The Next Day is Someday

Hello there

2012-01-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Boy oh boy, it sure has been a long time since I've blogged about anything! I've been a very busy bee and haven't felt all that inspired to share too much, or really I just haven't had much time! I haven't gotten any crafting done since before Christmas, and really only two small projects since before November. I did spend part of a day last week cleaning up my crafting corner so I'll hopefully be inspired to work on something soon. I started just laying out a quilt on paper a few nights ago so that will be up next. I also have another one I've been working on for a while that needs to be finished.

So what's up with me? This last week and a half or so I've had a cold which just doesn't seem to want to hit the road. While my mind is nice and sharp and ready to go, my body is telling me otherwise. I have exercising to do, and crafting to do and I'm just not up to it yet. Sooo, I'm sitting here on my couch, writing to you.

The last several months have been very reflective ones for me. I have some big news that I haven't shared here yet, and it's a little bit stale at this point because it's about four months old but nonetheless, I share it now. Well, after a bit of background first... If you have been reading my blog for a while now, or know me personally you know that I've gone through some, shall we say... less than pleasant stuff. One of the biggies being getting laid off. It happened in December of 2008 and it really changed my life. In a huge way. I spent several years being fully or partially unemployed and it became my new normal. The dream and wish of having a real "grownup" job seemed so so far away and so impossible. A couple years ago I had an informational interview at an architectural and design firm and absolutely fell in love. I held on to that and kept in touch with the owner, and low and behold after all the heartache of losing a job I found one in the field I'm trained in and with the company I really wanted to work for. I've been there since early September and am really enjoying it. Right now I'm part time and I wear lots of hats and have many responsibilities and I love it! I'm working on a residential design project right now and I'm learning so much each day.

The day I got word that they wanted to hire me was unreal. It all happened very fast and as I drove home after the interview I had this overwhelming feeling and couldn't help but cry. Unless you've been unemployed you can't even begin to understand the feeling. I'd be willing to say that of the disastrous things that have happened to me the loss of gainful employment caused longer lasting pain than the end of my marriage. I thought to myself, "I made it, I got through all the crap and made it out the other end!" I just really couldn't believe it was finally happening!

I'm still hesitant to tell the world about it because I'm afraid it'll go away. I actually didn't even want to tell people about it after I got word but eventually I had to spill my news.

It's been an eventful several months. I continue to work at Paper Source, because I love the people I work with and the company, I'm there just a few days a week.

I've been pretty conservative with things even with the new job but just about two weeks before Christmas I finally bought myself something that I had been absolutely dying for. I replaced my really old piece of crap flip phone with a brand spankin new iPhone. It took me a long while to finally be ok with getting one. Now that I have it I absolutely love it. I knew it would change my life and make things so much more convenient and boy has it. It's amazing, and I'm sure I haven't even used it to half of it's potential yet.

Two of my favorite aps are Words with Friends and Instagram. If you're not familiar with Instagram it's a photo ap that can take and alter your images to look different. Here are just a few that I've taken...

Now that my life just might have some regularity as far as my schedule goes I hope to get back to blogging more regularly! I have big plans for the blog and for my creative business, I just need to get it started! I think though, that today I will just do some cleaning and maybe even work on a quilt! Happy Friday!

What are you thankful for?

2011-11-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Long time no talk!

I just wanted to pop in and ruminate for a minute about the upcoming holidays. As we all know, Thanksgiving is coming up next week. I've been inspired by all of my friends on Facebook, they are doing 30 Days of Being Thankful, and while I'm trying to keep up I haven't posted something every day this month. Doesn't mean I don't think about it though.

So what am I thankful for? Life can throw some serious stuff at us and being able to come out of it in one piece and for the better is just such a blessing. I am so blessed to have friends and family that love me and accept me for who I am. I am blessed to have two jobs that I really like which help me to support myself. I am so thankful for who I have become despite the challenges I have faced. I am thankful that I am able to put food on my table and a roof over my head! Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in the wants and desires of our society we forget about what we really have!

Last year I took a moment to think about what I wanted the holidays to be for me, what was it about? I'm getting to that point again this year. What do I want my Thanksgiving and Christmas to be all about this year? I want to bake, in my house with a cup of something steaming to sip on, and wonderful music playing. I want to handmake as many presents as I can and stay out of the mall. I want to spend time with the people I love, and when I am with people that I find challenging to feel good about I want to stay positive and true to my holiday spirit! I want to see Christmas lights and I want to do something good for others! I want to see Straight No Chaser again this year and I want to go to the Nutcracker in San Francisco!

Before the madness begins you should take a moment to decide how you want your holidays to be this year! Get ahead of the stress and crazy schedule and commit to it being what you want it to be!

Love to all and Happy early Thanksgiving!

Craft fair!

2011-10-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

My next craft fair is coming up soon! This will be my fourth year doing this one in particular. I don't feel as well prepared as I'd like, and I'm doing much less sewn stuff this year because I just plainly haven't had time. It'll still be a blast and I am excited for it! Hope to see you there!

Creamy broccoli white bean soup

2011-10-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Last week I made a super yummy dinner that I wanted to share with you! I found the recipe on Pinterest and on a whim decided to try it. It's very easy to make and it was quick. This the picture from Whole Living, my picture wasn't nearly as appetizing.

Find the recipe here.

Ingredients

1 head broccoli (1 pound), cut into florets, stems thinly sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

1/2 ounce shaved Parmesan, for serving

Directions

1.Steam broccoli florets and stems until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup florets for garnish.

2.Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add beans and stock and bring mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and add broccoli; puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish each bowl with broccoli florets, toasted pine nuts, and shaved Parmesan.

Some of the changes I made...

I used a bag of frozen broccoli florets. I added butter. I threw in the whole can of beans, liquid and all. It could easily be adapted for a vegetarian!

Two fun days!

2011-10-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend I got to do a couple things I've had planned for months, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park and a trip to the Napa Valley for a fall release party at a winery one of my besties is a member at in Yountville. And we finally got to eat at Ad Hoc!

Having never been to the festival before I didn't know what to expect but I really enjoyed myself! It was a beautiful day in the city and I had such a nice time. The two acts I wanted to see were M. Ward and Robert Plant and the Band of Joy. The rest of the day we just checked out some of the other acts.

I thought this little guy was so cute. He made friends with us and stole our sunblock out of my bag and tried to eat some of my banana.

That is Robert Plant...

When we go to Napa we tend to taste at the same places because we've found good ones that we like. My friends took me to one they've been to that is excellent that I had never visited. I love when they take you out into the vineyard and you can taste the grapes right off of the vines. This place is called Paradigm, you need to go there.

One of our favorites... Grgich

At the fall release party. We ate super yummy food here... brick oven pizzas, fruit, cheese and some rocking cupcakes!

Ok, so this might have been the most awesome part of the day. We at at Ad Hoc. You have to make reservations at this place way in advance, like months. It is one of Thomas Keller's restaurants in Yountville. I've now eaten at two of his restaurants there, the other being Bouchon. Both excellent and so different from each other. The last one I'll need to eat at is French Laundry. Not likely to happen any time soon...

See those big fat pieces of bacon?!?

We did the wine pairing as well, this was a wonderful rose from Germany.

Fig stuffed pork loin...

Yummers... the polenta cake with a sliver of that garlic clove and a slice of that tomato... so good...

My mouth was in heaven... goat cheese spiked with just a little truffle and then drizzled with honey

Carrot cake cupcakes...

Um, that's a lot of wine. See that little tiny yellow box in the middle, yah, that one is mine.

I'm still here!

2011-09-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

I am alive! I've just been so busy I've had no time to blog or come up with anything inspiring. Life has just been crazy lately. Today I'm supposed to be at the Petaluma Antiques Fair but I'm just so worn out I'm hanging out at my parents house on the couch with a blanket and my computer while watching football. The weather feels like autumn today. It's 72 degrees outside and it's sprinkling and it's grey and cozy. I seem to have come down with a little cold in the last week so I guess this is what my body needs.

Yesterday I attended one of my best friends' dad's memorial service. It was beautiful and powerful and it was impossible not to feel the love and admiration everyone in the church felt for him. He was a great man. I got to see some people I haven't seen in a really long time, it's unfortunate though that it was for the occasion that it was.

I'm not feeling very eloquent or succinct today so I think I'll just share some of my latest Pinterest photos...

This is a calendar we carry at Paper Source. It's fantastic! It's letterpressed and the photos don't do it justice. It really has the air of being handmade. I love how vintage the images are. They're so homey.

This is a super cool paint by numbers on a wall! I love vintage paint by numbers paintings, I always look for them at antique sales. This one is via Making It Lovely.

FAB-U-LOUS! Tory Burch boots at Nordstroms

Cozy

Beautiful color and texture

I love The Goonies. Always have. And it's a fall movie for me, mostly because of one of the shots at the beginning of the drizzly day with leaves falling. I need this poster for my wall!

link

Someday I will have a granny squares blanket!

My favorite girl... lookin good at the Emmys!

I like to dye my hard boiled eggs even when it's not Easter... it keeps them seperate from the regular eggs and it makes me smile!

Free People

I hope you have a great week!

We remember...

2011-09-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

Today

2011-09-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

Such a great morning...

