Herb Simple Syrups

Last weekend I attended a bridal shower for a dear friend of mine.  I don't tend to be the type who buys things off of registries, so I racked my brain for what to get her (or more likely, make her).  I stumbled across a recipe for Basil Mint Mojitos, so I decided to put together a basket of all the ingredients and tools to make this recipe (a jigger, a muddler, limes, potted mint from my garden, mason jars, rum, basil simple syrup and the recipe itself).  It turned out really cute and I hope she and her fiancee enjoy it.

But that isn't what this post is about.  Let's rewind the tape to the part where I typed basil simple syrup. Yes, I was a little skeptical at first and then I realized-I love basil and I love sugar-so I should try a little myself.

H-O-L-Y Crap!

I put a little of the basil simple syrup in a glass, added some ice and little soda water, and voila!  My very own basil soda (you could add vodka and have a nice little cocktail).  Once my husband tried it, between the both of us we drained that little mason jar of every drip of that delicious simple syrup.

So today I decided to try making simple syrup out of most of the herbs in my garden: mint, basil, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram.

I haven't tried any but the basil yet, but will keep you updated on which ones are hits and which, if any are misses!  I'm the most excited to try the tarragon and the most nervous for the marjoram and sage (I'm pretty confident that rosemary and mint will be successes).

Don't be put off by the fact that they look a little like jars of urine!

July Showers Bring August Flowers

I returned from a month on the West Coast to find Kansas lush and green....in August!!!

Which means my flowers and plants are, well, blossoming.

Somehow we have extremely tall sunflowers towering over our backyard, my perennial vine is blooming, my cannas are sky high and growing, our sidewalk is no longer visible thanks to the basil, marjoram, sage, oregano and mint that decided to take over, my front flower bed is a tangle of multi-colored zinnias, and my rose bush is budding out more than it did this spring!

I needed a little pick-me-up this afternoon, so I convinced the above to pose for some photos and voila...

Everything's Coming Up Roses

When I see a recipe I want to make, I usually make it within the following couple of days.

Not today.

Today, I made it within the following couple of hours.  And the "it" I'm referring to, is a Rose Pound Cake.  I've always wanted to try something with rosewater in it, and today I did, but first things first.

First I had to make some rose bud tea.  Luckily, I already had rose buds on hand (I had made rose sugar as a gift for Christmas, along with lavender sugar).

Then, because now I can't get enough of rosewater anything, I found a recipe for, made and drank a Rose Spritzer while I baked.

Finally, the cake was done.

 I had my official taste-tester taste it...

Success.  Again, my impatience pays off.

The [Plants] Are Always Greener...

I finally had time this weekend to work in the yard and plant our garden.  It was definitely hard not to plant a shit ton of everything, but we want to keep it simple this summer.  I went heavy on the herbs (there is nothing like opening your trunk full of herbs when you get home from the market!)  We have some returning perennials and some random weed/flowers that were growing everywhere (so I transplanted some to pots to save on buying a ton of annuals to brighten up the front porch).  As the spring and summer progress we are going to transplant prairie perennials from ditches and our friends' land.  They will be easy to care for and will make an appearance every year (can't wait to see you year after year butterfly milkweed!)

 Mmmm...Cilantro

Our false indigo came back! 

Julie Child is starting to bud and has doubled in size! 

Lavender! 

I could just wallow in lilacs. 

Marigolds in the garden to attract butterflies. 

Our mint is also back! 

These are the flowers that were growing everywhere in our yard (and I repotted).  No idea what they are. 

Oregano. 

...keep waiting, it will never drop. 

 Rosemary.

I'm very lucky to have so much room to garden, but if you aren't so lucky, don't fret, you can garden anywhere!  Here is a fantastic book to check out: Garden Anywhere by Alys Fowler.

Friends Here and There

I just read a great post by Garance Dore about what it means to be a good friend.  These are a few things that stuck out to me and made me, of course, immediately think of these beautiful gals....my absolute best friends in the world.


"Best thing to do with friends, the international renown creme de la creme friend activity: Party the night before and spend the morning after having tea (or mimosas!) and recapping all the night's events."

"Some friendships die, but it doesn't mean they weren't beautiful and true."

"Sign of a true friendship: After three minutes of no one saying anything in a conversation, no one feels embarrassed." (although I don't know how often there is silence when we're together!)

"Some profound friendships can be formed in three minutes..."

"With a true friend, you can be completely yourself."

"Sign of a true friendship: Even after not seeing each other for three years, you feel like you're picking up a conversation you didn't quite finish the day before." (Maggie!!!)

"Sign of a true friendship: after twentysome years of friendship, you still laugh like teenagers." (Sissy!!)

And for one day in my life, I had them all together in one place.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

I think I've roasted more this winter than I ever have before: potatoes, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, kale, pork chops, chicken, salmon...you get the idea.  

For some reason, in my 31 years I had never tried Brussels sprouts, and then thanks to a small dinner party we had in January (and a request from the birthday boy whom the dinner party was in honor of) I roasted said Brussels sprouts...and consequently fell in love with them!

