subsixstudios

Shop local this weekend!

2010-11-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

Boycott big box shopping on black Friday. Come to the Women's Fesitval of Crafts instead. Shop local. Shop handmade.

Subsixstudios

2010-11-23T19:16:00.001-08:00

Subsixstudios, originally uploaded by subsixstudios.

The Queen City Craft Bazaar was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who came down to support local, handmade shopping!

Be there!

2010-11-15T20:03:00.001-08:00

Recycled Leather Earrings

2010-11-13T07:39:00.001-08:00

IMG_20101113_092620.jpg, originally uploaded by subsixstudios.

Recycled leather hoop earrings in gray! Grab some at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Nov. 20th

Recycled Leather Hoop Earrings

2010-11-13T07:36:00.001-08:00

IMG_20101113_093117.jpg, originally uploaded by subsixstudios.

New recycled leather hoop earrings will be available at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday November 20th!

Studio update

2010-09-27T14:37:00.001-07:00

black leather feather earrings, originally uploaded by subsixstudios.

My fascination with fabrics and texture continues as I venture into a new territory with leather. I received some wonderful recycled scraps of super soft leather and decided to create some earrings. First out of the gate are these feather leather earrings. I made two pairs and sold them the first day they were in the shop. More in black will be listed soon, but for now they are also available in tan.

I am excited to further my exploration with this new medium. I will be adding lots of new designs in the coming weeks.

Lost and then found

2010-09-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

I came into work this morning and was helping to clean up the space where we had our Art Hop party on Friday night whenI found my missing necklace crumpled up like a piece of trash on a table in the back of the room. I have no idea if it was a small child who had taken it off the display and just left it back there or if someone had indeed stolen it and returned it on Saturday, but I am just grateful to have it back. It isn't broken but it will need to be repaired. I am happy to have it back but really bummed that it was treated like a piece of garbage. Shame on you if you actually tried to steal it. Artists put in a lot of time and energy into creating work for this show. If it wasn't intentional and was a small child who was just curious - let this be a reminder to parents to be more careful with your children at Art events. It was very upsetting for me to have thought I lost it, but to have found it in the condition it was in hurts just as much.

At any rate I am happy to have it and will be putting it up for sale on my site as soon as I get it fixed.

Thank you all for the wonderful support you gave me by spreading the word.

Help me catch a thief

2010-09-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

Hey Burlington! Have you seen this necklace?

It was stolen from my Art Hop display at Burton Snowboards on Friday 9/10 during our opening reception party. We put on a great party with food and live music, drinks and lots of good art. Someone decided that wasn't enough and took it upon themselves to steal this necklace right off of my display. For so many reasons that is just lame. I only made one of these so if you happen to see it around town on someone - it is a stolen piece of merchandise. I just want the necklace returned. If you know who has it please leave an anonymous comment and let me know.

thanks

Art Hop 2010

2010-09-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

I will be participating in the South End Arts and Business Association Art Hop this coming weekend!

Friday 9/10 I will be showing a display of my work at the Burton Snowboards Employee show called 77 Reasons. We are having an opening reception from 5-8pm at the Burton headquarters located at 80 Industrial Parkway in Burlington VT. Live music, food and beverages along with a wonderful selection of art work by the employees of Burton. We are the first stop on the Art Hop map. Start your evening with us!

Saturday 9/11 I will be selling my products at the much anticipated Fashion/Accessory Extravaganza! Fashion designers, jewelers and creators of other fashion accessories will be set up to sell their wares at the Art Hop bazaar. 9:00am - 3:00pm behind the Maltex Building, 431 Pine Street - Site #17

The Vincenza Collection

2010-08-30T13:57:00.001-07:00

The Vincenza Collection, originally uploaded by subsixstudios.

Sneak Peak

2010-08-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

I have been busy thinking up some new designs for a collection which will be featured in the 2010 South End Art Hop here in Burlington. My work will be on display at the Burton Snowboards employee art show called 77 Reasons during the art hop. Opening reception is Friday September 10th.

In addition to working on my line of fiber accessories called Tessuto I have also been playing with vintage chain. Here is a sneak piece from my upcoming vintage chain collection called Vincenza.

New Rings

2010-08-18T13:55:00.001-07:00

Etsy
subsixstudios

2010-08-10T19:38:00.001-07:00

hibiscus, originally uploaded by subsixstudios.

I am need of a little inspiration. I have several shows coming up (one is a month away - eek!) that I must prepare for and I am feeling a bit lost. I have lots of ideas floating around my head right now, but every time I sit down to create something my mind goes blank. I am forcing myself to take a stroll through thrift stores this week while on my lunch break. I'll take lots of pictures and post them here. Hopefully I will find some inspiration in them and so will you!

summer fun

2010-08-08T19:04:00.001-07:00

summer fun, originally uploaded by subsixstudios.

how to be alone

2010-08-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

blueberries

2010-08-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

Lots and lots of blueberries were picked, washed and bagged up for the freezer. It is wonderful being able to enjoy organic VT blueberries through the winter.

good morning sunshine

2010-08-07T15:42:00.001-07:00

good morning sunshine
Originally uploaded by subsixstudios

I love mornings on my back deck. I don't get to enjoy them as much as I used to. This morning was just perfect though. Cooler weather and a hot cup of coffee. Divine.

New Tattoo

2010-08-02T19:10:00.000-07:00

2010-07-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

Eek! It has been a very long time since I have taken any creative time for myself. Summer is half way over and I actually looking forward to fall so I don't have to feel guilty about working through the summer anymore. This summer was my first in 4 years that I have worked outside of the home and been away from my kids. I love my new job, but I miss my kids and my garden so much. The kids are having fun in summer camps, but I can't help feeling guilty that they are not home. I miss lazy summer mornings, coffee on the back deck, gardening, trips to the beach and library, and strolls down Church Street.

I just applied for the Women's Festival of Crafts happening in November here in Burlington and I hope to be involved in the Art Hop in September. This is all a kick in the butt to get my act in gear and start designing some fall/winter accessories. I have an obsession with chains and fiber right now and I can't wait to start creating.

For now I am going to enjoy the last 30 minutes or so of daylight and actually sit down on my back deck and enjoy my over grown gardens. I'll weed you soon gardens - I promise.

2010-05-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (Saturday May 8th) I will be at Union Station for the Queen City Craft Bazaar from 10am - 5pm.

Come on down!

New Products

2010-04-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

I have been busy stocking up on inventory for the Queen City Craft Bazaar. Here is a sneak peak at some of the new products I will have at the show.

2009-11-29T17:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished up a three day craft show at the Women's Festival of Crafts in Burlington. Thank you to all my wonderful customers! It was an amazing show!

I will be attending one last sale next Saturday Dec 5th. It is an open studio sale with a few artists selling their wares. It is a wonderful mix of items. Please stop by if you are in the area. Details are below.

Multi Studio Sale

Saturday December 5th 11-6
39 Front Street, Burlington
864-9360

News

2009-09-24T16:43:00.001-07:00

Two bits of good news:

1. I was recently accepted into the Women's Festival of Crafts. The now three day event will be at City Hall in Burlington VT November 27-29th. This will be my third year doing this show and I am very excited they have extended the days. The show will now open on Friday November 27th from 5-9pm and then all day Saturday the 28th and Sunday the 29th.

2. Trinket on Church Street in Burlington has sold out of my fabric necklaces. I will be dropping off more in the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

Changes

2009-08-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

Life has thrown me a curve ball and I have found myself back to work in the real world. I recently took a job as an eCommerce analyst which means I am once again a working mama. I have been home with my kids full time for the past 4 years. It has been wonderful and I have loved every minute of it but it was time for many reasons for me to go back to work outside of the home.

I have been avoiding my blog because it was a way for me to not deal with the big question hanging over my head. What will become of my craft business? I am currently still producing and plan on continuing but at a different pace. I look forward to the challenge or working outside the home and running my little business. The key to keeping it going is to finally decide what has been working and not working for me. I plan on sticking with earrings and fiber arts. I have had a great summer selling my wash cloths at the Burlington farmers market through the wonderful Missy Bly of Clean City Soap. She created a super cute display incorporating my wash cloths with her handmade soaps. My new fiber necklaces and scarves are selling well at Trinket on Church St in Burlington and the response from people has been great so I plan on keeping those going also.

I am excited to announce that I will have work from my fiber arts collection on display at the Art Hop this year as a part of the Burton employee show. Kick off the Art Hop this Friday 9/11 at the Burton reception from 5-8pm. Food, drink, music, and lots of art. Read more about the event here.

Blueberries

2009-08-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

I picked a lot of blueberries today. I had my two kids with me but they ate more than they picked. I love freezing blueberries and having them for the winter. I did this last year and I had enough frozen berries to last me through March.

Weekend upate

2009-07-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

I am back from a wild weekend away by myself. This was only the second time I have ever left my family since becoming a mom almost 8 years ago. It was a much needed break. Two nights of reconnecting with lost friends. Some I haven't seen in 15 years. As much as I missed my family it was wonderful to be on my own for three days. No kids to watch, no butts to wipe, no one to feed but myself. I missed them madly but it was worth it. The trip also made me miss home a lot. A place I couldn't wait to get away from when I was younger, a place I now find myself wanting to be in again. My life seems to sometimes be one of always living in the past and future. Never the present.

This weekend was all about living in the moment, enjoying, reconnecting, remembering, wondering, reliving, and just plain being.

Let there be lettuce

2009-07-22T05:48:00.001-07:00

Let there be lettuce
Originally uploaded by subsixstudios

I harvested lettuce from my garden yesterday. I love lettuce. I wait all winter for fresh grown. There is nothing like it.

fabric and fiber

2009-07-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

Tessuto is Italian for fabric. Fabric is not only a cloth produced by knitting, weaving, or felting fibers, but it also means a style or method of construction. To me it was the perfect name for my new line of accessories constructed using various types of fabrics and fibers.

Now selling at Trinket! Some products from my new Tessuto line are now available at Trinket 32 1/2 Church St, Burlington VT.

Trinket

Trinket is a new store located at 32 1/2 Church St (on the top block) in Burlington VT. Rachel Strules (owner of Sweet Lady Jane and Tribeca) decided to open this accessory only store in February of 2009.
I am proud to announce that products from my new Fabric and Fiber line of scarves and necklaces are now being sold at Trinket. Trinket also sells a lot of work from other local artists. Stop in on the top block of Church Street next time you are in town.

Fabric Necklaces

2009-07-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have combined my love of jewelry with my love of fabrics and started making some fabric necklaces. Fabric necklaces can be worn long, they can be worn short, they can be worn as a necklace, accessory, or even a scarf by triple wrapping it around your neck. I have two styles and colors in my shop now. One version is made from 16 loops of fabric and the other is a lighter version with only 6 loops. Both styles are super versatile and can be worn in many ways. Keep your eyes peeled for more types of fabric necklaces in my shop as I continue to experiment with different materials.

Check out all the styles and colors in my online shop.

Sale!

2009-06-29T05:33:00.000-07:00

Everything under $25 is $10

I'm going to keep the sale going for a few days but it won't last more than that. There are a lot of products to choose from. Have fun! View all sale products here.

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
subsixstudios.etsy.com

Food, Inc.