Cool breeze

overcast

cozy couch

lap blanket

good book

hot apple chai

trees outside the window

quiet

Sunday in Bed

Craft fair goodness...

2011-09-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Just a few more pictures of the craft fair...

1 Rad Rev

2011-09-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Well the month of August has come and gone, and good riddance if you ask me. It's never been my favorite month, in fact it's my least favorite. Now September, it's sort of the beginning of autumn, despite the fact that we'll probably have hot summer weather into October. September is better. I might have to go buy some yummy fall smelling candles soon.

The craft fair has come and gone and I will start thinking about the ones coming up that I'll be participating in but I'm taking a little break right now. I should be doing one in November that I've done for the past four years and I might be taking on another one in December that will be new to me.

Sadly this month was ushered in by the loss of a very special person. One of my oldest and dearest friends lost her father yesterday. He was a wonderful person and had an impact on the lives of so many people, so many in fact it's impossible to count. He was the pastor of my church growing up, and while he didn't baptize me, he did confirm me and marry my ex-husband and I. My sister was baptized and confirmed by him and several of my friends were married by him. I grew up playing at his house, going on vacations with their family and was nurtured by the environment they created in their home. I've seen a lot less of him since growing up and moving away from home but he's been no less a part of my life. Sometimes it's hard to understand why we lose someone so special who made such a wonderful contribution to society and to our lives. It's a mystery really, and so unfair. I can only hope that something beautiful comes out of this tragedy.

Hug the ones you love, if they aren't at arms reach, call them and tell them you love them.

The craftacular wonder faire!

2011-08-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

Phew. Yesterday was a great but tiring day! Hart's Fabrics held their first Craftacular Wonder Faire yesterday and for us at least, I'd say it was a smashing success. Some people (my friends) said our booth was the best one. We had seven different crafters in one booth and having the great variety of items that we did was so great. We had crocheted items, my sewn pieces as well as some tissue package toppers, and the rest was paper products. We had cards, and notebooks and journals, baby hats, mug rugs, cup cozy's, gift card holders, fabric nesting box sets, awesome shrinky dink necklaces, head wrap scarf things, little paper pieces of cake you could put a gift in and so much more! We all have different styles so it was fun to see it all come together. We were called Everything But the Kitchen Sink because we were so varied.

I was so concerned with bringing everything with me that we needed I grabbed my camera but once again forgot to make sure the card was in it, so no pictures from me. This is one that a friend took.

It was so much fun and I'm so happy with how everything came together!

It's this weekend!

2011-08-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder... the Craftacular Wonder Fair is this upcoming Sunday! Hope to see you there!

A few new things...

2011-08-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Pop on over to my other blog to see some of the new things I've recently finished! I'm really trying to spend most of my free time sewing lately, gotta get stuff done for the craft fair!

Here's a teaser...

The story of us

2011-08-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

I've had a whirlwind of a few days. Friday night I worked until 8:30pm then set off for my home town of Yuba City straight from the store. I arrived around roughly 11:30pm, but only after stopping at McDonald's to get a hot fudge sundae... and a small fry. It hit the spot, and my shirt and my jeans.
Yesterday I was right back where it started, at work after driving back to the bay area at 9:00 the morning after a late night and restless sleep. Needless to say, I'm taking it easy today.

The whole point of my quick trip was to see some of my favorite people in the whole world, my best girlfriends. I am very blessed to have what I know a lot of people might not. I have known two of my best friends since preschool and kindergarten, the rest of them since seventh grade and high school. We're all still close, and though we may be in different points in our lives we can still come together and sit around for hours and hours talking. We laugh, we certainly cry and we watch videos of New Kids on the Block.
My drive back yesterday morning was spent with music off for the majority of the time. I was thinking about my friends and how far we've come and how far we still have to go. We're in our early thirties and having to deal with things that well, just aren't fair. And that's putting it mildly. At one point there were five of us sitting at the table, talking about some pretty serious stuff and we realized that each of us has gone through something horrible. Between the five of us there have been two divorces, a very sick newborn (who is a super rockin cool kid now), fertility problems and we're currently experiencing our first very sick parent.

I think the point of this ramble is to acknowledge the incredible strength and bond between girlfriends. Especially ones who have known each other for almost their whole lives. When my world crashed down around me I called one of them and she called another and they were with me a few days later. They dropped everything and came to support me. They cleaned out my refrigerator, brought me food and made me eat it. Only the truest of girlfriends is going to clean out your fridge!

How could we have known when we were ten and wearing our double tongue Reebok's and fighting over who was going to finish the Pepsi that one of us (not me) got in our lunches, that we'd be supporting each other years and years later? Sorry, that was one big run on sentence.

We have so many memories that we still laugh about today. One that popped into my mind is this one...

It was a very special day when you didn't have to bring your lunch with you and your mom either came and got you and took you to lunch or brought you McDonald's. We were sitting in the playground/parking lot for lunch when M unwrapped her cheeseburger and exclaimed "look, a perfect bun!" The bun had no wrinkles or cracks, it was perfectly smooth. S reached over and stuck her finger in it. This isn't a remarkably funny story for most of you, but knowing the personalities of my friends at that point in our lives it was very out of character for S to do that and it was hilarious!

Anyways, this was one big rambling post but this subject matter is really on my mind right now. I feel like I need to get it out so I can try to move on with my day. Sorry for the more heavy subject matter than usual.

XOXO

Style

2011-07-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Some people turn their noses up at at fashion or spending money on clothes, whether they are from Anthropologie or from Old Navy. Unless these people are completely devoid of personality I don't think they realize that your clothes, your hair and you appearance are how you tell the world a little about yourself without having to say a word. Fashion is a way of self expression. Sadly, the way I want to express myself often lies with clothing I can't afford so I'm forced to work with what I've got. I've been pinning things to my Pinterest style board and I'm definitely seeing a few trends...

Chunky belts

Lighter washed and cuffed boyfriend jeans

Equestrian style boots

layering

I really love this look!

This one makes me wish it was chilly outside...

This Anthro belt has been on my wishlist for a while now, I just love it, I think it's the juxtaposition of the crystals and the rough leather.

I have a pair of fuschia colored tights I'm dying to wear with my betty dress!

love this with the scarf. We have this one at my store and I'm tempted... or, maybe I'll find some cotton fabric and have a tiedye party!

I love that the Starbucks cup is included in this pic... the perfect afternoon!

More layering, more belt...

For three years now I've meant to get equestrian style boots, it will it will it will happen this year!

Craftacular Wonder Fair!

2011-07-26T16:13:00.001-07:00

Hope to see you there!

Finding beauty in small moments

2011-07-24T11:10:00.001-07:00

I'd like to think that I have a very attuned nose. Maybe my nose isn't superhuman but smells are a big part of my life. For instance my favorite thing about Sea Ranch is the smell.

This morning I fought the urge to stay in bed and dragged my butt out of bed, got up and showered so I could enjoy my morning before I have to be at work. I hadn't been to the farmers market in weeks and really wanted to get there this morning. The first thing that hit my nose as I walked through the stalls was the incredible smell of fresh basil. It smells like summer. It seems the produce had multiplied tenfold since my last visit! Big fat juicy blackberries, piles and piles of nectarines and peaches, a table full of sweet corn and so much more was there for the taking, or buying I guess.

As I left (begrudgingly) I decided to swing by the grocery store. I didn't want to really, I wanted to come home and do some sewing in the hour I have before work. Alas, I didn't have any milk so off to Trader Joe's I went. On my way there I had the windows down, it's a beautiful morning, and Brown Eyed Girl came on the radio. It was perfect.

So, my point is this... you have to be able to find joy and beauty in the smallest moments. The smell of a bunch of basil on my counter, the freedom of driving with the wind in my hair and a great song on the radio, knowing that I have some big fat tomatoes just waiting for me to eat... these things bring me joy. It was worth dragging my butt out of bed!

Now, I have to get ready for work. I hope your Sunday is fantastic!

Pinterest update...

2011-07-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

I'm obsessed with Pinterest. I've been blamed for the sucking of time from the lives of people I've turned on to it. Here are a few things I've pinned recently...

Design Sponge
I'm totally going to make these... someday... when I have time. Make them you say, aren't they real? Touche, look a little closer... they're felt!

Crate Paper Blog
Wanna make these too... when I have time...

I want to be here...

we heart it

Soul Soup

Pioneer Woman

My co-worker made this cake a couple weeks ago, it was da bomb! I've never been a big fan of tres leches cake but it was soooo good!

...it's what makes the world go 'round...

decor8

Home-biba

Country Living
I have a spot for this! It's an old rake!

Ads of the World
Totally...

Purl Bee

I'm wanting an armful of these... I love the colors!

The end has come...

2011-07-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Are you a Harry Potter fan? Do you remember reading the first book? What year was it? I remember reading the first book and finishing it on the couch at my parent's house. I immediately started the second book and didn't leave the couch that day until it was done. The Deathly Hallows was fantastic, parts I and II. It is sort of sad that it's all over and we won't get any more Harry Potter! Pinterest has exploded with photos of the cast, and art that has been created in honor of the finale. I just wanted to share a snippet of it here...

Take this to heart...

2011-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I was listening to the Today show as I was getting ready to run out the door to work. I just happened to hear part of an interview with the Dalai Lama, and something he said has stuck with me since hearing him say it.

