yarn-along

Happy Yarn Along! Visit Ginny at Small Things to participate. Leave your link in the comments below as I love to see what you're up too. 

I'm late posting today because my mother came over to help me clean and organize. I think she may have saved me from a mental break down. Oliver is extra busy this month between a couple art shows he is preparing for and his brother in the hospital. (By the way, Christopher has had some issues with his speech, but is slowly recovering. Thank you for your kind thoughts.) I am on my own running the show and often have to chose between cooking and cleaning, getting neither done in the end because Miles won't let me put him down. My house was a total disaster! I am feeling so relieved now as I look around my tidy kitchen. Thank you Mom!

Needless to say I haven't had any time to knit. Instead. I'm slowly picking away at the mess Alice has made of my yarn. Kittens! I often find it trailing from one end of the living room to the other. Do you think I need a more secure storage system?

I did finish reading The Omnivore's Dilemma as I only had the last section left. All I can say is that everybody should read this. It is life changing. I asked Oliver to read it. I said, in fact, that I need him to read it. Its a 'marriage' request. I've never called in one of these before, but it will help him to understand the transformation I (and the kitchen) have been going through lately.

Now I'm on to Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat. So far, its full of short, interesting anecdotes about the human-animal relationship and its moral conundrums. It is written from a psychological perspective. I happen to like books written by psychologists. I feel comfortable with the writing style and terms used because I took a lot of psych in my undergrad. However, it is straight forward and clear enough for anybody. Oh, and apparently we really do look like our pets.


I have to share a photo of our delicious dinner. It was inspired by one of the 30 Day Vegan recipes. Remember this basil? We did pesto and slow roasted tomatoes on kumut pasta. Oh my! I was very generous with the garlic, so its a good thing we all ate it.

Irene

For all of you effected by this storm, loving vibes are being sent your way. I hope you and your families are safe and sound.

We were not hit as hard as many other places as we're just at the edge of Irene's path. Our power did go out before dinner was ready, so Oliver improvised. It was bread day and the loaves had already risen. It was bake now or lose out time. By the way, Cole did the braiding after we watched How to Cook your Life. Thank you Heather for the recommendation.

It was hard to capture the trees blowing in the yard, but it really was amazing. We are surrounded by trees, so the tremendous wind was nerve wracking. I am just so glad we took down the big one earlier this summer.

We enjoyed a bottle of Frontenac from local Motts Landing Vineyard ...

... and the Raw 'Cheese'cake pie from the 30 Day Vegan workshop. 

We did our best without power. Music was courtasy of Oliver's iPod and headphoens turned waaay up.

As we were sitting at the table in almost pitch black with the wind roaring outside, there was a sudden Craack! and a falling-in-slow-motion-sound, followed by relief when the thump did not correspond with our house being hit by anything. Since it was so dark, we couldn't see out the window (even with a flashlight.) We were not willing to venture out ...

... until morning when things had settled. I was surprised to find a large tree knocked over along with our clothes line. It only narrowly missed hitting the chicken coop.

It had to have freaked out the chickens. They were very happy birds to be out pecking in the yard and stretching their legs after having been locked up for a whole day.

Stick-loving Macey was the happiest of dogs. In dog heaven really.

But, of course, it will all have to be cleaned up.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual from Soule Mama. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

and some musical inspiration just for you: 

Don't forget to sign up for the Artist Trading Card Event. Check out the details here.

yarn-along

What a beautiful, sunny, breezy day it is in my neck of the woods! A perfect day for a yarn-along. Post a picture of your current read and knitting project and visit Ginny at Small Things to join in.

I finally starting my Juliette Capelet. I am loving this pattern. At first glance, it seemed very complicated. I worked out all my worry doing the swatch. Now I'm zipping along very nicely. I love the colour. I think this will be the first thing I finish for myself. I'm not sure I'll ever go back to this vest. I seem to have been shrinking a bit lately so there is even less of a chance it will fit.

This week, I'm trying to finish up bits of books started over the summer. I counted 6 ...ahem ...that I have started and not finished. This is all due to distraction, not boredom. I finally closed the cover on The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love. I loooooved it! Kristin has such a way with words. Her writing style is lyrical, yet brash. She provides a vivid picture of all aspects of her farm life ...and it sure is dirty and a lot of work. Definitely not for the faint of heart. This book could turn you on or off farming. She makes it sound very sexy at times. You can taste the sumptuous food she describes, but you can also smell manure. If I was a farmer, this is the way I would want to do it. I like the idea of a farm that provides everything you need, from grains, to veggies, dairy, meat, syrup, and more. They couldn't be further from an industrial monoculture. This book makes you want to dig your hands in the ground.

I am going to have to systematically finish up these books I've started before more start to accumulate. Now I'm on to the last section of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals.

Please come sign up for my first ATC swap! You can check out the original post here. As of right now, there are 35 people participating. I also have this posted on FB. I have decided to put a cap of 60 on this to make it manageable for all the artists. So, sign up soon! This is a great way to connect with other creatives and also to start (or add to) your art collection!

