The Eclectic Homestead

Creme De Menthe

2012-12-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

I love giving handmade gifts for Christmas and this is one that was quite a big hit! This homemade Creme de Menthe is elegant, tasty and super easy to whip up! I bottled it in beautiful cut glass decanters that I purchased at the thrift shop (love that place!) and handed them out to eager adults. I may have kept one for myself as well. Shhhh!
For this sweet treat you will need:
4 cups of water
4 cups of sugar
1 cup of Everclear or other 190 proof vodka
2 Tbls pure peppermint extract

Boil the water and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved, making a simple syrup. Remove from the heat and add the Everclear and peppermint extract. Let the mixture cool completely and then bottle and enjoy!
We've enjoyed it in coffee, cocoa and even just sipped. I've since discovered it's also delicious to make with 1 Tbls of peppermint extract and 1 Tbls of vanilla. Vanilla Mint. Mmmmmm!

Creamy Shrimp and Spinach Penne

2012-09-19T12:32:00.002-07:00

Being surrounded by nothing but children means that most of the time, my meals are simple, quick and child friendly. Every once in a while though, I want to eat like a grown up. This meal feels fancy to me. Probably because it involves shrimp and I don't make shrimp very often. The combination of the fresh veggies, the seafood and the creamy tomato sauce are just divine though and while I consider it one of my grown up meals, the kids devour it as well.

Ingredients:

16 oz penne

1 Tbls olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

8oz sliced mushrooms

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1 lb raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

3/4 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup parmesean cheese

What To Do:

Cook penne according to package directions.

Meanwhile, saute garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Burnt garlic has a horribly bitter taste. You won't like it, trust me.

Once the garlic has softened, add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the pan and cook several minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the tomatoes start to disintegrate.

Throw in the shrimp and saute until they curl up and turn pink.

Add the spinach to the pan, give a quick stir to coat it in the oil and veggie mixture and then put a lid on the pan. Leave it to steam down for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the spinach is as wilted as you'd like, toss in the drained pasta, the Greek yogurt and the marinara sauce. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with parmesean cheese and enjoy your grown up pasta with some crusty bread. Share with the kids even though it's really too amazing for them.

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

2012-07-13T12:51:00.002-07:00

I found this recipe on Pinterest and couldn't wait to try it! As it turns out, it's amazingly delicious. All five of my kids had second helpings. I tweaked it a bit (I can't resist tweaking recipes!) and the finished product was so, so yummy! We'll definitely be making this one again!

What You Need:

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

3 Tbls Cajun Seasoning

2 Tbls Butter

2 Tbls Olive Oil

1/4 cup chicken broth

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb grape tomatoes, halved

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese (use the real stuff, not the powdered!)

1 tsp kosher salt

Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

A dash of nutmeg

2 Tbls chopped parsley

1lb Fettuccine

What to Do:

Cook noodles according to package directions. Try to time it so the pasta will be done when the sauce is or after the sauce is done. Noodles should NEVER wait for sauce. Sauce can always wait for noodles. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, rinse chicken and pat dry. Rub the Cajun seasoning all over the chicken breasts. Pretend you're giving it a massage. Heat the oil and 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet on med-high heat.

Brown the chicken on each side for 3 min. You want a really good sear. Then pop those suckers into a baking pan and into the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking them.

Add the chicken broth to the hot skillet and use it deglaze the pan. Get all those yummy, crusty bits up then you can throw in the garlic and the tomatoes. Let them cook for a couple minutes until the tomatoes start to cook down a little bit and the garlic gets tender.

Add your cream, the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter and salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook while stirring for several minutes until the cream thickens up.

At this point remove it from the heat and stir in your cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted and delicious.

Cut your now cooked chicken breasts into strips of chickeny goodness and throw them into the skillet along with your fettuccine noodles.

Toss, toss, toss! Cover your noodles and chicken in the thick creamy, cheesy sauce. Top with a dash of nutmeg and the chopped parsley and eat it quick before anyone else can grab it!

Perfect to serve with a salad (I like the spicy blend I get at the farmer's market from a local farm) and some crusty bread! Be prepared to gain weight because you'll want to it ALL!

