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!

Finally...I'm back...with Cauliflower

My sincerest apologies for being gone since....October.

For awhile I really started disliking blogs.  I felt that they are extremely narcissistic (which, really they are, writing with the belief that someone cares enough to read what we write) and I was getting really sick of reading blogs about all the things, things, things that should be making my life complete.  I just had to check out for awhile.

But now, I think I would like to refocus on what this blog was initially intended to do...bring people a bit of happiness and at least a smile when you read it.

I really want the focus to be on ways to be happy that don't include material things:  beautiful places, inspiring people, exciting new ideas, stimulating music, stirring pieces of art, and of course delicious foods.

So to kick off my return here is a recipe I recently tried courtesy of Real Simple magazine (with a few tweaks).  It is ridiculously easy, incredibly healthy and astoundingly delicious.

Kale & Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Dressing

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup tahini

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup dried cherries

Heat ove to 350 degrees.  Spread pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes; transfer to plate.

Increase heat to 450 degrees.  In a medium-sized bowl toss the cauliflower with cayenne, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Roast, tossing once, until golden and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/3 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper (adding more water if necessary, to achieve the consistency of heavy cream).  Add the kale, onion, cherries, pine nuts and cauliflower and toss to combine.

I think almost every meal I've made in the past month has some sort of roasted green.  I've become obsessed with brussels sprouts and kale (if only you could dip them in chocolate too!)  I was always a little scared to try either, but tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and then roasted in the oven, they are fantastic.  

EnJOY!