Monday, December 7, 2009
Butter Again
I made butter again. This time I skimmed the cream off of our farm fresh milk and beat it. The butter is sooooooo yellow. Margarine yellow. Wow. The buttermilk was a beautiful white (especially when contrasted with the yellow butter). It tastes pretty delicious, too. I'm so glad we have a herd share.
First Snow
It's the first snow of 2009! I'm so peacefully happy. There's something about snow (when it sticks to the ground without being coaxed) that makes Winter. Plus, today my friend Emily is coming over for lunch and we're putting up Christmas decorations together! It's perfect!
On a side note, I am in the process of finding a new camera. I'm considering the PowerShot G series, particularly the the G7, maybe the G9... it depends on prices. Part of me is glad I lost my old camera, I now have a good excuse to get a better one. But I'd rather not be spending the money. Oh, well. It is what it is.
On a side note, I am in the process of finding a new camera. I'm considering the PowerShot G series, particularly the the G7, maybe the G9... it depends on prices. Part of me is glad I lost my old camera, I now have a good excuse to get a better one. But I'd rather not be spending the money. Oh, well. It is what it is.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Online Magazine
I stumbled across Rhythm of the Home today. It's a free online magazine devoted to the home. I'm excited to see what it develops into.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
December
Do you want the good news or the bad news first. Well, I'll just assume you're like me and always want the bad news first...
I've lost my camera. It's gone. Poof. Nowhere. I suppose it's somewhere but it's keeping that location to itself. Which means no more pictures until I scrounge up the money to buy a new one... which will be a few months. Which is very, very sad because it's December, which means presents, which means projects, which means lots of stuff I would really, really love to post pictures of.
The good news is, it's December, which means presents, which means projects, which means I am very, very busy.
I'm attempting a handmade Christmas this year. I started out thinking of making one or two things but once my hands started making they just couldn't stop, so the handmade Christmas was unintentional. I've really enjoyed it. I've been learning new skills like hand embroidery and pattern making. It's amazing all the things you can do at home.
I know lots of people talk about making things 'in house' as a cost saving measure, less money spent, more in your pocket. That's somewhat true. While it does cost less money, it takes way more time to make everything than to walk into a shop and buy it. I ran the numbers for the Christmas apron I made based off the pattern I drafted (see last post). If you paid me minimum wage for the time it took me to make the apron (not to mention create the pattern) it comes to $41.25. That's pretty much what Mary Jane's Farm was charging and I didn't include the cost of materials. I would argue that if I was really good at this sort of thing, it would take me less time. I would also argue that the value of learning that I could draft a pattern and learning how to work out all the kinks through the production process was more than the value I would have received if I had just paid $40 for the apron and had my five and half hours of time. But that's just me.
I've also been learning how to host people. We've invited several people to celebrate Advent with us in our home every Sunday this month. It's exciting and kind of intimidating. I'm a quiet person, I don't like being around a bunch of people. But I love Advent. I love the waiting and the daily reminder of what Christmas is about and why it's the best time of the year. I really want to share that but to do that I have to get over this whole 'I don't really like being around lots of people' thing. I'm trying to keep it simple: people come over, people share a pot of soup and talk, we all move to the living room where the Advent wreath is and read the official Advent scriptures, light the candles, talk about the subject of that particular week's Advent candle and why it's important, then do whatever fits the mood: sing, talk, sit in contemplation, leave in silence, whatever. I need it to not be stressful... Christmas shouldn't be stressful. It's God's work, all He asks is for us to come and see. If our houses aren't perfect, that's okay, if our cookies aren't perfect, that's okay, if our hearts aren't perfect, that's okay, if we refuse God, that's not okay. Hm... I'm vaguely reminded of something I thought of in the car on the way to Thanksgiving but I can't remember what I wanted to say, I can only remember the feeling and mood, something about how the verse says that Jesus stands at the door and knocks and we always think about this polite little man politely knocking at the door... but maybe He's standing at that door and pounding... perhaps it will come to me later.
In any case, I've been trying to put my heart into Christmas. To be gracious and open to others, to make my gifts personal and full of effort and love, to craft and create. To put Christmas in my heart where it belongs.
I've lost my camera. It's gone. Poof. Nowhere. I suppose it's somewhere but it's keeping that location to itself. Which means no more pictures until I scrounge up the money to buy a new one... which will be a few months. Which is very, very sad because it's December, which means presents, which means projects, which means lots of stuff I would really, really love to post pictures of.
The good news is, it's December, which means presents, which means projects, which means I am very, very busy.
I'm attempting a handmade Christmas this year. I started out thinking of making one or two things but once my hands started making they just couldn't stop, so the handmade Christmas was unintentional. I've really enjoyed it. I've been learning new skills like hand embroidery and pattern making. It's amazing all the things you can do at home.
