Plarn Bag Progress

It's coming along!  Loving this project. 

Pear Salad Recipe

As promised, here is the Pear Salad Recipe.  I found the original here.  And here's how I did it.

You will need:

• 1 - 10 oz. bag of spinach
• 1 bunch of endive
• 1 shallot
• 1 pear (I used a Bartlett) 
• 2 tbs pear-infused vinegar
• 2 tbs olive oil (I used extra virgin)
• 3/4 cup of walnuts
• 8 oz container fresh crumbled blue cheese

1. Slice your shallot into really thin slices.  Blanch them for 20 seconds.  Drain well.  In a small bowl, toss with 2 tbs of the pear vinegar.  Set aside. (I'm sure you could add these to the salad raw if you want to skip this step, but the original recipe said to do it this way and I like it.)

2. Grab a large bowl the size of the salad you'd like to make.  (We're real technical around here.)  Break off any thick stems, rip into bite-sized pieces, and fill bowl to about 2 inches from top with the spinach leaves. 

3. Put in a couple handfuls of the endive.  (Also w/out stems and ripped into bites.)  

4. Cut up your pear into chunks and add to bowl.

4. Add about 3/4 cup of walnuts. (This is really just to taste - I like a lot of nuts in my salad.)  As you add them, kinda crush them in your hand as you sprinkle them in.

5. Add the vinegar & shallot and about a handful of blue cheese.  Give a little toss/shake so it's not all sitting on top.  (You'll really mix it well at the end.)

6. Take about 2 tbs of oil and heat up hot! in a small pan.  

7. Drizzle the oil over your salad and toss everything with tongs until well-mixed.

8. Add more blue cheese to the top if you love blue cheese as much as we do. :)

This salad is delicious and quick!  I love how the flavors play off each other so perfectly.  

Oh!  And by the way, if you're in the market for some kitchen towels that are not only super cool looking but great quality - try this Etsy shop - Oh Little Rabbit.  I got a couple of towels and napkins from them recently and I just love them!!  That's one of their tea towels in the picture above.  Support handmade!

Girlie Night! A cooking & plarning party.

Last night was so much fun!  A couple of my absolute favorite chickies (and a brand new chicky - I love her already) came over for some cooking and crafting fun.

We decided to try our hand at "plarning" some crocheted bags.  It was a blast.

We had some fabulous helper/supervisors, of course.

After we spent some time chatting it up and cutting our plarn strips, our tummys got to grumbling so we cooked up some grub.  I made a spinach/endive/pear/walnut/blue cheese salad.  

Sooo good.  I'm gonna make another one today.  (And I'll come back soon to post that recipe.)  And Kristin made us a really complicated (from what I was seeing!) tofu stir fry. 

It had a definite kick to it - but the flavor was really yummy.  And Heidi made us a mucho delicioso tequila bar desert!!  Mmmmm.  So good, in fact, that SOME of us....

....may have even been caught with thirds!  ;)  That's the "new" chicky.  Isn't she cute?!  And she loves her some desert like I love me some desert.  Sorry - no pics of the tequila bars.  We scarfed them up too fast.

Then we got back to business. 

Everyone made really good progress.  And after all girlies were gone, I worked on my bag a bit more.  Here's where I am so far...

Not bad, eh?  I can't wait to start on the yellow.  

I really like this project!  For lots of reasons. 

• We're reducing the amount of trash headed to landfills in the form of plastic bags by reusing them (two R's. Hooray!)
• The whole thing is really fun, easy, and is a great social activity.  (Actually, new chicky, Amanda said that her mom had actually been to a "plarning party".  So cool!!)
• You get to make something really cute and useful while saving the planet - and reason 3 part 2 is that there are a TON of patterns and projects you can try out with your plarn.
• Um.  I don't know what else.  But just getting to create with something called "plarn".  That's reason enough right there. :)

So we had a great time.  I love you girls!!  And I'm off to work on more of my bag. 

Does anyone else have any plarning experience?  Any projects you'd like to share?  And by the way, I feel another tutorial coming on with this one!  Just give me a minute.  Or two.  Or a few weeks. :)

QUESTION - Please let me know what you think!

Hello my lovely readers.  And welcome to all my new followers by the way! 

I thought I'd do a quick survey of sorts here for anyone who has any input.  I'd love to hear what you think! (So if you've never commented before and would like to introduce yourself, or have been sitting back thinking, "Geesh, I wish this girl would _____" - now's your chance!)

I'm looking to add more content to my blog.  Up until now, my posts have primarily been:

• projects in progress
• vintage finds
• Etsy shop updates
• a few personal "goings-on" (like our pumpkin carving, Christmas plans, my cooking escapades...)

But although I try to post as frequently as I can with these ^ I'd really like to be able to post more often.  So I'm wondering what you guys would like to see more of?  Some options that I've been kicking around:

• Pinterest-type posts - things I've found online (stylewise, inspirationwise) to share with you just for fun.
• Links to other blog posts I really like (with the writers' permission of course) - sort of spreading-the-love kinda stuff and introducing you to other artists & crafty bloggers you might not have "met" yet.
• A lot of blogs I like do things like "Wordless Wednesday" or "This Moment" which consist of just pictures...
• Etsy seller features (goodness knows I have a list of people on Etsy who I really admire...and not that I have a huge following or anything - but I'd like to know more about them - maybe you would too - and maybe I could get some of them over here for interviews, etc.).
• "Blast from the Past" - sharing photos & memories from my childhood as a way of, well....reminiscing for me, but also just to share with you.  I hesitate to do this b/c it has nothing directly to do with crafting, my business or anything productive.  But...who knows?  If it sounds good to you... :)

There might be more, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head right now.  So whaddya think?  Any other suggestions are very much welcome too!

