The Good Life

2010-08-17T20:52:00.001-07:00

I recently took a trip to Austin to visit my 93-year-old grandmother, and to see my fiance's sister in Austin. We flew into Austin and spent pretty much the best 24 hours I've ever had. Part of that great trip was the good conversation. We started up a conversation about art, and one of the things I've been looking seriously at is my photography. In community college I took a fantastic photog course that introduced me not only to the technique but also to the art. Henri Bresson, the decisive moment, and the art of the darkroom were major topics of discussion. Of course, this was all prior to the advent of the digital camera, flikr, and the everyman photographer. When anyone can capture the world with a camera, where's the voice in photography? How does one artist find a unique voice amongst the crash in this sea of voices?

Well, I can say one thing. You can't find your voice if you don't speak. I decided my first task was to simply take pictures of whatever I see that takes me. Many of the pictures are good but ho hum, and some are truly stunning. So, that being said. Here's one of my favorites :)

Super Fantastic Giveaway!!!

2010-05-17T21:22:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone, and here's the info on how to win yourself a super sweet prize! The nice folks over at CSN shops has provided me with the opportunity for you to win a $40 gift certificate to use on any of their 200+ websites! CSN shops has everything from bar furniture to cookware supplies to furniture and home decor and so much more. I have been wanting this Eames lounger since I was 14. It always epitomized 50s classic clean design to me.

The lowdown: You can earn an entry into the drawing by posting a comment here. You can earn an additional entry by following the blog (right-hand panel, under Followers). Make a mention in your comment that you followed. You can also earn an additional entry by following me on twitter (@omahagoodlife), and by tweeting or retweeting about the contest using the #oglifegiveaway tag.

The timeframe: I'll do a tally of entries and a random drawing on Sunday, May 30th and announce the winner on Monday, May 31st.

The disclaimer: This is a sponsored giveaway. I have not reviewed the product mentioned above.

Best of luck! <3

More Proof For Spring

2010-05-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

For Cinco de Mayo, my fiance and I celebrated with a margarita on our neighbor's balcony. The balconies in our apartment building overlook the building courtyard, as well several buildings across the street. We find it very entertaining to watch the activity of our often-crazy "in transition neighborhood" neighbors. Robert, across the street, appears to suffer from schizophrenia and obsessive/compulsive disorder. On many evenings you can see his light switch on and off over and over for sometimes hundreds of times. On another night, another male neighbor decided to toss all of his girlfriend's possessions onto the sidewalk. Around 11 pm she showed up, shouting and crying, and slowly sifted through the items and put them in her Jeep. Around 12:30 am some friends showed up to help. Finally, with quite a bit still left on the sidewalk, everyone left. She apparently moved back in several days later.

One of the things I like about this building is that it has a frenetic energy similar to Chicago, but also has a large grassy courtyard with several large old trees that you don't see too often in the windy city. One thing I didn't like about Chicago was the lack of green. That being said, I'm surprised it took me so long to finally admit my favorite color is green. I mean, if I'd been paying attention I could have made the switch years ago! One tell could be that an abandoned lot was my favorite place in Chicago. I passed it every time I got off the North bus at Clybourn and walked to the Trader Joe's. In the spring and summer it was overgrown with grasses and wildflowers, and often times there were enormous bunnies bouncing around. It was amazing. After all the overwhelming-ness of the concrete and modern humanity that is the city of Chicago, this little plot was a breath of fresh air. I always had to stop and just breathe in the smell of wild vegetation. It rooted me.

Ooooo! Speaking of which, amazing news! Omaha, NE is finally getting its own Trader Joe's! I will no longer have to spend my entire paycheck to get decent food at Whole Foods. I can get just as good or better at half the price! Hurray! When Jeremy told me the good news I jumped up and down and kissed him. They are going to make a killing here. Whenever I carry my Trader Joe's recycled shopping bags around people race over and demand to know where it is. Now I can tell them! I just verified the truth of this by doing a search on my zip code, and it came up under their locations as a future site. I want to sing Hallelujah to the heavens!

Alright, calm down. Back to Cinco de Mayo. So there we were, sitting on the balcony, when I noticed a bird and what appeared to be a bird's nest in the V of an evergreen in our courtyard. My neighbor grabbed some binoculars and we were able to verify that yes, it is a nest, and yes, there are baby birds in it! I couldn't believe it! I've never seen such a thing in real life! Today I went down with my amazing new Canon Digital Rebel camera with it's telephoto lens (an amazing package price at Best Buy, kids) and snapped some shots without pissing off the mother. The babies really look like a cartoon, they are so typically baby bird-ish. I had to sit for quite a while waiting for her to move. That must be one of the most boring and tense jobs I've ever seen in the animal world. She finally got up because she had to chase a Blackbird off and I managed to snap some pics of them. I believe she is a Red-Breasted Robin.

Also bird-tastic, today we went on a walk with the dog at the Con-Agra headquarters campus downtown. It's situated on a small lake/large pond with about a mile of path around it. Today it was like a bird party. There were Canadian Geese, Embden or Pilgrim Geese (not sure which), Goldfinch, Swallows and so many more that we didn't even try to identify them. One mated pair of Canadian Geese gifted us with a little paddling show of their 4 babies. They treaded water for a bit near the shore where we stood, then when they were ready to head to shore the mom and dad gave a little honk and the babies lined in a perfect little paddling row behind daddy. It was about the cutest thing I've ever seen and gave me a happy smile all day long. :)

Coming Soon: Starting Monday, May 17th readers can enter to win a $40 gift certificate to any one of CSN stores 200+ websites! Check back Monday for more information and your chance to win!

Green!

