3191 Miles Apart

2010-02-05T13:45:20Z

MAV's Winter Survival Tips: 1. Eat. Eat a lot. In the winter I'm always more hungry. I find the best thing to do is amp up my eating and that makes me sort of naturally amp up my desire to move/exercise more. It's a nice little trick. 2. Go to bed earlier; get up earlier. I am pretty serious about listening to my body in the winter. Here it's dark at 5p so I move everything up by an hour or two. I think it makes the days feel longer. 3. Layer. And tuck. I usually do tights under jeans and always wear tank tops tucked-in under shirts, sweaters, etc. The tuck is your best secret weapon against the cold creeping up into your soul. —MAV 5 February 2010

2010-02-05T13:44:06Z

2010-02-05T13:43:07Z

Stephanie's Winter Survival Tips: 1. Get a breath of fresh air. Gear up and get outside. Even if it's just a walk around the block, it will do you such good. A bonus is that you'll often have public parks, beaches and trails mostly to yourself. It's a great time of year to explore. 2. Bring the outside in. Pick up a bouquet at the market. Force some bulbs. Plant a pot of herbs on your kitchen windowsill. Take a cutting from a friend's houseplant. Green living things are good for us. 3. When all else fails, I pour myself a couple of fingers of whiskey. Takes the edge off the winter doldrums and warms me from the inside out. —Stephanie 5 February 2010

2010-01-29T06:59:38Z

This week I freshened up our bedding by making several new pillow cases. It was extremely simple sewing with very gratifying results. I ended up being happier with them than any I could find to purchase, so I thought I'd share how they were made. They make decorative use of the selvage (contrasting edge) of the fabric. I used a chambray that I had picked up secondhand, an oxford cloth (not pictured, but also found secondhand), and some natural linen left from making projects for my shop. All these fabrics had a contrasting selvage. If you have access to a sewing machine and an iron and can sew a straight line, you can make these pillow cases in under 15 minutes. You will need fabric that is 60 inches wide that has a selvage worth showing off. Most 100% linens will work as do wovens like the chambray as well as shirtings and hand-spuns. The fabric needs to be something that will stand up to washing with the rest of your bedding. If you are going to use the cases decoratively as shams, you could also use woolens or a rough-hewn linen or hemp. For each case you will need approximately 2/3 of a yard of the fabric. Wash and dry your fabric before beginning sewing. For my cases, I cut the fabric to 23 inches for each case and folded it over so that the selvages meet with the right side facing out (a lot of these types of fabrics don't have a 'right side' and 'wrong side', just leave the side you want showing facing out). I added french seams to the cases, because it looks neat and can remain sturdy despite a lot of trips through the washer. I will attempt to explain how to make a french seam, but if my instructions are not clear to you, google 'french seam' there are all kinds of more thorough explanations and photos out there. It's really quite easy. Stitch a 1/4 inch seam along the length of each side of the case. Open up the case and press the seam over to one side (it doesn't matter which side). Turn the case inside out and press the seam flat. Sew a 3/8 inch seam along each side, encasing the previous seam inside. Turn right side out, trim threads and you have a sturdy case with no exposed seams. Now, lay your head down and enjoy your handywork. —Stephanie 29 January 2010