2009-06-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

How much do we really know about the food we buy in the supermarket and serve to our families?

I am very excited about this movie. Please watch the trailer, watch the movie when it comes out, and get involved. I truly believe that food (or the lack of real food) is the biggest health crisis we have in this country. We have to open our eyes, read the labels, educate ourselves, stand up and say no more!

Curve ball

2009-06-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

4 year ago I wrote this post when I was about to quit my full time job to stay home with my children full time. I had a budding jewelry business and high hopes of getting my childbirth education certificate so I could start teaching. Here I am 4 years later contemplating the opposite. I am actually interviewing to go back to work outside of the home. How did I get here? Well the economy went to shit, my husband had to take a pay cut this year when his company had lay offs, house taxes went up, and the list goes on and on. We were skimming by for the past 4 years but now we are beginning to sink. I never finished my childbirth certification class like I wanted, my jewelry business gives me some spending money from time to time, I have had some consulting work on and off, but nothing that provides the steady extra income we now require. It sucks. I am sad.

I can't help but think perhaps if I had just finished the things I had set out to finish I would be in a different place. I am excited about new challenges, but nervous about all I will be giving up at home. At this point so much is up in the air. I am doing lots of interviewing right now for several very exciting opportunities. I am hoping that the right one will fall into place. I will choose to think positively and keep moving forward as I always do.

Monday harvest

2009-06-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

CSA Farmshare
Originally uploaded by subsixstudios

I love Mondays now that summer is here because it means my weekly pick up of my CSA farmshare. This week I received two heads of lettuce, salad mix, garlic scapes, pint of strawberries, dill, scallions, and cilantro.

Ever wonder what to do with garlic scapes? There are many possibilities but my favorites are to add them to stir fries, make garlic scape mashed potatoes, or garlic scape pesto.

Here is a recipe for garlic scape pesto.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Ingredients:
1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup walnuts
¾ cup olive oil
¼-1/2 cup grated parmigiano
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Directions:
Place scapes and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until mixed. Scoop pesto out of bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Mustard greens

2009-06-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Mustard greens
Originally uploaded by subsixstudios

It was time to harvest my mustard greens today. My first summer harvest. I love putting mustard greens in my salad. Gives it a nice spicy kick. In other garden news my starwberries are growing and turning red. I can't wait to pick fresh berries from my plants this year. I also can't wait for my garlic to be ready. I am really sick of buying garlic from Argentina.

Shop update

2009-06-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Lots of new stuff in my shop!

Eat good food: Baked ziti with roasted peppers

2009-05-28T05:46:00.000-07:00

The original recipe comes from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics I have altered it slightly and put my version here.

Ingredients:
Tomoato sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 28 oz can of crushed tomoatoes
1 tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning

2 Red peppers, seeded, and cut into long strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound penne
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups grated provolone cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Directions:

In a saucepan, warm the oil and saute the onions, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper on medium heat until the onions are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat the broiler. Lightly oil a baking pan. Breing a large pot of salted water to boil.

In a bowl toss the peppers with oil. Spread them evenly on the baking pan and broil for about 10 minutes, until soft and slightly brown. Set aside and lower the oven temp to 350 degrees.

When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. While the pasta cooks, stir together the two cheeses, the garlic, basil, and oregano. When the pasts is al dente, drain it and stir it into the cheese mixture.

To assemble, spread 2 cups of the tomato sauce in the baking pan. Layer on the pasta and cheese, the roasted peppers, and finally cover with the rest of the tomato sauce. Bake for 20-30 minutes until piping hot.

What a weekend!

2009-05-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Friday was my birthday. JB took the day off from work so I was able to enjoy a lot of gardening time. Later on we all went out for dinner at American Flatbread and enjoyed some delicious pizza and lovely desserts. I had originally wanted to have some friends over in the evening but because of the holiday weekend most people were away. Despite the lack of a big celebration I felt like it was a very satisfying birthday. I had a wonderful time with my family and received some lovely gifts.

lovely milk glass ring my husband bought me off of Etsy from this wonderful seller

Another gift: the new Neko Case CD. Love it!

JB enjoying a locally brewed beer at American Flatbread

Saturday was a busy day. My littlest turned 4 last week but we had to postpone his birthday party because the whole family got very sick. We recovered in time for this weekend so we had his party on Saturday instead. Just a few of his little friends, pizza and cake. He had a blast. It was low key and nice.

After his party we headed to a goodbye VT party. Some of our closest friends are moving to Boston so they threw an afternoon/early evening celebration that consisted of a keg of Switchback (local VT brew), good food, and great conversation. The weather was gorgeous so we rode our bikes to their house. they live right on the bike path so it is a quick trip for us. It was a lot of fun but very bittersweet. We will miss them deeply.

Sunday was a lounge day for us. We were all exhausted from the festivities the day before so we stayed low key for most of the day. We have become friendly with another family from my son's school and they had invited us over for a BBQ at their house so off we went again. I made a potato salad to bring and surprised myself by eating fish (blue fish) at the party. It was good! I am slowly trying to include fish in my diet (I have been a veggie for 16 years.

new bistro set

Today I splurged and spent some of my birthday money on a three piece bistro set for my deck. I recently lost my glass top table when a wind storm swept my umbrella up and then landed on top of my table shattering it to pieces. I couldn't afford to get a new one this year but thought this little bistro set would do the trick. I just love it! I also recently sold my chiminea pot and used the money to buy a metal fire pit today. I love shopping without really spending any money.

fire bowl

Fairy House

2009-05-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

My oldest son just finished the Spiderwick Chronicles and is obsessed with fairies and all the likings. It tickles me pick that he is so into the world of the unseen. I am reading the books now too so I can have a better feel for what is going on in his head right now. I welcome this new phase of imagination and play and I want to encourage it as much as I can. I figured since most of the family is home sick today it might be a good time to build our own fairy house in the back yard. My kids were very excited about this idea. We found some good info on fairy houses here.

The boys found a hollow log we were using for decoration in our garden and they thought it would be perfect. You can also start with sticks and bark or whatever else you can find. The more natural the better. Using glue and rope might be a sign to the fairies that the house is man made and turn them off from entering. We then used some bark, grass, pine cones, broken shells, and dandelions to decorate our house. The last step is to put a small gift to the fairies inside the house.

We had a lot of fun making the fairy house and plan on making more throughout the yard. I can't deny that I still believe in fairies. These houses are as much for me as they are for the kids.

Make one today. They are fun and easy and require no money. Back yard fun is free fun!

Yellow flower fabric earrings

2009-05-16T00:18:00.000-07:00

Yellow flower fabric earrings
Originally uploaded by subsixstudios

New for summer! light weight fabric earrings. get them here. Lots of other colors available too.

Craft show recap

2009-05-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

here is a picture of my booth

On Saturday I had the spring edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar. It was my first time talking on the show myself. I had people working with me of course but it was my first solo show without my dear from Sara who started them. Since her move I created a craft organization in Burlington called Queen City Craft. Producing the show is one of the things I do. All in all the show was a big success I think. Spring shows are tough. Summer and the holidays are the biggest selling seasons for crafting. The hits of the economy can be seen at craft shows as well. People were buying but just not as much, and smaller ticket items. I had a great time and I think most of the people involved did as well. If you are interested in seeing pictures from the show click here.

I was thrilled beyond belief to find in my inbox on Monday these two reviews of the show. Not only did they review the show but each one also featured some of my products as well as other crafters from the event.

Not only am I happy for the great reviews, but also because I have found two new indie craft blogs to love.

Here are the two reviews:

Paper + Stitch

Cloth, Paper, Stitches

fruits of my labor

2009-05-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

fruits of my labor
Originally uploaded by subsixstudios

Here is a peek at my seedlings that I started indoors this year. I have been bringing them outside every day to harden them off. I planted Basil, oregano, chives, sunflowers, sweet pea, Italian flat parsley, zinnia, cosmo, and lavender.

I look forward to planting them in the garden in a few weeks.

Reusable Errand Bags

2009-04-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

We all know we should be using reusable bags when we go to the grocery store. If you are like me you own the big sturdy kind that can hold lots of heavy food items. But what about when you go into the drug store, or one of the box stores to just pick up a few light items. I don't think to bring in my big rugged food shopping bags just to go pick up a new pair of socks. A lighter weight small bag is what you need. Introducing my new line of reusable errand bags made from recycled t-shirts. Making reusable bags from t-shirts is not a new idea. There are tutorials for how to do it all over the Internet. What makes them unique are the types of t-shirts you use. I have several new bags I will be selling at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on May 9th. I may throw a few up in my Etsy shop soon as well.

Welcome Odie!

2009-04-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago tomorrow we picked Odie up in NH. He made the long trek from TN on a truck with lots of other dogs waiting to meet their new owners. It was a crazy drive down because we did it in one day. We thought we would have more time to hang out but it was raining when we got to the pick up site so we just got him off the truck, bonded as much as we could in the rain for a few minutes, then loaded him up in the car and headed back to VT. I can't believe it has only been two weeks because I feel like he has been living with us for months. He is a super sweet and settled into our home immediately. He is very easy going. After our experience with Zimo I am now convinced this was all meant to be.

I have more tales to tell about this past week. I will fill you in this weekend. Right now I must go enjoy my deck because it is so warm out and the kids are in bed.

xoxo

2009-04-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the slight disappearance. Things have been a bit hectic over here. My husband went away for work and of course I got hit with the worst migraine I have had in a long time. I think the last when was during another work trip of his. Pattern here anyone? Yes I know that stress is one of the many triggers of my headaches. They have been in control (somewhat) over the past few years. I still get them daily but I hadn't had one that knocked me on the couch for some time. Mostly I can just walk around with them and look semi normal. Since the death of our dog, John's travels, money problems (the list goes on) I have noticed an increase in my headaches. Luckily I have an appointment in May to see a new Dr at a great headache clinic. I am not holding out hope but I am excited to see if they have anything new tell me.

Odie

In some exciting news we have decided to adopt another dog. His name is Odie and he is between 12-15 months old. He was a stray and spent a lot of time in a shelter in TN before finding a wonderful foster home where he has been for the past 4 months. We went through the same organization where we got Zimo. Golden Huggs Rescue. I know I have said it before but the two woman who run this and their team of volunteers are amazing! If you live in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Maine or Vermont and are considering rescuing a dog please try this organization.

We were supposed to pick up Odie last Saturday but tornadoes hit TN pretty hard and he missed getting on the transport truck. We were sad to not be able to get him but we are glad he and his foster mom are ok. So he will make the trek from TN to NH this week instead and we will travel to NH to get him on Saturday. We are all very excited to meet our new best friend.

Besides getting the house and yard ready for Odie I have been planting more seeds (lavender, basil, and zinnias) and working on my garden beds. The garlic I planted last fall is now peeking out in my raised bed. I love growing garlic. Last year was my first attempt. I hope I get a better yield this time.

I have also had my head deep in planning a spring craft show. I run an organization called Queen City Craft and I will be putting on the spring edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar on May 9th. 46 amazing indie crafters will be there selling their wares.

