

You thought I was kidding...

Winter Comfort Food

2010-01-07T15:42:00.000-06:00

Why is it that we pick January to start eating lighter? Okay, don’t answer that. I know I know. But salads don’t seem to work all that well when the temperatures are in the single digits for weeks at a time – like it is here in St. Louis and with no end in sight.

Last night we were blessed with a 4-6 inch blanket of fresh, fluffy snow slowing things down and driving people indoors to play with their Christmas toys, watch some great movies, and cook comforting foods. Well, that’s what we’re doing at our house anyway and with the mercury headed south to BELOW zero temps over the next couple of days, I am doing what any self respecting girl does and took a bubble bath! Then I drove to the cabinet and grabbed my little friend Mr. the Le Creuset (my big ol’ heavy cast iron pot) to create bubbly things that will make the house smell welcoming when Dave walks in the door.

If you’re in the mood for cozy comfort, here are a few ideas to consider:

Beef stew
Chicken Pot Pie
Chili and home made cornbread (I like Ina Garten’s jalapeno cheddar recipe)
Baked stuffed pork chops with home made applesauce and mashed potatoes
REAL baked mac and cheese (with a toasty crumb topping)
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Creamy Potato Cheese soup with bacon and chives

CHECK OUT ALLRECIPES.COM, COOKSILLUSTRATED.COM (my personal fav), and FOODNETWORK.COM for the best recipes or email me for one of my favs.
or try one of my most requested comfort recipes that’s kid friendly, feeds a crowd, simple with no measuring required, travels well, is easy to clean up, and takes no time to make:

POLISH GOULASH

Hardware Needs:
You’ll need a big, heavy bottomed pot
as well as the pot you use to boil your pasta
A wooden spoon
Strainer for the pasta
Grocery List:
Half stick of butter
1 Large Onion
1 Head Cabbage
1 Ring of Kielbasa smoked sausage (you can use lite or turkey if you wish)
1 Bag of Egg Noodles (wide-ish)
1 Tbsp Caraway seeds (optional, but I really like it)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the butter in the heavy pot over med- hi heat.
2. Chop the cabbage (quarter it and remove the core on each piece)
and slice or chop the onions.
3. Add veggies to melted butter, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt, caraway (if using,) and a few grinds of fresh pepper.
4. Cook for about 20 minutes slowly, stirring occasionally until the veggies are translucent and most of the water has evaporated from the bottom of the pot.
5. Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles according to the package, BUT STOP cooking about 2-3 minutes before it’s done. Drain.
6. Dice kielbasa into fork friendly sized chunks. Add to the pot along with the drained egg noodles.
7. Mix well, taste for seasoning and serve.
You don’t need another thing on the table! So easy, reheats well, and warms the cockles of your cockles! You could even use your electric fry pan if you’re lucky enough to have one – allows you to keep it warm if you’ve got people coming and going.

If you’re shaking your head, please know that I worked out on the day I made this AND had a salad for lunch, but a cold winter’s night calls for drastic measures. Just don't eat the whole freaking pot okay??? Hey, at least I didn’t make something with Cheez Whiz, but if you really need some of that I’ve got a killer comfort recipe using that too…

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T17:13:00.000-06:00

So you’re going along, having a life and thinking you’re busy and couldn’t possibly squeeze one more item on your To Do list, and you move to a new home, city and state and then realize you were NEVER busy, but now you are not only busy, but you are busy in a place with nothing familiar about it what-so-ever.

Where have I been? I’ve been moving from PA to St. Louis, MO. I barely had time to unpack some things in order to function and then it was time to have Christmas! Yikes.
After a terrific and meaningful holiday with Dave’s family that involved 15 hours of driving EACH WAY (double yikes) I was pretty happy to turn the calendar page on this year and now am feeling a little more at ease about my situation. No need for big resolutions, but a simple game plan and big dive into the energy pool.