I know lots of people talk about making things 'in house' as a cost saving measure, less money spent, more in your pocket. That's somewhat true. While it does cost less money, it takes way more time to make everything than to walk into a shop and buy it. I ran the numbers for the Christmas apron I made based off the pattern I drafted (see last post). If you paid me minimum wage for the time it took me to make the apron (not to mention create the pattern) it comes to $41.25. That's pretty much what Mary Jane's Farm was charging and I didn't include the cost of materials. I would argue that if I was really good at this sort of thing, it would take me less time. I would also argue that the value of learning that I could draft a pattern and learning how to work out all the kinks through the production process was more than the value I would have received if I had just paid $40 for the apron and had my five and half hours of time. But that's just me.
I've also been learning how to host people. We've invited several people to celebrate Advent with us in our home every Sunday this month. It's exciting and kind of intimidating. I'm a quiet person, I don't like being around a bunch of people. But I love Advent. I love the waiting and the daily reminder of what Christmas is about and why it's the best time of the year. I really want to share that but to do that I have to get over this whole 'I don't really like being around lots of people' thing. I'm trying to keep it simple: people come over, people share a pot of soup and talk, we all move to the living room where the Advent wreath is and read the official Advent scriptures, light the candles, talk about the subject of that particular week's Advent candle and why it's important, then do whatever fits the mood: sing, talk, sit in contemplation, leave in silence, whatever. I need it to not be stressful... Christmas shouldn't be stressful. It's God's work, all He asks is for us to come and see. If our houses aren't perfect, that's okay, if our cookies aren't perfect, that's okay, if our hearts aren't perfect, that's okay, if we refuse God, that's not okay. Hm... I'm vaguely reminded of something I thought of in the car on the way to Thanksgiving but I can't remember what I wanted to say, I can only remember the feeling and mood, something about how the verse says that Jesus stands at the door and knocks and we always think about this polite little man politely knocking at the door... but maybe He's standing at that door and pounding... perhaps it will come to me later.
In any case, I've been trying to put my heart into Christmas. To be gracious and open to others, to make my gifts personal and full of effort and love, to craft and create. To put Christmas in my heart where it belongs.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Aprons
My mother and I had an adventure yesterday.
She was visiting me and brought along a 'Farm Girl' magazine, which is basically a woman's trade show in a magazine with lots of fun stories and little recipe tips tucked in everywhere. It's a lot of fun to look through and say "I can do that!".
Well, in this particular issue, there was a collection of very cute aprons. That might not sound very interesting but understand that aprons are almost ALWAYS frumpy or just plain boring. Why, I don't know. You would think that for something stereotypically worn by women they would be, well, pretty. When mom showed me the aprons, I had to have one. This one, in fact.
www.maryjanesfarm.org
But then I had second thoughts. Maybe this one. It is almost Christmas, after all.
www.maryjanesfarm.org
Then I saw the price and had third thoughts, which went along the lines of 'Who would pay $40 for an apron?! Why are they charging that?! But I want it!" I'll be honest, if I'd still had $40 in my personal spending (well $47 because they have to charge shipping, too) I would have bought it in an instant. But I didn't. I contemplated splitting the cost between my personal spending and 'home supplies' (it is for kitchen use only, after all) but my mother gave me that 'you're being totally ridiculous' look and I knew I couldn't do it.
So I started sketching out the apron, which is what I do for most pieces of clothing I really like, then I started sketching out what I thought the pattern might look like, googled some apron patterns to see if my pattern looked at all like those, and decided I didn't have to buy it, even though I still really wanted to, I could make it.
So I made a mini-mock-up while my mom went to her school conference. (I'll post a picture when I find my camera).
When Dustin came home I showed him the picture and explained my predicament. I told him it was the cutest apron ever and that I was completely taken with the little patch pocket and that when I saw the bow that was there just because, I had to have it. He chuckled and said something along the lines of, "That's just like a woman. A bow with no purpose is the most important part." I wondered if I should be offended, then decided I wasn't. It was true. I wanted the bow with no purpose and there's nothing wrong with that.
The next day mom and I cut and sewed and guessed and adjusted and recreated what we believe to be a fairly accurate imitation of the very cute mary jane apron. I learned a lot through the experience.
1. You don't actually need a pattern to make stuff.
2. Mom knows lots of little tips and tricks.
3. Getting it wrong the first time is fixable.
4. I really can do it.
I'll post a picture here of the mock-up apron, again, as soon as I find my camera. It's super cute, even if it is made out of an old bed sheet that I pulled out of the trash over the summer (don't worry, I washed it). Mom says it looks like I'm wearing a butcher's apron, completely with stains, but a very cute butcher's apron. And an apron I am very proud of.