I am going to put S down for his nap and cuddle on the couch with a cup of tea. It is cold and damp here today. Bring back the warmth!

xoxo

Spring is in the air

2009-03-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

The snow in my yard is almost gone. Once the afternoon sun warms up the ground my boots sometimes squish in the mud. I love that. The air smells fresh and the birds are coming back. Signs of spring are all around. Yesterday I got out in the yard to start some raking. I cleared out my front yard garden bed and discovered some tulips popping up. I planted a ton of fall bulbs last year so I am very excited to see what new treasures I will find this year.

my herb and flower flat

italian flat parsley

A few weeks ago I started some seeds inside. I planted Italian flat parsley, oregano, chives and snap dragons. I haven't planted from seed too many times before so I decided to start with herbs and flower this year and stick to buying my veggies from plant.

chives

I have been busy working on my garden plan. I want to add to more small grow beds for my kids to call their own. After reading this great book called Grow it, Cook it each kid decided what they want to plant in their gardens. I also plan on ripping up more grass (hate it) and putting in a new path way that leads to my grow bed area. I will be adding low creeping thyme between the stepping stones and around the edges of my raised beds.

Last fall I started working on creating a children's garden. I moved the sandbox and playhouse to one area of the yard and dug out a half circle of garden space around it. My plan is to grow tall bush like plants giving the area a wall creating a "secret" space for the kids to play.

I absolutely love this time of the year. I sit on my deck sipping warm tea, staring at my yard dreaming of what I can do this upcoming season.

Happy spring!

Moving on

2009-03-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

Friday was a week since Zimo's death. Needless to say it was a very long week. The warm spring weather didn't help our grief. I found myself pining for his companionship. I missed taking him on walks, playing outside and trips to the dog park. I miss him. I surprised myself though and started looking through the list of available dogs for adoption. At first I felt guilty and then I found it brought great comfort to me for some reason. The experience of adopting a dog in need had such an impact on my life I now realize I will be involved with adoption forever.

The day Zimo died I swore I would never get another pet. I could not possibly go through this level of loss again. As the week went on and I had more time to reflect I suddenly realized I was thinking about it all in the wrong way. I could not let my fear of loss hold me back. I had in fact chosen to get pregnant again after losing my first baby despite the incredible amount of loss and grief losing "little" brought me. Loving and losing is hard but if we are so afraid of it why do we get married, have children, form friendships, or get into relationships when we know one day we will lose them all? We do it because we were meant to love. For this reason I have decided that adopting another dog is what I want to do. My family on the other hand might not be quite so ready. I will need to give them the time they need to grieve and heal in their own way and when we are all ready we will make the decision together.

The hard part is I actually found a dog from the adoption list that in my opinion seems perfect for us. I can't stop thinking about him. he is currently in a foster home but needs to find a forever home. When you adopt a dog out of foster care you are actually saving two lives. The dog you adopt and another one because once you rescue the dog out of the foster home it opens up a space for another dog to be pulled out of the high kill shelter and give them a longer chance at living. It is a wonderful thing.

My heart will always love Zimo but I know I have room to love again. I choose to believe he would want us to save another one of his friends from the South who so desperately want to be adopted.

Goodbye sweet Zimo

2009-03-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

Zimo at about 3 months. This was the picture we saw in the Internet and fell in love with.

Our beloved Zimo, who we adopted last summer passed away on Friday. He was 11 months old. It happened within a matter of minutes. He has been healthy with absolutely no problems whatsoever. He had a normal day at home with me today as he always does. At around 4:00 as the kids were sitting on the couch and I was at my desk, Zimo was laying on his favorite dog bed in the middle of the living room and he started convulsing. I immediately called the emergency vet number but as I was on the phone with them getting directions in a matter of minutes his bowls went and the convulsions started slowing down. I knew at this point he was gone. I ran next door to get my neighbor to watch the kids so I could rush him to the vet but she confirmed he was really gone. I don't understand. He went from normal to dead in 5 minutes. We are told it must have been a genetic issue with his heart or brain. There were no warning signs, he did not seem to suffer at all. It just happened so fast. Before I could really understand what was happening he was gone.

Getting Zimo off the truck after his trip from Tennessee.

getting ready for the drive back to VT

Adopting Zimo was a long journey for us. We took a few years discussing the idea of getting a dog and researching what we wanted to get. Zimo came into our life on a whim. We adopted him from a local rescue organization called Golden Hugs Rescue. They rescue dogs who are homeless in the South and have them transported to the East Coast. We fell in love with his picture on the Internet and traveled to NH to meet him after his long journey from Tennessee.

He was young and crazy at first but quickly became a part of our family.

I miss everything. I miss his dog hair all over the house, I miss having to take him out go to the bathroom on freezing cold days, I miss our long walks, I miss taking him to the dog park, I miss playing ball in the back yard, and I miss his non stop need for love and attention. I miss him. This morning after dropping off the kids at school, coming home to an empty house was very hard. The house is so quiet and I just don't know what to do with my self right now. It just doesn't seem fair.

We are beside ourselves with grief. He was just about to turn 1 and was just way too young.

I don't know that I can do this again. A part of me wants to adopt again soon because life without a dog seems so strange now. The other part of me is so afraid to go through this loss again. I know what happened to Zimo was very rare but it hurts so much to think about it. I can't get the image of my puppy dying in front of me out of my head. For some reason I am finding comfort in looking at other rescue dogs who need homes. At first I felt guilty about doing it but now I see it more as an honor to Zimo.

enzo with his best pal Zimo last month.

I have no regrets about adopting him. He was meant to be on this earth for a short time for some reason but we rescued him when he needed a home and we gave him a wonderful life while he was here. Please consider adoption if you are getting a pet. We learned through this process that there are so many unwanted animals out there. Zimo had been found in a box with 10 other puppies. Just left by themselves. If you are in VT, ME, NH, MA please consider Golden Huggs Rescue. I cannot even being to explain how incredibly helpful they were to us from the beginning to the end. If and when we are ever ready to take on another dog we will absolutely rescue with them again.

Thank you Zimo for coming into our lives and showing us how much love we have to give. I regret that your last day with us wasn't the best. It was too cold and icey to play ball outside, I had too many errands to run to spend as much quality time with you that day as I normally do. I wish I had stopped and given you one last hug before you went away. I will continue to feel good about the fact that we gave you a loving home and you were able to be at home with me every singe day since we got you. I have learned to slow down a little bit more and make sure each day I have with my family is the best it can be. Life is short and unpredictable. Hug the ones you have in your life - human and non just a bit tighter today.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow does not yet exist, we only really have today.

Goodbye Zimo. We love you very much.

xoxo

Tea

2009-03-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

Tea
Originally uploaded by subsixstudios

I am a lover of tea. I used to be a lover of coffee but we got into a big fight after I had my babies and we broke up. Since then tea has been my daily calm. My favorite tea right now is Yogi Tea lemon ginger in the morning and Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice in the afternoon. A good hot cup of chamomile is always the best way to end the day before bed.

looking for light

2009-03-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

I feel like I am losing it today. Money, winter blues, it's all adding up.

breaded polenta cutlets

2009-02-11T04:12:00.000-08:00

This is one of my new favorite recipes. It is from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classic cookbook. (I have only changed the original slightly by omitting ground fennel.) I served these with potato parsnip gratin, green beans and a salad. The kids chose to dip them in ketchup (big surprise), and I found they were great as leftovers too.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornmeal or dried polenta
1 cup chopped onions
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 cup herbed bread crumbs
(to make your own breadcrumbs pulverize stale or lightly toasted whole wheat, sourdough, or french bread in a blender or food processor. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram, and add a dash of salt and black pepper)

Directions:
1. Bring the salt and water to a boil. Gradually pour in the cornmeal and stir briskly with a whisk until the polenta begins to thicken. Lower heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the polenta tastes done.

2. Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic in the oil on medium heat for about 7 minutes. Remove the cooked polenta from the heat. Stir in the onion/garlic mixture, and if using , the cheese. Add salt to taste.

3. Pour the hot polenta onto an oiled baking tray or 10 inch pie pan to about 3/4 inch thick. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The polenta will thicken as it cools. *Side note - Polenta can be refrigerated for 3-4 days so you could always do this step one day and finish the dish another.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

5. In a large bowl, whisk the egg until foamy and then whisk in the milk. Place the bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. With a table knife, cut the cooled polena into squares, rectangles, diamonds, or other shapes. Line up in order the pan of cutlets, the egg mixture, the bread crumbs, and the oiled baking sheet.

6. Lift one cutlet at a time with a spatula and dip it into the egg mixture. A light coating of egg is best, so gently shake off the excess. Then dip each cutlet in the bowl of bread crumbs and coat well. Arrange the breaded cutlets on the baking sheet about one inch apart.

7. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown on both sides, turning once after about 20 minutes.

enjoy!

DIY Domestic - Changing up your house on the cheap.

2009-02-10T05:48:00.000-08:00

I bought my little house 4 years ago and since then the list of what I want to do to it has grown. Being on a tight budget has taught me how to change things up on the cheap. The past few summers I have worked on the garden and yard. The house came with a well established perennial garden so it has been easy to transform my yard without having to buy new buy using what I have by creating new gardens, moving plants and starting new ones. It is a labor of love that I so thoroughly enjoy. This however only feeds my DIY domestic bug in the summer months. During the winter I am trapped inside going crazy. I have found several simple ways to make a difference in your home for not much money.

1. Reorganize your furniture. It is amazing what a difference this can make. It is very common in my house for my husband to leave for work and come home to a room that has been completely changed up. When the bug strikes I need to attack. Last week it was my kitchen that was calling me. First thing I did was move a few pieces of furniture around. I don't have a ton of options because of where my woodstove is but I was able to make pretty big difference by making a few small moves. I don't have a before picture but here are the afters:

after

The table used to be in the middle of the room and the hoosier cabinet was on the opposite wall where that large picture is now hanging. Before the it was even there it lived in our living room and was filled with office papers. I finally took down this large ugly wall mounted coat rack (where the picture on the left is now) and we started hanging out coats up in the living room closet instead. It is amazing how much less cluttered it looked. Next up in this room will be paint on the walls and one day (after I win the lottery) new flooring.

The next day I attacked the other side of the kitchen. The side I cringe at each day. The cabinets are very dark, it has an old built in oven and separate cook top (both almond colored) with very tired looking counter tops and hideous back splash tiling. My long term goal is to rip out all the cabinets, get a normal one piece range, add a dishwasher and create a free standing kitchen with no cabinets. I am addicted to free standing kitchens, but I will talk more about that later.

Since this won't happen for sometime my short term goal is to paint the cabinets this spring. I'm getting way off track here with my kitchen dreams. Back to reality. Number 2 on the list of easy DIY domestic changes to make to you home is:

2. Declutter. Decluttering your home makes it look bigger, cleaner, and gives you such satisfaction. So the next day I started with decluttering some of the cabinets. It felt so amazing to finally clean out the junk drawer that hadn't been touched in about 4 years.

3. Take a little here / Give a little there. This means take down a shelf you don't like or remove a door that makes the house more open etc.

