Pip! Pip! Hooray?

Hello friends,
How has your week been? Any adventures? I'll tell you about my adventure with wildlife this week.

Happy Valentine's Day, kittens!

hola blogland,

I've missed you! I suppose I've been on a sort of computer/internet hiatus. If it gives you any idea, I just noticed that my desktop calender is November's! One of my goals for this year was to get back into school. Health issues and other life events forced to take a very long break so, I'm very happy to be back on track. Between work and school, I've really had to budget my "free" time. I'm pretty terrible at this so, hopefully I'll improve my time budgeting skills!

I'm not that surprised I haven't even noticed my old November calender because I've pretty much been going nonstop since then. I decided to make about 90% of my Christmas gifts and though it was a lot of hard work I'm really happy that I did it. In December I made and finished more than 15 knitted or crocheted items. Woo! I did find the time to pick up this cutie at an estate sale.

In January I:
read: The hilarious Office writer/actress Mindy Kaling's new book Is Everyone Hanging Out With Me?(And Other Concerns)
watched: Firefly and Syfy's Face Off
started a new project: Tracey's Alethea Shawl
discovered: some fabulous Wonder Woman art by Victoria Ying

We collectors

often collect strange things.


A few months ago I had the pleasure of watching Unlikely Treasures. I immediately thought to myself, "These are my people."
 I loved this quote from the film,

"I am the curator of the museum of my brain."

I suppose the museum of your brain can become a tangible thing. I sometimes compare my house to  a magpie's nest -literally filled with scraps of yarn, shiny bits, and my collections. I don't know exactly why I collect certain things. Of course some collectibles make sense -sentimental reasons or for decorating. Some collections are common and lots of other people collect the same items. As for other things, I don't have such an easy time explaining it. Found grocery lists, found polaroids of unremarkable buildings, why hang on to these things? Why even pick them up and keep them? I don't know. I'm drawn to ephemera, or some might might say- trash.

old postcards and a found polaroid photo

I starting collecting other people's old photos in high school. I think it started when I was going through a box of postcards looking for the little messages written on the back. Next to it was a box of old family photos. At first, I thought how sad it was that no one in the family wanted these photos. I started going through them. There were candids, posed photos, holiday and vacation photos; even some very old ones. An entire family history in a cardboard box. I decided I would take some home and I would appreciate them.

I used to think this was an unlikely treasure but, evidently there are quite a few people who collect other people's photos. There's a wonderful documentary on the subject, you can find info & a trailer about it here.

I'm especially drawn to candids, people with their pets, and anything unusual. Some of my favorites are of a zoo from the 30s, pictures of someone's television in '69 when they landed on the moon. And  this silly fellow doing a handstand. These collections don't really serve a purpose. I don't even have a fraction of them on display. Most of them sit in boxes. But, I do enjoy them.

In both of the films compulsion is hinted at. The collectors are presented as quirky and maybe even obsessive. Is there a fine line between hoarding and collecting or is it more clearly defined? There are a lot of popular television shows that deal with these piles and piles of stuff, whether it's Hoarders or American Pickers. Is this an American phenomenon? The result of a consumer culture where items that last a long time are meant to be thrown away and replaced? Maybe we collectors are a little like historians, curating the museums of our minds and anything else that catches the magpie's eye.

Emerald City Hat

Been doing a lot of hooking lately. Here's my latest FO. Made with Manos Del Uruguay (lovely!) Maxima and the Bonita hat pattern from Tales From the Hook. I think it goes well with my recently dyed red hairs.

xoxo, k

Canning Adventures

the fruits of my labors

I've wanted to try my hand at canning for quite awhile but, honestly I was just too intimidated. Too me it seemed complicated and I was sure my efforts would end in disaster. My Aunt Kathy is a fabulous southern cook. Growing up she'd always have something tasty cooking for us kids. We even got to enjoy her somewhat exotic muscadine jelly and pear honey. I'll have to ask her someday for her tips and recipes.
With my pears threatening to go bad I finally decided to take the plunge and try this canning thing out. I searched for recipes & tips on the internet. I eventually settled on two recipes. Ginger Pear Jam from Vegetarian Times and Spiced Pear Chutney from Canning & Preserving with Ashley English. 

Here's a quick review on Canning & Preserving. Ashley English is a contributor for Design*Sponge so, I had high hopes. I also have Keeping Bees from this author (courtesy of Ms. Molly over at A Foothill Home Companion, thanks again!).  I really love the Homemade Living series -great layouts, beautiful photographs and they truly are educational. I picked this book up at the library and I'm so glad I did. If you are a canning newbie this book will be indispensable.  In addition to recipes this book was filled with step by step pictures, detailed instructions, and all the info you need to quell your fears about poisoning your loved ones with botulism. (Srsly, I am really paranoid about this.) I really learned a lot from this book. Now I'm much more confident.
 
