I been painting, painting, painting… then stamping, stamping, stamping…then cutting, cutting, cutting, and THEN gluing, gluing, gluing.   All for some little fat book pages that are due this weekend. I made a whopping 53 pages!

They are for the Artfest Retreat that I will be going to in March.  Eeeeekks!  It’s coming up quick!!  In case you don’t know, (i didn’t) a fat book is a small, but fat, book made up of a collection of little 4×4 inch pieces of art, each page being made by someone different.  I’ll be sending these off to someone who will evenly distribute all the pages into little books for everyone who participated.  We will get them at Artfest.

Speaking of the Artfest Retreat, Teesha is giving away a free spot at Artfest, including lodging!!  Go check it out if you’ve always wanted to go but have never been able.

I also wanted to share my teeny little blurb in Country Living Magazine, March 2010 issue.  It’s  my little paperbag journals that I made a while back.  Cool huh?

I discovered this technique from my local CSA. Bruising kale is quick and easy and involves no cooking. It gives the kale a sort of cooked feel and flavor. I am guessing that it may be a raw food thing. Whatever it is, it’s yummy, easy and a really great way to get in some dark leafy greens into your diet.

To bruise kale, first rinse and lightly dry leaves. Remove stems. Roll kale leaves tightly into a cigar shape and slice thinly. Toss kale strips into a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 – 1 tsp of course sea salt. Using your hands thoroughly squeeze, mix, and rub salt into the leaves.

You can add lots of stuff to this to make a great salad. I added 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp orange muscat vinegar, shredded purple cabbage, shredded carrots, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and chopped walnuts.

You could also add beans, sprouts or purple onions. That would be nice too. Try it out and let me know if you like it.

I made bread today using this recipe, as per all buttoned up. Not surprisingly, it’s halfway gone already. Two hungry boys and one hungry man will do that to a loaf (or two).

I made these same modifications, but used brown rice syrup as the sweetener because I didn’t have enough of anything else. Oh wait, I did have maple syrup. That probably would have worked too.

It came out deliciously wonderful. I made one regular loaf and one cinnamon raisin by rolling one into a long rectangle and spreading on earth balance with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Divine.

I have put the bread away, trying to save a bit for tomorrow, and maybe even Monday (wishful thinking). Already there have been requests for more future bakings.

I made these bookmarks to giveaway as Valentines. There are a few more on my table that are half done.  I used some old vintage fabric that I picked up at a thrift store a  long time ago. The fabric pieces were small, perfect for accenting the canvas.

A few people are doing Valentine exchanges and  I wanted do the same.  I thought it would be fun to make something that you can use all year long, maybe as a marker for a project in your favorite sewing, art or craft book.

I have 6 left to exchange, so if anyone would like to make me a Valentine in exchange for a Valentine book marker, let me know and we can exchange addresses and hopefully get these in the mail before Valentine’s day.  Just to clarify, I am looking for 6 different people to exchange with. Leave a comment saying that you are interested and I’ll get back to you. (thanks!)

If you’d like to make your own bookmarks, here is my ‘how to’.

You’ll need:
Canvas (heavy cotton duck)
pretty fabric scraps
glue stick
white glue
scissors
paper clamps
iron
sewing machine
thread
letter stamps
ink

1. Cut canvas into strips about 2.5 inches wide x 9 inches long.

2. For the back, cut pretty fabric into strips,1 inch (or so) shorter than the canvas and glue to one side of the canvas using a glue stick. Iron. (This step is optional, but it does add some extra sturdiness to the book marker).  The bottom inch that isn’t covered with fabric will be the fringe.

3. Fold the top into a point, glue and use paper clamps to keep in place until dry.

4.  Cut a small heart (or any other shape) out of fabric.  Glue into place with glue stick and iron.  This just keep everything in place while sewing.

5. With your sewing machine, sew freestyle around edges. Sew around heart too.

6. Pull threads of canvas to make fringe on the bottom edge.

7. Using stamps and ink (I use versa magic inks), stamp any message you desire.  I thought it would be fun to make some that said “reading is sexy”.  Heat set with hot iron.

