So Somebody is Looking for a Hobby

Well, I had a couple of ideas:
1. Learn a foreign language.
2. Become an indexer for familysearch.org
3. Become a homemaking EXPERT.
4. Read non-fiction.
5. Write your personal history.
6. Make specialty food mixes.

Do you have any other bright ideas?

Oh NOOOOOO!

Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

1 C toasted hazelnuts

2 T cocoa

2 T sugar

Process the hazelnuts until they form "butter". Add cocoa and sugar. Process again. Eat from spoon. Eat on english muffin. Eat on graham cracker. Eat with popcorn. Eat more from spoon. Wait at least two weeks before repeating process.

*note*
I toasted my hazelnuts in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. I put them in a dishtowel and rubbed the heck out of 'em to get off as much of the skin as possible. If it didn't want to come off, I let it be. Practicing imperfectionism.

This is what I finally bought. I like having all the odd sizes. They are awfully hard to find these days. My last set had the odd sizes, and I found them at Wal-Mart for $3. If I had known how hard they would be to replace I would not have let the children dig in the yard with them.

I also bought a pizza peel. I like pizza. I like fancy bread. I'll let you know if I like the pizza peel.

Birthday Bunting

So, I'm half-way through my own bunting, but realized I only bought one package of orange bias tape. I have 2 pkg of bright green tape, which I bought because Jo-Ann was out of the orange the first time I tried to buy it. I like the orange better (I seem to have a thing for orange lately), and I think it might drive me crazy to have two different colors. BUT, I went to Jo-Ann tonight to buy another pkg of orange and they were out again!!!! Of course, none of this would be a problem, except we have a birthday coming up on Thurs. What do you think I should do? Hmm. I think I know your answer, but comment anyway.

Made these tonight!

Cousin Camp: Crazy food ideas!

How about this one:

You thread uncooked spaghetti through the dawg pieces then you boil them all together! The kids could help make them!

I have heard you talk about wanting

something like this

or this!

Oh Ya. Sizes 1/8 all the way to 3 cups. I dig.

When Do We Get to the Doin' Part?

Ok, so I found another thing I want to do when I actually get around to doing stuff!
The quilting on this is rather fun; something my ultra-regulated brain would never think to do. I think quilting this way might actually release some of my perfectionist tendencies and open up my mind to creative possibilities. I love how she describes it as "windy" quilting. Somehow that seems metaphorical of life with young children. I need to know that blowing with the wind, not as a "shaft in the whirlwind", but more like a tree swaying in the breeze of needs and demands, can actually produce beauty. Perhaps the breeze will sway me toward making something like this?

Memorial Weekend

Wasn't last weekend wonderful? Here is a funny shot of Caroline. So classic! Too bad she wasn't wearing a shirt. I'm glad she's only four!

Bedroom Paint Colors

Look at this vibrant room for a little boy. I think this color would be great for Caroline's and James' room. Ours of course will not be nearly as lovely, but I think it would work nicely for a shared room.

Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies

I haven't tried these, and it's a shame maple syrup is so danged expensive, but maybe honey could sub for some?


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip (or raisin) Cookies
By Terry Walters, Clean Food Cookbook

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup unbleached white flour or brown rice flour
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or raisins

Oven: 350ºF / 180ºC

Combine oats, flour, coconut, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl whisk syrup, oil and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and combine. Fold in nuts and chips/raisins. Press dough together into small balls and place onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake 16 minutes or until lightly browned.

christmas in june?

so far that is that is the projected finish time for last year's christmas present. so now i know that i need to get started a little sooner....

these are the two i made.

do you think i should re-do the decorative of the first one? it seems a little bland now compared to this one. any suggestions for spicing up the first w/o taking out what is already done? i don't have much room to work with any more so it would have to be smallish.

Honey and Hal

I was poking around the internet on my day "off" and found this Danish design site that had a surprising image!