the minecreations blog

come say hi!

2008-10-02T08:49:00.000-05:00

Thank you all for the amazingly sweet birthday wishes! You really know how to make a girl's day. I had a nice low-key day, nothing too out of the ordinary. But will be celebrating with Jared tonight and having some friends over for dinner tomorrow night.

I've mentioned recently that I'm preparing for an upcoming craft fair, so I just wanted to put the info out there for all you local folks! I would love to meet any of you who can make it. The show is on Sunday, October 12 at the Uptown VFW on Lyndale Ave. and Lake Street. It's sponsored by the amazing ladies over at i like you and will run from 10am-5pm. There will be a raffle, over 50 great vendors, and lots of fun. For those of you who aren't local, I will be updating my etsy shop with any leftovers on Monday October 13. I am hoping to keep the shop stocked through the end of the year, so keep your eye out for fall and holiday goodies!

two six

2008-10-01T07:19:00.000-05:00

Yup. It's my birthday. I was thinking about doing a birthday year list (as in 27 things to do before I turn 27), but since I just made my fall manifesto, I'm feeling like that's good enough for now. So instead, I thought I'd share 26 things about me. Here goes:
1. I grew up in Manhattan, and the first place I moved when I left was rural Vermont. My parents wondered what had happened to me.
2. I didn't get my driver's license until I was 20 years old (see above re: living in Manhattan).
3. My parents gave me my first car. Now Jared and I drive a 1983 (almost as old as me!) Mercedes station wagon that runs on biodiesel (when it's available).
4. I've also lived in Bar Harbor, Maine; Berkeley, California; Quito, Ecuador; and now, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
5. When I lived in Ecuador, I once spent a night riding in the back of a coconut truck. It wasn't so bad until it started to rain and the drivers had to put the tarp over the coconuts to keep them dry. I had to lie down on top of the coconuts, under the tarp.
6. I'm not claustrophobic. Or afraid of heights, or bugs.
7. I've traveled to 18 countries (that I can think of right now).
8. I've traveled to 24 states in the US, plus DC plus Puerto Rico (that I can think of right now).
9. I love to cook, but I love to bake even more.
10. I worked in a bakery for a year when I lived in Berkeley. I would totally do it again if it didn't require getting up so dang early.
11. Other jobs I've had include door-to-door fundraising, anti-sweatshop campaign organizing, sandwich/smoothie jerk, office assistant, climbing wall monitor, freelance event planner.
12. I once got kicked out of Niketown in New York (see above re: anti-sweatshop campaign organizer).
13. I have nine holes in my ears (total). Four of them were made with a safety pin by myself.
14. After I got my rook piercing, I passed out on the sidewalk. Luckily my best friend was standing right next to me and caught me. She laughed hysterically while yelling for help. Now she's a doctor. A nice stranger bought me some orange juice.
15. I have some pretty good scar stories, including a run-in with a ceiling fan, and a parasite that made its home in the side of my head for six weeks.
16. I've been a vegetarian since I was 12 (I think, having a hard time remembering) and have only eaten meat a few times since then (when I was in Ecuador and sort of had to. And by "had to" I mean a woman killed a chicken for me- you don't exactly refuse that!).
17. I love cheese. This is the single reason that I can never be a vegan.
18. I have 25 pairs of shoes. A few years ago, I think had 5. I blame my grandma for being a bad influence. And my mom. In a good way.
19. When I was in middle school I played the saxophone. I haven't played an instrument since, except for one sorry attempt to learn how to play the guitar in college. I sort of learned to play "Blackbird."
20. I think I'm tone deaf. Jared says there's no such thing.
21. Jared and I met at a party at his old apartment in San Francisco. He thought I was cute. Then his roommate (who was also my friend) set us up. I had to spend the night on our first date because I missed the train from SF back to Berkeley. It was not on purpose, I swear.
21. I really hate cats. And it's not just because I'm allergic to them. It's nothing personal against any particular cat, just the species in general. Sorry to all you cat lovers. I love dogs.
22. I have a very small immediate family--two parents, one brother, two first cousins, one grandparent, three aunts, one uncle-- but they've managed to scatter themselves all across the country.
23. Being far away from my family is the thing I hate most about living in Minnesota.
24. Being with Jared, having a job that I love, living in a city that exemplifies my values and has four seasons are some of the things I love most about living in Minnesota. And I do love living in Minnesota.
25. I love fall. And I even love winter (note to self: reread this in January). I missed cold weather when I lived in California.
26. When I was younger, people always thought I was younger than I was. Now, people always think I'm older (even though I'm kind of the baby of all my friends here, or maybe that's the reason). Sometimes, I forget how old I am. I'm pretty sure twenty-six is going to be a very good year.

for keeping cozy

2008-09-27T22:07:00.004-05:00

Fall has definitely arrived here in Minneapolis. I know I was celebrating its arrival at the beginning of the week, but so far it's still felt very summery (it was 85 degrees yesterday!), but today, well, today was a true fall day. Overcast and chilly, breezy and crisp. Just perfect. So I thought I'd show you a new design for fall that I'm super excited about. I mentioned earlier this week that I often have trouble deciding if I should stick with old designs, or bring in new ones. I wanted to share with you all a new design that I've been wanting to make for quite some time now, and have finally put into action.

