To a "t"

There is one thing I especially like about working with paper. Almost anything can be interesting enough to turn into a card ... if the person I am sending it to loves me enough to understand ... ummm ... trial and error, waste not want not ... well, me! So I pick and choose to whom I send my off the wall projects that have a heavy investment of time, but aren't yet ready for prime time.

This project is no exception. In an antique store I found an old wood printer's block - the letter "t". It is art all by itself. I love it. Today I inked it up to see if it would give me a decent print. I experimented with a soft vintage book page and two gelatin printed papers.

 

I did find that using the block like a rubber stamp (face down) was not as effective as placing the paper face down on the block.

I also had a laser printed background paper sitting on the table. And, I had a block with ink. Seemed like a match waiting to happen. The print came out blotchy which was charming in itself.

 

 Some pens and coloring around the "t" and I liked it enough to use it as a card front for my "T" granddaughter. I hope she doesn't get sick of the "t" designs before I finish playing around with the prints.

Maybe I should find some friends named Tonya, or Tina, or Terri ... ?

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. Ephesians 5:1

Step-by-step takes a long time...

Early in the summer I learned the true meaning of POA. An aunt developed health issues and needed to leave her home and enter an assisted living facility. She has adjusted well and loves her new home. I am adjusting to keeping tabs on the details of two separate households.

So far, so good. Always lurking in the background is the dread that I will miss something that should have been paid/cancelled/renewed/sold/deposited... You get my drift.

Six months ago, when it was just me and my life, I found an old cabinet that perfectly fits the storage needs in my kitchen. I have made do with something I had for over a year, knowing that the perfect cabinet (at the perfect price) was just waiting to be discovered.

Ta-da! My perfectly imperfect cabinet. It's the right width and height ... just the wrong finish.

Specialty paints are everywhere now. You can get chalk paint, milk paint, mineral paint ... and on and on it goes. I read about all of them and decided to just paint.   

I love the look of paint that shows its age, so starting with just the base cabinet, I sanded away most of the shiny varnish, cleaned away the dust, and painted a base coat of black.

 

This is the finished rough sanding and the beginning of the first coat of paint. So far, I'm in love. The weather quit cooperating and days got busy, so the base is just black right now. Soon, soon the final layer and I can use this baby!

Oh, I just can't wait!

In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.Psalm 94:19

This day

This day of August stands large in my mind. It is the birthday of my second son.

The last time I saw him it was Thanksgiving and he was 33 years old. He was full of life and his usual humor. I stuffed him full of Thanksgiving foods, laughed at his jokes, hugged him goodbye and sent him off to his home, 1500 miles away.

Today, he would have celebrated his 42 birthday. Each year, to commemorate the place he holds in our hearts, we plan a family dinner ... some food that he loved to cook and eat. And at our dinner tables in multiple states, we celebrate Grey. This year? Shrimp.

Oh, how we miss him.

Be still and know that I am God... Psalm 46:10

The ring

I came here seven years ago to sharpen some writing skills. It was a great way to learn to sit and write. Lack of practice takes its toll, so here I am after nearly an hour with only 2 lines written. I am ashamed to say that these few sentences are the best so far, so they will stand. (I need to be here more often.)

The good news is that I have good news. I will celebrate my 47th anniversary in a few weeks. I have a wonderful, patient, godly husband who loves me in spite of me being me. The bad news is that last December, I lost my wedding ring.

Gone. I have searched this house for months. We have taken drains apart, emptied drawers, and promised the grand kids that they would be hand$omely rewarded if they found it. We moved appliances, removed (and replaced) the kitchen back splash, searched cupboards, and carefully emptied vacuum cleaner bags.

Nothing.

I have prayed. Just last week I explained to God (like He needed my help...) that even if the ring fell into the garbage and was in a landfill somewhere, He was the One who knew the exact location of that ring... and He could return it if He chose to.

For all these months, I have tried not to obsess about where it could be. This picture from our wedding day is the only record of my wedding ring.