And thanks to another small dinner party we had a few weeks ago, and more importantly to my dear friend, Denali, I was introduced to roasted garbanzo beans.  She brought with her the roasted garbanzo beans for all of us to try before dinner and now I'm hooked.

I made some of my own today in two different flavors: Sriracha & Cilantro, and Rosemary & Sea Salt.  I need to get my roasting fix satiated for the season, as we don't use our oven when it starts to get warm outside (I also love any excuse to put sriracha on or in something!)

These little suckers would be the perfect healthy snack to make for any little people you may have roaming around your house and eating all of your food.

Happy Roasting!

Blossoming

Across the street...

       

Hello ladies...

Aw, signs of Spring....one of my top four favorite seasons.  Lilacs are beginning to bud....

And I got to ride my bike all around town today!  Tis a good day.

Chocolate Pie

Anyone who knows me, knows I have somewhat of a sweet tooth.  By 'somewhat' I mean overwhelming huge.

So it should come as no surprise that on my second day of spring break I spent a little time baking.  Oh, and bake I did, combining two of my favorite things: pie and chocolate.

I found this recipe on Design*Sponge a few months ago and when I showed it to Ike, he insisted that I make it soon.  Well, he is certainly glad I did, as he said it may just be his favorite pie ever (of course he could have just been flattering me, but I don't think so, because it is damn good!)

So here is the recipe for Old Fashioned Chocolate Chess Pie from Cheryl Day as seen on Design*Sponge

Pie Crust (for a 9-in. pie pan)
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in the butter and stir with a fork until it looks moist and crumbly. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. You can crimp the edges decoratively or leave them rustic. Chill the crust for at least 1 hour or store in the freezer for up to a month in advance.

Pie Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten 
1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk

In a medium bowl, stir together both sugars, the cornmeal, nutmeg and cocoa powder, mixing until completely combined. Stir in the vanilla, butter, eggs and evaporated milk and mix until fully incorporated. When ready to bake, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the pie and cool for at least one hour. Serve with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Now, I will tell you I didn't follow it to the letter because, well, I rarely do.  I usually just work with what I have.  I used dark brown sugar instead of light because, well I was out of light.  I also am too impatient to let my eggs get to room temperature, so I went ahead and put them in almost right from the fridge.  It also says to serve with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings, which I'm sure is delicious, but we decided to eat it with vanilla ice cream.

Holy crap this is a good pie.  You should probably bake it right now.

Seriously. Right. Now.

This I Believe...

My essay.

I believe in being happy now.  That being said, one of my favorite pastimes is daydreaming;  daydreaming about anything and everything: what it will be like when I have my first solo gallery show, the emotions I will feel when I hold my first published book in my hands and the small cabin my husband and I will one day build on the prairie.  I float back to my current life in a haze of euphoria, having actually felt all of the emotions that come with the future realization of my dreams. 

I blink my eyes into focus and let them wander around my cluttered living room.  I could be cynical and dwell on all the things that irritate me in my life: the dog hair that never seems to go away, the pieces of wall that sometimes crumble off behind our sofa,  the fact that the owner of the local art gallery continually walks by my farmer’s market booth without a glance at my photos, and the notes for my book that sit neglected on my dresser ready to be molded into a best-selling book.

But this isn’t what I see.  When my eyes clear and I come back from planning my future, I rest contented knowing that my life is exactly as it should be in this very moment because I am not a cynical person.  I don’t see an endless sea of dog hair, I see my loyal dog who loves me unconditionally and is always excited to see me when I come home.  I don’t see the crumbling wall, I see a house that my husband and I are turning into a beautiful home.  I don’t see the owner of the gallery ignoring my work, I see the countless people to whom my work brings joy every Saturday.  I don’t see my book full of empty pages, I see the wondrous road trip I took that inspired the as-yet-to-be-written book.  

I’ll never stop dreaming, scheming and planning because I believe one day the things I wish for will be now.  In this knowing, I can be contented that for now I have a roof over my head, delicious food on the table, people in my life who love me and accept me just as I am, a healthy body that enables me to stay active and a mind that prompts me to seek beauty and appreciate the small things.

I believe in seeing my life through rose-colored glasses.  I believe in being happy now.

***This I Believe is an international organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives.  Over 100,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, are archived on their website, heard on public radio, chronicled through their books, and featured in weekly podcasts.  The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.  (from thisibelieve.org)

Rearranged...

Last time you found me delirious with creativity, head swirling with ideas, schemes and projects.

And as many of you may know, our house is in the process of being renovated (and by 'in the process', I mean the upstairs is done, the kitchen has been repainted and the rest is to be continued...)  So, my hopes of having my own work space had stalled.  I have so many things to be thankful for that being mopey because I didn't have a place to mat and frame photos or take on the sewing projects I had been contemplating seemed quite selfish.