There are many blessings to count every day and so I start every day by giving thanks. After that it’s time to map out the “MUST DO” things on my day. I try to get some exercise, eat good, fresh food, and knit a little every day to keep me feeling in control when it all feels like a very big sprint to get so much done.

This blog is really important to me, so here I am making it a priority again.
I hope you’ve all been well and that you are ready to learn some new things or get inspired in your own life by the things I’m getting into.

So today was a day for changing over files and paperwork, wrapping up 2009 and preparing for a visit to the accountant who is in for some fun times when he or she goes over our stuff which is a wee bit more complicated this year!

After lunch I took a few minutes to cut up my old calendar. As many of you know I’m a huge fan of Susan Branch – artful author of joyful lifestyle books with amazing recipes and decorating ideas and maker of very cool things you can glean from her website and retail places. So I just couldn’t bear to throw away her calendar with so many lovely pictures and inspiring quotes all over it.
I just grabbed the paper scissors and cut away. The cuttings all got tossed into a flower pot for me to grab and insert into a letter, package or make up into a special one-of-a-kind gift tag. The pages are made of heavy weight paper and are a perfect candidate for recycling. Of course if you get one of these calendar clippings from me you might also know when Dave went to Cincinnati last month or what day I got my hair done, but that’s okay. You’ll most likely tack up the fun side on your bulletin board and enjoy its joy. So look at your calendars, if you happen to have a cool one, and start cutting!
See you soon.

Spreading the Drop Cloth for new Creations!

2009-08-28T13:34:00.000-05:00

People always seem to want to know what I’m up to. What art or craft project am I smitten (okay obsessed) with today, what’s for dinner tonight, what did my table look like for last Saturday’s dinner party to honor a good friend, how I decorated for the holidays, who got what handmade gift for a birthday, or what new “green” element I’ve added to my life to do my part to preserve our planet.

Being new to blogging, but not so new to life, I am smitten with the idea of sharing my experiences with others. So in order to enhance my readers’ visits with inspiring and evocative content, I signed up for a four week blog triage class with Alyson Stanfield and Cynthia Morris.

Initially my blog was born out of a passion for living a deliberate and satisfying life beginning with a sort of “stop the madness” attitude about our stuff – especially our obsession to have so much of it! See now that we have it, we have stopped loving it, want to get rid of it, or worse, look to make room for more stuff.

Make This From That teaches us to take what we’ve already got and turn it into something new, beautiful, and useful. But as I started exploring the concept, I made some new friends along the way and found that visitors to the blog wanted even more. They were interested in dropping by for some inspiration in their day. It’s as if they were sitting at my kitchen table with something delicious to nibble on and a cup of tea just to see what I’ve been up to. Some days it’s to ooh and aah over a recent rummage sale planter I adopted to store fabric in. Other days it’s a delicious recipe to inspire better eating using seasonal ingredients or revisit forgotten recipes. Maybe even a terrific color combination to incorporate into their wardrobe.

Discovery in the day to day, expressing ourselves through art, and especially giving to others by creating a legacy through loving hands is one way to bring new meaning to life in these unsettling time and also a way to inspire my hungry readers.

Question: What would you like your legacy to be? Will your great-grand children know your first name? Well, if you’re not going to be president, there are other options.
Think about it: Anyone out there got things in their closets that were made by their grandmothers, aunts, great-grandmothers, or grandfathers? Stop for a minute and think about how much you treasure these items. This is, in most cases, their legacy. It’s what lived on after they were gone and is full of their love through the time it took to create it. A hand-crocheted afghan, an embroidered piece of table linen, an end table, a hand-written recipe card with a favorite Thanksgiving casserole. Our generation is heaping “made in China” fodder onto the landfills. There are very few who are interested in creating family heirlooms or gifts from the heart and hand. The pleasures in our home come from production lines, plastic factories, or oil.
And then Consider this: Compare the idea of replacing the shallow gift card habit with something hand made. Even if you don’t knit, or paint, or bead, you can create something truly delightful from your kitchen – no oven required, and in less time than it takes to run to the local BIG BOX store for that card. AND you’ll save money, and probably your health or even the planet!