8. Give to your favorite bookish friends for Valentine’s Day.

This is Steve, our little groundhog.  Isn’t he cute. He’s giving us 6 more weeks of winter because we dread the hot, hot summers of southern AZ. Amy sent her little pattern for him to me on Monday night and I stitched him up right then and there. The kids played with him all day yesterday. Thanks Amy!

This is my sweet, sweet Ruby sporting one of my flower barrettes that I made her. My sis sent me this darling picture so I could drool. Isn’t  she the CUTEST!?!?!

I am waiting, waiting, waiting for some fabric (for my origami wrap) to come in the mail~ oh the agony!

So, while I’ve been so patiently waiting, I decided to play with some rust colored baby-rib knit that I’ve had for ages. I didn’t quite have enough for the origami wrap, but was able to squeeze out enough to make this wrap.

I used an old long sleeve t shirt that I love and kind of traced it’s shape making an extra wide front that I cut in half.  It has a wide drape-y collar that I love. It still needs some modifications and the edges are still rough. I may either hem up the edges or do a rolled hem with my serger.

Next time, I will make the arms a little wider and add enough fabric on the collar to make a hood (if there ever is a next time).  I think this would make a great cover-up for when you are going yoga class. Ha, the yoga class in my dreams!

I made some little knitted flowers from a book I got at the library.  It was fun making something small and quick.

I was able to practice decreasing. I now know what k2tog means–so exciting!

I used some yarn scraps that I had and turned the little flowers into brooches. Now I need to make a pretty little fabric basket to house my newly growing brooch collection.

Here are some other books I borrowed from the library: 100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet, Fabric Jewelry & Wrap Style. They are all really great.

Wrap Style has some beautiful wraps that I would LOVE to make. My favorites are in the above pic.  Unfortunately, the patterns look like gibberish to me–makes no sense whats-so-ever. I really need to learn how to decode all those letters & numbers! I will though! It’s a big goal of mine to knit something other than hats & scarves before the years is done.

just thought I’d share a few things…

This lovely brooch from Kirsten from a little swap we did a while back.  I love wearing it and think I need to make some different kinds. They are so fun to wear! (Kirsten is giving some very lovely little birthday cards away- go see!)

Some new art stuff.  Pan Pastels and Neocolor II Aquarelle Artists’ Crayons. Yay!!  I’ll be playing with them very, very soon. And a cute little wallet from the hubby. Having a favorite list on Etsy is very handy!

Links:

* Alicia Silverstone will be on Oprah tomorrow (01/26), along with Michael Pollan, chatting about food choices.

* I am totally wanting to make this Origami wrap sweater. I just can’t find the jersey knit in a color that I like.

* How to live in the moment on wikiHow.

I’ve been quiet over here.  I’v been immersing myself in the Mondo Beyondo experience and feeling a tad overwhelmed by my own dreams. It’s okay though. I feel I am growing.  Trying to let go of unwanted baggage and opening myself up to the unknown.   Scary, but at the same time very exciting. I am learning so much in this e-course, mostly about myself and how to manage my fears, my anxiety, my critical voice.  It’s everything I expected and so much more.

I’m also reading my new books having a hard time focusing on much else.  My cold house (my husband will laugh- he’s warm, I’m cold) is making me sluggish, slow to move. I just want to sit with a book and my layers and layers of clothes–not moving–which is exactly what I SHOULDn’t be doing.  But, I’m keeping warm with my tea and some deeply warming soup.  Here is the recipe in case you need some warming up too.

Handful of dried wild mushrooms (Trader Joe’s has a great mix)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped,
1 inch of peeled ginger root
1 tbsp mellow yellow Miso
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp onion powder
Udon noodles
1 handful of baby spinach leaves

Bring 4 cups water to a boil, add everything except noodles and spinach. Turn heat down to simmer, add noodles. Simmer for 8-12 minutes testing noodles for doneness. Remove ginger piece and add one handful of spinach. Simmer for 1 more minute. Serve & enjoy.

I’ve been working on these for the past few days.   Love inspired art.  I have a pretty amazing relationship with my husband and feel completely fueled to believe that true love does exist and it is, well, awesome.

always – 8 x 8 art print

These are in my shop now as prints, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

together – 8.5 x 11 art print

I also added a cute kitty print and italian vineyard print in my shop as well. Go over and take a looksey.

P.S. Thank you for all the lovely birthday wishes.  The cake was divine!!