A little bit of sewing

I'm trying to get into the Holiday Spirit and preparing for a Holiday/Birthday gathering. I cut some random circles from paper and sewed them together to make garland. And also made some paper ornaments, with grommets to hang. Then I made some quick Christmas Stalkings for my roomate and I. When it comes to sewing - pinning, lining things up inside out, etc etc.. I often don't have patience. I like to do quick projects and make things up as I go.  But I enjoy it. The flower pins my mother made. She is great.

Tis the season

Photography, Story Telling, and Design..

Introducing Pacing the Panic Room, a blog following interests of a man following his dreams with photography and story telling. This is a cool little project he's working on, brought to you by Gap. Every week he focuses on different photo and video series on Pacing the Panic Room, where he profiles women from all over who have found a way to "Do What They Love." He follows women with creative videos and beautiful photography showing those living their lives on their own terms and truly doing what they love for a living. From artists, to teachers, to candlestick makers. Whatever puts smiles on faces. 


Announcing Do What You Love


The "Do What You Love" series

What is Buckwheat Flour?

Buckwheat is a great alternative for those who can not have gluten. But what exactly is it and what type of plant does it come from? How is Buckwheat a different plant than regular wheat? I was curious to know more.

"If you're health-conscious or just trying to eat smarter, try baking with our vitamin-rich buckwheat flour. Widely considered among nutritional experts as the healthiest whole grain of them all, buckwheat naturally contains 30 different vitamins and is good source of protein and fiber. A popular pantry staple, you'll love using our buckwheat flour for homemade breads, pancakes, waffles, cakes, and pie crusts." - Old Mill (old-mill.com)

Buckwheat flour is flour ground from Fagopyrum esculentum, known more casually as buckwheat. It has a rich, nutty flavor and a very high nutritional value, making it popular in many nations, especially in Asia. In addition, buckwheat flour is gluten free, leading people with gluten intolerance to seek it out as a flour alternative. Many grocery stores carry buckwheat flour and buckwheat blends.

Although buckwheat is treated like a cereal crop, it is actually a plant, not a grass. The fruit of buckwheat is what is harvested and eaten, after the hard outer husk has been pulled away. The plant thrives in poor growing conditions and matures quickly, two things which have made it a popular choice of crop around the world. In addition to making buckwheat flour from the buckwheat harvest, people also crack it into groats and steam or boil them in puddings and porridge. Buckwheat is also planted as a cover crop for beekeeping, since it produces a high volume of flavorful nectar.

To make buckwheat flour, the plants are mowed and allowed to dry before threshing to remove the inedible outer husk. Next, thebuckwheat is allowed to dry out completely, to prevent it from going rancid. The buckwheat is ground, typically with the outer bran, which is high in fiber and other nutrients. The bran turns the resulting buckwheat flour a rich brown color, with dark flecks. Then, the buckwheat flourcan be packaged for sale on its own, or blended with other flours.

Individuals with gluten intolerance should be careful about where they purchase their buckwheat flour. It is often made in facilities which process wheat, and contamination is possible. It may also be blended with wheat as a filler, so make sure to seek out buckwheat flourwhich is clearly labeled as “gluten free.” Plain buckwheat flour can be used in an assortment of foods including pancakes and traditional Japanese soba noodles.

For people who are not limited by dietary restrictions, mixed flours with buckwheat included can be used in baking bread, muffins, and biscuits. For breads, no more than half of the total flour should be buckwheat, as it can have an impact on rising and dough performance. The rich flavor of buckwheat complements many foods, and can elevate a dish from the mundane to the interesting. Inclusion of buckwheat flour will also make a dish more nutritious, since buckwheat is high in fiber, amino acids, protein, niacin, and vitamin B, among other things.  

via http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-buckwheat-flour.htm  