Inspired by these (okay, that was almost a year ago!) and, more recently, this one, I'd been wanting to make some patchwork scarves. I finally got it together, when I realized that some fabric I had thrifted over the summer would be the perfect backing.

So far I've put together three of these and I'm *hoping* to have a few more done before my craft fair. But for now, I've moved on to a few other projects (some old, and some new). I'm very happy to say that all of the fabrics for this fall collection are coming from my stash. This is definitely a relief to my bank account. And, as my mom likes to remind me, I do have a lot of fabric. It has gotten a bit out of control, so I'm very happy to be using up some of it. To make room for new fabric, of course.

Back to the scarves, though...each one has a unique patchwork pattern and is backed with a thin, very soft, light wool fabric. So they're definitely cozy, but not too warm. Perfect for a fall day, like today.
Also, some of you asked about the zippy pouches and whether they will be available in the shop. My craft fair that I'm preparing for is on October 12, so right now, I'm saving everything for that. Afterwards, whatever is leftover will go in the shop. So hopefully there will be an update the week of October 13. Thanks!

now who doesn't love presents?

2008-09-25T17:38:00.006-05:00

Let's talk about my love for the US Postal Service. Okay, sure they can be annoying and expensive and unhelpful. But don't you just want to jump up and down and hug your mail carrier when they come to your door bearing presents? I do. Nevermind the fact that I'm almost never actually home when they come. But finding a box or envelope awaiting me on my front porch when I come home from work is just about the most exciting thing. At least in my book.

I'm a bit behind on this post, but I wanted to share with you a couple of the fun things that have arrived in my mailbox lately. Some of these have been from new friends that I've made out here in blog/flickrland, while others are from an old friend, and my mom. My mom, by the way, is the queen of sending good packages (including those purple corduroy shoes from the last post...).

Claire, a wonderful flickr friend, sent me this amazing wallet that she made, along with an adorable card and some vintage ribbon. That card on the right is a little description of all the fabrics that she used in the wallet and where and when she bought them all. How's that for some history?! I absolutely love it and it's so fun to think of her every time I take out my wallet. She'll be opening an etsy shop soon, so keep your eye out.

Nicole is another friend from out here. I'm sure most of you are familiar with her beautiful blog (and if you're not, go check it out. Her photographs and words always make me want to exhale). I sent Nicole some jam earlier in the summer, and she returned the gift with these amazing spices. I haven't tried them out yet, but they are three of my favorites. I'm thinking with all my meal planning, I'll be putting them to good use soon enough.

After the birthday jam my old friend Leah sent me last year, she and I decided to do a jam swap this summer. Leah and I met during our time living in Ecuador almost six years ago (wow) and lived together for a while in Berkeley, where she still lives. She and her boyfriend spent most of the summer with family in Maine, so she sent me some blueberry honey, and strawberry jams, both made from fruit that they picked themselves. The blueberry jam arrived in that lunchbox too! I'll be packing up her jams next week.

Finally, from my mom. This awesome little case was something they saw at a yard sale a while back and my mom immediately thought that it would be perfect for displaying cards at craft fairs. She was so right. She actually called me to see if I would want it, and at the time, I was at a yard sale here. Hmm, I guess it runs in the family? Anyways, I love it and will definitely be using it to display my goods at my show next month.

I really do love getting fun things in the mail (come on, who doesn't?), which is why I always try to send fun things in the mail, I know it'll come back to me somehow. Try it, because you never know what'll turn up in your mailbox one day.

ps: new banner is up!

hello, fall. i do love you.

2008-09-22T17:59:00.004-05:00

Today is the day I've been waiting for. That's right, I love fall. I've always been a fall girl. The coolness, the sweaters, the boots, the hats, the colors, the baking, the applesauce, that amazing light, and, um, my birthday...but that comes later. Yes, we have officially entered my favorite season, and I couldn't be happier. I rung in the season this weekend with a beautiful wedding of close friends, and a last-minute visit from and old friend and his wife traveling around the US from Brazil (see more about their documentary that they're screening here). It was utterly lovely and my head is still spinning. That might have something to do with all of the Spanish, Portuguese and translation to English that has gone on these past few days, but I like to think it's because it was just such a beautiful few days.

In any case, I believe it's time for my fall manifesto. I didn't do the best of jobs at my summer manifesto, but I'm not too hung up about it. This summer didn't exactly pan out as I had planned, which makes me even more excited about the next few months. So here goes, some things I'm hoping to fill my days with over the next few months...

:: knit something, anything. it's been way too long.

:: finish a book. needless to say, i didn't get through any three books this summer, so i'm lowering my standards a bit.

:: go on at least one day or weekend trip with my honey (and no, my grandpa's 85th birthday party doesn't count).