2010-04-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, someone asked me what my favorite color was. Feeling like I needed a response, I chose yellow. Later I learned that it was also the color for my astrological sign, Leo, and I felt like it was fate or destiny that made me claim that color. I clung to yellow with a tight, faithful fist despite the fact that I never used it in my home nor wore it. I didn't even much like gold, to be perfectly honest. I was, and am actually, a silver girl.

Well recently the truth has come out. My favorite color is green. To be specific, my favorite color is that green you get when sitting in a park near a variety of different trees and it rained early that morning, so all the leaves are plump with water and bright with photosynthesis. The truth is out! I feel so free now!

To celebrate, I worked in my little balcony garden. Several months ago I had purchase some cut rosemary for a dish I was cooking that night. It came with far more sprigs than I needed, and I felt bad for the leftovers, so I put one of them in some water in a little glass jar to try to extend his life. Well, he sprouted roots. So I planted him. And he sprouted new growth. So today I decided to return him to his natural habitat, and I planted him outdoors in this enormous pot far too big for him now, but one day! One day! The whole time I was tucking him into his new soil, I was whispering words of encouragement like "you've already proven yourself a tough little sucker" and "I completely believe in you."

While I was digging out my soil that's been left in a plastic bag on the balcony, covered in snow all winter long, I discovered this weird mossy grassy stuff growing in there. Being the cooky (sp?) kid that I am I grabbed one of the glass pieces we picked up for our wedding and decided to try to keep it alive! I have no idea what this stuff is, how it grows, etc. I'm guessing it needs minimal moisture and very little light, since the plastic bag is an opaque white. We shall see! If anything it's like having a new pet in the house!

Last but not least, I just wanted to add a picture of my basil. I almost put him (them?) out today too but I felt like they weren't quite ready. Specifically I felt like they weren't too big for their britches, lol.

For anyone who's interested, Chic 'N Cheap Living is having a contest where you can win any item from my etsy shop. I believe it starts on Sunday, so be sure to enter to win!

Terrariumosis

2010-04-07T15:05:00.001-07:00

IMG_0059
Originally uploaded by omahagoodlife

I've been busy doing things around the house lately. Namely, starting a wee little garden on my kitchen window ledge. I adore growing things, especially edible things, and decided this winter, after a very fruitful apartment balcony harvest, that I would go to the next step and start growing things from seeds. My first attempt is some mixed greens (pictured here) and they are doing very well. I started them on a wet paper towel with a jar over them to keep moisture in, and once they got big enough I snipped them off the paper towel and put them in little cups I made from cutting up a cardboard egg carton. When ready, I can just plant the whole thing rather than try to transplant the delicate little seedling. I also put a sprig of rosemary in water after purchasing it from my local grocery store, and behold, it sprouted roots! It's now happily spreading rosemary love in some soil in another window of my kitchen.

I have seeds for tomatoes, basil (one can never have too much basil!), spinach, bell peppers, chilis, and more! Hopefully it will be a bountiful summer!

This post was inspired by a contest at the blog Design*Sponge. Check them out, they seem like a fun bunch!

Winter Wonderland

2010-01-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

We've had what's been called a "Freezing Fog" hovering over our little town of Omaha for the past week or so. Jeremy says it's magic and hides the ice monsters. Today was supposed to be sunny and a high of 42, so Jeremy and I went out to explore downtown. We started with our now ritualized Saturday morning breakfast at the 11-worth Cafe on the corner of Leavenworth and 24th. This place is easily the best diner I've ever eaten in. You can taste that their ingredients are real. No powdered eggs here!

After breakfast we went record shopping at the Antiquarian and got some good albums. Lastly we made our way to the Super Liquidation Sale at the Omaha civic center, and for $16 total we gained access to...the largest waste of time and money we've ever had the pleasure of experiencing here in Nebraska.

At least we have a belly full of deliciousness and some great tunes to look forward to. Today is a perfect day for some wine and a game of Settlers of Catan in our pajamas.

Some Distractions

2010-01-14T18:15:00.001-08:00

have i found you? 274/365
Originally uploaded by shes_jack

I have two major posts coming up once the projects themselves are finished. I've learned a little lesson recently: don't post about works in progress. I tend to stop working on them shortly after I post. The carry all bag I posted about ages ago is sitting in a box under my fainting couch in the exact state it was in for that pic. Anyway, to keep you happy and coming back for more, here's a bit of distraction:

Shes_Jack - photostream, time consumer, fascinator

This bright spot on the web is only 17 and has a talent that blows my mind.

Also, The Lake & Stars has dreamy lingerie. Enjoy!

Big Changes, Small Steps

2009-12-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

If anyone still stops in, there's been a decided lack of postings. I started a full time job and found myself too exhausted to both blog daily and craft, and decided that I needed to devote all of my remaining energy to the things that matter most to me: cooking, laughing, sewing, loving. But, to keep any straggling readers up to date....

I'm now engaged! He proposed on the 1 year anniversary of our first date. Now, to plan a wedding! If anyone tracks my etsy picks (right column) you may be seeing some wedding items crop up. I'm sort of "collecting" them in there while I'm making initial decisions and getting a grasp of my palette and so forth.

You may also be seeing a lot of art popping up in there too. I've discovered that etsy is a wonderful and inexpensive way to collect art. Go figure. I've already started buying pieces slowly, as my budget allows, and am completely in love with what I've received so far. Currently I'm waiting on this amazing little piece to be delivered. I kicked off my collecting with a piece from Barb Plevan, my interviewee of October 8th. You can read the interview here, and can see her items here. Her items are delightfully tiny and detailed. I started off with 2 of her fish decoys, and my fiance topped off my collection with the rest of what she had for sale, so now I have a wonderful school of them swimming across our bookshelf (pictured).

