Ransacked Goods

Quilt Score

I decided to brave Chinatown parking and get a quick visit to our largest Salvation Army thrift store. While thrifting doesn't hold the appeal it once used to it's still a fun adventure. But here's my score, this beautiful 40's quilt for only $7.50 - and I can't find a single blemish on it. Now I need another quilt like a need a hole in my head but I couldn't resist. Now it's off to the laundry for you lovely quilt!

Weekend Sewing Projects

All cut up and ready for weekend sewing. Wish me luck! I've been quite inspired by Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule and am trying a few projects from the book. Everything is from what I have lying around the house and I'm trying to be dedicated to not buying anything but just using what I have. Hopefully I'll start looking at what has been boring me in my crafty stash (and closet) and see it in a new light. So far it's immensely satisfying.

 

Tomato Pie

I've recently seen a flurry of tomato pie recipes out there - and it's true the savory pie is totally underrated compared to her sweeter cousin. I made these Tomato Hand Pies from Martha (via Make Grow Gather) and they were excellent and very easy. Two others I'd like to try are the Tomato & Corn Pie at Smitten Kitchen - and - the Tomato, Corn & Cheese Galette at Alexandra's Kitchen. There may be just enough time to find everything at the farmers market before we're lost to winter veggies, sniff-sniff.

A few other good recipes tried in the last week... Butternut Squash Soup and Cranberry-Apple Crisp with Maple Syrup.

Kid Proof Table

The Chickpea has been very hard on her simple little IKEA table set. Spilled lunches, fork scrapes, art projects galore... So I decides to take it apart and add a vinyal covered fabric by Echino (makers of the most lovely Japanese prints). Putting it back together involved minimal cursing and a pleasing result. It's cute, blends well with our house it will also clean up easily. Job well done Mama!

Homemade Granola

If I could only attempt to count the pounds of granola we eat around here, I know I would be astonished. It's always on our grocery list - actually it's not but I always remember to buy it because it's required in our house. I was recently reminded how easy it is to make. I used to do it all the time but I haven't made a batch in a long time. Here is the basic recipe I use - done in 20 minutes while the kiddo napped. Really easy to adapt to your liking.

Homemade Granola

• 2 cups oats
  
• 1 cup shredded coconut
  
• 3/4 cup nuts (what ever mix you like)
  
• 1/4 cup canola oil (can substitute any kind of fat - butter, coconut oil...)
  
• 1/4 cup honey (can substitute another kind of sweetener - agave, rice syrup...)
• 1 cup cranberries (what ever mix of dried fruit you like)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds (super good for you)
  
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350. Combine oats, coconut, nuts in a bowl. Combine honey and oil in another bowl and then stir into oat mix. Spread out on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Watch very closely so it doesn't burn and stir occasionally. After baking let cool completely then break it up and mix with dried fruit and seeds.

One Tough Rain Filled Morning

What to do when we're being hit with the worst storm we've seen in about 7 months? What to do when your curious and sleep deprived toddler has been up since 5:00am with said storm? Head to the post office in the pouring rain to submit passport documents and deal with government bureaucracy? Uh, yeah, not such a good idea - although when are we not faced with chores and obligations that don't coincide with things we can't control. So my little California Chickpea was terrified of the rain and refusing to wear her rain boots and rain jacket. Which left us with changing wet pants not once but twice and quite a few tears. Again, what to do to make that smile reappear? Pull over, slog in through the wetness and stop for brunch together.

With our tummies refueled and laughter regained we headed home to find better ways to spend our energy. Like calling public works to have the giant fallen tree branch removed from the top of some poor guy's dented car in front of our house. Or clearing the leaves that  dammed up the storm drain in front of our elderly neighbor's house. I wish I had a picture of the wet Chickpea watching me do that under her little "ubunda". Back inside our warm house we made time for coloring and stamping in between watching all the "fix-it men" out front cleaning up the carnage. I'll bet their morning sucked more than mine.

Today was just a reminder that Fall is here and that means being prepaired for rainy day activities to keep us all happy. So my plan is to stock up on some ideas from Kids Craft Weekly for next time. Any other suggestions for thing you love to do when going out is not an option?

Titus Skirt

Here is the skirt that I made for my recent travels. I'm so happy with the way my first attempt at making clothes for myself turned out. I may just have to try is again! So comfortable, just the right length and a fabric I like. The pattern is Titus' Perfect Skirt which I have not been able to ind on line. And the fabric is from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern 2. Have you seen her new line called Love?

Something Special

We're off to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary this weekend with dinner at a new restaurant in town. I'm sure it will remind us of the good old days when we used to lush around the city sampling restaurants, wine and food that seems to decadent for parenthood now. Such is life, glad we got it while we could.

And speaking of being a lush, our trip to Mexico this winter is all booked. It has been ages since we've been out of the country so the anticipation is already killing us. Here's to beaches and tacos!

Whip-it

I saw Whip-it this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Why didn't they make more filx about girls who don't fit the mold but kick-ass when I was in high school? And seriously their Hurl Scout uniforms SOOOO remind me of what I wore for 6 years in Catholic school. Lately I've been lucky enough to spend some quality time with my 3 favorite friends in their teens. These young women come from the most diverse backgrounds you could possible imagine and you know what, they amaze and impress me. They are just starting to settle into the personalities they will have as women but they have so much life to start exploring. After high school one wants to be come a nurse, the other travel in Europe, and another has no clue what she wants to do in college - go for it, find out who you are and who you want to be. What I liked about this movie beyond making women feel physically strong is that we all have the power to re-invent ourselves if the passion is there and that can happen at any age.

Here is the original book which I don't have plans to read... I'd like to sit down and have a lengthy conversation with the grandmother of one of my friends above, who will be turning 79 next month. She rolled with the derby when she was a young woman and they used to race for pink slips. How cool is that! I asked her if she had pictures once but she just brushed it off like it was too long ago. Oh well.

Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

One last question, do any of you have any other suggestions for quality movies for high school girls past or present?

Apple Love

I'm a Washington girl so my apple love runs deep. Posts like this from my friend up north make me homesick. We're fortunate to have an excellent tree in our backyard that keeps me happy this time of year. It's a wonderful thing to open up the door and walk outside in the morning to pick a crisp cold apple for breakfast. I need to gather my repertoire of Fall apple recipes and start diving into the tree. But this weekend I started simple with apple pie from the Joy, one for us and one for a friend's house warming party (delivered warm).

I'm in the middle of reading My Life in France by Julia Child. I'm completely absorbed by her constant discovery of food and how she revels in the process of learning and exploring her surrounding with such gusto. To take simple ingredients and truly appreciate them is such a gift, not only for our individual sense but to be shared with company. Ah, if only I had the leisurely schedule to take cooking classes all day and test out recipes on my husband for fun.

Perhaps with that in mind, I made asparagus risotto last night, something I've always wanted to try. As it kept growing and growing with every addition of stock, a quick call to the neighbors needed to be made. Dinner for 6, full tummies and tired children... a good meal indeed.

Some of my favorite additions to pie crust are almond meal, lemon and coconut oil for a heartier more flavorful taste.

 

Raise your hand if you like pie for breakfast?