Spring Ice

I've been feeling a bit antsy online lately,hence my absence. I think it's just the season change. There's a restlessness in the air just waiting for things to begin. A couple of weeks ago we had a huge snow storm. We went visit my brother for his birthday and ended up snowed in for 3 days. It was fun to be snowed in with friends.I'd like to say we reconnected playing old-fashioned board games by candlelight, but actually we cable-less folks enjoyed some premium cable allowing us to catch up on some Project Runway and to see all of the most recent season of Weeds without waiting for the release on dvd.

I was lucky enough to get the most recent issue of Dwell at the library. It's a really great issue. There's a great slide show of the George Nakashima Compound. If you watched the PBS series American Craft, you may remember a segment with his daughter. I also really loved the house based on a historic barn featured on the cover. It's such a beautiful combination of the modern and historic. My own house is so full of color and pattern,which is one of my favorite things about it. I love the exact opposite in this interior.

I now have some pieces in brick and mortar stores. You can find coterie pieces at one of my favorite spots, Cosmic Collectibles in Lakewood. They can also be found at Stash Style in Chagrin Falls.

There's nothing like some new music to usher in the new season. We've been listening to the Chris Walla cd as well as really,really enjoying Thao.
How much does it date me to say that she reminds me of Edie Brickell?

Grey Days

Is there a name for those endless days this time of year? My head is so achy and heavy and that I cannot for the life of me think of one. I can think of names for other times of the year but not this one.So, needless to say the weeks have been a bit long. It always makes me think of the Shins lyric, "The years have been short but the days go slowly by". I was listening to the Shins on repeat while finishing up some things for a Cleveland Handmade show at Silverthorne Gallery. (If you are in the area it's up until the end of the month). Maybe it was all the time spent in a VERY cold attic, but I've been sick all weekend. I am so.tired.of.being.sick. This has been a truly rough January.

The picture above was taken through one of my favorite candlesticks.
I have had my eye on them for quite awhile. I imagined them looking lovely on the mantle, but the realities of very thin glass on a mantle above a ceramic tile hearth and two cats and at least one very clumsy owner, it was not to be. After I broke one just minutes after arranging them, it was clear they needed a new home. Luckily they fit on the window ledge of the very high leaded glass window in the dining room. It turned out to be good decision because looking at the way the light shines through them gives me a lot of pleasure.



I just finished this book and really enjoyed it. It's been a bit difficult to throw myself into a new book, after enjoying that one so much. This always seems to happen to me. I did score this at the library, so I'm trying to make a sewing goal for the month. Also, the I'm Not There soundtrack has been playing a whole lot around here. It's so,so good. In the meantime, I'll be checking Leya's blog to see what other people's solutions are to these days.

To Market

I know I've shared some pictures from the West Side Market before, but going there just makes me so happy. Besides, we did get a new camera for Christmas so these are much better. Devin took these. I was too busy looking for the best grapefruit.







It's crazy cold outside. I keep feeling like I should be baking or doing something industrious, but I can't seem to move from this very warm spot.

Primary Colors

Yes, Devin chose that cheesy,if appropriate title. I was feeling so good about blogging in the new year. And then I got the flu again. This time is was a different kind of flu. And by different, I mean the kind that leaves you ten pounds lighter. Ahem. Well, on to more pleasant things. I wanted to share this great coat rack that I found on clearance at Anthropologie. We both have an insane number of coats and jackets,plus grocery bags,etc., so additional hanging space was really needed. Plus,it's more immediate than where we normally hang our coats,which (hopefully) will help us resist the urge to pile everything on a dining room chair.


As you can see, the kitchen is bright yellow and white. Recently, red has become a regular accent color. I hope to share some more of the red in my kitchen,including another great Anthro clearance item.



I also wanted to share some of the handmade that was given this Christmas. Outside of my jewelry Hannah was the recipient of the most. This is the collage I gave her for her new apartment:



One of her other requests was for coasters that "look like your stuff". I was a little pressed for time and experimentation,so I actually used these with my own images. Here is one of them:


We enjoyed a big day out today, mostly full of fun for Ramona. Getting lots of attention while we make a return to JCrew, running off leash, hiking,and the dog park. Needless to say she's pooped. We're a little pooped too. Nose to the grindstone tomorrow,though because I have some sweet items for Valentine's Day to show you.

New Year = Cinnamon Rolls

I've been wanting to make a New Years post for awhile, but, as usual, I just write them in my head and never actually type them. We didn't do anything too exciting. We did watch Once, though and that made me very happy. I was so sick over the holidays that I feel as if I'm just now getting back in the swing of things.So, thinking New Year's thoughts, I came across Hannah's New Year post. It just seemed so perfect and included so many of the little things that have been in my mind, that I'm going to cop out and say read it for yourself. Besides, her blog is lovely.



I've been out of cinnamon since Christmas, which is probably why I was craving it so much. Having finally replaced it in my pantry, I decided that cinnamon rolls were in order for Sunday morning. I've never actually made cinnamon rolls before. I think I avoided them because I thought that their rise time was much longer and frankly, I'm more of an immediate gratification kind of girl when it comes to eating breakfast. As it turn out it's not bad at all. I used Nigella's Norwegian Cinnamon Bun recipe and it turned out great. These will be made again.


Norwegian Cinnamon Buns


Dough:
4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4-ounce packages of yeast
scant 1/2 cup butter
1 2/3 cup milk
2 eggs

Filling:
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg, beaten to glaze

Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Melt butter and whisk it into the milk and eggs. Stir into the flour mixture. Mix until combined and then knead dough until smooth and springy. Let rise in oiled bowl (covered) for 25 minutes.

