Curious Bird

:a good habit:

happy weekend. it has been a really good one so far.
just wanted to pop in to mention that I'll be posting over at habit  for the month of june. I'm thrilled to be invited as a guest and definitely looking forward to lots of photo-taking adventures.
I will still be here in this space, as well.

have fun,
leya

p.s. to the reader who recommended I read Half of a Yellow Sun, thank you. I'm really enjoying it.

It has certainly been established that I'm a big fan of lounging. Don't get me wrong, I get things done, but I do love some quality time relaxing at home, therefore, comfy lounge pants are crucial. I whipped these beauties up in less than an hour using this new Betsy Ross pattern.
I will make more of these pants -- no question.

For what it's worth, I did some durability testing and in addition to being cute,
the pants are definitely sturdy.  (also, if you're like me and haven't jumped on the bed in a while, you should give it a go. it's damn fun)

Hope you have a great weekend.
I'm looking forward to checking out the Art Star Craft Bazaar, playing some board games with friends, a little drive out of the city, and of course, a bit of lounging.

More soon,
Leya

daily ritual: morning stretch

it makes me feel better. it helps me slow the morning down a bit. it's fun.
although the kitties are relentless,  after all this time, they still don't understand they're not supposed to lie down on the yoga mat. goof balls.

more daily ritual photos here. 

happy hump day,

l.

love.

These summer dresses have me wishing I had a thicker wallet...

(they are all available at Creatures of Comfort)

Hope you had a great weekend. Boy, it was such a party weekend here (we're talkin' Sangria, Margaritas and Boozy Lemonade) -- I was in bed super early last night and I am still worn out. This week is going to be very low-key, if I have anything to say about it.

I'm planning to sew myself some new summer skirts and comfy pants -- I will do a show-and-tell soon.
More spicy carrots will be pickled. My goodness that last batch was tasty -- perfectly spicy and crisp.
Pickled okra is sitting pretty in my refrigerator as I type this. Looking forward to trying it in a day or two.
Ithaca plans will hopefully come together in the next few days. Thanks again for all the great recommendations.
I have plans to bike over and finally check out the Cezanne exhibit at the PMA.
Hoping to pull out all of my mixed media supplies and get crackin' on some new shadowboxes.
Maybe I will get around to finally finishing a roll of film I've been slowly shooting using my old Nikon.

Art Star is next weekend. I'm a little sad I will be taking this year off, but I'm really excited to get to check it out without having to rush back to my booth.

I'll say hello again soon. Hope you have a great day.

-L

(p.s. week two of Daily Ritual is tomorrow. Join in if you like).

and the winners are...

Thanks, everyone! Kristin and Kristal are the lucky winners of my Patchwork Style giveaway. Congratulations, ladies. (please send your shipping address to leya (at)curiousbird(dot)com)

Before I say goodbye for the holiday weekend, I want to thank Dustin for his kind assistance and for saying, "what do I have to do" and "I don't want to be in the photo" in only a semi-exasperated tone.  After all, he did the drawing before having any coffee.  Merci, Dustin. Merci.

Have a great weekend,
l.

Make Good

Hello,

Thanks so much for the nice comments about places to explore in and around Ithaca, NY and info on a decent wok. I'll checkout woks in Chinatown and see what I think, but there is also a gift certificate burning a hole in my wallet, so I might have to use it towards a heavier, cast-iron model. We'll see...
Either way, I knew I could count on you guys for help.

As a thank you, I'm doing a giveaway for two copies of one of my favorite craft books, Patchwork Style.

 

Although the photograph above is of the original Japanese version, I have two copies from the MakeGoodBooks Craft+ Life series that are fully translated into English. This is such an amazing and inspiring book. You will want to create every beautifully photographed project.  

 

All you have to do is leave a comment and I will have D pick two winners tomorrow (Friday, May 22nd).
He will draw names out of a hat or something sillier if I can think of it.

Have a good day,

L.

p.s. I'll be away from the computer most of today, so if you don't see your comment right away, don't fret. I'll publish comments sometime this evening.  Thanks, everyone. Comments are now closed. 

daily ritual: morning tea

every day is different, but there is  one constant: my morning tea.
even if it requires waking before dawn,  I create the time.
I fill my red tea kettle and place it on the stove.
I place a bag of black tea in the little orange teapot my mom gave me. 
the milk joins my mug on the counter.
hot water is poured into the orange teapot and I wait.
pour the tea into my mug. add the milk.
drink while sitting, usually with a cat on my lap.
after all, mornings are special. 

the daily ritual photo project begins today. check it out or join the flickr group here.

random

Beware: this post is pretty random, complete with a photo that has absolutely nothing to do with anything.

There is really no other way to begin such a post, so how about like this:

I have a couple of questions that perhaps you can help me with. Since I've had lots of success using this here blog to ask for recommendations on books and camping, and even tips on Philadelphia neighborhoods when planning our last move, I figure I should learn from past experience and use it again.

First, there is a chance D and I are going to be exploring the area around Ithaca, NY for a couple of days in mid-June. Do you happen to know of any good places to see/things to do in and around Ithaca? We would like to camp if we can find a quiet spot. We're not opposed to backpacking if that's an option. So...know of any quiet spots near Ithaca? We hear it's gorges there (thanks to several t shirts and bumper stickers), so we know we're going to like it, however, a good camping situation would make it just that much better.

Next, the mister and I are in need of a good wok. I know, random, eh?  Do any of you have anything to say on the wok subject? We have been making pad thai in a skillet and it is just not cutting it. We want a good one that will last a long time and we don't mind seasoning it ourselves. We've done some research on woks and seem to be flummoxed about what to get.

Any help on Ithaca or our quest for the perfect wok is greatly appreciated. If you have information on both, I might just send you a little thank you gift.

Oh, and before I go, tomorrow is the first day of my weekly photo project, Daily Ritual. If you want to join in, I've created a flickr group. We'll see how this goes. I think it may end up being a little more challenging than I initally thought. I'm really looking forward to seeing what people photograph.

Have a good day,
Leya

p.s. the photo above was taken during one of my adventures in grape pickling. just thought I should mention that, so you don't think that I have some strange grape-trimming issue.

i like summer vacation

Having just spent the weekend in a really beautiful spot on the Delaware River, I must admit that I am having quite a hard time getting back in the swing of things here at home. It was so nice being in nature (so green!) and hanging out for a few days catching up with close friends -- they live in New York, so we don't get to see each other enough. Together we made and ate wonderful food (the pickled grapes and carrots were a hit). There was kayaking on the river, a little hiking, some games played and crossword puzzles solved, and a whole lot of relaxing. I guess it should be pretty clear why I'm having a hard time getting back to work here at home, I think I just had a perfect weekend.  Here are some photos that tell the story.   ~leya

Hi there,

Remember when I said I love pickles? Well, I have recently discovered that I also love pickling. It has gotten a little out of control, actually.  I can't say how long this pickling fascination will last, but for now, I am waaay into it and have more adventures in pickling planned.

Round two (the pickled grapes were round one) involves spicy, pickled carrots. Yum. I used another recipe from A Homemade Life and only have a couple more days before I can give them a taste. I'll let you know how they turn out. Looking forward to it.

Until then, have a great weekend, friends. We have exciting plans that involve a cabin in the woods, a canoe, good friends, and absolutely no snakes --I'll share some photos early next week.

Have fun,
L.