Beginning

A few highlights from lately:

Over this winter break I have actually enjoyed cooking. We got cuts of salmon and trout that we prepared at Christmas with wild rice in roasted delicata squash (from our garden) and fresh brussels sprouts. The salmon we baked with orange and honey and the next day the trout I simply pan seared lightly breaded and sprinkled with a little lemon. Gosh, it was so good. We never buy fish, so it was such a treat. I thought I was eating little morsels from heaven. And of course I have made cookies, homemade bread rolls, and cinnamon rolls, as you know.

The temperatures have been rather mild so we have been taking lots of walks. And I have discovered how much I enjoy finding things when out and about (which makes me miss living by forests and the ocean.) On Christmas I pocketed two holey rocks found by the river and recently I brought back a great piece of lightning burnt wood from the wetlands. I took a picture of it on film, and am about to send that roll off for processing.

New Year's Eve day was sunny and mild, which perhaps inspired a little fit of organization. I completely cleaned out the medicine cabinet and bathroom cabinet, then tackled the silverware drawer in the kitchen along with a few other drawers. It felt good to get those things done before the new year.

And with the new year comes new studio projects. Yesterday I freshened up the watercolor palette and began a new series. Plus I finished up the first letterpress card of the year, a small run I made as thank you notes for the preschoolers. And above you can see part of a new inspiration/idea wall for winter.

On January 9th Stephanie Levy begins a new Creative Courage e-course and I am happy to be among such a great line up of guests. You still have time to enroll!

Happy New Year!

cinnamon rolls

 

Popping in during vacation to share just a little bit from our Christmas morning. Homemade cinnamon rolls! Traditions like this need to be carried on, don't they? If you're curious I use this recipe, yet triple the amount of cinnamon called for in the streusel filling.

I hope you're having a joyful Christmas season!

Today

 

Today at preschool the children made wood sculptures. I always love watching them as they build, seeing their ideas come out. (Some of you can guess where the wood came from.)

This is yummy : homemade ginger ale. I drank three yesterday. And for some reason I really am into ginger right now. Last week I made gingerbread star cookies with lemon frosting and turbinado sugar sprinkles. They're gone now so I think I'd like to make more soon.

Recently watched : Episodes I, II, & III of Craft in America

In the process of watching : episodes of Thirty Something

Yesterday I loaded a new roll of film after several weeks of not shooting a thing. Feeling uncreative and uninspired can feel awful, but I am inclined to think that it can also be a way of recharging. But it is hard to look at it that way when you're in it.