My next project using #3 was creating a shoe/hat closet. One of my biggest pet peeves about my house is not having a porch or mudroom. We remove our shoes when we enter the house but I cannot stand piles of shoes and wet boots on the floor in my kitchen. I have tried it all. I had shoe rack, shoe box, shoe bucket, you name it and we tried it. It never satisfied me. The other day a light bulb went off in my head. Next to the side door which we use to come and go from the house is a large food closet that sits between the refrigerator and the door. When you swing open the first door a door with shelves then swings out to the right opening up to more shelving inside a very deep closet. We have been using this for food storage since we lived in the house. The swinging door has been bugging us so I decided to take it off, clean out the food (most of which could be thrown out of moved to other cabinets), placed a mud tray on the bottom and moved my hat/mitten baskets to the other shelves. Instant boot closet. Now the kids come in, take off their stuff and put it away in the closet. My kitchen floor doesn't look like a mess of boots and shoes anymore and all is good. Here are the before and after pics. The picture quality is crappy but you will get the drift.

Before as a food closet

After as a boot and hat closet

Other cheap ways to change up your house

4. paint
5. change up the pictures on your walls, make new art etc.
6. add plants

what have you done? anything else to add to the list?

Big step

2009-02-05T05:57:00.000-08:00

I have talked about my love of writing poetry here before. I have been writing since I was very young. I was very active in college by reading and performing at special events, taking poetry writing classes, and I was even published twice in the literary magazine published by the school. Since college though I have not publicly read or submitted my work. I recently stumbled upon a local event happening here in Burlington called F@#* Valentines Day poetry night. I have decided the time is right. I am going for it. I plan on attending and signing up to read. Last night I pulled out some of my older notebooks and my final portfolio I did for my last poetry class. Reading my professors final words gave me the inspiration I needed to do this. Her final statement was "You will be a strong writer if you want to be. Keep reading and keep writing." I am not sure why I have put this on the back burner but it is time to move it to the front.

At first I started to stress about how I would pick just one to be my first. Then it hit me and I just knew. I have waited 15 years to read this one particular poem and I can't wait!

wish me luck!

Winter reflections

2009-01-30T04:45:00.000-08:00

I have officially hit a slump. Call it the mid winter blues if you will but I have hit hard. I used to love winter back when I could actually snowboard. Two kids and no money makes that pretty hard these days. Everything seems harder in the winter. Putting on and taking off all the necessary layers multiple times a day, trying to find a way to exercise the dog, and trying to find a way to exercise me are adding up to my hatred of winter. I am a summer gal. I am a garden goddess. I need to spend at least part of every day digging in the dirt. I love taking breaks from working by sitting in the warm sun in my backyard with a cup of tea.

Now I sip my tea indoors, looking out my back slider at the mounds of snow covering my garden beds, covering my backyard living space, covering up my release. I feel stuffed. Stuffed inside this tiny cottage with no privacy, no air, no movement. During the summer my living space expands and I finally have more room to breath. My deck becomes my night time hang out - giving my husband and I space if we need it. I can talk on the phone in peace or build a backyard fire to relax and get away from the computer and TV.

I love my backyard. Every winter around this time I start planning my garden. What to plant in the existing beds, where to put some new beds, what part of the yard I can dig up and transform this year. I enjoy making a garden journal with my children. We list out what we want to plant, make a map, and then we take before and after pictures each season. It is also a great way to record what worked or didn't work in your garden.

Winter isn't all that bad I guess. I do welcome the slowness and reflection it brings each year. I am not quite sure I would actually want to garden all year long. It is nice to take a break from yard work and get refreshed for the next season. I love watching my kids playing in the snow. There is something priceless about the simple act of sledding, building snowmen, and sticking you tongue high into the air to catch a fresh flake.

I guess instead of letting the winter blues take over I will choose to enjoy the last few months where it is ok to slow down and reflect. Summer will be here before I know it and so will raking leaves, entertaining two kids on vacation, daily yard work, bike rides, trips to the lake, park adventures, camping, house projects - and the list goes on and on. See, I'm exhausted already just talking about it. Instead I will go start up the wood stove, make a pot of tea and enjoy the winter stillness.

25 things about me

2009-01-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

I was tagged to do this on facebook but I thought I would share the list here for my non facebook readers.

1. I suffer from daily chronic headaches. I am good at hiding it. You may see me acting normal but almost every day my head is throbbing.

2. My husband and I only knew each other for one year before getting married.

3. I love talking on the phone

4. I have been writing poetry since I was in elementary school. One of my dreams is to self publish books of my stuff.

5. I have never been to NYC

6. I miss living in San Francisco so much but I can't imagine ever leaving VT again.

7. All of my friends are from random times in my life. I hate how spread out they all are.

8. I love beer. I can't stand liquor or drink wine but the taste of beer is oh so fine.

9. My mother was diagnosed with MS this year and my nephew had his second brain surgery for epilepsy. It has been a tough year.

10. I love gardening. It is like therapy for me.

11. I love staying home with my kids but sometimes I do miss adult interaction.

12. Since having my kids I can no longer drink coffee. I used to drink it daily but now my body can't take it.

13. Sometimes I think the internet has killed my ability to write in my journal. When I pick up a pen now it is hard to actually write with one. I have been keeping a journal since high school but the pages are not filling up like they once did. It bothers me because blogging is such a filtered view on things. I am too afraid to be completely honest on my blog in fear of pissing people off.

14. I am very sensitive to music. A certain artist or song will bring me to tears.

15. I wear an eye mask to bed because other wise I see things in my room at night.

16. I haven't eaten meat in 17 years.

18. I am an Italian, Irish, Gemini who is typically fiery and loud.

19. I wear my heart on my sleeve.

20. I hate watching sports

21. One of the most delightful things in my life is when my two boys climb in my bed on weekend mornings and snuggle until we all get up.

22. I love my two kids more than anything in this world.

23. I have a super close relationship with my mother. She is my best friend and we talk almost daily.

24. I had an emergency appendectomy when I was 7 months pregnant with Sal.

25. I have had 4 different operations and have 5 scars on my body from them.

Playdates make me scream

2009-01-23T04:37:00.000-08:00

I can't stand the term playdate. It really bugs me. I don't know what it is about that word but it makes me cringe. A playdate is a scheduled time of supervised play arranged at someone's house, the park or other family friendly place. It's not that I don't want my kid socializing with others it's just that it all feels so forced. I was introduced to the world of playdates once my oldest child started Kindergarten last year. Before that he just hung out with any kid that my friends happened to have. Once we hit Kindergarten the rules change and playdates begin.

I have been lucky so far that the friends he has made and wanted to hook up with outside of school we have approved of. The families are great and the kids are great so it has worked out well for us. He is in 1st grade now so we have a little bit of experience with play dates under our belts now. The problem is I suck at them.

I am not good at inviting kids to my house. I know it and I was reminded of it yesterday when I received an email from a mom who basically asked me if her child could ever be invited to our house since they have had my son so many times. At first I was taken aback by her honesty but she is right. I am totally behind in keeping up with my end of the play date circle. I owe a few people some dates at my house.

I can't really explain it and I know I will be better about it during the summer months but right now it is just hard for me. We are not an over scheduled family. We don't play organized sports. I like the kids to come home after school, do their homework and chill. Perhaps it is the way I was raised. My sister is the complete opposite though. Her family never stops. School days, weekends, whenever, those kids are maxed out with sports. They are always coming and going and just hearing about makes me not be able to breath. Every family is different though and you have to do what works for you. It works for them, but it could never work for me.

I am sorry to anyone who might feel our playdate circle has been uneven. I promise to try harder.

Just make it happen

2009-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

When I was in high school in NH back in the late 80's early 90's Martin Luther King day was not celebrated. There was no day off from school or work. We didn't do much of anything to honor the day at all. One year on MLK day when I was junior or senior, a group of students including myself decided to hold a sit in to protest the fact that the school did not recognize the holiday. We skipped classes all morning and sat outside of the administration offices. By afternoon the administration decided to listen to what we had to say. They asked us to move into the library and gave us the chance to speak. Students stood up and spoke about why they thought the day was important and should be recognized. Some spoke from the heart and some read passages from books. I stood up and read a poem I had written. The school decided to listen to us and from that point on they held an assembly every year with speakers to honor the day.

Now the school has the day off as does most in the country but I can't help to feel a bit proud that a group of us decided to speak our voices and stand up for what we believed in. I was reminded of this event yesterday as the country celebrated Martin Luther King day and today as President Obama spoke to the American people about hope, change, and how it takes all of us to stand up unafraid and make that change.

I am sure I speak for so many people when I say that today was truly an inspirational day. I haven't felt this kind of pride for my country in a long time.

My 7 year old son watched the inauguration in school today. When I picked him up he said "Do you know what my favorite part was mommy? His speech. He is a really good speaker."

He might not fully understand the magnitude of today but I feel he walked away with a piece of something. I wish for him a better world. I hope we can all work together to make it one.

"We will extend our hand, if you are willing to unclench your fist" -President Obama

Garbanzo Bean Tacos

2009-01-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

My family used to enjoy taco night by substituting meat for the Fantastic Foods Taco mix. In an attempt to cut out processed soy proteins and most fake meat products we have been going without tacos for some time now. I finally have a new reason to bring taco night back. I was a bit hesitant about whether this bean mix would fly with my kids but they devoured them up like crazy. Everyone seemed to agree these were far better than the ones we made with the boxed mix.

This makes a super quick and healthy meal. Garbanzo beans are packed with protein.

enjoy.

Garbanzo Bean Tacos

Ingredients:

2 can garbanzo beans
1 packet taco seasoning (try to find a natural version like Bearitos taco seasoning mix)
2/3 cup water
lettuce
hard taco shells or lard-free tortillas
tomatoes
onions
salsa or taco sauce
any other items you like on your taco

Directions:

Drain and rinse garbanzo beans. Stir together the garbanzo beans, water and taco seasoning pack to a skillet and heat on medium until sauce begins to thicken. Let simmer for about 10-15 minute or until sauce has thickened to your liking. Add more water if you so desire.

While the beans and sauce are simmering begin warming up your taco shells in the oven and prepping your toppings. Once the bean mixture is done it needs to be served right away so you want to make sure you have everything else ready to go.

Take a large spoon or fork and mash the beans while still in the pan. They shouldn't be as mashed as refried beans. Leave a bit more chunky.

Add bean mixture and other ingredients to your tacos, burritos or salads.

Rockless night out

2009-01-17T06:28:00.000-08:00

Each year I feel my age creeping up on me. Each time I go out I feel it more and more. Last night JB and I went out on the town together. This is a big deal because we go out together maybe twice a year. We can't afford babysitters so we rely on the good will of our favorite neighbors who offer to hang out in our house for free. Because we don't pay them we feel we can only ask a few times. It was our friend's 30th birthday and her husband set up a surprise gathering at a local watering hole called the Red Square. Many locals don't like this establishment because the drinks are over priced (totally), and it gets super crowded with drunk college kids (it is a college town you know). I myself really like Red Square. The decor is dark and artsy, it always has live music, and the two outside seating areas it has in the summer months rock.

Yes I like the Red Square. Even though when you look at the drink menu whether you order local brews such as Switchback or Magic Hat, or you order Labatt Blue - you pay $4.50. I can look past this unfortunate pricing structure and still have a good time.