It’s time to rethink what we’d like our legacy to be and act on it in small steps that result in a wonderful journey to a happier, more satisfying life.

Move This From That

2009-08-19T07:06:00.000-05:00

Greetings everyone! So sorry it's been so long, but I'm moving! Actually my husband has already moved and I'm just waiting for the truck to come and take the rest of our belongings and furnishings to our new digs.

The last month has been about MAD renovations to our kitchen (note "before and after" pics) and finishing projects around the place in order to put the ol' For Sale sign out front pronto.

The emotional rollercoaster is a blast, let me tell you, but I find that talking to yourself constantly is like having an imaginery friend and you can abuse them without recourse.

The computer will soon be disconnected and loaded onto the truck, so I'll be out of touch for a bit. So much to write about and I promise I will entertain you all with amusing (horror) stories from the experience.

In the meantime, don't wander off. I need you!

Favorites on Friday

2009-07-24T08:18:00.001-05:00

It's finally here! This freshly published book by Diane Gilleland (we all know her as Sister Diane and host of the awesome podcast, "Craftypod") just arrived on my doorstep this morning and I can not wait to dive into it. This easy technique book for fold and sew flowers in many styles with sooooo many ways to embellish everything on the planet is nothing but a big ol' pile of joy and inspiration! Beautiful photographs, easy directions, recycle opportunity (love that!) and page after page of "crafty goodness". Something for every age group too. I love that the "ingredients" are easily found and inexpensive. I hope you'll all check out this great book from a generous, hardworking great gal pal!

Oh wait....what's that in the background? Um is that a map? Why is there a map? Well, I might as well spill...We're pulling up tent stakes and heading west! To St. Louis. Never been there and will be moving there without even seeing it! Gotta really love a guy to do this...and I do. I love a fresh start and adventure. Both guaranteed in this story, I think. So if anyone out there knows someone I should meet in St. Louis, please let me know, cuz I need friends! Packing up my studio, kitchen, pups, and purses is going to be a BIIIIIG challenge... Better get to it.
But one more thing:

How cute are these? They are basically iron-on patches made in cute shapes. Pefect to add to a bag, jacket, jeans, pillow, or you name it. These came from rikrak and I highly suggest you support this lovely lady, but I think I'm also going to try making a few of my own using fusible web and some vintage prints I've been squirelling away for just such an occasion or project. I think it'll be a great way to use up all those scraps that are too small for even a quilt block and too nice to toss!

2009-07-22T06:41:00.000-05:00

A package arrives, lumpy and bumpy. I don't recognize the return address, but something tells me it could be yarn and it is! Etsy. So bad, but so good.

It's hazy hot and humid in PA this week. No A/C in the windows at this house until the new paint cures, so we're hanging out in the basement a lot where it's very comfortable. And what do I do when the weather is hot? Make soup of course! Don't you? Made Ina's Vegetable Lentil Soup and Italian Escarole soup with white beans and bacon. Can heat and eat all week for lunches since the kitchen is virtually out of commission while getting sanded and painted.

Aaargh!~

2009-07-19T08:16:00.000-05:00

computers... Why do we trust them?

I accidently posted today on my OTHER blog which I am trying to phase out, but blogger (let's call it clogger) won't cut and paste the text from there to here, so now you have click over there cuz I can not fathom retyping it this morning... But please do stop over...

Freaking Friday already

2009-07-10T16:42:00.000-05:00

Who says we don't look like our dogs?

