k's mumbo jumbo

Feminis alert.

2011-09-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

I know that it doesn't seem like I am much of a feminist. But, oh boy howdy, I am. Some have called me a radical feminist and I am okay with that.
It comes from having been surrounded by strong women, watching some of them survive abusive relationships. It comes from being in an abusive friendship or two. It comes from watching on of my best friends destroyed by emotional abuse he simply wasn't strong enough to walk away from. It comes from seeing an acquaintance black and blue because she couldn't give her abuser what he wanted after her surgery.
So today, I start volunteering at with an action group to help strengthen access to health care for women (ALL HEALTH CARE). Today, I wrote letters to politicians asking why they behaved the way they did, against women.
And today I share a blog link with you. I hope you will read it. The author speaks of what happens when women have an emotional response. The shutting down, the quieting of our voices. It is a very good read. It gave me a better understanding of why I felt insignificant when my abusive friend would belittle me in front of others. I was crazy, or overreacting because "it is just a joke".
I know I will be making sure I don't say things like that to others. I know when others tell me I am over-reacting I will respond with "NO I am just reacting." My feelings, my words matter. And so do yours.

No pictures please

2011-08-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

We are in mourning. Last Thursday we had to put our 14 year old lovable grumpy old man (cat) down. He has been battling cancer and it finally was just too much for him. He had lost a pound of weight in a month.

We had had him since he was a stray little kitten, he came home with us in a toy pet carrier! He was grumpy and hated people. Some more than others. But he protected us. If one of use was ill, he would lie with us. He made the rounds every night to make sure we were okay.

So, rest in peace, Pancake. I hope you are happy in the catnip bed. You will be loved for ever.

And then she has another idea.

2011-08-12T16:17:00.000-07:00

And I have been pretty much beyond busy. Gardening, making my own cleaning supplies, working on being an herbalist (or a potions master, I haven't decided). For example, today I made a double batch of biscotti, finished a basil tincture, and a fever few one, made 5 gallons of laundry soap, 6 loads of laundry and then will be heading out to the farm to help a friend. And I still managed to blog and do three hours of homework.

But the big news is that I am planning on starting a line of gourmet biscotti. For mail order sales... I think. Perhaps a couple of local vegan restaurants. I need taste testers and a few months of experimenting. But after that, hopefully in time for Christmas, I shall be ready to launch.

So, if you would like to be a taste tester, please let me know. I will be able to ship anywhere in the U.S. for the testing phase. (The actually details of world shipping I will need to look into.)

So, yet again, another change and another adventure. This one will be yummy!

too long

2011-07-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

So, this week has been just too long. Between work and class and getting out to the farm, I am just beat. I had wanted to spend time today in the studio finishing up some things that have been requested of me. But I think I just need to shut down my brain for a bit. Thankfully Netflix is now streaming all of the Star Treks, so my little brain can just go nerd out on the awesome that is the Trekking Universe.

Part of my struggle this week is that I am getting conflicting messaged from the universe at large. On the one hand I am being told that it is clearly time to move on from one project. The people involved in the project have slipped into some pretty backhanded behaviors and I just don't play games when it comes to getting the grownup stuff done. Particularly when I have requested what I need from others involved in this project. But... I can't actually move on from it until other things happen. And I am trying to make them happen. Trying to find the person to fill my shoes, trying to line up the resources that will be needed. At each turn, I feel I am being thwarted. And that is making it all feel so crazy. How do you help people that fight back?

Looking for the answers is tiring, but I am looking every day. I am up and out and doing the work that needs to be done. Thankfully I have a pretty intense support group. A group that has been very helpful about teaching me to ask for help when I need it, and then actually following through by helping me. Helping me by asking what I need and then doing that. Amazing.

I just need to trust that it will all work out the way it is supposed too. And that the people who are around me will do what they need to do. I have a pretty great group of readers, too, who will understand for the most part why the extra drama is just so silly to me. I am shooting for being on to post up lots of pictures in the next month or so of things I have been working on.

That and clearing out any more drama.

New cards

2011-07-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

Here are two great cards. Why are they great? They are easy and clean and they use scraps. Additionally, they are easily modifiable to any sort of event. I should really be in the studio making many more. Instead, I am watching stuff on Netflix and doing homework.

I have new pets!

2011-06-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

And they are too cute.
Turns out these little girls will help keep pests down in the garden and make excellent compost. The little white one is a Batam Silkie and the larger orange one is an Araucana (we think). One will lay little pink eggs ( really like half size eggs) and the other will lay green eggs. No, I won't be eating either the chickens or the eggs. Mostly, we just really wanted chickens.

Let me tell you that nothing beats chicken t.v. for entertainment. They are so fun to watch.

That is it: We are done

2011-06-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

There will be no more grade school at this house!

I was going to post a longer post. But the more I wrote the more political it became and now is not the time for that.

Now is the time to look at my youngest being thrilled that she is done with grade school and is going to be getting very nervous about middle school!

the garden is in

2011-05-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

Well mostly. And it is looking good. Vyapti made structures so we can play with vertical gardening. Right now we have beans, and zucchini, corn, and tomatoes, and lettuce. There will also be a new herb garden going in, in a couple of weeks.

He told me we had over 1,000 starts. We will be giving away a bunch. But it is nice knowing we can do all that in our tiny space.

There is a bunch more to do, of course. It is just nice to be able to share a bit of it.

A little pimpin"

2011-04-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

I need to tell you about this jewelry maker. I met her over the weekend and she is great. The jewelry is beautiful and different. Please send her some business.

More food.

2011-04-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

I haven't been in the studio much. Although I am working on a painting. That aside, I am having people over for the Season premiere of Doctor Who. We will be having vegan fish fingers and custard, as well as Jammy Dodger. My woefully American, never actually had any, and am relying on information from the internet, version of Jammy Dodgers.

These lovelies are rich shortbread (with flax seed egg substitute) and plum jam. Made them last night and am hoping they make it until the people show up for the party.

Herbal Awesome

2011-04-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

I am going back to school. That is to say, I am taking a night class that will help me check off a huge goal of mine. After 150+ hours of late nights and Saturdays, I will be a medicinal herbalist. This is something that I have been stewing about for months. And in all reality something that has been a part of my life in some context for years. When I was able to find a class that is hands on, with a teacher that makes me laugh and learn, I was sold.

