Purl soho at Williams Sonoma

My obsession with embroidery continues on so imagine my delight at seeing this beautiful kit available at my favorite kitchen emporium! I love it! They have a few kits available and they all look wonderful.

This kit is available here

Mastering

I am a complete sucker for any book with the words Mastering or Mastering the Art of..... in their title. It doesn't matter the subject matter, that title promises something that I am sure it will deliver on. Of course, the title does not take into account my failings in the arts and craft world. I am quite possibly the least artistic human alive. I envy those who can paint or draw. I cannot. I try but it always looks like something I could not even blame on my children! I have all kinds of artistic mediums in my closet. Masses of watercolor paints, acrylics, oils. All purchased with the promise that this one item will help me overcome my complete lack of talent! I am sure I could open my own small branch of Michaels with all the supplies I have lurking in that closet of broken dreams! I have looked at blogs with titles such as 'Art Projects for Kids' and been born anew with hope. Then came Pinterest and all the promises held within the glossy photos that fill the page. Nope, just add a few more craptacular projects to the pile. 

I moved on to needle arts and these had more success. If you can count a slightly wonky scarf with a few dropped stitches a success - and I do! I slowly and painstakingly learned to cast on and then moved swiftly to knit stitch and purl stitch. I am awesome! Sadly I still cannot understand a pattern and the art of casting off appears lost. I take my victories where I can though and this is one! 

Which brings me to the title of this post. I was sent a gift 'Mastering the Art of Embroidery'. A book so beautiful that I thought it was a cruel joke. Also included in the gift was a selection of embroidery threads and some vintage handkerchiefs. Obviously I have a friend who is either completely sick and twisted (which makes up most of my friends list) and finds my frustration at crafts amusing, or she is to be believed when she says that "you have to eventually find a craft you are good at". So I intend to crack open this book and see what happens. I am sure it will be a fun journey whether it results in beautifully embroidered handkerchiefs, or fingertips that look like Swiss Cheese. 

With a title like Mastering the Art of... how can I go wrong?!

Well hello

Life begins at forty! I heard that growing up a lot. Then I heard 40 is the new 30. Now 50 is the new 30 which makes 40 the new 20? I don't know anymore. I just know that age as a number seems silly. 

I know so many women in their late 30's who look nothing like the 40 I grew up fearing! 20 year old women look 40, 12 year old girls dressing older than me, mutton dressed as lamb. It goes on and on, so I am just going to accept that a number does not dictate an age anymore than a dress size determines how much body fat you have. For me, growing up meant growing old. I thought that when I hit a certain age, I would suddenly have wisdom and crave the sensible shoes and pretty cardigans I fondly remember my mother wearing. However as the calendar years changed and my age crept up, I never felt any different. I always felt like a little kid ready to tell juvenile jokes and try the latest sports fad. I would worry that some chip was missing in my circuit board but after a few years of trying, I realise that being a 12 year old boy trapped in a middle aged woman is not so bad. I get the best of all worlds.

I am silly, immature and think any movie with Vince Vaughn and/or Will Ferrel is going to be funny yet I still enjoy the fine arts and European sensibilities I had instilled in me growing up. I intend to use this space to keep track of the many sides of me and the many ages of me. I am neither old nor young, fat nor thin, silly or serious. I am all those things.

Mrs Meyers

I have long been a devotee of Mrs Meyers and my allegiance is usually towards Geranium. I occasionally dabble in a little Hyacinth but at Target last night, I picked up a new to me scent. Behold the Radish collection. Big Big Fan! I cleaned my kitchen with it this morning and I am loving it. I am not sure if it is just a temporary crush (like the Bluebell scent turned out to be) or if it makes it to the permanent collection, but I am smitten right now.