:: take more walks, especially photo walks.

:: get busy with a couple of new crafty projects i've got brewing...

:: continue my two week streak of weekly meal planning (i know, i'm already on a roll!).

:: hunt down and try out the few photobooths in this town.

:: spend more time with friends, just hanging out.

Alright friends, I think this should do it. Also, Hannah is having an impromptu polaroid week, so you can find me there. Happy fall my friends.

ps: i know with all this fall talk, that banner needs a little refreshing. this week, i promise.

evolution of a design

2008-09-19T17:50:00.002-05:00

You might have noticed that I rarely discuss my shop here anymore, or really, anything related to selling my crafts. Well, that's because I've taken a major step back from that work. It became a bit overwhelming for me and was starting to not be fun. I still do love making stuff to sell, and I have tons of ideas that I want to try out, but I just needed to take it down a notch. I haven't really done anything to sell since last spring, and in a rare burst of optimism regarding my productivity level, I signed up for two craft fairs this fall. The first is coming up in just a few weeks, and the next is at the beginning of December. These shows are sponsored by the awesome ladies at i like you, and I can't wait. I participated in their first show last December, and it was one of the most fun (and profitable) show I'd ever done, so I'm super excited to do it again.

I'm never quite sure if it's time to retire a design and get something new going, or just keep on doing what I'm doing, especially if it's been successful. I think the key is to do a little bit of both. People want to see something new, but it's important that your style is consistent and your customers recognize your work. That way, someone who's bought something from you in the past and liked it, will still like your new stuff.

I started making these zippy pouches last fall, when I was just learning to embroider. I loved the little patchwork element and the hand stitching. I've continued to make them, but the design has evolved a bit. Instead of patchwork on the front, it's now on the back. It's a little less measured and more unique.

Also, the embroidery designs have evolved. I still can't quite let go of the birdie (I do love that birdie), but even the bird has evolved- it now has legs and wings and a tail (see earlier versions here and here). And I've been working on new designs as well. Obviously, my sewing and embroidery skills have improved, so that certainly helps when it comes to design improvement and feeling more comfortable playing around with different options. I'm really excited about this craft fair, it's giving me the chance to try out some new designs that I've been putting off (let's just say, there will be a little smattering of wearable goods coming up). I also like that I have another show planned after this one, so that certain projects that I know I won't have time for by October 12 can be saved for December.

So now that I'm all revved up about this fair, I just need to get my butt in gear and start sewing. Happy Friday peeps!

randomness for a wednesday morning

2008-09-17T08:29:00.003-05:00

I recently found this post that I had started to put together over a month ago, but never published. Since I feel like I've been a little absent around here lately, this felt like a good post for this morning. I've got lots to share, but just can't seem to get it together to take some good photographs. I'll work on that. In the meantime, here are some links to keep you busy today...

I recently made these brownies. They were absolutely delicious- don't let the tofu put you off, my coworkers were non the wiser (which was good since as soon as I took them out of the oven Jared reminded me that he doesn't actually like brownies, so I'm glad I wasn't left with the entire pan for myself. That could have been dangerous!). They went so fast, in fact, that I didn't even get a photo!

this jacket, actually the entire shop, is amazing (found via heart handmade)

my friend nicole will be updating her etsy shop with a new collection soon, so stay tuned!

this new collaboration between Shari (a long time blog friend) and Sheri (a new discovery)

a while back, marthawrote a post about inspiration and it was spot on (for me at least)

These clothes are beautiful, and the photos too (via wikstenmade).

These photos are gorgeous. They remind me of the beach club on the Jersey Shore that I used to go to with my grandparents in the summers. They totally had changing rooms like this (well, actually the one in China seems closest).

These photos are amazing. They make me want to exhale. (via design for mankind)

If you need a laugh, this clip is pretty funny, no matter who you support.

Also, a big congratulations to Angela and Klay, who are both expecting little ones soon! These two ladies are among my oldest blog friends and I'm very excited for them both.

Happy Wednesday friends!

it feels like so long ago already

2008-09-14T15:47:00.005-05:00

If you've been paying attention (and don't feel bad if you haven't), you might have noticed that after talking about how much I loved the State Fair last year, I hadn't mentioned anything about it here. Well, fear not my friends, we did go. We left for Oregon right afterwards, and then I was waiting to get the photos developed, and now, well, I figured I'd better write about it before summer is officially over. Anyways, it was amazing. Even though Jared told me last year that he was good for another fifteen years (which was how long it had been since his previous visit to the Fair), he was a good sport and came with me.

We didn't visit any of the animal barns, since we saw those last year, and we wanted to see some of the stuff we missed. We did go to the dairy barn and see the butterheads, which were excellent (though being a vegan, Jared did look a little queasy around all those 90-pound blocks of butter). We also saw the fine arts and the crafts exhibits.