Crafting updates: I sold my first etsy item, the Victorian-inspired adventure hat. Feedback from the seller: "WOW!!!! This is amazing!! It is absolutely period perfect!!! So lovely!! And you won't find a nicer more helpful seller!!! It was so carefully packed and quickly shipped! I have added this seller to my favorites and will be back SOON!!! Thank you so much!!!!" So far, it has been my only sale. I believe my aprons don't sell for several reasons. 1, I need a better camera to take more appealing photos, with a live model if possible. 2, aprons are exceedingly easy to make, so for the most part it's easier to just make your own than buy one. 3, there's a lot of cute detail that doesn't come across in a photo, so we've thought perhaps they would sell better at a craaft fair.

In light of all of this, I've decided to try something new. The hat was a project I'd carried a crystal clear view of in my head for over 2 years, and one day put together. I considered other things I'd had similar views of, and realized that for years now I've wanted to make a velvet magician's cape that was embroidered, appliqued, and beaded/sequined and had lots of pockets. Something with heft that just felt magical the minute you put it on. I've built the velvet exterior minus the hood so I can begin working on the embellishment, and have recently selected the lining fabric, a print of the starry sky on cotton. So that's what I'm doing. I'm also going to hunt around for more hats I can turn into amazingness again.

Have a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year! <3

Hallween Craft Ebook from FaveCrafts.com

2009-10-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the spooky day! My Halloween Half Print Apron Tutorial has been included in a Halloween Crafting ebook from FaveCrafts.com. There are only a few weeks left, so download the completely free ebook today and get started on your costumes, decorations, and more!

Download the How to Halloween eBook for FREE now! (PDF)

Featured Friday - Barb Plevan

2009-10-08T07:50:00.000-07:00

Barb Plevan
Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
http://www.barbplevan.etsy.com
http://www.barbplevan.com

Tell us a little about your work. What sort of items do you sell, and where do you sell them?
My work falls into two separate categories which overlap slightly. For the past 12 years I've been what's known in the trade as a "miniature artisan." I make 1:12-scale dollhouse accessories and am best known for my plants and flowers. I sell them through my website. Since January 2009, I've also had a shop on Etsy. This is where I sell my pet portraits, fish decoys, and other painted things. Some of these are small enough to be considered as miniatures, but they aren't specifically intended for use in dollhouses.

What medium do you feel most comfortable creating in?
Acrylic paint, definitely. Even while making miniature plants and flowers, it's the painting stage that I most enjoy. My petals and leaves are cut from translucent vellum and hand tinted with paint washes until they're as realistic looking as possible. For my pet portraits I prefer to work on wood (especially pine or basswood), but this isn't always practical. A slab of wood costs a lot of money to ship to a customer, so lately I've been painting on canvas, paper and illustration board instead. And I love making fish decoys from balsa, even though I'm not the greatest wood carver in the world... because once I finish carving them, it's so much fun to paint them.

How long have you been working in your chosen medium?
I've been painting with acrylics as a hobby for as long as I can remember, but doing it professionally only since the mid-80s. That's when people started commissioning me to paint their pet cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and birds. Sometimes their kids, too.

Did you receive any training in your medium or are you self taught? If self-taught, what helped you most in becoming proficient in your chosen medium?
I'm a self-taught painter, for sure. Nobody ever showed me how it's done. I studied cartooning and graphic story arts at college, but only for one semester. Then I ran out of tuition money. And we didn't use paint there anyway... just pencil, pen and ink. I learned how to paint by trial and error. I have to give credit to my mom, though. When I was just a kid, she taught me how to draw with crayons. My friends all thought it was good enough just to stay within the lines in their colouring books. But Mom showed me how to mix basic crayon colours to make lots of other shades. And she encouraged me to decorate my drawings with all sorts of fancy patterns... polka dots, plaids, stripes, and so on. Her influence can clearly be seen in my most recent work.

Which artist(s) do you admire the most?
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Fritz Scholder, Jane Martin (the work she was doing in the 70s and 80s), Michael Sowa. But my favourite artist of all is George Herriman, creator of the Krazy Kat comic strip.

What sort of recurring themes do you find occur in your work?
Cats, cats and more cats... usually standing upright on two legs and wearing human clothing, which some people think is weird. I like to paint them dressed in the same clothes I used to wear when I was a little kid. I had a much nicer wardrobe back then than I do nowadays. And just so you know, I'm not one of those crazy old cat ladies you sometimes hear about. I have only two cats at the moment (George and Skeeter), my sister has one (Onslow), and we all share the same house that our parents and grandparents lived in before us. I guess I enjoy painting cats so much because I've always got live models to work from. If I happened to keep dogs or sheep or reptiles, I'd probably be painting them instead. Other recurring themes often show up as backdrops for my cat portraits, including things I also remember from my childhood... the birch trees surrounding Grandpa's cottage, for example, and the front verandah of his house (my house now).

What inspires you? How do you keep your inspiration juices flowing?
Inspiration is sometimes really hard for me to dredge up, but I can usually get the juices flowing by rifling through a stack of old family photos. I especially like the black and white ones of myself from the 1950s, where I always seem to be posing in the cutest clothes... Halloween costumes which were sewn by my mom, party dresses given to me by my grandmother, sweaters knitted by the lady who looked after me while my parents were at work. I also spend quite a bit of time staring out the window of my studio, which overlooks the backyard. A lot of the neighbourhood cats wander through there on the way to somewhere else. The ones I like best always end up as models for my portraits whenever I get bored of painting George, Skeeter and Onslow over and over again. Friends, customers and relatives send me pictures of their cats, too, so I always have a good supply of reference photos from which to work.

What does a normal work week look like for you?
Well, I work every day of the week and each day is pretty much the same as the one that came before it. I wake up around 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon, boot up my laptop, make a pot of coffee, and check my e-mail. Sometimes I'll receive an order from my website, but I don't keep any dollhouse miniatures in stock. As a result, I almost always have a very long list of customers who are patiently waiting in line. As soon as each order comes in, I bill the customer, add her name to my waiting list, and provide an estimated shipping date. That night I'll probably do a bit of preliminary work on the order and then set it aside until it's that customer's turn... which could be anywhere from a week to several months, depending on my current workload. If I've sold something on Etsy since the last time I checked my mail, I'll immediately spring into action and get the order ready to be shipped the following day. Only after I've dealt with my customers will I reply to e-mails from friends, order any supplies I need, pay the household bills online, or whatever. By then supper is ready, which we generally eat much later than most people. My sister does all the cooking, thank goodness, which means I never have to waste any time doing that. And right after supper I'll start working... and I keep going until the sun comes up, sometimes even later than that. I figure I spend approximately 5 or 6 hours a day on paperwork, correspondence, and packing orders... and another 12 hours or so making miniatures and/or things to sell on Etsy. I try to split my time evenly between the two, just to be fair to both my website customers and those who buy things from my Etsy shop. If I never had to sleep or eat, I'd put in even more hours than I already do.

What event stands out for you as being your most memorable/successful, or as having the greatest impact on your work?
Oh, there's no doubt about it. Opening my Etsy shop at the beginning of this year is the best thing that's ever happened to me. It's given me a place where I can display my cat portraits and other painted things, which I never had before. And now I have a perfectly good excuse to paint on a regular basis, instead of just once in a blue moon when I get all caught up on orders for my miniatures. My work is improving with each passing day. (I think so, anyway.) And for the first time in my life I feel like a "real" artist, which is all I've ever wanted to be. It's a dream come true!

Do Your Brain A Favor

2009-10-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

I've been a working adult since just a few months after graduating high school. Sad, I know, but true. I took a few courses at an excellent community college in Escondido, CA, Palomar College, but promotions at work and escalating job responsibilities made completion of a degree impossible. What those classes did for me most was exercise my brain. You get into a groove of asking and answering questions, thinking through problems, and learning new things that, I think, do wonders for your brain.

Recently a neighbor in my oh-so-rockin' Midtown apartment building has been inviting me along to the University of Nebraska's writer's workshop guest author readings, and I'm starting to feel that old familiar pull of education. You may be some sort of mental athlete, suiting up early every morning to go for a cognitive jog with the latest Great American novel, the sort of challenging and complex novel that does NOT show up on Oprah's book list or the rag stacks at the supermarket. I've personally never been very good at finding that sort of thing. College was always brilliant at finding them for me, and in such a way that I would never have even picked up the book at the book store but at the end find myself adding it to my permanent collection shelf.

Lisa Sandlin
The first reading I attended was with Lisa Sandlin, a neighbor in my aforementioned oh-so-rockin' Midtown apartment building. She is currently teaching at the University of Nebraska's writing department. She is the author of several books and short stories, including The Famous Thing About Death: And Other Stories (Cinco Puntos P, 1991), and Message to the Nurse of Dreams (Cinco Puntos P, 1997), which won the Violet Crown Award from the Austin Writers League and the Jesse H Jones Award from the Texas Institute of Letters. She read from her more recent novel, In the River Province (Southern Methodist University Press, April 2004), September 9th on the UNO campus.

Reminiscent of the quietly dramatic Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Sandlin interwines palpable renderings of human experience with the rich imagery of religion. Listening to Sandlin read about a part-Choctaw girl's experience in her New Mexico school, and the interactions of her racially diverse friends, one can nearly smell the notebook paper and feel the curved plastic of the school desk chair beneath them. I found myself nearly despondent that I could not recall the moments of my own childhood so exquisitely, and was left only to drift through the windings of the story with Sandlin's voice.

Chris Dombrowski
My second visit to the readings ocurred last night, September 23rd, with the poet Chris Dombrowski. He has taught creative writing at the University of Montana and Interlochen Center for the Arts, where he was Writer-in-Residence. He read several poems from his wonderful new collection, By Cold Water (Wayne State University Press, April 15, 2009). Dombrowski has a stunning command of the English language, able to aptly use words that are both symbolically appropriate to that particular moment in the poem's story, and lyrically perfect for the flow and movement of the piece. He talked about how, in his past, he was acutely aware of the movement of rivers, and that as he wrote a poem he felt as if his poems were true and good if they felt like the winding flow of a river.

Dombrowski's use of language is very visual, creating images both poignant and fleeting. Just as the river's flows move constantly, he fmoves from image to image. In fact, his depictions are so visual that one gets the sense Dombrowski could very well be a painter in a new medium, and I was not surprised when he mentioned a discussion with a visual artist friend about the challenge of describing color. It seems an apt challenge for him.

Dombrowski cited A River Runs Through It as being one of his formative influences. He claimed that the descriptions in the book so matched his own experiences that "it's like living twice." A good writer is dedicated to truth, to the most truthful description of an experience they are capable of. When that works well, the reader can feel it, get caught up in it, and experience it as if they were living it themselves.

For further information on Dombrowski, and a selection of poems from By Cold Water, visit Fishouse.org. They also have several interesting interviews with Dombrowski.

There are two more readings coming up. The readings are totally free to attend and occur on the UNO campus in the Milo Bail Student Center. Below is a list of the remaining authors:

Wednesday, November 4 @ 7:30 pm
Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer & Blood Run - memoir & poetry by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke
Milo Bail Student Center Dodge Room

Wednesday, November 18 @ 7:30 pm
Meet Me at the Happy Bar - poetry by Steve Langan
Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room

Restaurant Review - Ethiopian Restaurant

2009-10-07T10:49:00.001-07:00

Ethiopian Restaurant

2555 Leavenworth St
Omaha, NE 68197

(402) 345-0265

Have you ever driven past one of those places that seems to try to put everything into one store; a taqueria, a grocery store, and a Cricket location, for example? I've always felt like they were a bit intimidating, but also had a feeling that these were the city's hidden gems. I just knew that the best, most traditional style of ethnic food could be found in places like these.

