‎"The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.” -Kurt Vonnegut

I think I've cooked and baked more this week than ever before in my life. It's like all my futile efforts to plan meals and have a pantry of food and the energy and time to just make food all came together with the desire to do it. Some of the highlights, crumpets, brioche rolls with dark chocolate inside, lemon tea cookies, and a yummy leftover carrot-chicken teriyaki. I've been on a roll- I remember to soak the beans and start the brown rice, I spontaneously come up with yummy cheap meals based on what's sitting around. It feels good to not eat out, and to feel creative doing something that used to be a chore.
So for Christmas this morning, I made the Brioche. I was really worried to see that it hadn't risen at all over the long overnight chill, but I think it's because I may have added a little too much butter. After shaping them and squishing some dark chocolate into the middle I let them rise for two more hours and they about doubled, so I baked them off and they were really good. The only problem I have with brioche is that they are so rich but also so irresistible that I had way too many and now I feel like I ate a stick of butter.
I'm really looking forward to the new year- I'm hoping it's calm and simple and peaceful. I am really appreciating that kind of stuff lately. I still have the big dreams, but I'm not antsy for them anymore. Maybe that's a little sad, but it just feels better being happy in the moment- and who knows, maybe I'll be an urban organic farmer.

Happy Birthday to my dear life partner Teddy! What a nice day! We ate too much and drank too much and slept in- and it really doesn't get much better than that! I guess we could have been doing all that someplace warm- that'd be better, I suppose...but I'm not complaining. The picture is old, but he really never changes anyways. He looks exactly like he did when I met him 5 (?) years ago. I love you TED!

Singer 421G

This is a my newest machine, and my first German-made singer. I picked it up at a thrift store for $25.00. It has a fold-up bed, and it's a free arm too! Plus it has all the cool stitches that my 401 has. There's a little storage compartment in the bed too! I'm pretty thrilled!


The free-arm-



The little compartment-


Cute little cam-bobbin storage.

Busy, Busy!

Kisun is helping me make berry scones for our guests. She likes to press the berries in the dough. Such a big helper! This is her new smile.

This is a fisher price scene I discovered yesterday. Interesting.


Some babies.

Sun through the rain

I woke up this morning to find some pretty amazing weather. The sun was beaming through pouring rain. It was almost surreal. I took these pictures, but they don't really capture how it was.

Alright, where were we?

Oh, that's right, sewing. Another vintage pattern, circa, oh, maybe late 70's, early 80's?
It's a Betsey Johnson design, and I'm assuming it's the Betsey Johnson.


Yes, the sleeves are poofy. They are intended to be poofy. Whether I am "intended" to wear poofy clothes is another matter, though.



I like the round neck yoke. I used the longer length option in the pattern.

All in all, I'm happy with it. I'm not sure it's something I'd pick out, but it's fun and theatrical, and it turned out exactly like the pattern cover. The fabric is vintage, picked up at a yard sale last weekend. I like the way it fits, even if it is a little mu-mu-ish.