Monday was the day to spread the compost over the garden... that beautiful black gold that makes our sandy soil a bit more friendly to the idea of growing things. I didn't pay attention when my dearly beloved came in all sweaty. I thought he was ready to rest his weary bones. He called me into the living room and told me to sit down. So I did.

"No, here." Right by his sweaty, composty body! So I did... and he handed me my ring!There isn't any way to express my joy in that moment. Shovel by shovel, he had been unloading the compost from the overflowing wheelbarrow. That's when he spotted a round clump. Yes ... the clump was my ring.

In my continuing joy and amazement that God even bothers about such things as sentimental jewelry, I will publicly give thanks to Him, who knows the number of hairs on my head, the state of my heart, and the perfect moment to return my lost ring.

What an astonishing find.

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

The soaker, the biga and the bread

I enjoy the process of making bread. Yeast bread recipes are never exact because humidity, temperature, even ingredients can change what is required to make a good loaf. It's all in the feel of the dough.

For me, bread is one of the finest foods ever to emerge from an oven. But, if the bread is going to have flavor and the greatest health benefit, you have to go big or go home.

So after many months searching and more than a few not-worth-the-effort trials, I have landed upon a combination of two recipes that make three outstanding loaves of bread. The prep starts the night before with a biga and a soaker. Even though this seems like an extra step, it makes baking day easier than ever.

And the bread? Oh my... it's beautiful! (Can you imagine what my kitchen smelled like at the moment of this picture?)

It's full of whole grain goodness... 

And I know exactly what's in it. No preservatives. No dyes or refined sugar. No unwelcome surprises at all.

Life is good... especially with food like this.

Jesus said... I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 3:35

Oh deer...

February was cold ... and snowy ... and windy ... and icy... Overall, a month not friendly to man or beast. On occasion during those nasty days, I wondered how the deer were faring with their usual available food buried under snow.

I learned just exactly how well they manage a few days ago.
 

 Just to give a true sense of the amount of damage, this picture shows my dearly-beloved spraying deer repellent to try to save the what's left of the trees.

We heard from a neighbor that she saw a large herd of deer in our yard gathered around the smaller trees. She took pictures. (I silently wished that she had yelled, banged a pan, anything to scare them off!)

I've heard that cutting hair spurs growth. It feels like cutting the grass has the same effect. Hopefully the principle holds true with trees and this winter "pruning" will plump them up.

In the meantime... they look quite strange!

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. Jeremiah 17:7

Salmon and Salsa

It feels like the health of everyone around me is being attacked. Immediately new diets are researched. Old ways of eating and and favorite foods are scrutinized to determine if they are healthy... or hazardous enough to be discarded from regular menus.

All of this concern has rubbed off on me. I'm busy looking for recipes to suggest or what the next expert has to say about what we eat. In the process, I have found some recipes that look so very good. One in particular is Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa.

I waited for a beautiful avocado to come to the perfect point of ripe. The cilantro bunch was deep green and fragrant. The salmon waited... we all waited for the avocado. Finally the day arrived.

The spicy rub was applied to the fish. The salsa was resting in the refrigerator. The moment arrived. Grill pan hot. Fish sizzling... and flipped. The kitchen smelled wonderful. I plated the cooked fish, hurried to the fridge to get the salsa to spoon on top.

But the bowl didn't want to slide off the shelf. So I pulled a little harder and as it slipped from my finger and smashed - I should say exploded - on the floor. Every little chopped piece of my salsa... ruined.

So, I have no pictures of the perfect salmon dinner. I'm still filled with sadness. Sometimes it is the little things that spoil a day.

Sigh.

Jesus said... In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Brrrr!

You know it's cold outside when you see your breath and feel your face burn in the 15 second run from car to store.

When the snow crrrunches beneath your boot-encased feet... It's bitterly cold!

When the above statements are true and the rooster yard guard is up to his neck in snow ... well, it's just plain time to hibernate.

I know that it's winter and it's Michigan... but I am so ready for some green grass. This too shall pass, right? Right?

Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. Psalm 62:1

Chili powder DIY

Twenty plus years ago, I discovered the world of super fresh spices. Through all these years I have stayed with one company that supplied me with any spice for any recipe that looked intriguing. I was a faithful and very loyal customer.

But now, the search is on for a new seller of spices. Who knew finding an excellent spice merchant could be so difficult? I discovered that chili powder is a good way to gauge a merchant's product line.

My first order in new territory included "medium hot chili powder". I was concerned that one man's "medium hot" might be another's "HOT!", so I ordered the smallest amount. It was bland to the point of being tasteless.

Back to the computer for another search - this time, DIY chili powder. Did you know that some chili powders have a paprika base, while others use a variety of chilies? (I immediately understood the makeup of my bland experience.) I narrowed my recipe choices to 4, read each one very carefully and picked the one that looked most promising.

hot! hot! hot! Fortunately the test batch was very small, so I adjusted the next batch to my idea of "medium". Wow. I think I have reached chili perfection right in my own kitchen. (Original recipe here)

I'm still working from my supply of excellent spices from my former supplier, but some things are getting very low. A serious hunt is on for a new spice home.

I do love tasty food. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.Matthew 5:6

Grocery lists... and pickles

No matter how carefully you write your short grocery list, when you hand it to a man and send him off to the store alone, you never know what will fill the bags that come home with him. Bless his heart.

I needed one red onion. Among the other surprises that came home from the store that particular day, there was a 3# bag of red onions. I used the one that I needed... and then wondered what I could do with the 2.5# still in the bag.

My penchant for clipping recipes actually rescued the situation. Quick Pickled Onions they're called. They are delicious... and beautiful. Best of all - they are easy.

Because the first batch disappeared so quickly, I bought a bigger bag of red onions to make more pickles... in a bigger jar.

While I had the four (that's right 4, plus water) necessary ingredients out, I decided to find out how carrots would respond to pickling. That was an experiment worth repeating.

Here's the original recipe for all of this quick and easy goodness.

Quick Pickled Onions 

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup water
1 red onion, thinly sliced (I used my food processor)

Whisk vinegar, sugar, salt, and water in a small bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve. Place the sliced onion in a jar; pour the vinegar mixture over. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. (You can make these ahead. They will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.)

I used the same recipe for the carrot rounds (minus the onions, of course) and added a few celery leaves, some peppercorns, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Those are very good too!

Maybe next time, everything that looks lonely in the vegetable drawer will end up in a jar together. Maybe I'll give it a fancy name .... like Pickle Melange. One thing is certain.... there will be a next time.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

Seven years of making

Today is a special day. Seven years ago today, I started this blog. The first few posts were labelled with Making __________. 

In my mind "making" is the word that encapsulates my days. It soothes my soul to have the work of my hands involved in something useful. If it turns into something wonderful... even better! Oh, the adventures, the lessons, the growing that has occurred in the last 7 years. I am only the same person in that I still love to "make". What I make now is another story.

My latest project has been to make myself a desk calendar/planner. Last year, I inherited and "refurbed" an outdated planner. But it just wasn't pleasant to the eyes and it didn't get much use. So this year, I aimed for lovely.

 
I dressed up the covers of an old book with gorgeous paper from Hollander's. The plan was to use a spiral binding, but the cover was too thick to fit into the machine. Plan B included 1" book rings.

The dividers for the months are from my stash of painted papers... too pretty to cut up, not pretty enough to stand alone.

 The pages are designed to keep a log of my life. No diary or journal entries... just what I did and when. Very helpful when trying to remember the sequence of events... or win an argument. Heh heh.

I dipped into the boxes of leftovers from printed/painted papers - the insides of die-cuttings, almost-right experiments, hand cut shapes and bits - to find decoration for various spots that needed something.

I'm happy - a month late for keeping tabs on the new year - but late is better than never, right?

Happy birthday little blog. You make my heart and hands sing.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:17