Last night was filled with good friends, good beers, and so so live music. The plan was to hang out at Red Square until 10:00 and then head over to Nectar's to watch a friend's band play. I knew the band really wouldn't go on at 10:00 - they never do. So we headed home without being able to follow our friends to the second location. Why can't bands just play when they say they are going to play? You know damn well when they say 10:00 show that really means 10:45. That's not right. It's not right that I can't stay up past 11:30 or I will have a massive headache the next day. It's not right that I am no longer able to see live music except for the free concerts in the park that start at 7:00 in the summers.

Do I have to give in to the masses and indulge in Rockband or Guitar Hero in an attempt to artificially feel the sensation of music rushing through my blood? I refuse, I refuse, I refuse

New in shop!

2009-01-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

Etsy
Buy Handmade
subsixstudios

Asian delight

2009-01-12T05:22:00.000-08:00

Peanut noodles, baked tofu, napa cabbage salad and green beans.

Have you ever wondered what to do with a head of napa cabbage? I just discovered the yummiest recipe that I want to share. Every two weeks I pick up a slew of veggies from my winter CSA farm share. The winter months are slimmer pickings of veggies they are able to store through the winter. I get carrots, potatoes, onions, root veggies, winter squash and cabbage every two weeks. It is so nice to be able to enjoy Vermont grown veggies all year. I have to admit though that when it comes to picking a cabbage I either don't or I do, and it goes bad in my fridge. This week I vowed to choose a napa cabbage and learn something new.

Napa cabbage salad seemed like the clear winner so I set out to make a meal around it and chose to serve it with peanut noodles, baked tofu, and green beans.

Napa cabbage salad (adapted from a recipe I found on all recipes). I had to change the measurements of the original recipe because the amount of butter was about a triple the amount of what I list here and was just not needed. I also cut the sugar way down too. Here is my modified version.

Ingredients
1 head napa cabbage
1 bunch minced green onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 package ramen noodles, broken
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

1. Finely shred the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
3. Make the crunchies: Melt the butter in a pot. Mix the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake the crunchies in the preheated 350 degrees F oven, turning often to make sure they do not burn. When they are browned remove them from the oven.
4. Make the dressing: In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.
5. Combine dressing, crunchies, and cabbage immediately before serving. Serve right away or the crunchies will get soggy.

**side note - Spoon the dressing over the salad in small amounts. The original recipe made way more dressing than I ended up using. I just spooned some on until I like the consistency and the flavor. I think too much of this dressing can spoil it. Even though I cut the measurements down for the dressing I wouldn't go dumping the entire amount of the salad. This was a damn good salad. Even my kids liked it.

Peanut noodles
This is an adapted recipe. The original is called Karen's Sesame Noodles from one of my favorite cookbooks Feeding the Whole Family. I changed this up a bit to have more peanut butter and less tahini.

Ingredients

8 ounces whole grain noodles (thin spaghetti or udon noodles)
1 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons peanut butter (you can also use almond or cashew butter)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1-3 tablespoons water to desired consistency.

Directions

Cook noodles in boiling water according to directions on package. While noodles are cooking put ingredients for sauce in bowl and blend until creamy. When noodles are cooked, drain and rinse. Pour sauce over noodles and toss well. **These are good warm and cold.

Baked Tofu

Ingredients

1 package of Extra firm tofu
Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce
Garlic powder

Directions

Drain tofu. Cut the tofu cake making two cakes and place on a plate with paper towels under and over the cakes. Press down to get as much water out as you can. I usually put a heavy book on top to help the process for about 10 minutes.

Next cut the tofu into chunks and place in a bowl. Add the enough Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce to cover tofu and mix so all the chunks are covered with sauce. Sprinkle with garlic powder and mix again. Put tofu in a baking dish and place in oven on 350. Cook for about 20 minutes or so flipping the tofu every so often. Tofu should be brown when ready.

*Excellent warm with your meal and enjoy cold the next day with the left over peanut noodles.
** Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki is one of the ways I cheat in the kitchen. This stuff is so good and it makes it easy to spice up a lot of different foods. I use it a lot as a marinade on tofu, drizzle on rice and stir fries but I am sure it would be great on fish or other meats as well. It is pretty pricey in the store - over $4.00 a bottle but I have actually found it for half the cost at the Christmas Tree Shop. Check out the food section of the store and see if yours sells it. I have been buying mine there for a few years now. It is worth checking.

Rockin' Granola

2009-01-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to wean my family off of store bought breakfast cereal. It is so expensive and the options are limited. I refuse to buy most store brand cereals because they usually contain a preservative called BHT that I am not a fan of and high fructose corn syrup which I think is one of the most evil ingredients ever to be added to our food. If we could remove that from our food I think our country would be a lot healthier. I won't go off on that now. Sorry for the rant. Ok back to cereal. So the other option is to buy the more expensive health store versions which I like a lot better but at almost $4.00 a box which only lasts in my house for two days it gets quite pricey. On the weekends I make eggs and pancakes but I can't manage to cook that much on school days. I have tried oatmeal and my kids won't touch it. John used to make batches of granola for us several years ago so I decided to give it a try. We love granola but again the store bought versions are even pricier than boxed cereal.

I made the following recipe this morning and tested it on the kids (and myself) for our afternoon snack. They both gave it the thumbs up while spooning mouthfuls of it mixed with rice milk.

The following recipe which I call Rockin' Granola is adapted from a recipe called Classic Crunchy Granola from the The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. My version adds combines honey and maple syrup and adds a bit more, plus I omit a few things and added a few things.

One last thing to note about my recipes. I am one of those people who don't always measure things so I will give an approximate measurement of somethings but I will keep it on the small side so you can add more (as I usually do). I will note these items which are not exact.

Ok ok here is the recipe

Rockin' Granola
makes about 6 cups

Ingredients
4 cups rolled oats (don't buy the quick oats)
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 (+) cup chopped pecans. ** I used a little bit more than 1/2 cup. Depends on how nutty you like your granola. I just happened to have pecans in the house leftover so I used those but you could use sliced almonds or cashews too. I might try more than one kind of nut in my next batch.
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup of honey
2 + tablespoons safflower oil
1/3 cup chopped up apple rings (optional. I personally don't like a lot of dried fruit in my granola so I stick with a smaller amount of the dried apples and I chop them small.)
Cinnamon to taste. I use probably almost 1 tablespoon of Cinnamon. I am a Cinnamon addict though.
Nutmeg - 1 to 2 dashes.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. Combine oats, wheat germ, and nuts in a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
3. Combine the maple syrup and 2 of the tablespoons of oil in a small container.
4. Combine the honey and just enough oil to thin out the honey a bit. No more than 1 tablespoon in a small container.
5. Drizzle the maple syrup mixture into the oat mixture, stirring constantly as you go until well covered.
6. At this point I felt it needed more so this is where I add the honey mixture as well. Drizzle some or all of this mixture mixing as you go.
7. Spread on the baking sheet and bake, stirring every 10 minutes 30 minutes or until golden.
8. Let the granola cool on the baking sheet. Transfer to glass containers for storage.

**experiment with the amount of honey you add. I like how it binds everything together so I thought it needed some added to it instead of just the maple syrup. The measurement of the honey is not exact however. I wouldn't do more than I listed but you could do a bit less.

enjoy

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T15:06:00.000-08:00

Another year has come and gone. I have cried, sighed, laughed, and loved in 2008 and I plan to do more of it in 2009. I went to the dentist for the first time in a very long time yesterday. I am embarrassed at how long it has been. I realize that I take care of everyone around me before I take care of myself. Going to the dentist was the first step in changing that. It is such a simple thing to do but when I run around taking everyone else to their appointments it is easy to forget about my own. I was so nervous to go but I did it. I wish I could say that was it for the next 6 months but it will take a few more cleaning trips and some fillings to get me to where I need to be.

It feels good to have made the step though. It was the first of many steps of self health I plan on taking in the coming year. No more putting this mama on the back burner.

Holiday unwrap

2008-12-28T06:15:00.000-08:00

Highlights of Christmas day:
*Enzo got an Irish whistle from his Aunt Catherine
*Sal ate ham for the first time ever (he has been a vegetarian his whole life - tried turkey on Thanksgiving but said it tasted like air).
*Sal got a new hand knitted sweater from his Alaskan grandmother
*Enzo got a new lovey.

My parents couldn't make it for Christmas as planned. First the weather and then health issues with my mom. We did share a wonderful feast with John's Aunt and Uncle who also live in VT. We enjoyed sweet potato strudel, baked ham (yuck), stuffing, rolls, veggies, and John's famous pecan pie for dessert. I missed my parents being with us but we had a good time anyway.

Two days before Christmas we took down our real Christmas tree and put up our fake one. We have had a fake one for the past two years because of a suspicion that I am allergic to them. This year I begged to get a real one so we gave in and tried it. Ironically enough the week we put up the tree my headaches started to get worse than normal and in general I started to feel awful. After a trip to my doctor who then sent me to my chiropractor the day before Christmas Eve, I came home and announced we were taking it down. While unwrapping the lights I broke out in hives on my hands so I think my suspicion was right. Needless to say the kids loved putting together the fake tree and decorating for the second time. As sad as I am to admit it I must let go of having a real tree for the holidays.

I love the holidays but even as hard as I fight it the stress sneaks in. For me it is the pressure that gets to me. Pressure to have my children experience the same excitement I felt as a child and pressure to have everyone stay healthy so they can enjoy the day to the fullest. I know these are both beyond my control and the best way for me to stay healthy is to try and let go a little bit and let it be. Yeah right - we'll see how well that goes next year.

happy holidays to you all!

Remembering / reliving the past

2008-12-23T05:23:00.000-08:00

That was then

According to Wikipedia "A Hoosier cabinet (also known as a "Hoosier") is a type of cupboard popular in the first decades of the twentieth century."

I was lucky to inherit one that had been passed down from my grandmother. After it was passed down to my parents it lived in their dining room as I was growing up. It was always one of my favorite pieces of furniture in the house. When my parents had to downsize and sell our family home a few years ago the piece was passed on to me. I was beyond thrilled to welcome it into my home. We moved it into our family room and it acted as our office.game storage. My dream has always been to move it into my kitchen where it truly belongs. This week I was able to fulfill this dream.

This is mine

After removing a large shelf/coat rack from the wall and moving our mound of shoes I had finally found a spot. It took less time than I thought to clean out the years of paperwork we had thrown in there. It was such a relief to finally tackle the piles of paper and stuff growing inside. I was like a giddy child when I finally had it set up in kitchen and began adding cloth napkins to the drawers and tea boxes to the cabinets. I stood back and smiled as I knew my grandmother would be so proud. I am excited for my parents to see it when they come up for Christmas this week.

My kitchen is my other craft studio. Cooking is my other creative outlet. My hoosier is a reminder of the past and how much I love pouring passion into my home made food the way my grandmother did before me.

Happy holidays everyone! Here's to remembering the past and living a bit better in the present.

Snowy day reflections

2008-12-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

With warm tea in hand I watch the snow falling outside. After a hectic, anxiety filled day yesterday, mother nature has forced me to slow down and reflect. Burlington was the only town in Vermont not to have a snow day today. Ok, maybe not but it sure feels like it. The snow hasn't stopped falling, the roads are terrible but of course Burlington has school. Oh well.