Books

2012-01-16T08:34:00.001-08:00

This is why I refuse to buy a kindle. I adore books. The feel of the pages, the weight of the book, the soul that resides within the paper and ink, the knowledge that others have read it before me and will read it after me and that we each leave a piece of ourselves inside and take something with us. Books are about history and being connected and passion and knowledge. You simply cannot get that from a machine.

Grandma's Spanish Rice

2012-01-14T20:10:00.000-08:00

When I think comfort food, I think back to my childhood and the homey meals my mom made us growing up. One of my favorites was Spanish Rice. The recipe came from my grandmother and has been handed down three generations now. My children enjoy it just as much as I did and my mother before me.

It's a simple recipe but one bite and I find myself a little girl again, sitting at the table in our kitchen, my mom at the stove in her old, brown apron, my sister sitting next me kicking her legs that were too short to reach the floor and I feel safe, happy. Hopefully, one day, my children will make this for their children and they will have the same experience.

That's what this cooking family recipes with my littles is all about really: making memories. I know some of my best memories are cooking with my mom and eating together in the cozy little kitchen with our little family. Our world wasn't a perfect one. We struggled with money, our dad was gone and our mom worked every second of every day just to keep our family going. But those moments gathered around the table together, enjoying a meal that she had prepared with her hands, they were perfect moments. A family meal will do that.

In this day and age of multiple sports teams and boy scouts and busy schedules, it's easy to get caught up in what has to be done and forget to just sit down and be with the ones you love. No matter what your family looks like, take some time to sit with them, share a meal and make a memory. You can even make my Grandma's Spanish Rice if you'd like.

Grandma's Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

1/4 cup veg. oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2lb ground beef

1 cup rice

16oz tomato sauce

1 3/4 cup hot water

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

dash of pepper

Mix the first five ingredients together in a large skillet and cook until meat is browned. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25min or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Serve with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Happiness

2012-01-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

I ran across this image on Pinterest and I had to share it here. This has been one of my favorite quotes for a long time. We often get caught up in the business of life (I know I do) and we forget that there is nothing more important than happiness. The laughter of a child, the gentle curve of a rose's petals, a striking sunrise, that perfect cup of coffee first thing in the morning...

Don't look at all you have to accomplish today. Don't focus on making it through the day. Stop and notice the millions of tiny things throughout the day that bring you joy. Don't pass them by today. Those beautiful little things... They're the whole point.

Candle Sleeves

2011-12-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

I've been as busy as an elf this week with orders from my Etsy shop so today I took some time to work on some crafting for myself. I bought these pillar candles at Michael's for $3.99 each and they smell like cookies. Yum!

I had wanted to make some pretty candle sleeves with the scrap fabric I seem to have collected. Seriously, sometimes I think my crafting supplies are taking over the whole house but the fabric is especially bad because I DON'T SEW. Not at all. I have a sewing machine that hates me with almost as much passion as I hate it. Even knowing this about myself, I still can't resist buying pretty fabrics. They are a weakness. So here was a fun, no-sew project that I could throw some of my lovely fabrics into.

Each candle is wrapped with at least two fabrics that are frayed on the edges to give them some rustic charm. Then I added ribbons, vintage buttons, vintage lace trim, fabric and paper flowers and just decorated them to my heart's content. Each one is headed to a special home come Christmas.

When I open a second Etsy store for home decor in the new year, you can expect to see some of these for sell in there too. They are too fun and too cute to pass up!

My Vintage Christmas Memories

2011-12-07T17:08:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite ornaments on our Christmas tree are the vintage ones. I have collected them through the years, some from family, some from thrift stores and when I see them sparkling in the tiny white lights, their stories fill my mind and my heart.

The ornaments that mean the most to me are the beautiful frosted glass ornaments that came from my grandmother. She passed away nine years ago but her spirit lingers each Christmas as I hang the delicate figurines on me tree. An angel, a harp, a trumpet, each one is carefully placed in front of a light so it will glow. It may sound silly or cheesy but it reminds me of her spirit shining through to say hello.

Vintage bulbs in beautiful colors with sparkling lines of glitter often catch my eye in thrift stores. These two bulbs were found that way. They each came in sets with other beautiful, glittering treasures but they are the ones that have survived our many moves and storage. I find myself wondering who owned them before me. How many children have they seen run to the tree on Christmas morning, eager to see what Santa has left them? How many children have they watched grow up? Decades they have spent, trapped in the dark for eleven months and then for one shining moment, they are allowed to sparkle in the light and share the beauty they were made to display.