She was visiting me and brought along a 'Farm Girl' magazine, which is basically a woman's trade show in a magazine with lots of fun stories and little recipe tips tucked in everywhere. It's a lot of fun to look through and say "I can do that!".
Well, in this particular issue, there was a collection of very cute aprons. That might not sound very interesting but understand that aprons are almost ALWAYS frumpy or just plain boring. Why, I don't know. You would think that for something stereotypically worn by women they would be, well, pretty. When mom showed me the aprons, I had to have one. This one, in fact.
www.maryjanesfarm.orgBut then I had second thoughts. Maybe this one. It is almost Christmas, after all.
www.maryjanesfarm.org
Then I saw the price and had third thoughts, which went along the lines of 'Who would pay $40 for an apron?! Why are they charging that?! But I want it!" I'll be honest, if I'd still had $40 in my personal spending (well $47 because they have to charge shipping, too) I would have bought it in an instant. But I didn't. I contemplated splitting the cost between my personal spending and 'home supplies' (it is for kitchen use only, after all) but my mother gave me that 'you're being totally ridiculous' look and I knew I couldn't do it.
So I started sketching out the apron, which is what I do for most pieces of clothing I really like, then I started sketching out what I thought the pattern might look like, googled some apron patterns to see if my pattern looked at all like those, and decided I didn't have to buy it, even though I still really wanted to, I could make it.
So I made a mini-mock-up while my mom went to her school conference. (I'll post a picture when I find my camera).
When Dustin came home I showed him the picture and explained my predicament. I told him it was the cutest apron ever and that I was completely taken with the little patch pocket and that when I saw the bow that was there just because, I had to have it. He chuckled and said something along the lines of, "That's just like a woman. A bow with no purpose is the most important part." I wondered if I should be offended, then decided I wasn't. It was true. I wanted the bow with no purpose and there's nothing wrong with that.
The next day mom and I cut and sewed and guessed and adjusted and recreated what we believe to be a fairly accurate imitation of the very cute mary jane apron. I learned a lot through the experience.
1. You don't actually need a pattern to make stuff.
2. Mom knows lots of little tips and tricks.
3. Getting it wrong the first time is fixable.
4. I really can do it.
I'll post a picture here of the mock-up apron, again, as soon as I find my camera. It's super cute, even if it is made out of an old bed sheet that I pulled out of the trash over the summer (don't worry, I washed it). Mom says it looks like I'm wearing a butcher's apron, completely with stains, but a very cute butcher's apron. And an apron I am very proud of.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The First of October
Fall is officially here. I officially needed a jacket to run over to the grocery this morning and there was officially apple cider and pumpkins displayed at the front of said grocery. It is a beautiful time of year in more than the aesthetic sense. People are getting ready for winter. It's in the air, it's in the step of the fellow grocery shopper, it's in the bright eyes and smiles. Winter is coming and that gives everyone something to prepare for. It's a curious thing how purpose, even simple, common ones, give everyone life.
As for myself, I've started contemplating Christmas presents and even begun to work on a few. I'm making the effort of homemade gifts this year. I'm not sure if every gift will be homemade (in fact, I highly doubt it. Some people have no interest in receiving homemade gifts which rather defeats the purpose), but I do want all the ones that should be to be homemade.
I'm also pretty please that I've got enough of this housekeeping thing under my belt that it allows me to prepare for the holiday season fairly easily. Mom and I are planning and Autumn Party (which is at her house so it really has nothing to do with how I keep my own, but it does let me have the time and peace to plan). I'm really hoping my sister-in-law and I get the chance to make Christmas candy together but either way, homemade Christmas candy shall be had. (Can you tell I've been reading British writers the last couple of days? I think it's seeping into my thinking and therefore my writing.) I'm really excited to have people over for dinner parties, too. Not very many people, just six or so at a time. I prefer only having the number of people I can personally appreciate at dinner parties. I find that way we can really talk and come to understand each other, where as with large groups everyone is just putting on their public face. If I wanted to interact with peoples public faces I would join them at a public party, not invite them into my home.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
It is the first of October. Dustin and I have finally reached a point in Columbus where we have established community. Community in a city is very exciting to me. I hadn't been entirely convinced it existed when we moved here. Indeed, in some places in this city, it doesn't. People merely function beside one another. But there are pocket of community. It's different in a small town where people are constantly aware of everyone else's business whether you want them to be or not. In a city, you have to thrust your business before everyone else if you want anyone to care. Some will still not care. But there are the few that will and it is with them that you can draw close and create a semblance of that small town feeling. You just have to work a little harder at it. It must be intentional because it will not exist on accident, but it is not impossible.
So I am excited to share this season with our community because fall is so much about drawing close and preparing for the winter when you must keep warm, both in the body and in the heart. I am excited to share their traditions and rituals that help them mark life and observe the sacred. I think winter is an amazing back drop to our holiday seasons. It is in the midst of the world's death that men celebrate life. Granted, men celebrate in spring as well, but not with the same ferocity.