Well, recently a friend of mine and I worked up the courage to try one out. It is a combination Ethiopian restaurant and South African grocery store located on the corner of 25th and Leavenworth. There is a small parking lot to the left of the building, and you enter through the grocery store. I immediately noticed the lovely, bright textiles on the wall, and anyone who reads this blog knows I adore textiles. I also noticed the vibrant music that reminded me of the energy and enthusiasm of Indian music.

We were told to take any of the tables in the adjacent restaurant area. The dining room was bright and spacious, with calming recessed lighting pointing upward to the white pressed tin ceiling. Some of the larger tables had huge darkwood benches that looked warm and inviting.

Our waiter was extremely nice and helpful, explaining everything to us. He told us where the meats come from, why certain dishes could be found at larger restaurants but not at his, why you drink their spiced tea after the meal (to help with digestion), and how to eat the food itself. Both my friend and I had experienced Ethiopian food before, so it came as no surprise that we eat with our hands. Luckily, each table comes equiped with a roll of paper towels. I personally went through 4 towels throughout the whole meal.

The food generally consists of various creamy sauces arranged on a large piece of spongy bread. You tear off a piece of the bread and use it to scoop up some of the sauce. We chose a combination of vegetarian and meats. My favorite, which is usually the case, was the collared greens. The lentil, potato, and chicken selections were also very tasty.

All of the spices in each selection were well utilized, the food tasted very fresh, and the dining room was exceedingly clean. In addition, the waiter was so friendly and helpful it made the whole experience very enjoyable. In addition, our two-person meal (pictured to the right) cost only $13. So get some friends together and go on a food adventure! You have nothing to lose!

If you're still a little reluctant, check out their profile on yelp.com and you'll see I'm not the only one who's had a great experience here!

Tutorial Posted to Favecrafts.com

2009-09-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Now you can make your very own half apron too! My friends over at FaveCrafts.com have posted my Halloween apron tutorial on their website. But don't limit yourself to just Halloween. This pattern can be used to make adorable half aprons any time of the year!

Visit FaveCrafts.com now to get started!

Also, don't forget to check out their blog regularly at FaveCraftsblog.com to find out what's new and fun to do!

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New apron pattern!

2009-09-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

So, I've been a little distant from my internet persona that last couple of days. I've been focusing on coming up with a new full embellished apron pattern, and tonight I finished the first result. It's going to be the pattern on which my most beautiful fabrics (see below) will be cut upon. I'm very excited. It's truly the cutest thing I've ever made.

Ah Fabric...sigh

2009-09-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have discovered the joys of buying fabric on etsy. It's a dangerous joy, but well worth it.

Recently I spent nearly $100 on some of the most beautiful fabric I've ever seen, pictured here. I purchased it from fabricplace (fabricplace.etsy.com). I got it almost immediately. In addition, fabricplace gave me free shipping! And I have to say, it's so lovely I'm finding it hard to cut. I currently have it arrayed on my ironing board, which sits directly in front of my desk, in neat little piles of coordinating colors and prints.

I'm here now to tell you I have dedicated myself to creating with these fabrics. By the end of the week, my friends, I promise to have 3 lovely new aprons for sale in my etsy shop. I feel a frisson about this. It's going to be wonderful!

Just an FYI for all of you fabric lovers, I have a deal going on from my friends at fabric.com, where you can receive free shipping on orders of $35 or more.

FREE SHIPPING on orders $35+ from Fabric.com

My only caveat is that I'm working on an oversized carryall bag and my boyfriend has demanded I finish it before I move on. It shouldn't be too hard, since I'm in love with the print and the hugeness of it. I've posted a picture of the work-in-progress to the left here. It's a 100% upcycled piece made from things I've found in resale and thrift stores. I adore doing upcycle stuff. It's so exciting to find something for $1 at a thrift store and see the possibilities. Plus it's great for the environment!

Dish of the Day - Fancy Ramen

2009-09-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Fancy Ramen

There's nothing quite like sitting down to peruse recipes on a chilly rainy day with a giant bowl of delicious soup. Recently I've taken to buying packages of Ramen, discarding everything but the noodles, and coming up with my own varations. I think this version was the best, so of course I'm sharing it with you!

Ingredients

Top Ramen noodles
3 bullion cubes, flavor of your choice
4 cups water
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 red/new potatoes, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
meat or meat substitute (ex. 1/2 chicken breast, cubed, or 1/4 package extra firm tofu, cubed)
salt/pepper to taste

Start the water boiling. Add bullion cubes, veggies, and meat or meat substitute. Boil until potato and celery are soft. Add ramen noodles. Boil until soft, about 5 min. Serve.

www.MyCraftCorner.com - Cool Contest!

2009-09-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled onto what seems to be a promising new crafting community site, called My Craft Corner. I think what I've learned most so far as a new blogger/craft seller is that community is very important for inspiration, ideas, support, and chatter. To get them started and build buzz, they are going to run some cool contests. So sign up, because you could win some really cool stuff! Their first contest is for a Cricut Expressions Cutting Machine.

Here's some info from their website about the machine:

For those of you who think this is just for paper crafters, here are just a few fun ways crafters are using the Cricut: vinyl lettering, quilting, woodworking, glass etching, card making, home decorating, scrapbooking, gourd art, silk screening, rubber stamping and so much more! In fact, any crafter who uses smaller sized templates can use a cutting machine like this - and don’t forget kid’s projects, decals, signs and stencils! Perfect for crafters, teachers, students and parents.

When you sign up you will be entered into our contest for the Cricut Expressions Cutting Machine. You'll automatically be contacted when any new contests begin and you will receive a special invitation to the official launch of our crafter's community. In the meantime, if you want to use this temporary social network to meet up with friends, upload pictures of your latest project, etc, please enjoy!

