Notes From a Small Town

Cooking and Creating

Today is Monday.

Monday in my house typically means I am baking. A lot. We've usually run out of bread/muffins/breakfast munchies. But, today, I felt inspired and tried a bunch of new things. The boys helped, of course. (I am really loving four-and-three-quarters. Ronan is a great help).

(This is a mushroom)

We made play-dough. From scratch.

Yes, I am impressed with myself. I know that everyone else has been doing it for ages, but the cooking part kept putting me off. But, it was a rainy afternoon and I was looking for things to keep us occupied (as if cleaning the kitchen from the above-mentioned baking wasn't enough). I came across this post and that was the recipe we followed. It was so fast and easy...Ronan mixed everything together and I "cooked" it on the stove for a couple of minutes.

We let it cool and then added colors. Initially, I was afraid to add the food coloring because I thought it might come off on their hands...and their clothes...the wall, etc. But, once it was thoroughly worked in, nothing comes off onto their hands...maybe a little bit of the veggie oil used in the recipe. That's all.

I also tried a new recipe :: cheesy crackers

They were (yes, they've all been eaten) delicious. I was lucky I even got a picture of them before they were gone. (I had to save these for Joey since the kids couldn't get enough of them). The recipe is from The Sneaky Chef, though I adapted it a bit (I added back the fat and took out the wheat germ). They are nutritious and my kids loved them. Next time, I am quadrupling the recipe and freezing the extras.

Cheesy Crackers
adapted from The Sneaky Chef

2/3 cup chickpea puree
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 heaping TBSP Asiago/Parmesean (I used Percorino)
4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/3 cup white flour whole wheat pastry
1/3 cup whole wheat flour

**REVISED 10/19 ** Eliminate the white flour and use whole wheat pastry instead. Cook for longer - 20 minutes and on a lower temperature.

Small cookie cutter...we used a diamond shape.

1. Preheat oven to 375. 325 degrees
2. Combine everything but the flour
3. Add flour and mix well.
4. Wrap in foil/parchment paper/plastic bag and put in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll out to 1/16 inch thick and let the kids help use the cookie cutters.
6. Place on oiled cookie sheet and bake for 12-14  20-25 minutes.
7. Transfer to rack to cool, assuming your children do not gobble them up before they are done cooling.

I have been reading Real Food by Nina Planck and I am getting pretty on board with the use of more traditional fats in our diets. (In moderation, of course). This is a good cross between The Omnivore's Dilemma and Nourishing Traditions. It's a pretty interesting read.

And, so, since I added back regular cheese (since the author recommends low-fat), these were a little oily. But, very, very good. I think am going to try to bake them for a bit longer on a lower temperature - maybe 325 for 20 minutes. I'll let you know how they turn out.

And, why did I take out the low-fat cheese? Well, I stopped buying low-fat cheese many, many years ago because it was unfufilling and seemed odd. Also, in Planck's book, she mentions that low-fat products (cheese, milk, yogurt) all have powdered milk in them.  Apparently, powdered milk creates oxidized or damaged cholesterol. Very interesting book indeed!

birthday crowns

Among my our new family traditions is the very popular birthday crown. We started with Ronan's fourth birthday and it seems to be one of the easiest handmade birthday gifts to give (and make). It's simple, doesn't take up much space and is genuinely well-received (always nice for a handmade gift to be well-loved). Plus, I get to stretch my creative limits and consider the personality of the child and how the crown will be used. Each time I make one, I think it is my favorite. And, then another comes along. A recap of the past few months...

...delicate and full of brightness...

 

 

...fit for a princess...

...calm and playful (even with a bit of a cold).

 

I love this picture - the boy, his crown and the action of a mind-blowing sneeze.

Handmade Easter gifts

We all came together this weekend for good food with family and friends. There was lots of thanksigiving and joy for the season. Easter baskets were filled - in the nick of time - and spinach pies were made and delivered to the table. And, there were lots of handmades for the kids.

 

First, we dyed eggs with all natural materials. From left: roasted beets, red cabbage, curry powder, turmeric and a spinach/cilantro mix. We steeped the veggies and herbs for an hour with boiling water...and the eggs were soaked for four more hours in the fridge. Not too much instant gratification here, but very nice results.

