April & May project progress + June plans

What I wanted to accomplish in April/May:

1. Homemade vanilla extract
2. Fabric mushroom topiary
3. Move perennials
4. Mini terrarium necklace
5. More terrariums

How did I do?

1.  Done and done! 

This is a picture from right after I made it, now it's super dark now- I need to get a picture of it and it hopefully find some cute little bottles to give it to friends and family.

2.  Mmmm... sort of.  I made several mushrooms, but didn't really like the way they turned out.  Then I threw them at cats, hoping they'd play with them since they seemed fascinated in what I was doing, but after that they lost interest.  I kept one for a pincushion, but it doesn't work too well, as the needles keep getting lost inside.  Oh well!  I will probably try again at some other point.

3.  Ferns have been moved to under the evergreens.  Some died, some survived.  Now I may try to pull away the creeping charlie, till the soil, and move a few bigger, hardier plants.  After that I'll probably move  on to the hostas and day lilies.  

4.  Yes!  This took some time, but I love the result and I want to make more with the rest of my bottles soon.

5.  

I made another terrarium, but it's had to be redone once.  The first time there was too much water sitting around the rocks in the bottom, so it started to grow algae and the moss was too dry so it died.  I replanted the whole thing.  I think the key will be to mist the surface with a spray bottle to keep the water where I need it. 

And here's what I want to do in June:

1. Pack, pack, and move!

Yes, the last day in my apartment is June 30th and then I'll be living with Mark.  I'm totally excited, but moving is rough, and even though I've been moving a few things here and there, I still have a lot to go through before I'm done.

2. Make a color sketch of what I might do with my tattoo.

Now that I think the black is the way I want it, I'm itching to add color.  I've been contemplating it for some time and think that it's what I want to do.  So, even if I can't do it for a while, at least I'll be ready for when I want to change it up.

3.  Decorate the porch!

I've added a few things so far.  It's a great hang-out space, but it's also so huge that I don't know what to do with it.  Mark added a hammock.  <3 <3 <3  So perfect!

4.  Granny style bunting

This is porch-related, but I really want to make this bunting.  When I started making granny squares, I wrote that I wanted to make a prayer-flag style granny square hanging, and later decided that I didn't really like it, but this pattern may be perfect!  I've also seen other more sewn bunting, so I may just make a whole bunch of varieties!  Like I said, it's a huge porch to fill!

5.  Decorate an old pair of plugs.  If you search on Etsy for decorative plugs, you're sure to find some plastic pairs that have a flower or something mounted to the front of the plug.  Well, I have loads of plastic earrings lying around, so I figure with the right glue and flower (or whatever I can find!) I'll be able to make some new, cute gauged pieces for pretty cheap!

I hope I complete these goals- the weather makes it hard to stay indoors... but I'm ok with that!

What I bought: Art-A-Whirl

I only got a few things at Art-A-Whirl, but it's fine because I've been trying not to go overboard on impulse buying lately.  Last year I bought a few prints, which started my 2011 print-purchasing phase.  Now I have a cardboard sleeve full of prints that need to be framed but are oddly sized.  Anyways, here's what I got:

A Polaroid style magnet from a photographer and a plastic Minnesota love necklace.  Simple, inexpensive, and easy to carry around during a day of walking and exploring. 

Home meals of the week: on vacation

This week there will be no home meals of the week as we were camping for four days. Meaning: quick meals around the fire and food from food trucks. Be back up next week, thanks!

My new favorite tattoo artist: Siobhan Creedon

So, when I was at Art-A-Whirl last weekend, I saw a woman with a tattoo I instantly fell in love with. She allowed me to take a picture and I've been admiring it daily.

(You can also see it on the artist's portfolio.)

Isn't it wonderful? I love the simplicity and the detail of it. It has things that I love: a cat, owl with a guitar, flowing vine-type design.  Well, I was surfing Pinterest the other day when I stumbled upon another piece that looked very similar stylistically. After some research I found the artist is Siobhan Creedon. The woman who I met had mentioned her name to me, but of course, it escaped my mind immediately. Her are some other similar pieces I found:

I love these so much.  Too bad her studio is in California.  If I'm ever there and have the money, I'd love to have her give me one of these beautiful black designs.

Do you have any artists' work you admire?

A good chance of rain...