"Anger destroys your piece of mind. Anger NEVER destroys the person it's directed to."

I just wanted to share that little gem of wisdom with everyone today.

Facebook!

2011-07-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is new to me, but I'm giving it a try! You should now be able to "like" The Next Day is Someday on Facebook! You should also be able to "like" Strawberry Jam Designs! Give it a try and tell me if it works! I think you can just search it, but that may only work for me when I'm logged in. If you "like" them my blogposts should just show up in your feed...

I'm on my umpteenth day of working but I'm enjoying the beautiful mild weather we're having and I'm especially enjoying the iced chai I'm drinking right now. I'm day dreaming about French Laundry, Sea Ranch, autumn weather, hand embroidery, spending a whole lazy day with my sewing machine and so much more...

NKOTBSB!

2011-07-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

Another post I'm just getting around to sharing... A couple weeks ago I got to revert to being a 13 year old girl and see New Kids on the Block in concert! Backstreet Boys were there too but I could have done without them. I had a great time and screamed myself hoarse for two days! Here's a few pics...

The New Kids came out into the stands at one point, too bad we got Danny, he's my least favorite.

A few videos, I have many but I won't subject you to hearing me singing/yelling in the background...

Renegade Craft Fair SF

2011-07-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, well, a week ago tomorrow I went to Renegade Craft Fair in SF and I'm just now getting around to telling you about it! It's been a busy week!

I ended up going by myself, which was cool. Sometimes you just need to do things on your own so you can do them the way you want to! I ended up driving all the way around to Fort Mason along the embarcadero because I wasn't paying attention when I got off the freeway. That was good though because I hate driving on the hills in SF. I found parking with relatively low levels of stress which was kind of amazing!

I really liked this vendor's jewelry! It was beautiful, very well made and unique. The colors were fantastic!

Sofia Masri porcelain jewelry

The necklaces were stunning but what I really wanted was a pair of these little stud earrings. There was a pair that looked like sea urchins that were fantastic. She uses old buttons and other forms to create the designs in the porcelain.

Figs and Ginger was a fantastic find, I recently found them on Etsy so when I saw them at Renegade I was pleasantly surprised to see a shop I recognized. I love their wood etching pieces and I hope to own some someday! I just watched a video of them on their website and they are so friggin cute! I love the little camper they work out of!

I didn't get very far into the fair before I was starving. I stopped for falafel and enjoyed the beautiful weather. I have new Tom's Shoes that my roommate bought me, and I love them so I took a picture. Everyone should have red shoes.

Not too shabby...

These guys were so cute! They make ties out of salvaged wood. I loved their booth and the simplicity of it.

I thought this guy was so cute in his hat and his wood tie I asked him if I could take his picture.

Sadly I didn't get to try any of these, they were sold out. :( I took a picture though so one of my many baking friends can make them for me! I'm especially interested in the orange beersicle cupcake made with Blue Moon beer.

After I left the fair I decided to plop my butt down on a hillside in Fort Mason and enjoy the day. Who wouldn't want to sit and watch people and the Golden Gate Bridge!?

I headed back up the hill towards a little place I have had on my must visit list for a while, on the way I passed numerous cool houses, and vespas!

At some point in my Internet surfing I came across Loving Cup. I love rice pudding so I had to go to this place and it was right up the street from where I parked my car on Polk St. so I decided that was the day!

I had half vanilla and half coconut with cinnamon and nutmeg on top. As you can tell, I didn't like it at all... Their smoothies and frozen yogurts looked so good too, I definitely need to go back! I sat in the window and people watched while I savored my treat!

Loved this house, it's really set back from the street which is unique.

I was really close to Lombard St. so I walked up the hill to witness all of the tourists there to see the curviest street in the world.

When I left the city I took Marina all the way around towards the Presidio and ended up on the bluffs overlooking the ocean! I've never done any exploring of the Presidio and was pleasantly surprised to find this little gem of a spot! It was so beautiful out there!

All in all it was a great day!

New cup cozy's!

2011-07-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

I finally finished a stack of cup cozy's I've had sitting around for a while! Head over to my other blog to see more than the two pictured below! I know, such a teaser! ; )

Zutter Bind-It-All

2011-07-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

I have a new obsession. What's new? We recently started selling a tool at Paper Source called the Zutter Bind-It-All. It does the punching and smushing (this is a technical term) of spiral binding. It's great for small little craft projects!

I've been using it at work to try and get the hang of it so I can be knowledgeable when telling customers about it. I think I'm getting the hang of it! There is a bit of a learning curve but you can certainly get creative with what it's used for!

This is one of my first projects. It's just a little notebook to keep in my purse for jotting down creative ideas, grocery lists and other juicy tidbits. You can see a couple of my other recent obsessions on the covers; the tiny text stamp set and my hand carved scallop stamp.

The cover is made from chipboard and covered in PS color cement.

The inside covers are covered with a 12x12 scrapbook paper we carry, it's one of my favorites! I couldn't decide what side of it to use so I did the front and back covers differently.

There are a few envelopes included for tucking away special little tidbits...

This is another of my first attempts. I used one of my favorite papers to cover it... problem is with this one I used book board which is pretty thick and I used a lot more pages then the one above and I'll need a wider coil to bind this one. So, it's in progress. I have to wait until we get wider ones in, or go find one somewhere else.

I love the combo of the yellow and hot pink...

I can't wait to start filling it with ideas!

Ok, remember when I said it was an obsession... this last one is my favorite! It was also the most difficult. We're having a contest in our store to see who can come up with the best idea using the Zutter. I've got some stiff competition for sure! My idea was to create a book to keep all of the postcards my sister sent me while she was living in Italy and traveling around Europe. I love how it came out, despite some of my mistakes. I will cherish this book forever and hopefully my grandchildren will find it some day and think it's awesome!

I used a paper for the cover that isn't from PS, so don't go into the store looking for this one...

The difficult part was figuring out how to get the holes punched in the postcards so they lined up correctly in the covers. The postcards were several different sizes so each one had to be punched separately.

Fabric coaster set

2011-07-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

I think I already mentioned that I'll be participating in a craft fair next month, it's in Santa Cruz at Hart's fabric on the 28th. I'm slowly getting things worked on for that day. Just wanted to share something with you that's finished! It's a coaster set. I love the fabric combination!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

I hope your Independance Day is filled with fun!

A Cupcake Co.

2011-06-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to be able to share this with you, my friend Angela is finally doing something she's been dreaming about for years! She is starting a cupcake company... as the name states. :) My friends and I as well as her family and friends have been raving about her cupcakes for years and have been telling her to open a business selling her sweet confections. I'm so proud of her for jumping in with both feet to get it started! I've had the honor of tasting a couple of these flavors and I loved them!

Boston Cream Pie

This one is peanut butter chocolate and she makes a to-die-for version of this with curry added, yes, I said curry!

I missed an event where she made this one, it's lavender honey. I'm dying to taste it!

Lemon Meringue

Smore's! So good!

White Chocolate Raspberry

Please check out her website and "like" A Cupcake Co. on Facebook! She is located in Benecia and is willing to deliver to different places in the bay area. Delivery to Benecia, Vallejo and American Canyon is free, beyond that there is a delivery fee.

Angela is one of the sweetest gals I know, if you are in the East Bay and need cupcakes for a special event I urge you to get in contact with her! Her cupcakes are delicious and made with love!

She's got a special offer for this Fourth of July, check it out!

Firecracker Cupcakes with Pop Rocks!

Thank you Amy Sedaris...

2011-06-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

You can't tell me you've never had a day like this...

Via Pinterest from This is All Very Important

I'm a sewing machine... no pun intended! Or maybe it is intended...

2011-06-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Just a little progress update. I've been getting to spend more time crafting lately, I think it's partially due to me working harder at keeping my house clean and organized and staying on top of doing things like laundry and grocery shopping. Plus things have kind of slowed down at work lately. What I really should be doing this afternoon is a little homework for the online Revit class I'm taking, but I'm sewing. I'm excited for the craft fair in Santa Cruz so I've been working on some fun stuff for that.

This past weekend was interesting. On Friday I was standing on my stairs, as I often do when I've got a quit laid out on the floor. After looking at it for a few minutes I went to step off the step I was on, not thinking about the fact I wasn't on the first one, and went falling to the floor. I think I was on step three or four. Needless to say it hurt like a b!tch, I did a quick evaluation of my ankle which was not feelin so good and decided it wasn't sprained or broken. I grabbed some ice and hobbled up the stairs to soak my foot in an ice bath. I get really annoyed when I can't move around like I normally do so the fact that I was right in the middle of a project and had to stop to deal with my ankle was inconvenient. I had plans to go out dancing later than night and I wasn't gonna miss it, so I went. I probably screwed up my ankle even more being on it all night but it's feeling a lot better today. I've spent a lot of time with it elevated and with ice on it.

Here's the quilt laid out on the floor right before I took my tumble.

I've got a list of things I want to make for the craft fair and decided to start with a slew of cup cozy's. These will be customizable like the ones I've done in the past. It feels good to be getting things done!

I sort of love the pac-man one! It's got a solid red back.