I am as over the moon with excitement as a school girl with a crush, and yes I know what that looks like.

lemon and lemon and blueberry

2011-04-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

I whipped up vanilla cupcakes from VCTOTW and added lemon and lime rind (rind from one of each) to the soy milk mix. Bake as normal. I then used the juice from the lime and lemon and two bags of frozen berries (blueberry and a bit of left over other berries) to start a "compote". I added 2 cups of sugar and some vanilla extract. I let this cook for about an hour. Then I added some water (a cup or so, I didn't measure) and two tablespoons of cornstarch to help thicken, boil for 10 minutes, cool. I cut holes in to the cupcakes and there you go. A lovely welcome to spring!

Cake Pops!

2011-03-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

Easy easy easy!

Vanilla cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World, baked in cake pans. Some vanilla frosting from the same. Tear up the cake into small bits, mix with frosting, chill. Melt chocolate chips with vegan shortening (1 tablespoon shortening to 6 oz chocolate) in a double broiler. Roll cake mix into balls, roll in chocolate and decorate. Use the lollipop sticks (got mine at Micheal's Crafts) if you want, or just place them on a baking sheet and let the chocolate set in the fridge.
The youngest loved helping decorate these. Which made it a nice spring break project.

Maple Butter Cream

2011-03-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

I baked for the first time in quiet a while. The result was tasty. Simple vanilla cupcakes and even simpler Maple Frosting. The frosting is honestly just softened Earth Balance margarine, powdered sugar and maple syrup (1 cup, 3-4 cups, and 1/4 cup respectively). That is it. It is similar in flavor to a doughnut.

We have all been sick, so I am hoping to catch up with everything this week. We will see how much actual energy I have. I have been down with an inner ear issue, so standing is tricky at best. There is just so much to take photos of around here!

Another yard project

2011-03-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

Yep, they never end. We had torn up ivy and are going to plant some beans and zukes and melons back there instead. However, because of the semi-circle of retaining wall just yanking out the ivy left the area looking unfinished. Can't have that. So we built a single layer retaining wall. The twist, because you know I need a twist, is that every other paver, we flipped. They had had hollows in them to keep the weight down and I thought what a great little planter for annuals. Below is the result.

The pavers are just hiney sized and will add some fun seating. It was a lot of work, but very worth it. And I think, aside from our labor it was only about $21, not including the plants.

It's hip to be not square...

2011-02-28T14:28:00.000-08:00

I love this page. I had seen an old painting at an antique store (on the day I bought that mirror) that was turned on its side.

That design idea had stayed with me for a while and ended up being this page. The pictures were taken on a warm day in January. They were take on the timer and I think I was taking 5 shots in ten seconds. The rest was left over letters that I embossed and a sheet of patterned paper that lent itself well to the look. A bit of glitter and there you have it.

Sure it won't look as great in an album, but I did design it so it could be read turned square. It does look fabulous hanging in the entry way though!

A sneak peek

2011-02-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

We are busily working on getting the garden blog ready for consumption. In the mean time we are also busily working on that garden.

This weekend we built a greenhouse. It is 7x9 feet, which I am pretty certain is larger than a studio apartment I once had (love that apartment). I will only post teaser pictures, because the garden blog will have all the instructions and other information. Be assured that this was an easy project and not that expensive. It is also scalable, so it can be smaller or larger depending on your situation.

And I am fully aware of how messy that yard is. I am working on it.
Blessings

A Quick Craft

2011-02-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

This is a mirror that I picked up for a couple of dollars at a local antique store. It is made form that rough sort of cement-y stuff and while it is a great color for the yard (particularly the rock garden) it certainly is bland. I have buckets of glitter and glitter glue, as you can imagine, and found that with a couple of coats you can dress up about anything.

Seal it with some sort of acrylic sealent and there you be. A quick and very inexpensive addition to match your place. Thrift stores and garage sales will always have something that you can make fit.

I am off to back some banana bread, and maybe some caramal candies, and to sew up a tote. And if the weather holds to photograph the yard for the new blog. That is right, we are doing a new blog. Our Newbie Garden is not quite ready for you yet. But give us a bit of time. The before pictures will be up soon and I look forward to sharing that with you too!

Also, feel free to check out my other blog Urban Tao. It is spiritual in purpose, but not religious.

Now, have a fantastic weekend

Preparation clears the way

2011-02-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

As in, when I can't think of which new project to start or what I want to do next, I prepare. I put glitter on flowers that will get used eventually, I paint chipboard in at least a base coat, I make fabric buttons. The key is to get in that studio and make something. It doesn't need a home or a specific place just yet. It does mean that when I am ready to work, I have supplies. I don't need to wait for anything to dry. At the very worst of a bit of creative block, it can unblock you and get you working on bigger projects.

This sweet little card is made from left over stickers. Almost entirely. I just made a vellum sun and coated it in glitter. Update old supplies by add and/or subtracting something from them. Take the supply and put it into a new context.

So much to post...

2011-02-14T16:08:00.000-08:00

Oh, let's see... I made three scrappages, and a couple of cards this weekend. We tore up the ivy that made me crazy all of last year. Hoping to put in berries there at some point this spring. We bought supplies for the greenhouse and cleaned up the work area. In writing it appears to be a much more productive weekend than it felt. I wanted to play with making candies. Instead, I played with glitter. Which is just fine with me.

This page is just simple, simple, simple. Left over rick-rack and hem tape (can you have too much of either in your stash?), some of my awesome buttons and ancient letters from a tacky letter pack. I am enjoying the self-imposed challenge of using all my old stuff. For me, it has pushed me into a place that is more in tune with how I live the rest of my life. I make due with what I have, and I recycle and reuse as much as possible. But in scrapping, I find myself buying even when I don't need too. By not allowing purchases, I am forcing myself to use things that have sat in drawers for years (not even kidding). The results are simple, timeless, and very me. Feels very good!

Portland is always a good time.

2011-02-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

So much so that we plan on moving there some time in the future. But for now we settle for trips up when we can. This past weekend we headed up and hit the Portland Art Museum, the Paradox cafe, and VegeThai.

