Ransacked Goods

Knot Thread Stitch by Lisa Solomon

Hey folks, my super talented friend Lisa Solomon has a new book coming out called Knot Thread Stitch, keep an eye out for it. In Lisa's fine art work she pushes embroidery and crochet to a new level making the most beautiful installations that combine her stitch work with vivid colors and drawings. I'm looking forward to seeing the projects she's come up with in her book. There is some inside scoop on it here from Lisa. You should also take a look at her amazing list of contributors. And check out the beautiful pictures of her home on SF Girl by Bay here.

Kate Bingham Burt 
Lisa Congdon
Andrea Corrona and Ezra Jenkins 
Wendy Crabb 
Camilla Engman 
Susie Gharhremani 
Christine Castro Hughes
Heather Smith Jones 
Amy Karol and her daughter Delia
The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery – Ashleigh Giberson + Amanda Jennings
Martha McQuade
Sally J. Shim
Blair C. Stocker
Betsy Thompson
Patricia Zapata

 

Kid Crafting Books

I don't think I've ever written about one of our favorite kid's crafting books, Every Day is a Holiday by Heidi Kenney of My Paper Crane. The Chickpea and I like to just sit down and flip through the pages for inspiration and a few giggles. There are some really adorable projects in here, conveniently organized by month if you're looking for a now project or planning ahead. Above is a star decoration we made for her room with tissue paper balls based on the hat project on the cover.

Are there any kid crafting books or sites in particular that you love?

Painting Again

Life has been more than busy and overwhelming around here. But what has been exciting is painting again. You see I'm writing and illustrating a children's book.And believe me writing a sescint story that has the right flow and excitement that I'm looking for has proved to be WAY more difficult than I expected. Thankfully the illustrations are easier (but not by much). I have found that this whole process has really challenged my brain. I'll post more pictures when I'm finished. For now it's a mad dash to have my dummy finished in 2 weeks!

Italian Cooking

A little while back I took an Italian (specifically Calabrian) cooking class on the recommendation of a friend of mine who has already taken several here. I signed up for it ages ago because her classes always sell out and I nearly forgot about it! Thank goodness I didn't because it was a really relaxing evening, the food a treat and so refreshing to absorb myself in something completely out of my routine. I wish I could just meditate while making pasta all day long, but alas, duty calls. Several people in the class had recommendations of classes all over the Bay Area so hopefully I'll get to try another one soon.

Check out the menu we prepared below. This class was devoted to making ricotta from scratch. It was heavenly - warm a goopy, I'd take it on anything. And I think the fact that it was made by a little old Italian lady who didn't measure made it taste better.

Bruschetta con Ricotta Fresca (Bruschetta with fresh ricotta)
Ravioloni Calabresi (Large ravioli filled with fresh ricotta, sopressata, parsley, egg and pecorino cheese)
Frittata con ricotta (Egg frittata with ricotta)
Zucchine ripiene con ricotta (Zucchine stuffed and baked with ricotta)
Cannoli Siciliani (Homemade cannoli shells filled with homemade fresh ricotta)

 

Check out Rosetta's beautiful book too.

 

Books for Strong Girls: Part 2

photo by Kukubee

Awhile back I wrote a post on the lack of picture books with strong female characters to read with my own little girl. I'm still wishing there were more out there but here is a list of the ones we have found on our search for books that are about capable, inquisitive, brave, thoughtful, smart, adventurous girls. I truly appreciate books that we can read together that get my daughter asking questions and inspired about opportunities for adventure. What I like even more are the ones that don't try too hard to flip or assert particular gender rolls but just read with ease as a strong story.

Have any suggestions for us, please let me know! Pass this list on to other parents if you like!

Kiss the Cow! by Phyllis Root

The Dot by Peter Reynolds

Ladybug Girl by David Soman

The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania Al Abdullah

Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison

Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen by Cari Best

Someday by Alison McGhee

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

My Life as a Chicken by Ellen A. Kelley

Doctor Meow's Big Emergency by Sam Lloyd

Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Library Mouse: A World to Explore by Daniel Kirk

Shelia Rae, The Brave by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain by Jonathan Emmett