Kira (my dog) is under the weather. She has had an upset stomach of the worst kind (speaking as the cleaning up person) ever since she was picked up from the kennel last Monday. Dave and I spent a glorious weekend in the Poconos with some really favorite friends hiking, biking, story telling, laughing, and eating great food (natch.) Kira and Rooty spent the time at "Mimi's Bed and Biscuit." From the name alone, you know this place is top shelf and the dogs get the utmost special treatment. Music, air conditioning, lots of socializing. Kira says, "Pfffthttt". Kira would like nothing better than to stay at home FOREVER and not be subjected to change, or vacation, or grandma's house, or vet visits, or God forbid...grooming. So when I picked her up I got the happy dance from go-with-the-flow Rooty and Kira looked askance and played the despondency/guilt card on me.

So the "squirts" started next day and the vet instructed us to give her the ol' Pepto Bismal treatment. I could tell you she hated it, but it would be obvious if you saw her with the now permanent pink whiskers that frame her lovely white face. Next we moved onto the rice and boiled hamburger diet- which she thought was great. However Dan Dan the Painter Man continues to work on the outside of our home and is surprising her (and all of us from time to time - just ask my husband about his streaking experience...) anyway, she FREAKS every time she sees him in the window. And then the mailman throws the mail through the slot and did I mention we've torn apart the kitchen moving their kennels (her safe haven) to a new location? THE GIRL IS STRESSED.

So today we made a trip over to the vet since I had to get up three times with her last night to make a yard run, and the stress diagnosis was called. She's taking some medicine to kill some the excess bacteria in her gut and on some special dog food, which she is tollerating thankfully. It's hard to explain to Rooty all the special treatment, including new food and car rides that Kira gets, so now I'm getting the silent treatment from her. We'll see how it goes.

I was so hoping for some good doggie antidepressants that I might perhaps test in my own wine glass, but the vet may have spotted the look of "close to the edge" on my own face and decided to stay away from that treatment altogether.

Oh well. Back to yoga. Ohmmmmmm.

Oh wait, it's Friday night. Back to merlot!

Cherry Season

2009-07-01T07:14:00.000-05:00

Woot! Woot! The cherries are here in a big way and they look amazing this season! My favorites are the Rainier Cherries that are a lovely golden color with a swipe of red blush on their plump cheeks. They have a slightly tarter bite than a Bing Cherry, and then they burst with the familliar sweet.
The snap and splash of eating a fresh, ripe cherry is an annual food love fest for me. I eat them all day long and look for new and interesting ways to share them with my friends.
Here's a recipe from the Ball Book of preserving, a magazine/booklet that the canning jar company has put out every year since 1909! Looking over the one with the recipe I'm about to give, I can't tell you which year this one is from but there's a luscious lemon-looking tart on the cover with a heaping pile of raspberries in the middle. The annual publication covers all the basics of canning and freezing foods including things like pickling, jellies and jams, butters, infusions, and condiments - to use virtually anything you can pull from the garden and then they make you a dedicated follower for life by adding many recipes for new and interesting ways to use the bounty from your Victory Garden.
CHERRY-ALMOND JAM
Yield: About 6 half-pints
3 (12 oz) bags frozen sweet cherries, thawed and drained; or 36-40 ounces fresh pitted cherries
1 pkg powdered pectin
3/4 almond liqueur (I used a generic "Amaretto")
3 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh please!)
4 1/2 cups sugar
While you make the jam, prep your canning jars according to Ball's Blue book or manufacturers instructions.
Finely chop cherries. Combine cherries, powdered pectin, almond liqueur and lemon juice in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if neccesary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Meet my new inspiration, Alisa Burke!

2009-06-30T23:11:00.000-05:00

If you haven't yet discovered Alisa Burke I strongly suggest you run right over to her blog and see the fantastic work she's doing. I say work, because she is one of the lucky ones who left her day job just about 2 weeks ago and is flying without a net doing her art full time.

I happen to be thrilled to be taking a couple of her on line workshops, read her book cover to cover, am knee deep in this crazy playful process she uses which is all about cheap thrills, freedom and play - which is what I always want art to be. Don't you?

She also has an Etsy shop where you can score her items like this one pictured here. Don't you just love the graffiti chic attitude of it?