2010-01-29T06:57:46Z

2010-01-29T06:57:22Z

When I moved from Chicago to Maine six years ago an addiction grabbed hold of me. It's an addiction that lives with me to this day and I call it -- THE CLEAR-OUT. I am addicted to giving things away. I remember one of my best friends saying to me, 'I know one of these days I'm going to come visit you in Maine and you'll be sitting on the corner in your underwear!' And while that has not quite happened yet ... the possibility happily lingers. Now, it just so happens that I have had the occasion in my life of late to indulge in some major clearing-out. In fact, I have given over the last several weekends to this line of work. A dream come true! Liberation at last! There are always a few items that automatically make 'the cut' (some of which you see photographed throughout this dispatch). These are items, that for either sentimental or love reasons, I won't hesitate to put right back into their spot in the closet. 'The Rules' don't apply to them and they never will. Everything else, without fail, is taken out, looked at, considered and either tossed into the Salvation Army bag, into the letterpress-ink cleaning bag (the item has to be quite scrappy for this bag) or put back in the closet ... saved by the bell. Here's a peek into my thinking about the closet/dresser clear-out. Get ready for some serious hard-line tough love goodness! You'll thank me for it, I swear. MAV's CLEAR-OUT RULES Notes: Give yourself a few hours to go through your clothing; don't be in a rush. Take out every single item and throw it on the bed or the floor. Make your way through the pile using 'The Rules' below as a guide for your decision-making. You will have one hell of a mess on your hands but you'll feel amazing afterward and the Salvation Army (and thrifters alike) will thank you! 1. Ask yourself, 'have I worn this in the last six months?' For me it's 'three months' but let's say six for non-clear-out-addicts. Obviously this does not mean that seasonal clothing should be gotten rid of. What I am trying to say is that if you have not reached for it in the last six months you're not going to reach for it. Trust. 2. Ask yourself, 'does this fit?' and 'does this make me feel like a million bucks?' Don't save clothing that is the wrong fit/size. Whether it's the huge sweater you used to wear in middle school (although perhaps this falls under sentimental value, of course) or the skinny jeans you bought on sale because you figured you'd fit into a 29 someday soon, if it doesn't fit, it just doesn't fit. Clothes that fit make you feel like you; why wear anything else? 3. Ask yourself, 'do I really need another t-shirt?' Feel free to swap out the word 't-shirt' for 'tank-top' or any other basic item you might have too many of. T-shirts and basics are major culprits for clogging up the closet or dresser. Why bother? Trim down and try having just a small stack of basics. You can rotate them in, take care to wash them well and love on them all the more. Also consider the case of your t-shirt from Disney Land circa 1979 ... you don't wear it anymore but there is something sentimental about it. Why not trim/rip out the graphic (and that of any other t-shirt you feel this way about) and make a nice stack of worn cotton swatches that can sit nicely with your photographs? A great way to remember those trips/college days/boyfriends/girlfriends without having those memories taking up so much space! 4. Ask yourself, 'how often am I really going to go to a black tie New Years Eve party?' Feel free to swap out 'NYE party' for any fancy event of your choosing. My point? It's great to have some fancier items in your closet, everyone needs them, but don't keep that horrible bridesmaids dress that your friend made you buy for her wedding and you're still hoping you can talk yourself into wearing at another event someday, maybe, hopefully?! Nah. You're not going to wear it. Ladies, keep your sexy dresses and men, keep your swanky ties but just keep ones you LOVE. It's all about the love when you're going through your closet/dresser to be sure. These tips should help you trim down and pep up about your clothing. And the best part is seeing in front of you only what you need and what you wear quite often. It will help you layer creatively and come up with interesting, and complimentary, ways to wear your clothes. It will also help you appreciate what you have ... and we certainly could use more of that in the world, don't you think? —MAV 29 January 2010

2010-01-22T06:01:39Z

I have a friend called Naomi and this week she came over for a baking date. Naomi used to be a professional cook/baker (she even has her own self-published cookbook) and she's one hell of a gardener. Both of these trades Naomi does with little fuss and just the right amount of humor. She also happens to be the kind of person whom I met and could tell right away I would trust implicitly in the kitchen. She just has that look about her ... she has those hands. Well as some of you may remember one of my New Years resolutions was to 'perfect homemade doughnuts'. For our baking date I decided I would begin this process by making the closest thing I've ever made to a doughnut: Ricotta Fritters. Naomi showed me how to make Quinoa Muffins (an outstanding recipe which I will have to ask her if I can share with you soon). The first few fritters to come out of the oil were overdone (oops, must get a temperature whats-its before I really get into my year-of-doughnuts). The second batch was better. The third batch was dynamite! This recipe is simple, so satisfying and gorgeous. I really love it. It is slightly adapted from Gourmet magazine, April 2008 (gosh do I miss Gourmet, sniff). Ricotta Fritters makes about 16 fritters around 64 ounces of peanut or sunflower seed oil 3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour 2 t baking powder 1 t lemon zest 1 C whole milk ricotta 2 eggs 1 T natural cane sugar 1-1/2 t pure vanilla extract Heat your oil for a half hour (or so) on medium to medium low heat. Combine flour, baking powder and lemon zest; whisk well. Combine ricotta, eggs, sugar and vanilla; whisk well. Add wet to dry; whisk well. Drop by tablespoons into the hot oil. Turn over once or twice while in the oil. Let cook for 2–3 minutes depending on your preference of done-ness. Use a slotted spoon to lift out onto paper towel to drain. Let cool a bit and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Serve immediately. Cooks Notes: If you like more sweet add another tablespoon of sugar (that is what the original recipe calls for). Wait 5 minutes between frying the batches of fritters so your oil can heat back up a bit. If you can, wait until the fritters cool down a touch to eat them ... you'll taste much more of the lemon and ricotta flavors which are so worth the wait! Save the oil when you're done; I put mine right back in the glass bottle and use it at least one more time (at least). —MAV 22 January 2010

2010-01-22T05:48:42Z

2010-01-22T05:46:49Z

My walk to work is always my most quiet and contemplative time of the day. I really treasure it. —Stephanie 22 January 2010

2010-01-15T01:19:06Z

I love how paper-wrapped bouquets look like they are swaddled newborns. They are not, however, very fussy when you unwrap them which is nice. I don't buy cut flowers very often, but, almost always, come the dark days of a northwest January, I will bring a mixed bouquet home from the market. They are no substitution for sunlight, but they help. I am a floral segregationist. I just appreciate each flower best when it's with it's own kind. Plus, I can spread the love all around the house. Sometime I let them mingle. Unlike with house plants, there is an understanding that cut flowers will not last forever. When they wilt and droop and litter their surrounding with pollen and petals, I know that this is just their normal course—it's not my fault. They come. They are here for a while. They go. —Stephanie 15 January 2010