Our Christmas tree is up and our presents are bought. With my crazy holiday craft show schedule behind me I am focus on celebrating the holidays with a warm heart. I have a lot to be thankful for this year. Most recently my oldest son Enzo (age 7) was selected to participate in a new program at his school called Project Explore. This program was designed this year to meet the needs of a few of the students who showed a unique interest in learning. It is a cross-curricular exploration of math, literacy, and science, using a visual format. The program takes place once a week for half of the school day. I are so proud of him for being chosen. Students needed to meet and exceed standards in all curricular areas, exhibit initiative and leadership in academic areas, and proceed with assignments easily even if they miss instruction. The last being very important since the students miss half of their class to attend the program. This program is perfect for him. I am thrilled to know the school is thinking out side of the box and creating these programs.

My other son Salvatore is learning and growing so much at preschool. It has been wonderful to watch him interact with other children and come home with stories of play and learning. He is changing and growing so quickly.

I have been loving my adventures in the kitchen. Cooking is another creative outlet for me. I love making good food from scratch. It is cheaper, healthier, better for the environment and easier than one would think.

As you might have noticed I have been posting more recipes lately. I can't give a lot to my friends and family this year but I thought I would give the gift of good food to all. I hope you enjoy the recipes. There will be more coming.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2008-12-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

Today I am sharing my all time favorite butternut squash soup recipe. It has the addition of apples to give it a slight tartness I find delicious. This recipe comes from my cookbook bible The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas. If you don't own this cookbook - go buy it. You won't regret it.

**The original recipe calls for 2 cups of milk (cow, rice, or soy) I choose to not add it when I make this soup so you will not see the milk listed below. I added it the first time and then never again. I prefer the soup without.

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 med-large red onion, chopped
4 cups peeled, diced apples, any cooking variety
4 cups prepared vegetable broth, or 4 cups water with 1 vegetable bouillon cube (my preferred method)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmet
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Halve the squash lengthwise with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Place cut side up in a shallow baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Or, if you like a more roasted flavor, simply brush the squash halves with a little olive oil and leave uncovered. Either way, bake for 45-50 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

3. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until golden, 8-10 minutes.

4. Add the apples, broth, and spices. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes.

5. Once the the squash has cooled, peel and cut into chunks.

6. In a food processor (I use a blender and it works great) puree the squash with some of the broth you have simmering on the stove.

7. Transfer the apple-onion mixture from the broth into the food processor and puree until smooth. I do this in batches with the squash until is smooth and then return it to the soup pot and stir well.

8. Bring soup to a gentle simmer, then cook on low heat until well heated through, 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This soup is great on it's own with hearty bread and salad or serve it along side of a casserole, macaroni and cheese or black bean quesadillas.

enjoy!

The coolest playhouse

2008-12-10T18:10:00.000-08:00

My husband sent me a link to this awesome company called This Little Piggy's House and they made this amazing eco-friendly playhouses designed and manufactured in the USA out of 100% recyclable materials. If that isn't enough they also donate 5% of their profits to charities that feed hungry little piggys around the world AND it costs only $39.99. Comes with a chimney, a mailbox and a window flower box.

SO much better than those ugly expensive plastic things.

Almond Pancakes

2008-12-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

I have tried many pancake recipes and this one has become my favorite. We make these every Saturday.

Taken from Beyond the Moon cookbook.
makes 9 large or 12 medium pancakes

1 Cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup ground almonds (optional) *I usually make them without but would give a good strong almond flavor if you add them.
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups of milk (soy, cow or rice)
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
butter for cooking
maple syrup for serving
** add blueberries if you so desire. I do and it is good!

Stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground almonds (if using) in a medium sized mixing bow.
In another bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, almond extract, and oil.
Pour wet ingredients into dry, stirring just until blended.
Melt butter in pan and ladle batter into pan. Cook until the tops are bubbly, 3-4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the bottoms are lightly browned. Serve with maple syrup.

Garlic pesto grilled cheese

2008-12-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

Here is my solution to making a simple grilled cheese sandwich a little more adult and tasty. This comes from my own recipe box. When I make the boys a grilled cheese I make one of these for myself. It is one of my favorite lunches.

Ingredients
2 slices of good bread
1-2 slices of real cheddar cheese (I highly recommend Cabot)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon of pesto
Salsa for the side of the plate

Directions
Peel and slice the garlic clove into thin slices.
Spread the pesto on the inside of both slices of bread.
Place the cheese on one side with the garlic slices on top of the cheese
Slap the two pieces of bread together and cook in fry pan with butter as you would a regular grilled cheese until both sides are brown and the cheese is melted.

Add a side of salsa on your plate for dipping.

Yum.

I'm a Gemini. What do you want?

2008-12-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

Call me crazy, call me fickle, call me irritating that I keep making you change your link names, just keep coming back.

Yes I have changed the name of the blog once again. I have had this blog since 2005. When it first started it was called MamaSpeak. At the time this name was a true reflection of what I was writing about. I had just had my second child and quit my full time job to become a SAHM. Writing on the blog became a needed release to get through my day. As the kids grew, and I grew, I took on more roles than just mom. I started my craft business, and eventually my book business, and I found myself writing less personal posts. So at that point I changed the name to Upon Being. This past weekend I was a vendor at a two day craft show. Doing these shows is always very eye opening for me. I have a lot of time to sit and reflect on the work I have done, what I want to do next, and the status of my craft business in general.

I realized a lot this weekend. I realized I need to expand and push the boundaries on the jewelry I have been making. I am ready to learn something new. I realized I need to stop questioning where I am going with Queen City Craft and just make it happen (as my future boss in CA used to tell me everyday). I realized I need to focus on being myself. So this blog is now officially named Rockergirrl which has been the actual url since it started in 2005. Rockergirrl has been my online name since I first jumped on the Internet back in the day. Ok for s short while it was famousone (a nickname from an ex). So there you go. Yes I will be asking you to please change the link name if you have so nicely decided to link me on your blog. I promise I won't change it again.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Since I am a looney tooney super fickle Gemini I have also switched my online shop back to Etsy. I drive myself crazy sometimes. It was a lot of work moving my stuff back. Again, the reason is I feel like I left a good thing hoping the grass would be greener on the other side. It wasn't. So I moved back. Nothing you need to do. All the links on my website and blog now point to my Etsy shop. Just give a peek when you have a chance. It isn't fully stocked yet. I still have a lot to do.

New in shop

2008-12-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

new coral necklace available in my online shop

Thank you

2008-11-24T19:05:00.000-08:00

I am finding strength and inspiration in many things.

I am thankful for my family
I am thankful for my health
I am thankful for my friends

Sometimes I wish my loved ones were closer and at times I dwell too much at how far or busy they all are, but I am choosing to instead be thankful that I have them at all.

I am trying to stop living in the past and worrying about the future.
I am trying to live for today.

Every night when I got to bed I ask for the strength to be a better mother, wife, friend, and human.

Every day when I wake up I try to take many moments where I just stop - look at the sun, take a deep breath, and look at my surroundings. I try to look through the eyes of a child.

Each moment I try to choose wisely, speak carefuly, and act kindly.

I may not always do these things

but I try.

Each day I try.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

This fall has been a time of reflection and transition for me. Enzo started 1st grade, Sal started preschool,my nephew had brain surgery, a friend had a brain aneurysm, we had a history making election and the economy went to shit.

It has been an emotional roller coaster so far. Having loved ones in the hospital and an economy dangling over the edge has made me slow down and think a lot. Lately the conversation around our house has been about money. It sucks. We are broke. I quit my full time job in 2005 and we have been struggling since. It has been hard but so worth it for our family. Last year I was lucky enough to have consistent consulting gigs that I did from home so the extra money kept us a float. I haven't had a paying gig since the spring and so we are now feeling the pinch having gone through the summer without any extra cash. Now of course the holidays are coming and the stress is building.

So the talk about me getting a job has resurfaced. I have such mixed feelings about it. I want to work but I don't want to give up being with my kids after school. It seemed so much easier back when Enzo was younger and in daycare and preschool. Now that he is in 1st grade and I have two kids it all seems more complicated. In order for me to go back to work full time outside of the home I would need to pay for after school care for Enzo and find a full time preschool for Sal. Ideally I would work from 9-2 so I could pick them up after school and be able to be home so Enzo could do his homework and school projects before dinner. I thought this would all get easier when they entered school but it is actually much more complicated.

I feel guilty for not working because we are struggling. I will feel guilty if I have to work full time because the our lives will become so rushed again. damned if you do, damned if you don't. I know either way everyone will be fine but it is such a hard call to make.

delizioso!

2008-11-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

I have recently been trying to cut back on the fake meat soy products in an attempt to cut back on processed soy. I am not a nutritionist but I know enough about the topic to agree with some of the recent articles regarding our now over consumption of processed soy products. Soy became the next craze and now you can't get away from it. Recently I found soy listed as an ingredient in several Celestial Season teas. In my opinion you eat it in moderation as you should with everything. Try to stick to the least processed versions. Tofu, tempeh, miso and soymilk, in my opinion are the safest bets. Just limit how much of them you eat. What I would avoid or seriously limit are all of the fake "meat" products out there. If you flip over the box of the most mainstream brands you will find soy protein isolates as one of the main ingredient. Soy protein isolates have been in the news lately. Do some research.

I have been a vegetarian for 16 years now and cooking has become a passion of mine. I have come a long way from the pasta and bagels with cheese I used to live on when I first turned my back on meat in college. In becoming a vegetarian I also migrated towards natural cooking. Starting a family 7 years ago also forced me to stretch my culinary passion even further in the attempt to feed my family whole foods as much as possible.

Lately I have been trying to cut some soy out of our lives and save some money. This week my focus was on a substitute for meatless meatballs. Being part Sicilian I love a bit of substance with my pasta but I am sick of buying frozen soyballs. I wanted to make a soy free homemade version and I have finally done it!

I was bursting with joy last night after creating a recipe for what I am calling Sicilian round balls. I am not yet posting the recipe as I need to refine it a bit but I am thrilled to finally be able to rid myself of store bought, expensive, soy filled alternatives.

My husband and kids loved them. The real test will be my Italian mother. I called her up all excited last night and told her I thought my Gramma Grasso was smiling down from heaven.

They may not have been meat in my meatballs like she used to make but there sure was a ton of Sicilian passion and love.

2008-11-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

I have been emotional since last night. An article in my morning newspaper explained how thousands UVM students marched down mainstreet last night after the announcement. Celebrations in streets happened like this all over the country. Regardless of your choice this is a time for all of us to embrace this wave of change, renewing our faith in the country and in each other. We can do this. Yes we can!

Nuby BPA-Free Bug a Loop Teether Bead Necklace

2008-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

This Nuby BPA-Free Bug a Loop Teether Bead Necklace helps your child with the natural process of teething. Constructed of firm, smooth material, the Bug a Loop allows active gum exercise prior to the emergence of teeth. For newly emerged teeth, the soft texture promotes development. For ages 3 months and above.

Get it at a discount price of only $4.29 at Kid Surplus

2008-10-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

The very first Crafter Spotlight has been posted at Queen City Craft. Check it out!

