Smoothpebble

Hope you all have stuffed some bread crumbs in your pockets because I’m sending you on some links today, and you’ll want to find your way back!

Meg from Elsie Marley has started a new flickr group.  If you are prone to dumpster diving or picking up items thrown to the curb this is the place to showcase your finds.

Another reminder to sign up for the mushroom swap.

Indie Fixx has a contest going called the Spruce Up Your Place:  Indie Home Decor Challenge.  I hesitate to share this one as it decreases the chance of my winning the motherload.  The motherload includes items from Decoylab, Ink & Wit, Circa Ceramics, Buy Olympia, Skinny Laminx, and Berkely Illustration.

The Pikaland Pika Package Project.  Again, I hesitate to spread the word because the monthly drawing contains a whole host of great illustrators’ work.  You can see pictures of the art on flickr.  And if you don’t win you can purchase a sample package.

And Blue Yonder has a Pie List started.  If you have a great pie recipe, sweet or savory, go to her blog and add it to the list.  The &*%$*!! Kitchen Fairy is searching through her recipes already. 

Oh, and Lea and I are inviting anyone who wants, to read The Omnivore’s Dilemma and then discuss it with us.

Have a great weekend everyone, sorry about the bunny trail, but as always I feel it necessary to share my pain of online overload!

These poor birds were lying in our driveway in this exact position, and I could only think it was a tragic double suicide because their families would never have allowed the romance much less the marriage.  Sorry if you have an aversion to dead wildlife, but I just couldn’t pass up the classic romantic tale represented here. 

Ever since the macro challenge, I find myself looking around my world in a whole different way.  When I started thinking about what might make a good picture it’s as if my eyes became open.  I started seeing details never noticed before, or the way things look next to one another, and seeing colors, shapes, textures, light in whole different way.  So now I try to remember to take my camera with me everywhere.  I was able to catch these storefront windows with their colorful spring displays.

Also wanted to let you know that if you have been bitten by the mushroom love bug go here for a fun swap.  And I didn’t have time to let you know about this swap in this group because of the quick turn around.  But it’s so fun and quick working on these Artist Trading Cards (ATC) that I may organize a swap in a few months.  It’s a great way to use up small pieces of fabric.

p.s.  Hi five green acres, I havn’t forgotten the meme, it’s just part of my ADD and my inability to stay focused on any one thing.

If you want happy kids, mix together some nice spring weather, some cousins, and a dirt pile.  Oh, and to make Nate happy, throw in a winter cap with flaps! He even slept in it. Thanks Popop for the hat!!

This is what I made to send to Jan along with her winning quilt pieces.  I’m really enjoying making the papercuts.  I love the graphic quality of them.  Check out Jennylee Fowler’s amazing talent.  Her work is on my wish list.

And if you havn’t already planted your garden - leave room for lots of red peppers (the sweet kind).  So you can make this Roasted Red Pepper Soup.  The recipe follows.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

8 red peppers, cut in half, seeds removed.

*Line a baking sheet with foil, and smash the pepper halves flat and place on baking sheet.  Broil until the skins are black and charred.  Using tongs place peppers in a pyrex container with a lid, and let steam for about 15-20 minutes.  Let them cool a bit and then peel the peppers (discard the peel).  Place peeled peppers in food processor and puree.

2 T. butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 med. carrot, sliced

1 T. tamari soy sauce

2 ripe tomatoes, or 14.5 oz. can of tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. honey

4-5 C. chicken broth

1 C. heavy cream

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 T. cornstarch

*In a large stock pot, melt butter over med. heat, and saute the onion and carrot for about 5 min.  Add the garlic and saute another minute.  Stir in the soy sauce and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add the tomatoes, garlic and honey. 

*Add the chicken broth and the red pepper puree to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Measure 3 T. of the cream into a small bowl, reserve, and stir remaining cream into the soup.  Turn the heat to low.  Season with salt and pepper and the lemon juice.

*Dissolve the cornstarch in the reserved cream and stir into the soup.  It will thicken the soup almost immediately.  Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes.

The boys love this soup.  And it feeds my soul to know I’m filling their bodies with such goodness. 

