tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4600376526699382832009-12-28T16:54:52.718+01:00one woman's journeyDiana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-63662976421998915802009-12-27T15:30:00.004+01:002009-12-27T15:34:00.131+01:002009-12-27T15:34:00.131+01:00

I have been wanting to set up an on line shop for a while, with pieces I have made over the last few years. I have been confused about format. I eventually settled on my own shop, and have just put the first few pieces on there to show. I will be expanding this a lot in January, February and March of this year. It's exciting to finally get it "rolling", a whole new little business for me.You

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For the grace of God, I think seasons are beautiful. I don't have to go any further than a few steps outside my door to be reminded of this. Yesterday the temperature went up to about 55 degrees, melting the ice and snow, enabling us to get our car up our quarter mile driveway for the first time in more than a week. It was not fun schlepping groceries for our holiday up that icy slope, bag by

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The year is wrapping up, and the fire is glowing. A chicken is in the oven, and a thick layer of snow is on the driveway. Time to relax, be still, and enjoy. Can't leave anyway, even if we wanted to!Time to thank all of you for all you give during the year. For your support, your comments, your positive thoughts. Each and every one of you is special. Thanks to those who came and visited this

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com12http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/gratitude-friday-on-saturday-happy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-49530014259830072432009-12-15T17:56:00.006+01:002009-12-15T18:11:41.154+01:002009-12-15T18:11:41.154+01:00

Having gone through the big commitment of exchanging lifestyles more than once, I often wonder if crossroads will ever simply stop happening. Life gets interesting when you change things up. Mind you, I did not say easier. I will never say easier. But boring it is not. Doing this thing that we have done keeps me on my toes. I tend to scare easily. Someone just needs to say boo. I find

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com5http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/having-gone-through-big-commitment-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-48645520636893373712009-12-15T16:38:00.002+01:002009-12-15T16:45:59.946+01:002009-12-15T16:45:59.946+01:00

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com5http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-difference-four-weeks-make.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-65834814987077827662009-12-12T14:14:00.004+01:002009-12-12T14:19:54.624+01:002009-12-12T14:19:54.624+01:00

We have reached the goal of having the roof on before Christmas. This is a huge thing for us. We are both feeling very tired of the construction already but are happy that this phase has gone so smoothly. Only two rainy days, and temperatures have been warm enough so that the concrete could set. On Monday, the scaffolding will come down and we can clean up outside.

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Our friends have a beautiful home. They have been collecting paintings by contemporary Swedish artists as long as I can remember, and the house is filled with so many wonderful pieces. I love the way the table is set; white and simple, but with crystal and candles and red touches which give warmth and a rich atmosphere.The home was built in the 1930s and has only had three owners in its history

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com3http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/beautiful-swedish-home.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-29488138892825213792009-12-11T08:51:00.009+01:002009-12-11T17:25:43.634+01:002009-12-11T17:25:43.634+01:00

Our time in Stockholm wrapped up in the village of Vaxholm. Vaxholm is a beautiful village directly on the water (there is very little in the Stockholm area that is not either on the water or on an island), has a castle and ferries going to smaller outer islands. It was already getting dark as we got to Vaxholm, but I could see how beautiful it must be when the sun is shining.We ate a late

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Wonderful jams and spreads, all home madeHearth baked breads of every typeKarin's bowls and plates...... and a peek in her home design shopShe carries my very favorite teas, Samova, from Hamburg -- here is MY flavor, Maybe Baby.She has taken little samples of her glaze selection which she has fired and made the most wonderful mobile wall hangings by threading them on clear wire. I saw this and

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com2http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/karin-eriksson-and-manos.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-85038559165043049712009-12-09T08:27:00.001+01:002009-12-09T08:33:07.038+01:002009-12-09T08:33:07.038+01:00

The shop windows in Stockholm are full of Christmas cheer, including these wonderful versions of Santa.

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com7http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/stockholm-santas.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-54767176410932076442009-12-08T08:23:00.006+01:002009-12-08T10:48:46.113+01:002009-12-08T10:48:46.113+01:00

We escaped construction on Friday to fly for three days to the beautiful northern city of Stockholm. I have been to Sweden several times during the famous midsommar of late June and early July when the sun hardly sets at all, to our friends' summer home in the southern Swedish coastal town of Torekov. These same friends now live the majority of the year in Stockholm, and since we had not been

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The insulation panels for the roof have arrived, and they are really unbelievable. 11 centimeters of insulation with baffles for air flow, attached to pressed wood.Here is the room from the inside now:Laying in the final wood panels -- the last step before mounting the insulation panels:Now the structure is really starting to take form. On the right hand side you can see the cut out for the door

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com8http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/construction-photos-9th-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-80961333668279904802009-12-02T13:49:00.004+01:002009-12-02T13:56:44.433+01:002009-12-02T13:56:44.433+01:00

Ten centimeter thick panels of high technology fiberglass insulation being slid between the ancient wall and the new wall. The panels come from (where else) the Germanic region of Italy, near Sudtirol. The view from the back:Wooden "perlina" tongue and groove panels being laid in. These will be covered with insulation which is prefabricated as solid roof panels. Then the old "coppi" get

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com7http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/construction-photos-8th-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-54910599331386580392009-12-01T17:08:00.005+01:002009-12-01T17:18:06.238+01:002009-12-01T17:18:06.238+01:00