I did have to buy a few supplies. I bought a utensil set from Ball at the supermarket. I also purchased a large stockpot since I didn't have anything large enough. It's also really important to buy top notch ingredients like pure cane sugar. If any of your ingredients especially your main veggie or fruit are below par you will taste it.

From the cooking to the sterilizing to the processing I spent the better half of a day on my jars of deliciousness. But, once I heard the lids popping (letting me know they were properly sealed) it was all worth it. I found the whole process to be so satisfying. From picking my own pears, purchasing organic/fair trade ingredients, cooking, and finally eating the results -wow, such a good feeling. Success!

Pear-Cranberry-Ginger Jar Pies

 I know I'm a little late to the pie-in-a-jar party but, I'm definitely hooked now. It's just fun to say "pie in a jar" it even makes me want to add "What will they think of next?!"

I upped the cuteness factor with fall themed pie crust cutters. I love how easy these are to share and when I want a bite of pie I just pop one in the microwave. I got the recipe from the aptly named Cutie Pies:40 Sweet, Savory and Adorable Recipes. And with a name like that how could I not check it out? The recipes are from the brick and mortar pie shop, High 5 Pie. It probably doesn't look any thing like The Pie Hole but I can dream.

 

These were so fun and easy to make. The cranberries smelled amazing while they were cooking. I even saved some of the cranberry sugar syrup for a later experiment. (I found a recipe for pear infused vodka)

Have you ever tried pie in a jar? What's your favorite kind of pie? Or do you prefer another sweet treat?

a little halloween stop motion

Here's a quick stop motion movie I made with my phone. Hope you all had a sweet Halloween!

Fall Crafts

A reenactment of my previous experiences with wreaths: "Oooo, pretty!" "Want it!" *Looks at price tag* "Yeah, no way. I could totally make that myself for waaay less than that." *Goes home, forgets about it, repeat*
I've seen a lot of gorgeous homemade wreaths on pinterest(how cute is this one?), so I finally decided to give it a try. Here's my result.

Bryant's Butternut Squash & Pear Soup

I've got pears coming out of my ears at the moment so, I've been scouring the internet for new recipes. This soup was something new for me. I've never had pears in soup before but, the recipe is from Bryant Terry so I knew it would be a winner. The lovely orange color comes from the butternut squash and the pears and coconut milk give it a creamy, slightly sweet finish. I think it's gorgeous.

The soup has a lot of prep time but, if you are only serving a few people you will have plenty left over for more meals. 

You will need:

• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts finely chopped (3 cups)
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (2 lb.)
• 3 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces (11/2 lb.)
• 5 cups low-sodium veggie broth
• 1 14-oz. can light coconut milk (I used a little less than this)
  
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Pumpkin seeds for garnish, optional

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook the leeks for 10 minutes.

2. Add squash and pears, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in veggie broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut milk. Purée soup in batches in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan, and stir in thyme. Reheat over medium-low heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through. Season with salt and white pepper, if desired. Serve garnished with pumpkin seeds, if using.

recipe via Vegetarian Times

Vintage Finds & Link Love

Yep, more paint by numbers. I never get tired of them. I spotted this one at Savers thrift store last week. How could I resist an American history themed pbn?  I absolutely love the shiny gold background even if it has seen better days. I think it looks swell on my turquoise wall!

The bearded unicorn (tray? wall hanging? no idea) was thrifted in Nashville and the pelican diorama brooch was a recent estate sale find. That estate sale was really fun. The homeowner ran an antique store and had all sorts of lovely things. From comic books to primitives to German weather houses it was quite the eclectic collection. I was really taken with this little brooch, and I believe it might be bakelite. So kitschy and charming!

Link Love:

Other fun finds include the art and comics of Dylan Meconis who wrote the adorable fairytale comic Outfoxed. Read it here. (thx to my buddy cara for introducing me!)

Smart Phone app Scoutmob -"Deals for the local curious." It isn't in every city yet but, it's a great way to save money and find local stuff to do. It also has a mustache function photobook and fun facts about your city. Hooray!

Hope you're having a lovely Monday!

Some FO's

I've got a couple of fo's to share. I have a few ongoing projects, too. I picked up my needles on my Americano vest again. And I'm still making thousands (an exaggeration, maybe) of granny squares for Zach's mario blanket.

Here's a quick project -Berroco's Wink -that I made while watching an episode of Glee. Talk about instant gratification. Although I think an hour is really all I could stand knitting with size 35 needles. They're like broomsticks. Really. The yarn was a total splurge but, I think the result is really cute and I love the earthy colors. Will I look like a crazy knitting lady if I wear this huge chunky scarf, though?