Some of My Favorite Sellers From Etsy.com

2009-09-20T16:51:00.001-07:00

Dish of the Day - Chicken Pot Pie

2009-09-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

Chicken Pot Pie

I never dreamed I'd be doing this, but yes. I made a chicken pie from scratch. And it was absolutely delicious! For anyone who is interested in this dish, the sauce and veggies are what really makes it, so don't be afraid to try it with tofu and vegetable stock instead of the chicken. If you do, let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast - cubed
1 c sliced carrots
1 c frozen peas (actually I just did 2 c frozen peas and carrots)
1/2 c sliced celery, about 2 stalks
1/3 c butter
1/3 c chopped onion
1/3 c all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder, or to taste
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 3/4 c chicken broth
2/3 c milk
1 package pillsbury 9" pie crusts (2 crusts per package), room temp

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Roll bottom crust into pie pan. Brush with egg white and bake for 5 min. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, celery. Add water to cover and bullion cube and boil for 15 min. Drain and set aside.
4. In a saucepan over low heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, and spices. Slowly stir in broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and cover.
5. Place chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour sauce over. Use a spoon to ensure the sauce gets to the lower layers of the chicken mix. Cover with top pie crust, seal edges, and cut several slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, or until pastry is goldren brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Something to think about:
I doubled the sauce when I made it, but had a lot of sauce left over. I think I needed perhaps 1 1/2 the sauce rather than twice the sauce. I left the amounts for the sauce as original so you can make up your own mind. The sauce is basically the butter, broth, flour, and milk, so if you mess with the amount of sauce then you must apply your messings to all of those items.

After making this, my boyfriend mentioned to a chef friend how good it came out, and he asked me some questions. "Oh it's a basic bechamel sauce then?" I had no clue what he was talking about. He told me that a bechamel sauce is one of the "mother sauces" of french cuisine. Alway eager to learn, I asked for further explanation.

The Mother Sauces of French Cuisine

bechamel - It is traditionally made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour-butter roux (equal parts clarified butter and flour).
espagnole - Based on brown stock (usually veal), thickened with a brown roux.
veloute - Based on a white stock, thickened with a blonde roux.
allemande - Based on velouté sauce, is thickened with egg yolks and heavy cream.
tomato sauce - Any of a very large number of sauces made primarily out of tomatoes
hollandaise - An emulsion of butter and lemon juice or vinegar using egg yolks as the emulsifying agent, usually seasoned with salt and a little black pepper or cayenne pepper.

He said something about white stock being raw chicken bones or fish, brown being roasted chicken or mammal bones covered in tomato paste. Lovely.

Getting a Little Bit of my Past Back

2009-09-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Things We Lost in the Fire

As some of you may know, there was a huge fire that swept with most of San Diego county in the winter of 2007. My parent's home was one of the casualties of that fire, though thankfully my parents were not. At that time I had just moved to Chicago to manage a retail store for the company I where I worked. It was a fast move, and I didn't have much time to coordinate the transfer of my stuff. My parents graciously agreed to hold on to my boxes until I could get a moving company sorted out. You see where this is going.

I lost a great deal of stuff in that fire. I only took the basics with me when I moved, just what I could carry on the plane, and my parents sent me a couple of care packages soon after that contained blankets, coats, and some shoes. Everything else was destroyed, but most of it I soon realized I could live without. Some things, though, were very difficult, such as pictures. I had taken most of my baby pictures from my parents to put together a photo album for them. The album, nearly completed, sat in one of the boxes waiting to be shipped.

After the fire, over time, pictures began surfacing. I had scanned and uploaded two of my dad's favorites to my myspace page. Friends had some, relatives others. Recently I realized that there's nothing quite like having old photos framed and hanging on the wall. I did a search on printing photos, and came up with snapfish.com, apparently a site run by Hewlett Packard. The were running an offer where I could receive 50 prints free for signing up as a new member, and also a Labor Day weekend sale that gave me free shipping. Not expecting much, but willing to try for free, I uploaded some old photos, some new photos I took with my digital camera, and, for good measure, some camera phone photos.

Well today I received the pictures, and they are beautiful. Admittedly, the camera phone pictures don't look amazing, but they look better than I expected, and all the rest look just like they were taken with a real camera. I'm truely impressed. I would highly recommend using snapfish again.

Upcoming Omaha Event - September

2009-09-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Fine Arts Festival - Village Pointe Mall, Omaha, NE Sept 19th and 20th

Everyone's favorite outdoor mall (in Nebraksa, you ask? so do I!) is playing host this weekend to over 60 local and regional artists in their Art on the Pointe Fall Fine Arts Festival. The festival runs all weekend, Saturday Sept 19th to Sunday Sept 20th. This is the 4th annual event displaying skilled work by our regions artist's. Come out and supportlocal art!

Village Pointe is located at 168th and West Dodge. In addition to the art festival, Village Pointe hosts a farmer's market every saturday, and holiday events such as their Harvest Festival which includes hayrides and other fall activities. I've personally never seen a mall so involved in fostering positive community events.

For more information, and a huge, full-color event map, pick up this week's Reader.

Sales at Joann's

I'm extremely excited about all the coupons I received in the current Joann's mailer. They have them all broken down by date blocks, so I think it's going to involve several trips. (Sorry Jeremy!) Sept 17th-19th they have patterns on sale for $1.99 to 3.99, a 40% and 50% coupon valid Sept 27th-Oct 3rd, and coupon commotion week with all kinds of crazy 40% off coupons, only valid Sept 20th to the 26th. I need a calendar just to keep it all straight! Ugh.

