Blog Archives

Mom's Clothing Week?

3/30/2012

Oof! Sorry for the brief absence- I was kind of taking some advice from Joy the Baker. In a lovely post (I'll try to find it for you) she wrote with advice for bloggers, she recommended (and I'm paraphrasing here) don't do it unless you love it, only write about it if you're passionate about it, etc. The last part of this week has been gray and gloomy and I've been living silently in my head wishing that there was at least some fluffy Summer TV to sit comatose in front of...
But now I'm better. Yay!
And I've been thinking- as excited and plan-y as I've been getting ready for KCWC 2012, perhaps 5 shouldn't be the sole recipient of such an effort. Maybe I should do the same thing for myself! So, if nothing else (and I really do hope to make these for real), I have below a list of projects I would love to take a week and make for myself.

Sloper Skirt

We attended the annual Finlandia University Student Fashion Show last night and there were two super basic sloper skirts that had been dyed or screenprinted and I loved them. I have a small stash of quilting fabric that I've been meaning to use on special "me" projects and now that I've finally realized slip on shirts made from quilting fabric make me look like a refrigerator I can make sweet skirts! This pic is from a Burda tutorial, click on the picture to go to it.

The Racerback Tank

I am a racerback girl, all the way. I won't even buy a bra that doesn't at least have a racerback conversion option- serious, no? Anna from Noodlehead has a fantastic tutorial for making your own tanks and I'm pretty sure I need to get up on it. Again, click on the picture to go to the source.

A Cozy, Comfy Blazer

Dee from Dee-Constructed made this super cool sweatshirt to blazer conversion and I can't imagine wanting to wear any other blazer more. I also happen to have a few extra sweatshirts from my sweat-dress, good to go! Click on the pic to read what she has to say about it (and a bunch of other good stuff too).

Underneath It All

I've often marveled at both the complexity and simplicity of ladies underoos- I mean really, just try and tell me you'll buy your underwear anywhere. Yeah, I didn't think so, you, just like me, probably have 2 maybe 3 stores or brands that actually fit and don't ride up. At the same time, it's just a little piece of jersey (or something fancier if you're someone fancier...). Picoli Piselli has a pretty fab tutorial for making your own knickers and I for one am inspired. Go ahead, click on the picture, I know you want to.

To Fancy It Up

This is just a necklace from Anthropologie, but I found the concept very inspiring (if not the $500 price tag) I even bought some pom pom trim so I'd be ready if the urge struck. Their version has rick rack, cord, gold chain, velvet ribbon, and even rhinestones I think, but you could use so many different things that could be found in a craft room...

For Lounging

I've had these on my todo list for a while. I love the idea of machine washable slippers. I hate slippers- mostly because they make your feet sweat, and then your feet stink, and then your slippers stink, and then bad things happen. Well, at least mine do. So these babies can just go in with the laundry, before they stink me all up. Also, I have some Anna Maria Horner flannel that is actually shouting my name. Really. It's kind of annoying, but reassuring in a weird way.

So that's my Mom's Clothing Week Challenge fantasy, basically a whole outfit, head to toe. We'll see what actually gets made. Meanwhile, I have at least 16 projects picked out to make for 5...

What have you done for yourself lately? Anything nice? I'd love to hear about it!
Have a lovely weekend!

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Kitchen Sink Granola

3/27/2012

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What gets you up in the morning? For me, it's breakfast (and also tiny hands pinching me)! Not in the mood for hot anything last week, I made super delicious granola- yum!
I started with Delia's recipe on Made, but decided to make it from whatever I already had in the house (and use up a bunch of tiny remnant bulk bags....)
Here's what I did, but I encourage you to do the same thing with your own cupboards- the tastiest Spring cleaning!

2 Cups rye flakes
2 Cups barley flakes
1 Cup quick oats
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
approx 1 Cup total of sprouted, sliced, chopped almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp flax seeds
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Mix these all together in a big big bowl. Then add:

1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup unrefined cane sugar
1/2 Cup maple syrup

And stir to combine- make sure there are no clumps!
Finally, add-

1/2 Cup hot water
1/3 Cup coconut oil (melted)

Mix it all up and spread it evenly onto a lightly greased rimmed cookie sheet and pop it in a 325 degree oven.
Stir every 15 minutes or so, it'll take 45 min to an hour to get golden toasty brown. Let cool and enjoy!