I haven't blogged too much lately. I am reading Sister Diane's (Craftypod fame) e-book on blogging and it has really gotten me thinking about what I want to accomplish with this project. I don't think the world is all that interested in my day to day life as an unemployed person stuck in the limbo land of having been a career driven wife and mother, to an empty nester on the verge of some big changes which could include a move. So I'm focusing on things we could all use a little more of in our life: INSPIRATION. Don't you just love that jolty all-consuming feeling of a new passion or project, friend you've just met, or job well done? I know I do. Just like I'm feeling right now with what Alisa is offering through her style of art and technique - a am inspired and it feels awesome. It's times like these that have me desperate to be in the studio making lots of mess and cranking out the projects. So let me know what's inspiring you these days. It's a feel good feeding frenzy!

2009-06-17T06:20:00.000-05:00

Good morning blogger friends!
I just found this neat place that offers recipes for making your own shampoo. The best part (for me) is that you can "flavor" it with all sorts of scents depending on your mood or liking. Check it out!

Something Blue for the Bride

2009-06-16T12:16:00.000-05:00

So if you've got a bride to shower this month, here's an idea for a lovely, sentimental gift for her:

Inserted into this embossed "bodice" is a sweet vintage hanky that would be detached from the top and carried on the big day.

The ensemble hangs from copper hanger and comes all wrapped in tissue and celophane and tied with an organza (white) bow. You can find them at my Etsy Shop,of course, or make one yourself.

Tray Transformation

2009-06-12T07:43:00.000-05:00

So two weeks ago I'm at my very favorite place to treasure hunt these days -Wednesday half off day at the Salvation Army- I spotted this little nothing on the bottom shelf of the housewares dept. A long bamboo tray about 16" by about 8". No missing parts, no construction issues. Clean. Any time I find a little gem like this I am always happier if it has a function, which a tray certainly does. So at $1.99 I couldn't resist. (by the way, why can't stores stop trying to manipulate me by putting these kinds of prices on things? We all know it's 2 bucks! It offends me.)

Anyway, I digress... Back home "we" (the tray and I) spent time together in my studio getting to know one another and I began pulling together Asian inspired things that I thought I could use to pimp the thing and so after several layers of sponge painting, some decoupage of various papers and images, rubber stamping, as well as a sprinkling of ephemera, it is now transformed into something new, functional, and lovely!

Although I wouldn't put food directly on it, it does have a final coat of polyurethane to protect it from spillage and such.

Actually I think it would look super hung low on a wall just above a table top or set into a small black easle at the back of a side table in a guest bedroom, entryway, or hall. Its tall stature would make an excellent backdrop for an Asian inspired vignette.

Butterflies signify Transformation

2009-06-05T07:45:00.000-05:00

To me, nothing signifies transformation more than a butterfly. I mean, going from being a worm into something so lovely and delicate simply by wrapping up in some handspun and going to sleep is my idea of fantasy.

After finishing this cake for a customer (from my catering days who still calls me) I added that little pink butterfly to the card. A new teacher is born.

Today is Finish It Up Friday and the list of things I have started this week is so long it will cause me to drink wine at 8:30 am this morning if I attempt to list it all, so I'm going to skip that and move right on into it.

The weekend is upon us and I love all that it has promised, beginning with my husband coming home from a week long business trip that has spanned 10 weeks and I will celebrate with a couple of chicks tonight on a deck to be named later.

Baseball, grills, art, and swinging are all on my agenda for this one.

2009-06-03T09:31:00.001-05:00

A list of plus and minus for Wednesday...it is Wednesday right?

Pluses:

......crickets....

........um..

..........oh right,

It's 50% off Wednesday at Salvation Army.

Minuses:

I have way too much stash to justify going over and adding to it.

Plus:

I have a dinner invitation tonight and my host tells me Ina Garten is on the menu!

Minus:

It's 10:30 and I'm still on line in my PJs with a big consignment order to deliver before the end of the week that isn't even in the cutting stages yet.