 

 The husband requested a slouchy hat but, not just any hat -a beard hat. Don't know what I'm talking about? I reminded him that I was slaving away on granny squares but, he pulled the cute puppy eye thing and I was powerless. So, he purchased a pattern from By Laura Design and it was another fast project. I haven't completed the beard yet so stay tuned.

The Fall season seems to increase my crafty productivity. Summertime makes me lazy! Whatever it is -I've got the crafty bug again. Is there a particular time of year that makes you feel crafty?

My week in photos

I had a few days off this week so I really tried to make the most of it

Vintage Finds: Paint by Numbers!

 As a kid, I loved art (still do!). My mom would buy me all kinds of art supplies from pastels and fancy oil paints to paint by numbers from the craft store. I loved how all the weird swirls with tiny numbers would become a neat little painting. It was almost always of a horse! I was pretty fond of horses (still am!). Now, every time I see a painting at the thrift store or an estate sale I snatch it up. I think the colors and subjects are delightful. I also like giving a home to something someone spent time on! So now I've got a little collection and these p-b-ns are my newest additions. I picked them up at that estate sale last weekend. We entered the house in the garage and I saw just a peek of color in a cardboard box. I dug through it and found several paint by numbers. Score! I love the colors in these! I'm not sure of their age but, they're very vibrant.

How sweet is this winter scene with the doe and the buck?

What I Wore: Dreaming of Fall

 It's finally looking and feeling a little more Autumn in my home state. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, and once the temperatures start to dip I break out the tights.

This was my Fall-ish Saturday outfit, my legs look pretty oompa loompa/snooki-esque in these photos but, they're a little less orangey in real life. A stranger called me "colorful." You bet I am.

My fellow junkin' enthusiast Sara and I went estate sale-ing this Saturday and we had a grand time. We enjoyed the cooler air, pumpkin spice lattes, randomly stopping at a carnival at a place called Sherwood Forest, and we even came home with a few great finds. Pictures of those coming soon! Hope your Saturday was cool and lovely!

Rachel's Applesauce Cake

I finally got a chance to try Rachel's (conflower blue studios) Recipe for applesauce cake. It turned out more bread-like than like a cake but, no complaints from me! I added walnuts and chopped apples so that probably contributed to the bread-yness. Super simple vegan cake that's not too sweet. I used my peace cake mold that the hubs bought for me to make hippie bread in. (wink)

Vintage Finds: Bolo Ties

Recently, I found a vintage bolo tie at the thrift store. It had a cute couple of flamenco dancers on it so, I couldn't resist. Usually when I think of bolo ties I don't really think of them as a cute accessory. Actually, they remind me of the early nineties when my Dad went through his country music phase. My cousin and I would sit in the truck cab belting out country tunes at the top of our lungs.

Lately, I've seen a few lovely blogger ladies sporting the bolo tie and I think it's rather cute.

Source: minipennyblog.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Source: doecdoe.blogspot.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Here's my bolo tie! I love it.

photo of me by the husband, Zach.

I haven't found the perfect outfit for it yet but, it's really fun to wear.

New Ink

Untitled, a photo by xoxo_k on Flickr.

the hummingbird, bees, and colorful scrolls are the new additions. By Brooke Cooke (luckybella.com)

 A better photo of the whole (please excuse my crazy face and yes, that is a paper pirate hat.)

photos courtesy of Cara B.

xoxo, k

Collections -

 I am definitely what you'd call a "collector."  Not just any one thing, either. I've been scouring thrift stores and estates sales where ever I go since I was in high school. I love vintage, and I really love vintage cameras. After I shared some special ones in my House Burning post I thought I'd show the rest of my collection. That's also one of my favorite Paint-By-Numbers on the wall.

polaroid that belonged to my mom

My Grandpa's movie camera

I have a few others hanging around the house but, this is most of them. Someday I hope to take photos with all of them (what's possible, of course). My collection doesn't quite look like this one (yet?) but, isn't that impressive!

Source: etc-alltherest.blogspot.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Are you a collector? What do you collect?

Pimento Cheese Panini & Fried Green Tomatoes

I have to thank Kate at Southern Belle Simple for reminding me at how good homemade pimento cheese is. (none of that premade-comes-in-a-tub nonsense!) And Vegetarian Times for the suggestion  to add zucchini. Yum!

I bought a small loaf of ciabatta bread and sliced it up. I dug out the panini press I received as a Christmas gift (that I shamefully hadn't even taken out of the box until a month ago).  Putting a heavy skillet on top of your sandwich will get ya by if you don't have a panini press.





The recipe for the fried green tomatoes came from a vegan cookbook that focuses on local seasonal eating, Ripe From Around Here by Jae Steele. Even though she's Canadian I thought I'd give her recipe for the classically Southern food a try. They were yummy. Bonus points for this cookbook because of how it labels the recipes. People with fibro (like me) or other food allergies may appreciate the nightshade free icon. Or totally ignore it. Whichever.

What's in season in your corner of the world?