Tutorial: Big Fat Crochet Rug - Part Three

Ok, folks.  Here is the third and final installation of the crochet rug tutorial.  Woohoo!



It's been fun doing this little tutorial vlog series!  If anyone's inspired to make a rug of their own - please let me know- I'd love to see what you come up with! (PooknflipProductions[at]gmail[dot]com)

Update: I'm an idiot.  I fully and freely admit this regarding the above video.  I just re-watched it and I'm actually showing a stitch that I don't even know exists...then I do a real single crochet.  Hopefully I'll be excused as this is my first attempt at a tutorial...but I don't want to confuse anyone (too late!) so I'm also including below, a great REAL single crochet instructional video.  Honestly, both stitches I do in this ^ video work - but I'd rather show you the real deal so you can be consistent.  Sorry for the mix up!!

Somethin' fishy

Just a quick update on my fish painting.

And by the way, it's my birthday today!  So happy birthday to me!  

Spreading the word...

Photo credit: http://talk2thetrees.blogspot.com/

I follow a blog called "Talk2TheTrees" and the girlie in charge over there has the cutest dog, Mowgli.  Her best friend and 24/7 companion.  Mowgli, she just found out, needs back surgery.  He's been acting funny for a couple days and she just got back from the specialist with the results. It breaks my heart.  If I even start to think about if something happened to Cooper or Moe...and I wasn't able to help them...it just absolutely breaks my heart.  And if it were me - I would love even the smallest help I could get. 

Photo credit: http://talk2thetrees.blogspot.com/

I truly don't wish anyone to feel any pressure by my posting this, because I know times are tough.  But if you're interested and are able, please visit her blog and make a donation through PayPal.  Here's the link to that post.  And while you're there, please also take a minute and get to know her - the last few posts have been about her sweet Mowgli, of course - but I think she's a really sweet girl and could really use some help.  I'm sure we've all been in a situation where we needed the support of another, right?  Thanks for reading.

Update: Additional consultations, and a turn for the worse, has made poor little Mowgli no longer a candidate for surgery.  Please still feel free to visit Rachael as I'm sure she'll be needing a great deal of emotional support. :(


Update: Mowgli passed today (3/16).  Thanks to anyone who sent their love.  My heart breaks for Rachael...peace to you and yours and hold your loved ones dear because tomorrow is never a guarantee.  

Tutorial: Big Fat Crochet Rug - Part Two

And on to part two!  There is some clarification I'd like to make regarding what I'm doing in this one.  As you're watching, and I start to "single crochet in the chain" that we make...I'm inserting my hook in the front, or top, loop of the stitch.  In crocheting, you're usually instructed in a pattern to go in either the front, the back, or both loops - so there ya go.  Just the front on this part.

Also, I did end up finding my first stitch. :)  So you can sleep sound tonight.  I'll post part three and four (if there is a four) next weekend!

Tutorial: Big Fat Crochet Rug - Part One

Hi folks.  This is a first for me on a couple levels.  I've never done a tutorial before and I've never done a "vlog" post before.  Actually, I've never really been on the internet in video form for any reason.  So - hooray for trying new things!

On with the show.  I will let the video speak for itself...so here ya go!

Part Two to follow! (as soon as I get the hang of this video thing...)  

Oh! And the lovely reader I mentioned says this is a size "Q" hook. 

PS: If anyone has trouble viewing this video - please let me know.  Like I said - I'm new to this :)

Latest Finds

I should come up with a clever, reoccurring title for my "vintage finds" posts.  Like, Kami - over at Marathon1981 -calls hers simply "Found It".  I want something like that...any suggestions?  Treasure Trip?  Vintage Goodies (the name of the vintage section in my shop).  I dunno.  Something like that.

Anyway...from my latest goodie-hunting trip:

This little guy is awesome.  I LOVE those old oriental looking fish.  The description called this a "dolphin".  I've seen this similar figure in sculptures in a lot of period films. I want to do some more research on it...

Super cute Pyrex plate.  I would love to have a whole collection of these.  A mismatched set as our everyday dishes.

This little fella was too cute to leave.  I think he's adorable.  I'm not sure yet if I'm going to keep him or if he should go in the shop...  

This lamp is sweet.  Unfortunately, it's missing its glass globe.   I'm hoping to find a replacement somewhere.

And this beautiful creature is already in the shop!  

Xavier Ray - one funky fella

He's done.  And in the shop!

Frontier Trip

Yesterday we had some antsy in our pantsy so we took a trip over to Frontier Town (btw, you can follow them on Facebook too if you love them like we love them).

Sorry this is a little blurry, but I had to share this guy - too cute!

I love love love their collection of motor bikes.  

Old advertising is one of my favorite things to search for.

Aaack!  I love these lamps.  I know they have a name, but I can't remember what it is.  There are all sorts of them.  Made for young children - often depicting nursery rhymes, etc.

And did we bring home any delightful little treasures from this trip of ours you wonder?  Why, yes.  Yes we did.  Little - no.  Delightful, yes!  

Jon's find for the day: 

It's really hard to photograph a six foot airplane propeller.  But that's what this is.  And it's gorgeous.  And it's going over our fireplace mantel.  I love it.  It still boasts its original paint too!  Black with yellow center and red tips.  Beautiful.

As for me:

Aren't these adorable!?!  I love them.  So folksy.  I love that Scandinavian (is that the right culture?) style.  So cute.  And they're pretty big too.  I don't know what I'm going to do with them yet...

But they're so cute.  The smaller one has a bit of sticky something in the center - so I'll have to figure out how to get it off.  But I'm really diggin' them. :)