Pluses:

It's a gloomy, dark day - great for sewing and crafting

Minus:

The bouncing barometric pressure has provided me with a nagging sinus headache turning my motivation into mush

Plus:

Netflix just delivered Season 4 of Project Runway to my door.

Minus:

I just want to watch it all day with my knitting!

Plus:

I am a happy, healthy person with the world on a string...

nuf said.

PS: The apron isn't my design, only inspiration for some dresses I need to slice and dice. I'm thinking aprons on the horizon.

A Gorgeous Monday in May

2009-06-01T07:03:00.000-05:00

It's the final day of May and I am delighted that it's a perfect one. After a really fun weekend filled with a perfect mixture of fun and productivity, it's onto a new week filled with the promise of learning, listening, and crafting. I have leftovers for dinner and no chores that have to get done, so the workshop is mine! Hmmmm. Now what to choose. I think since it's a really sunny, dry day I'm going to pass on the sewing or knitting, or workshop crafts - maybe tonight though after the sun goes down but the energy level remains. Instead I'll opt for my second round of handmade paper making. My last episode turned out so well and it was so much fun, I couldn't wait to get back to it. So I'm off to dig out the blender and all my toys to play the morning away.

Finish It Up Friday

2009-05-29T07:03:00.000-05:00

A wise woman named PEACHES said that if you start something new on a Friday you'll never finish it. So I'm declaring it "Finish It Up Friday" and the list (okay, PILE) of things to finish is longer than they allow in these blog posts! I think there should also be a "one sock sunday" or something too cuz I've got a few single socks about to be finished before starting into the second.

I think I may be officially done knitting things that have to be seamed. This is not a fun part of knitting for me and I am paying a lot of attention to all things knit in the round on my future projects. The lovely, tweedy, unfinished looking sweater above is actually cotton and will make a nice addition to my summer wardrobe. But first I have the arduous task of putting it together and adding the button band - another non favorite part of knitting. I'm considering making some buttons from poly clay so I can say that the entire garment is made by moi.

Spent a cool and lovely evening in my workshop last night playing with paint and mixing media in new ways. Found a bamboo tray at Salvation Army this week that I am upcycling into a really cool serving piece for saki or tea - or wall art if that's your decor. Stay tuned, it'll be up soon and over in the Etsy shop for a great bridal shower or birthday gift.

On The Menu Tonight

Well, since it is Finish It Up Friday, I'm using some cooked chicken meat to make a chicken pot pie with fresh coleslaw to go with. I'll use crack-open crescent rolls for the top crust and a bag of mixed veggies instead of chopping my own. A bechamel sauce (2 Tbsp butter melted with 2 Tbsp flour cooked to thickness) gets 1 cup of chicken stock, 1 tsp thyme, the frozen veggies and chicken meat and it's made! Arrange the rolls on top and bake at about 350 for around 20 minutes, or until the rolls are nicely browned. It's a real time saving recipe, but I'll need that to get all those projects FINISHED today! They key is to have the cooked chicken meat on hand. You can use a store bought rotisserie bird or cook up a few bone in chicken breasts and bag up the meat for the freezer for future needs. Either way, it can be a quick meal that everyone will love.

2009-05-27T18:15:00.000-05:00

There are just so many things to make from treasures found in various places. Whether it's a fern to press into a book from the earth's floor during a Memorial Day hike, or a three footed box at a yard sale, the ill fitted designer shirt from the back of your closet that's just too good to part with, or a thrift store treasure that no one else can see the value of but you; the possibilities as they say, are endless. Today's treasure was small in its inventory, but my stash is starting to take over a spare bedroom, so I had to be somewhat picky. This dress, OMG what can I say, the amazing trim, with beads and bells, goes all the way from the shoulder/neck to the hem (mid calf) and then there's more around the sleeves. The fabric is heavy and gorgeous with a great mixed print of indigo, plum, and gold. I can not wait to play with it. I'm thinking a bag, or an apron, or both - there's that much. Let me know if you've got ideas.

