Friday Freebie - Families

Again, from the vintage postcard collection, two intersting family postcards. They always make me wonder....who are these people? where are they from? what did they become? What do you think? Maybe you believe this:

Some family trees bear an enormous crop of nuts.

Or maybe you believe this:

The family, that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor in our innermost hearts never quite wish to.

Enjoy your weekend!

Candle Project

Here's a fun project idea:

Collaged Art Candles

1. Choose Candles - We use a pre-poured candle in clear glass. Be sure to choose a glass surface that is clean, smooth and large enough to hold the collage elements that you wish to include. You may want to find a container that has a lip or rim around it that would be used to tie ribbon, yarn or twine around.

2. Decide on background paper (you may use a background paper as a base for your collage, or let the glass show through the pieces of your collage), choose additional materials (photos, stamps, labels, torn paper, tissue paper, etc), make sure they fit
When choosing elements for your collage, keep in mind color (do you match the wax to the outside or contrast? Will the wax show?), theme (is it holiday, personal, nostalgic, cultural?), texture (will you use handmade or refined papers, will you add a yarn or ribbon at the top?), components & details (wax color, base paper, detail papers, photos, ties, tags, charms, words)

3. Apply ModPodge one section at a time, in one thin layer, apply paper or item, smooth to remove bubbles. Note about ModPodge: It is a non-toxic, non-flammable, glue and decoupage medium to be used as glue and as a top layer

4. Allow the first layer to be moderately dry before applying collage items. When you're pleased with your collage, add one or two layers of Mod Podge for durability.

5. Be sure to look at the candle for completeness
Does it need a ribbon or twine tie, should it have a charm, Milagro, tassel, or tag?

These candles are great gifts or accents for your home decor. We make them several times a year to coordinate with a holiday theme.

Enjoy your project and let us know how it goes.

food

As Kerry told you last week, Catherine at Pink Asparagus tagged us in a food meme. Here are the rules and here's my list.

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it.
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these
instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

My attempt at the VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (only in Chicago)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (Best if eaten in San Francisco)
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk (in cheese)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (my favorite!)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash (Hungarian)
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (not one I am proud of)
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (I lived in Kentucky for several years as a child, pretty sure I ate it)

I'll admit, I had to look up several, ok more than several, of the items. I was surprised to find out that I had eaten quite a few things on the list--better than 50%. I guess I am not so squeemish. I used to be known as "the kid who would try anything," not that I want to be famous for that!
We'll invite the following blog friends to try this activity. We tag: Rick, Angie (she already did it, check her's out), Ted, and MaryAnn. Anyone else is welcome to play along. Let us know when you do. We'd love to see what you eat!

You are What you eat

We have been tagged by Catherine at Pink Asparagus.
We were asked to asses the list of 100 foods that every good omnivore should try at least once. Below are the complete instructions. Today I'll print my assessment and Rachel's will be seen later. This assignment was pretty easy to do except I had to look up a good portion of the foods to see what they were. It was quite embarrassing since I consider myself to be an accomplished cook and eater.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

I guess I am not much of an omnivore. Don't get me wrong I love food and love trying new things but not so much when it comes to Meat products and fish soups. Yes, I am proud to say I have never had a Big Mac and plan on keeping it that way!

Kerry's look at the VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I guess I am not much of an omnivore. Don't get me wrong I love food and love trying new things but not so much when it comes to Meat products and fish soups. Yes, I am proud to say I have never had a Big Mac and plan on keeping it that way!

Quote of the Day-

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use. -Emily Post

Art Around Town

To continue the tour of Lafayette Public Art...

Public art doesn't always follow a specific theme. But two of Lafayette's most recent public art installations are directly related to the history and culture of our town.

The first is a sculpture called towns-woman by artist Tim Upham. It was installed alongside Baseline Road, in front of our Rec Center, in the fall of 2006. While I must admit, at first glance, I didn't really "get" the sculpture, it has come to grow on me. When I first drove past the piece, I wasn't drawn to its angular, industrial look. I quickly noticed, however, the words etched into the crosspieces were more feminine in nature, "favorite niece" "girlhood home," "birthplace," "maiden name." And, when I heard the story behind the piece, I grew to like it more. Mr. Upham's inspiration for the piece is Mrs. Mary Miller, the founder of the town of Lafayette. The form of the piece is a representation of the original street plat of the town of Lafayette. The words on the piece reflect the many aspects of Mrs. Miller's life. It is a thoughtful piece of art.

The second sculpture called Toros Curiousos was installed in September of 2007. This large scale sculpture is by Christopher Weed. I think this sculpture is great! It consists of two huge, vibrant, angular bulls with lengths of industrial chain as their tails. They sit amid the prairie, over looking Highway 287. The two bright orangey-red bulls sit adjacent to the Super Wal-Mart parking lot. While it's location is not totally conducive for viewing, there are plans for a walking trail to run from nearby Anna's Farm neighborhood towards the east and past the bulls. And, it certainly is a head turner for the commuters travelling south on the road. I love that the Toros are so whimsical, and that they are a nod to Lafayette's agricultural and ranching roots. As for the Bulls being near the Wal-Mart, that is no coincidence. All commercial properties built in Lafayette contribute 1% for art as part of their building permit fees. This is one of several ways that the Public Art Committee is funded in the city.

So, on with the tour. Next time I think I will take you on a drive down Public Road, our main street and show you how we add art to our lives on the road.