The corresponding backs... I haven't sewn them closed yet, I'm debating leaving them open so I can more easily do the hand stitched customizations later.

There are two more in progress...

Guess I better go study... or maybe more sewing... ;)

Hope you are keeping cool on this last day of spring!

Put August 28th on your calendars!

2011-06-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

I'll be participating in a craft fair at Hart's Fabric in Santa Cruz, Ca. From what I gather it's not going to be a huge affair but knowing Hart's and how creative their clientele is I'm sure that what is there will be smashing! I'll be in a booth with several of my friends as I don't have the time to make enough stuff to fill a 10x10 space. It's going to be exciting! We'll have some knitted and crocheted items, paper products, maybe jewelry, and I'll be sewing a couple different things and hopefully doing some package toppers and paper products. We're all different so it'll be cool to see how our booth comes together. The craft fair will be in conjunction with a sale at the store so if you're a fabric junkie like I am you shouldn't miss it! And who wouldn't want to enjoy a beautiful day in Santa Cruz! You can go to the Buttery for breakfast, pop by the sale, and have ice cream at Penny Ice Creamery in the afternoon, it's perfect! Oh, and don't forget the beach!

And just because I don't particularly like to post without having a picture somewhere... here is a little tidbit I'm carrying around with me these days.

via Pinterest

My happy place, a studio tour

2011-06-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

I got to spend some time in my "studio" today. My sister just told me she thinks it's funny that I put the word studio in quotes, I guess I do that because it's not a real studio, it's really just a corner of my living room. But you know what, it is a studio to me. It's where I get crafty and creative and feel inspired. I think the white Ikea furniture keeps things light and bright, which helps because I work with a lot of colorful fabrics and papers.

This is the quilt I'm working on for myself right now. I love how the pinwheels are turning out. I'm finding out though that I'm not so good at getting them perfectly lined up, regular ol' squares are certainly easier.

I love my paper suitcases, they hold supplies as does the vintage Strawberry Shortcake tin my mom got me.

My bookshelf full of stuff. The fabrics aren't as well organized as I'd like, but oh well. My design book library is looking a little slim, I've got some of the books out and about.

On the left there is an old hamper I use to store bulky things like batting for quilts. I want to paint it a color, what do you think? I was contemplating a lovely shade of pink?

In progress things, ignore my glass of scary looking smoothie.

In progress cup cozy's

This is the bread box I got at the last antiques faire I went to. The color is so perfect! It's currently holding all of the bags I have to cart things around in.

And TA-DA, I finally hung up my yarn covered letters! I don't remember who gave me the idea but I used some of those Command sticky products. Hopefully they don't fall off and knock everything off of the shelves. Speaking of the shelves, they are currently holding a hodge podge of stuff that doesn't have any other home. A few things are waiting to be framed and other things are there because I don't want them damaged.

You can really see my scalloped paint job in these pics, it makes me happy! So anyhow, that's just a little update on my creative space, or studio... :)

ARGH! A pirate's journal!

2011-06-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

Last night at work we got the opportunity to do some training in our book binding skills. I sort of have a thing for pirates so I chose this awesome skull paper to cover my book in. I love it!

I'm taking an online class to learn a new 3D drafting program so I've been tethered to my computer all morning, I'm off to do some creating and get away from this thing!

Thinking outloud...

2011-06-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

I just want to say this, life is precious and short. I can't count the times I've thought or said I can't believe it's (insert time, day, month, year here) and wondered where the time has gone. It's no wonder life can slip by and all of a sudden you wonder what you've done with yours. We truly don't know how long a stay we have on this planet so it seems silly to waste our days with the mundane and mediocre. That said, part of life is living the mediocre and mundane days. But have you ever thought to yourself at the end of each day, "did I do something meaningful or special today? Did I do something that feeds my soul or made someone else feel good?" I'm going to make an effort to do this each day before I go to bed. All too often we go through life on auto pilot. I don't want to get to the end and wonder what I spent my life doing, I want to know that I lived it to the fullest of my ability.

So, have you done something today that feeds your soul? Have you done something worthwhile or improved the day of someone else?

When inspiration strikes...

2011-06-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

You just have to go for it! I'm feeling inspired today and wanted to jot down a few things that I want to remember as I move forward. I carved a scalloped frame stamp a while back for another project and decided to use it for my sentiments. I stamped them and added a bit of ink to frame the color. I literally pinned them up on the wall next to my desk so they are there as a constant reminder. It was a quick and dirty job but they are just what I need!

Gonna go be creative now, bye bye!

Enjoying life

2011-06-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today is a good day.

I got to...

Take two adorable kids on a wagon ride

Spend time outside in this lovely perfect weather

Revert to being a child and play with a hose and make water rainbows for said kids

Come home with some new clothes

Drink a nice iced chai

Wrap a child in a towel and read them a story

Work on my quilt

Send a love note to two girlfriends

Be thankful for what I have

Have the windows open

Listen to inspiring music

Dream about my future

Be my own person

Quilt progress pic...

Lululemon

2011-06-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in a previous post that I'm doing some crafty work for the Lululemon store in Santana Row. These are the two newest boards I've done for them. Each of them is for one of their ambassadors. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out! When I dropped it off today they said I captured the essence of each of these women with the design of their page. That's really cool seeing as how I've never met either of them.

I'm really enjoying my day off today, I'm off to do some sewing! Yay!

Sunday Farmers Market

2011-06-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

I've gotten really lazy with my eating habits lately, too many carbs and too much dairy. One cannot sustain themself nutritionally on yogurt, cheese, pasta and bread. Fruits and veggies have been seriously lacking so I decided to go to the farmers market and come home with five different produce items. Part of the problem when I go to the farmers market is that I don't know what to do with most of what I see, and I don't have the time to spend preparing a lot of it. For example, I love beets but have no desire to spend the time preparing them.

I didn't get five produce items but feel good about what I did get. Sometimes I get overwhelmed when there so I started small.

I'll be using the sweet potatoes to make fries this week and I ran across a way to try and get them crunchy that I'm excited to try. The sugar snap peas have high hopes for being included in a recipe but will probably be eaten one by one. The nectarines need to ripen, and I think the almonds are going to work with me for snacking purposes.

If you have any ideas for farmers market recipes I'd love to hear them!

Just a few more pics...

2011-06-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

Friends uploaded some of their pics of the shower and I wanted to share just a few more...

This is me out in the rain picking the flowers for the tables... I got soaked and my outfit was somewhat comical.

Tissue poofs I made...

Cute little cupcake flags

This picture is fantastic, yep, that's five bellies you see there. It's like a baby boom!

My girls!

A quilt for a baby girl

2011-06-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Usually I don't finish quilts I'm giving as gifts until the day before but this time I've had it done for a while and can finally share it!

I love how it turned out, it's all about the fabrics which is how I've been quilting lately. I'm not much into doing crazy complicated patterns, I like the fabrics to take center stage. They are bright and fun and will hopefully capture her attention for years to come.

I love the colors of this one so much I wanted to keep it for myself! Sadly it's a bit small for me... ;)

A lovely day with friends

2011-06-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

Come and gone, the baby shower that is. We planned for weeks and weeks and it was a big success. It was a group effort as eleven friends came together and pooled our resources to throw our girlfriend a beautiful baby shower. The goal was to use as much of what we already had as we could. It was a beautiful vintage shabby chic shower with fresh flowers from the yard and super yummy food.

As many of us are experiencing, this rain threw a wrench into things. Originally the shower was supposed to be outdoors in a fabulous backyard but we had to move it indoors. Luckily the view was fantastic.

I made the bunting out of vintage fabrics that were my grandmother's. I have loved using small bits of it in projects since getting it. It's in my sisters quilt, my machine mat that I sew on, and some of the mug rugs I've made. It just has so much character.

The vintage silverware was tied together with strips of my grandmother's vintage fabric

We used a combination of our teacup collections and china. I got my china out for the second time since getting it in 2006, a lot of it still had the stickers on the bottom. It's so pretty, I should get it out more often.

You may remember the super cute invitations and that the shower was to be a library shower. We did a great job of stocking the baby girl's library with a great range of books new and gently used.

The food was fantastic! We had crustless sandwiches, homemade blueberry scones with lemon curd, and honey apple butter, fresh fruit, salad and quinoa salad.

Desserts were fabulous cupcakes, tarts, and cobbler.

My pictures aren't great, I think I need a new camera. If anyone wants to buy me a DSLR and teach me how to use it, I won't argue! ;)

All in all it was a great shower, and incredibly impressive that eleven women came together to plan it without drama.

Wonderful things come in lovely packages

2011-06-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

Good morning all! I am up way too early on this blustery rainy Saturday if you ask me. It was very hard to get out of bed, but it was for such a good reason! Today I'm celebrating the impending arrival of one of my good friends baby girl. The shower is going to be lovely, despite the fact that we can't have it outside due to rain. And not just a little rain, I'm talking a lot of it. I looked outside and it looks like January out there!

I just wanted to share the first bit of baby shower goodness with you before I head out to start setting up. I won't spoil the fun of telling you what is in the box, but I wanted to share the wrapping.

I wrapped the box in craft paper then used some leftover yarn I had to wrap a band around the middle. I've been obsessed with making tissue pom-poms lately so I made some mini ones for the top of the box and added some embellishments we carry at Paper Source. I really love how it turned out!

