A signature dish

Tonight is our Church's picnic. I'm excited. I like these kinds of things. Get~togethers. Food. (Everything is better with food, you know.)

It's a potluck, so I'm trying to come up with something *wonderful* to bring. I remember going to church events when I was young, and there were women that had signature dishes. Eleanor's bars were fantastic. I always loved helping in the kitchen....arranging the cookies and bars on plates for everyone. One Eleanor bar on the plate, two Eleanor bars in my mouth. I'm pretty sure I washed my hands. Pretty sure.

So, I'm trying to figure out what my signature dish should be. Cheesy potatoes? Garlicky potatoes? Oniony potatoes? (I have 10 pounds of potatoes.) Maybe I'll just use a ton of butter and salt. Who doesn't like butter? And salt. Good stuff. Or, rather, bad stuff. The stuff that's bad for you always makes everything taste SO good. And since these people will only be subjected to my signature dish every now and again, I might as well make it special. Right? Of course.

Green...it's the new brown.

A few years ago, I went to a design seminar, and sat in on a Color Forecasting breakout session. It was both interesting and hilarious. Interesting, in that a group of people get together and look at the trends in fashion, automobiles, interiors, exteriors, the Internet, society...and come up with THE color palette that will be HOT in the next 2-3 years. And hilarious, in that a group of people get together and look at the trends in fashion, automobiles, interiors, exteriors, society...and come up with THE color palette that will be HOT in the next 2-3 years.

Isn't that great?! People. Get together. And decide. On colors. How do I become one of those people?! :) How awesome would that be?! Very awesome. And hilarious.

It all seemed so fantastic in the moment. It still seems fantastic, but I've got a new perspective now. The perspective that wonders if it's all entirely necessary. Does it *really* matter? I understand that it matters in business to be on the cutting edge. But, are you on the cutting edge, if everyone is next to you on the edge?

At the time, they told us that brown is the new green. That all colors were still in, but with a brown tone. Orange would be burnt sienna. Green would be olive. Blue would be denim. Purple, plum; yellow, mustard; red, rust; etc etc etc.

And, surprise! They were right! (of course they share their forecasting information with everyone) Can you think of the "new" vehicle colors that are hot right now? Home decor, fashion...everyone followed the forecast.

I myself, am a lover of brown. My home is slathered in the chocolaty hue. But! There is a new color on my horizon. I am forecasting a shift. Back. to. green. Green, it's the new brown. (At my house.)

Got a little bored.

So I painted my kitchen.

And found a spot to hang this little shelf.

I'll retake this pictures later today when the sun peaks out of the clouds a bit more.

I tried to take them with the flash...but

flash + semi-gloss = yuckidoo.

A little progress

Molly Doll has a head.

With hair.

And one arm.

(She is terribly embarrassed to be photographed in this decapitated state. My apologies, Molly Doll.)

{wip}

I've begun the Christmas present project. Project Homemade Christmas. Or Project Boo China. (was that harsh?) (see previous post...I got way too hot under the collar last time, won't get into all that again.)

Whew. So. I've started a Christmas Dolly. I'm making her from a pattern carefully stored in my mind's eye. We'll see if this works. It's a throw back to the dolls I made when I was younger, those didn't have patterns, either, and I think it was pretty evident that I just snipped and sewed. I'm not sure if there are any surviving as evidence, however, knowing my mother, they're all likely wrapped in tissue, carefully placed in her hope chest. I hope they stay that way. Forever. (Please and thank you, Mom.)

Today must be a day of tangents. Back to the work in progress. This dolly will {hopefully} have a few changes of clothes, a blankie, a pillow, and a baby of her own. There should be enough time...will keep you posted as she progresses.

The Recall

Have you seen it? I'm sure you have. If you have children, you certainly need to see it. Thomas and Polly and Dora and Diego and Batman...Fisher Price?...it makes me sick to my stomach. Fisher Price toys are for teeny babes. Teeny babes put toys in their mouths!

Mattel's website has a letter for parents, "Because your children are our children." Um. No. My children are MY children. And because they are my children, I will be the one making their toys from now on. I can't trust you anymore. You say that you hope you don't have to recall any more products, but if you do, you'll do it swiftly. That makes me feel so much better about all the other toys we have...Made in China. Because we all know that China is at the forefront of safety and ethics. (BIG eye roll here).

I don't believe you when you say, "nothing is more important than the safety of our children." Unless by "nothing" you meant to say "nothing, (but profits)" are more important....clearly, the MOST important thing to you is your bottom line. We all understand that you are in business to MAKE money. You and everybody else. We get that. We understand mark ups, we know that if we want to pay you $5 for a toy, you'll need to find someone to make it for $.05.

