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The baristas at my favorite cafe are gnomes of the coffee world. Chalked full of random knowledge; ever endearing in their awkward air.
Behind their bearded grins they toss out haphazard tales of lawn mowers and Moah-a contrived fictional character born from the confused accounts of Noah and Moses.
“The one who wrestled gators from the stem of his cane and saved all the bovines,” he grunts with glee.
Behind his thick framed glasses, a twinkle dances across his curious eyes as he sings out long winded orders, far beyond the comfort of his vocal range.
He swivels on his heals and debates the mood of a playlist.
“Something smooth and calming?” he quizzes his coffee cohort.
“CELTIC SKA,” the other exclaims.
I sip my fruity mocha and imagine we are friends. They share the mysteries of their lands- art and the curious nature of life far beyond my present line of sight. I share the not so mysterious mysteries of my own realm-that Noah and Moses were very much separate individuals. I confess that art as it exists in paints and metals still baffles me, but that I love to sew and see. We offer each other quizzical looks and ooo and aww over how we have lived lives so vastly different, so vastly similar -and utterly unimpressive.
We decide they are lovely all the same and long to see all the more.
Yet, gnomes are elusive creatures of the imagination, as baristas are but bewhiskered men. And so i sip my coffee alone, behind the veiled window of observation.
So after recently moving into a new house, decorating was certainly in order. Being on a budget can make this a creative challenge, but a fun one at that. I tried to think of ways I could give my room a homegrown vintage look that was both simple and affordable to accomplish. Here is one simple idea I came up with. The total cost of the project was under $15. Note: a glass of wine, good music and crafting partner make this project twice as fun.
simple craft project:
1. create vintage pushpins.
2. distress basic frames with diluted paint.
3. hot glue ribbon to hang frames (at varying lengths)
4. choose some favorite visual memories (aka photos)
5. hang & enjoy.
The Abby Apron.
I made this one as a piece within a kitchen themed wedding present. I chose soft, lovely patterns set in bold, rich colors- inspired by the character of my sweet friend Abby.
This song reminds me so much of myself as a little girl and even now -wandering around enjoying creation and pondering all that’s lovely with the Lord. I especially like the end in which she finds herself an old woman, filled with stories lived. I hope when I find myself in old age, my words will be quite similar.
The photos below are from little places in Virginia near my home, where I’d take my long walks through all such “seasons”, like those spoken of in this beautiful song.
a sample of my “baking music” to give you the true experience of the post below :)
Let them eat cake!
I truly enjoy baking.
I love that it is a creative outlet that is both relaxing and invigorating. It can be messy and frantic and filled with color, texture, and enough rich scents and tastes to loose yourself in.
However, I think what I love most about it is that it reminds me of my “momma”. She is a baker in Virginia (a professional, unlike myself). I think she is beautiful and her creations follow suit. I never showed a deep interest for baking when I lived there, but since moving it has very much become a part of me. I love calling my mom at all hours (she’s a late owl baker herself) to ask her questions.
With a touch of desperation in my voice, and a tone of comical madness, she is submitted to questioning: “should this look like this? how can i substitute that?”. She is a bottomless mixing bowl of wisdom and i think in some regard, my attempts at baking are my small way of feeling closer to her, my home.
Here are some photos of my most recent baking venture: Chocolate raspberry liqueur cake truffles, coated in a dark chocolate shell and drizzled with white chocolate. Needless to say, my mom gave me the idea.