I loved seeing all of the baked goods, and got me thinking about maybe entering something next year. I was surprised to see that they had gluten-free categories, but didn't notice any vegan categories. I think I'll have to investigate that since almost all of my baking is vegan.
As for the food, we had the delicious fresh fries again this year, and I managed some cheese curds too. I was kind of wanting to get something on a stick--which is definitely a trademark of this, if not all, fair--but most of what's on a stick there is meat-based. I heard on the radio that one of the new foods this year was a pickle-juice-popsicle (I like to call it the pickle'sicle), but I didn't find it. I didn't even see anyone eating it, so I think it was a farce. It sounds disgusting, but I think I would have tried it (I do love pickles). I did find a waffle on a stick, but by that point I was pretty stuffed. Oh well, you always have to save something for next year!

i think i've mentioned this before...

2008-09-11T18:02:00.004-05:00

Yes, I definitely have. But somehow, I feel the topic is worth revisiting. Eating lavender is weird. I know, I came to this conclusion almost a year ago. The thing is, I love lavender. And I really want to love eating it as much as I love smelling it. So I tried out this scone recipe. I have to say, they were damn good. Although I think I could have used even a little bit less lavender. Jared said he felt like he was eating soap, and I think I agree. Not that the scones tasted like soap, no no, they tasted delicious. But, you know, the nose and the mouth are connected and if you think you're smelling soap, but what you're eating doesn't actually taste anything like soap, well, it gets confusing. In any case, the scones were good. And I think, if you're of the non-lavender eating persuasion, they would be just as good sans lavender. So give them a shot, because fall is just about here, and it's the perfect time for these- there are still local berries, and it's not too hot to bake.

The recipe is adapted from this one, over at the Post Punk Kitchen, a blog I only discovered in the last year after I fell in love with Veganomicon (same author). And as a note, I don't live in Portland, so there were no marionberries to be had (can someone please tell me what it is with that city and their marionberries?), I used blueberries.

Blueberry Lavender Scones

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups oatmilk (or any non-dairy milk)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tbl baking powder
1/2 cup sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 cup culinary lavender
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
1 tbl canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Combine the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside to curdle. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and use your fingers to combine it with the dry mix. You can use a food processor here, but that just makes more dishes to wash! The dough should be a little bit chunky here. Mix in the lavender.

If the oven is not yet preheated by this point, wait. Otherwise, your dough will sit and get a little too loose. Create a well in the center of the dough and pour in the milk mixture, oil, and vanilla. Mix together gently, then add the berries. Do not overmix! It's okay if there are a couple of dry spots. Gently scoop the batter with a 1/4 cup measuring cup onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with a little sugar, then bake for about 20-25 minutes. Tops should be firm to the touch, and lightly browned. Serve warm, and enjoy!

the weekend

2008-09-09T19:01:00.001-05:00

There's so much new stuff that I want to share with you all, but we just have to go back to my magical weekend in Oregon. I had been waiting to retrieve my film photos before talking about it here.
So, my friends got married. It was so inspiring to be around these two people who love and respect each other so much, and who were surrounded all weekend by friends and family who do the same. It was beautiful.
The ceremony itself was meticulously planned, incorporating many traditions and rituals that had particular meaning to the bride and groom, and including many close family and friends as well. Even the ring box was handmade by one of our friends. Also, it was ridiculously fun. I went to college with both the bride and the groom, so suffice it to say that this wedding served as a mini reunion.

I hadn't seen any of the people there in at least two years, some even longer, and it was a true joy. I don't remember the last time I laughed that hard.

The rehearsal dinner was a western theme (the wedding was held at a ranch) involving lots of costumes, there were lawn games for everyone the day after the wedding, and even some, um, late night naked volleyball (I had no part in that last activity, seriously).

It was also amazing to finally introduce Jared to so many of my friends who hadn't yet met him. And also to meet some new people in my friends' lives as well. There were lots of smiles, hugs, stories, games, and even happy tears. There was plenty of time to just hang out, which was so great, especially since so many people had traveled to be there. All in all, it was an amazing weekend, and I already miss it.
Oh yeah, and did I mention that Oregon is beautiful?

ps: I've got tons more photos that I'll be slowly uploading over here, so you can check those out too.

the gift

2008-09-05T08:46:00.001-05:00

A little while ago, I had alluded to a top secret project that I'd been working on over the summer. I wasn't able to share it here until now, as it was the present I was making for the wedding I attended this past weekend. The wedding was of one of my college roommates. An amazing woman, who I only befriended in my last months at school, and I am so grateful that I did. That last semester before my graduation, I had the joy of living in an incredible Vermont country house with three incredible ladies (plus one frequent visitor from Northern NY state...). That house was full of laughter, hard work, new friendships, delicious food, lots of cuddling, important life conversations, and loads of fun. Oh yeah, and it was beautiful as heck.

When my friend got engaged last year, the other four of us knew we wanted to do some collaborative gift for her. Of course, we wanted it to be handmade, but the four of us literally live almost as far apart as we could get from each other: Oregon, Minnesota, Vermont, and New Orleans. Not the best setup for a collaborative handmade gift. So we brainstormed, and came up with an idea that I'm really proud of. Meet the mini-quilt.

