What Happened to May?

How did it become June?

Ah–because of this one.

It’s a good excuse.

But things have been going on. And I plan to write about there here as well as there.

But I have things to tell you all.

Like my mighty list, my hook, my upcoming picnic, and my sewing. Oh yes, I have been sewing. Since we last chatted, I’ve made two lovely crib sheets, a couple of sweet pinafores for Georgia and have more planned for the summer.

So here’s to some rekindling a romance with Good Craftenoon. There is a lot to love here. I’ve missed it so!

Stay tuned.

First

I just got back from celebrating  a friend’s birthday in the city.  I almost didn’t go, but I missed my very dear friend Karen.  At times I feel I am stretched so thin with my full time job, my blogs, my family, my life that I feel I am going to drop it all.  But I must remember that it is all OK.  That sometimes life just gets a bit packed, but that it the long run, that’s OK.  And you can and should always squeeze in time with friends–particularly ones as dear as Karen.

I am so thankful for this hectic little life of mine.   I am so lucky to have had more laughter in it than tears. And I think about my little Peach and all of the wonderful firsts that she is about to experience. Her first day of summer vacation. Her first blow on a dandelion. Her first best friend.  Her first pair of high heels. Her first dance. The first time a boy tells her she love him. Her first favorite song. Her first meteor shower. So many exquisite little moments of light that will make her life whole. It is humbling to think about it all.

Here is to firsts.

Hooking It Up!

Remember my love of organization! Well, I’m nowhere near having a black belt in clutter karate, but every now and then I feel the need to clobber one corner of chaos.

Here is the most recent area that needed fixing. My necklaces.

I am a person who needs to have my jewelry out because I forget about it otherwise. But it needs to be pretty at the same time. Here is what it looked like before, and it’s bad. people. I understand if you need to look away.

Scary, right? Like it looks like everything is just tangled together…because it is. I needed a solution STAT.

Well, STAT in my case was seven months. First, I bought the hooks from Urban Outfitters. And then I needed to stare at the boxes for a good three months before taking them out and trying to put on up directly on the wall only to make a hole the size of a quarter and get frustrated and wait another three months until my sweetie tried to put the hooks on a board, but he split the board. Then this project needed to sit again until my parents came out and three weeks past until my Dad was about to leave and I begged him to do this one project, which took him half a day to do after a couple of the hook backs broke.

Phew! I need a drink just thinking about that!

But I love the finished product.

I covered the board some Japanese decorated paper I bought from Paper Source instead of painting it. I like the final outcome quite well. It was worth the wait.

Just…

All the Drunken Ladies

My darling and dearest chum Eileen has always been my craft sister.  We are very much alike, except she is much more sparkly than I am. Her crafts always have a twist of glamour. Like this twist–a lip gloss crafting party.

No joke, people.

Eileen in all of her red glittery fabulous-ness had 13 crafty ladies over for a bonanza of lip gloss goodness.

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Eileen even gave each girl a little apron to work in, because, it’s just a bit messy, this lip gloss making magic.  Here is our gal, Mel modeling one of the aprons.I don’t think she looks too drunk, do you?

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As you can see making lip gloss is a tad messy, that’s why we had the aprons or THIS could have been smudge on our dresses!

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i think it is a modern day miracle after 12 empty bottles of champagne and peach liquor that we actually managed to make the lip gloss, but we did. Here’s mine.  Maybe I do look drunk here.

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Eileen, I bow to your glittery, crafty awesomeness! Hugs and kisses to you!

Clutter Karate–The Pantry

Two years ago, I embarked on a slow but steady de-cluttering mission I called Clutter Karate.  Bags–BAGS of stuff left the house over the first six months and although it stalled with my pregnancy fatigue, house move and the overall Peachiness of last year, the passion from that original idea flares up every now and then.

During my glorious and reconstituting holiday break, I decided to practice a few of my de-stashing moves and this time my beloved pantry was the recipient of my roundhouse kicks of organization.

This project has been a long time coming–more than a year, but man, I’m happy with the results. I give you this–my organized pantry.

I know it probably doesn’t look that fancy to many.  But to me, this is a beautiful thing.  With Metro shelving to boot!