I hope you're having a good day despite this yucky blustery weather we're having. Maybe I'll make stew tonight, who knew I'd be doing that in JUNE!!!

My latest project...

2011-06-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

After making many things for other people, or to sell, I'm finally making something for myself! I've had this fabric sitting around for over a year and I was recently struck with an idea so I decided to use it. It's slow goin because I'm always so busy but I've been chipping away at it and am making progress.

It's going to be a pinwheel quilt, I've never done one before. It's not difficult, just time consuming. Each pinwheel is made with four half-square triangles. Accuracy is important with these because it'll look wonky if the corners don't match up.

I usually like to get things done in groups but I couldn't help putting together at least one block so I could see how they come together.

I'm excited to finish it!

Just an update

2011-05-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Good morning friends!

I'm so sorry for the major blogging silence as of late. My life has just gotten progressively busier this year. I do have some fun projects to share with you but they aren't quite ready to share just yet, hopefully that peaks your interest just a bit!

One way to keep up with me and what I'm loving is to follow me on Pinterest. As previously mentioned it's awesome! It can be a real time suck but it can also be a fun and quick way to see what is floating around the blogging and image world of the web. I have a button just over there ---------> see it? You can click on that to get to Pinterest. Here are just a few images I've pinned to my boards lately.

Source: lollipops.bigcartel.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: google.ca via Amy on Pinterest

I'm sorry, he is so yummy...

Source: gatherlove.tumblr.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: anthropologie.com via Amy on Pinterest

I want the above earrings and tunic to wear together! Swoon!

Source: missindiedesigns.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

How adorable would this be for a wedding invite?

Source: littlelovely.typepad.com via Amy on Pinterest

I love this little gal! This image makes me want to go back to childhood and dress up.

I still can't figure out how to get the links to center, if anyone has any tips on that I'd appreciate it!

One new project I'm working on right now is for Lululemon Athletica. They have a store just two doors down from Paper Source. They have these flip boards in their stores that share lots of information about their company, their manifesto, and everything from healthy living tips to local yoga studios. I recently finished my first two, I'm pretty happy with how they turned out!

I stitched the image you see in the background. It's their logo. Each card of information is also stitched.

I am really happy with how these lovely ladies turned out. If only I looked like they do! Well, not the aqua and red, but the rest...

It's hard to see the details in these pictures, I took them in the store because I forgot to when I still had them at home. I used a white pencil to add the lines around each bit of info. The concept behind it was sort of like the drafting/sketching that happens at the inception of a project, but this was for the company.

Between working my two jobs I've been sewing when I have time, I'm co-planning a baby shower and doing what I think is a pretty good job of keeping my house and my bedroom pretty neat and organized. Which is usually a job in itself!

I sincerely hope you are doing well!

XOXOXO

If your name is Molly, please don't read this post! ;)

2011-05-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hey there! My good friend Molly is very blessed to be expecting (she's actually the first of six of my immediate friends that is expecting this year, holy baby explosion!) My friends and I are throwing her a shower and I got to make the invitations. I was really stumped about what to do because I wanted them to be fabulous, then I ran across this awesome free download from one of my favorite stationary designers and I knew I had to use it! Rifle Paper Co. is awesome, we carry several of their designs at Paper Source. Martha Stewart was offering this free download on her website so I took advantage. I used Paper Source Moss A7 flat cards and machine sewed the invitation to them with robin's egg blue thread. Each envelope got a bookmark with the invitees name, a little card that says it's a book shower and to please bring a book, and a super cute book plate to go in the inside cover saying who the book is from and why the baby will love it (someday)! I used some vintage fabric sewn onto the bookmarks to cuten it up a little more.

I love how they turned out! You can make these for the next baby shower you throw too!

2011-05-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

So, I have a new obsession. It's called Pinterest. It could be described as a set of virtual bulletin boards on your wall and you can pin images you find online to your boards via a button on your favorites bar. It's wonderful! You can also find images on Pinterest boards other than you own. These are just a few of the images I've pinned onto my Pinterest boards since I started with it. Oh, and they are completely random by the way...

Source: doughmesstic.net via Amy on Pinterest

These look so absolutely delicious, I think my friend Stef would be the perfect person to make them! ;-)

Source: purlbee.com via Amy on Pinterest

Love these, want them!

Source: ohhellofriendblog.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: feelingstitchy.com via Amy on Pinterest

Such a cute idea for a family tree!

Source: anthropologie.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: velvetcreambakery.com via Amy on Pinterest

Colorful cake pops

Source: blog.flickr.net via Amy on Pinterest

Source: heatovento350.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

Yum!

Source: marthastewart.com via Amy on Pinterest

Yum!

Source: thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

Yum!

Source: lookbook.elledecor.com via Amy on Pinterest

Well, it's obvious I pinned a lot of images of food. Hm, maybe that's why I've been craving really good food lately? The really cool thing about Pinterest is that the link to the origin of the image is kept with it as more and more people pin it. That way when I share an image here with you I don't have to worry about making sure I find the original link, it's great! And if I want to go find the recipe to go with the image I can easily find the link. Yay Pinterest! I can't figure out how to get the link to be centered so ignore that part...

Time management and sanity

2011-04-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

After so much going on every week life finally caught up to me and I needed to stop what I was doing and re-evaluate things. Sometimes when you feel like you've lost control of your life the only place to start is to take control over what you can. In my case it was time. I needed to think about how I use the time I have. I keep pretty busy with the two jobs and often work six days a week. I've been having trouble managing my time and the minutia of daily life. Laundry was piling up and the only things in the fridge were not very appetizing, or edible probably. Since Mother's Day is near I feel the need to say I really don't know how moms do it. Especially the ones who work full time! I can barely find time to take care of little ol' me and you all take care of an entire family and household!

So to regain some semblance of control I decided I needed to simplify things. That way when I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off I don't add to the stress by having to deal with a monster mess of a closet. Organization is the key! I spent me evening yesterday getting groceries, meal planning and the biggest accomplishment of all, I really got into my closet and organized the crap out of it! I was in there until 11:30 last night and it felt so good to get it done! My bedroom often looks like a tornado went off and today it is so nice and neat! I still have some work to do with a few dresser drawers but I made a lot of progress. I didn't dilly dally and I kept facebook to a minimum while I was getting the job done. I think one of the keys to better time management is staying off of the computer and keeping the tv off. It's easier to get a job done when you're bustin out the tunes too!

I know we all go through stress and days or weeks when it feels like life is spinning out of control. It's amazing how just cleaning and organizing can bring things back to a manageable level. I now have a nice and neat bedroom and creative space. I've been feeling a little creatively stuck lately and now that I have a great space to work in I'm hoping the creative juices will be back shortly.

When life is challenging you how do you regain control? Do you have a system for getting groceries and meal planning done? How do you handle the minutia of daily life without sacrificing the things that feed your soul? I'd really love to hear from you what your strategies are! I hope you'll leave a comment!

Weekend recap part 2

2011-04-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

So, the adventure continues... On Saturday I headed north on 880 to Berkeley for dinner with my family to celebrate my dad's birthday. My parents came from the Sacramento valley and my sister and I from the south bay area, we converged on Zachary's Chicago Pizza in Berkeley. I asked around on Facebook for restaurant suggestions and a chorus of people suggested Zachary's, it didn't disappoint. The pizza was good but I was happy to be with my family, that made it special.

After dinner, rather than go all the way back to the south bay I stayed with a friend in San Francisco. That makes three visits to the city within two weeks time. Don't laugh at me, but that was the first time I drove over the Bay Bridge by myself, I felt sort of accomplished! You have to understand that when I moved to the bay area I was afraid to even drive on the highways!

The next morning I woke early to get on the way up highway 101 towards Petaluma for the twice yearly Petaluma Antiques fair. I walked out the door to beautiful weather in the city!

The view of the bay just north of the Golden Gate Bridge

Love this view!

I about wet myself when I saw these pretty ladies!

I arrived in Petaluma for the antiques fair about an hour before my mom was to arrive and I needed breakfast. I stopped in this little place called Water Street Bistro, and it was just what the doctor ordered! I had a spinach, goat cheese and red pepper quiche that was light and airy and delicious! The fruit was perfect too! If you ever find yourself in Petaluma for breakfast I recommend this place!

Now, this is where you would insert a picture or two of the antiques fair. I sort of only took one photo that in hindsight is pretty boring. So I won't share it with you.

I hit traffic for the last few miles north of the Golden Gate but if I had to be stuck in traffic anywhere I'm glad it was there. I love how you can see the fog move in. Quite a different view then on the way there.

I got a few little things at the fair but nothing that I was super crazy about and just had to have. I got an old breadbox that is painted my favorite color, it's already being used to hold fabrics and notions on my craft shelf. I got a magnet made from an old paper drink cap and some old mini jello molds that are cute. One of these days I'll get around to showing you pics of my purchases!

So in a period of 24 hours I was all over the place. I'm looking forward to not going anywhere this weekend! I need to play catch up with my life right now and get my head on straight. I haven't done any sewing or crafting for weeks now so hopefully I'll find some time this week. I'll be back in a few minutes with something new!