My friends, those days are over at this house. No more $5 toys. No more little plastic trinkets, no more matchbox cars, no more Polly Pockets...it's JUST NOT WORTH IT. How do I know that the toys we bought 3 years ago are exempt from today's issues? I don't know. I chose to err on the side of safety. Because safety actually IS one of the most important concerns I have when it comes to my children.

Which brings me to my current project(s). Christmas 2007 will be the year of handmade gifts. I've been busy all morning sketching ideas. You know what? It's REALLY fun! And to think that one day, my kids might understand just how much I love them...just how important their safety is to me. Perhaps the REAL meaning of Christmas won't get all clogged up in the wrapping paper and plastic and cardboard and twist ties. Maybe, just maybe, they'll begin to understand that I love them SO much, but that God loves them even more...something that Mattel can't teach them.

Sock Puppets

It's been a busy day today, what, with all the puppet shows going on. These guys may look harmless, but I've learned from experience, that the one with the yellow mustache bites. When they ask for audience participation, I'm not volunteering next time. Live and learn.

Ummm....they're not quite as bugged out in person.

Look who followed me home...

We spent the weekend at a family reunion picnic. While packing up my car, gearing up to head home, this lovely gal decided to come along for the ride. Isn't she fabulous?!

This painting used to hang at the end of my Nana's hallway. Always watching. Somehow I dreamed that she would watch me still.

She looks like my Nana. Behind the eyes. Not in a way that you can see by mere comparision. No. It's that look. THE look. The knowing kind of look. Do you see it? Don't you love it?

Still watching.

Turkish Baklava

A few weeks ago, I was the fortunate recipient of this wonderful treat. SO delicious. SO beautiful. I forgot that I had taken pictures, and have decided to torture myself with images of these lovelies....a moment on the lips, you know.

Projects.

I've got these wonderful old black walnut hutches that used to belong to my great grandmother, given to me by one of the world's coolest aunts. They used to be a huge wall unit in her home, and are slowing becoming elements of my home. The unit itself is, sadly, WAY to big to fit anywhere in my house while in their current state.

So, my extremely talented husband has been morphing them into the things I imagine up, scribble designs for, etc. etc. etc.

Last fall, he ripped down a few of the shelves into frames for my kitchen doors. One day they'll have some glass, or screen, or tin, or wood...something as a recessed panel to finish them off. Right now, I imagine they have glass. Clean. Unprinted. Invisible. Glass. (Imaginary glass is SO user friendly!)

My current plans for the unit are three fold. First off, they'll become an inset book shelf/computer desk to replace these shelves that my very pregnant (read: even more bull headed than usual) self hastily screwed into the wall the week after we move in 3 years ago. They're not level - which is why I took the picture at an angle. They're supported by scrap 2 x 4s. Frankly, they're ugly. They hold books, and that's about all they have going for them.

This is what I want them to become. Drawers to hold toys, LEVEL shelves for books, and a nice place to house the computer. Afore mentioned wonderful husband is out in the garage dismantling one large unit to begin the process. Will post pictures when the unit is closer to finished.

The Post

I can't believe it took me this long to take care of this project. It was the kind of th ing that I made several mental notes about, but got so used to seeing it, it almost became invisible. ?? Perhaps that only happens to me...at any rate...our rusty old mail box got a fresh coat of paint. It looks much happier now, if you ask me.

(please do not take any notice of the hand prints all over my siding)

((thanks))

Thoughts on a Sunday afternoon

I'm not quite sure exactly what to say. But the sermon today was one of wonderful conviction, and somehow motivation. I'm moved. I'm not sure what I'm moved to do. I do know that the days of my "testifying by example" are over. At least I *really* and honestly hope they are over.

Do you know what I'm saying? I know where I'm going. You can all come with me. But how will you know the way if I don't tell you? If we're both beggars, I'm just telling you where to find the food.

I've so often felt too meek to shout from the roof tops, "Good news!" What if I offend you? What if you feel differently about me afterwards? What if you don't like me anymore? In the grand scheme of things, I want you to know where you're going. I want you to be sure you know where you're going.

I want to be known on the Day of Reckoning. I am not ashamed. I want to live out loud. How do I do that? I'm not exactly sure. But, I'm pretty sure it will be louder than a friendly smile and a wave of my hand in amicable greeting.

There are a few hundred songs that I wish I could have playing as background.

But, I'll end this with the words of the song that my son started singing in church (I think he's charasmatic);

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good news! Jesus was born.
Good news! He died upon the Cross.
Good news! He rose again.
Good news! He's coming back soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Will you be ready?

Rainy Saturday

No new projects up and running to talk about. I don't think I've shared this treasure yet. It's not antique, or jazzy, but it's huge, and it was only $18. I really love it. And! It can go outside, if I so choose. (For the day that we have an outdoor livingroom, on acerage, near a lake . And ponies.)

Quite Contrary

Here's how my garden grows~