I must admit that I kinda like my hodge podge container set. I recently bought the vintage square tins from the Alameda Flea Market which I think look quite charming next to the IKEA containers and next to the Target ones.  To me it feels like an old English cupboard. Or like Nigella’s pantry. But not as well stocked. Yet.

And here is where I go crazy town and pop all of my different cuisines into boxes. We have Italy, Mexico and Asia. I need a box for England…

You learn a lot about your buying habits when you clean out your pantry. Like, “why do I need four cans of McCann’s steel cut groats?”  or “I have six half used bags of rice. And I don’t even make rice that often…”  I went a bit anal, but it feels great. It makes me feel grown up and like a good little housewife–all organized and ready for anything. And not having to buy doubles of stuff.

Oh, but it didn’t stop there… Just you wait…

And the next stop–my foyer. For which I will be making this bit of AWESOMENESS thanks to Bright and Blithe.

Modern Peacho

The Peach has added so much to my life.

She is my morning smile. She is my giggle. She is my sweet dream.

And she is my inspiration on a new site I started with my darling friend Miss Alex of Strawberry Lemonade. It’s called Modern Kiddo and  will feature fun, cute kid’s clothing with a healthy dose of well-designed kids toys and room decor thrown in for good measure.

If you have a little one or know a little one, drop on by. Don’t forget to bookmark us and please, spread the word!

http://strawberrylemonadeblog.blogspot.com/

Alameda Flea Market

Well, 2010 got off to a bumpy start with my sweetie and I trading stomach flu bugs back and forth, but somehow we both managed to not be sick at the same time to go to the Alameda Flea Market.  Afterall, the first Sunday of the new year found us in an unusual predicament–grandparents in our house who were willing to watch the Peach while we hot-footed it to the Alameda Flea Market.

Nothing warms my soul more than pawing through boxes of old stuff, panning for vintage gold.  But part of the fun is just walking around seeing all of the cool things that one can find among the stalls.

My personal favorite is this dandy pink sewing machine. People, it’s pink. PINK.

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Then I came across this great card table full of board games like SMESS. I must admit, I’ve never heard of SMESS, but supposedly it is chess for ninnys.  What can I say, it had me at SMESS.  It took all of my energy not to take it home.

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OK, I admit it, I wish I did!

But I did end up buy a little necklace featuring some artwork from Alice in Wonderland which was made by a local artisan named, X, who had one of the loveliest booths around.

What a lovely way to whittle away a few hours.  I must admit, I think the best bargains are at estate sales, but oh, how I love my beloved Alameda Flea Market!

Liquid Gold

This year for Christmas I  roasted a goose.

Actually, I came down with a brutal case of stomach flu on Christmas and actually made the goose three days later. But it was worth the wait. I boiled it first and let it air dry in the fridge for three days to really crisp up that skin.  It was so much easier than a turkey and the taste was divine.  More like roast beef than like chicken and so tender.

But the real reward is the three cups of goose fat that will do my cooking bidding for the next few months. I’ve heard the wonderous tales of what goose fat can do to potatoes and a myriad of other food staples that are taken to the next level with this wonderous liquid.

Oh and of course there is leftover goose too. Chicken. Not a problem. But goose… Hmm…. I’m thinking of serving it with hoison sauce and scallions in some thin crepes for a little peking duck action. Or possibly doing a goose hash with onions and potatoes.

Any suggestions out there for goose or using goose fat in cooking?

Hullo 2010!

New year!

Like a beautiful piece of creamy paper.

I am not really one for New Year’s resolutions, but a new year always seems to put a fresh breath in one’s lungs.  It is almost like a birthday wish of things you want to come true.

So, here is my little list of mini goals I like to think of it more as gentle reminders  of little ways to ensure that you will smile more in the months to come.

This year I want to:

  • Wear more dresses
  • Use the library more
  • Don’t say sorry unless it is warranted

Very small things, but things that will make me smile more. I love a good dress. Expect a post soon on dresses. And expect a good post on the Alameda library. And hopefully expect the posts to flow as much as they did last year. At least I hope that is the case.

Oh and if you have favorite online stores for dresses and books to recommend, please send those along too, please! I am desperate for ideas!

Let the festivities begin!

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