Week in review

2008-10-27T05:27:00.000-07:00

Last week we John's sister Catherine was here visiting from CO. It was her first solo trip without other family members. It was great to spend alone time with her. John had taken the week off of work also so it was like a vacation for me having two adults around all day to talk to and help out with the kids.

Thursday we went to a corn maze at Sam Mazza's farm.
Friday we we took a drive to Middlebury (a place I would love to move to) so Catherine could do some leaf peeping. The leaves were past their prime but still pretty enough to capture a few pictures. While in Middlebury we decided to stop at Ottercreek Brewing and pick up a few growlers.

Friday night we had a babysitter and the three of us enjoyed a night out at Red Square as we said goodbye to to friends and ex-coworkers who are moving on to other things.

Saturday afternoon I took Enzo to a pumpkin carving party and John took Sal to a birthday party while Catherine had a few moments of peace and quite in the house. Later that evening after the kids went to bed we enjoyed our local brew and good conversation.
Sunday morning (very early) John took Catherine to the airport. We spent the morning slowly getting the house back together. My friend Amy and her daughter stopped by for a visit. After lunch we drove to our favorite farm to get pumpkins and helped the kids carve them when we got home.

It was a whirl wind of a week but oh so nice. I just wish I had one more day to decompress.

Queen City Craft

2008-10-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

A few months ago Erinn and I decided to close down the Burlington Craft Mafia. It was a tough decision for us but for various reasons it just didn't feel right any more. We are very proud of what the group accomplished in the 2 1/2 years we existed. Erinn and I have been talking about wanting to continue our mission of promoting indie craft in Vermont. This weekend a light bulb lit up in my head and Queen City Craft was born.

From our new blog:

Welcome to Queen City Craft. A place to spread the word about indie craft in Vermont.

Indie craft is about pushing the limits, finding your own line, reusing, recrafting, and creating. It is about offering an alternative.

Craft has taken on a whole new meaning over the past few years with the boom that has taken place across the country. With a punkier edge indie crafters are breaking the mold of traditional craft.

Vermont is our home. It is also home to many talented writers, artists and musicians. So far though we don't really fit into any of the existing creative groups. We hope to create a space where all indie crafters in Vermont feel welcome. We want to give us a voice, support, teach, and spread the word.

Join us.

Thanks to Sara (formerly of Made Boutique & Gallery) for letting us run with the name and passing on the logo for me to rework. We are so thankful for all the work Sara did in Burlington and we hope we can continue her mission. Sara is moving on to other adventures. We wish her the best of luck.

Check out our new project www.queencitycraft.com

2008-10-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

Clearly I am having a shoe issue this week. While shopping around online tonight I found my next obsession.

Hush Puppies Women's Eco-Friendly 'Tikuna' Boots

* Women's Hush Puppies shoes are as comfortable as they are good looking
* Women's mid-calf shoes feature 100-percent natural hemp lining for extra soft feel
* Boots boast breathable bamboo-molded footbed
* Genuine wood buttons
* Antibacterial
* Moisture wicking
* Absorbs odor
* Natural latex rubber outsole with jute insert, water-soluble cements
* Features eco-friendly, full-grain milled nubuck from ISO-14001 tanneries
* Padded footbed
* Available in black and hickory color options

The best part is they are available on overstock.com for just a bit more than the slippers I blogged about below. Cute boots, eco friendly, and a great price? Oh what is a girl to do now?

The perfect slipper

2008-10-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

I have been on a search for the perfect slipper. We don't wear shoes in the house so once winter comes slippers are a necessity. Having two kids and a dog the floors get quite messy. It has been a tough challenge though since I have some specific requirements.

Eco friendly construction.
Cute enough to look like you are wearing shoes around the house but aren't.
Comfy enough to feel like you are wearing slippers and not shoes.

I have finally found the perfect pair. The Layaway slipper by Simple. Simple has an amazing line up of eco friendly shoes for men, women and children. You can check out the full line at www.simpleshoes.com. I will probably purchase mine from Zappos because of their super fast service.

Ok back to the Layaway slipper. I jumped with glee when I saw this slipper. It is exactly what I have been looking for. Felted wool uppers, lined in certified organic cotton knit, coconut buttons,a layered natural crepe outsole, held together with water based cements, and they are super cute to boot.

I know at $59 the price seems a bit steep. I am biting my lip as I contemplate what I am going to do. I wonder if my husband meant spend $59 when he said "buy yourself some slippers online today" as he walked out the door in response to my constant bitching about walking around in wet socks.

My thought process around it being ok is based on these facts:

I usually end up spending $10-$20 on a cheapo pair each year that are barely still together by the time spring comes.
Since I am home full time I spend more time indoors so this is the equivalent of buying a new pair of shoes for work
I need the slippers to be good quality with good soles since I am chasing around two kids and a dog and running up and down stairs all day.
Even though I am home full time I need to keep up my "coolness" factor. I can't have the UPS guy see me in pink fuzzy slippers. He might think I just sit around and eat bon bons all day. We can't have that.

I think my reasons are valid don't you? Should I get them?

Weekend wrap up.

2008-10-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing weekend. On Saturday we celebrated Enzo's 7th birthday with two parties. In the early afternoon we had 4 of his friends over for a Halloween themed party. All the kids came dressed in costumes. I had made origami bats to hang on the clothes line. The best part of the party was the skeleton hunt. I bought a large plastic skeleton that had easy to remove body parts. I took apart all of the arm and leg bones which ended up being 12 separate parts. I then hid them throughout the yard and had the kids find them. Once all 12 were found we worked together to put all the pieces back on the body. It was great fun. The weather was a perfect fall day.

The kids left at 3:00 and then at 4:00 we had invited our close friends to stop by for a second celebration. This one included handmade pizza by me and some yummy VT beers. I made 6 pizzas total. The dough and sauce made from scratch. A second cake went around and everyone was full by the end. I made an apple spice cake but instead of making it a double layer I served one layer during the early party and the second layer in the afternoon.

Colorful trees in our backyard

Enzo posing in front of the origami bats

me and the boys

Skeleton scavenger hunt fun.

Cake time

Enzo Turns 7

2008-10-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

Today we are celebrating the birth of Enzo. Today he turns 7.

7 is such a magical age. So much changes in the 7th year. In the past year you learned how to read, tie your shoes and build creations out of legos and zoobs like a pro. You are amazing to watch grow. Your mind is constantly absorbing and tinkering, building and sharing. You have changed so much emotionally too. You broke out of you shell a bit more this year and gained a lot of self confidence. I can't even describe in words how very proud of you I am.

Happy Birthday my sweet love.

style watch

2008-09-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

An homage to the cakeybabes
Originally uploaded by .breanna.

I am loving this style.

2008-09-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

Motivating ones self while working from home can be a tricky thing. I don't have a very typical job and it doesn't have any certain tasks that I must perform each day but I still need to organize, prioritize, and get things accomplished. Now that the boys are in school I have a small window of opportunity to have child free work time each day. The window is very small. 2 hours and 45 minutes to be exact. Since I decided to have a third child this summer (aka the dog) that window actually becomes 2 hours since he requires a trip to the dog park each morning. So 2 hours to myself. Sounds like a lot but it really isn't. I try to pick one day each as my errand day. On this day I don't come home after dropping the kids off and just head right into town to do errands. I also try to pick one friend day each week. This day includes meeting a friend for coffee or some other activity following school drop off. So that leaves me on average 3 days to stay home during those two morning hours and focus.

The time is usually spent on the computer. I am not currently doing any web consulting work (hint hint) so my jewelry and book business is my main focus. I can usually be found taking pictures of products, listing products, promoting products all morning long. It is amazing how much time and effort this takes. My online marketing includes:

*my own website
*my web shop on smashing darling
*my barefoot books website
*flickr
*facebook
*myspace
*various parenting social networking sites that I blog on
*my blog

For all of these I need to upload pictures, write descriptions, update banners, widgets, promote new products, offer specials etc. This in iteself is a full time job. Which is why the 2 hours I get in the morning each day doens't cut it and this is why I am on and off the computer all day performing these tasks. Social network marketing maybe free but it sure does come with a pricetag.

Crash

2008-09-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

So I got into a bike crash yesterday and had to go to the ER with the kids. I picked E up from school he was on his bike and I was one mine with S in the bike trailer. I was coming up on a gas station and there was a big bush that my bike got to close to and it through my bike down. The handle bar was sticking straight up and I fell down on it getting it right in the sternum. I couldn't get up and next thing I know all these people were around me and I was freaking out because I kept making sure the kids were ok and then an ambulance came and took me and the kids to the ER. The owner of the store had called. He also gave the kids some ice cream and was so nice to all of us. So were all the other people who stopped. My husband met us there after a friend who stopped and saw it all called him. They took X-rays and luckily there were no breaks or fractures and no bleeding or evidence of a damaged lung so they sent me home. I am ok but it just hurts like all heck.

It was so scary. One of my greatest fears has always been something happening to me when I was alone with the kids. They were so scared but so brave. I am so proud of them. Ironically as I was leaving the house I decided to leave my bag at home. I always bring it with me and it has my cell phone in it. For some reason today I chose to leave it there and actually said to myself "I'm coming right home after picking him up so I don't need to lug it with me." I also always have a piece of paper in my wallet that says In case of emergency call - and then I have my husbands name and number. I always felt silly having it in there but now I know why. I feel lucky that someone I actually knew stopped.

The other thing I feel lucky about is that my youngest son was in a bike trailer and not one of those seats on the back of my bike. Even though my bike spilled the bike trailer stayed upright.

So I am home now and feeling better but my chest kills. I have to take it easy for a few days and not lift anything but the scare of internal bleeding or fractures was ruled out.

Super Shop Update

2008-09-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

1st day of 1st grade

2008-08-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

Well I survived the first day of 1st grade. Yesterday my oldest son started school. There was a lot of excitement and nervousness in the air. We had been going to an alternative program at another school for Kindergarten but since there were going to be dismantling the program we decided to move him into our neighborhood elementary school for 1st grade. The best part about this new school is that we can walk or ride bikes! Drop off went well. JB came with me so we could all see him off together. He seemed to do fine until we got into his class line. All of a sudden I could see the look of fear on his face. I asked him if he was nervous and he gave me a quick nod of the head. I gave him one last hug, the bell rang, he went inside, and I cried. All in all he said he had a great day. When I asked him how recess went he said he had fun but that he didn't have anyone to play with. This broke my heart. All the kids already know each other because they went to Kindergarten together last year. So he is the new kid on the block. He had so many great friends at his last school I think it is hard for him to be on the outside now. So here we are on the second day. I am hoping he has better luck breaking into some friendship circles today.

We also had a preschool open house for Sal yesterday. That was quite exciting. I can't say that I was thrilled about the room. It was stark and cold but in their defense it is a brand new program at the school and this will be the first class so I know I need to give it some time. He starts up in a few weeks. He went zooming right off to play though. No shyness in that kid.

So all in all we survived the first day. Lots of paper work to fill out, new school handbooks to read and lots of prayers that everything goes well for him this year.

2008-08-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

We took a quick vacation to NH last weekend. It was way too short but we had a blast. The boys look so big in these pictures. I guess they are now.
Time is flying by.