I have to say that the exhibit "Safety in Numbers; Images of African American Identity and Community" was fantastic. As my major was museum studies, I always critique how an exhibit is done. Sometimes, I even care what it has to say (joking). This was well laid out and made lovely sense. The story it told was powerful.

The girls enjoyed the food. And Mo made a dinosaur out of tinfoil. We have decided that the dinosaur should have his own story told in pictures. This, however, should be her project, and because she is 13, it won't happen.

And again with the cards

2011-02-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

This fun western card is made from scraps of paper from another project, an ancient sticker and a fabric covered button. Can't have too many fabric covered buttons.

I have several things that just need photos taken of them and then I will swamp you with fun stuff.

In the yard

2011-01-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

I had to get out in the yard today. It was too lovely not to. And while cleaning one of the veggie beds I found three little lady bugs.
Have a beautiful day!

A Saturday, $22, and 45 minutes

2011-01-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

This is a project that I have been stewing about for a while. Today I just did it.
This wall is 8 feet 6 inches across. It is in the entry hall of my house. And it was poorly used for the whole time we have lived here. The hall itself is very narrow and on the wall opposite there is my hall table.

I picked up two packages of curtain clips, the ones on the rings that look like alligator clips, three dowls 4 feet long, and a package of mug hugs, like you would screw into your kitchen cabinets. Nothing had to be too heavy duty, as all it is intended to do is hold paper and small canvases. I will need another package of clips. The two I bought only had a total of 14 clips. And the doweling will be getting painted when the weather is nicer. Everything is in pewter.

The hardest part was making sure every thing was level. And you don't need any tools aside from a measuring tape and a level is handy. A few twists of the wrist and I have what you see below. A wall full of my scrap pages that can change on a whim. All on the cheap and all looking good.

Next up... a light box solution, I hope.

Two fold post

2011-01-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

This is a two-fold post.

Firstly, I really want a reader to know that she has support to face the future. I know what she is going through, and there are people who can help. (Please feel free to contact me, I know you know how and where). Abuse should never be tolerated, and neither should any form of hate. When the two are combined they create what I can only call evil.

Secondly, I need to post another card. Just to be able to keep up. I have found that letting go of making theme cards really sparked a creativity in me that I am pleased with. The card above is blank on the inside, and made from a silk leaf and old tags.

January 22 2011

2011-01-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Another installment of fill the card larder. This one is a birthday card made from fantastic recipe folders I found at the store. I think that I got 50 for a buck. I tea stained them. Added ribbon, a flower and a vintage button. And there you go.

Enjoy!

January 19th 2011

2011-01-19T17:05:00.000-08:00

It was brought to my attention this weekend that I am out of stash cards. So I challenged myself today to make several with nothing but what I had on hand. I have one drying, one completed, and two getting there. All in less than an hour of work. I will be posting them through out the week. The one above is the finished one. I used leftover lace, a really old sentiment and some paper flowers that are too cute to keep hidden away.
Enjoy!

Sewing

2011-01-13T15:21:00.000-08:00

Sewing has been my focus lately. That is when I have time to focus. Too much outside insanity for my liking going on in this household.

Anyhoo... here are so pics of the tote bag that I will finish. I am highlighting one small section of each side with embroidery and beading. Simple design, but I think it will have a big impact.

A scrappage for my girl

2011-01-04T17:12:00.000-08:00

And it is all done, save for the journaling. How on earth is it possible that I have not a single black pen in this house? Anyway, this page was one of those that I stewed about from the time I printed the photo (taken on her 13th birthday), but wasn't sure what to do. I went with romantic funk. Lots of glitter and two of her favorite colors (black and purple).

Lavender Biscotti

2010-12-30T15:04:00.000-08:00

I think that I meant to make this on that lavender kick that I was on a while. But I needed to fill the family Christmas baskets, like tonight. I had made my regular biscotti, which is from The Veganomincon and left off the almond extract, added that fantastic Lavender Syrup and threw in some dried lavender. This is really classy dressed up biscotti.
Enjoy and happy New Year

Christmas

2010-12-23T14:37:00.000-08:00

Things have been interesting around here. I have had to focus on other things to make sure that my family is getting the things they need. And sometimes when we do that, other forces push back.

I do have things in the works (drying as I type), and a schedule that I hope to be able to keep to in the new year. I am all for trying new methods of increasing productivity.

The above photo is of a Christmas ornament that my mother made at least 30 years ago. I have had it on my tree for as long as I have been away from home.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season.

Gingerbread

2010-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love gingerbread, ginger snaps, ginger tea, ginger tofu... I think you get the idea. Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar has an amazing recipe for gingerbread biscotti. It has wonderful bits of ginger in the cookie that add a great texture and zing.

And the light in the house was wonderfully cooperative today, so I was finally able to get great photos of some of my favorite ornaments. That is something I have been trying to do for several years. Some of these ornametnst are from my childhood, and I would bery much like to scrap them.

I hope you all had joyous weekend.

Shabby Chic

2010-12-04T18:41:00.000-08:00

That is what this page reminds me of... shabby chic. It is a picture of me holding my niece who is just a week or so old. And Bit is beside me. It is hard to tell it is Bit, as that curly hair that so many people recognize her by has not come in yet.

The little heart shaped extra is from a bracelet that I harvested the pieces from. I am trying to use more of my stash than I am purchasing new.

Thankful

2010-11-28T17:45:00.000-08:00

I certainly am. More than anyone can imagine. Most days my life is better than it has ever been. I am gifted more opportunities to explore my world and to find out what I want from it, and what it wants from me. I am able to help others. I teach and I learn.

And I hope you all had a truly wonderful weekend.

Follow up Thinking

2010-11-23T09:18:00.000-08:00

After all of the wonderful comments that I received on my thinking post, I found myself thinking even more.

One of the wisest people I know as frequently told me that motive is more important than we realize. She comes to this from a recovery point of view. Addicts must ask themselves what it the motive for participating in their addictive behavior in that moment.

What I take from that comes from a very Buddhist point of view. In Buddhism we know that the way to escape suffering is to follow the Noble 8-fold Path. The second step is Right Intention. I see this as motive. What is my Intention or my Motive in the actions I am about to engage in.