Lime Pie

Well, no stores had Key Limes in when I was determined to make Key Lime Pie. So, I made a pie with just ordinary limes. I was nervous the night before a big event, and have been wanting to make Key Lime Pie for quite some time and since my father was coming to town and LOVES Key Lime Pie... My plan to get my mind off of things and do something that would make me full of joy was to.. BAKE. I also cleaned my kitchen spick and span. The results of my pie = it happened I didn't realize my rack in my oven was up one too high. So my crust darkened a bit too much and it upset me. So then I tried to pick off the dark pieces of graham racker and then added fresh bits of graham cracker/butter mixture ontop. And then poured in my lime mixture, which made all of the loose graham cracker mix in with the pie. And you know me.. I want things to look perfect, so I wasn't too happy. But I just said to heck with it and kept going and enjoying myself anyway. In the end.. it set well and my homemade whipped topping made it look much prettier!  I was told it tasted really really good. People kept asking for more and my parents ate their half of the pie in no time. I made it with eggs though, so I didn't get to try any. Eventhough it wasn't perfect looking and I got a poor picture with plastic wrap on it, the pie still looked tasty and people loved it! Hooray! .. even if it wasn't REALLY Key Lime Pie. All ingredients were organic at least. Now, I know how to next time make this pie perfect looking and I can't wait to use real key limes!!! and... maybe an egg free version!!!?

Halloween Treats

Hold on to your dream

There is inside you, all of the potential to be whatever you want to be; 
All of the energy to do whatever you want to do. 

Imagine yourself as you would like to be, Doing what you want to do.

And each day, take one step towards your dream. 

And though at times it may seem too difficult to continue, Hold on to your dream. 

One morning you will awake to find that you are the person you dreamed of, Doing what you wanted to do. Simply because you had the courage to believe in your potential and to hold on to your dream.

 - Donna Levine

Perspectives

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
~M. Scott Peck


The most beautiful people we have know are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These people have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep, loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.
~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Choosing Lower Fructose

FRUCTOSE helps the body store calories, found in fruits and honey and other natural sweeteners like molasses, maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, jaggery (unrefined palm sugar), and unrefined cane sugar. These sources also contain trace amounts of minerals and other nutrients. Too much fructose or refined sugar can lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or even cancer.  

This is a statement from  Natural Health Magazine from the following article. Which also helps understand the effects of TOO MUCH sugar and how someone can ACTUALLY go about cutting out so much sugar. Also, I've mentioned the book Sugar Blues before, but it is a great great book!


http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/sugar_detox_easy/healthy_eating/166?print=1 


Obviously, its all better in moderation and sweets occasionally to brighten your day or celebrate events is great. But WHY not more brown rice syrup!!??? Great alternative. One can have more sweets, when choosing wisely.

Thickening Agents

Going through my moleskine notes.

• Arrowroot - thickens sauces/soups. helps bind and provide crispy texture in baked goods. This is a good starch to replace corn as I've mentioned previously.

• Agar powder/Flakes - vegan gelatin.

GOOD Natural Sweeteners Recap

http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/healthy_eating/88?print=1
http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/expert_advice/61 - Answers a bit of ..  How healthy is Maple Syrup and Agave Nectar??

A better sugar rush? We all know that the white stuff is bad for you, but are some sweeteners worse than others? 

Yes, says Susanna Hofmann, an assistant professor of endocrinology at the University of Cincinnati. Agave syrup can contain up to 90 percent fructose, and studies suggest that high concentrations of fructose can lead to weight gain and obesity. "Excess amounts of fructose get converted by the body into fat," Hofmann explains. Using less agave syrup, which is more potent than table sugar, may help balance the higher fructose content. 

Hofmann's advice? Choose sweeteners with lower fructose levels, such as brown rice syrup, honey or brown sugar. As a bonus, these less-refined sugars contain more antioxidants and nutrients than highly processed sugars. But, keep consumption in check. "No sugar is healthy beyond very small quantitites," says Paul Anderson, N.D., a faculty member at Bastyr University's School of Natural Medicine in Kenmore, Washington. 

- Elizabeth Marglin 

Natural Health Magazine. November 2010. Pg 26. 

The past year I've preferred Brown Rice syrup as the best sugar alternative anyway. Experimenting with Agave, I really wasn't one for the taste. Also it stunk up my whole kitchen with a nutty aroma? I didn't dig it :( But I still want to try experimenting with it some more. In some recipes it may be good. But in my opinion, Brown Rice Syrup is an amazing product. Also, I have Zsweet that I've been meaning to try using. 