Sweet Product Find: The Munchie Mug

2008-08-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

I love this! I must get one.

Introducing the Munchie Mug for infants and toddlers:

Innovative in both concept and design the patented spill-resistant Munchie Mug eliminates snack-time messes for children 10 months and older. The Munchie Mug features an easy grip handle, secure screw on top, soft fabric opening and durable cup; making it ideal for snacking at home, in the car or on the go. Munchie Mug is Made in the USA with all FDA food grade compliant materials.

Children love
the colorful cup and soft fabric while parents appreciate the
convenience and spill-resistant quality. Munchie Mug is the newest must
have product for messy little snacking hands everywhere.

Features:

Spill-resistant snack cup for ages 10 months and up
Soft fabric closure for sensitive little hands
Easy to clean: Top rack dishwasher safe
Great for healthy snacking: Cereals, dried fruits, crackers, etc.
Additional stay-fresh lid included for keeping snacks fresh when mug is not in use
Economically friendly: Made in the United States of America
Child friendly: Made of all FDA food grade compliant materials
Environmentally friendly:
Made of 100% recyclable materials & eliminates waste created by
plastic snack baggies that are used once and thrown away. Use the
Munchie Mug, again, again, and again!!!

Garden update

2008-08-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

My garden is bursting with flavor. I am growing corn for the first time, pumpkins, peppers (sweet and hot), beans, cucumbers, and lots and lots of tomatoes. I have been making home made pizza sauce, pasta sauce and salsa daily. I love summer.

Here are some pictures from my garden.
Corn

Bean tower

Harvest time

Garden friend

Book Review: The Sun in Me

2008-08-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

$12.99

Special Offer Price $10.99

The Sun In Me

Poems About the Planet

"A wide-ranging poetry collection covers sea, sun, sky, and earth illuminated by stunning illustrations."—Kirkus Review

From the rainforests of Africa to the mountains of Japan, Judith Nicholls brings together a diverse collection of poems from many cultures that celebrate the beauty and fragility of our Earth. Beth Krommes's illustrations of colorful landscapes, animals and people beautifully complement each poem, creating an heirloom-quality gift book that will delight children of all ages.

hello friend

2008-07-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

I swear dragon flies are modern day fairies. This one let me get so close I thought she was going to talk to me.

Christmas in July

2008-07-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Every summer I wait for my local greenhouse Claussen's to have their famous all you can carry sale. This year did not disappoint. For $50 I was allowed to load up a double decker cart with as much as I could. The plants were layered on top of each other in my car in order to fit them all. I was like a kid in a candy shop.

Here is my car packed with goodness.

I was giddy beyond belief.

So I decided to create a new garden around my once empty brick patio. I wanted to make a garden patio out of it.

I am happy with the results.

The rest of the flowers went to fill in the front yard garden I created this spring and a small one on the side of my house. I was also able to fill many pots for the brick patio and my deck. It was the perfect thing to do on our first day of sunshine in a week.

Go local

2008-07-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

I have been on a mission to become a localvore. If you are wondering what that is, a localvore is is a person who eats only locally-grown and produced food. I am fortunate to live in a state that has a leading part in this movement. On top of of all of the local farmers, crafters etc in VT we are also lucky to have many locally owned restaurants and stores who support this effort by selling and using their products. With the oil issue being what it is now is the time to be looking inside your own state and finding what products you can buy locally instead of products that were shipped from across the country or from other countries.

Taking on this challenge hasn't been too hard. In the summer and winter I get all of my vegetables from a local CSA Farm Share and buy as much as I can locally of other products as well. My Eggs, maple syrup, butter, cheese, veggies, fruits, salad dressing and flour all come from VT. There are some things I have had to slide on. For instance I can't yet give up avocados or bananas. This movement has taught me though to shift my eating habits quite a bit. I have become more of a seasonal eater. Since I get all of my veggies from my local CSA I eat what I get from them. This means no salads in the winter because there isn't any lettuce. The summer months are filled with salads, tomatoes, squash, beans, carrots peas and greens. The winter months are filled with carrots, potatoes, fall squash, spinach and root vegetables. All foods they store all winter. I am able to get VT apples all winter too because Champlain Orchards does winter storage as well. On top of this I grow a small garden in my back yard. This year I have 6 monster tomato plants, 4 pepper plants, peas, beans, squash, corn, cucumbers and pumpkins.

Again this means shifting my fruit intake. I no longer buy apples from Argentina and New Zealand (where most are from in the grocery stores), I am trying to wean off of bananas, and I do still give in to grapes but only when they are from CA and not Mexico. I was giddy with joy when I went to the store yesterday to find organic local plumbs grown by Champlain Orchards where I also get my apples.

It is maddening to me how much of our food is produced outside of the US. Most of the big chain food stores do not list on their tags where the food is from but the local food coop that I shop at does. It is scary. VT is taking major leaps ahead in becoming a bit more self sufficient. It takes some adjustment in your diet but it is so worth it.

To learn more go HERE, HERE

Our rescue dog journey

2008-07-15T04:29:00.000-07:00

This is the journey we took to rescue a puppy from TN. He was left in a box with 10 other puppies on someone's front lawn in TN. There are so many dogs and mostly puppies on death row in the south due to over population. Never in a million years did we think we would do this but once we saw his picture and learned more about rescue we knew this was for us.

We worked with a local rescue organization called Golden Hugs Rescue who pays a pull fee to get the dogs out of the shelter and into foster care in order to be adopted. They then have a special transport team truck the adopted dogs up North a few times a month.

We left for NH on Friday night. We stayed at my sisters house because she lives close to where our pick up location was. On Saturday we headed to the location at 1:00. The truck was supposed to be there around 1:30 but there was an accident on the highway so it didn't arrive until 3:00. My parents met us there so we at least got to visit with them while we waited. When we got to our pick up location there were about 50 other families waiting to meet their new pets. It was amazing to see so many people waiting and wondering just as we were. Finally the truck arrived. This big truck pulled up with barking dogs who had been driving since TN. The scene was amazing. Our first meeting with Winston (now Zimo) was everything we hoped. He is adjusting well and settling into his new home. He is a doll and it feels great to have saved him.

Zimo slept all the way home from NH. He was amazing. After spending the night in the truck from TN he quietly took another 3 hour drive back to VT. Once home he had some play time in the back yard and a tour of the house but it was late so we had to get the kids to bed. He immediately got into his crate and has had no problems using it since. Amazingly enough he slept through the night. We had him in the crate in our room and we heard not a peep until 4:30 this morning. We took him outside and then back in his crate when we then slept until 7:00. The boys were delighted to see hit loves to play ball. He seems to know some basic commands fairly well. He sits pretty well on command and fetches and drops the ball. He has clearly decided I am his Alpha Mama and follows me everywhere I go. We are exhausted but so happy.

2008-07-10T05:38:00.000-07:00

Last night was amazing. I went with my friend Kyler to see the Sex and the City Movie downtown. I was a late bloomer to the show. We have never had cable that gives us HBO so the year I was pregnant with sal 2004-2005 we Netflixed the entire run of the show. Start to finish. I loved it. Needless to say I was excited to see the movie. Now this isn't any kind of Oscar nod movie or anything but it isn't trying to be. It was a perfect slice of escapism that I needed in my life at that moment.

Being home with my kids full time I seldom get a break. I was giddy all day yesterday knowing I was going to be picked up at 6:00. JB was coming home from work early so I had dinner ready for 5:30 and I was out the door at 6:00. I put on a cute summer dress and jumped in the car with a smile on my face knowing I would be free of dishes, dinner clean up and all bed time routines.

The movie was what I expected. Predictable but fun. The fashions were fabulous and I laughed a lot. It was light and refreshing with themes of forgiveness and friendship thrown in.

I came home with a skip in my step. JB and I enjoyed a beer on the deck while enjoying the cooler evening air. I felt free for a moment and it was delightful.

Kyler and I made plans to see Mama Mia when it comes out. I am already counting down the days.

2008-07-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

It is hot hot hot in VT today and I have popsicles on the mind.

I just found a great source for BPA free popsicle molds. I am going to order me up some.

Save money by making your own and save your kid from all the artificial colorings and flavorings they put in store bought. But make sure you get the BPA free ones.

Meet Zimo

2008-07-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Zimo will soon be the newest addition to our family. We rescued him from TN. He will soon be making the long trip to the North East and we pick him up next Saturday. He is a 3 month old lab mix. We are in love and can't wait to meet him. His given name is Winston but the kids made up Zimo and so it will be.

These pictures were taken by the shelter in TN where he is now. It has been a long hard search for us to find the right dog. It feels really good to be helping this little guy out.

Vacation Review

2008-07-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am back from vacation. We went to Ogunquit Maine for the week. It was so nice to get away but even better to come home. Taking a break and going away is such good perspective. I realize that despite living so far from the ocean I absolutely love where I live. Ogunquit was nice but a bit too upscale for my liking. They make going to the beach a very exclusive thing. Our cottage was in walking distance to one of the beaches in town if you didn't have two kids, blankets, a cooler and beach toys in tow. Given that walking wasn't an option to us we were stuck driving. Parking at the Ogunquit beaches sucks! All lots were $15 a day or there was one that was $4.00 an hour. What? That is insane. Other beaches I have been too on the Maine/NH seacoast were not like this at all. I found it all to be a bit exclusive. Luckily we ended up finding York Beach which was the next town over and we loved it. It was much more our speed. The parking situation was meters right up against the beach and it only cost $1.00 an hour. Now that was more like it.

Leaving my hometown also makes me realize how crappy the food is in most other places. Being a vegetarian is hard in America. Most of the restaurants cater towards seafood and steak of course so it was pizza for us when we decided to dine out. We found a breakfast spot called The Egg & I in Ogunquit that supposedly had been voted the best breakfast in Southern Maine. I beg to differ. I had an omelet with cheddar cheese, mushrooms and spinach and a side of home fries. I guess I am spoiled because where I come from you can actually get fresh ingredients in your food. The mushrooms in this omelet were from a can, the spinach was soggy like frozen spinach and the home fries were prepackaged frozen home fries. It was nasty. Honestly it was no better than eating at Denny's or a place like that.

At times I wished we had just stayed in our beautiful state and just rented a place on the lake. Where enjoying the water is more accessible and the food is real. We did have a good time though. We took the kids to Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth NH. Oh and if you are ever in Portsmouth you MUST eat at The Friendly Toast. Amazing. Truly amazing. I finally found a restaurant that cooks real food! Great vegetarian options too. We also took the kids to York Wild Kingdom. Kind of a cheesy place but the kids loved it. It was fun to be able to do things with the kids they don't normally do. Arcades, ice cream - most limits were off that week. We all came home with belly aches and 3 extra pounds for me (boo-hoo). I crave fresh vegetables and fruits. Thank goodness it is farm pick up day for us at our CSA Farmshare.

Coming home was wonderful. My yard and garden exploded while we were gone. I have monster tomato plants, small peppers growing, peas and beans reaching for the sky, salad mix begging to be picked and strawberries and blueberries growing plump and juicy. I spent the next day mowing, weeding and harvesting. It was delightful. It was nice getting away but it was wonderful coming home.