Morning Intentions

This month, I'm taking part in a workshop with Heather at Beauty That Moves. One of her hand outs is a daily journaling sheet called "Morning Intentions. " I want to share mine with you today.

morning thoughts, feelings & intuitions: I'm up early. I am a bit tired, but I feel good. I'll get a lot done today. Its going to be beautiful out. The sun is shining in through the tree branches.

i am grateful for: My healthy family. Good healthy food  and the fact that I can afford it. My two children, both of whom provide me more love than challenges (even though there are sometimes lots of challenges). This time I have off from work right now to spend working on my family, and developing new healthy habits and a new rhythm.

goals for today: Clean the kitchen. Scrub the floor. Make zucchini bread. Freeze tomatoes. Wash all the sheets. Create a zen retreat ~ or a few ~ around the house. Get to the post office. Replace my evening coffee with herbal tea.

fun, relaxation, and adventure today: Dance in the kitchen. Spend at least one hour outside. Read with Cole. Limit screen time. Be here in this moment.

 

What are your intentions today?

Announcing! Artist Trading Card Mail Swap

Announcing the 2011 ATCArtist Trading Card Mail Swap! 

You do not need to be a professional artist to participate. Anybody can get creative!

Leave a comment here and send me a message (amanda @ karmama.ca) to express your interest before September 9th. On that date, I'll announce the number of participants and the number of cards each person will need to make (one for each participant including yourself and a couple extra for a giveaway to be hosted here.) This is a great advertising opportunity. Include your website on the back of the card. Its like a networking party!

Participants will make trading card size pieces of art (approximately 2.5 by 3.5 inches). They can be horizontal or vertical. They can be made out of anything. You can paint, draw, print, sculpt, cut, paste, knit, sew your cards. The possibilities are endless! You can make multiples, or each piece could be unique. Its totally up to you.

Once you are done, send all your cards to me (I'll message you my address) along with a stamped, self addressed envelop. When I receive all the artwork, I'll assemble the 'decks' and send them out in the mail.

I'll also feature photos of artwork from each participant (with links to your website if you have one) here on karMama.
All artwork must be postdated by Friday September 30th!

Invite your friends. The more the merrier! You will end up with a collection of unique original artworks.

You can check out this link for ideas.

If you are participating, don't forget to grab a button on the top right hand side of the blog.

{this moment} ~ we need some positive vibes!

{this moment} - A Friday ritual from Soule Mama. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Today my boys are sending out all their love to their Uncle Christopher (my brother in law) who is in surgery right now having a tumor removed from his brain. He has been battling this for almost ten years. We appreciate your positive vibes in his direction. Thank you xoxo

yarn-along

Happy Yarn Along Day! Every week I join Ginny at Small Things by posting a picture of my current read and current knitting project ...and apparently an animal.

What's up with that? They've been sneaking in to all of my pictures lately.

I'm almost done this Miles' new Baby Surprise Jacket. I had it pretty well done in one week, but then haven't been able to find the time to finish the shoulder seams and the i-cord. I'm thinking about adding pockets too. It's way too big for this baby ...probably a size 2. Better too big than too small though.

I'm looking forward to my next project. This beautiful Juliette Capelet. I love it!

I started The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love. So far, so good. I like her straight forward style of writing. She makes farming seem sexy, including? or despite the muck and pig shit.

Miniature Works Gallery

A couple years ago, my mother in law found boxes of picture frames at a yard sale. She brought them to us thinking that Oliver could make use of them, being a photographer. Unfortunately, they've been sitting in the basement ever since. In the quest for a simple life, one of our goals is to empty the basement, which will eventually be additional living space. The idea is to go through everything and either use or purge. Both Oliver and I have this "we'll use this someday" mentality bred from our years at craft school. Poor art students learn to save and salvage materials ... anything and everything could be a great craft project ...someday. 

When I rediscovered these frames a few months ago, I decided to finally put them to use. Over time, we have also accumulated a number of small works. Piles of these things float around our comfortable (cluttered) home. I decided to create our own little miniature works gallery, eliminating both a pile and a box at the same time. I like that these things don't match. Painting them all one colour has unified them, yet their differences make the wall fun and unique. We have framed a collection of little pieces made by us, Cole, and friends. Some of these are from an artist trading card event that we participated in at our local artist run centre. I like that I can easily change out the art when Cole makes something new or when Miles starts to draw. 

This wall is above my computer/work area. I plan on finishing some more frames to make similar displays in the boys' rooms. 

I would love to host an artist trading card swap. Are you interested in participating? I'll post more details later in the week.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual from Soule Mama. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Welcome to karMama ...have some granola

Welcome to karMama! I'm so glad that you found me! As you can see, I'm officially moved over to my new address and new name! Over the next little bit, I'll be working on the site, so expect some more changes. I'll also be announcing a fun project and I hope many of you will participate.