I used a photo that I took of our house back in the fall of 2004 (during the peak of the Vermont fall colors) and printed it onto Crafter's Image Photo Fabric. I used this as the central piece and also as the inspiration for the rest of the fabrics in the quilt. I'm proud to say that all of the fabrics (including the photo fabric, actually) that I used for this project were from the stash.

I wasn't exactly sure where this project was going to go, since I kind of worked it out as I went. This might explain why it turned out just a bit wonky. I did solicit some assistance from the nice quilting ladies over at Glad Creations Quilt Block, who were ridiculously excited when I walked in saying "I'm a new quilter" and asking for advice. They were very helpful. I machine quilted the whole thing, which made me realize that I don't think my Singer 5050C was built for free motion quilting (it may be time to figure out what this walking foot thing is). It would have been nice to hand quilt it, but I was running low on time (and I did need time to make that dress, which, incidentally, was a total hit). I did do the binding by hand though, which was a nice way to finish off this project that was so full of love.

It was such a joy to present this gift to my friend on her wedding day and I can only hope that she'll cherish it in her home as much as I cherished making it for her (there is, after all, a sleeve on the back to allow for wall hanging-and I'm expecting it to be prominently displayed in their home!).

something old, something new.

2008-09-02T22:02:00.004-05:00

Isn't that what they always say for weddings? I think so. Well, I certainly had a little bit of both these past few days. This weekend was a.maz.ing. I'm not even really sure how to begin to recap it, except to say that it was exactly what I needed. Every moment of it. I'm going to start at the very end of the weekend and work backwards for you. The part that directly proceeded my carry-on bag being chock full of polaroid film.

I know that I've talked before about how much I've come to love blogging and flickring primarily because of the awesome people I've met through the internet. Well, this weekend, I had my very first flickr meetup. In Portland, Oregon. After spending four solid days with some of my closest friends, it was incredible to meet perfect strangers (well, sort of) and feel just as comfortable around them as I had around my college friends (some of whom I had even lived with at various points).

We chatted, whipped out our cameras, gushed over polaroids, drank coffee (and chai), rolled our eyes at the dude next to us who totally wanted to join our little party, and just got to know each other. At least for the hour we had before I needed to race off to the airport. It was a perfect way to end a perfect weekend. Thanks ladies!

these boots...

2008-08-27T08:43:00.003-05:00

...were made for dancing. And we're off for a few days! I think I always secretly wanted some cowgirl boots, and now (thank you M + M) I had a reason to get some. The rehearsal dinner for the wedding this weekend is a cowboy theme. So obviously, I had to go find myself a pair of boots. I had meant to go last Wednesday, but was feeling super tired after work so I left that errand for Thursday. When I walked into the store (an awesome vintage clothing store that I occasionally pop into), I tried on a couple pairs. One was too big, one was too small. And I was beginning to feel very Goldilocks-ish. The dude behind the counter asked my size and then said they had just gotten in a pair that size a few hours ago. He hadn't even really checked them out or priced them yet. Yes, you guessed it, they were perfect. And they have daisies stitched on them too! What more could I ask for in my very first pair (at least as an adult) of cowgirl boots? Not a whole lot.

I am so looking forward to this weekend. To hanging out with my man. Going to airport and actually getting on a plane this time (I've probably taken at least twelve airport trips this year, and only actually gotten on a plane twice). Seeing some of my closest and most fun friends who I haven't seen in a few years. Watching my friend get married. Meeting some new friends. And just taking a break. I hope you all get to take a little bit of a break this weekend, whether you're going anywhere or not.

speaking of dresses...

2008-08-24T11:18:00.005-05:00

I made one too! I mentioned earlier this summer, in my summer manifesto, that one of my goals for these past few months was to make a dress to wear to my dear friend Marieka's wedding. Well, as some of you may have noticed, this summer kind of got away from me a little bit. I had a bunch of other projects to work on, and the hot weather isn't really the best motivating factor for sewing. I did some research earlier in the summer and found a good pattern. But then I got stumped. I had no idea where to buy fancy fabric, and I didn't really love the idea of ordering it online. Time was running out, and I started to think that I wasn't going to have time to make this dress. I was sort of resolved to just wear something that I already had.

When my parents came to visit and we were taking a little driving tour of St. Paul, we drove right by this fabric store, Treadle Yard Goods on Grand Avenue. I had heard of it, but had never been there. Frankly, I had thought it was a hardware store with some industrial fabric ("yard goods" to me meant, like, yard work. My mom was kind enough to inform me that it's actually an old fashioned term that was commonly used for sewing stores. Duh!). We went in, and I discovered that this was the store I had been waiting for. They had an amazing selection of fabrics, from Japanese imports and Amy Butler, to silk, to organic cottons, and everything you would ever need for making garments. I decided to make the dress after all.