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Spring Fever

3/26/2012

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My dudes playing in the fresh Spring air

Even though it is no longer unseasonally warm (we're back to 29 degrees), it's official, we have Spring Fever. From the time I spend wandering around in Blogland and other internet watering holes, it appears most of the rest of you are also all twitterpated about Spring.
I wonder though, are you as holiday-driven as the internet wants me to believe? Everywhere I look it's Easter crafts and St. Patrick's Day cookies and cupcake toppers etc. Honestly, I just don't get it. I love dyeing eggs as much as the next girl, but I guess I'm just not a holiday gal.
I'll tell you what does get me going come Springtime- projects! Gardening! Cleaning- as in getting rid of things, not scrubbing, I'm not much of a scrubber. Organizing my life, coming up with a million things I want to do, making a giant mess of things and then getting all confused and tired.
Also, there is a grand switch in cuisine here around this time of year. Soup is out. Yeah, I said it, I don't eat soup when it's not cold (or when I can delude myself into thinking it's not cold). In fact, I'm not making lunches for the whole week at the moment! Fred is getting freshly made lunches delivered to his office daily by yours truly and the wonderbabe. It's kind of exciting.

It's nothing groundbreaking, but it guarantees that 5 and I leave the house. Every day. And that's a good thing because sometimes, I need help and/or a kick in the pants. Today my gentleman feasted upon a Wensleydale/avocado/lettuce/tahini spread sandwich with carrot and apple on the side as well as a sprouted almond milk chocolate chip mix for dessert. I've loved sprouted almonds for years, but they sell for 15 or 16 dollars a pound at our local coop and I just can't do it, so I was thrilled to find a recipe for them on nonchalant mom. It's so easy and they're sooo good!

What gets your motor going in the Spring?

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A Star is Born

3/23/2012

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So, this is not something I've talked about here before, and I don't plan to start- it was just a first experience for 5 that I had to share.
The band I sing with was performing tonight and my Freds came to have dinner with me in between sound check and start of show (5 doesn't usually come because it is much loud for his baby ears!).
I remember when I was very young, not as young as 5, but little, when we were out to see our friends who had a band and the lead singer brought me up on stage and held me at the microphone in front of the lights and the audience and I loved it.
Naturally, I had to do the same for 5 (although I have no intention of being any kind of stage mom), and he was super into it. Really, what is there to not be into? You walk up stairs, there are cords everywhere and breakable things too!

I wish each and every one of you the loveliest of Spring weekends!

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New Pants!

3/22/2012

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I noticed the other day that 5 has kind of a lot of capri pants... funny, because I never got him any- oh yeah! He keeps getting taller!
What a perfect excuse to try out the pants pattern from Hammer & Thread! I found it a few weeks ago and have been meaning to try sizing it down for 5. Mostly, I just made it shorter. I'm well aware that my little dude is a bit of a tank.
Their pattern is pretty basic, but it's nice and high in the back and it's designed to be made from a Tshirt! Who doesn't love a good Tshirt repurpose?

They came together crazy fast- just 3 seams plus the waistband. I think I'll need to make the next pair even shorter, they're about an inch too long, but he hasn't tripped yet, so we're good for now...

Another related and exciting (at least to me) thing- I signed up to participate in Elie Marley's Kid's Clothing Week Challenge 2012! If you've never heard of it, you should definitely check it out. For you Rispoklife readers, it really just means that the last week of April will be chock full of new handmade clothes for 5. Yay!

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Last One, I Promise.

3/21/2012

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We are very nearly back into the swing of things here so I promise this will be the last post where I shamelessly post vacation pics...

On our very last day (as in, mere hours before we drove to the airport) we decided it would be a good idea to go for a hike. I had really wanted to take 5 for a beautiful (but somewhat short and spider-free) hike but weather and chaos had made it near impossible. So drove to the arboretum somewhere near Wailua, where all the flooding and rain-disaster stuff was going on, and climbed up into the mountains. It was a gorgeous, warm, sunny day, with no rain- hooray!

We climbed uphill for close to an hour on a wide, fantastically spiderweb-free trail and saw birds, geckos, chickens, and scenic views all along the way.

When we arrived at the top, much to my relief, there was a big grassy area with picnic tables and an amazing view of like a 100 mile radius.
(For those of you who noticed that I am wearing rubber boots and fleece socks in this picture and think that I am completely insane, I will tell you that the reason I hated hiking for my whole childhood was that I tended to hike in flipflops or tevas and I hate muddy feet, so I am not crazy, but perfectly comfortable and happy.)

I got to let my back (and the rest of me) dry off and 5 got to run. And learn about cliffs. And how we don't run off of them.