How this relates to inner and personal peace is the peace that comes from being able to TRULY check your motives. It is easy to superficially say "I want that to say these mean words to K because it will help her see her errors. I am doing it for her". But if your actions are meant to help in a true sense, there is always a way to make them not hurt. ALWAYS.

Part of understanding our own motives is understanding that we cannot be responsible for someone else's motives. Only the person acting is responsible for their actions. And only the person reacting is responsible for the reaction.

Because that inner peace comes from personal responsibility as well as deep introspection.

A pretty little card.

2010-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love how this little thing turned out. It was for an office mate of my husbands. It uses my favorite, favorite fabric.
She even said she would frame it!

Thinking

2010-11-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

It is funny. I have been thinking a lot about where I was five years ago when I moved here. Comparing it to where I am now.
Five years ago I was a timid woman who had a great family, but was in the midst of a few abusive friendships. Problem was, like with all abusive relationships, I did not recognize the abuse. It was subtle and it came from the places that I should have felt safest (well aside from my husband, who for the record is amazing).
The abuse came from the sisterhood of friendship. And it hurt more than I knew, even at the time. It left me questioning everything that I did or even said, because the simple things were open to criticism, even days later. I have slowly been finding new support. And it has freed me to find myself and to help others in new ways. It has been both an emotionally ragged five years and a five years of powerful personal healing and growth.
I have been thinking about this a great deal lately, because I have been watching my friends (the supportive, non abusive ones) go through some terrible troubles. Some are leaving abusive romantic relationships, some are dealing with terrible work relationships (that can be abusive as well) and some are experiencing betrayal from family members. And I wonder when I sit and listen to the terrible things that they are going through, when did humanity get so selfish that we treat our loved ones so badly, just so we feel better about ourselves? When did it become okay to always put yourself first, even at the expense of children, or siblings, or friends? I understand that the need to lower others to feel good stems from personal problems that one may be to terrified to look at. It saddens me that so many people are too afraid to do the work that helps them grow.
At the beginning of this holiday season, I ask all of you to step back a moment and think outside yourself. Because my true wish is not so much world peace, but individual peace.
Blessings.
K

The first blech of winter.

2010-11-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

I actually like the winter weather around here. I know, I am odd! I like the rain and the fog and all that.

And to celebrate the first real sort of winter weather that we have had, and to help out my best friend with her recent conversion to veganism (you bet we are taking over!) I made vegan cocoa mix. I used the recipe found at Go Dairy Free and I am thinking it is fabulous. I can imagine that it would be just magical with some Dandies in them. I have to go now, I am drooling.

More Scrap pages just for me

2010-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is s photo of my brother and my sister and I, rocking out the early 80's.
The setting is Leavonworth WA, where my father grew up. He took us back every summer. Also, how cool is that paper?!

I do love mushrooms

2010-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

So much that I made one. I think I will be making more.

Surgery

2010-11-14T11:08:00.000-08:00

I spent the weekend in the hospital with my ten year old. Tot had woken up in pain on Wednesday, but seemed to shake it off. However when she was still in pain on Friday, Vyapti took her to the doctor. And then we went to the emergency room and then to surgery. She had her appendix removed. Currently she is on a pain management regiment and is taking it easy. But she is healing so quickly. she did insist on some picture and she has a huge bag of stuff to share during school.

I need to give a big thank you to the staff at Riverbend hospital. They were amazing. Nothing sucks more than your baby in the hospital and they were completely compassionate about that.

In the e.r.

Her I.V. (at her request)

Sleeping off surgery

Scrap pages for me.

2010-11-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

That is what I will be sharing now. I did the following page for a hike the kids took with their dad. He took the photo and I thought it told a story worthy of its own page.

Happy November (or something)

2010-11-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

Or, you know, whatever.

I made several awesome pumpkins with which to decorate for fall. The pattern was from one of those awesome calenders that has all sorts of projects. I may try to make them all in the future. (But, in all reality, I am full of ideas and easily distracted).

They turned out great, and I made a couple of different styles. However, I also gave some away and only got pictures of this one.

Now I am thinking Christmas!

November

2010-11-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

I would like to say that this absence has been due to working my fingers to the bone making pretty things. But it may have just been laziness. At any rate, I have a stunning card to share.

New Launch

2010-10-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

Hey, my hubby and I (mostly my hubby) launched a new blog with all sorts of excellent vegan information. And in the future I suspect it will hold lots of other fabulous stuff too.
Check it out at http://www.ourveggiekitchen.com/

New mixed media piece

2010-09-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

I I have had this canvas started for months and months. But I was never sure what I wanted to do with it after I had the wash done. Then I found this little bird stamp and started playing with the "empty" space in it. And finally I saw a scrapbook page in Creating Keepsakes (the newest issue) that had the leaves. That was what it took to get me to finish the canvas. Well, that and left over ribbon.

Next, I will be working on a paper flower garland.

Scrap Pages Part 4

2010-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I think we might be coming to the end (but maybe not)

Scrap Pages Part 3

2010-09-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Part 3 of the Scrappy installment.

We interupt your regularly sceduled blog drop...

2010-09-12T12:04:00.000-07:00

For an incredible little Halloween trinket I made. I love how simple this is. And, yet it is still pretty, elegant and timeless.

Scrap Pages Part 2

2010-09-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Scrap pages Part 1

2010-09-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

My wonderful Sister and Brother in Law had a baby this past Father's Day. I told her that I wanted to make a page for her, and she got very excited. I look for any excuse to make things for people. I love to share and I love to make, so really it is a perfect combination. I have been making pages for my nephew and a few for his older sister. I will present them in stages, as there are several.

First day of school?

2010-09-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

School starts on Tuesday. Needless to say I am not ready. This will be our last ever year in grade school. I don't feel terribly about it. I love that they are all growing up and becoming amazing people in their own right.

I did make a school-ish card, more to try a technique than anything else.

Halloween Banner Part 2

2010-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween?>?>?>?>

2010-08-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Yes I have been gone forever. I have been very frustrated.
I will not bore you with that. Instead... get ready for fall with my new banner!

And more tomorrow!