More smoothpebble advice:

Maybe you are feeling sad and blue, maybe you’re having a crappy day (or week or month), maybe your job is tedious, maybe your kids are getting on your last nerve, maybe you just need a little something to cheer you up.  Well I advise you to consider mail therapy. 

Start making some flickr friends or visiting some friendly crafty blogs.  Join a swap, or spend some time perusing Etsy.  And next thing you know your mailbox will be overflowing with all sorts of things to put a smile on your face!  My other piece of advice is that if you enjoy making things just for the sake of making things and they are piling up around you - why not make someone else’s mailbox happy?

Just a few of the things making my mailbox happy:

Postcard from Lea - flickr and blog.

A terrific box full of goodies from Jan.  The blogging fairies papercut is us, and I’m thrilled she sent it to me.

The lunchbox I received in the Lunchbox Swap.  It’s from Teddi, who is now making oodles and oodles of water bottle carriers.  She’s either a very talented seamstress, or insane (I base the latter assesment on my own experience sewing a lunch box).  I think she’s probably very talented! 

I purchased this little bird from The Wren on etsy.  It’s the cutest little zip pouch, and I love the little bird tag on it.  Tag addicts unite!

So, what are you still doing here?  Get out there and make some new friends!

I don’t know how you teach manners in your neck of the woods, but in these parts we have a special way of doing things.  The other day as my peeps and I were eating lunch, one of my children (who shall remain anonymous except that his initial is E.) was eating his chicken noodle soup with his hands.  Yea, you heard me…..chicken noodle soup.  He was sticking his fingers in the bowl, pulling out noodles, and then gnawing on them like a giant rodent.  So, Brian sticks his hand in his water glass and starts slurping water from his fingers while loudly announcing “I sure am thirsty, boy does this water taste good!”  Following his cue I start talking with a mouth full of food in a very exaggerated way, making sure the full contents of my mouth are visible.  So that’s the way we teach manners in these parts.  Because obviously this tired old statement wasn’t working.  You know the one where you say to your children, “It’s important to have good manners, because you never know when you might get invited to eat dinner at the White House.”  Feel free to share your techniques on teaching manners.

Macro #30 (final day of macro)

On a whole different note, more of my tv free week projects.  At some point when it’s not all about ME, ME, ME I’ll share some of things the boys did with their time.  The bird, while not original as there about 1,000,000 little birds out there in crafty land, I did create on my own.  The squirrels are from a pattern on Cindy’s blog.  And a p.s. on the lunchbox pattern.  It’s from The Crafter’s Companion book.  I modified the dimensions, and put the pockets on the sides.  The fabric basket pattern by Sarah Neuburger of The Small Object.

Yesterday I alluded to the fact that I ate a whole lot of junk food over tv free week.  I cussed like a sailor too, and maybe I should have taken up drinking as well!  Here is why……

I had to undo stitching several times, and the binding on top is all wonky with wrinkles and the stitching is all over the place.  Also my fabric choices were not the best.  For a project like this I think you need really tightly woven, durable fabrics.  Needless to say vintage feed sacks are rather loosely woven.  The whole thing may come apart after toting one peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I do think it looks pretty, but if I weren’t sending it off to someone else I think I would embroider a cuss word on the bottom just to make me feel better.  I’m so immature!

This comic strip makes me feel better sometimes.

macro #29

I’m back, I survived.  But here’s how day 1 of TV free week went down.  Everytime I walked past the computer I had to pace and downtalk myself from turning it on.  Finally realized that the obvious way to cope was to open up the box of Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls and start shoveling them in.  It immediately calmed me down.  Each day that went by it became a little easier (with the help of a lot of unhealthy snacking).  But the bottom line is I’ve missed you all terribly!!  I did take some more macro shots.  Just when I think I’ve run out of material something like the beautiful luna moth shows up on my porch.

And last night I counted up comments and we have a winner!!  Jan from Snippety Gibbet!  I know I promised you a package last week, but I’m never on time, and now I can add the framed quilt pieces.  (Erin your enthusiasm was priceless - I’ll be contacting you with a consolation prize!)

This was something that Nate and I worked on during TV free week. 