The green deepened the next day and the red cabbage was a big dud. And, I needed to mash the beets a bit more. But, of course, I had some handmades that I needed to finish.

 

Pom-pom chicks...you can't have a mama hen without some babies! (From the book, Creative Play for your Baby). They were pretty easy...I ended up felting them to keep the yarn from pulling out of the pom-poms.

And, what has become my Easter handmade tradition : mama-made people. Last year, it was a fireman. Initially, I couldn't find one that I liked, so I made him. This year, our minds have been on farming and urban homesteading. There was very little thinking about this year's doll: a little farmer girl seemed like the perfect addition. She's already working on her animal husbandry.

(Joe made the wooden gates too...we all got in the handmade act. More on that project later).

Crafting

In the week before major events (holidays, birthdays, etc.) it seems as if I need four extra hands and another twenty-four hours in every day. I must have been wearing my "super-crafting-ability" goggles at the time I made out this list of to-be-made items for my boys. Of course, I could drop a few things, but my heart is set and I do like to have some sort of crafting traditions. Plus, our table has been cleared every morning - in anticipation - of all the crafty projects surrounding our upcoming holiday.

During the day, we're trying some crafts (directions found here). And, tomorrow, we're attempting egg-dyeing with all natural materials (found here). Wish us luck!

 

And, at night? A tired mama puts on some tea and works some crafting magic.

Have a happy and safe Easter!

Handmade for the babies :: mother hen

A little bit of crafting and I can see the world in a whole new light. A completed project makes me feel so good about myself - it reaffirms my ability as a crafter and I know that I can tackle those less than appealing projects with a new gusto.  I am definitely a more patient wife and mom to my family when I get a little bit of quiet time with the sewing needle. (That feeling stays with me even when that lone crafting turns into a group project!)

Plus, I get to cross something off my "to-make" Christmas list. (And such a long list it is...) Do you remember this post and this one? The people who brought forth Creative Play for Your Toddler, published another book for making toys for the wee ones. It's been staring me down for the last few months - begging me to get started.

The creative juices are flowing and I can hear those squeaky wheels turning. My brain is scrambling with all sorts of fellow farm animal fun for my little guy. I've already had a request from the older brother as well, so we will have to see what type of animal I can create (or he requests). I just hope it is something that looks good with a wool felt coat.

more fish :: baby mobile

Ah, a finished project.

Sigh.

As we approach Calum's eighth week on Earth (how did we ever live without him), we have gratefully fallen into a bit of a routine. Which means - a bit more time for crafting - without sacrificing sleep. This project has been in the works for, well, eight weeks now? But, with all the newborn baby watching/cuddling/kissing, its importance fell by the wayside. However, it was so nice to be sewing again - there's an aura of calm that comes over me when I get into the groove of a project. And, it's nice to see it finished and put into good use. So, while Calum did this:

I did this:

and this...

A black and white and red baby mobile to hang over his changing table. I love those fish. So versatile.

Look closely at the picture and you'll notice the fish are attached with safety pins. I did this on purpose (and not just out of frustration). I wanted to be able to change out the items and add a bit of variety - especially since Calum spends quite a bit of time on this changing table! And, secondly, I have been very conscious lately of where things go when we are finished with them. I didn't want to make a mobile, only to have it be shoved in a box within a few months. While I thoroughly enjoyed the crafting aspect, I was worried about the environmental aspect of such a short lifespan. So, I attached the fish with safety pins with the intention that they will become part of the fishing game in a couple of years.

 

Have a great weekend!

playing in the sand :: at home

I have a little secret to tell: I strongly dislike the heat. Egad! And, I'm a Florida native. This feeling came on slowly, but surely, and quite possibly due to my experience with a breezy summer in Maine. Now, when the temperature rises above 85 degrees, I cannot bring myself to go outside. I think that the air-conditioning and I have a symbiotic relationship.