Fancy Cupcakes

2010-06-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have posted any food for a long time.

I am a huge fan of the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. It has changed the way that I look at baking. From the first time I opened it I wanted to make The Pistachio Rosewater Cupcakes. Today I finally did. They are tasty. They feel very upscale. They are also dead simple, which is always a winner for me.

Enjoy

Sun Finally.

2010-06-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

The weather finally turned nice. Which meant this weekend was full of time in the yard, cleaning up to make it usable.

And what a difference a weekend makes.
I found several chairs on line for a steal. But they needed some care. I also found an end table for next to nothing, but it was very dated as well.

So, primer and paint later, I have seating for the sunken part of the yard. That is about all I have for you now.
The kids got to paint their own chairs.

May 25th

2010-05-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

So much has been going on in this house that I am not even sure where to start.

I have been working in the yard, but the weather has been so bizarre that I don't have any good pictures.

We went to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. That was incredible. Well, Portland always is so much fun.

We have had two birthdays, family visits and plays.

And I am still not sure what to do with the shop. So while I figure it out, please enjoy a picture of a T-Rex.

Fairy Ring Garden "Art"

2010-05-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

I made this darling Fairy Ring today. This is just the proto-type. I will be finishing the ring its self with ribbon. Absolutely spectacular. It sends dancing lights all over the yard. I will be making more of these. Let me know (here in the comments, or through the etsy shop) if you would like one in custom colors or in a different size.

SALE SALE SALE

2010-05-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Just a very quick post and run. I am busy with company and plays and all that fun stuff that spring brings.

But I am running a sale to help clean out the studio.
I am offering free shipping on select items (I think it was over half the store).

New little brooch!

2010-04-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy working in my yard. Very, very busy. We brought in 9 yards of dirt, filled several raised beds and planted grass. There will be pictures on a day that i have more patience.

Today you get a pretty little spring brooch created from left over ribbon and a vintage button. Yep, I am clever like that!

I have a monster back log of things to share, and I hope to be doing that soon, but you know about how good at that I tend to be.
Blessings

I am back and I have art.

2010-04-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

I am working on a new piece, but I just don't know... what do you think? I love the concept and can see a whole series.

I feel refreshed after my trip. Ready to really tackle some new stuff. I am ready for some leaps forward.

Peace
K

Spring Break

2010-03-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

That is right, it is spring break around here. And this year I am doing things a little differently. We are taking a trip to the north to visit family. We are doing this so that this summer we can take a trip to San Fransisco. Our first vacation trip as a family. Something we very much want to do.

So I hope that I will be using my time away to recharge, recoup, and rethink how I am doing the shop and the business. I hope to come back with a strong plan and some great pictures!

Have a blessed spring break!

Bollywood Treasury

2010-03-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

Firstly, let me apologize for the lack of blog. My littlest has been sick this week.

On to the blog: this week i the treasury theme is Bollywood, or Indian films. I am a huge fan of the genre and thought it would be fun to see what I can come up with.

Enjoy

I love, love, love these:

These are wild:

Bindis are a must:

And finally:

WhooHoo!

2010-03-03T16:36:00.000-08:00

Or how ever that would be spelled. There is a bunch of new stuff up in the shop!

Check out this: O

And this:

Peace

Treasury Time: Marbles

2010-03-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

So this week the theme is MARBLES. I remember playing marbles in grade school, complete with trading and the chalk circle. There is something inherently artistic about marbles, even if I can't quite tell you what it is.

It has been interesting to search for marbles (in this case I want the toy) because you find the stone and also the technique. I have seen some lovely things this week.

This is different.

And this is pretty darn cool

What about this?

And, finally,

I hope that you enjoy them!

Trying something new

2010-02-23T15:25:00.000-08:00

As you know, I am a big fan of etsy.com. I love all of the tools that it has, not just for sellers, but for buyers as well. One of the tools that they use for buyers is the treasury. Members find the things that they love (usually in a theme) and post them as a group in the treasury. This is a great idea. So great, in fact, that the treasury is usually full.

So I am taking matters into my own hand. I am going to be posting a mini-treasury (complete with themes). My plan is to post four lovelies that I have found. I hope to make them creative and fun. And if you have ideas for things you would like to see, let me know!

I thought it would be best if my first was something you all know I truly love: CUPCAKES. Enjoy!

Cupcake stand to die for!

It sure looks like a cupcake!

A real (vegan) cupcake made by a genius!

Photos of cupcakes are good too!

Peace

While I Gather My thoughts.

2010-02-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

We have spent the weekend working in the yard. We now have two Hubby made raised beds, and a brand new compost bin that he made as well. I made a rock garden in the awkward space between trees, or started to anyway, as things still are chaotic back there. We planted seeds and a few flowers. We also bought a little greenhouse to start the seeds in! I am so excited about that. And I can say for the first time since moving into this house I can see how things might shake out.

So, please enjoy these photos from my weekend

SALE SALE SALE

2010-02-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

I am having a sale in the shop. Take sometime and take a peak. This guy is $5off and ready to go to a good home!

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

My hubby and I celebrated on Friday. A lovely Indian dinner and some silly games. It was very fun.

For you, I have photos of the valentines that I made for Little Bit. They are darling little ladybug cards that could easily double as bookmarks. They were a big hit. I also made a more elegant, grownup version with sequins for eyes and embroidery thread antenna.

Have a wonderful day full of love and loved-ones

Peace

Some new stuff in the shop!

2010-02-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

I posted some new brooches in the shop. I hope they take off.

Also take a peek at this paper brooch. That's right, paper. Dyed paper is sealed and stiffened then placed on fusible interfacing. Makes for a sturdy brooch that is certainly different.
Also, for those of you on Facebook, I added a fan page. Please feel free to add and to share. That is a great place to learn more about what we are doing in the shop.

Blessings

Oh Bother.

2010-01-17T19:05:00.000-08:00

No photos to go with this post. We are down to one too few computers in my house, and my son had homework that took precedent. I can't download to the laptop I am using to write this, as it may just be older then me.

Let me start my saying that my heart goes out to Haiti in this time of need. I am hoping to get together with some people to do a bake sale to get donations to the Red Cross.

I am overwhelmed, it would seem. Either that, or totally unmotivated. I have several things that I really need to post and get into my etsy shop. But I just can't seem to get it done. Call it the winter blahs, or possibly even a fear of failure. Whatever it is, I am trying to banish it to the wastelands.
I made the template for the valentines card that will be going out to little bits friends. I also have been working on a hodge-podge set of 10 cards. And book marks. And marketing. And packaging. And baking. And cleaning. Well, you can see how this is going.

I also have been working on a mission statement of sorts. In my future, I would love to have a space to help people gain access to art. In a tangible, make it way. I want to provide studio space, and materials, within reason. I also want to provide the opportunity for people to sell their art on a very local level. I have been working on the business model for this for awhile now. Part of me is telling me it is getting closer to that time. We shall see.

For now, peace.

New year, new ideas

2010-01-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

The girls and I went out walking all over, taking in the sights and photographing everything we could. That included the weird little seed pods above.

I spent this first weekend of the new year in the studio making cards, finishing up projects and dreaming of the future garden. Below are two of the cards I finished.

I have some great news. There is a new scrapbook store not far from my house. I have had to schedule trips across town to even by plaind card stock. This will save lots of time, but probably not money.

And in the bad news dept., my car died. Her brakes went out and we decided that it was not worth the money to fix them this time. We will save up and get something more reliable. In the mean time, I will use this as my opportunity to get into shape.

Blessings in the new year

No Cookies for You!

2009-12-30T21:01:00.000-08:00

Come back next year!

I had attempted to make a veganized version of some delish looking Mocha Meringues. These, of course, would have required a substitute for egg whites. I did some research and found... Apricots. That's right, apricots, dried.

We bought dried apricots, I soaked them over night, per the instructions. I blended them, I attempted to whip them. In the end, what I ended up with, after I added all the other ingredients, was a chocolaty bowl of goo, that would not have baked. It was just too runny and messy.

I will head back to the egg white board this weekend.

Wish me luck.
P.S. This stunning tea set was one of my holiday presents. My hubby rocks!

A new project

2009-12-20T20:09:00.000-08:00

I have this amazing old cookie cookbook that has been around my house so long I don't even remember where i got it. It was written in '66 (it is the Better Homes and Gardens Cookies and Candies). I have decided to try and veganize as many of the recipes as I can. This could get interesting as many of the recipes call for evaporated milk and pudding mixes and so on and so on. I think this will be a fun adventure and I started today.

Coconut Diamonds: (I will present my notes and changes at the end)
6 tablespoons Earth Balance Margarine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut

Grease an 8x8 pan ( at the least grease the sides!)
Cream together butter, sugar, and salt. Stir in flour(1 cup amount). Pat onto bottom of 8x8 pan. Bake at 350degress for 15 minutes or till lightly browned.

Meanwhile, beat flax seed and water, add vanilla. Gradually add brown sugar, beating until just blended. Add flour and salt. Stir in coconut. Spread over baked layer. Bake about 20 minutes longer or until toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle more coconut over the top, reduce oven to 200 degrees and bake another 5 minutes, until the top coconut is lightly browned. Cool, cut into diamonds (although really squares are pretty cool too).

Notes: The flax seed replaces 2 eggs. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of walnuts, but my family hates walnuts. And the recipe doesn't need them. It would be lovely with some orange zest and extract. I mean lovely!

Gifts and treats

2009-12-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

It was Christmas office parties for both Vyapti and I this week. He made some delicious eggnog bread for his employees. I wrapped up the loaves and attached ornaments from the weekend. The darling little packets were a big hit. The bread is to die for.

I made some very tasty little gingerbread cupcakes (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, of course!). Shown here dressed and undressed (lemon butter cream frosting.

Peace
K

Ornaments

2009-12-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Both the hubby and I have work parties tomorrow. I volunteered to bring some yummy foods (more about that later in the week). But I just wanted to do something a little more. It was a bit last minute. And I did have a heck of a time figuring out what I was going to do on such short notice.

I love what I decided on though. Heart ornaments that will be adapted over the holidays for Valentines day.

Have a great week.

Better Late...

2009-12-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

As you know we did not have a traditional Thanksgiving. I was ready to launch right into the holiday season. The day after, the tree was up and there are Santa's everywhere.
But I did make charming cupcakes for Thanksgiving munchies. They are from my favorite cookbook "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World". These were Margarita Cupcakes that were rich and limey. Take a moment to drool.

Also, just a note. I did open a new facebook account. It is under the same name as the old one, but has a pic of me laughing as the profile pick. Just in case you care!

I have lots and lots of great pics to sort through and some projects to post. I hope to get to them very soon.

A late post

2009-11-28T17:58:00.000-08:00

My house is all done up for Christmas. Most of my shopping is started (if not done). And tonight, I am sore. I fell decorating the dining room last night and am paying for it. So please enjoy a picture of my lovely pumpkin pie from Thanksgiving, while I heal.

Thanksgiving?

2009-11-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

I enjoy Thanksgiving, don't get me wrong. I like the food (very non-traditional for my clan), I love that the day after means the start of the winter holiday phase.

But the last couple of years I have been questioning Thanksgiving. It seems odd to me to choose one day to be thankful. And even odder to have a day to "celebrate" the American Dream. Especially in this day and age. Let me note here that I don't really buy into the concept of the American Dream as it seems to be interpreted these days. What I see is a nation of people who feel entitled. I can't imagine that the founding families felt that way. They didn't believe that they were owed anything but what they worked for.

I think it is the little things that bug me. Little things like being angry that gas prices are going up (limited resource) or expecting something more then what was paid for or agreed upon, or buying things and using them and returning them (a sadly very common occurrence that I noticed when I worked retail). It is hard to explain, but I would wager every one knows someone who feels perpetually entitled.

I feel as though we have forgotten that "rights" are actually responsibilities. And that "rights" are just gifts that our culture allows us to have. I believe that my ability to complain about this is a gift that my government could take away and that the fact that I belong to no one is a gift as well. I also believe that we would go much further as a species if we could take a moment and remember that.

Connecting

2009-11-25T10:33:00.000-08:00

I will be honest... it has been a tough week. So I think that part of my assignment in gratitude will be to sit outside and ground myself. Listen to what the earth has to say. Let the ground tell me what path to take.

At night, I sleep with my window open and I can hear all sorts of night noises, not all of which are urban related. I can hear the pine cones fall from the tall pine in the backyard. In the morning I can see the squirrels scavenging the seeds from that gift. It is fall here, but we are still growing. It does not get cold enough yet to damage the onions and garlic. There is frost on the car windows but not really anywhere else.

I will spend time in the garden, making what things wish to be made. And I will let the earth better guide my path by listening to what she has to say.

A new Doll

2009-11-17T20:51:00.000-08:00

I was actually disappointed in the photos that I took of this sort of Christmas-y doll. I just don't feel they capture her essence. But I did make her with a matching brooch and hope to have her on-line this week.

I am still having computer issues, amongst some other frustrations that just seem to be sapping my strength. I hate that. I really don't like when I feel like I can't make head way. And, isn't it always that time when the same thing is going one with everyone you know?
But enough whining, I just need to get it together and get the house ready for Christmas. This coming weekend I plan on making a centerpiece for the dining area table. The girls will help. So stay tuned for that.
Peace
K

I am a brave girl

2009-11-12T19:05:00.000-08:00

BeforeBefore I get into why I am a brave girl, I want to let you all know that I am having severe computer issues. My laptop died. And that is making everything difficult. I can't get onto Facebook when I get ahold of a computer to use. I therefore am not at all certain if the blog will be something that continues to get updated in anything like a regular manner. Just a bit of a warning.

Now, I was brave! Super duper brave. I did something that I have wanted to do for many many years. I got a tattoo. Just a small one on my foot.

I have wanted to get inked for probably twenty years, but haven't because I am a chicken. I hate pain and am so terrified of it. And I was never sure what I would want for the rest of my life. I get hennaed frequently, because it is ever-changing art. But a tattoo is forever.

When I was doodling at work, quite a while back while thinking about personal mythology and personal symbolism I came up with my personal symbol. It is an open ended infinity symbol with a dot in the upper end. To me it represents a Ganesh in a boiled down form. The simplest form of the remover of obstacles, wrapped up in forever. When I doodled this, I knew immediately that this is what I wanted and I knew that it had to be on my foot.

It didn't hurt nearly as badly as I thought it would and the tattoo is more then worth it. Chandra is a genius. So, now I just need to get my tramp stamp.

GlitterSniffer!

2009-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Above is a pic of Sister all decked out in her Halloween makeup. She was a re-imagination of a anime/Eighties something. All of her makeup comes from GlitterSniffer Cosmetics. Hands down the best cruelty free makeup out there. The colors will freak you out in the best way. She has a new toxic green that makes me smile every time I see it.

Please check her out. If you have a teen or tween or wild side you aren't scared to show, go to GlitterSniffer!

Traditions

2009-11-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year. The time of year when we seem to naturally turn inward and start thinking about family and traditions. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. They all have traditions that we use to help teach our children the things that we want them to learn. Or traditions that are just really fun.

Growing up, we didn't have very much money. At all. But my mother could cook. She had an imagination that resulted in several fun yearly projects (and a few disasters, like the horseradish inident that sent a friend into labor).

One of the things that we looked forward to was the giant face cookies. They were simple sugar cookies that were painstakingly rolled out, then decorated to look like smiley faces. Each cookie filled a cookie sheet, and took about half a batch of cookie dough. And they took days to eat. Days.

In the above photo are me, my brother and my little sister. And our lovely 1960's wallpaper. This photo was taken in about 1979 or 1980, possibly earlier.
Peace,
K

All I want for Christmas

2009-11-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

is "Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar".

I have "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" and use it all the time. Now, I want cookies.

November 5th 2009

2009-11-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

First of all, Happy Birthday to my friend Dani! I hope that this coming year is better then anything you could hope for.

Now, on to business, such as it is. I redid the pumpkin fabric. It was sitting on the stove cooling. I should have told Vyapti what was going on, but now the fabric is sitting in the compost bin. I will try again this weekend, I hope. I did learn that i want the smaller pumpkins and I want very little water. I let it boil and then simmer for a long time. I am just not sure how to set the color.

I just pulled pumpkin seeds out of the oven. I love pumpkin seeds. I just clean mine and lightly salt them. For me the trick is to let them air dry a bit before I bake them Overnight is usually good. Then into a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, stir them up and then 7 more minutes. They won't last the day.

I will be busy in the studio most of the day, so I should have lots of fun stuff for the next week or so. I hope so. I have wanted to be posting something, even a small post every weekday. But, man that is difficult. I am just not that with it yet.
Peace and pumpkin seeds
K

There were lots of little projects

2009-11-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was busy. Of course there was Halloween, and shopping for Vypati's birthday, and just general being a grown up stuff. And I did try to get photos of it all.

The one thing that I really wanted to get a picture of, but couldn't (although I will try later this week) is the project I did on a whim. As you know, I make dolls. I am always trying to find a way to make them just a touch more artsy, and individual and so on. While picking through pumpkin guts for the pumpkin seeds (which I love!) I thought "Hey, why not dye fabric with pumpkin". So I did. Sort of. Having never done this before, I didn't do it very well. I used too much water and I don't think that I broke down the pumpkin well enough.

The result was a very pale yellowy orange. I have lots of pumpkin and they are cheap this time of year so I will keep at it until I figure it out.
And before we leave, here is my little zombie! She brought home a huge amount of candy.

Lavender Shortbread

2009-10-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

My car died on Tuesday. $500 later it is running again. But I lost two days of getting stuff done. And I feel like I still haven't quite caught up. I had hoped to get the Christmas dolls started. I spent several hours bouncing in and out of the studio. That was frustrating.

Thursday I did manage to make some delightful Lavender Shortbread. It is a slightly modified recipe from VeganYumYumcom. I love this link and the instructions. I didn't use Rosewater. And I added some lemon rind (from one lemon). I like the combination of citrus and lavender, but it is a very strong combination. They play well off each other.

All in all I have a very busy week that was wonderfully productive. Let's see how the weekend shakes out. Happy Halloween!