Treasure of the Day

2009-05-21T11:30:00.001-05:00

So how much do I love 50% off Wednesdays at the Salvation Army? Way too much. Here's a picture of this week's treasure. Now this is not something that will be upcycled into something new, but can be pressed back in to service just as they are.

These lovelies will come out on Tea Party day when I treat all my chickie friends to an afternoon of lady like activities - pinkies extended and everything!

As you can see from my blog's banner, I'm all about the butterfly. Nothing to me signifies transformation better than they, so these dishes found their way to my shopping cart and the rest they say, is history...

I'm off to the woods with Dave and the dogs. We both need some time with nature. The man has been traveling for 9 1/2 weeks and is drained.

I've an issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors for hammock time and I'm bringing along my flower press to pick up some woodland treasures as we hike along the lovely trails of Pennsylvania.

Check back with me on Monday and I'll be talking about little girl skirts -- but not to wear. You'll see!

Lunchbox Napkins from Shirts - Part 2

2009-05-19T17:57:00.000-05:00

After washing your shirt, and ironing if necessary, cut away all the pieces that you won't need for this project- collar, sleeves, front button bands, and back yoke. And in the spirit of Miss Julia Child who said, "Save the liver!" please save your buttons and bits of fabric that can be stashed for future endeavors. What you're left with will be some nice large flat pieces and you can fit a square template onto them wherever they fit in order to cut. A men's large dress shirt should net at least 5 napkins and you can slice open sleeves to get a couple more.

I happen to have a nice quilters template about 9 1/2 inches (but it should be noted that I don't have a serger! but I digress...) but you can easily use a cardboard template or just measure. A template is good if you plan to make a lot of napkins and want to cut quickly. I also use a rotary cutter (it's fun and I happen to have one - though I do not own a serger...woe is me.) A rotary cutter allows you to cut through 3 or 4 layers at once, improving your efforts - like a serger does when it comes to sewing... (There's no way my husband's going to read this and get the hint about the serger, so it's futile to go on about it ya know?)

If you do own a serger (I hate you first of all,) you can now simply surge all edges and you are done. I, on the other hand, will be moving to the next steps? Hmm. Let's proceed:

Turn each edge in about 1/4 to 1/2 inch and press all around. I like to turn my corners in first, making a little triangle in each corner and then turning the side edges under. This way you get nice mitered corners. But it's your call.

Using a zig zag stitch, buzz around all four edges catching the rough edge to prevent fraying.

Give a nice press, fold and stack and you're done.

I'm sincerely grateful that my very adequate sewing maching has a zigzag stitch. Some machines don't. My inner brat is now silenced and you are on your way to making eco-friendly napkins to carry to work and school. Rock on!

Tutorial for Lunchbox Napkins from Men's Shirts. Part One -Select and Cut

2009-05-18T17:26:00.000-05:00

Start with men's shirts. I like to scour Salvation Army on 50% off Wednesdays as well as yard sales - go toward the end of the day when shirts go for a quarter! Here's what to look for:

1. Look for quality fabric and interesting prints. Stains will happen! So prints and stripes are your friend. Put your hand inside and see if you can see it through the fabric. If yes, pass on it. A light weight denim, or tightly woven cotton works well. Think bandana, not hanky type material. Should feel heavy for its size.

2. Check the labels. I find the manly man designers always work: Eddie Bauer, LL Bean, Faded Glory, Gap, etc. And if you find that occasional superstar like a Ralph Lauren or better, by all means get it, but consider if you might not want to use it for something better than face toilet paper!

3. Avoid polyester. No more than 20%. It doesn't abosorb. Whenever possible, cotton or linen is best.

4. The larger the better. A men's size small or even medium isn't going to make a lot of napkins, but if it's good quality and a great price, get it and mix it with a sister fabric to complete a napkin set. I like at least 5 in a set - one for every weekday at school or the office.

