Curious Bird

paper. glue. string.

Making a mess, something I am very fond of doing. This mess eventually became a V-day mobile for our digs.

Having always been a fan of those little paper doilies, I found some in a drawer the other day and with a little glue, paper and string, the rest is history.  An easy project and another good use for pretty paper doilies.

Thanks to all of you who gave simple answers to my simple questions over the last couple of days.

I knew there would be some good rules people follow in order to keep their stuff to a minimum. Thanks for chiming in. Very helpful indeed.

I've got dinner and then my weekly meet-up with the girls for a little Project Runway tonight. I hadn't watched PR until this season and it's definitely something I look forward to every week.

I also look forward to my morning cup of tea, checking the mail everyday, and sunday morning brunch, either at home or out.

What kind of things do you look forward to?

some of my favorite things

A new locket found on Etsy and a gorgeous sea urchin box we received as a wedding gift. Loving the texture of these.
Like most people, I have my favorite things. Our wedding blanket is definitely one, as well as certain family photos and heirlooms. However, I try not to get too attached to "things" in general, and I try to do away with something when a new item is acquired. I'm an avid thrift shopper and collector at heart, so sometimes that rule of thumb is a bit challenging. It's a good rule, though. 
Do you have any rules for keeping your things to a minimum?

lovely lemon and a week of simple questions

Hi there. Hope your weekend was nice. Mine was.  It was busy, but we had a great dinner out with friends on Saturday, which reminded me how much I enjoy spending a weekend evening dining at a little place with good food, a nice bottle of wine, and lots of conversation. It's selection of good BYOs is one of my favorite things about Philadelphia. Indeed.
As you can see, I also got around to making a recipe from the lovely Tartine cookbook. Being in the mood for lemon, I decided to bake Lemon Pudding Cake(s). It was a very simple recipe calling for only a handful of ingredients and it turned out great, having just the right amount of lemon (overly lemony isn't my thing). Very light and fluffy with the cake rising to the top and the pudding settling on the bottom --quite a tasty little dessert, and would be good for breakfast or brunch, too.

Before I go, being the curious bird that I am, I wanted to begin a week of simple questions. Basically, I'm going to ask a very simple question and if you feel like it, you can give a simple answer. Easy, right?

While baking yesterday, I begin thinking about all of my kitchen gadgets and tools and was trying to decide on one that I use often and really didn't expect to in the beginning. For me, it's definitely my microplane.
How about you? What kitchen gadget do you often use that is a surprise to you?

Have a good Monday,
Leya

winter white friday

Hello,
Wouldn't you know I would have to end winter white week with a three photo bang, and it's probably no surprise my sweet, solid white kitty is included (looking quite crabby, no less). Posting only photos this week has been nice -- it has given me some time to focus on a few projects I've had trouble finishing. Honestly, I've been in a bit of a slump when it comes to getting things done. Lots of ideas, but not a lot of energy.

It's Friday, though and I'm looking forward to a weekend of reading, completing a gocco project, and baking something from this lovely cookbook. I've been trying to choose between making something sweet or savory. I'm leaning toward cheddar cheese biscuits...or maybe I will try baking croissants..or perhaps I'll just open the book blindly and point. We'll see.

Have a nice weekend,
L.

winter white thursday

More winter whites here. This time, I give you white antlers.

I've got a cold that's trying to put me to bed, but I won't give in. I have things to do, I say. Things. To. Do.
Like return library books and make black bean soup.

-Leya

winter white wednesday

Sleeping on under a cloud. My winter white week photo number two.

Band of Horses was a good time. Made me miss the South a bit. Made me long for a cabin in the mountains. Yeah, a cabin outside Asheville. I'd have a sunny little studio and a porch with a nice spot to sit and read while drinking tea. Maybe one day.

For now, I'll continue to listen to Gram Parsons and eat the last of the chocolate chip muffins.
Have yourself  a good day.

More winter white week photos to come.

-Leya

winter whites

Kitchen Window.
I'm participating in winter white week (a day late) hosted by Shari. More shots to come.

-Leya

good things. happy things.

Homemade chocolate chip muffins and the fact that substituting yogurt for sour cream really does work.

Dustin's new brain model. He's brainy like that.

A new gocco project I'm having fun working on.

Stay warm,
L.

Good Morning,

Not quite sure where last week went. I was sorta in my own world and couldn't find time for much more than work and errands. After jury duty, which thankfully only lasted one long day, and getting a bit of a cold, I decided to settle in and relish the quiet for a few days. I'm glad I did.
During my days of relaxation, I managed to watch several episodes of 30Rock, a show I had never seen before. I laughed a deep belly laugh at least once per episode, which on my personal scale instantly qualifies 30Rock as a damn good show. We also saw The Savages, a great, yet sad film. I highly recommend  both The Savages and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, which I saw weeks ago and forgot to mention. Both films are beautifully shot and filled with a sadness that left me feeling thoughtful as well as extremely thankful.

This coming week should be fun. We're going to see Band of Horses and Cass McCombs, both of which I'm really excited about and have been looking forward to for a while. In addition,  I'm hoping to complete a few of the shadowboxes I've been working on and put them in the shop. I managed to add several eye masks to the shop yesterday, so perhaps my shadowbox goal is reachable.

Here's to a good Sunday. We're off to have lunch with some friends from summer camp who are passing through Philly for the day.

Be Well,
Leya

p.s. as I type this, Motown keeps me company. (captured with photobooth)

birds on my mind

These are a couple of the new shadowboxes I've been creating lately. Birds. Imagine that.  The top one is 5x7 and the bottom one is 9x9, both were equally hard to photograph. I have big plans to get these and a couple of other ones put in my shop sometime soon, but first I have to deal with Jury Duty. Yes, today is the day I go and sit around all day waiting to be picked or not picked. I'm not looking forward to it. I have my new book, a few magazines, and several snacks packed for what is probably going to be an all day affair. Wish me luck.
Have a good day.

More soon,
Leya