quiet, but busy

Both RKP and I are busy right now, getting through final papers, presentations and exams. Not much time for crafting (even stress-crafting), but I am trying to stay on top of my holiday shopping.

Here are a few suggestions:
Burt's Bees! organic! local! (well, at least for me)...their products are lovely and work great.

This penguin filled with delicious Grade A maple syrup comes from Williams Sonoma and would make a sweet little hostess gift.

Or how about some scattering snow from Anthropologie? You know, for those holiday displays in the window...or, if you live in the South like me, beneath the palmetto trees in your backyard?

Or, if students you know feel tired of writing papers, how about a multiple-choice journal? Like the SAT but with none of the anxiety.

Or maybe luggage tags from J.Crew for the friend who needs to get rid of the nasty ribbon they put on the suitcase about 10 years ago?  Or a subscription to American Scholar? Or letterpress bicycle notecards from Etsy seller larkpress?

Room Fun

 

Some lovely house some-days...

(All pictures from BonLuxat)

chic tags & stickers

Since Christmas is just over a month away, how about some cute and chic gift tags?

I like these chic little tags from Seasonal Delight's Etsy shop.

They also have these:

and these(!):

and stickers.

 

 

I'm stopping now because I'm supposed to be learning about the RDA standard in cataloging class. But I think these paper goods are awfully nice.

Pressure Cooking [and Cleaning]

RKP recently noted that, in the midst of pressure from school and work, she likes to turn to "stress crafting." Because honestly, when you have a lot to do, nothing relieves the stress like adding 4 or 5 new projects. I experienced this last weekend when I should have been working on my final portfolio for my graduate program. Instead, I emptied our two closets, re-organized and put things back. I bagged up old clothes for Goodwill. I made a Rum-Apple Baked Custard:

and homemade chili:

and chocolate chip cookies:

and then this weekend I was very productive on the portfolio. "Stress crafting" isn't avoiding work; it's a way of resting your brain. How do you rest your brain?

Real Fast Food...and the Egyptians?

This pictured recipe by Nigel Slater gets no points for food photography, but it does get points for being delicious.  I guess other people probably knew about Nigel long before I got to him, but he's definitly worth a read. I am currently enjoying Real Fast Food which has great ideas about how to get real food on your table in 30 minutes or less. I like his creativity and his flexibility...and his Chili-Chicken with yogurt sauce.

This morning NIS and I went to our local farmer's market, where we had a chocolate brioche and bought fresh pork sausage made from happy pigs and some vegetables. Right now it is cooking in an onion-beer sauce. We plan to eat it with mustard. We also enjoyed seeing a part of the city we had never been to before - we wandered around with our coffees in hand and saw Morning Glories:

and this bizarre...Egyptian...thing...proving once again that I just don't understand the South.

It was just out in the middle of the grass...randomly...

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Nigel Slater's Chili-Chicken (modified)

1 small onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

juice of one lemon

1 or 2 chicken breasts cut up into small pieces

combine all ingredients together and let chicken sit as long as you can...heat a skillet (if you have one of the Le Creuset grill pans, that would be perfect - I make do with my little iron skillet) very hot and throw the chicken in. It shouldn't take more than 3-4 minutes to cook. Serve in whole-wheat pitas with chopped lettuce and yogurt sauce - or alternatively, just eat it plain with the yogurt sauce. It is that good.

Crafting for Relaxation

So I've pretty much realized that when there is a lot going on in my life (and sometimes the stress level is high), I can measure it by the sheer volume of craftiness that suddenly overtakes me. Then I have to stop myself so I don't get out of control and start planning all sorts of crazy projects.

Guess what I've been up to recently? Well, first there was the cool shirt made by PPS:

(which I think is pretty awesome and soon to be posted in the etsy store)

So I tried my hand at some sewing:

(also coming to the store - I think I like how it turned out?)

Then there is something for the Meeper (Jan, close your eyes):

(I think he was trying to get away)

And as Amms correctly guessed, Marie Antoinette is in town:

(yummy shoes, anyone?)

Which brings me my special winter break project that I'm really excited about. Let's just say it relates to the pink shoes, but involves this:

(they look like easter eggs??)

I could stop at any time...

Etsy Friends and Hints

I think that it is very cool that there are a couple other friends on etsy (and hopefully more soon!).

onewordprints makes fun journals and collages (with the help of her goldfish).

mrsjennyjames is one of my favorite photographers and she has lovely prints in her store!

And here is a little hint for my winter break project! This picture comes from a movie involving delicious shoes - anyone know what it is?

what we've been eating.

Sweet potato pie & mushroom-red onion-chicken tart

Acorn squash & butternut squash ready for their water baths

Sauteed with garlic, onion, olive oil & basil and served over whole wheat pasta & mozzarella

Unfortunately, the Sweet Potato Pie had too much vegetable flavor. One slice was nice for novelty, but we didn't devour it like we would a pumpkin pie. I think that makes me give up on sweet potatoes; I've tried them multiple ways now and they never seem to succeed. Squash, on the other hand, has been really tasty - especially with a lot of garlic. Yesterday the New York Times had this tasty article about seasonal cooking, with recipes for fig tart with onions, rosemary & stilton, ratatouille & sausage potpie, and tomato eclairs with ricotta & basil filling. I think I need to get some figs?