What really bums me out is that I've been struggling to get the hang of my Yudu silkscreening machine, and I noticed they will be having free Yudu machine demonstrations. Oh, but only at the big stores. Of which Omaha has none. The nearest big Joann's is Kansas City. They have a Trader Joe's too. Sometimes I feel like certain stores ignore Omaha because they don't realize what a big, hip town it is. They'd better get the message soon! Of the many things I miss about Chicago, Trader Joe's is one of the things I miss the most. And the giant Joann's. Sigh.

Newest Handcrafted Items Posted to Etsy.com

2009-09-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

I posted 3 new items to my etsy shop, and not all of them are aprons! Well, one of them is, but I've also posted a reusable fall shopper bag and a fall statement necklace (pictured here). I have quite a bit more of this fabric, so I can make additional items depending on how well any one of them sells.

This necklace wasn't even planned. I had finished the apron last night and planned to complete the shopper today, and while I was working on it and watching the documentary The Life and Times of Yves Saint Laurent on netflix's play now feature, I got insanely inspired and spent the rest of the afternoon ont he necklace. I even missed lunch!

Dish of the Day - Vegetarian Masala Curry

2009-09-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

Vegetarian Masala Curry

I'd always been intimidated by Indian curries, but I came across a recipe while reading a borrowed copy of Glamour magazine. It seemed simple enough, so I decided to give it a try. Of course, I changed it, like I change all of the recipes I do. I originally used chicken and chicken broth and got a great result, but my vegan friends have asked that I do something without meat, so here it is.

For those of you that want a meatier version, just use chicken broth and chicken in place of veggie broth and tofu. The key to the flavor is really the 4 major spices (pictured here). Be sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly before it goes in, though.

Ingredients

2 to 3 tbsp canola oil
veggies (i use 1 cup frozen peas/carrots and a handful of broccoli florets, but use your imagination!)
half block extra firm tofu, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
2 small white onions, cut into quarters and the layers separated
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 c chicken or veggie broth
1 c coconut milk
rice
cilantro
place the following spices in a small bowl, mix, and set aside until the recipe calls for it
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp group tumeric
1 tsp garam masala (i found at whole foods)
1 tbsp curry powder
dash of cinnamon

Directions

1. Start rice cooking.
2. In a large pan, saute onions and tofu on medium-low to low heat in oil until slightly brown.
3. Add garlic and stir.
4. Add broth, spices, and veggies. Stir thoroughly, then cover and cook at a low simmer until liquid is thickened, about 15 min.
5. Stir in coconut milk. Cover and simmer for about 5 min.
6. Serve over rice. Garnish with diced cilantro.

I add my salt and pepper at step 5 while tasting the sauce. That's your finished product, so you can adjust flavors easily if it needs a little more.

Drink of the Night - The Melissa

2009-09-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

The Melissa

Named after my very best friend, and the originator of this refreshing drink, Melissa. I left her behind in Chicago when I moved to Omaha to be with the love of my life, Jeremy. Now I regularly lift this cocktail up in her memory.

It couldn't be simpler. In fact, I'm sure many of you already drink it but haven't given it a name. Well too late for you!

Ingrediants:
ice
red wine
water
an old jar

1. Find an empty old jar. Make sure it's clean!
2. Put several ice cubes in the jar.
3. Pour about an inch of red wine in.
4. Fill the remaining space with water.
5. Enjoy!

It's surprisingly refreshing, and perfect for a hot afternoon where you want something uncomplicated, and you don't want to start feeling drunk. If you were ambitious and wanted to get fancy, you could substitute soda water and add some fresh fruit, but then that would more like a sangria and less like a Melissa. Whatever you do, the drink must be served in an old jar in order to be a proper Melissa.

Dish of the Day - Buttermilk Pancakes

2009-09-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

Buttermilk Pancakes

What could be better on a rainy Saturday morning than fresh buttermilk pancakes? And the recipe couldn't be simpler: 1 cup buttermilk, 2 cups bisquick, 2 eggs! The trick I recently learned about making prettier pancakes is, first, to whisk the batter to get the chunks out. The pancake will come out with a smoother face. Second, test the readiness of your pan by tossing a drop or two of water onto it. If it immediately evaporates, it's ready!

So Much New Goodness!

2009-09-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

We had internet trouble all day, so bereft of my Facebook access, I got to work. I ended up getting a lot done, too! I finished my newest Halloween apron, completed a Victorian-inspired riding hat I've been dreaming about for years now, took tons of new photos for my other aprons, and started a whole new apron project that is almost finished! Now I'm embarassed that last week it took me all day to complete just one apron. I need to monitor my distractions.

Now let me introduce you to the newest additions to my craft family.

The Victorian-Inspired Embellished Riding Hat

The hat is a bowler style hard-side hat with a 22 inch diameter. It's a little small for my head, but as you can see from the photos, it still works great.

Spider-web patterned netting is gathered at the back and cascades down to trail the floor behind you. There's also a piece that can be pulled down and worn as a veil, or worn up on the brim of the hat. There are more pictures of this in my etsy shop.

Finally there are hand-painted faux berries, silk flowers, and various feathers attached to the left side of the hat.

Silk and cotton ribbon are used to secure the hat beneath the chin.

This piece is lovingly handmade to last many, many years.

I've listed the piece on etsy for $85.00, mostly because I want to keep it for myself. However, I have made Jeremy promise to take me to a Halloween store to buy more hats to embellish. My real dream is to find a vintage top-hat or bowler at a reasonable price and do this to it.

The Halloween Print Half Apron

I believe this apron to be my most skillfully done so far. I made some minor tweeks to my original pattern and execution that I think really set it a notch above the others.

First of all, nearly all seams are completely finished. The only exception is where the skirt and the waistband meet, simply because there's already so many layers of fabric going on there that it would be very difficult to effectively run that area through my machine.

Secondly, I attached ties a bit differenly to the waistband. I exagerated the fold so that the ties come out a bit skinnier than the waistband. I also did some different sewing techniques in that area that make the whole thing more sturdy.

