Category Archives: love

Rudy Love.

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Rudy: 45 pounds of love.

Sometimes when I have sat at the computer too long, Rudy runs in and jumps up on my lap. As if to say, “Stop staring at that inanimate object already! I’ve only got 8 to maybe 12 years on this earth depending on whether or not you keep buying that $60 Blue Buffalo food. Play! With! Me!”

Rudy Love.

Sometimes we have to be reminded to stop and play a bit…. Slowly back away from the computer or the books we’ve been studying for 5 hours or the TV we’ve been staring at for much too long. Rudy is my perfect not-so-little reminder about what matters.

All Because We Fell In Love

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Here is another do-it-yourself tip from our wedding. My sister has two boys and I wanted them both to be in the wedding — so what to do? I thought about having them each carry a ring, but then I thought, why not make a cute sign for Nathan to carry before everyone walks down the aisle. I went to Marshall’s one day and found a sign that said something cheesy. I basically painted over it in white and then went to Michael’s and bought this saying. There were other sayings, but I felt like this one brought in the whole meaning of the day. “Duh, you’re here all because we fell in love. Now eat your cake.” My sister Kate is spatially more aware than I am, so she applied the letters perfectly. Joseph carried the ring box (and he was extremely happy about carrying a box that had flowers on it, as you can tell).

And below is the final representations of my speakeasy centerpieces.

With a few aptly placed feathers underneath and a few votives, our centerpieces made the mood.

I have loads of other tips for wedding day fun that I can’t wait to share more of!

{enjoy today}

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Hours in the evening sun. This is what I did last night. Golden light on everything … I’d forgotten.
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When I stepped into the water, I heard turtles jumping off a nearby log. Dragonflies flitted near and away. Fish jumped. I was amazed that places like this still exist, not even that far from the city.
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I still haven’t unpacked and I certainly don’t have living here figured out yet, but I’m excited by the idea.

{how to make} Seedbombs!

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seedbombs

Tired of passing by that unsightly patch of dirt day after day? Longing for a few flowers to bring cheer to your morning commute?

The unassuming seedbomb can fix these problems and more! Just toss one (or a few) into that desolate dirt and watch wildflowers grow. Great for kids and renegades alike. Fun to make, throw and give away. Here’s how to make your own:

seedbomb ingredients

Gather some wildflower seeds native to your area, non-toxic air-drying clay, compost, and one of your favorite kids (optional). Lay out some newspaper, and grab a smallish chunk of the clay (this will be the clay you use for all of your seedballs, so as not to contaminate your source clay with compost.).

Mix a bit of clay, compost and one or two seeds together. Using the least clay you can and still hold your ball together.

making a seedbomb

seedbomb kid

Voilà! It’s pretty hard to go wrong, even if your finished product is somewhat inconsistent. Enjoy yourself! Let dry, then go beautify your ‘hood.

finished seedbomb

Thank You Cookies

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Sometimes a thank you note just isn’t enough.

I recently had the privilege of playing house guest to an extraordinarily generous family. Though there is really no way I could repay them for a week of delicious food, spectacular shelter and effort spent showing me around their lovely corner of the world, I knew I had to do something. A thank you that could travel from the northern reaches to the southern beaches and keep a little personality intact … hmmm. In a land devoid of carrier pigeons and messenger owls, where could such a thing be found?

Enter Thank You Cookies.Travel by mail? Check. Say thanks? Check. Have a sweet disposition and a little flair? Check. I was ready to get started.

What you need:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup powdered’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour, plus a little for dusting — I like whole wheat pastry flour, but you can use all purpose. For a gluten free recipient, substitute 1/3 cup cornstarch (or potato starch) and 1 2/3 cups rice flour. You might want to discreetly double check and make sure these items are ok, since gluten intolerance might be paired with other sensitivities.
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Jam! Your choice on the flavor — strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb or apple butter would all be tasty.

What to do:

  • Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour and salt, stirring just until thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate 2-10 hours.
  • Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.
  • Cut out with a cookie cutter (or jar lid or upside-down glass), and transfer to a greased, floured baking sheet. Aim for 20 cookies (in case of mistakes). Place in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes.
  • Cut out letter shapes from half the cookies and return to freezer for another 15 minutes.
  • Bake at 325 degrees until cookies begin to brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes.
  • Spread about 1 teaspoon jam on whole cookies and place cut-out cookies on top.
  • Pack tightly and send as soon as possible.

Now with a thank you note and a trip to the post office, my mission will be complete. Thanks for tuning in!

{Extra dough? No worries. Make birds’ nests — easy even with crumbly dough}