We leave for Bella Fiore today and I can't wait.  I've been going to Harmony Park (this lovely campground in the middle of nowhere) for years, but I haven't been to Bella since the first year it started, and this is it's 6th year!  I can't wait to see how the event has evolved...

Here are some of my favorite pictures at Harmony from the past, a few are from the first year of Bella: Bella Luna, 2007.

Fire dancers, Project Earth, 2009

Project Earth, 2009

Project Earth, 2010

Bella Luna, 2007

Project Earth, 2011

Bella Luna, 2007

And right about here began my love for Trampled by Turtles. I consider this proof of my undying affection for Dave Simonett.

Lake Geneva, Project Earth, 2009

Bella Luna, 2007

Project Earth, 2011

Pre-storm clouds, Project Earth, 2010

And, even though Mark and I have each been to Harmony Park many times (and even at the same festivals!), this will be our first time there together! So that's fun!

Art-A-Whirl

We went to Art-A-Whirl this past weekend- it's basically a huge multi-building, block-spanning open art studio event in NE Minneapolis where you can view and buy art in many various forms- prints, jewelry, painting, ceramics, etc.  It's so awesome to see what other people make.  Unfortunately, I didn't really take pictures of much of what I saw.  I feel kind of awkward doing that- I don't want people to think I'm "stealing" their art, but I don't know- maybe they wouldn't care at all.  I didn't even buy much (just a necklace and a magnet) but it was still a super fun afternoon!

 

Sculpture bench!

This was a tree where people could write down their wishes and hang them.  I love this one.  <3

The key to Art-A-Whirl: breaks, water, and water!  A 90-degree day can be pretty brutal in enclosed, un-air conditioned studios, so hydration is essential!

 Wooden mustaches on a stick.

And I love this:

It's a drawing of an actual giant snowman statue in the city I grew up in (and will soon be moving back to).  Mark thought it was too expensive, but I love it and may have to buy it for the sentimental value. 

So there we go- a successful day of art, fun, and friends! 

Home meals of the week #12

Well, this week was a sort of mish-mash of meals resulting from large quantities of certain ingredients (and I'm not saying that's a bad thing!).  An abundance of asparagus, veggie burgers, rosemary buns, and Fritos (ok, not sure about that one...) can turn out pretty yummy!

Up first, burritos with asparagus.  Grilled up the ingredients (see the nice lines on the tortilla?!): rice, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and black beans.

Ok... this meal is going out on a limb.  Beans, corn, avocado, lettuce, sour cream... and Fritos?  Mark had some urge to buy them the other night, and then cook with them.  Needless to say, he did not enjoy the meal at all, but I totally loved it.  We don't generally eat stereotypical junk food, but I do love me some Fritos!  It was basically just a taco salad.

And these three meals can all go together.  Pretty much identical, save a few changes.  Each has onion, fabulous rosemary potato buns from Whole Foods, and some standard American cheese singles.  The first was for breakfast with egg whites and avocado- I would never need to eat breakfast out again if I made this every morning!  Next, with a grilled spicy black bean burger and asparagus.  And again... not grilled, with avocado and blue corn chips.  Those MorningStar veggie burgers are some of my favs!  They really never fail- perfect flavor and texture always.

 

And, for good measure, my lovely man grilling our dinner.  <3

Hemp pouch necklace.

So, one of the things I saw and liked at Craftstravaganza last weekend was a crocheted necklace pouch, but Mark convinced me that I could make one on my own for free.  So, the other night I pulled out some hemp from Sho and attempted a DIY project.

I used an earring for the clasp.  (I have a growing collection of single gauged earrings as a result of losing/breaking one from the pair so I've been trying to find uses for the lonely pieces.)  I added some matching green beads and hemp tassels. 

I pretty much winged it for the pattern.  Just some double crochet stitches and improvisation and it was done.   The only challenge was in regards to the actual hemp- it varies a lot in size, from very thick to quite thin.  I decided I really like this about the end result.  It's not perfect... in a good way. 

Also, I wore leaves in my hair today.  

May Day

This past weekend we went to the Minneapolis May Day parade and festival.  Last year it was 30-some degrees and a cloudy, dismal day.  This year, the events were postponed due to storms and the park was too saturated to support the vendors and crowds. We ended up with a perfect day for the festivities!  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves: