Ready to 'Stitch & Bitch'

That is what they call it, right? When a bunch of women come together to make quilts & talk. Well, I for one, am looking forward to it. And I've got my fabric all picked out & ready to go for my Grade One Quilting class that starts Saturday morning. And who wouldn't be with excited a colour palate like this?

It's always nerve-wracking starting a new hobby. I hope I am good at it, but even more, I hope I enjoy the process. With great friends in tow... I am sure I will.

How I Really Feel About Pinterest

I'm going to tell you how I really feel: Overwhelmed. Pinterest was clearly not made for people like me. By that I mean people who have anxiety or are "functioning perfectionists". I am both. Nothing stresses me out more that feeling like I have lists (or boards) of things I cannot complete.

And that's exactly what Pinterest is to me. Neurotic, huh? But I will only add items that I can see myself completing in the near future. And when I finish them, I am sure to quickly remove them. 

I worry that if I had more than 100 items pinned (I don't) then I would lose sight of the projects that really wow-ed me, in amongst the ones I could never afford to put time or effort into.

In case you are wondering, I am like this with MOST of my life. And yes, my husband IS a saint.

So here we are working on a Pinterest project... I enjoy the process, but also look forward to removing it from my board so that I can focus on the next project. 

 And I do "GET" that it's about sharing ideas and inspiration. And not about making a TO DO list. For most people. But not for me. For me it is a dark looming (yet visually appealing & appetizing) To Do list. And so I try to keep it under control, (How happy are you at this moment that you aren't neurotic me & don't have to live inside my head? Haha!) I try to keep it "manageable".

This project (not done) making Jar Toppers was a great one. The animals are from the dollar store & the jars were gathered from women around town who responded to my Facebook post. Believe it or not, we rarely have jars in our house... we never buy pre-made sauces or pickles... and I buy Costco sized jam (which leaves me with a  giant jar every 4 months).

I already had the paints so the project cost $12 (I had to buy a spray-on coating). And Miles loved painting (and then I went over it with a second coat). It's going to look super cute when it's done. I'll post pictures.

Thrift Store Success

A confession: Until today, I had never been to the thrift store here in Okotoks. I have donated stuff before, but never shopped inside. It's not that I don't like thrift stores. When we're on vacation, I will rummage through them for hours (antique stores too). But my daily grind has just never led me to a thrift store in my home town.

Today I was on the hunt for old spoons (for a gardening project I am working on).  I did find some in the end (I had to haul out to the Okotoks Salvage Center). Here's what else I brought home:

These pretty little stoneware plates. I love them. Just $1 each, they are dishwasher safe and made in Japan. They have a vintagey & spring feel that I love. I'm going to wash them up & then take the current plates I have (blue glass ones from when I was in college) & donate them back to the store (Bibles for Missions Thrift Store).

Dishcloths. These aren't used (obviously) but someone had generously made dozens of them to sell in the store. If they hold up, I will go back for more. $2.75 each. They match my pretty yellow plates.

This vintage Raggedy-Ann fabric almost made me giddy when I saw it. I was even more excited to learn there were two whole meters of it for only $2! I can see a sweet little play dress for Molly & her baby doll. And just last night I bought some beautiful red felt ric-rac at Rumpled Quiltskins for a quilt, which will clearly go with this fabric now instead.

Ten adorable old Easter themed greeting cards for just one dollar! I can't wait to drop these in the mail come Easter. The colourful graphics were too cute to resist. If you are a paper lover like I am, there were lots more still there, go grab yourself some vintage cuteness.

Me = Happy as a clam.

Housewife Version 2012

I don't mind spending a day organizing my spice cupboard. If I had to pick a "favourite cupboard" (and why on earth wouldn't I?) this would be it.

Pouring packets of spices into little jars (and them labelling them with little pink labels, of course) is soothing. Everything smells so good, looks so vibrant & overwhelms me with memories of kitchen success and family gatherings. 

Brian brought me home a bag of spices from The Silk Road Spice Merchant last week. I had visited their Calgary Farmers Market location before & felt overwhelmed. It's like my favourite cupboard, times ten. But Brian's workday led him to their new location in Inglewood. He noshed on a scone (from Sidewalk Citizen bakery which made me green with envy) and thought it only fair to bring me home a treat too. Brian's "treats" are notoriously self serving. And if we didn't have such similar taste, I could accuse him of buying gifts for himself. Lucky for him, I also appreciated the steak spice & orange peel he brought home (Which he used to garnish a G&T. Go figure.). He also regaled me with tails of the origins of cinnamon (I was impressed). 

Anyway, it was the two new jars of spices that had me rearranging my cupboard.

I have to wonder if my Grandma Lydia, back in her day, would have considered this a good use of time. Back then, for them (and most farming families), food was simple & I doubt spices like turmeric & epazote found a home in her kitchen. And I can say almost certainly she didn't have pink himalayan salt. But still, I can picture her cleaning out her cupboards & being satisfied with her results. As much as life has changed, some things stay the same.

When Grandma passed away in the fall, I was lucky enough to get some beautiful pictures of her & her family (and ultimately my family). I picked my favourites and framed them. The picture of my Grandpa Paul & Grandma Lydia (below) that now sits on my dresser has unexpectedly served a purpose besides nostalgia & decor. It's a reminder, each time I see it, to cherish the simple life they once led.

And if that inspires me even a little bit, it is in a direction toward the things that matter most. The things that sometimes escape a housewife* in 2012.

* I for one love the term 'housewife'. It rings of traditions & matriarchy.

Glancing at the picture, I am connected to her, having just cleaning my cupboards. And I think of a day long ago, on a farm near Wainwright, Alberta, when my grandma dusted off her hands, smiled at a job well-done & admired her clean cupboard.

Perfect. Finally.

I've been searching for the perfect play dough recipe for a while. I've made it too sticky, too smelly (it molded) & too dry. Today, it was perfect. Finally.

Here's what you need:

3c Flour

1/2 c Salt

3 T. Cooking Oil

1 T. Alum

(I got this waaay too big container at the drugstore for $8. It will be around for my grandkids.)

1/4 t. Food Coloring

2 c Boiling Water

Add the first 5 ingredients & stir.

Add boiling water & stir until you can't. Then dump contents onto counter or paper & knead until dough is smooth & colour is completely mixed.

That's it. No seriously, that's it. Store in an airtight container. 

For some reason my kids LOVE homemade play dough. More than the store-bought kind. I do too, it reminds me of when I was little & my mom use to make it for us. Even the smell of it induces nostalgia.

I searched for a recipe that used Alum because it is more sanitary. It doesn't allow bacteria to grow (and we all know how much gross bacteria is on our kids hands) even though it stays moist.

Pink for Molly. Blue for Miles.

Todays Offering.

Lately I have been focused on making great choices. I mean, I've always made choices (What to make for dinner? Should these socks be thrown away?) but lately, I have been focusing on making great choices. It's not as easy as it might sound. 

So I needed a system. And I have found one that is working well for me (you might call it my own "Secret"). A book I read not long ago focused on Offerings. A simple word, but a powerful idea. And so, with a list of offerings in mind (and on a post-it note in my night-stand) I am making great choices more often (albeit not always). When faced with a choice on how to spend my time & effort, I simply look at what offering it might provide to my family & friends (the only thing that really matters).

Today I decided to spend the evening sewing a pillow-case dress for Molly (and not watching the Oscars). And while it took a couple of hours, I am left with a feeling, not that my day was wasted, but that my afternoon was an offering to my family.

Family Legacy, Effort & Joy.

It sounds like a lot for one little dress. But it's not. I actually only chose three to tell you about, when I could have chosen many more.

Family Legacy - Something valuable handed down from the past.

My mom loved to sew. I mean, I've never heard her say that, but I assume it is so. With three little girls, often in hand-made matching clothing I think most people would have made that assumption. And I plan on continuing that legacy and all it encompasses by ensuring this is not the last dress I will make for Molly. If I can show her how much I love her, the same way my mom showed us, with handmade clothing, then I am happy.

Effort - The use of physical or mental energy to do something; an earnest attempt; an achievement.

What a great way to demonstrate effort to my children. Yes, we can go buy clothing (and we do) but to have them see me put effort into something (something for them) is priceless.

Joy - Intense and especially ecstatic or exhausted happiness.

I loved this project. It brought me great joy. And not because Molly can add another dress to her closet, but because it was fun to make. And even more fun to complete. And if you ask Brian (who had to sit through me pointing out my perfect bias seem application), he'll tell you, this brings me joy.

Time well spent.

___________________

A list of (some) Offerings (things I can 'give' to my family) I look for when making great decisions:

Generosity - Giving abundantly; willingness to give; unselfishness; openhandedness.

Zeal - An enthusiastic devotion to a cause, idea or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance.

Unusual Adventure - An exciting or remarkable experience; an uncommon or rare quest.

Trust - An assured reliance on the character, ability, or strength of a person; confidence which is placed in someone.

Patriotism - A love for or devotion to one's country, national loyalty.

Nourishment - The act of nourishing, sustaining, and benefiting.

Creative Fun - An activity that brings joy, amusement, or pleasure.

Consideration - Careful, kind, deliberate thought or concern for other people.

Example - One that serves as a pattern to be imitated; a model of behaviour.

Self Sufficiency - A modest but adequate scale of living; competency.

A Lu-vahs Dinner

A quick blog post about the dinner I made for my hubby tonight for Vday. I thought I should write about it while my tummy is still full. And I do mean full.

I bought a new mortar & pestle with a gift card I received for Christmas, I also splurged on some pink peppercorn, so if you notice a theme, yeah, it's Pink Peppercorn!

The aromas from the peppercorn were unreal. I love it when something that you wouldn't normally refer to as fresh (peppercorn) suddenly seems to come to life. Tonight I made bean & walnut burgers. They are simple. lentils, onions, eggs, peppercorn, breadcrumbs & of course, toasted walnuts. You can add whatever spices you like, I added cumin.

Gorgeous Peppercorn, non?

 To start we did a goat cheese marinated in Olive Oil, Mint, Pink Peppercorns, Garlic Cloves, Orange Zest and pitted lived sprinkled on top. I hate olives & I LOVE this snack. I'll post the recipe on Sunday, we're having friends over & this is an easy go-to snack that I'll probably whip up.

Pears (doesn't matter if they are ripe) for a Pear & Arugula salad with Blue Cheese.

In January Brian & I took a cooking class. We pan-fried wonton wrappers for a crispy element in salads. Unreal good. Like, so so good.  I will use the rest of the wrappers for cheats ravioli later this week.

It just takes a couple seconds and they light & crispy (before I had them I thought they'd be really rich & oil-heavy, not so).

The finished salad. The best part of the meal (though the burgers were good too).

Finished Lentil & Walnut burgers. So good. And insanely healthy. Although I melted some cheese on top & used a tbs. of garlic mayo.

Rant: SO many grocery stores are no longer carrying alfalfa spouts because they are "high in bacteria". It's so irritating. There are loads of foods that are bacteria-laden, and even more than are packed with MSG, GMO's and other crap. I love sprouts. LOVE them. It worries me that no one is selling them anymore (in Okotoks, only Sobeys). Don't let sprouts die out!!! Use them in a meal today! I had to use pea sprouts today, they're great, but alfalfa is where it's at.



Anyway, I just wanted to share.... I love spending the night in the kitchen with my hubby (we hauled our kids off to bed early). It is the perfect way to spend Valentines Day. xo.

A House Full of Love

Love for an old friend. Molly snuggles my old cabbage patch, Sabina Nessie.

Love my morning tea & the sweet cup it came in. I wish they'd have these cups until the Christmas ones come out. 

Love my husband who brings me sushi for lunch.

Love orange roses. I've never had them before, but they are beautiful. Happy Birthday to me!

Love watching Miles Skype with Papa & Grandma who are so far away.

Love time well-spent making cupcakes with Miles for his class. Love pink buttercream icing. Love cupcakes.

Love decorating for Valentines day. Even in the bathroom.

Love taking pictures of all the love in my house.

 Love the wreath I made last year to welcome people to our home.

Love a splash of color against the dreary landscape of winter.

 Love the tiny fingerprint all over the windows & having a different arrangement each day.

 Love a gift from a friend that I have had for over a year & never opened (just realized that). It makes me smile when I think of the effort she took to make it so pretty, not wasted on me.

 Love to read and learn.

Love the buttoned heart on my spice cupboard. My favourite cupboard.

 Love when Miles comes home from school with a 'gift' for Mommy.

Love a fridge that is covered in love. Every time I think about clearing it all off, I look at the memories on it & change my mind.

Love seeing a message left behind on my chalkboard.

Love our House Full of Love.

Like a Charm

I love it when someone recommends a product to me. A lady I worked with once told me to use 'Finish' dishwasher tabs when I was grumbling about my terrible dishwasher. Turns out... I don't have a terrible dishwasher, but the Nellie's detergent I was using just wasn't cutting it (sometimes a natural product isn't all it's cracked up to be). This is a product I recommended to a gal online today. It's a stain removal bar I have been using for years and it works like a charm (what does that even mean?). I have removed old sweat stains from white t-shirts, a bright pink slurpee stain off of my white couch & this morning I tackled an old coffee stain. (Note to Brian: If you spill coffee on your tie, leaving it in your car for a month doesn't make it easier on your wife). 

I get this product from Eden Essentials at the Calgary Farmers Market. I think it is about $6. And it works. So there, maybe this stain removing bar will mean to you what Finish tabs mean to me. 

Nothing is worse than having to throw away a bad product that you spent $$$ on. Especially when you could be buying new stationery with the money instead....

Not Immune

I thought I was immune to Pinterest. I am not. And although I haven't spent more than 1 hour (total) on there in the past month....and I haven't started a project from there....I do have to say it has inspired me.

A friend and I made this little pennant "advent" calendar for Valentines day. We thought it up on our own & were pretty damn proud of ourselves. Who needs Pinterest? Well.... I won't be getting rid of it quite yet.

 

The banner is made from cheap felt (making the project about $10 in all). I used a Stampin' Up die to cut the pennants. We also used a Crop-o-dile to set the eyelets and floss for bows & embroidery. 

I hand-stitched (you can tell...) numbers 1 - 14 onto each flag. The pockets are glued on with fabric glue.

Each pocket is big enough to fit a couple of Hershey Kisses. 

The kids love it. Miles is excited for Valentines Day. Seems he likes a girl named "Sarah" in his class & has set his sights on making her a "Huge Valentines with sparkles." Where does he learn this stuff? Anyway, I am volunteering at his school that day, so you can bet I will be on Pinterest looking for some cute cupcake ideas.

Wow.

I like to read. And I'm not big on fiction (I've tried.). I tend to pick up books on economics, history, politics, culture and in this case parenting (my third parenting book). I guess the review that it was 'the Freakonomics of parenting' is what caught my attention. I love Freakonomics and whole-heartedly believe in it. I appreciate that often the most obvious answer is the correct one.

Nurture Shock is insane. Insane. And it is actively changing the way I parent before I am even finished the book. I've read parenting magazines and articles that have offered up loads of great advice. And often, I have applied it to mommyhood, but never has it pierced me so deeply that I didn't need it to be consciously implemented. This book is unreal. How unreal? I pulled out a high-lighter. BUT.... I didn't have to, I remember every word I read. Maybe because it (true to freakonomic fashion) is so obvious. Maybe because to parent the way the book suggests is actually easier than the parenting style society suggests?

