as the crow flies

garage sailing adventures

2012-06-18T08:00:00-05:00

I was raised on a thrifty mentality. One aspect I associate with the Midwest is great thrift stores and garage sailing. Maybe it's because it was so much apart of my childhood. My mother would pull an atlas out on Friday nights and map out our route for the early morning sales. "It's like a treasure hunt," she would tell us. You didn't get too much spending money but nevermind that, you didn't need much. Beginning in my early teens, any clothing I bought came from a thrift store or was passed down through older family members. What appeal did new clothing have on the rack when a dozen carbon copies lined up behind each piece? How did that compare to the fun of a treasure hunt? Over the years my "style" of thrifting has evolved in many ways. And while I no longer rely on it for my source of everything, it still presides over other ways of shopping. It was instilled in me as an adventure and still feels so today.

With this in mind my mother and I set out early morning Saturday because if a country town of a few hundred people decide to all put on yard sales, I'd recommend stopping by. You'll get the best finds, the best conversation, and the best deals around.

dirt, potatoes, and other thoughts

2012-06-15T18:41:29-05:00

A friend contacted us asking for help digging up potatoes. "I'll pay you in potatoes." How can you argue with that? So we joined him early before the heat of the day set in.

It's dirty work digging potatoes, but the kind of relationship you have with dirt as a child. Just the sheer joy to be covered in it. In your lap, on your knees, up your fingernails. Once you get enough on you it shifts to just plain fun and you stop short of rolling around in it. Kind of like getting drenched in the rain. Once you get over the inevitability, it's kind of fun being soaked where you're standing(or running, if you're feeling adventurous). I'd like to think this playfullness is evoked from past years because I believe we're all born with it.

Then there is the dirt or soil itself, growing this food. It really is something I continue to(and hope I will always) marvel at. I sifted through walnut shells from time to time which were apparently buried there by the birds and squirrels. "Birds and squirrels are fantastic at spreadin' seeds of the plants." I thought on this for awhile. I passed an ant burial ground where I was told they pile their dead. "Peculiar behavior. They still don't know for sure why they do it." I thought on that for some time. Ants really are kind of incredible, aren't they? "Been doin' this a long time and no two years the same." That seemed as an exciting job description that I could think of.

These are the kind of thoughts that pass through when one is "pickin' up" potatoes.

And that's just in one row.

I found no coincidence in my sudden potato craving when we got home so I scrubbed up a few and pulled out a casserole dish.

In it I placed:

potatoes

a bit of goat butter

a spoon or two of extra virgin coconut oil

fresh sprigs of thyme

fresh sage leaves

sea salt

Combined together with a lid on in the oven at 450 degrees.

"Those are like apples. Taste the best right off the tree."

I'd say that's about right.

jewelry holder tutorial

2012-06-12T13:35:04-05:00

I put this together in no time at all. I was looking for a jewelry holder to put in my bathroom but I can see this serving a number of purposes to display whatever you want. I'm imagining dried flowers arranged on it.

Here's what you need:

An assortment of plates, tea cups, glasses...or any kind of glassware. Get creative!

An adhesive that works with porcelin, glass, and is water resistant

There's really no wrong way to do this. Just make sure you arrange your glass from heavy(at the bottom) to lightest and be watchful of how high you're stacking so it doesn't want to topple over. The best part is that you could make five and each one would look completely different based on your materials. Once you've decided your arrangement, glue in place. Let it set for a couple days and you're good to go.

thrift store musings

2012-06-07T08:30:00-05:00

A recent thrift store trip brought in a fresh source of inspiration and projects to come.

Thrifting fabric is always an uplifting experience with all the different colors and patterns to stumble upon. This time around I've added quality linens to the collection to be a permanent addition in my kitchen. I came home with a mix of hand embroidered and blank napkins to add my own designs to. Right now my head is buzzing with all the infinite possibilities. While some have predestined plans and others just speculations, I do believe the yarn belongs to the Sunday Cuffs pictured on the latest issue of Jane Austen Knits.

for inspiration

2012-06-06T18:12:57-05:00

Books that have caught my eye....