Weekend recap part 1

2011-04-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind of a weekend! I've been so busy with everything this month I haven't had much time for blogging so let me get you a little caught up.

I'll start with last weekend...

Last Sunday was just lovely. I went to San Francisco with a friend and had such a good time. The weather was beautiful which made for a great day. As previously mentioned we started out at Outerlands. If you are in or near SF I highly recommend giving this place a try. It's awesome. Sadly I forgot my camera so what you see here was taken on an iphone and emailed to me. I love the atmosphere of this place. The weathered wood walls, and the beachiness of it, without there being shells all over the place. It's tiny, I mean this place is not big at all, thus the long wait for a table. They don't take reservations or call aheads, you put your name on the clipboard and hang out outside on benches made of driftwood. When we went the day was beautiful and sunny, I'd like to go on a cool foggy day because the atmosphere would be so different. I'd also like to go for dinner. So on to the food. We both had mimosas and the dutch pancake. I remember having them as a kid but we made them a little differently. There were two options on the menu, the sweet one with apples or the savory one with bacon and maple syrup. I was all over the savory one like... syrup?

After our late brunch we walked on Ocean Beach for a bit then meandered up the beach to a building at the very end of Golden Gate Park called the Beach and Park Chalet. This was probably my favorite part of the day. We wandered out to the back of the building and were pleasantly surprised to find a live Cuban jazz band playing. People were sitting on the lawn in the sunshine listening to the music so we decided to partake as well. We had a couple beers and enjoyed the atmosphere. The music was great!

We did a bit more walking on the beach and shell collecting before heading back to the south bay. On the way home we stopped at Moss Beach Distillery for some seafood and to watch the sun go down.

all in all it was a great day!

Fabric mania!

2011-04-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got the chance to go fabric shopping at my favorite fabric store in Santa Cruz. It was kind of a lovely day despite the fact that I had to go to work straight from Santa Cruz. Which wasn't all bad because work was so much fun! I was out the door at 8am and in Santa Cruz by about 8:30 and at The Buttery to have a delicious breakfast. Off I went to the beach for a few to wait for Hart's to open then to fabric heaven.

These aren't actually from yesterday but I've been wanting to share them for a while now. I fell in love with this fabric line well over a year ago, mostly because it looks like vintage bedsheets. I'm actually going to make something for myself for once! I think it'll be a quilt for my couch, but we'll see. It actually comes like this, all cut up in little squares, it's called a charm pack.

This is another charm pack I got a couple weeks ago. I love the color palette and am using it as a jump off point for redoing my bedroom, eventually.

I love these two together!

That's all, just wanted to share!

A heavenly Sunday!

2011-04-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is going to be short and sweet because I'm using an iPhone to post. I'm in my happy place, I'm in the outer sunset in SF about five blocks from the beach waiting for a table to open up at Outerlands. It's a restaurant I've been wanting to eat at for over a year,I've mentioned it before on the blog. The weather is beautiful and sunny and the smells wafting out the windows are amazing! I'm people watching and feeling the rumble of muni go by. San Francisco is a fantastic place! More to follow later when I'm not typing on a tiny keyboard. :)

Cute and girly camper mug rug

2011-04-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hm, I finished this a while back and just noticed the blog post was still a "draft." So here it is! It's a cute little mug rug with a cheerfully girly camper embroidered on it. I love it!

If you're interested in it, it can be yours! Just drop me an email. :)

The Makerie

2011-04-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

I have to make this quick, I have work to do but sometimes something grabs me and shakes me and I just have to share it right away. A little blurb about the following popped up on my facebook wall, I follow Sunset magazine and it was posted by some very wise person at the magazine.

The Makerie... a retreat in a beautiful setting, doing crafty and creative things for three days!

I straight up copied and pasted this from their website, doesn't it sound wonderful!?

I can say this journey began in pre-school where we were given endless opportunities to explore our creativity. Every child was an artist and I fell in love with making things by hand. Even now, when I sit by a fire with my knitting needles or illustrate a tiny lunch note for my two small children, I enter another world. A place where all is calm, the ‘to do’ lists and worries melt away, and I feel peaceful. Using my hands to make something reminds me to slow down and simplify, gives me a sense of purpose and a way to express a bit of who I am. A professional artist I am not, nor am I a majorly skilled crafter or design degree holder, but am simply someone who has a deep love for all things creative. I want the Makerie to be a place full of warmth, a space where you will be inspired and encouraged, a spectacular setting to play. I have always been a dreamer, and hold the utmost admiration for people who follow their dreams. I’m learning that anything is possible if you follow your heart. There is always a way. Creating the Makerie is a dream come true for me and if I can, in any way, inspire you to go after your dreams too, than this is what the Makerie is all about.

The dates are already listed for next year, I'd love to go! I can dream, right!

If you are a creative and/or crafty soul like me, check it out!

Napa valley trip

2011-04-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I set out to have my vacation be all about food and wine, and it was! I have had so much to eat in the last three days I am surprised I haven't burst! This weekend was my second spring trip to the Napa Valley with my girlfriends. We plan and look forward to it for months in advance. It was a bit touch and go with the weather last week, we weren't sure if we were going to get a nasty rainy weekend but man did we get the opposite! It was gorgeous! The buds are just barely breaking on the vines so it's not all that green as far as grapevines go, but the hills and all the meadows were lushly green.

We started out at Bouchon Bakery first thing Friday morning. It's sort of famous as far as the foodie world is concerned. Thomas Keller is the owner and he also owns Ad Hoc, Bouchon Bistro (where we had dinner) and French Laundry. French Laundry is I believe, the only three michelin star restaurant on the west coast. That is a big deal.

I saved up for this mini vacation for a while so that I could spend my money on food. And wine. I was very successful! I wasn't shy at Bouchon Bakery, I got a coffee cake, a passion fruit macaron and a mini baguette for later that day.

The coffee cake was so-so but the macaron was awesome!

Our first tasting was at Tamber Bey. Actually, it was at the house/estate of the owner of the winery, who also happens to be one of, it not the founder of AOL. It was a great experience! We tasted at the tasting room in November but this time we were lucky enough to go to the estate. Very cool, and he was really nice.

Lunch at Sullivan winery. I swear I can eat nutella on just about anything!

Ok, so Grgich Hills is my favorite winery of all. I went knowing that they were having a huge deal on half bottle cases, so I bought all of these! Just kidding, I did buy a portion of the five cases you see here. It was almost embarrassing to walk out with this much wine.

Beignets de Brandade de Morue cod brandade with tomato confit & fried sage

We ate at Bouchon Bistro for dinner on Friday evening. It was so good. These are little yummy pockets of cod with sun dried tomatoes underneath, the sweetness from the tomatoes was a perfect compliment and nice surprise. I tried pork belly for the first time, one of my girlfriends had it as part of an appetizer.

I ordered trout amondine, it was really yummy.

This was my friends dinner, it was croque madame. So yummy.

Ok, so we bought a lot of wine. Like, a lot. I ended up coming home with eight half bottles and one full bottle. I'm excited to have a small collection started!

On Saturday we started out at Alexis Baking Company for breakfast and afterwards our group split up for a few different activities. I was with the group that went to taste at Tulocay winery. It was a neat experience because it wasn't a fancy winery or tasting room. We were literally at the wine makers house, sitting out on his patio. It was a normal ol' house, nothing fancy. We sat at a picnic table and drank a few wines with him. He was an old dude that has been in the wine business since before Napa Valley became what it is today. His wines were good, but nothing super great or fancy. I would recommend visiting him though because if you are into wine in the what goes into it sense, and you enjoy the history of it he is full of information. I learned some things from him that I had never heard before!

From there we went all the way up to Calistoga to Chateau Montelena. I really wanted to visit that winery because of the history of it, and the movie Bottleshock. The film is based on the story of the Paris wine tasting of 1976. It's what put the Napa Valley on the map as far as wine making goes. Chateau Montelena won for the best chardonnay.

We went to St. Helena Olive Oil Co. I really wanted to buy an oil, a vinegar and a honey there but I couldn't decide so I didn't get anything. I was happy sitting outside soaking up the fabulous sun and watching the world go by.

Our last tasting of Saturday was at Domain Chandon. It was a lot more commercial and crazy then I typically like but it was so nice to get to sit down with my girls and gossip and drink champagne.

We went back to Bouchon Bakery on Sunday morning, we got to sit outside and enjoy our tasty treats for almost two hours. It was sinfully relaxing.

I got some things to go, on the left is a TKO (Thomas Keller Oreo) and on the right are french macarons.

This little thing is called a fugetaboutit. I had to ask what it was because of the name, it all went downhill from there, I had to get one. It's a rice crispy treat, with a layer of salted caramel, dipped in chocolate with sea salt on the top. Can you say holymolythatsoundsdelicious! I haven't eaten it yet, I'm thinking tonight might be the night!

Our last tasting experience of the weekend was back at Grgich Hills. We did the tour this time. The chardonnay vines are the first ones to have bud break and the vines shown above don't really have any yet.

Last but not least, the big fat burger I ate at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher)

This trip was truly a gastronomic one.

A few examples...

2011-03-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

One very cool thing about my job is I get to make things that inspire people and give them a spring board for their own ideas. We have albums at my store that have examples of all kinds of techniques, and styles for card and invitation making. Earlier this year we started to tackle revamping them with new and fresh ideas. They are definitely a work in progress but they're looking good! We have a general ideas binder and a wedding themed binder.