I picked out some silk dupioni, the pattern I had chosen is Simplicity 3867 (view B). I was super nervous about making this, since I really wanted it to actually look nice and not, well, homemade (in the bad sense of the word). I know I've made lots of clothes this past year, and I know that my skills have really improved since that very first skirt I made last spring. But sometimes I let the little details (like zippers) slide, and I'm normally okay with things not being perfect. But for this dress, I really wanted it to be perfect, and professional looking. Plus, I had never sewn with silk and didn't know what to expect. The women at the store were really helpful and reassuring that I would be able to do this. They even made me feel better when I had to go buy another yard after cutting half of the pattern pieces in the wrong direction on the fabric!

I took it slow, sewing the entire dress over three evenings last week. I only made one minor mistake, which is that the zipper doesn't go down as far as it should, but that's not a big deal, and is something I can fix later on if I want to (I can't deal with fixing anything on this dress right now). Otherwise, I think everything came out just perfectly, and I'm really really happy with it. The fit is a bit looser on the top than I would like, so I think if I make it again, I will take the bodice pieces in a little. I would like to make this again, probably just out of a light cotton for a nice sundress. It was very easy and the instructions were really straightforward.

The wedding is next weekend, so I finished in plenty of time. I had lots of visions of me sewing up until leaving for the airport (which I've done before) and I'm really pleased that I don't have to worry about that! I'm super excited to wear this dress, and now I'm scheming up other fancy parties that we'll have to throw or go to just so I can wear it! We're off to Oregon on Wednesday night, so I'll pop in here again before we take off. Happy Sunday, friends!

mayumi me

2008-08-21T07:55:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure how many of you out there have heard of minnie and james, the new brainchild of Tiffany Jewell, and the beautiful clothing that she is sewing up while she's not busy being a montessori school teacher. I can't remember how I first discovered Tiffany, but I'm so glad I did. And when she started selling clothing from her own patterns earlier this year, I knew I had to get my hands on one of her pieces.

I've written here before about my ongoing dilemma about buying clothing. Fighting sweatshops (and worker exploitation in all forms) has always been an issue close to my heart and I really do my best to avoid buying clothing made in factories that I know nothing about (which is most factories). Luckily, there are more and more small clothing companies out there that are being responsible, both ethically and environmentally, and transparent about their manufacturing practices. I also buy a lot of clothing second-hand, places like this make that easy.

I've (obviously) begun one of my solutions to this dilemma this past year by making a lot of my own clothing. However, I am only one woman. And even if I did have all the time in the world to sew my own wardrobe, I really like the idea of supporting other talents out there and including some other beautiful pieces of clothing in my closet. Needless to say, I've been delighted by all the small, independent designers that are popping up all over the internet. Maybe at some point soon, I'll post a list of a few of my favorites...But anyways, I did finally order the Mayumi Mini Dress from Tiffany earlier this summer. Sadly, when it arrived in the mail, the fit was not perfect. Since Tiffany makes each of her pieces to order, and is pretty much just one of the most awesome people out there, she was more than happy to remake the dress for me. Seriously, she made me another dress! And I love it. It's extremely well made and all the details are accounted for. It's comfortable and stylish and I'm sure the second I wear it out of the house, I'll be getting compliments left and right. This dress is super light for summer, but would also look great with tights and boots (okay, so it was too hot for boots when I was taking these photos, but I really love how it looks. Maybe I could moonlight as a go-go dancer?). Have I mentioned that I'm ready for fall? Right then.

If any of you are in the market for some new clothing this fall, I highly recommend checking out her shop. Happy Thursday, friends!

eating my garden

2008-08-19T08:33:00.004-05:00

People, it's that time of year again. The time of year, when the fruits of all your labor (quite literally, in this case) come about. And you eat them. I struggled a bit with my garden this year, with a few failures. I was pretty upset about that earlier in the summer, and I'm starting to re-think my capacity to start everything (well, almost everything) from seed. I am not a farmer. I have a full-time job and hobbies and responsibilities that have nothing to do with gardening. I love gardening, but at this point I don't really have as much time to dedicate to it as I'm realizing that I need to do things "the right way" (how I came to think that starting everything from seed is "the right way" and that it's cheating to buy plants, I'm not quite sure). So this is something I'm still contemplating for next year's garden...

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. We're still at the high point of this year's garden. And the bounty has arrived. While my parents were here, I pulled up the first bunch of carrots. A few of which were not quite ripe yet. But they were delicious.

And then there was the first of my summer squash. I know that in a few weeks I'll be overwhelmed on the squash front, but for now, I'm just enjoying it. This one, by the way, made it into that strata I told you about.

And finally, the tomatoes. I had big plans for my tomatoes this year. I think I have nine or ten tomato plants out there and I was hoping to really have enough to do some canning. Unfortunately, they're all pretty small and I don't know if I'll have enough for much tomato sauce. But I'm adapting. Things don't always turn out the way you'd hoped or planned, I know this solo summer certainly wasn't what I had anticipated, and there's nothing like gardening to teach you that. So I'm here, enjoying what I have. And starting to think about next year.

a story of forgetting. oh, and a shirt.