There is history in these vintage ornaments. There are traditions ingrained into their fragile bodies. They remind me that each Christmas brings with it another year of life gone. Another year closer to the day my children are grown and gone. Another year to fill our hearts and souls with memories. These ornaments remind me that time marches on, that no matter how good or how bad, the year will pass and a new one will begin and most of all, these ornaments remind me that what I have right now, this very moment is precious beyond measure and I will never get it back.

Freshly Picked

2011-07-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

Is there anything better than strawberries picked fresh from the garden? Today the sun is out and I ventured into our little strawberry patch to pick those plump, sweet berries. I was not disappointed.

Once rinsed, carefully settled into a bowl and placed on the table, I had to fend off little fingers to get a couple photos of our harvest. I snapped a few quick shots and then they could be contained no longer. Tiny hands grasped big berries and red juice ran down chubby little chins. Smiles all around.

There is something simple and sweet about eating fruit and veggies fresh from your own ground or eggs fresh from the coop. I hope I am passing that joy onto my children. I hope that in our culture of fast food and instant gratification that they are learning the beautiful pace of patience, of caring for, harvesting and truly enjoying you food. It is in this simple and slow joy that we figure out to enjoy life.

Beauty in Death

2011-06-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

When I pull out my camera to photograph flowers, I usually choose the most vibrant, most perfect flowers to fill my lens. Flowers without blemish, who shine in their perfection and beam with beauty. Last night though, another flower called to me. She was at the end of her life, her petals curling in on themselves, her creamy whites tinged with brown. She was quite possibly the most imperfect flower I have ever photographed and she is alomost certainly the most beautiful.

This lonely, imperfect, dying and yet beautiful flower made me pause to think. How often do I struggle to be like the flowers I photograph? I try to shine as perfect, hiding any faults, afraid that if those blemishes show through, my beauty will be lost. Yet there is a quiet, peaceful beauty that can be found in our imperfections.

Our world is not made of perfect flowers and our lives are not filled with perfect people. It is those very blemishes that add color, originality and yes, beauty to our souls. The divine power of knowing you are perfectly imperfect and lovely just the same fills us with hope. Hope for ourselves and our world.

May our beautiful imperfections and diversity give us the hope that we can find peace, joy and beauty in our sometimes dying world.

The Beach

2011-02-24T14:01:00.000-08:00

The beach is one of my favorite places. It always has been. I haven't been out to the coast in a while and I am missing it.

The salty, chill air, the sound of waves crashing, the feel of sand between my toes... There is nothing like a day spent on the beach, watching the waves roll and contemplating life.

I've done some of my best thinking with sea breeze and gulls to keep me company. Most of my favorite memories are wrapped up in salty water and sandy sandwiches. Living near a beach is vital to me and knowing the ocean is just a short drive away brings me peace.

We're planning a beach trip in April. A week on the Oregon coast with the children. I can't wait. I can't wait for the memories that always stir, the special moments that always happen, fresh shrimp and crab and time with my family in our favorite place. The ocean and its mystery, its tranquility and its quiet, massive presence is calling to me.

My Must Haves for 2011

2011-01-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

A new year and new fashion trends. I've been thinking a lot about what I want for 2011 and as a crafter and lover of handmade my thoughts go towards style and fashion and home decor. So here are my top must haves for 2011. I hope you enjoy them!

Hedgehogs. Owls are so 2010. Foxes are so last month. Hedgehogs are where it's at.

Leaves. I adore trees and leaves and nature and I want leaves in everything. I want them in my jewelry, on my tee shirts and screen printed onto tea towels. I want leaf shaped potholders and leaf shaped soap and cards with stamped leaves. Show me the leaves!

Earthy tones with splashes of plum, green and turquoise. Grounded color palettes with pops of color taken right out of fields of wildflowers.

Earthy, spicy and musky scents. Scents of wood and forests and clean water and nutmeg and balsam.

Chunky scarves, cowls, headwraps and sweaters.

Rubber boots for children.

Clocks. Put them on everything I listed for leaves. Clocks are hot. Pocket watches are better.

Whimsy. Our lives get too bogged down in the mundane. We need some whimsical pieces to keep us fresh and feeling alive.

Copper. Is there any other metal worth wearing?

And finally, magic. I want everything I own and buy this year to be filled with a sense of magic. The magic of creativity, the magic of love, the magic of satisfaction.