Actually the table itself looks great, it’s the rest of my house that doesn’t go with it.  So the table draws unnecessary attention to itself like a tourist wearing a loud shirt, bermuda shorts, and sandals with socks!  When we finished this and put it into place I was rather depressed.  I also had a sudden urge to rip up the carpet, buy new curtains, and all new furniture just so it would look good with the table.  And this is the phrase that circled my brain like a gnat - ”Repeating the same behavior again and again and expecting different results.”  I thank Melinda for that pithy little saying which is sticking to me like a cockle burr.  If you want to see gorgeous painted furniture in the right setting check out Knack Studios flickr pics and blog. 

Anyway, it’s good to be back - I’m looking forward to catching up with you all.  I’ll be sharing some of the other things that we did with all that free time (HA) we had last week. 

 Macro #19

I think the week of April 20th is National TV free week, so our household will be participating going through withdrawal in that.  We try to have a tv/media free week once or twice a year - just to prove to the kids that they can survive without it.  In the spirit of TV free week at the demands of my family I will be going blog free too.  So I won’t be posting or reading anybody else’s blogs or checking out everybody’s flickr pics.  It is going to kill me, I’m not sure I can survive.  Already I’m starting to hyperventilate just thinking about it.  But indeed I will survive, and maybe I’ll make some progress on the &%!!#$ spring cleaning!  Never fear, first thing Monday April 28th I will be counting up comments and possibly handing out the prize.  

Before I share with you a few blogs with a cause I thought I would go public with a photo of myself.  Partly to reassure you all that I’m not a stalker (truth be told I could have gotten this photo anywhere, but if I were going to do that don’t you think I’d put up a picture of someone more model/celebrity like??)  And also because I always think it’s interesting to see a picture of the person after I’ve been reading their blog for a while.  Sometimes they match what I had pictured in my mind, and sometimes they don’t.  Plus it’s nice to put a face with a name.  It may be the only picture of myself to ever make it on here.

Okay, macro #18

And now blogs with a cause.  I was reading Jan’s blog, and she has shared the story of a phenomenal 6 year old girl that she has gotten to know.  This little girl has an auto immune disease, and has recently undergone a bone marrow transplant donated by her big sister.  You’ll have to check Jan’s blog to see a video clip of this little girl.  Her name is Marian, and here is the other incredible thing about her - she has her own craft business and craft blog.   I think you will find her story very compelling.

Sweet Jessie has just shared on her blog a project to provide afghans to children who have had to leave their homes due to unfortunate situations. It’s called Project Little Lambs. She is making an afghan out of old felted sweaters.

Heather Hales knows a young boy who is working on a service project for a NICU.  He needs fabric that is at least .75 yards to make isolette covers. Heather is hoping to help him make as many covers as possible.  So go check her blog for more info.  All donated fabric needs to be received by May 2nd. 

People making a difference, can you feel the love, joy, peace and understanding!

And here is a snapshot of the lunchbox wip for the lunchbox swap.

On Wednesdays I’m head cook for a children’s program, and we feed about 60 people.  One Wednesday a month I’m in charge of the menu, shopping for the food, cooking and bossing around my assistant “chefs”.  My menu yesterday was cheesy broccoli soup (I try to fix good for you food, because…….well, just because.  I’m saving this particular soapbox for another post.), PB & J’s, grapes, and chocolate chip icecream.  Thankfully this program takes a break for summer vacation.  Sometimes it seems like that’s all I do - grocery shop and cook. 

Hey, how is everyone’s spring cleaning going?  I dream of having a sparkly, fresh smelling house, but instead find myself pondering that point when dust and grime could be referred to as patina.  So anyway, blah, blah, blah……  Here is macro shot #17.

Carpool Conversation:

Me asking the 2nd grader in my carpool, “How was your class play last night?”

The 2nd grader, “Well, I was kind of embarrassed, so I just kept looking down at the floor.”

Me assuming that he had forgotten his lines or tripped, “Why were you embarrassed?”

The 2nd grader, “Because my aunt that talks like a sailor and drinks too much was there!”

Alrighty then…….I couldn’t help laughing out loud, imagining the conversation he must have overheard his parents having.