5 found some super fun sticks and dirt and probably would have been okay just living there at the top of the mountain with sticks and dirt and leaves to throw over the cliff.

His favorite thing lately is throwing. I tell you, it's not really my cup of tea, but he is awfully cute when he does it.

Even when he's throwing something in my eye...

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Springtime Dinner

3/20/2012

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All this warm weather has given my family a desire for Springtime foods that aren't really ready yet. We won't have much in the way of local produce for a while yet, but I think I did find a solution for this week anyway.
I paired Joy the Baker's Baked Lemon Risotto with huge portions of a simple green salad- just red leaf lettuce, marinated grated beet, and a few bleu cheese crumbles. Yum!
Starch girl that I am, I love risotto, but rarely have the hour to spend stirring broth into rice. Joy's oven baked variety worked great and was so easy and delicious.
I got the beet recipe from a naturopath I used to see and it's always great to have something both tasty and super good for you to throw on top of nearly anything. I grate one big beet and cover it with 2 Tbsp olive oil (the good kind, no messing around!) and the juice of 1 lemon. I let it hang out in a glass jar in the fridge and just take what I need each night.

5 totally digs lemony starch and red stainy beet goodness. I think you will too!

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Let's Pretend

3/19/2012

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We are, in fact, no longer in beautiful Hawai'i, we are safe and sound in our own unseasonably warm home. However, we are also wandering blindly in the fog of Jet Lag City, so let's just pretend we're going shelling today!

My husband and his sister have many fond childhood memories of shelling at this "beach"- entire afternoons spent squatting near tide pools looking for the perfect tiny cowrie while listening to the sound of their necks and shoulders slowly scorching...
The trails they used to take down had disappeared, but we were able to find this only partially imagined trail after some searching.

As a borderline fabric/fiber hoarder, I have to be very careful to not let any other collections take root, so I am not a sheller. After a few minutes of walking around and enjoying the view, I wised up and let Fred introduce 5 to shelling while I documented it.

5 mostly enjoyed the wetter aspects of shelling.

He was also way into the delicious salty flavors.

The smoother areas were quite nice for those of us who tend to let gravity get the best of us.

It was a lovely day!

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Postcard

3/14/2012

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Happy Wednesday from my family to yours!
I'll be here again on Monday (after quite a bit of traveling!)

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Kapaia Stitchery

3/12/2012

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Yes, even in tropical paradises, my mind is never far away from fabric. My husband grew up visiting Kauai with his family (his grandparents first came when you still had to take a boat!) and they would all get custom handmade aloha shirts made at the Kapaia Stitchery in Lihue.
When Fred and I honeymooned here, we had such a fun time picking out fabric for Fred's new aloha shirt- they had a file with his measurements going back quite a few years. Of course, we also had to bring home some yardage...

They have an incredible collection of batiks from Bali, imported Japanese and other Asian fabrics, as well as gorgeous Hawaiian prints and bark cloth and upholstery fabrics. They have some other miscellaneous fabric too, but it's all about the Asian imports and Hawaiian beauties for me.

They do all kinds of "stitching" too (imagine that, at a stitchery!) breathtaking Hawaiian applique quilts, aloha shirts, beautiful garments of all types, as well as kits to help you make many of those things for yourselves!

I loooove Hawaiian quilts. Unfortunately, I am all too aware that I would never ever make one myself. Someday I will just have to buy one and admire someone else's hard work.

I forgot to photograph the fabric I bought, but as you can see from this picture, it was kind of overwhelming for us...

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<<Previous

Mom's Clothing Week?

Sloper Skirt

The Racerback Tank

A Cozy, Comfy Blazer

Underneath It All

To Fancy It Up

For Lounging

What have you done for yourself lately? Anything nice? I'd love to hear about it!
Have a lovely weekend!

Kitchen Sink Granola

Spring Fever

What gets your motor going in the Spring?

A Star is Born

I wish each and every one of you the loveliest of Spring weekends!

New Pants!

Last One, I Promise.

Springtime Dinner

Let's Pretend

Postcard

Kapaia Stitchery

Author

Archives

Categories

Sloper Skirt

The Racerback Tank

A Cozy, Comfy Blazer

Underneath It All

To Fancy It Up

For Lounging

What have you done for yourself lately? Anything nice? I'd love to hear about it!Have a lovely weekend!

What gets your motor going in the Spring?

I wish each and every one of you the loveliest of Spring weekends!

Author

Archives

Categories

What have you done for yourself lately? Anything nice? I'd love to hear about it!
Have a lovely weekend!