I wanted to share some of the valentines I received in my exchange. I was fun, and quite manageable, to do a little swap like that. From left to right: Beautiful “inspire” heart cut-out by Mousy Brown, “you are here” bookmark and magnet by CozyBlue and wonderful little bird by Mikala Creations.  Thanks so much ladies for swapping with me!

I also received a nice big valentine package from my friend Linda. It was such a wonderful surprise.

Included in the package were couple of really great Japanese books, some patterns, trims, ribbon and some beautiful jewelry. I ran out of time and didn’t get to take a picture of everything.I actually really like the patterns and am going to see if all the pieces are there.

And looksie here. This cute printable calender from Alex. Isn’t it fun? It was actually a little birthday gift a few weeks back. Please take a look at Alex’s vintage inspired jewelry and other vintage items.

On another note:
* I have decided not to make the origami wrap. I received my fabric and was so excited to try it out, but I just can’t get it to drape right. I’ve pinned it together, tried it on, re-pinned it over and over again. I think the knit fabric I bought is just a little too heavy to work. I might re-make my wrap instead and try to refine the pattern I made.

* We made some of this raw chocolate pudding a couple of days ago and it was quite good. Our cocoa powder is a bit too bitter and I only added 1/4 cup. I think It would be better without it next time (or I need a different cocoa powder).

* I want to make these tortillas. I have my grandmother’s most excellent recipe, but these have walnuts for the fat. I’m intrigued.

* I made these banana-maple oatmeal cookies today. I used ground flax seed (for the egg) and want to try them next with dried cranberries instead of raisins. Healthy and tasty and the kids liked them. They are almost gone.

* I think I’ve been eating too much!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

A few people asked if I would show how we made our caterpillar book. No problem, because the whole reason I started trying to figure it all out, was so that I could keep a little inspiration book in my purse.

I made mine out of a paper bag, because I knew I was going to paint it and the brown paper holds paint well.  Any kind of paper can be used–scrapbook paper, text weight paper, cardstock…

1.  Cut paper into 4 x 4 inch sheets. The end booklet will be 2 x 2 inches.  Any size will work, as long as it is square and all sheets are the same size.  You can make the booklet any number of sheets. I will show how to put 2 together,  but my end result is 5 sheets long.

2. Fold each sheet in half both ways and in half diagonally. Pull diagonal fold inward as seen in photo. Repeat with all sheets.

3. Glue sheets together, with glue stick, so that one sheet folds inward and the other outward.  Continue adding more sheets if desired.

4.Fold booklet closed, carefully creasing each fold with your nail or bone folder.

5. Open and decorate whatever way you see fit.

Here are some other ideas in case painting isn’t your thing:
* Make one to tell a story. Write your birthing story, engagement, or something totally made up.
* Make a mini photo album. This would be a great gift for the grandparents.
* Make a birthday or anniversary card.
* Keep it blank and make lists and/or doodles.
* Make it inspirational.  Add photos, quotes, images from magazines.

Have fun with it!!

I made these little name plaques for a friend who will be visiting her nephews this weekend. She wanted to give them a gift for their rooms.I finished them up with ribbon for hanging.

We also picked up our CSA produce today to find these giant rutabagas. The box said, “do not fear the rutabaga”. Ha! I thought that was cute. We peeled them, and cut them into “fries” and roasted them with a bit of oil and salt. They were very yummy–nothing to fear at all.

We went up the mountain yesterday as part of our Valentine’s day fun.    The kids love the snow, but don’t tolerate the cold for very long.  Nor do we have the right gear for this sort of thing.  We had to scrounge around for hats, mittens and warm clothes, trying to make do with what we have.

We had been thinking we needed some sort of sled, but always forget to get one before heading  up the snowy mountain top. We saw the sun visor for our car and thought it might work as a sled. It totally worked and the kids had such a blast swishing down the mountain.

We’ve been having a wonderful Valentine’s day. First we started out with heart pancakes.

Then gift exchanging — vegan chocolates for me from Sweet Fritsy and a stitched up Valentine for my hubby (and his bike riding butt).

A trip up the mountain for a picnic lunch and play in the snow with the kids. We feasted on heart shaped pasta salad and chocolate, cream cheese brownies.

For dinner, some take out Chinese to celebrate the Chinese New Year.  We are making a Dragon now, and I made these adorable little felt fortune cookies to handout to my friends at work last Friday.

Tonight, some love potion…  Herbal infused brandy mixed with chocolate syrup, rose water and vanilla. The recipe is from Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal.  It took weeks to brew (or infuse). It’s really tasty and will be served with organic strawberries.  Yum.

Hope you had a beautiful and love filled Valentine’s day.

just to get you in the mood~

1. Heart, 2. Heart of my heart…, 3. Paper hearts, 4. we are the poets, 5. Graph: chuculeta´s crochet heart, 6. “The love you take is equal to the love you make”, 7. Bokehlicious Hearts, 8. Spools, 9. Heart milk (365/227), 10. 5/10 My heart like an open book, 11. i heart recycling (d2d: 4/2), 12. Flaming heart, 13. love is beautiful, 14. Hearts: 14/2/07, 15. heart-starter, 16. instantaneous, 17. Your heart may stand in the sun…, 18. HUMAN HEART, 19. Hanging my heart out to dry, 20. Peanut Butter Cup Heart, 21. I Heart Walnuts, 22. I could be there for you, 23. Heart Card (Hart Kaart), 24. Heart’s day on repeat, 25. I heart Roma, 26. Heart of Stone, 27. Music from the heart, 28. www.flickr.com/photos/zuzananz/3044796557/, 29. Broken heart type, 30. newspaper heart bunting

Created with fd’s Flickr Toys

Like our caterpillar book?  Made it with my I-guy.  He LOVES Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar book and he wanted to make his own version.  See the leaf with little egg?

Originally, I was trying to remember how to join square pieces of paper so that it folded into a little book.  I had made these when I was little (grade school).  Once I figured it out, I put I-guy to work decorating it.

He loves doing projects like this and was very happy to oblige. Especially because I opened up my art supply box. He really loves getting into the art supplies.

We very carefully and slowy wrote our own story.  We read it often and he has been ever so pleased to share his book with anyone who will look.

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.