May your year be filled with goodness, kindness, peace, joy and love.

Growing Up

2011-01-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

I don't wanna. I want to be free and childlike forever. But the gray hairs are starting to show up. Five of them. Yup. The buggers. Every time I look in the mirror and they catch my eye that inner voice whispers to me. "You are getting older. You will not live forever. Your days are numbered."

Sure, at almost 28 I'm probably a ways from my deathbed but those gray hairs are reminding me that while the deathbed may be a while a away, my childhood is a bit behind me as well. My days of lounging around reading Nancy Drew and licking sticky popsicles are long gone. I don't remember the last time I danced in the rain. I drink more coffee and less chocolate milk now. Perhaps most depressing of all is my lack of make believe as an adult. I used to play make believe every second of every day and now, to my utmost dismay, I spend every waking moment of my life in the real world. And let me tell you, the real world is not nearly as much fun.

I'm going to take this moment of realization to reconnect with a bit of my childhood. Sure, I should go do the dishes and sweep up under the lunch table and then pick up the living room and throw in a load of laundry. I will do all that. But not this minute. This minute I'm going to pour some chocolate milk and have a pretend "tea party" with my daughter. I might even change my name for the party to something ridiculously fancy like Priscilla Vanderwoodsen. I will stick up my pinky and elegantly sip my chocolate milk and I will use a British accent (don't all fancy people have British accents?) and I will revel in my world of make believe.

Yes, I am growing up. Fortunately I have five little people to tether me to the world of magic that I call childhood.

Why Handmade?

2010-10-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

I adore buying handmade. Not just because I sell handmade either! I love buying handmade for several reasons that are very important to me.

1. I like my money to go to a person instead of a corporation. There are real people behind handmade products. They have real families. They have real stories. They aren't executives sitting in an office getting rich off the hard work of others. They are people like me. People like you. They work hard and they deserve to be paid well for it. I would rather hand my money over to them instead of Walmart or Target any day of the week and twice on Tuesdays.

2. Handmade products have a story. I am all about stories! I love a good tale! Every handmade product has a story behind it. A story of a young single mother raising two beautiful daughters while sewing to put food on the table. A story of a middle aged man who left his desk job to follow his passion for working with wood. The story of inspiration sprung out of a single moment in time listening to a robin sing in the park. Those stories cling to the items and become a part of my home, my family, myself. I think it's beautiful.

3. Handmade products are higher quality. It's just true. People who make their own products take pride in them. They produce work that is amazingly high quality. Maybe it's just me but when I spend my money on something, I want the best. Handmade, in my very humble (sometimes) opinion, is the best.

4. Handmade products connect me to other people. This is my biggest reason for buying handmade. It is also my biggest reason for selling my own handmade products. When you buy a scarf from Wally World (shudder) you get a scarf that came off the assembly line, was made as cheaply as possible, is covered in chemicals and is completely impersonal. When you buy a scarf from me, you get a product that was thought up by me. I have carefully and with glee selected just the right yarn to knit or crochet it with. MY hands made that scarf. The same hands that knead the bread dough for my family's meals. The same hands that wipe the tears from my child's eyes when they are hurt or sad or afraid. The same hands pick flowers and vegetables from my garden. A handmade product is highly personal. Every time you wear a handmade scarf or drink your coffee out of a handmade mug or look in awe at a handmade art piece you are connected to another human being. It is an awesome and humbling thing to think about. In this vast world, this infinite universe, we can connect to other people. People we never would have met, never would have know and they become a part of our lives through their product. I just love that!

5. Handmade products connect us with our past. When I pick up my crochet hook I cannot help but think of the thousands of women through history who have made exactly the same stitches I am making. My great-grandmother crocheted. I only knew her for a few year of my life but every time I crochet, every time I wear a crocheted scarf or snuggle my children into bed in a crocheted blanket, I think of Great Grandma Doris. These arts, these crafts have been passed down generation to generation and when we participate in them, whether through the craft itself or just by using a handcrafted product, we are connected to our ancestry, our history.

Those are the big ones for me. Those reasons and so many more are why I buy handmade whenever possible. What are your reasons?