A collection of magazines that are such beautiful works of art, it's hard not to be inspired by them.

Are there any magazines that inspire you? Feel free to share!

DIY circle fringe scarf

2012-06-06T08:30:00-05:00

This scarf is quick and easy to make with supplies you most likely already have or can easily obtain.

You'll need:

1 extra large t-shirt(this project works best with shirts that are soft and stretchy)

fabric scraps

scissors

pins

needle and thread

Step 1: Lay your t-shirt out flat. Cut through both layers just under the sleeves. Cut the hem off the bottom of the shirt as well.

Step 2: Starting at the bottom, cut 1 inch strips(through both layers) up to 1/3 of the shirt. Repeat instructions on the top of the shirt, cutting 1/3 of the way down.

Step 3: Give each of your strips a firm little tug. This will cause them to lengthen and coil nicely. Next, stick your arms inside the circle and stretch out your whole scarf by pulling your arms apart(tugging from side to side) which will lenthen your whole scarf.

Step 4: Lay scraps of fabric across the scarf. How you want to do this is up to you. I overlapped my scraps and fit them to the length of one side of my scarf. Once you've decided your arrangement, pin in place and stitch it o

moccasin wandering

2012-06-04T08:30:00-05:00

Outfit details: dress-garage sale(appears to be handmade), belt-thrifted, tights-Target, shoes-Minnetonka, scarf-handmade by me, bangles-thrifted

I'm sure there won't be too much variation of shoes in photos around here. My shoe of choice for many years has been moccasins. I was a barefoot child(oh I mistakenly stepped on so many bees, poor things) and that rarely changed as I grew. Any chance I got, the shoes came off and for many summers I had proudly achieved some very tough soles. For the sake of the general public and all the sweet bees in the world, my mother brought me back my first pair of moccasins from a roadtrip. Then my grandmother shortly after gifted me a pair of hers that she had since around my age(and I'm still wearing them years later).

I take them with me everywhere, hiking included. I love feeling the different places I travel, most especially when I am in the woods. They give me a freedom that other shoes don't allow and I feel my feet work in different ways for climbing, landing, running and everything in between. There is nothing quite like wandering off trail when winter is transitioning into spring and the snow has melted to reveal layer upon layer of soft decaying leaves as your walking grounds.

I bought this elk skin pouch from a woman by the river who looked me in the eye and told me in all seriousness it would last me forever.

Thanks for reading,

Dani

Tutorial on scarf coming up shortly!

in the woods

2012-06-02T20:59:10-05:00

I love wandering about on a rainy day and I especially love wandering about on a rainy day in the woods.

All the colors have a different kind of intensity after a fresh rain against a cloudy sky. The sound of raindrops softly dripping from the leaves surrounds me. There is this feeling of renewal as the roots soak it all up. Plus there is just something kind of magical about ducking under a circle of trees for shelter when the downpour hits.

flea market days

2012-05-29T16:18:56-05:00

Flea market days have arrived with the hot sun! I went along more for looking than for buying and did I ever have a lot to look at.

There was so much inspiration to be found. All those quilts! They've got me geared up to start one of my own. I was completely entranced at a booth filled with vintage dolls. There was so much detail down to the tiniest stitches on their undergarments to their little hand painted faces. The more I'm away the more I wonder how in the world one of them didn't wind up coming home with me. My treasures were few but sweet.

I'm sure this dress will work it's way into a photo here at some point.

I hope you found inspiration in your weekend as well.

in my kitchen

2012-05-27T19:10:47-05:00

This week in my kitchen I've enjoyed...

making an herbal infused hair rinse

flowering teas

salads for breakfast

simple sautees over quinoa

ginger in my juice

sprinkling ground flax seeds as a finishing touch

Alaskan salmon(and interested in reading this)

thinking of making up some mango lassi popcicles

How about you?