MUST BE (NEEDLE) FELT

Watching someone needle felt is like watching paint dry, but doing it can be meditative. Friday, while we were working on our various projects waiting for customers, one lady taught me how to needle felt. I love the look of felted wool + I generally want to change the buttons on clothing I buy so I made needle felted buttons! Super easy! (this video is a little goofy, but it's the best one I found)

5 days...

ANATOMY OF ADDICTION

We rented The Strangers (scared the piss out of me! I loved it)
Joanna Newsom's Sprout and the Bean is prominently featured
I really liked the song + wanted to hear more by her
I plugged her name into Pandora
Now I'm addicted to Pandora!

6 days...

SOUP-A-WEEK #5

Base
4 baked + pureed sweet potatoes
2 lb pureed organic carrots
(organic carrots are no longer 1/2 price @ the market
so I'll have to choose another color base for next week's soup)
1 lg can organic chopped tomatoes
2 vegan vegetable bouillon cubes

1 lg onion chopped
1 package whole wheat noodles

Ginger, cumin, paprika

Result: Initially it was too thick, like oatmeal, and the noodles were the culprit. What I pretty much ended up with is a concentrate, so I froze 1/2 of it for a week when I'm not able to make a pot of soup + mixed in more water. Taste: Stick to your ribs hearty goodness.

7 days...

THIS YEAR'S OFF THE BEATEN PATH SHOW

I have to admit, for a period I had this "what if we had a studio tour + no one came?" feeling about this year's show. With the recent plunge in gas prices so many people came out + I'm pleased to say that sales were not that much lower than they have been in better economic times.

A few new items + a lot less books, but my display has not really changed from previous shows. The display I made for my prints works great, as long as there is no wind.

This was one of my favorite images from the weekend,
one of Claudia's recycled newspaper necklaces
draped over a vintage display bust.

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This year I went on the tour + visited some of the other studios. I absolutely fell in love with Beech Hollow Studio + was ready to pack my belongings + move in. He is a woodworker + built not only their house, but this studio using trees from their property + they are totally off the grid.

These enormous bells are hanging throughout the property.

And life does not get much better than this.

(this is another one of my favorite images from the weekend)

4 weeks until the Stones River Studio Tour

GOOD TIMES + BAD FRIENDS

Yesterday was day 1 of the Off The Beaten Path studio tour + it rained all day long. We were inside, but being that some of the roads are a bit dodgy in good weather...
There were 6 of us in the studio, so we all worked on our knitting, spinning + needle felting projects + gabbed for hours. Luckily we had some die-hard visitors/ shoppers.

As for the bad friend, that would be ME! We were planning on going to my friend Jenn's wedding tonight (Saturday), it is written on my calender for tonight (Saturday) + then I noticed on the invitation that the wedding was on FRIDAY (yesterday).

SOUP-A-WEEK #4

Base:
Roasted + pureed butternut + acorn squashes
(thanks to Kristen @ Taylor Made Designs for the squash suggestion)
1 package pureed silken tofu
2 vegan vegetable bouillon cubes

1 package frozen organic sweet corn
1 lg chopped onion

Garlic, pepper + Pav Bhaji Masala Indian spice blend for vegetables (thanks to Erin @ Operation Paper Cut for suggesting spices other than my go-to Italian blend)

My boy suggested sun-dried tomato bread.

Result: Very yellow. Great mix of sweet vegetables + spicy Indian spices. Yum-a-licious!

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I gave Kath + Kim 2 chances + I'm not willing to give them a 3rd.

I accidentally watched an hour of Dan In Real Life. It was late, on cable + I must have been delirious, but had enough sense to turn it off. I kept thinking 2 people in this movie have won Oscars!

"GIVE ME SPOTS ON MY APPLES"

The election commission is a block from my office so I started off my weekend by voting early.

My parking lot sources have been plucked so we went to Morning Glory Orchard to pick apples. The owner was almost apologetic when she said the apples were not as pretty as the ones in the grocery store, but since they don't use sprays...
No need to explain.

Can you spot Dexter?

Lots + lots of cutting + packaging for next weekend's Off The Beaten Path studio tour. A few of us are headed over to Claudia's to help her clean up + prepare her studio for the show.

SOUP-A-WEEK #3

What happened to #1 + 2? Undocumented.

My plan is to make a pot of soup every Sunday. A co-worker makes a pot of soup every week. He goes to his garden + whatever is ready to pick goes into the soup pot. Well, my garden was neither big nor bountiful this year (crossing my fingers for next year), so it's pretty much what is in the fridge or on sale at the grocery store.

Base:
Pureed Tofu + 1 lg onion
Lg can of chopped tomatoes
2 vegan vegetable bouillon cubes

2 lb carrots
1 lg sweet potato
4 med red potatoes
1 cup lentils
garlic, rosemary + pepper
fresh bread for dipping!

Result: Good, but a little bland. Very orange!
Should have used all sweet potatoes + not the red ones

GO! GO! GO!

Yesterday my boy ran his second 1/2 marathon, which took place in our town. He finished in 2 hr. 3 min. shaving 6 minutes off last year's time. In addition, he raised $1190.00 for a local organization that provides services to children with developmental disabilities + serious medical problems.
Yay! for my boy. I couldn't be prouder of him.

CUT/ CHOP

Cutting tons of chip board for postcards. 2 new card designs came together yesterday, now I have to carve the blocks + I'm hopeful they'll be ready for the show in 3 weeks. Things always have a way of coming together at the 11th hour.

Chopping carrots for this week's pot of soup.
Fall is my favorite cooking season.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH (AT THE DOLLAR STORE)

Emily the Mom has these great Friday posts called "Friday Afternoon Videos. " I'm a couple days late, but I have a "Sunday Morning Video" offering.



I was in a dollar store yesterday + Bow Wow Wow's Do You Want To Hold Me came on. Even though I was not buying anything I had to stay + sing along. [WOW!] Bow Wow Wow at the dollar store?!?! and it wasn't I Want Candy!

Buy crap for a buck + leave 'em dancing in the aisles!

"DESIRISH"

We went to the Found Footage Festival last night + laughed for a solid hour. While at the theater I rekindled my love of photographing
very colorful public bathrooms.
(smoking indoors is prohibited in Tennessee, but no one bothered to remove this ash tray.)