what shall I make?

...is what I seem to be wondering. I had to snap this pic of myself (man I love having a camera with a timer! Next goal: to get a fancy used camera like a Canon or Nikon from craigslist. Someday!) Anyway, the point of this post is my apron. I love aprons! I need to wear them more. When I had this on I felt like my 'uniform' (jeans and top) was complete, wierd as that sounds. It just seemed so cozy and nice. I love the pockets on this apron. As I buzzed through the house I could scoop up errant toys and odds and ends and pop them in the pockets to return to their homes, so I was more productive too. I can see why women used to wear them all the time. I vow to wear it more, and it's nice to see the resurgence of interest in aprons, like via Amy Karol's site: http://angrychicken.typepad.com/tieoneon/

And wear (ha ha) did I get this lovely apron? At Goodwill for .99. Have I mentioned that I love Goodwill?!

makin' pasta & being subversive

It does feel subversive to flout the professionals and make a thing yourself.

~Barbara Kingsolver

I'm reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle right now and it's a good thing I have my own copy. I've dog-eared and highlighted nearly every page it seems. I recommend it to anyone to read about becoming a 'locavore.' I'm inspired by their commitment to eat/buy/grow locally and did you know you can make your own cheese? You can. The Kingsolvers went to a cheese making workshop and now regularly stretch 'glossy, golden skeins' of warm mozzarella between their hands in their own kitchen! 'Why do we do this?' she asks. 'It's hard to say...but we're all dazzled by the moment of alchemy when the milk divides into clear whey and white curd...We're connecting across geography and time with the artisans. We're recalling our best memories infused with scents, parental love, and some kind of food magically coming together in the routines of childhood.'

Perhaps someday we'll dip into the world of making our own cheese, but for now I hope my children remember our homemade bread. Though most of the time I use my amazing bread machine, I should make it by hand once in awhile, inviting them to work with me, kneading and pulling the warm dough alongside me. Wearing our vintage or mama made aprons, of course.

Which brings me to....pasta! Another newly learned tidbit, thanks to this blog post here (how to make a neat little clicky link?? I don't know) http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/2009/04/homemade-wholemeal-pasta.html. After reading this, I went to my handy local craigslist listings and lo and behold, found TWO brand new pasta machines (same seller) for 10.00 each. I bought them both. My children are VERY excited to make pasta. I think that will be a great weekend project.

Many people say to me 'how do you do it?' which I presume means 'how do you parent and run a house AND have time to make stuff?' Well, we are wired to create, so it's a priority for me to honor that need and to honor it in my children. I think that experiences are important, and that they learn by doing, so I bring them along in my own journey of discovery. Maybe, when they're grown, they'll have happy memories of cooking with mama, sewing with me, making pasta, planting a garden, and on and on. Plus, I'm a wee bit subversive.

A 'quick' library trip (as in, we went in for a few select books and staggered out with these) is pictured below. Eric picked out the biggest, heaviest book in the whole library, America in Space. At first I said no, then I quickly said YES as I realized I was being selfish just because I didn't want to lug that huge book around. I didn't need to carry it. He carried it himself! We're checking out some different painters. Lily enjoys the Degas book since she's taking a ballet class. We enjoyed looking at it together. I've got poems of Sappho, a craft book, a memoir, and a gardening and body care recipe book in here, too. So much great stuff at the library!

thrifted furniture, part one

So I've been wanting to write a post about the furniture that populates my house. When I say that most of it comes from Goodwill, garage sales, free from friends, or was trash picked, I'm not kidding. Here's a sampling of it...

this yummy green velvet chair was snagged at Goodwill a few months ago for the amazing price of 9.99.

I bought this 2 piece armoire from a neighboring street garage sale (Cherry St), handpainted by the former owner for her children. It fits great in Lily's closet. I paid 40.00 for it and just in time too...as soon as I bought it some other shoppers starting asking about it. Whew!

I bought this chair at a garage sale for 25.00 I think. It came with an ottoman too and I re-slipcovered both of them.

And this chair I got at the same sale, it was 40.00. A bit more than I would normally pay, but I really, really liked it! And it's still cheaper than buying a new, similar chair.I included this pic for the black chair there by the crib--that was picked up at another neighboring sale for a mere 5.00 (I'm noticing that I buy a lot of chairs...Rob has said no more!). So there's a start, I will save more for another day. I looove thrifted furniture. I've already posted about my 40.00 buffet. What will this year's sales turn up? Perhaps more furniture that I will need to store in my basement? Seriously, I only have 2 pieces in the basement right now, that's not bad, right?

etsy shop update!

I finally updated my poor, neglected etsy shop this afternoon. I have more to add, but at least I got 7 listings up. I did this amongst waiting on pins and needles to see if Indiana would pass the midwifery licensure bill out of the House. Still waiting on that. I hope so, if it doesn't get passed out of the House there are going to be a LOT of hopping mad MW supporters out here!!

buttons and almond cake

The whole world is covered with buttons,

and not one of them is mine!

by Frog (or was it Toad?)

I've re-organized some of my crafting things. I sorted out my fabric stash and folded it neatly (yay!) and organized some of my bits and bobs on top of Lily's dresser (formerly Calvin's changing table). I don't have a dedicated craft room so things are here and in the coat closet and in the craft cabinet, and..everywhere really!

I love this big old fishbowl! I just got it at a yard sale for 50 cents. I can envision it full of buttons, so that's my goal! I will scour rummage sales, yard sales, and antique shops for buttons! So fun.

Over the weekend I read on angry chicken's blog about a dairy free almond cake! Since I have been dairy free for over a month, I haven't been doing much baking, boo. So when I saw this, I knew I had to try it (unfortunately, I am apparently link impaired and can't hyperlink, so it doesn't look pretty): http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2009/04/friday-cake.html I made it Sunday night (making my own almond paste, too!) and it was gooood. I could eat it every day I think, which is why I will limit myself to a once-in-awhile treat of it.

I'm working on re-stocking my etsy shop, finally! I've made a cute little item that no crafter can live without, times ten. I will post it here soon.