Finally, hurray, I figured my labels out! I've been struggling with figuring out how to use the Yudu screenprinting machine with absolutely zero results, and was getting extremely furstrated. In my frustration I decided to reorganize my craft room and came across some fabric markers. The ink is permanent and washable once completely dry. Maybe one day I'll beat the Yudu machine into submission, but for now I've come up with something I'm perfectly happy with.

This Just In!

2009-09-10T12:24:00.001-07:00

I've been asked to write a tutorial about making aprons based on my my most recent Halloween apron posted to etsy.com yesterday! The website is www.favecrafts.com and then they will also be posting a blog article about the tutorial and my etsy shop! How exciting!

Dish of the Day - Chicken Burrito with a Poblano Cream Sauce

2009-09-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

Chicken Burrito with a Poblano Chili Cream Sauce

This was my first ever cream sauce, so I was very nervous about how it was going to come out. I was especially worried about the consistency, since the recipe I used as a base concept called for the onions and chili to be minced in a food processor, and those of us who are not wealthy do not own a food processor. Instead I diced them as small as possible using the dicing technique I recently picked up from my Hell's Kitchen obsess-a-thon on hulu.com.

The sauce was very simple. I sauted diced onions, garlic, and poblano chilis in vegetable oil. When it began to clarify, I poured in a little chicken broth and let it simmer a bit, adding some salt and pepper. Finally I poured in some cream, stirred, tasted, added salt and pepper as needed, and covered to let simmer for about 5 minutes.

For the inside, I sauted onions, garlic, and more chilis (cute into larger pieces this time) until softer, then added the pre-cooked chicken and some Sargento's 3 cheese mexican blend. Oh, and cayenne pepper, but not too much since the chili has plenty of kick. I cooked a half cup of uncle ben's brown rice in the correct amount of water, but tossed a chicken bullion cube and a handful of frozen peas and carrots in as well.

The worst part about doing this dish was dicing the chilis on a warm day. The heat of the kitchen made my pores open up and they soaked up all that spicy chili goodness. I was in a lot of pain.

The best part was that despite how painstakingly I removed the seeds, the burrito had plenty of spice. However, it wasn't the kind of burning spice that masks all of the flavor. You could still taste all the flavors. It was amazing!

Project Updates

2009-09-09T13:39:00.001-07:00

My Little Apron Shop

I have a shop on etsy.com where I've been posting my crafts for sale. Originally I thought I would focus on necklaces and handbags but have discovered a talent in myself for making aprons! Who knew? It's incredibly fullfilling to be doing things that are turning out well and that people seem to like.

On the Writing Front

I have a story in the mail. It's "Again and Again", which I sent first to a sci fi magazine called Analog but received a very imformative, and my first actual, rejection letter. It now has a place of honor on my bulletin board to remind me that I've taken the first step to being a published writer. It was just a form letter but it listed several reasons why stories might be rejected by the magazine, the first 3 or so being relevant to my story. I decided to do a focus shift for the story and sent it to another magazine that includes horror. I'm now waiting on a response.

I'm also working on a new story that Jeremy says, while not finished, is shaping up to be a much better story. He also thinks I'll be another 10 years before I finish my first novel, but I'm a little more optimistic. However, as long as I'm still writing and trying to get published, that's all that matters for the moment.

I'm really excited about tonight. One of my neighbors is in the U of Nebraska writing program (which I hope to get in to next year once I get residency) and invited me to an author reading tonight. It turns out that our newest neighbor, who moved into the apartment below her, is the author doing the reading! Wow! We've been invited to her apartment afterward for wine and cheese. I think this will be the first time in my life I'll get to experience an actual writer's community. I hope I don't spill wine all over myself!

Upcoming Omaha Events - July

2009-06-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Exciting July events to look forward to:

July 11th 3pm to 8pm
Beertopia's Sunfest summer beer festival. $25 advanced tickets, $30 tickets day of the fest get you 5 hours of sampling more than 130 beers, and includes a souvenir glass and program. Also, food menu includes food from Crescent Moon and Don Carmelo's Pizzaria.

July 17th-19th
Omaha's Science Fiction and Fantasy Ferstival. Could this be the next ComiCon? Have you ever been to a sci-fi convention? Well neither have I, but I'm always up for new experiences!
www.osfes.org

July 18th
Neko Case @ the Slowdown.
www.theslowdown.com

July 24th-25th
Mutual of Omaha's Wild About Omaha city-wide event. Both days are packed with great events, such as free concerts, access to museums and the zoo and much, much more. www.wildaboutomaha.com

Date Night - Pizza and Beer at Don Carmelo's

2009-06-23T13:58:00.001-07:00

pizza_and_beer, originally uploaded by omahagoodlife.

When my boyfriend moved to Omaha ahead of me, I was worried about what he was eating. "What are you eating for dinner?" I asked. "Honey nut cheerios," he replied. "You need real food!" I said and used the Search Nearby feature on Google maps to look up pizza joints nearby. One of the first, Don Carmelo's, was practically within walking distance ("But it's raining!") and came with 2 raving reviews attached. About a half hour later I received a text photo on my cell phone similar to the one above. "Date worthy?" I texted back. "Definitely" was his immediate reply.

This relaxed little pizza place is now our favorite weekly spot. The pizza is delicious and cheap, the beer selection good, and the staff very friendly. When they discovered we were new to town they drew up a list of cool bars and venues for us to visit, all of which will be featured here at one point or another. They have several flat screen televisions mounted on the wall but we aren't that big into television, so we take games with us. We were neck-deep in a rousing game of rummy when I took the photo above.

Don Carmelo's
35th and Farnam
(402)933-0134
Mon thru Sat 11am to 10pm
Sun 4pm to 9pm

Additionally, it is next door to Beertopia, a friendly little shop for beerophiles. Watch for more info about Beertopia in future posts.