I am excited to share that ferocity with others.
As for myself, I've started contemplating Christmas presents and even begun to work on a few. I'm making the effort of homemade gifts this year. I'm not sure if every gift will be homemade (in fact, I highly doubt it. Some people have no interest in receiving homemade gifts which rather defeats the purpose), but I do want all the ones that should be to be homemade.
I'm also pretty please that I've got enough of this housekeeping thing under my belt that it allows me to prepare for the holiday season fairly easily. Mom and I are planning and Autumn Party (which is at her house so it really has nothing to do with how I keep my own, but it does let me have the time and peace to plan). I'm really hoping my sister-in-law and I get the chance to make Christmas candy together but either way, homemade Christmas candy shall be had. (Can you tell I've been reading British writers the last couple of days? I think it's seeping into my thinking and therefore my writing.) I'm really excited to have people over for dinner parties, too. Not very many people, just six or so at a time. I prefer only having the number of people I can personally appreciate at dinner parties. I find that way we can really talk and come to understand each other, where as with large groups everyone is just putting on their public face. If I wanted to interact with peoples public faces I would join them at a public party, not invite them into my home.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
It is the first of October. Dustin and I have finally reached a point in Columbus where we have established community. Community in a city is very exciting to me. I hadn't been entirely convinced it existed when we moved here. Indeed, in some places in this city, it doesn't. People merely function beside one another. But there are pocket of community. It's different in a small town where people are constantly aware of everyone else's business whether you want them to be or not. In a city, you have to thrust your business before everyone else if you want anyone to care. Some will still not care. But there are the few that will and it is with them that you can draw close and create a semblance of that small town feeling. You just have to work a little harder at it. It must be intentional because it will not exist on accident, but it is not impossible.
So I am excited to share this season with our community because fall is so much about drawing close and preparing for the winter when you must keep warm, both in the body and in the heart. I am excited to share their traditions and rituals that help them mark life and observe the sacred. I think winter is an amazing back drop to our holiday seasons. It is in the midst of the world's death that men celebrate life. Granted, men celebrate in spring as well, but not with the same ferocity.
I am excited to share that ferocity with others.
Monday, September 21, 2009
I'm alive, promise!
Hello.
Long time no see. Actually, that's not true. I do visit my own blog every other day or so to look at all my 'Blogs of Note'. I just don't always publish my own updates. Sneaky, I know. But, I find myself in need of some mental organization, which comes best when I am writing.
Right now I feel like I have a million projects going on so I should list them out:
Cat cross stitch (1/3 completed)
'For Emily' written book (70 pages completed)
'Gifted' comic (5 pages completed)
learning how to keep house beyond cooking and cleaning which includes:
learning about nutrition and applying it in tasty manners
learning to decorate
learning to be economical in my purchases (something I am not good at AT ALL)
baking bread for others
...
Hm, that's not a million. In fact, now that it's written out, it looks fairly manageable. Although, it does amuse me that I wrote them out in the exact opposite order that I would choose to pursue them. C'est la vie. I suppose that shows that I think the most about what I least want to do which probably added to the 'I have a million things to do' feeling. FYI, that doesn't mean I don't want to write and draw, it just means it's low on my wish list.
Alright then. Today is Monday, which means it's laundry and grocery day. I think I shall work on 'For Emily' today. See if I can't knock out five pages or so. Maybe the long break will have jolted my creativity. I think I'll work on the cats as well, I'm hoping to finish them in time for Christmas.
Long time no see. Actually, that's not true. I do visit my own blog every other day or so to look at all my 'Blogs of Note'. I just don't always publish my own updates. Sneaky, I know. But, I find myself in need of some mental organization, which comes best when I am writing.
Right now I feel like I have a million projects going on so I should list them out:
Cat cross stitch (1/3 completed)
'For Emily' written book (70 pages completed)
'Gifted' comic (5 pages completed)
learning how to keep house beyond cooking and cleaning which includes:
learning about nutrition and applying it in tasty manners
learning to decorate
learning to be economical in my purchases (something I am not good at AT ALL)
baking bread for others
...
Hm, that's not a million. In fact, now that it's written out, it looks fairly manageable. Although, it does amuse me that I wrote them out in the exact opposite order that I would choose to pursue them. C'est la vie. I suppose that shows that I think the most about what I least want to do which probably added to the 'I have a million things to do' feeling. FYI, that doesn't mean I don't want to write and draw, it just means it's low on my wish list.
Alright then. Today is Monday, which means it's laundry and grocery day. I think I shall work on 'For Emily' today. See if I can't knock out five pages or so. Maybe the long break will have jolted my creativity. I think I'll work on the cats as well, I'm hoping to finish them in time for Christmas.
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