These are some of my contributions...

Oh, and sorry for the crappy pictures, the lighting in the store isn't the best and everywhere I tried to photograph them I got a shadow!

The scalloped frame and the egg are hand drawn, what makes this one cool is the use of different fonts.

Read this one if you have a second...

I really love this one, it was inspired by Homeroom, the mac and cheese place I went to yesterday! The coloring of the picture is terrible. I used PS colors, bluebell, persimmon and curry.

I've been wanting to stitch an invite on my machine for a while so I took the opportunity to do so with this one. The pictures really don't do it justice. The bunting is hand drawn and the coolest part is the tear-away RSVP card. It's perforated and would already be addressed and stamped so the guest could just tear it off of the invite and pop it in the mail! No envelope needed. I used our paper color, Khaki but it would be even cooler in paper bag.

Anyways, those are just a few of the cool things you can find at Paper Source!

Homeroom Mac & Cheese

2011-03-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

You may remember last week I think it was I mentioned that I'd be going to a new macaroni and cheese restaurant in Oakland called Homeroom. Well, I went tonight and it was SO AWESOME!

My girlfriends and I drove from the South Bay to Oakland tonight in nasty weather, like really nasty. Many other people would have scrapped the whole idea but we powered on. We've been talking about this for a month and a half so we couldn't just give up.

We arrived and got lucky and got our table shortly after. We had all looked at the menu ahead of time and spent a bit of time trying to decide what we wanted. For two of us it came down to a bit of "my mother said to pick the very best one..."

I was very excited to check this place out. Not only did all the menu items look fantastic the style and design of the place is right up my alley. The website is fantastic and you can tell they have put a lot of creative love into the restaurant. They source their ingredients as locally as they can for the most part. The combination of the menu, decor, cheekiness, respect for the environment and overall appeal has quickly put this place on the top of my favorites list.

On the back of each menu is a guide to fold it into a paper airplane. :)

Homemade root beer. The only thing I ate or drank tonight that was a little bit of a letdown. You can see how light in color it is, it was just missing a bit of depth.

This is awesome, it's an old card catalogue that is used for restaurant guest frequent buyer cards. It's so cute, you get a star for each time you get mac&cheese and once you get to a certain number you get one for free.

Homemade light fixture (awesomeness!)

Like I mentioned earlier they source things as locally as they can. I am a cider drinker so I was excited to see some unique flavors from a brewery in Sacramento. I had the huckleberry and my girlfriend had the blood orange. At first the blood orange tasted a bit like potpourri might if you ate it, but it kind of grew on us.

Most, if not all of the tables were old and full of character and patina. We were at a fabulous bar height table with stools.

Ok, now for the food. They have eight mac & cheeses on the menu right now. We tried six of the eight. Drinks are served in jam jars.

This was mine! It's called Trailer Mac. It's a cheddar mac with hot dogs and potato chips on top! It was so good!

We got to meet one of the owners and she was so sweet and touched that we had driven 45 minutes to get there. She brought us a fabulous dessert that was so good I forgot to take a picture. It was the most fantastic brownie with the most delicious ice cream and the best caramel sauce I have ever tasted! Then we got their "oreos" and ice cream sandwich and peanut butter pie.

I love restaurants like this. It's special and personal and full of character. I would rather support restaurants like this than large chain ones. It's more like what you might make at home and you can probably pronounce all of the ingredients in the food. I could wax poetic for a while about the significance of eating food that is grown locally but I won't, just know that it's awesome and you should try it.

Music time! What I'm listening to...

2011-03-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to a pretty wide range of music lately. Everything from Metallica and Rhianna to Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Today in the car I heard a new song by a group called Naked and Famous. They are out of New Zealand. I haven't listened to the rest of the album yet, but I really like "Young Blood." Paul Simon is coming out with a new album as well and the only song released thus far is "The Afterlife." I really like it and was really hoping to get tickets to his concert in SF next month but I failed at getting them. :( I love the show Parenthood and often like the music featured in the show. Some of this was downloaded because of that directly. I couldn't find the Lucy Schwartz song or the Paul Simon song on Playlist.com so they are below as YouTube videos. So, listen and enjoy! I hope you like some or all of these songs as much as I do!

I've also been listening to a bunch of Bob Dylan and I love the version of Forever Young they use in the Parenthood intro but for some reason it's hard to find!

Yarn covered craft letters

2011-03-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Another project that has been in progress for a while is done! Well, the work is done, now I just need to figure out how to hang them. I have ideas but with my schedule lately it won't get done for weeks! You may remember this post where I had just two of the letters done. Only one person guessed the right word from just two letters! When I set them out to photograph today I had a little fun with some words, there are many you can spell with these six letters, I was surprised! I can think of several more but this post would have been stupidly long if I included all of them.

Ta-da!

I hope to hang them in front of my brick wall but it's going to take some creativity...

If you didn't see the original post, we carry these craft letters at Paper Source. Rather than cover them with paper like is expected I wanted to wrap them in yarn. It took a little trial and error but they turned out cute! If you are ever interested in doing this yourself, drop me a line, I have a few pointers.

Finally! New cup cozy's!

2011-03-13T17:47:00.000-07:00

These things have been in a state of partial completion for weeks now. I love how they turned out!

For more pics and purchasing info see my other blog...

I've been MIA...

2011-03-08T22:02:00.000-08:00

I really can't believe it's March already! My calendar is filling up for the spring, I'm really excited to spend a weekend in the Napa Valley with a great group of girlfriends, I'm hoping to head up to Point Reyes in the next month or two to see the migrating whales and the elephant seals and April 17th is the Petaluma Antiques Fair. My mom and I went last spring and fall. I definitely want to try to go again this year. Here is the post about the one this past fall. Next week I have plans to go to a new restaurant in Oakland. It looks fantastic and I can't wait! It's called Homeroom and it's all about macaroni and cheese! My friend Teresa would love it! Check out the website, it's so right up my alley, it's totally cute!

Life has been pretty busy lately. I've rededicated myself to some things in my life that were being neglected and between the time I'm spending doing that and my two jobs I haven't had much time to do anything else. My crafting has been delayed and I have several projects in my craft corner that are sitting waiting to be finished. They call to me every time I walk through the door but they aren't going anywhere so they have to wait.

My sister is a fantastic artist and painter. I'm so proud of her and am amazed at her talents. She is graduating from San Jose State this semester and will be having her senior gallery show next week. The reception is next Tuesday evening at the SJSU campus. If you live in the area it would be awesome if you can come out to support her!

I hope to be able to share some craftiness with you soon! Thanks for stickin with me!

Oh Boy! A Contest!

2011-02-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Pretty sure this image is from Creative Mint

Ok readers, I need a name for my style. My boss at Paper Source keeps calling it homespun something or other but the word homespun just conjures up images of Amish people. I have nothing against the Amish, in fact they make some of the most beautiful objects I've seen. Getting off topic...

my style can easily be described as Anthropologie-esque but I'd rather have a name for it that doesn't include the name of my favorite retailer. This name needs to combine my personal style, decorating style, crafting and sewing styles as well as my lifestyle. I know, that's a lot. I love a combination of modern lines mixed with antiques and bright colors. I like the word "boho" to describe a portion of my style. I love nature inspired things and the juxtaposition of old plank wood with leftover bits of paint on it and more modern things. I love things handmade and vintage.

So, the person to come up with the best name for it will win a prize! I just now came up with this contest idea while sitting at my desk eating lunch so I don't have any pictures of what you'll win. I'm thinking a custom cup cozy with your name and drink embroidered on it. Like this, but better.

So, if you need help go through my posts and see what you can come up with. Leave comments with any questions you might have for me. When you have a final suggestion please put "final answer" in your comment. Today is February 23rd, I think I'll keep the contest open for one week. You have until March 2nd. GO!!

Untitled...

2011-02-21T21:35:00.000-08:00

Not an angle I see of myself too often.

I like it.

My friend Ava is a mommy and Silicon Valley techie by day and a photographer by night (and weekends). She wanted to test out a new lens and some sun angles a couple weeks ago so I was her model. She was grateful for having someone who could sit still that she didn't have to make faces at or sing to to get a smile from. She sent me the images on a disk that arrived today. This is one of my favorites. She specializes in baby and family photography and she is great. You should hire her. Check out her website.

10 things that make me happy...

2011-02-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

In no particular order...

1. Music by Zooey Deschanel, Neko Case, Simon and Garfunkel, Jack Johnson, Nickel Creek, Van Morrison, The Temper Trap and many others.

2. These people...

3. Sitting at my sewing machine knowing I have uninterrupted time to start and finish a project

4. Dark chocolate, goat cheese, wine and good chocolate chip cookies

5. Beautiful flowers

6. Knowing that I'm equally confused about who I am and where I fit and knowing that I know myself a hell of a lot better than I did three years ago.

7. The ocean

8. Having someones arms around me when I just need to be held

9. Funny British guys racing fast beautiful cars

10. A rainy indoor day with candles burning

11. Walking into a clean bedroom with a made bed.

12. Seeing one of my favorite flowers blooming in my yard and bringing it inside to enjoy it's scent

13. My sister

Ok, so that was thirteen... Hope you're having a good day!