Ladybug Girl by David Soman

Princesses Are Not Quitters by Kate Lum

Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran

Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne

Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke

Earth to Stella! by Simon Puttock

Part 1 List

I Want to be a Cowgirl by Jeanne Willis

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch

Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

Night Pirates by Peter Harris

The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke

Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson

The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker

Someday by Eileen Spinelli

Anna Banana and Me by Lenore Blegvad

Christina Katerina and the Box by Patricia Gauch

Book: Cinderella Ate My Daughter

Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture

Alright, just put this one in my queue at the library after reading an interview here with this local author. We don't play up the princess thing or the pink but let our nearly 4-year-old daughter choose her own interests. She's more interested in running around outside, playing doctor/ambulance driver/pilot, or tending to her flock of baby dolls. But pink fairies and the like are part of life for little girls regardless of what end of the parenting spectrum your on. I think my daughter at least feels like she should be into it because she sees other kids, but it's truthfully not striking a chord with her. Tonight she was telling me she's a t-shirt and pant kind of girl when I asked her if she wanted to wear a skirt to school. But the other day she told me "rockets aren't for girls" and I gasped a little and tried to turn it into a teaching moment. Can I wring the neck of whoever told her that -- wait a minute, that's society as a whole.... Where do kids pick up some of these ideas, what can you do besides empower them as much as possible at home? There's no way Hannah Montana is ever going to see the light of day in this house, that's for certain. But that doesn't mean my job is done.

I'd be interested if anyone else had read any good books on the topic, particularly one that aren't too alarmist.

Road Trip Reading

Here's what I'm packing to read on our upcoming road trip. Completely optimistic of me I know.... Two kids in a car for 9 hours, family and friends to catch up with, excitement all around, am I really thinking I'll get a moment to read? Best to be prepared just in case we have some quiet evenings with a cup of tea. I'm already thinking about the rocker awaiting me at my in-laws house. What are you reading now? What is your favorite indulgence to pack on a trip?

Cleaving by Julie Powell

Eating for Beginners by Melanie Rehak

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Baking Bread

So what's the last thing that a busy mother of two, let alone a 9 week old, needs to be doing... baking bread from scratch. I have vivid memories of playing with my grade school friend Phoebe at their huge house in Seattle. We'd come in from playing outside to her mother's freshly baked rustic baguettes. It doesn't take much to imagine myself sitting at her counter with that perfect bread slathered in butter, simple perfection, what could be better. I finally jumped on the bandwagon and ordered a copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I'm sitting here eating piping hot chewy bread and it's wonderful. I can't wait to bring a piece to Chickpea when I pick her up from school. Bread baking is certainly a habit you need to get into but it seems to be worth it.

Happiness

Right now I'm reading  The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and I just can't put it down, it's so insightful. I already can't wait to read it over again. We should all be a little happier.

Check out her blog too.

Growing a Girl

I'm working on my snack repertoire for Chickpea. Seriously, this girl is growing... Every other minute for the last month she's saying either "I'm hungry" or "I'm tired". By 9am this morning she had eaten: a bowl of Cheerios with milk, half an English muffin, a glass of green juice, half a banana, a full graham cracker and half a yogurt. I don't think I could even do that if I tried. And afternoon snacks are serious around here. When I picked her up from school the other day she ate a bowl of cottage cheese, fruit leather and a whole carrot all at once. Did I mention she's not even 3? This appetite reminds me that satisfying hunger is an opportunity to fulfill nutrients, explore food diversity and broaden her pallet. And we're lucky we have a fairly adventurous eater here who is only turned off by potatoes and spicy food. I realize some kids have difficulty try things beyond toast, mac n' cheese and taquitos despite having food loving and happily cooking parents. They grow and tastes change, I know mine do. But food is about exploring, savoring, sharing and keeping our bodies healthy. It's a long journey to nurture and cultivate that sensibility within a child, perhaps one snack at a time.

Here's a little more food for thought...

Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father's Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater

White Elephant Sale 2010

via www.etsy.com

Elephant by Orange Willow

Hit the White Elephant Sale again this year with my friend Julia. We both scored with very modest dents to our wallets. Lesson learned, even if you get their early, just pay for parking. The crowds were overwhelming but organized chaos prevailed at this Costo sized garage sale. Never know what you're going to unearth!

My favorite find was this first edition printing of a childhood favorite called The Stray by Betsy James Wyeth and illustrated by Jamie Wyeth who was a classmate of my mother. It's long since out of print and I believe my brother has the copy we grew up with. So glad to have my own.

Motivating Books

Here are a few books that I'm eager to get my hands on or have just arrived at my door. Any books that are motivating you into action?

Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making

Conscious Kids: A Family's Guide to the Greater Good, Activities and Ideas to Inspire Greater Consciousness

The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated

(Read the first edition and it was completely eye opening)

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual

Little Cakes Cookbook

Little Cakes: Classic Recipes for Any Occasion

A generous friend of mine surprised me with a little gift of this cookbook after telling me she used it to bake a classic white cake for her daughter's half birthday. We quickly made the carrot cake which was wonderful. What I like about this book is first, it has every cake you could possibly want but secondly, and more importantly, the proportions are smaller. You're not making a giant cake (obviously) and it's just the right amount. There is no running to the neighbors to unload half of your baked goods because you know your family wont finish them. Uh, yeah I do that all the time... "knock-knock, hot cookies?" Not that I hear them complain but I like to remind myself that sugar and tasty treat are just that, a small treat to enjoy.