Super fast Hump day post

2009-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend making cards. This week will be sort of a showcase of what I do. If there is something that catches your eye, please just let me know.

These are going up on Etsy and I will be certain to link them all!

A little spice

2009-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Vypati has a blog. But you know that already. What you may not know is that he has been getting his food out into the interwebs. He has quite a few regular readers and is promoting his blog through other websites. This includes several "food porn" sites.

This photo is of the jalapeno poppers that were filled with his home made cheese sauce. These are totally vegan and totally amazingly delicious. For those who wonder what vegans eat, check out Vyapti's blog!

An extra card

2009-10-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

I thought about just waiting to post this later. But I am so excited about how this card turned out. I really think it is one of the most adorable things I have made in awhile.

A card for Halloween

2009-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to find a way to stay ahead of the blogging game. For me that means being able to post several days ahead and have pictures to go with them. One of the problems that I have is that I don't always have things to post, and I don't always have time to make something. Of course if I were more organized and better at keeping on task and on track perhaps these things would not be a problem.

Anyway, on that note, I spent the weekend making some cards and doing a mix and match kind of thing. What resulted were several cards to post through out this week while I think of a plan! This may be one of the best ideas that I have had for a while.

And as a side note: I am getting my first tatoo sometime in the next couple of months. I have my design and my artist. Now I am just looking for the nerve.

Butterscotch Cookies

2009-10-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I am trying lately is veganizing "traditional" recipes. I grew up using the Better Homes and Gardens cook book. You know the one, with the red checked cover. Now I am looking back to those recipes that I used while I was growing up and asking myself how to make them vegan.

These butterschotch cookies were super simple. Just replace butter with a vegan version of your choosing and use ground flax seed for eggs. These cookies lasted less then a day.

Very quick shop update

2009-10-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Below are some pics of the new items in the etsy shop. Remember, if you see something you like but aren't thrilled with the color or the exact style, just use the convo option on etsy. It will connect you right to me. I love making stuff that makes other people happy!

Merry Christmas (or the joys of internet shopping)

2009-10-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

I am a Facebook junkie.Thanks to Facebook, I can advocate, protest and connect like never before. And now, thanks to some great Facebook friends, I am Christmas shopping early.

Thinkgeek.com has some very fun stuff for the geek on your list. Don't try to tell me that there is no geek on your list, I know you are lying. If there isn't then you are the geek on everybody else's list.Take a peek at the darling little microbs you can buy. I will be sharing the gift of Mad Cow disease this year.

Or how about some Red Shirt Star Trek Cologne. I love the very idea of this. It goes so nicely with the Red Shirt.

Enjoy the early Christmas shopping!

Wintering

2009-10-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

The weather is doing what it does this time of year, here in the Willamette valley. The nights turn chilly, the days cool off, and the mornings are filled with fog. Many of the days are rainy and drizzly (which I love, by the way). This morning I was awakened at 5 am because of a pretty rowdy thunderstorm.

At our house the change in seasons means getting together the winter tea stock. Harvesting the mint plants and hanging them to dry, Vyapti going out and harvesting lavender from a friend, and going to the Kiva market to get the rest of what we need. What started a couple of years ago with me trying to make sure we had pre-made teas that would help comfort you if you had a cold,or if your stomach was upset, has become having well over 20 herbs and spices in nicely labeled containers. I have spent the last couple of days writing up lists of ailments and the corresponding mix to help. This list and a list of herbs and what they work with will be placed in the pantry.

Already, I have had to concoct a mix to help a child that came home from school early with a stomach ailment. This afternoon, my home smelled of chamomile and mint. Somehow, this new home is more conducive to having all of these different things stored away, and it seems to be very welcoming of healing work.

K

Things that shape us

2009-10-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things stick in our subconscious and they stay there buried for years and years and years. I was going through pictures from my childhood and found one of my cousin and I playing dress up.

I love this picture. It is of one of those memories that has always been in my mind. Looking up to my wonderful cousin, who was so amazing. And trust me, nothing has changed, she is still a wonderful role model.

I loved the scratchy dress. It was swishy, and itchy. I remember it smelled old. Not like old bad, just that old smell that holds memories. Someone had worn that dress and flounced around a dance floor. That was the only thing you could do in that dress: FLOUNCE!

Years later, I would get all dolled up to go out and think things like " I just need something over the top" "something vintage." I think it was because of this dress!

Setting aside

2009-10-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

What I learned today is sometimes when you put a project away you are not done. I know that sentence is confusing. But I will explain. I worked this past weekend on a piece that was out of the norm for me. It was a pastel and I am still learning to work with them and to be comfortable with them.

I thought that i was done with it, but after setting it aside for a few days I realized that I had approached it all wrong. That meant starting over. Which I did today. Why is this even worthy of a blog post? Because I also learned today that things like that don't just happen in art. They happen in relationships as well.

I have a relationship that I believed was dealt with.I had firmly put it away. What I learned this morning was I had been approaching the problem all wrong.I had been approaching the problem as a problem. Not as an opportunity to think outside the box. Or an opportunity to help others.

I hope that I can look at more parts of my life and ask "Am I seeing this in the way that it should be seen?" A shift in perspective often brings the solutions to situations that you least expected.

That said, below is part of the piece after I shifted perspective.

OH I suppose I should blog

2009-10-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

But I just haven't been doing much in the studio. A few fiddly little things here and there. Really I just mosty have been reading and helping with homework and things like that.
While looking for a picture for Vyapti for his blog (it is Vegan MOFO after all!) I found an old pic from this past summers vacation. I took some interesting shots. This is one of my favorites and now I am excited to try to turn it into a painting or sketch or something.
Perhaps part of the trouble has been that i have not been taking pictures like I should be. I used to take pictures all the time, usually ten to twenty a day, at least three days a week. That is a lot of photos. I haven't been doing that for awhile. Funny how drama will suck that out of you.
And I don't think we take into consideration how the changing of the seasons can affect us as artists either. I tend to want to write more in the fall, and sew more in the summer.
K

A very special treat

2009-09-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Vyapti went to Portland for a meeting. He brought back treats from SweatPea Bakery! This is a vegan bakery with very yummy treats. I suggest the Pumpkin Biscotti!
Enjoy these pics.