2008-08-17T20:01:00.004-05:00

A couple of months ago, Linda made this beautiful shirt. I decided I had to make it, it's Simplicity 4589. Then, Melissa and Beki chimed in with their versions. That sealed the deal. I ordered the pattern (along with a bunch of others, which I will hopefully have time to tackle soon enough). I had recently found a couple of yards of this awesome madras at the thrift shop and knew it would be a perfect match. I made a pile.

I later realized that about a year and half ago, I had bookmarked this shirt of Amanda's (I named the bookmark "shirt I want to make"). And then this one ("another shirt I want to make"). I never put together that they were the same pattern. Furthermore, I never realized that the three shirts that I saw recently (Linda's, Melissa's, and Beki's) were the same as Amanda's shirt. Um, yeah, am I paying attention here?

Anyways, I got to the shirt a couple weekends ago (I know, it took me two whole weeks to show it to you!) during a rare burst of productivity in between Alias episodes (have we discussed my renewed addiction here? Jared bought me the box set of all five seasons, 'nuff said). It was super easy and only took about two and a half hours. Perfect. The instructions were clear, nothing tricky. I love it. I used the thrifted madras plaid, which I seriously love, and yellow bias binding for the armholes. Even thought it's kind of an odd place for yellow, ahem, I kind of like that little detail. My only complaint is that the armholes are a little too big for me (something that Melissa did mention, wait, what did we say about me paying attention?), so next time, I'll have to do something about that. And yeah, I'm pretty sure there will be a next time on this one, maybe one of the other versions. I also think it would look supercute with a nice long-sleeved shirt underneath. But wait, no, it's not time for that just yet.

(also, yes, if my photos weren't enough, i did just link you to five other versions of this shirt!)

strata anyone?

2008-08-12T22:17:00.006-05:00

I know I've written about my love for this book here before, (and here and here and here) and here we are again. This time, with the mushroom and spinach strata. I tried this dish earlier in the spring for a little brunch party we hosted before the annual May Day parade and it was so delicious, and went so quickly, that I never even got a photo of it. Before getting this book, I was never that big on cooking tofu in dishes. I mean, I love tofu. Baked, stir fried, sauteed, etc. But I never really had used the silken tofu in dishes (like cakes, lasagna, or this strata). And, um, I love it. This dish is just awesome and makes me even more excited for Isa's upcoming vegan brunch book.

I made this strata on Sunday for my parents for brunch. Even though they're not really tofu fans, I thought I'd give it a try on them. My dad doesn't like mushrooms, so I used spinach and a yellow squash from my garden, and that was delicious too. I think you could probably use almost any veggie (just think of what would be good in an omelet or quiche). I think this is my new favorite brunch dish. It's super easy to make, and just tastes delicious. It's even good later that day for dinner. I mean, after all that brunch cooking, who has the energy for dinner? Also- it doesn't hurt to be eating it out of this awesome vintage pyrex dish...

Mushroom and Spinach Strata (from Veganomicon)

Ingredients:
4-6 slices stale or lightly toasted bread, cut into 2-inch pieces
1-1.5 cups sliced shallots (I use a little less because I just don't like things too onion-y)
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms (or any other veggie, I used one medium sized summer squash here)
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. salt
10 ounces chopped spinach

Custard Ingredients:
1 lb. silken soft tofu
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch (I used arrowroot powder here, because that's what I had)
1/2 cup veg. broth or water
1/4 tsp salt if using water or low-sodium broth.

Preheat oven to 350. Saute the shallots in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet (if you have one- if not, you can transfer the veggies to a different dish later) over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms (or whatever veggie you're using) and cook for another 7 minutes, until tender. For the custard: place all custard ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth. Add the garlic, herbs, peppers, and salt to the vegetable pan. Add spinach and cook until all spinach is wilted (about 5 minutes).

Turn off the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the bread chunks. If you are baking it in a different dish, transfer it now and use the tablespoon of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Mix veggies and bread well. Pour custard over everything and use a spatula to smush the custard into the veggies and bread, but don't mix it. Bake for 55-60 minutes. The strata should be firm and the whole top should be lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

oh, fancy meeting you here

2008-08-11T17:01:00.004-05:00

does anyone else feel the summer speeding by? it's already august, there are leaves on the ground, it was pretty cool this morning (as i made yet another trip to the airport), and i'm starting to get a little excited about fall. but i'm not saying that too loudly, because i'm definitely still enjoying summer.

jared and i had a nice little staycation last week, and it was so wonderful to just relax. i mean, really relax. then my parents came and we had a great weekend. a little hanging out, some antiquing, lots of eating, and a nice driving tour of st. paul (apparently that minnesota history class that jared took last year was worth something!).

i don't have much to report other than that just yet, but i will say that i'm very happy to be back here. i've got some fun stuff coming your way- including some craftiness (can we talk about the new-to-me fabric store i just discovered this weekend?!), garden updates, and even some recipes to share.

yes yes people, i'm back. and thanks for all the sweet comments lately, i know i've been a bit m.i.a lately, but i've really missed you all, and i wanted to tell you all that i really do appreciate all of the comments that you leave here, new and old readers alike, they make my day. i wish that blogger had a better way to allow me to respond to them individually the way typepad does (frankly, that's the one reason that i've ever considered switching), but i do my best. so thanks. happy monday peeps, i'll be back tomorrow!

well hello there.