My Hair

I have hair that is somewhere in the region of the middle of my back in terms of length. It is not a flattering length for me. My hair is very thick and has a wave to it. The length it is now means it is heavy and this weight causes the wave to go away and makes the hair hang there doing not much of anything. My hair is now getting gray around the temple. My hair is annoying me. I read somewhere recently that I could be suffering from '1661 hair'. This is hair that could age me as 16 from the back but as soon as I turn around, 61 is probably more likely the age. I am neither of these ages - somewhere in the middle is my age. I have come to realise that I hide behind my hair. I let my hair dictate how I feel about myself. Lately I have not been feeling that great. I think it is time for me to grow a set of balls and just go get it cut. I fancy a shoulder length or slighter shorter bob, with layers and long side swept bangs. I also don't think I am ready to live with the grey - it tells too many secrets! I think a haircut will do wonders for me. Help me get back into the life I have spent so much time avoiding. Yes, time for a good chop!

Dear Valentine

I would really love this to appear at my door around February 14th. I shall explain why I think it needs to come live with me. The charms all seem to represent the very things that have made up our history. That time we spent in Rome, making out under the trees in Villa Borghese, watching the mopeds ride through the streets as though fear was not a part of an Italians vocabulary. When you introduced Nikons to my life and showed me a hobby I did not know I had. The Eiffel Tower, a symbol of the good natured ribbing you like to give me regarding France and its occupants. An umbrella, a perfect symbol of our first kiss at the carousel in Gaeta, in the pouring rain. Would it have been as romantic had we had an umbrella? Probably not.

Those are a few good reasons that this bracelet should come live on my wrist. Thank you
Eternally yours
Valentine xoxo

To make things even easier for you, you can get it right here at Kate Spade

Bouchon Banana Streusel Muffins

In my quest to become a better baker, I have decided I have to challenge myself. The Bouchon bakery book seems like a pretty good place to start! The book itself is a work of art and if all it did was sit on the coffee table looking pretty, it would more than be worth its price tag! However sit and look pretty is not what I intend for this tome! I have made the Pecan Sandies and they were amazing. As today is the last day of Winter Break for my two children, I thought a nice Brunch was in order. I knew Alex would like poached eggs and maybe some bacon, but I thought Banana Streusel Muffins would be a nice warm touch.

I am not going to lie. These are a little time consuming as each ingredient needs to be measured. This is not really taxing but it is a departure from the 1 cup style of measuring I am used to! Last night I made the batter and streusel topping and then this morning it was simply a case of scooping into the muffin cups, topping with a little streusel and then baking for about 30 minutes! Heaven should smell like my house while they were in the oven!

These muffins were a hit in the household and my son tried to eat three! They are moist and light and the streusel topping adds such a nice crunch to the mix. I highly recommend the recipe and the book in general. Muffin heaven is within the pages!

January 3rd

It is January 3rd and I have yet to even put finger to keyboard! My year of living purposefully is not off to a good online start! However, in the real world, I have made a little progress. Dinner has been served both nights with quite a level of aplomb! I have almost finished taking the childrens playroom and making it a space where we can all work or play. I ordered the second desk yesterday and hopefully it will be here within the week. Just need to get some art on the walls and we will be good to go. Owens room is also in need of a desk and a run to Michaels for some frames and it will be done too.

I had vagues wishes to do a photo a day project but I am not sure if this will be feasible. Perhaps I can just put that on the backburner while I accomplish some other things first! Maybe I could do a year of Alex as she enters the double digit years in two weeks. We shall see.

I have been trying to cut out all the processed junk I can fall prey to and whilst it has not all gone, it has been cut in a big way. The headaches that come along with the removal of sugar are not to be trifled with! It feels as though someone is hacking away at my skull with a pick ax!

Today I need to pick a baking project and get on that. My selections are macarons, pate a choux for chocolate eclairs, anything from the Bouchon bakery book, or cinnamon rolls from scratch. Hmmmm decisions, decisions!

One other thing today is to get started on the upstairs hallway. I have let that get a little too wild and Jumanji esq as I have been concentrating on other areas of the house.


Photo taken from my window January 2nd

2013 - Lets do this!