What makes you happy?

It is what you make it...

2011-02-14T15:38:00.000-08:00

Well, here is the obligatory Happy Valentine's Day post. I'd just like to say you may believe Valentine's Day is hoaky, and you may believe it's a made up holiday by a card company, and you may or may not have someone to celebrate it with in the true love mushy way. I've had my share of single V-Day's and I've learned to appreciate the day as a time to make sure my friends and family know they are loved. We of course should do this every day but today is an extra special reason to let them know. So, to all of you who have been there for me over the years, thank you and I love you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Coming soon!

2011-02-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

I gotta make this quick, I need to get ready for work and I'm gonna be late if I don't hurry up! I just wanted to share some progress pics with y'all before I go.

Mug rug/mini quilt in progress...

I've had this idea for a while now and after a conversation with friends last night decided to give it a go. This is just a prototype so I could figure out how to put it together... I'm liking where it's going!

I think I might call it a cup corset!

Ok, will tell you more about it later... off to work now...

What do you do with your Christmas cards?

2011-02-11T09:37:00.000-08:00

I finally took down the display of Christmas cards I was sent two months ago. I'm just curious, what do you do with yours? Toss em'? Save em'?

Just a little pic love...

2011-02-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

I'm not really a big makeup person as far as wearing it. I do wear it every or most days but I could never and would never have a reason to pull off the look below. I've never posted about makeup before but this image is just so striking I felt like sharing it. I think I might feel fearless if I walked around like this!

That's all...

Oh, and I found it on A Beautiful Mess, and she found it on Refinery29.

2011-02-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

Have you ever made something that was so cute you just couldn't get enough of it? Ok, so maybe that is exaggerating but I have to say this card is so freakin cute! I think it's just the combination of two great fonts, the color combination and the super cute stork stamp. Sometimes the best designs come out of just fiddling with things and keeping it simple! I'm hoping the recipients don't see this before I get it sent... then again I'm sure they have their hands full!

What football game?

2011-02-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

I have absolutely nothing against football or the Superbowl, I just chose not to partake this year. I knew the weather was going to be gorgeous and my favorite fabric store in Santa Cruz was having a sale! I love that place! I had to take advantage of the beautiful day.

I had a lovely morning, I got a few things done around the house, went to the farmers market to get fixings to make soup and relaxed. When my sister got off work we headed over the hill to Santa Cruz where it was a balmy 74 degrees. I thoroughly enjoy this weather, knowing full well it's not going to last.

We hit up Hart's and got some fabulous fabric that I can't wait to use!

After that we went to the Penny Ice Creamery which was SOOOOOO GOOOOD! It really was worth the hype! Thanks reader Anne for recommending it! After tasting a few of the flavors to see what would be good I decided on a scoop of burnt cinnamon and a scoop of cardamom pistachio with chocolate chunks. They were both delicious! The cone was even the best I've ever had!

We went to the beach for a while, enjoyed the sun and collected some shells. Of course I forgot to take my camera with me. It was amazing to see children in bathing suits playing in the water and young people drinking beer on the beach and playing soccer, in bathing suits. IN FEBRUARY!

Before heading home we made our way over to the other side of the boardwalk and caught the sunset.

See the moon?

All in all it was a lovely day!

Such a nice surprise!

2011-02-06T11:32:00.000-08:00

I haven't said anything about this on here yet, I'm not sure why. I started a new part time job a week ago this past Friday. I'm back in the world of residential interior design, as an assistant to a woman who has her own practice. It's located in Saratoga, Ca so the area I'm in is pretty nice!

Long story short my boss has some lovely clients who I've started to get to know after last week. One of them is a generous big hearted man and he sent me "welcome to the office" flowers! I haven't even met him in person yet, just talked to him on the phone. Isn't that just so sweet? It was a lovely way to start my weekend!

The flowers are beautiful, yellow roses are so cheerful! I found the greenery they were with to be a bit overpowering for their delicacy so I reworked it a bit. The above pic is the before. Sorry it's sort of a crappy picture.

When I was at the farmers market this morning I got some delicate greenery and put the flowers in a vintage ceramic pitcher I have rather than the fourteen inch high vase. I think it's so much more suited to the flowers and I'm really enjoying having them in my bright sunny window!

Such a sweet dining room

2011-02-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

This is the dining room of a blogger I follow, her name is Kelly Rae. She's an artist and recently a mom. She shared these pictures on her blog and I think it's so beautiful I wanted to pass them on. There are several ideas here that she or her mom did themselves. Totally doable.

I think one of the reasons I like it so much is the color combination. I love the cool dusty blue on the walls. It works in this room because there is a lot of light. The contrast with the bright white makes everything so crisp!

I love the painting hanging over the china hutch, it's hers of course.

Salvaged chandelier, mismatched chairs, vintage table in a perfect color, hankerchief table runner...

vintage church pew...

It's just all so right up my alley! Check out Kelly Rae's post on her blog for more info and a few more pictures. Now that I think about it, she recently posted pictures of her kitchen too, I'm off to find those pics to share with you...

Cr...

2011-02-04T16:07:00.000-08:00

I have several projects in the middle of being worked on. This is one of them. I'm using the craft letters we carry at work and covering them with yarn! I am spelling out a word but these are the only two letters I have done so far. Any guesses as to what the word is going to be?

And no, for those of you who know my last name, that's not it.

a little survey

2011-01-31T15:00:00.000-08:00

Hi there readers!

I'd love to know a little more about you so I've created a little survey to find out a bit more about your blog reading habits. It would be super helpful to me to find out the answers to some of these questions. Just click through the link below to take the quick nine question survey.

Click here to take survey

Thanks in advance!

La Casa Decoto

2011-01-31T14:18:00.000-08:00

Coming to you again with an Etsy seller I saw on Decor8. I really love these pieces and would love to have one in my place! The hardest part would be choosing a color, or three!

The photography is great and I must admit I'm a little jealous of the space she has to photograph her pieces. I would love to have that floor and that white brick wall!

Find Lacasadecoto on Etsy!

Cate Parr~ fashion artist extroadinaire

2011-01-30T22:50:00.000-08:00

Wow, just wow. I was reading Decor8 on my lunch today and came across this post and this artist. Cate Parr is an amazing watercolorist. I have to admit I'm jealous of the flowy freedom her pieces have. I was such a regimented precise painter that I envy her style. I tried to do the free flowing thing and it was a disaster. These are just a smattering of the pieces available in her Etsy shop. They are my favorites. I love love love them!

So vibrant!

She is fabulous, does she look like Joan to anyone else?

I love the angle of this woman's neck, and how she painted her legs and the detail! This one is called couture ink 4 Miu Miu

Swooon!

Thanks Decor8 for introducing us to such a moving artist!

Lusting over Anthropologie stuff...

2011-01-30T16:42:00.000-08:00

I love Anthropologie, if I could furnish my whole place and get my whole wardrobe from there I would! Lately I've been obsessed with adding gold jewelry to my collection. I was looking at Anthro the other day and loved these pieces enough that I wanted to share.

I love the chunky funkiness of this ring!

Another really cool ring!

This one makes me think of a leaf curling open. I wonder what it would look like in person?

This necklace is fabulous! I would love to own it! It makes me think of Angelina Jolie a little because of the giant emerald earrings she wore to one of the awards shows last year, and the emerald green dress she wore to the Golden Globes this year.

I like this, but without the weird flowers.

I happened upon a section I didn't even know existed on the website. I think it was called "for the collector." These pieces are fabulous and are quite a bit more expensive than other things.

This is an actual vintage ring

Another vintage ring

These are fabulous and organic

Ok, that's all. :)

White bean stew

2011-01-29T20:44:00.000-08:00

I simply have to share this recipe. If you can even call it a recipe. It's from the Kitchen Express cookbook by Mark Bittman.

The recipes in this book are very simple and the format isn't typical of a cookbook. Each recipe is in the form of a paragraph and doesn't really have specific measurements.

Remember when I made the bread, goat cheese, pear, balsamic vinegar snack thing and I raved about it? It's from this book.

I've done one other thing so far but it wasn't worth sharing here. This recipe wasn't looking promising as I was making it so there aren't many photos but it turned out so yummy I wanted to share!

Here's the recipe word for word...

White Bean Stew

Cook some minced garlic in a little oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add a can of chopped tomatoes with their juice, a cup ot two of broth (bean cooking liquid is fine) a couple cups of precooked or canned cannellini or other white beans, a handful of chopped ham, and some salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook until hot, then add a couple handfuls of spinach, baby arugula, or other tender greens and cook, stirring until the greens wilt. Meanwhile, brush a few slices of baguette or other good bread with olive oil, rub with fresh garlic, and toast until golden. Serve the stew over the bread.

I processed the can of tomatoes because I don't really like big chunks. I did add the bean goop from the can and I used vegetable stock to thin things out. I got a good piece of ham from Whole Foods and it was perfect for it. I added some garlic powder and Italian seasonings. At first it just smelled tomatoey and didn't have any depth but after it cooked down for a few it got better, then really good! I think the best part of all of it is the bread! Toasty, crunchy bread with the stew on top, it was yummy!

Give it a try!