Big TV's

The large TV in my living room reminds me that it is a wormhole and I'd rather not look at it today.

I think TV's like this belong in low dark places.  In  cozy cave where you go to be comforted by repetition and the ability to stop and start things.  Turn them on, turn them off, on, change channel, glow.

I didn't like it facing me while I read my book.  It felt as if it were trying to suck on my eyeballs by licking them away from my studies.

A cold thing warm and asking.

Today I declined the offer by covering the screen.

Next time I will keep my reading in the studio.

p.s. there is new work coming that I will share soon, the process is simply slow

DNA

With some of yesterdays newly spun yarn (unwashed/set) I tried crocheting a small sample with it just to see....

Such a tiny legnth, 1.5", 2 rows, one single, one double. So pretty.

Looking at this makes me think about exactly how much intelligence is encoded in objects.

Like all that which is encoded in living things. 

I just get excited by the little things.

Spin those Blues Away.

Nope, not actually "blue" today.  However several Torontonians have expressed their dismay that the cold weather has come back to us today.  I am not dismayed because I got to spend the day working on improving a really great craft.  Spinning!!  One of my projects today has been to practice spinning yarn with my drop spindle.

As I finished  I looked out the window and noticed how much my roving resembled the cold bearing clouds out there.   

Well isn't that nice.

What's more is that I found this great video of Navajo Weaving Master Clara Sherman explaining the art of spinning.  A very inspiring woman indeed!! 

In 2013 I Knit Some Socks

A great way to start a new year is to sit down a knit something useful.

I cannot exalt hand knit socks enough.  They are warmer, they are fluffier under your feet, and when they get holes they can be repaired to a sturdier degree than their machine made counterparts.  The only drawback is they take 2 days plus skill to make.  Thus making the disposable ones a better economic choice in our current time space. 

One day when I qualify as a granny I hope that socks like this will only take me 1 day plus skill to make.  Then everyone I know can have socks that are made by hands.

I found the recipe for this pair at Ravelry the mecca of the online knitting community.

Sometimes you just have to Shhhhhhh.

Really, you do.
You probably need to right now.  I know I did.  After over a week of lovely guests to my home, one concert, three holiday parties and the completion of an intensive holiday embroidery contract all on top of working through my second last week of retail my brain is flat out zonked.  This evening I was planning to get to work on my last holiday crafting contract (hooray people are still interested in hand knit garments!!!) buuut I found myself too exhausted to focus on work and too restless to nap with the cats.  So I turned to my two favourite activities for problem solving: wandering and cooking.  Both wandering and cooking seem to help me sort my thoughts and energize my body.  It makes sense activity + nourishment ='s yes I can complete the revised pattern tomorrow before I go to work!

What I wanted to share with you tonight is a recipe.  As food is one of those lovely places where art and craft unite I thought this post would be appropriate. This is a simple, simple, simple recipe.  I first experienced a version of it when I was a fourteen year old hostess in a restaurant in my home town.  It was a great job that started me on my long journey in the food industry where, by accident, I wriggled my way up from hostess, to waitress, to bartender, to cook, to finally assistant kitchen manager!  I could have stayed in food too...... But I didn't, I chose to finish university, and chose to live a bouncy life in many fields.

The ever healing soup du jour is a rendition of Leek and Potato.



Ingredients:

2 cups of just larger than bite sized potato bits that have been roasted in the oven till golden
*please roast these in oil and salt

1 Bunch of Leeks- thinly sliced and well rinsed
1 bit of garlic- minced
1/4 c of butter (please use butter unless you are allergic or vegan- then use a cooking oil at 2.5 tbsp)
1.5 tsp of sea salt
2 tsp ground black pepper-I love pepper if you do not then only use a little to taste
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp tamari sauce
1/4 c of fresh thyme rinsed and picked- don't chop it though the leafy appeal is nice.
6 cups of water
1 package of organic instant Mashed Potatoes- while this sounds a bit lazy it is actually amazy!

Ohkeh now with all that you do the following:

1-Sautee the leeks in the butter until they soften(8-10 minutes on medium heat), then add the garlic sautee for 5 more minutes.

2- add 2 cups of water, the salt, pepper and the thyme bring up to an even heat before adding the rest of the water.

3- once the rest of the water is added you may put in your pre-roasted potatoes.

4- once this is all consistently warmed up add in 1/2- 3/4 of the package of instant mashed potatoes, stirr it in with a fork.  Then put in the worcestershire and the tamari.

5- Let simmer on medium for the length of time it takes you to read a few interesting things via twitter.

6- take off of heat and allow some time to cool.

7- dish it out into your favourite bowl or cup, top with uncooked thyme.

8- eat and smile.

Now this is a hearty version, if you think you may be serving delicate (babies/very old/very wealthy) people you may want to follow your cooking by pureeing the soup so that it is smooth.

My suggested friends for this soup are : green beans with almonds, frisee and kale salad with shredded beets, little airy pouffy crackers, and a fireplace, bonfire, blanket or cat.

yep, it was delish!

ps. I am not a foodie I simply am familiar with eating because I like to eat most days and I really like the idea of the rest of the world doing so as well.  Please do yourself a favor over the busy holiday season and make some kind of soup to slow down with- it does a world of good.

goodnight.