And then a brilliant idea struck me:  We could move our upstairs living room (residing in the "guest bedroom" upstairs) down into the "office".  Then, maybe I could move our sewing machine (a beautiful thing passed down to Ike) upstairs.  If only I could find a high work table (that was also inexpensive) that would be the right height and size to utilize for working with photos and sewing projects.

Hello craigslist.  I love you.

The day after I had the idea, I checked craigslist and found an adjustable drafting table for $65.  Could it still be available?  Oh, yes, it was, AND we got it for only $50!

So being the impatient lass I am, I spent yesterday afternoon moving our living room downstairs and things for my work space upstairs (aided by Ike because there was no way I could move that huge, heavy sewing machine upstairs by myself.  Although, I was able to move our entire living room down the stairs by myself!)

From the moment I had the idea to finished product was about 48 hours, cause that's how I roll.

Already this morning I altered three skirts and a pair of pants to fit me (I was worried I would just have to give them away, but duh, I could just fix them myself).  I have a few other pieces that I am going to alter in one way or another.

I'm so lucky this sewing machine and table got handed down to Ike with a plethora of thread, needles, pins, etc.

Also, while looking for the correct color of thread I came across this and decided to hang it up as inspiration from a truly creative soul:

I am most excited about this room because it will allow me to grow creatively and save money by giving me a space to alter clothes I have or cheap clothes I find that don't fit exactly right (and my sister has already requested twin comforters for bunk beds they might get for my nieces).


Where there is a will there is a way!  I'm excited to see where this new space takes me!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...Sew

Creative outlets.  I crave them.  And I find a new one everyday I want to experience. I feel the most alive when I am creating something, anything, from a beautiful photograph to a succulent meal.  I almost overload myself trying to find or hone creative outlets.

There are the ones I have already attempted/currently do: photography, bargain home decorating, vintage fashion (this includes my Etsy shop Edie & Andy's), cooking, writing, gardening, sewing curtains for our kitchen, planning engaging lessons for my English classes...

The ones I hope to attempt someday soon or are in the works: putting together a neighborhood art show, landscaping our yard, publishing a few photography books, owning my own vintage consignment boutique, and learning to use a loom so as to begin weaving (helped out by the fact that my husband's mom was an avid weaver and has a gorgeous loom and stocked loom room AND I have a friend who is an accomplished weaver who is willing to show me the ropes, when we both have the time to get together)...

And finally, the two I undertook in the past 4 days (thanks to a hefty amount of snow resulting in two snow days, which totally screwed up my lesson plans, but gosh dang I got a lot done): putting together my website and sewing a dress .

First, the website.  I had a great photography website, but it just didn't feel like me anymore and I wanted to be able to manage it myself.    So, I contacted my friend Jessica, who has her own design business out in Colorado called Bold Creative.  She thankfully got one set up for me and away I went.  And by away, I mean away.  I don't think I moved from behind my computer (and I definitely didn't change out of my sweatpants) for two whole days.  And I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out AND the experience I got creating this website through much trial and error.  Please take a sec and check it out: Dandy Lion Photography.

Oh yes, and the dress.  I have had this idea for awhile about creating repurposed clothing out of vintage clothing.  The idea would be to find dresses that I loved but didn't fit, and/or dresses whose shape and style were hideous, but whose fabric is beautiful, and turn them into new, fresh dresses.

So, about a month ago, I found a cool 1970s dress pattern on Etsy, and I found two pretty ugly dresses (in style, but whose fabric could be stellar in some other form) at Rockstar & Rogers down in Aggiville.  Well, last week I finally got the pattern out, and alas, the dresses lacked enough material to make the dress from that pattern.  Consequently, I went to Goodwill yesterday and found a dress and a skirt, and spent the whole of yesterday creating a new dress out of the top of the Goodwill dress and the skirt.  I went balls-to-the-wall and did it freestyle...aka no pattern used.  I am extremely happy with how it turned out for my first try (Unfortunately, I didn't have enough forethought to take a before picture.  Just imagine the top of the 'new' dress with shoulder pads and long sleeves with a straight skirt, about calf-length with a little ruffle skirt over that skirt).

It looks pretty good if I do say so myself (just don't look too close, as the sewing isn't topnotch).

And there is a total bonus.  Because I watched a few awesome tutorial videos on how to sew elastic wastes into skirts and dresses, I was able to salvage the skirt-part of the dress and make it into a really cute 'new' skirt that could also double as a strapless top in the summer.  I even used the old elastic.  All parts of the dress were used except the shoulder pads (I'm going to use the sleeves down the road to make patchwork curtains for the dining room...when we have a dining room.)  If anyone needs to stuff their bra, I have shoulder pads that would work wonders!

Well, this girl is very satisfied with all the creatin' done this week.  I think part of being happy in life is finding small ways to make yourself happy and trying new things is the best way to do this...and for me that is constantly finding new ways to express myself creatively.  I hope this will inspire you to find a way to make something, no matter what it is (and try doing it with your own noggin instead of cheating and using Pinterest!).  Get out there and do it!

EnJOY!