Starting Monday, I'm joining Heather at Beauty That Moves by taking her 30 Day Vegan workshop. Inspired by thoughts of healthy, wholesome food, I want to share with you my granola recipe, which is more of a loose formula. The beauty of granola is that you can use whatever ingredients you have in the cupboard and it can be different each time you make it. Have fun!

I make double this amount. It stores well in the fridge. If you don't know yet that you love granola, start with a small batch.

:: 3 cups of rolled oats
:: 1 cup of other healthy grains ~ I usually use a combination of wheat germ, oat bran, and freshly ground flax seed. Today I tried a 7-grain cereal from Speerville Flour Mill and some whole wheat flour
:: Up to 1/2 cup of other good stuff ~ Example: pumpkin or sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds
:: 1/2 cup of shredded coconut ~ just because I love coconut, but I suppose its optional
:: Approximately 1/4 cup of dried fruit ~ Today I used organic mango, but have also tried cranberries, peaches, and apple rings
:: 1/2 cup of something gooey and sweet ~ I prefer half honey and half maple syrup
:: 1/2 cup of cold-pressed vegetable oil ~ I always use coconut oil because of its many health benefits. Incidentally, I also use coconut oil in lieu of baby bum cream on my cloth diapered dude
:: 1/4 cup of juice ~ I like apple, preferably freshly made at home, but you could substitute with whatever you've got
:: A healthy pinch of course sea salt
:: A good sprinkling of cinnamon
:: A good sprinkling of nutmeg
:: At least 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract ~ You could use a bit less, but I love vanilla

Mix

Lay it all flat on several baking trays and put in an over preheated to 300 degrees. Stir it about every 15 minutes until its golden and almost crunchy in texture. It will crunch up more as it cools down. It will probably take about 45 to 60 minutes to bake depending on your dry-wet ingredient ratio.

I store it in glass jars or a seal-able bag and put it in the fridge if you don't plan on eating it up in a week .

yarn-along

 

Happy Yarn Along Day! Go visit Ginny at Small Things to participate! 

Check out the book that just arrived in the mail! Caroline At NatureKinder posted about this book here. I commented that it looked interesting and so she sent it to me! Thank you so much Caroline. I can't wait to read it! We'll have to compare notes when we're both done. (She's reading the German version.)

I have set aside my vest for a little while until I can grow to love it again. Ugh. all the long long rows in garter stitch were giving me the knitting blues.

I made my very first hat in one night plus a little bit of morning. It was supposed to be 18 month size, but fits me perfectly ...and I think I have a big head (or at least lots of hair), so I must have done something wrong. That's ok though because I could use a new hat. Oliver says that this button is "exciting."

I started on Miles' new Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ) in a combination of colours in soft spun wool. It is promising to be very soft and cuddly and big. Sizing is still a mystery to me.  The first one was too small. I got quite a bit done in the car as we did a lot of driving this week. I think I'll be checking this one off my Year of Projects list sooner rather than later! I'll post a picture next week when its done. I've already started to plan the next BSJ. Black and white I think ...with a hood.  I'm at risk of developing a BSJ addiction!

I also bought this pattern! and lots of yummy Cascade Rouge Red, which is more fuscia than red ...oooh la la! I am very excited about this one. I think my yarn is slightly heavier than suggested. It will still work out, right?

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual from Soule Mama. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Leonard, the underemployed Boarder Collie finds himself a job.

What's your 'issue'?

Check out these links:
Conservation Council of New Brunswick
Gasland the Movie
David Suzuki's playlist for the planet.

yarn-along

Happy yarn along day everybody! If you want to join in, visit Ginny at Small Things. Post a picture of your current read and knitting project. Please fell free to share your link here too.

I again have little to report on both fronts. I'm still reading 'The Omnivore's Dilemma. I've never taken this long to go through a book. I really think it has something to do with this little boy who is on the go! He can now pull himself up reliably and will start cruising any day now I'm sure. I'm still chugging away at this vest. These rows are soooooo long! I'm getting very bored to be honest. I think I'm loosing sight of any end to this thing. When will it be finished?! I'm even starting to think it won't fit. It looks too big. I thought I would appreciate all this garter stitch, and I did.. for a little bit. I'm dreaming of my next project.. something a little more interesting. Like this or this or even this. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on the day) I pick up my CSA box at my favorite yarn store. I'm especially looking forward to it today. I hope I find some inspiration.

Oliver's Tabouleh

This week, we were faced with a serious conundrum.. oh what to do with all of our fresh herbs? Oliver's answer? Tabouleh of course. It was actually my idea, but he is the one who followed through.

 

 Oliver's Tabouleh

1 cup of cooked Quinoa

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 big cucumber, peeled and chopped

6 cloves of garlic (or to taste ~ we love garlic)

1 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 cup of fresh mint leaves

a generous pinch pf sea salt

1/3 - 1/2 cup of lemon juice to taste (1/2 c. is pretty lemony, but we like it)

2/3 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix all ingredients together in a big bowl and refrigerate covered for a few hours or overnight if possible.

Delicious! and I highly recommend a  Mojito to go with it...