Roll one third of dough into a rectangle and place in bottom of pan. Roll remaining dough into a large rectangle and spread with the filling mixture. Roll up from the longest side and cut into 3/4" slices. Place them on top of the dough already in the pan and brush with egg wash. Let rise for 15 minutes.

Bake at 450 for 20 - 25 minutes.



I had some help in the kitchen:


Later in the afternoon, we went to see Juno. You know when they call something the "feel good movie of the year" and you're not really sure what that is supposed to really mean? Well, I think that Juno really lives up to that cliche. Seriously, I was in such a great mood leaving that movie.

We're off to enjoy some of this crazy weather. I do appreciate not needing a jacket in Cleveland in January and yet it creeps me out big time. It just makes me feel weird. The wind doesn't help. Hopefully I can get this scaredy cat of a golden retriever to brave the gusts for a much needed afternoon hike.

this time last year

I've been thinking a lot about this same time last year. I do quite a bit of that comparing one year to another.I actually started my very first blog entry with similar sentiments. Without going into too much detail, last fall was a really rough time. It was made even rougher by the fact that we were 4 hours from our families. I remember one particularly difficult day I was going to go out to buy Christmas cards. I was getting ready to go, and I thought,"I should just make Christmas cards,it would be a nice distraction". I sat down with the computer and began looking for ideas and I stumbled upon the crafty blog world. It somehow felt like a revelation to me and comforted me so much.

Finding so much inspiration has meant so much for me. I can't imagine how different my life would be right at this moment if I hadn't made this discovery. I'm so thankful for all of it.

fall back

I finally managed to harvest lavender,thyme,mint,and sage from the garden to dry. The stairway smells amazing! I'm hoping that it will find its way into some Christmas presents. Soap? Linen water? Any suggestions?



A new wreath for the front door thanks to the Halloween clearance.



I hate how fast the retail world moves, but I have to say that I feel a little giddy when the Christmas stuff starts to make an appearance. I can't help myself.

finally autumn

Oh,have I been neglectful of this space.I was feeling all inspired and ready for autumn when a heatwave hit.(Read Shari's sentiments on the same topic here.)
It just made me feel out of sorts. Finally, though autumn has arrived. I have a habit of spending a great deal of time in my head composing lines to place here, and then, having done so forget to realize them. I do this with letter writing and even phone calls.Thinking is not the same as doing. I have lots I want to share, for now I will leave you with some pictures of the autumn light.

free but closed

new inspiration

I bought this lot of vintage pins a few weeks ago at a flea market. I think they may have been grouped by political persuasion, but I"m not sure. My favorites are the Audubon Society pin and the "comrades" one. It ended up being the inspiration for my next project.I've been collecting vintage illustrations, in particular those from old reference books. After a little trial and error, I'm really excited with the end results:
brooches

barrettes


I really love them so, so much. I hope that there are some other people out there who will love them too. I keep passing by them and looking at them. I can't seem to help myself. I hope to add this batch to my shop as soon as possible.

It hasn't been easy working on things in this heat. I did make a delicious strawberry tart from this recipe.It was the perfect weather to enjoy this dessert, but not so much the perfect to make it. But, it came out alright and we managed to have seconds.

enough

I was reading a copy of the magazine Yoga + Joyful Living from the library and they had an excerpt from the book The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough. It was in the sukha (good space) section. This weekend, which was divided between organizing, playing catch-up and reading, hanging out, I thought about it a lot. As pedestrian as it might sound I get that feeling of satisfaction when the last load of laundry is on the line, and particularly when I have a clean kitchen. Cleaning the kitchen is a task which I simultaneously hate doing and enjoy the results in equal amounts. I think that feeling of enough isn't just when things are done or organized. It's also the level headed satisfaction that comes with milk in the fridge and plenty of coffee and a new loaf of bread. I can't explain why it is, but it relieves my anxiety of life if I know that I can, at the bare minimum, have coffee and toast.


I've been listening to the new Feist a lot lately. I like it a lot. It feels very French to me, which I guess should come as no surprise since it was recorded in Paris.Last week on Coudal they had a link for photos of the Paris flood of 1910. They are really amazing photos. I've been on a bit of a Coudal kick lately. If you're not familiar with it, I'm not sure I can even begin to explain the site. Even they can't really define themselves. Their lack of focus means there's something for everyone, so you are bound to not leave disappointed. I'm particularly enthralled by their summer Swap Meat. Although I have to admit that the name "Swap Meat" makes me think of any number of disgusting things, in particular people mailing smelly meat packages to one another. It makes the vegetarian in me shudder. It's worth getting past the name though, I promise.

long weekend

Memorial Day weekend has always been a busy one in my family. I was born the day after, and wouldn't you know it, my other half was born on Memorial Day. Because of this it's always a bit of a two for one holiday,or now, a three for one. This was the first year that we hosted something and it was nice to have everyone there and to get to have it by the lake. We made a vegetarian version of this delicious sandwich. There were lots of leftovers to enjoy as well. Even though it sometimes stresses me out a little, I really thrive on planning these sorts of things. I especially love the details, like hording my used coffee cans to use for a centerpiece.The problem is I suffer from post even let-down. It always happens. After all the hustle and bustle and company, I'm always a little sad it's over.

So, today was rebound day. We took a crazily long walk for frozen custard happy hour. Mondays, 99 cent cones at Rosati's. That alone can cheer a girl up, but then there was this sale. Patterns were only 99 cents, and I thought I might randomly grab a skirt pattern or two. Then I spotted the Built By Wendy patterns. I thought that there was no way they were part of the sale. I really love them, but at $15 a piece and being a completely novice seamstress, I can't begin to justify it. So,I hesitatingly, took four to the front and wouldn't you know it...99 cents! Built By Wendy patterns for the price of a happy hour ice cream cone. Now I just need for my studio to not be 110 degrees right now...