5. Look for stains in key places and sniff for BO. I'm not kidding. Check the inside of the shirt for a yellowish stain. If it's there, walk away- you're putting these napkins into your face.

6. Check for rips and holes. If they are in the button area, it won't matter, if they are on the back where the most fabric lives, you're not going to have many napkins.

I like to look at fashion sites and magazines for inspiration on color. This season seems to be showing a lot of citrus colors - bright orange, yellows, and greens. But these colors aren't often found in menswear, so consider tropical print shirts in fun designs. Consider who'll be using the napkins - conservative man or woman, child, teen, youself, gift, to sell.

You can also use women's skirts or shirts for napkins. There isn't always much yardage, but it depends on the find. Again, check the label for fabric type - cotton and linen are what you want.

Come home and admire your treasures! And note the money you still have in your pocket - these babies are everywhere and they are cheap. We Americans seem to think we need to keep hundreds of these shirts in our closets at one time. Good for you for repurposing them into new life and keeping them out of the landfill.

Wash everything and dry it in the dryer - if this is how you'll be washing the napkins.

And now, we cut.

Today Is the First Day of the Rest of My Blog Life

2009-05-14T16:59:00.001-05:00

So to celebrate...we're making lunchbox napkins of course!

These beauties were once a man's dress shirt and I found it on half price day yesterday at the Salvation Army for a mere $.99.

Come back tomorrow for a complete tutorial on how to make them yourself! If you too are one of those wonderful people who walk to school and carry your lunch and want to stop using paper napkins to save those awesome things we like to call TREES, here's something fun and easy to make. Lunchbox napkins are smaller than a dinner napkin, but bigger than a cocktail napkin - about 9 inches square. There will be a selection of them for sale this weekend on my brand new Etsy Shop. So this next pic looks like guy shirts hanging on the line on laundry day right? NOT. These babies will be sliced up into lunchbox sized napkins to take to work - I make them in packs of 5 (okay, do the math, 1 for each week day) and they get tossed into the laundry on the weekend ready to go for Monday again! (Note: If you are fortunate enough to only do laundry once every 2 weeks, you might want to buy/make 2 sets...)

So in the mean time, let's take time to get to know each other. I welcome your comments and emails!

Day 1 and there's a LOT to do and talk about. The purpose of this blog will be to provide me (and now you) with an inspiration station on

the train ride of crafting life with upcycling in mind.

As I dreamed up this blog ( I had a false start with a blog already and ran it off into a ditch somewhere, but I think this is way better and it's got a purpose.) anyway, as I dreamed up this blog I filled three pages of a spiral bound notebook with ideas for transforming (or upcycling to use the buzz word) things from our stash, trash, and treasure hunts that we can transform into beautiful, and hopefully really useful new things. I know, right? Isn't that great? I am very excited. If you love to shop, have no money, and long for more creativity in your life - welcome!

So let's get started. (Note to self: I may need to add a website to all this, cuz there's a lot of categories and things to cover. But we'll see - I don't know how yet... )

And please note that I am CLUELESS about this social networking Internet technology. Wish I had a 7 year old who could teach it to me. But I am spending massive amounts of time on line trying to pick it up here and there and I've got the beginnings.

Stopping by (and hopefully subscribing to) this blog means you are hungry for inspiration, the meaning of daily life, humor, recipes for food - cuz we gotta eat right? and you have no idea what to have for dinner cuz you've been crafting all day, and especially to reuse what you may already have, or can hunt for in cool and interesting new ways.

I know everyone likes visuals, so there's going to be plenty-o-pictures expressing how I really feel and can't say in words. I am a visual learner, so will pass that on to you by using lots of pics in my tutorials. Always wanted to be a teacher, but was told by Mr. Madden (el Guidance Counsellor in 1973) that they were a dime a dozen. Heavy sigh. And go figure, here's my big chance. Let's hope I don't blow it!

Catch you tomorrow. Dust off your sewing machine, paint brushes, and workbench.