I can see this book, 20 years from now, on my book shelf. It is tattered and the pages have been highlighted, dog-eared & photocopied. I will have lent this book to friends, quoted it to no extent and stormed PTA meetings with it, siting the thousands of studies it refers to.

Something to Stew Over...

I hate winter produce. The grocery store never looks as genetically mutated as it does in January. This morning for brekkie I had a grapefruit the size of Mollys head....now just try tell me that's a natural occurrence. It's not.

Anyway, as I surf through tmy regular 'mommy sites', I can't help but notice all the chatter at 5pm each night. Moms all around town last night were looking for new ideas on how to cook their ground beef. And the suggestions that get thrown out there are just delightful: Tacos, Hamburger Helper (Barf!), Spaghetti (Yawn) and other *yummy foods that usually require a can of cheese soup or jar of Prego. It's disappointing to say the least. And yet when someone mentions that ground beef might not be the best ingredient to start a healthy meal, almost every single mom says "It's cheap."

So is Kraft Dinner. And my kids have it weekly (and sometimes Tacos, and Spaghetti too). But I can do that guilt-free knowing that most other nights (6 out of 7) I am putting in the effort to make sure they eat well. You can eat well for for cheap, you just have to put forth the effort. And I want to shake some of these women who are consistently cramming garbage into themselves & their children's bodies. I see it online everynight, at 5pm. And if you are just deciding what to have for dinner at 5pm then I am pretty sure the effort just isn't there (It sure isn't when it happens to me).

I start "supper" every day at 4pm. Almost every.single.day.

I start prep, so that if I get interrupted & have to stop to put a wheel back onto a firetruck (5 times!) then we will still eat at a reasonable time. It was something I started last year & it has worked so well for me (us).

I suggested to a lady online that she make stew the other day. She said she didn't have time and money for "fancy" foods like that. .... Ummm, pretty sure my dads farming family of 9 didn't grow up on stew because it was fancy. What is with people???

Here's the stew I made tonight. Something to think about while you are chopping your onions is how much effort you are putting into your family's meals.

Kraft Dinner for a family of four- $2.50 & 15 minutes time.

Stew for a family of six (with leftovers for lunches!) - About $11.00 & 20 minutes prep.

easy Greek Bean Stew

Stewing Beef Cubes (About $4.50. You only need one package because you are going to add so much more to this stew. You'll pay $7 at the farmers market for natural beef, you decide how important that is to you.)

Baby Potatoes - scrubbed, not peeled. (Often go on sale for $2 a bag)

1 Onion - Peeled and diced (3lb bag is $2. That's .25 cents for your onion.)

2 Garlic Cloves - Grated

1 Can of Diced tomatoes (We buy organic for $2.69 You can buy regular ones for half that.)

1 T, of Tomato Puree (Paste)

2 Bay leaves

2 T. parsley (Buy fresh for $0.49)

2 T. dill

1 t. sea salt (Winners & Homesense often have great deals on Sea Salt in cute packages)

1/2 t. of pepper (We use more)

1/2 t. paprika

1 T. Sugar

1 Rinsed can of Mixed Beans (About .70 cents. Seriously.) (We love beans so we usually add another can of chickpeas and a cup or two of dried lentils. So cheap.). Rinse your lentils before adding them.

The Beef and potatoes are optional. This stew is great without either.

If you own a spice rack you should have all of these spices. Bay leaves can be purchased at a farmers market for about $4/bag. They last forever. Take them out when you are done cooking - don't eat them - don't reuse them.

Directions: Boil potatoes until tender. Sear your beef (helps to seal in the flavour & shorten the cooking time). Throw everything into a crockpot & cook for at least 2 hours (can be up to 8, why not?) or throw it into a cast iron soup pot & cook stovetop on low for an hour or so. Serve with feta sprinkled on top, or not, you decide.