Pink is in the Air

Seriously, it's February, how did that happen? The plum tree out in front of my house is almost in full pink bloom and the dafodils are pushing their way up and even starting to bloom too. Spring has just begun here in California and I've been too busy to notice. Wait, it's still winter?

So I've just remembered that I need to think about Valentine's Day. The husband and I have never been big on celebrating this comercial holiday. It always seems like such a forced day - pressure is on. If you need a special day to say "I love you" and do something nice for your sweetie then just pick any day of the week. But none the less we'll be heading to this restaurant over the weekend. We've been wanting to go and had an offer for babysitting - excellent plan.

Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking

But I remember as a kid waking up in the morning and finding a special treat at my place at the table on Valentine's Day. My parents started a tradition of giving me a heart shaped box each year. I still have many of them wrapped up tight somewhere.... Then there was the exchanging of cards at school. Ah, the adventure has just begun for me on the parent side. What do I do for Valentine's Day cards?

I spotted these downloadable cards over at Bunny Cakes. She has a bunch of adorable cards available for free you should check out. I may use these cuties if I don't get my act together this week to make our own. Plus here is a great link for 30 Printable Valentines from the long thread.

Crafting With Kids

Crafting Fun: 101 Things to Make and Do with Kids by Rae Grant

I just picked up this book with more classic crafting ideas for Chickpea and me after our pine cone fun. I like the fact that most projects in this book can be made from things that you'll find around the house or minimal items that can be purchased easily and don't need to be stored. They aren't overly complicated and don't need a whole lot of instruction or detail work that can often make kids feel frustrated or inadequate. I also like that is organized by season so we can welcome each one - or just save them for a rainy day. Some of the ideas are really basic and familiar but it's nice to have them all at your fingertips in one place.

Here are a few I'm eager to try:

• Paper mache
• Bean painting with glue
• Tin can lanterns
• Ice pictures
• Pomander
• Beeswax candles & cutouts
• Potato prints
• Paper hats

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.

 

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?

Heavy Cartoons

I just got a copy of Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi for a work project and I'm totally engrossed. I've never been a fan of graphic novels but this is intriguing, check it out.

Here Comes Julie & Julia

 

I’ve been eagerly anticipating going to the opening of Julie & Julia on Friday. I’ve been asking myself what kind of gourmet snacks could you sneak in to the movie? Parmesan Pepper Popcorn, Fleur de Sel Caramels, Spiced Herbed Nuts... I think I could go on and on. Any suggestions? If you haven’t read Julie Powell's blog based book, check it out, lots of fun. It's fascinating how this woman's inspired blog project became such a successful phenomenon, one of the lucky few. And I'm certainly putting Julia's memoir on my summer reading list which I've been meaning to do for a long time. She was an amazing woman who reinvented herself late in life with great happiness and lasting influence.

My Life in France by Julia Child, Alex Prud'Homme

Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

And if you’re up for paying your respects to America's most iconic chef on her August 15th birthday next month, here’s a suggested menu I ran across in Gourmet.

Hansel and Gretel

The other day I picked up a lovely copy of Hansel and Gretel at our local bookstore while exchanging some old books that were taking up precious space on the bookshelf. I don't think Chickpea is quite ready for this dark tale but I just fell in love with the illustrations so I wanted to have a copy resting on our shelf for when she is older.

"Prepared for the Worst" by Jen Corace

Jen Corace's illustrations are charming but complex. I really appreciate her use of color, dark earthtones with flares of bright and sophisticated colors. Her characters are demure and delicate but there is a darkness behind them, it's a depth you don't see that often in children's illustrations and it's refreshing.

By the way, have you checked out these places for affordable art? Have you found any other places?

Tiny Showcase

20x200

Poopy Reading: Gross Books for Kids

Buttons by Buttonhead

Okay, so this is an icky post but hey gross stuff happens right, can't deny it can you. So we were given a few birthday books recently (I say we because children's books are just as much for the grown-ups that read them as they are for kids who listen) - lovely ones about sisters that explore, cows that type, and dinosaurs that share - good wholesome stuff. But the ones that have the Chickpea riveted to her fluffy chair are about poop and boogies. When we read them to her for the first time she looked up at us like this was the most amazing thing she'd ever heard. It was written all over her face. The monkey has a cold and there are boogers all over her face, she needs a tissue - sounds like a little someone else I know. But hey this sometimes gnarly stuff is what we're faced with the moment our babies are born, why not read about it? Aren't we constantly saying how amazing it is to watch our bellies miraculously grow through pregnancy, our babies motor development unfolding before our eyes and our toddlers becoming verbal and self-aware. The human body is pretty stinkin' cool so don't be squeamish, embrace it and get a few giggles out of it. I want my daughter to be proud of her body, it's strength, it's character, it's fascinating complexity, efficiency and beauty.