Unfortunately, we've enjoyed the last five months of outdoor exploration and it's hard to give that up. So, we structure our day to be outside in the early morning hours and shut ourselves indoors around lunchtime. But, this leaves over six hours of indoor playtime - no easy job to fill when you only have 900 sq. feet of house, a husband who works at home, and you are trying to do it with little to no video-watching time. What's a mama to do?

This mama borrowed an idea from a friend for a portable sand box. This mini-sandbox lives on our front porch - under the shade - and is right beneath our kitchen window. There are chairs out there (yay!) and so I can sit with Calum and hang out while Ronan plays in the sand. Or, Ronan can work in the sand while I work in the (air-conditioned) kitchen.

This was an unbelievably easy project (about $3 for the sand and a re-purposed plastic storage bin). Just perfect for some "outside," but shady, afternoon play time.

A Handmade Fireman Doll

There are a lot of projects out there that I think my son (husband, sister) will like, but I'm never sure. And, most of the time, that's all right with me. I hardly ever finish a project if I'm not enjoying it. So, even if they don't like it, I loved making it.

In this case, I thoroughly enjoyed creating this fireman doll from scratch for Ronan - AND - I think that he will just love it. (Not so much with the fishing game).

I have been secretly working on this project for the last two months (it will be an Easter gift). He saw the wooden figure and knew that I was going to make a fireman, but it's been out of sight, out of mind. Right now, he is really into firemen and looking around, we realized that we were short on people. We've got lots of Legos and wooden roads to build, but there's not a lot of person-to-person interactions going on here.

In typical fashion, I though it might be fun to try and make one for him. I ordered the wooden doll and wool felt from here and used patterns for the jacket and pants from the two books above. The jacket will come off, although the pants are sewn on for good. He can always become someone else who just likes to wear red pants!

But, the hat. Oh, the hat.

A fireman just isn't a fireman without his hat.

The hat I had to create myself. I'll admit - it wasn't easy. It took me quite a few tries to get it just right (or at least recognizable). But, I had so much fun creating and learning the ways of the small, wooden doll. Maybe, next time he'll ask for a farmer. I wonder how hard it is to weave 2-inch pieces of straw together...

Windy day = Handmade kites

This is the second kite made by my hubby, who took on this project with gusto (as if I needed another project). We were inspired by this post, and the windy, pollen-heavy days that filled our weekend. I merely thought it was cool idea, sent him the web site and the next thing I knew, we were knee-deep in kite materials and excitement.

The first kite was made of found sticks and a garbage bag and was not quite aerodynamic. This one has a paper covering , decorated by Ronan, and store-bought dowels. When we all went outside to try it out, we realized why most of the kites we've seen have been at the beach.

Very large, very tall, oak trees tend to block the wind a bit. So, we hopped in the car to find a nice, grassy field. At which time, my kite-maker realized the importance of a heavier tail on such a windy day. And, in typical three-year-old fashion, ten minutes after we got there, "Mommy, I have to go pee."

But, not before we had ourselves a little kite-action and some open-field running.

("Mommy, take a picture of me running...in circles.")

Handmade for the babies

Apparently, I am on a quest to make as many felt fish as I possibly can. (In fact, I have a great idea concerning more fish, but that is a project for another day). For now, I am showing off my blanket stitch handiwork (um, I had to learn how) with this felt fish for the new baby. As we were making the fishing game, Ronan suggested that we make a fish for his baby brother, so he picked out some white felt and I chose some groovy colors and, voila, the 70's fish is born.

And, I finally got around to tracing out my hand-drawn fish and my lovely husband make it a PDF for me (and you)! It's on the sidebar, or you can find it here.

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Just a quick side note about the "For personal use only" label on the PDF. As a librarian, (yep, my "professional" degree is in library and information science), I am a bit preoccupied with copyright infringement. Since I got the idea for the fishing game from Creative Play for Your Toddler, I didn't think it was okay to release the template to the public domain to be used by for-profit businesses. I did draw the fish myself, but I was basing it on the picture in the book. So, use it for yourself or your friends, or your local school, etc., but no selling. Thanks!
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And, since I hate to end a post on a technical note...here's a picture of some of the other handmade toys I've purchased for the new baby. The wood stacker and the teething ring are from this etsy seller and the colored rings are from here.