I went to the outdoor market this morning in Acqui and at my fish monger's, the Ligurian calamari caught my eye. These calamari are not to be compared with those things you find in cheap restaurants which come directly out of the freezer and go into the deep fryer. These are delicate, tender, small calamari that melt in your mouth.The recipe is as simple as can be. Four small calamari, cleaned

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com11http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/linguine-con-calamari-di-liguria.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-18660707842195112902009-12-01T11:45:00.001+01:002009-12-01T11:48:53.939+01:002009-12-01T11:48:53.939+01:00

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com4http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/12/construction-photos-7th-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-65365469311242965512009-11-30T17:47:00.004+01:002009-11-30T18:04:36.936+01:002009-11-30T18:04:36.936+01:00

That November 28, 29 and 30th, 2009 do not in any way resemble November 28, 29, and 30th, 2008. Now, that would REALLY suck! HA!

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com8http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/but-you-know-what-im-really-really.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-50405097298888544592009-11-30T16:36:00.008+01:002009-11-30T18:30:55.664+01:002009-11-30T18:30:55.664+01:00

The bursts of rain continue. Meanwhile, a monster truck arrived with a monster crane and delivered the roof beams. A monster truck which crawled up a quarter mile drive --and around a hair pin turn -- backwards--then forward up through the second hairpin turn. A monster truck with a very good driver.The boys scampered up to get the beams placed in correctly -- so that a tarp could be laid over

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com3http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/were-building-in-rain-just-building-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-43945397236394043832009-11-30T08:24:00.004+01:002009-11-30T08:41:00.074+01:002009-11-30T08:41:00.074+01:00

No, not the workers. The weather.We knew it could happen, given the season. We prayed that it would wouldn't, but it did. THe roof is off, and we are in a turbulent weather pattern. Rain started yesterday afternoon. At around two in the morning, there was a thunderstorm which was so intense that it knocked out the power. Micha turned to me in the middle of the night."I'm really nervous," he

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com3http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/renovation-small-nightmare.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-64699127953704049562009-11-27T17:52:00.002+01:002009-11-27T17:57:05.912+01:002009-11-27T17:57:05.912+01:00

Here's my buddy Gina DePalma making the most scrumptious fritelle di formaggio, or fried cheese puffs served with honey and thyme. Watch, learn, enjoy!

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com4http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/gina-depalma-on-diary-show.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-24630721921262481422009-11-25T22:12:00.007+01:002009-11-26T08:09:52.084+01:002009-11-26T08:09:52.084+01:00

It is very strange that I lead a life in which a blog like this has a place. Before this lifestyle, I was so busy that even if blogging had existed, I doubt that I would have read one, much less written one. I am probably even busier now in certain ways, but also there is a stillness to being here and this blog helps me to connect to a life that I once knew. One with happy hours and lunches

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com12http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/gratitude-friday-on-wednesday.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-10132187194057545242009-11-25T14:36:00.007+01:002009-11-25T22:39:15.988+01:002009-11-25T22:39:15.988+01:00

Kim B. from Paris asked me why we are rotating the roof on the structure. I thought I would try to explain.This building is narrow and deep.Right now, the roof line runs parallel to the part of the building which is narrow. This makes the two roof eves much longer than necessary. To make matters worse, the roof line is off center, making one of the eves huge. Here you can see this huge eve from

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com2http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/roof-rotation.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-41951480950689991052009-11-25T13:17:00.007+01:002009-11-25T13:53:09.828+01:002009-11-25T13:53:09.828+01:00

An astounding amount has happened with our roof construction project. We have a whole new team working on this project; for a variety of very good reasons, we parted company with the last masons. Our new guys (I am gently knocking on wood here -- so gently that you might not even hear it) seem to be extraordinary. They came highly recommended. The job site is clean (!), organized (!), there is

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com6http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/construction-25-days.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-77763403526615346072009-11-24T14:04:00.012+01:002009-11-24T22:28:00.229+01:002009-11-24T22:28:00.229+01:00

So much going on. So, so much.I need to take a little vacation from my life right this minute so I am going to address the fact that I have found the last few of my blog post a little absent of color. Bright, splashy color. Oh, sure, there is talk of color, colored tiles, colored floors, colored lives, but color? Well, raw clay is grey, construction is grey and Piemonte this November is

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Part one of Part two of last spring construction's project will start this week. The scaffolding went up on Thursday and Friday. The roof will come off of this structure starting tomorrow. It will be rotated 90 degrees, and put back on. In addition the walls will be built out of brick, insulation will be put in, and a dividing wall will be put in the room to divide the area for a bathroom off

Diana Strinati Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152721181032796074noreply@blogger.com10http://creativestructures.blogspot.com/2009/11/construction-new-roof-and-walls.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-460037652669938283.post-4154750012134803082009-11-20T08:19:00.009+01:002009-11-20T09:02:39.608+01:002009-11-20T09:02:39.608+01:00

The Alps, from the road above our houseThis time of year, when things slow down, food gets richer, and wine gets heavier, I like to write and think about what is coming down the road. When I was younger I walked by the Delaware River's edge, wrapped in scarf and gloves, and just thought.Just thought.I have often said that November is my favorite month. Not because life is easier and more fun.

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