Back To Basics

moccasin_closeup
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

book_cover
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.


moc_pattern
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen. Made these mocs a while back, just in time for my son to wear them to a powwow. I just happened to pick up the book and flip to this pattern. I had all the supplies, too. Of course *having* the supplies and being able to *find* the supplies are two different things. Luckily the craft gods were with me that day and I readily found all that I needed. The pattern comes from this great book that our family has had forever. There's so much info in that book: canning, dyeing, tanning, house building, adobe making, metal work, spinning, everything! My next read is going to be natural dyeing, of course.

Crochet "Crazy Quilt" Afghan

crochet_crazy_quilt
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

Wow! Have you ever seen something so crazy good? Does my mom know me, or what? She picked up this old McCall's leaflet the other day, specifically for this afghan pattern — not really a pattern, more like loose instructions. I must make one. Now, if I could just find the two unencumbered weeks...

Make Your Own Cookie Cutters — or — How to Ruin Your Wrists

gnome_cutter
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

detail
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

Since we've been thinking about gnomes a lot lately, I thought I'd show you a gnome craft of yore.* This cookie cutter is something I did way back when I was in college — back when my dream home was a castle (got to cross that off my list a few years ago); back when I suffered the unrequited love of Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet on Beta, not even VHS; back when I made a yearly costumed pilgrimage to the Renaissance Faire. Man, that was a lifetime ago.

I got the idea of making cookie cutters from a woman at the Ren Faire. She sat on a stool with a pair of pliers, quickly bending metal into any shape of your choice. She had a book of drawings, some of them quite elaborate — I chose a cat and a dragon.

Next step was to find some metal strips. I went to a local sheet metal shop and told them what I was doing. I felt a bit little-woman-ish, but the guys were pretty nice and suggested the smallest gauge metal they had on hand. I didn't have the money to special order something thinner. They cut up a bunch of strips and bent over/crimped one of the edges, so there would be the cutting edge and the pushing edge.

After getting the materials it was really quite easy, sort of. I drew an outline of the shape I wanted to make, and, with a couple pairs of needle-nose pliers, bent the metal to fit. The only difference between me and the woman at the Ren Faire was that my metal was about two times the thickness. I bullied my way through each cookie cutter and my wrists suffered for it — they haven't been the same since. Apparently, I like to suffer for my craft, because I made several gnomes as gifts, as well as, a set of Alice in Wonderland cutters for my sister, including, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum and The Walrus.

To finish the cookie cutters, I had a friend solder the ends together. He didn't charge, just wanted a dinner date in exchange. I thought the price a little high and avoided him for a long time. I guess I'm willing to suffer for my craft, but never have been one to pimp myself for craft. I'll leave that to my friend, Meghan. ;)

Overall, I'd say the cookie cutters were some of my more successful crafts. I still like them, we use them occasionally, and they'll last for friggin' ever.


*I still forget Blaize's definition of Yore.

Hanging With My Gnomies

I stole that pun from Angharad. This is the easiest craft of all time. I used what I had (old, musty acrylic felt yardage), measured my son's head, and cut out a rough triangle — a quick stitch on the machine and we had a gnome hat, as requested, in green. Who knew that the whole family would want them?

My first nephew is a cat

cat
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

cat2
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

I feel like a proud auntie. Zoe from Vale of Evening Fog is the first to make up a Stripe-y Cat from my pattern. He reminds me of a well-loved quilt. His fabrics are so cool and soothing. Thanks for sharing, Zoe.

Toes & Jams

Two days of

berry picking

with Bitter Betty.


I told you

I don't bathe

frequently.


Sorry

I was such

a grump,

Beth.

Mushroom Madness: Cuppa

Mushroom Madness: Cuppa
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

This mushroom mug was made by a local artist. Unfortunately, I've lost her card and don't remember her name.

The sun was too bright for a photo so I hung up this fabric that I got in the mail yesterday. D liked it so much we might end up with it as curtains in this unfinished room of our little house.

The muffin is an old favorite, oat bran with apples and prunes, from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. Here's the recipe with my small modifications.

Omenapyōrykāt

1 cup chopped peeled apples
1 cup chopped pitted prunes
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1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup yogurt (I used vanilla, but it calls for plain)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
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2 egg whites or 1 egg (optional)
-------
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel (I only do this sometimes)
2 cups oat bran (I substite half white flour, which helps hold the muffin together)
2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line or butter muffin tins.

Cut apples and prunes into chunks. They recommend peeling, but it's ok with the peel. Set aside.

Whisk together maple syrup, yogurt, oil and egg. Combine the dry ingredients. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just wet. Stir in the chopped apples and prunes.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups. The cups should be filled almost to the top because they don't rise much.

Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.

Week in Review: June 17-24

Week in Review: June 17-24
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

This is a week late, but that's how life is these days — for me and many others — I guess. Highlights of the week were: going to a powwow with Sara & Aurora; H olallieberry picking with Becky & Blaize; a birthday party at Wilder; C learning how to feed himself; and an exciting, but not scary, visit to our street by the firetruck.