A New Year, A Fresh Start, A Turn of the Page. Is there a better time to start something new? Start afresh? I have many things I want to change about myself, my surroundings and my life, and today seems like a jolly good time to start. One of my main objectives this year is to rid myself of the extra weight that has taken up residence on my body. I also want to do the things I do, better. Be a better mother, be a better friend, a better correspondent, a better cook, a better baker. I want to remove doubts and just start doing. Fear is a terrible thing, it paralyzes and disables me. So on this first day of a fresh new year, I resolve to be all the things I want to be.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

I am having such a time comprehending the events of today. My heart breaks for all of those who will not be hugging their children tonight. I will never understand what drove a person to such an act. I just want to hold my children tight and keep them close. How do I let them out of my sight again? Can I keep them in a bubble, safe from all that is bad? My mind wanders to the picture of those little children being led from the school, hands on shoulders and fear on their faces. They should not know fear at this age. I think of the teachers who acted in such a heroic way to save their little charges, The teacher who took her first graders into a bathroom and told them to wait until the good guys came, that everything would be alright. She told them she loved them just to be sure that if the worst happened , they would know they were loved. The teacher who lost her life shielding her first graders from the bullets. They showed bravery and courage that is beyond fathomable. As I type this, my daughter is upstairs sleeping. I went to school to collect her today as she was sick. I have never been so happy to go collect her from school. My son is building something from play doh in the other room. It is way past his bedtime, but I dont care. I can hear his giggle and that is a sound that I hope I will never take for granted again. Hold them close, they grow so fast if we are lucky. Tell them you love them, show them every day that they are loved even on days they are not likeable Make sure they always feel safe

Rainbow Pancakes for Alex

My daughter is Autistic or has Autism depending on your particular preference. One of the difficulties we have with her is getting her to eat a more varied diet. She would live on Ramen, bananas, Kix cereal and pasta with Bacon if left to her own devices. She asked me for rainbow pancakes this weekend and since this is an item that is never requested, I leapt at the chance to get her to eat something different. After making the batter, it was simply a case of dividing the batter into seven bowls and coloring them. I made Alex help me as this is good therapy in and of itself! I was very doubtful that she would eat them but after she saw them all lined up she was incredibly happy. One rainbow stack and she was good to go. She managed to eat 4 which I am taking as a huge victory! ROY G BIV for the win!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

I made these recently after discovering a rather large amount of canned pumpkin in the pantry. These were more than a worthy use for the pumpkin. They were amazing. Like, totally crave pumpkin amazing! The recipe I used came from Life Made Simple and required zero modification on my part. Make these now! Excuse the bad photo!

Peter Callahan's Kitchen

Oh be still my heart! I have a new favorite kitchen and it belongs to Peter Callahan. The awesome caterer and cookbook author is featured in this months HGTV magazine. Well worth picking up if only for this kitchen! Seriously, it is a great magazine and has exceeded my expectations. This kitchen, however, will be pinned like no other! Check out the gallery here at HGTV.com

Purl Soho

I have Purl Soho on my list of things to do on a trip to New York City. I have also tried (and failed) to learn to knit many times. The spirit is willing but the hands just don't seem to cooperate. However, I think this kit could put me over the edge. Besides being beautifully packaged and available in a choice of colours, it also promises me that I will be able to make 3 scarves without ripping the needles out of the wool and throwing it all at the wall. I like that! Available from Purl Soho

Go Mighty!

I may be a little obsessed with this site. It makes me happy to read the things people want to do and are willing to put out there. I lack the courage to say out loud the things I want to do. My fear is I may have to do them. My life list is long and I feel a pull to share it. Maybe #1 on the list should be 'Join Go Mighty and start checking off numbers'! I want to hike up Mount Rainier, learn to make macarons and master a simple crusty loaf of French Bread. These are just the first three things I could think of sitting at my desk! The 7 novels I have gestating in my mind? Maybe they could see the light of day. Fear of rejection? I should get the hell over it! Run a Half Marathon? Start with a 5k! Be a consistent blogger? Hmmm sounds doable! So with all this in mind, I think today I will hit the 'Request an Invite' button on the Go Mighty site and see what happens next! One thing is certain, it cant be any less dull than I am allowing myself to live life right now!