In addition, a healthier alternative to regular refined sugar is Evaporated Cane Juice, such as Florida Crystals. It is a more natural alternative/less refined form than the standard white table sugar. So it contains more nutrients and minerals. It is a good source of Vitamin B2. (I think there is also something to do with.. regular refined sugar is pure sucrose and ECJ is sucrose, fructose, and glucose... sooo its not as bad for you ?? I'll have to research that a little more.)
It can come in the following forms:

• Milled Cane: small grained crystals with a golden color and subtle molasses flavor
• Demerara: coarser grained, slightly sticky crystals that have a noticeable molasses flavor
• Muscovado: a raw brown sugar; very fine crystal sugar with a distinct molasses flavor.

When choosing granulated sugar, choose unrefined Raw sugar or Evaporated Cane Juice. Florida Crystals or brands that specifically say "beet sugar".  "Cane Sugar" is typically made with the use of animal products in the form of bone char in the processing, so some vegans tend to void Cane Sugar. 


Molasses is also a good alternative that I have not really focused on, besides Mollasses cookies, rolls and gingerbread cookies.. But I've never paid much attention to the sweetener and thought about using it in more recipes because of it being a better health alternative. It is better because it contains all of the great nutrients taken out of refined sugar. It includes iron, manganese, zinc, copper and chromium. It has a very strong distinct flavor and is highly nutritious. In moderation! ; )

Whoopie Pies

Baked Sour Cream Donuts

So these were the first baked doughnuts I've made. I should have made just regular flavored doughnuts, or chocolate .. or PUMPKIN! But I made doughnuts with a bit of sour cream. They aren't bad... but not something one would really desire. But they rose well and LOOK tasty/pretty! That is somewhat of a plus!? I think I'm going to remake rolls sometime soon and make sure they rise a bit better. MmmMmm Cinnamon Rolls!

CASTLES IN THE SKY from Sipping Jetstreams on Vimeo.



A friend sent me this a few months ago. A surfing video.. but it is so beautiful and calming. It puts me in a good mood. The world is full of beauty.

Anna Maria Horner design

Check out Anna Maria Horner .. Painter, designer, sewer. She has some really creative/fun/well made and designed aprons, kitchen towels, clothing, purses, rugs, notepads, organizers, sewing patterns and much more. Her work is full of unique, fun patterns and eye popping colors. The fabric prints are great designs and the quality of the fabric is very heavy, durable and well crafted. I ran into her goods at a local little shop downtown. Such great quality and very creative.

http://www.annamariahorner.com/

http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/2010/08/introducing-innocent-crush.html

"There have been many interesting stops on her artistic path but a common element in all of Anna Maria's work whether clothing, accessories, quilts or paintings is a passion for color and vibrancy. As she continued to realize her point of view in sewing, painting, writing, and photography, all of these disciplines created a dialoque, one bettering the other, and leading to a constant stream of artistic growth. Her fascination of taking an item through all the necessary steps from her sketchbook to a store shelve sparked the momentum to create a brand. Anna Maria's fresh perspectives within traditional markets and her vision of being surrounded by the work of her own hands has led her to partnering with more than two dozen manufacturers to design homewares, gift items, textiles and to authoring her first sewing book, Seams To Me, published October 2008."

   

This is where I do random things, take a million notes and browse baking blogs for hours. Followed by some random recent little projects.

I like this little poem.


The Summer Day
Mary Oliver


Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

DO YOUR JOB

DCheck out this great TED Talk video of Elizabeth Gilbert's talk on being a creative genius. I think I should get back to reading her book! She's great. Interesting to think of how creative people work.
When you are full of passion, but somedays you fear following your dream or that maybe things wont work or it seems to tough. Do it anyway. Keep Going. Even on tough days, "Just do your job." It is important to never give up. Continue to follow and shoot for what you live for. Be remarkable.

Random roads.

Enjoying simplicity... can take you away from hectic big things. There is so much little detail to enjoy in this world. This was a silly day that meant a lot and took my mind off of everything going on and is one I remember.

I'm on my way. I don't know where I'm going. I'm on my way. I'm taking my time. But I don't know where.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Cheesecake

It's NIFTY to be 50!

Poster Created for the United Retirement Center. Old work, but thought I'd post.

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Starting off fall with just a touch of Cinnamon and nutmeg.