Decorating is listed under an activity I would like to like, but don't. Gardening is also on that list. However, of the few things I have made for my home, my Fun Guy Footstool was my favorite:
I'm the kind of person that likes to do the same thing over and over. I like to have the same lunch, knit the same sweater again and again. I still dream about finding a pair of sneakers I had in college, and breaking them in so they're exactly as they were. Since I left my footstool in England, I've been dreaming about making another. I could use this:
or this: (both are from Modern Furniture): That way, once reunited, my house would be a forest of fungi, and everyone would know what a great decorator I am! (Um, right?)
What did you do for President's Day weekend? We took a whirlwind 24 hour trip to San Fran. Can you guess, from the photo below, why we went?
Inspired by the DVDs of "Murder She Wrote" I rented from the library (I must be getting sentimental about England, where they play it on TV every day), I donned some shoulder pads and purple velvet shoes, and off we went to Oakland.
I've seen him twice in 2 months! I am really spoiled. And these were the best seats yet.
I'll tell you again, folks. If he's within a reasonable journey from where you live, you betta go. Truly, truly inspiring.
My girl Peg had a tea party for some girls (and 2 boys). I made Irish Soda Bread from this recipe.
I had never had soda bread. I didn't realize it was actually a giant scone. I was slicing cold butter into my mixer, thinking it was similar process to scones I had seen on TV. Then I brought it to Peg's and she had made real scones, and we realized we made the same thing. Both were very tasty. It was all pretty tasty.
Snacks brought by various people ranged from veggies and salsa/hummus to a galette, to cheese and chutney, and lots of crackers and cookies. Some of us brought our crafts. Lots didn't, and on a rainy Sunday it was nice to just sit around chatting.
Until, at about 4pm, everyone decided they could use a nap, and we packed it up. Weekend day entertaining! It's a revolution (and for a bonus, leaves you with no hangover)!
I'll be making the soda bread again. It's about as sweet as I like things, and I'd eat it for/with any meal throughout the day.
I didn't make candy for Valentine's Day. It was too much pressure, and I didn't feel like eating candy this week. The idea of making a selection box of a variety of candies is a dream of mine, so rest assured it's not off my 'to do' list.
Instead, I made these bleeding heart sandwich cookies. I used my all time favorite recipe for spice cut-outs, cutting holes in half the hearts using a tobasco cap. Once cool, I warmed up some good strawberry jam, spread it on the cookies without the holes, and sandwiched both sides together (a la my linzer biscuits). I also made some non-sandwich cutouts, and bagged them up for people I knew would not find the box of cookies, at work. I was told they were my best cookies to date, so there you go.
I think what makes this recipe so fool proof is the molasses, which makes the dough so easy to roll out. Maybe the equivalent for vanilla or chocolate cookies might be light corn syrup? Any thoughts (or recipes)? Some experimentation might be in order.
We drove past this house last weekend, and had to get out to have a closer look. Generally I dislike creativity in landscaping (people with bathtubs on your front lawns, I'm talking to you!), but this little bungalow + shrubbery was just dreamy.
I love a bit of topiary. And the places I've liked living most (New York/London apartments, the house I'm in now) have always been one story. Not only did this house have these things going for it, but it had a matching vintage car parked outside.
Mr. Jones and I could not resist the urge to take photos of each other. If you live here and saw us randomly posing outside your house, I apologize. Mr. Jones had just gotten a haircut. He went into a chop shop asking for "The Ronald Reagan". I believe he came out with "The Fonze".
I loved the idea that when you're walking on the sidewalks it looks like you're in a sea of shrubbery waves!
We got back in our old car with Mr. Jones declaring "I'd buy that!", and me declaring, "But only if it comes with the car!". Though it's not for sale (and we're not in the market), it's nice to see a house to which we say 'Bravo'!
I knitted this hat on the plane back from my East Coast Christmas. Well, I started it back then, and finished it up last week. I made it from leftovers, and it's become one of the most versatile things I've ever knit (and because it's a hat, I'm afraid you have to see pictures with my face in them).
This is the first time I've ever knit lace. I don't think I like knitting lace, unless it's a super super simple pattern like this one, that I can memorize really quickly (Ravelry details here).
I wore this hat all weekend, including a jaunt across the street (literally!) to an estate sale where I grabbed $40 worth of stuff. And if everything you grab is between $2-$5, you have grabbed a lot of stuff. I'm loving this button.
I'm enjoying the hat, too. I never would have thought I needed a black lacey hat...
but now that I have it, I'm putting it on almost every day. Hello bad hair day, I'm not so angry anymore.
I love Valentine's Day. I like the idea of boys buying cliche boxes of chocolates and roses (though I don't know if I've ever gotten either). I love the colors red and pink (especially together!), and I love a heart. Its shape is so simple and satisfying, no? Lately I've found (or been shown) some pretty great Valentine's projects around the web. Here are a few of the ones I love:
See, who said Valentines Day needed to be expensive? I think this year I'm going to try my hand at candy making. I don't even like candy, but it sure seems crafty to make! And I've got a 1950s book that is truly inspiring me.
My adventures in bread making have been going really well. Usually on a Thursday morning before work, I'll mix up a batch of Jim Lahey's no knead artisan bread (I use a bit more yeast than is recommended, maybe a bit less than a teaspoon) and leave it on the counter to rise. When I get home in the evening the house smells like a brewery. I do the second rise, then bake it off, and we've got really nice bread for the weekend.
I found a panini maker at the thrift store for $10 and it has changed weekend lunchtimes around our house. Stick whatever ingredients you've got left over in a sandwich, grill it in a panini maker, and it magically becomes the most delicious sandwich you've ever eaten.
I have a habit of spending lunchtime talking about possible sandwich fillings to put in future paninis. Mr. Jones generally interrupts with, "Are you gonna just list sandwich ingredients, again?". Lunchtime ends with a wipe to the corner of our mouths, an explanation that we "would have paid £8 for that in the center of London", and a proud clearing of the dishes.
I love a new kitchen gadget, don't you? I know I've gotten old(er) because now I buy more kitchen gadgets than CDs. Are there any quirky things that make you know you're getting older? I would love to hear.
I'm the kind of person that likes to do the same thing over and over. I like to have the same lunch, knit the same sweater again and again. I still dream about finding a pair of sneakers I had in college, and breaking them in so they're exactly as they were. Since I left my footstool in England, I've been dreaming about making another. I could use this:
or this:
(both are from Modern Furniture):