2008-08-01T08:08:00.005-05:00

this week....wow, um, where did this past week go? i really didn't mean to disappear for that long. things have been happening here, i've been busy. i've been working on some projects that i haven't been quite sure how to write about here, or if i even wanted to write about here. and frankly, i'm still not sure. it's nothing bad, just, you know, personal. i guess it's just been one of those weeks where the words have not been coming.

in the meantime, someone went ahead and turned up the heat so pretty much nothing has been getting done around these parts. well, except for that box set of alias that jared bought me. yes, i've found that sitting on the couch, directly underneath the ceiling fan, with a very cold drink is a great way to spend an evening. or a few evenings.

i have also started working on a top secret project, which i promise i'll share with you once it's been received by its future owners. it's something a bit new for me, so i'm excited about that bit of a challenge. i'm trying to not get distracted by other crafty projects since i am on a deadline for this one, but i'm hoping to whip something out soon.

in other news, i've been playing a lot with my new polaroid camera (i bought a spectra!) and generally noticing some pretty things around me. jared is coming home next week, and then my parents come to visit, so things might be quiet around here for a little while longer. it is supposed to cool off soon, so maybe i'll have something interested to share soon. until then, i'm going to try to share just some photos here. you know, while i wait for my words to come back. and you can always visit me here, where i've been finding myself more and more these days. happy friday friends!

Putting it by, part 3

2008-07-23T07:49:00.004-05:00

I've been meaning to write this post for days (almost weeks, actually). I think I might have been so overwhelmed by all the strawberries (and I think I might have overwhelmed you all too) that I wanted to have a little breather before starting in with...the raspberries. Yes that's right. More berries here. You might remember the raspberries from last year, but, um, this is why I love my landlords. They just planted all these raspberries (presumably it was when they themselves lived here) in the backyard, and have just left them here for us to enjoy. And enjoy them we do. Last year these raspberries were the instigator for my very first foray into large scale jam-making and canning.

Somehow this year (probably due to my lack of pruning, oops!), we have maybe ten times as many berries as we did last year. It's insane. Literally last week I was picking at least one quart a day (there was a three quart day in there somewhere). And I know my neighbor is picking them too! So, needless to say, there's been some more "putting it by" going on here. I made some jam, with this recipe (same as last year). I also wanted to try some rhubarb/raspberry jam. So I whipped up a recipe for that too (keep reading, it's down below).

After the rhubarb gallette, I wanted to try a raspberry one too. I used the same recipe for the pate brisee crust, but used this recipe for the filling. I adjusted the berry amounts in the filling because I really wanted it to be a little more raspberry than rhubarb. I used about three and a half cups rhubarb and four cups raspberry. I'm pretty sure that's more berries than is intended for this recipe, but I didn't increase the sugar or any other ingredients. I thought it turned out delicious (and I'm pretty sure my friends did too, right Sarah?), but it definitely was kind of tart, so you might want to add some more sugar (I'm sensing a pattern here- didn't we go over this with the rhubarb muffins?). I'm finding that I really love making these gallettes, and I can't wait to make some fall ones with apples or pears. I just need to get better at not rolling the crust out too much, because the juices from the filling always breaks through and makes a huge mess in the pan.

So here is the recipe for the jam. It's pretty simple and you could definitely increase the rhubarb a bit if you want it to have a stronger flavor. This amount was solely based on how much I was able to harvest from my garden at the time I was making the jam. I know that a lot of folks out there are afraid of the whole boiling water bath/hot jar thing. And I have to say that I definitely was too when I first tried it last year. Again, I would definitely recommend the book, Putting Food By, for all the information and recipes you could ever want (or at least enough to get you started). There's also some great information here and here, or just head over to your local library and find whatever books they have (that's what I did last year). I know I had visions of hot jars full of boiling hot jam bursting and shattering all over the place. And I honestly have to say that it was a million times simpler than I ever imagined. I would, however, recommend a jar lifter and a funnel as two essential tools that you might (as I did last year) think you don't need. I promise, it'll make the experience much easier, and much less messy. By no means am I any kind of expert, but certainly feel free to shoot me questions about this if you have any, and I'll do my best to answer them.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients:
1 heaping cup of chopped rhubarb (or more, if you have it!)
6 cups raspberries
7 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 250. Spread sugar into a large, rimmed, baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes (warm sugar dissolves in the jam better). Pour raspberries and rhubarb into a large stockpot and mash as they soften. Bring to a boil. Add sugar and lemon juice and return to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4" headroom. Process in a boiling water bath.

As always, if you try this recipe, let me know what you think. Thanks, and happy Wednesday, friends!