Handy Dandy Holiday Bazaar Hints and Tricks

2010-10-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

The holiday season is almost upon us and for serious business crafters that means one thing. Bazaar season. Oh yes, we flock in droves to eight foot tables to sell our beautifully handcrafted items. We love to make them, we love to sell them and we LOVE to see you take home something we lovingly made to be a special gift on Christmas day. But holiday bazaars are not all about glamour. In fact, they are downright hard work. So I present to you, oh crafter extradonaire, this first installment of helpful hints for crafting bazaars. You can look for the next one next Sunday!

1. Wear comfortable shoes. This is a must. You will be on your feet all. Day. Long. If you’ve never done a craft show or bazaar before this is your warning. Your feet will swell, your legs will ache and if you go for the oh so pretty but feet murdering high heels you will want to saw your feet off before the end of the day. Practical can pretty too but always, always go for some comfort.

2. Smile! I can’t tell you how many times I have not bought from a great crafter because of their negative energy. When people shop at lovely little bazaars with beautiful handcrafted items they want to see a sweet and beautiful person behind the craft. And you are a sweet and beautiful person! So let it shine. If you’re having a bad show and you are discouraged smile anyway and tell that potential customer who asks that you’re having a great show, thanks so much for asking! Do not ever, ever complain. Not to the potential customer, not to the other vendors, not even to yourself. Don’t give the negativity a foothold. I once did a show that I paid $500 to attend (gasp, faint) and I made around $100. I cannot quite think of a more disheartening show. But I still smiled at everyone who came to my booth and told them my day was going fantastically. In the case of craft shows, misery does not love company. So stuff it.

3. Set a goal. How much money do you need to come in from this show? That’s your minimum goal. How much would you like to see from this show? That your moderate goal. How much would make you jump through the roof, buy a round for the bar, fly to the moon and squeal like a pig? That’s your high goal. Simple, no? A goal helps you prepare and plan and dream a little. Set them and then work your arse of to achieve them.

4. Have enough product. This one seems so simple but it’s crucial. What’s your high goal? $1000? $5000? Here’s a secret. Ok, it’s really just common sense but it hit me strongly one day and left an impression. You can only make as much money as you have product to sell. If your high goal is $5000 and you only have $1000 of inventory how exactly can you hit that high goal? Sure, you could do some custom orders but $4000 in custom orders might be pushing it just a bit. So make and bring enough products to meet your goal.

5. Bring a friend. If it is at all possible, bring a friend along for the ride. It sucks to have to leave your booth unattended just so you can urinate. It’s also nice to have someone to chat with a bit during the slow times. It’s also super nice to have someone to be your gopher. There might be a time that you would just kill for a coffee because you stayed up until 2am pricing your beautiful creations and now it’s getting close to closing time and you can’t keep your eyes open. Aha, but you have brought your bestest friend Sally Sue! She can run over and get you a coffee. Beautiful. Now you’re awake, your booth was never left alone and you’re a happy crafter once again. Just make sure you have some mints for after that coffee. ;)

Who am I?

2010-10-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

I just read a post on the Etsy blog about success. The woman who wrote it touted that to be successful, the key is to be yourself. Ok, me thinks, that's easy. Or is it? I suppose before I can be true to myself, I know who I am. So, who am I?

I'm the girl who wears flip flops in the snow because I hate to have my feet confined by socks and shoes.

I love sunrises more than sunsets because I love to see the new day dawn with beautiful possibility.

I wish I could live on the beach or in the mountains, away from it all, a happy hermit with my family.

My favorite color is purple.

I love to feed people. I love to hear that people like the food I make for them.

I am very trusting (too trusting) until someone breaks my trust. Then I never trust said person again. Ever.

I am passionate about gay and lesbian rights.

I believe all children are beautiful and special and precious and should be cherished and treasured above all else.

I like classic rock and country and pop and jazz and classical music. Actually the only music I don't like is rap.

My all time favorite song is "Both Sides Now" by Jodi Mitchell.

I believe religion should be set aside for love and peace.

I look forward to Eggnog Lattes all. year. long.

I like shiny, glittery things.

I love vintage and retro and shabby chic. If it's old, if it has a story, I'm hooked.

I love handmade for the same reasons as old things: The stories they tell.

I only drink organic coffee and only with coffee mate creamer. Anything else just isn't coffee.

I am twenty-seven years old and I still don't want to grow up.

My life, no matter where I am in it, is uniquely mine and I love it. The good, the bad, the inbetween. I am thankful for each moment of it and I plan to enjoy them!

Photo of the Week - Sept 1st

2010-09-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Autumn is descending upon us! September is here! I love the colors and smells and textures and tastes of this fiery season. I think one of my favorite things about Autumn though is the fabulous flowers we only get to see in the fall. Like sunflowers. This is one of my favorite sunflower photos. It was taken last year in my mother's garden. The blazing red and burnt orange are the perfect compliments to this season.

Enjoying Life

2010-08-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately. Am I enjoying life or am I just surviving it? I don't want to get so caught up in my to do list that I never enjoy my life. I have such a life to enjoy! Five sparkling babes, friends, good food, beauty in nature, decadent yarns, a husband I love... The list goes on.

I find I often get buried under all the work I have to do. Between the dishes, the kids' needs, vacuuming and taking out the trash I get tired and irritable and I sometimes go through a whole day without pausing and taking an hour or two to just enjoy. Enjoy the smile on my baby's face. Enjoy my daughter's laughter. Enjoy the big boys playing nicely together. Enjoy the sight of ripe, round tomatoes on the vines outside. Enjoy the song of a bird or the way the clouds drift lazily across the sky. I don't do that every day and you know what? It's a travesty!

This week I'm going to remind myself to enjoy. Sure, life can be survived but why bother surviving if you're not going to enjoy it?

Ready For Fall

2010-08-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

I'm ready fall and the things come with it...

Soups, stews and chilis...

Trees on fire with reds and golds...

Clear days and chilly air...

Warm sweaters and scarves...

The smell of pumpkin pie...

Children jumping in piles of leaves...

...I can't wait for fall!

My favorite summertime memory...

2010-08-18T16:21:00.000-07:00

Summer is drawing to a close, whether we're ready for it or not. School will start here in less than three weeks and I'm trying to squeeze every last momemt with them. It goes too fast, this fleeting thing we call childhood.

We had a very good summer. My huaband and I spent a relaxing week in Kauai with only the baby and it was quite literally paradise. We had a blast taking our five children to the wilderness area of North Central Idaho. There we fished, hiked and just hung out together.

More recently we took the kids to the County Fair where we saw snakes, aliens, held a tiger cub and watched the monster trucks.

All of these events were fun but I think the moments I loved the most were those in between the events. The sleepy snuggles I got each morning on the couch. The laughter and squeals of children playing in the sprinkler. The nights we cozied up with popcorn and watched a movie together. Those are the moments I cherish, the moments that are so fleeting and those are the moments I want to remember for the rest of my life when I think back on the summer of 2010.

Happy Birthday to my Boy

2010-08-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today is my son Micah's birthday. He's six. It seems impossible that six whole years have passed since the dr laid that tiny baby in my arms. Yet here he is, roudy, loud, sweet and feisty!

I try not to wish for too much for my kids as I want them to do their own wishing and dreaming without mine being in the way but I will wish this much for my son this coming year. I wish upon him hope, wisdom, kindness, passion and love. I wish him a year filled with these things, a year he will look back on fondly and a year that he will grow in.

To my sweet, darling boy, I love you more than you can comprehend. My life would be so much less without you in it. You bring me smiles and joy when I feel overwhelmed and tired. You bring me love. I cannot imagine my life void of you. Have a beautiful year, Mr. Micah Man.

My Most Cherished Handmade Possession

2010-08-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

This week's question in my Create Crochet Team was: What is your most cherished handmade possession?

This one is hard for me to answer. I am most fortunate to have a rather craft family and as such I have been the most grateful recipient of many, many handmade things.

I have a beautiful doll cradle that my grandfather built. It housed many of my favorite dolls and now lovingly rocks my own daughter's dolls.

I have a hand-rusted, welded flower bird feeder that my father made for me. It holds a very special place in my heart. I remember when he pointed it out to me and told me he'd made it for me and take it home. I remember feeling loved by my dad and what an amazing feeling that is for a girl!

I have a child-sized quilt that my great-aunt made when I was born. It has been hand embroidered with all the names of my relatives. It must have taken her ages! I carried it everywhere as a child and my son Micah now sleeps with it every night.

I have a porcelin doll that my grandmother lovingly put together for me. She even lovingly glued it back together when it fell out of bed.

I have a wooden plaque, hand-carved and hand-written upon it a poem that my mother wrote when she was just a teen. It's called "Opinions" and I still find it profound.

I have blankets, hats and scarves that my best friend has made for me, careful consideration on her part put into the colors, yarns and fabrics.

I have pottery that my sister made for me when she was still in school, my favorite being the sculptured hampster she made in likeness of my childhood pet.

I cannot forget the myriad of artwork, crafts and even jewelry that my children have produced and given to me with smiles lighting up their faces, joy beaming from their eyes. I have kept it ALL.

All of these things hold very special places in my home and in my heart. I could no sooner pick a favorite than I could pick a favorite star in the sky. Each of them fills my soul with memories more precious to me than any store-bought item could ever hold. Perhaps the most treasured handmade possession is the creativity that has been passed down to me, generation to generation.

It is with this burden and passion for the handmade that I myself create. Whether it's something for my children, a friend, my mother, grandmother or to sell, I remember that a handmade item will take with it a piece of the soul of the creator and weave that piece of soul with another, to create what only handmade items can - an heirloom.

The Song of my Life

2010-07-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Like the story of my life but with more rhythm. We were asked this week on our team thread which song most represents our life. While this might give some people pause to figure out just which song fits them, my answer was instantaneous. "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell. No question.

I love this song for many reasons and at different points in my life it has meant different things to me. I see in these a lyrics a woman who is an optomist, even while knowing her optimism is foolish. I see a woman who was once hopeful and positive, has had life beat her down and with pain in her heart still looks back and sees the good. I see a lot of myself.

My life has not always been easy, but neither would I say that it's been terribly hard. There has been pain to be sure. Perhaps the most vivid, biting scar is the one laid upon me when we lost our first son not too long into the second trimester. Pain like that lingers. Clouds that once looked like ice cream castles can quickly turn black and only block the sun. The light that once reflected off them and shone through them disappears, almost as if we never felt it's warmth at all. But if you're like the woman in the song, you remember that warmth and the memory is enough to remind you that you will feel the warmth again.

I have looked at life through the eyes of a young woman, a child really, who sees only bright futures, candy coated love stories and circus crowds. I have also looked at life through the eyes of an older woman who knows that love stories sometimes end sadly, that futures can be cut short and circus crowds sometimes trample you. It's not the pain I hold in my heart though. It's the good. The simple and the beautiful and the often profound that sneak into my life and fill me with such joy I cannot even fathom the pain. Something is truly gained by living every day. I gain it each day I choose to embrace what I have, accept that is mine and own it.

But then again, I often wonder if I really know life at all.

Adventures in Yarn Dying

2010-07-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to attempt yarn dying for a while now. Last week I finally decided to give it go after being inspired by a team member who started dying. I bought some plain undyed wool yarn and two packets of kool aid and gathered the kids to help me. I always try to invovle the kids in anything creative. I believe it's important to foster that in children.

Our first step was to soak the yarn in hot water to make it receptive to the dye.

The kids thought it looked pretty interesting!

Then we added color!

And our finished product:

I am very happy with how it turned out and I can't wait to dye some more! We're calling this batch strawberry lemonade!

Sunday Question

2010-07-11T21:13:00.000-07:00

My team on Etsy (Create Crochet) has a weekly question and this week's is: What inspires you? What is your muse?

I find that there is one thing that truly inspires me. Nothing moves me to tears, sends my brain whirring or creates such emotion in me as nature does.

My husband and I recently came home from a vacation to the Island of Kauai. The sand, the sea, the mountains, the waterfalls and the greenery whispered to my soul just as surely as a lover whispers to his love. I found myself lost in the abundance of natural wonders. That kind of beauty and history... Sacred places untouched for millions of years, paths traveled by people long past and waters swam in by those we come from... I came back with visions of scarves that fall like the waters off the Na Pali and purses in the colors of turquoise and green like the vast oceans and fibers as natural as the ferns falling from the rocks in the Fern Grotto. I spent quite a few hours sitting on our pation overlooking the trees, the moutains and the ocean, hook in hand, creating.

In just a few days my family and I are heading for the wilderness in Idaho. What visions await us there? I have some ideas as I spent many of my summers as a youth in Idaho. It has always been an inspiring place to me and I am making sure to pack plenty of yarn and hooks!

Yes, nature by far with her abundance of random beauty, inspires me in ways I cannot describe. Colors and textures and visual masterpiece await everywhere on this mother planet we call home.