I mean come on, what kind of nut chooses to write about scabs? Maybe if you work for the CDC... Or poop? Don't tell me you haven't been to a dinner party with other parents where the conversation came around to poop. What about farts? My husband's new boss brings her hapless farting dog to work leaving his office smelling quite toxic, you know so he can have a great first impression with new co-workers or type on his computer while gagging and eyes watering over the smell. Every time he tells me a new story about this wretched dog we're both teary, giggling messes, plastered with smiles. Yes, icky stuff can make your day too.

These witty and matter of fact books are most appropriate for pre-schoolers, thanks mostly to some talented Japanese illustrators.

Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi 

All About Scabs All About Scabs by Amanda Mayer Stinchecum 

The Holes in Your Nose by Genichiro Yagyu 

Breasts by Genichiro Yagyu 

The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts by Shinta Cho 

The Soles of Your Feet by Genichiro Yagyu

Books for Strong Girls

What Page Are You On? by tollipop

Every visit to the children's section of the library leaves me a bit flustered. While it's exciting to leave with a new pile of books in our bag I have this disappointing and unsettling feeling in my stomach. Why is it so hard to find books about strong girls and capable women for my intelligent little Chickpea? I find that I really have to seek them out ahead of time to reserve instead of pulling them off the shelf, and you know that just doesn't sit well with me.

What really irks me is that there are plenty of books out there that could have easily been written using a female pronoun for a fluffy little bear but the author chooses to use the male. I find myself switching all the he's for she's when we cuddle up for our evening story time. In fact most children's books are written from the male perspective and as my mother-in-law pointed out (mind you she's a retired middle school librarian so she knows her children's literature) most authors write from a male perspective because it's assumed that most boys and girls will read stories about boys but boys will not read stories about girls. Thus from a marketing perspective you'd have a more salable book if you make the main character a male. I know it's a generalization but an interesting theory right? Could that be why, Lama Lama Mad at Mama is dedicated to the author's daughter yet the main character is a boy? If so, shame on you.

Perhaps I'm being too synical and a little bitter. I already know that regardless of what she reads, my little girl will grow up with an intelligent mind, self-sufficient attitude and determined spirit but I'd like to think that times have really changed. And of course they have but to what extent? My little girl likes worms, garbage trucks, dinosaurs, kicking stuff and getting dirty, not to mention dolls, fountains, tea parties, cooking stuff and giving hugs. She's already a multi-dimensional girl who rock, so write about it alright!

Here's a list of books that we have or I'm going to get and a few more to check out. Any other suggestions? Even ones that bend the gender rolls for boys?

I Want to be a Cowgirl by Jeanne Willis

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch

Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

Night Pirates by Peter Harris

The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke

Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson

The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker

Someday by Eileen Spinelli

Anna Banana and Me by Lenore Blegvad

Christina Katerina and the Box by Patricia Gauch

Update: Check out this post from Katherine at Rock-a-Dee-Da for a list of more books for with good messages for girls. Thanks Kath!

Sewing Books for the Shelf

A little leisurely browsing at the bookstore over the weekend made me take note of a few sewing books that I should pick up. I love having books on my shelf when a little inspiration is needed. But I find that some often have the same projects, how many tote bag or napkin patterns do I need? Or worse, a bunch of projects I'll never make. Am I going to quilt my own slippers, make a tea cozy or put intricate tatting on my PJ's, forget it. So it's nice to to actually pick up a book, thumb through it and take a good look at what it offers before I blindly order it. And as we all know books add up very quickly, both in money and in space. But I must say that I'm a sucker for beautiful photography and a well designed book, like Simple Sewing below. I try to give the underdogs a good look and imagine the projects in different fabrics that suit my taste. But if it's a really good book, worth the investments you shouldn't have to try too hard to make that leap. But what if there's a book and you really want just one or two patterns from? Borrow from a friend, yes. Or my other new discovery for free books is swaptree.

Simple Sewing with a French Twist: An Illustrated Guide to Sewing Clothes and Home Accessories with Style by Celine Dupuy

French General: Home Sewn: 30 Projects for Every Room in the House by Kaari Meng

Sew Darn Cute: 30 Sweet & Simple Projects to Sew & Embellish by Jenny Ryan

 

Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching by Heather Ross and John Gruen

Sweater Renewal: Felting Knits into New Sweaters and Accessories by Sharon Franco Rothschild

 

100 Applique Motifs by Deborah "Ismoyo" Green