The Emerald City

Oh, Seattle, you are lovely! I've been away on an Alaskan cruise and it was one of the most wonderful vacations I ever had. I highly recommend it if you've never been! My family started our cruise in Seattle and we did all the touristy things: Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, EPM Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Argosy Cruise, Pike Place Market. We got a CityPASS and it was a great bargain as it allows you to see 5 city attractions at a discount. My favorite was Chihuly Garden and Glass. I could have walked around the exhibit for endless hours admiring the glass sculptures.

Seattle is a short flight from where I live in California so I hope to be back one day. I know there is so much more to see. Plus, I did not get enough time to explore Pike Place Market.

Look out for more posts about the rest of my cruise!

Books, Florals, and Lambs

I swear a few weeks ago it felt like spring. The weather was pleasant. There was a cool breeze in the air. It was perfect for a light jacket and silk scarf. But now it's 100 plus degrees. Summer is here. A few happening in these beginning days of unoffical summer:

I made beer-battered artichoke hearts from the book The Forest Feast and this recipe is a keeper. These artichokes were addicting. I served them with a jalapeno-arugula aioli that made the artichokes even more divine. I highly recommend The Forest Feast if you are looking for good veggie recipes!

I'm currently reading The Rose and the Dagger. It's full of brooding men and frustrating heroines, which makes for an intense read. It's the sequel to The Wrath and the Dawn. I highly recommend this series if you're looking for a fantasy/romance read.

Besides, the beer-battered artichoke hearts, I've also made pasta using my Philips Pasta Maker. I'll be honest, I've tried more than once to make pasta on my own and have failed. This pasta maker is a good way to cheat. The pasta comes out wonderfully.

And, I've got one more cookbook recommendation for you. Eating in the Middle had the most delicious salmon recipe. The brown sugar and chili rubbed salmon with avocado crema will turn any salmon hater into a lover.

I found a floral dress at Macy's a few weeks ago and fell in love with it but decided against buying it. Then that night I was still thinking about it so decided to get it online. Couldn't find it! I thought it wasn't meant to be. But just this week I came across this dress again and knew this time I couldn't say no. It has a vintage flair to it that I love. Wearing it just makes me feel happy. I'm trying to buy clothes that bring joy instead of conforming to a trend and this dress fits that perfectly.

And lastly, I'm knitting a lamb. I'm always knitting something and most times I know what I'm doing but for making this lamb, which comes from Itty-Bitty Toys, I had to work on a technique I wasn't experienced in. I love it when I get to learn something new. My confidence grows and that feeling of accomplisment leaves me with a high for the rest of the day.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Though She Be But Little

Another printable! This quote is from Shakespeare: "Though she be but little she is fierce." You're welcome to download it and print it out for personal use. Go be fierce, my dears!

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Make Something and Give It Away

I am no speed knitter. Knitting these stuffed animal toys takes me a couple weeks. It can also be hard to find the time to do it but I look forward to the moments where I can knit these critters up. It is a labor of love. I think about the children who will get these toys and it gives me motivation.

But I admit that when I finish I think to myself, "What if I kept it?" I put so much work into it I become afraid to give it away and a part of me thinks that the person I give it to won't appreciate all that work. But I remember that the point of making for me is to give. There is joy in the making and there is tremendous joy in the giving. I started knitting for the same reason why I cook, bake, write, sew, paint, craft--I want to share it with others.

I'm trying to wake up each morning asking myself, "What can I give? What can I make for others?"

Today's answer was a little stuffed bird, so I'm off to try my hands at that.

Happy Making, y'all!

Note: The animals shown here come from the book Itty-Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson and I've learned to make stuffed animals from two Craftsy classes: The (Not So) Itty-Bitty Giraffe and Amigurumi: Woodland Animals

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

This past weekend I went to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. It amazes me how I can go from being in the city and then in an hour up a mountain I can be among giants. The massive trees are breathtaking. It makes you feel in awe of nature. While at General Sherman, the largest tree by volume in the world, they gave the analogy that looking up at it was the same as a mouse looking up at a 6 foot tall human. We, humans, are also giants, a powerful force in the world. How humbling and wondrous nature makes us feel.

Kindness Quote Printable

Sometimes I'm kind. Sometimes I'm kinder than necessary. Sometimes I'm reluctantly kind. Sometimes I'm not kind at all.

I love this Henry James quote and designed it into a printable to remind myself to be better on those not-so-kind days. We can all be kinder to ourselves and to others. The world will never have enough kindness.

You're welcome to print this out and color it like me or leave it plain.

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