Friday Freebie

Fall is in the air here in Colorado. We've had several rainy cool days, and snow up in the mountains. Here's a nod to autumn.

The back of this over-sized vintage, technicolor post card says,

"FALL FESTIVAL TIME" Pretty SARAH McCRACKEN of HOG FALLS, IOWA sitting pretty after winning first prize in the annual Pumpkin Hatching Contest.

I never knew pumpkins hatched!

Happy Birthday

Today we are celebrating a birthday. Our youngest turns 7. Yes, on September 11. Yes, she was born on THE day. 9/11/01.
Sadly, you may be having the reaction that most have when they say, to my daughter, "How old are you? When is your birthday?".....pause for cute child response...."Oh!" or worse, "Oh, no!" or they look at me and say, "So, you were in labor when it was happening?" or "That's sad," or worse yet, "That's too bad."
For many, that was a day where time seemed to stop. For others time was marching on. According the the census bureau, around 10,000 American families welcomed a child into the world on 9/11/01. Like me, 10,000 other moms were in labor. Like me, 10,000 moms and dads were riveted to the TV in between contractions. Like me, 10,000 families wondered what kind of world they were bringing their newborn baby into. Like me, at the end of the day, they were in love with a new life.
Having a child born on such a day of historic tragedy, of course, filled me with mixed emotions. I was sad, even devastated, for our country. But we were also overjoyed to welcome a happy little baby into our hearts and our home. How could we not be when we looked into those big blue eyes?
Perhaps this is similar to what a previous generation faced when they gave birth on June 6, 1944. D-Day. Perhaps there were babies born on that day who were pitied for their birth date, as well. I wonder how the moms of June 6, 1944 handled the negative responses. There aren't too many of those parents left to ask.
My hope for my daughter is that, by the time she is fully aware of the historic significance of her birth date, she does not regret the day. My hope is that she will embrace the day as her own. My hope is that, with appropriate respect and reverence for the tragedy that occurred and the lives that were lost, we can also acknowledge and celebrate the lives that were made that day.

Happy Birthday, Molly!

Friday Freebie

In honor of the recent political festivities of the DNC and the RNC, here are some presidential Friday Freebies. You may love them, you may hate them, but here are four presidents of the past.

Enjoy your weekend!

Milagro Jewelry on the Front Page.

Check it out, Rachel and I are on the cover of The Denver Post today. The Your Hub section Editor interviewed us last Friday. Enjoy!

Workshops offer creative freedom

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Kerry Feiman, left, and Rachel Hanson work on jewelry pieces during open studio time Aug. 29.

Provided by: Kristin Morin

Contributed by: Kristin Morin/YourHub.com on 9/3/2008

Decades ago the house on the corner of East Simpson Street and South Finch Avenue was a center for learning. Not much has changed.

What once was the first kindergarten in Lafayette, the blue building at 600 E. Simpson St. is now The Helen Parker Art Studio, where skills are being taught to an entirely new generation through its recently reinstated open studio time twice a week.

The Helen Parker Art Studio serves as the home of Milagro Jewelry, a business run by Rachel Hanson, of Lafayette, and Kerry Feiman, of Superior.

"We work three days minimum and we're open at least two (days)," Feiman said.
What started out as just friends stopping by to see their work and doing some shopping has grown into numerous classes for students 13 and older.

"There's hardly ever classes for adults," Jacqueline, of Lafayette, said as she worked on a small pocket mirror Aug. 29. "A lot of adults, I don't think, have a chance to be kids."

Open studio time began a few years ago, and after a summer-long hiatus, recently re-opened the studio to the public.

Hanson and Feiman, both mothers, said the open studio largely follows the Boulder Valley School District schedule. After the summer break, the studio is gearing for what is usually its busiest season.

"We usually have at least a couple people in here each Friday," Feiman said. "In the fall we definitely have more, doing their holiday shopping."

Handmade pendants with family photos are often a popular gift idea at the studio.
"It's just nice to be a part of someone making something for someone else," Hanson said. "Instead of buying a gift, this has a little more purpose and intent behind it. Hopefully that trend is continuing to grow."

Drop-in open studio takes place Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Hanson and Feiman offer a variety of workshops like collaged candles, beaded servers, collaged journals, pocket mirrors, card making, collaged pendants and gypsy bracelets.

"People don't realize what a skill we have just using our hands," Jacqueline said. "It's an extension of your feelings."

The studio is a small workshop behind Hanson's house that the two friends renovated and decorated for their work space. Open studio participants get a cup of coffee and basic instruction from Hanson and Feiman. Then, they are given creative freedom to look through books, talk with other studio-goers and peruse the shelves of art for inspiration and conversation.

"It's a comfortable place," Hanson said. "People seem to enjoy being here."
Hanson and Feiman started Milagro Jewelry about five years ago and sell their work in the studio, at various venues and online.

A milagro is a charm that the women import from Mexico. The charms originated in Europe, each carrying a religious connotation. Hanson and Feiman have put a modern interpretation on the charms, labeling each one with a unique message of good fortune or happiness. Hanson and Feiman are often working alongside studio attendees to fill online orders that ship around the country and to Europe.

Most studio projects take only one session to finish and the studio provides all the supplies. Open studio time is free, but the material fees vary depending on the workshop. Some workshops require materials to be pre-ordered. Groups are welcome to attend open studio, but are asked to call first so Hanson and Feiman can make the necessary accommodations. Private workshops are also available.

For more information on workshops or The Helen Parker Art Studio to go www.milagrojewelry.com or call 720-840-1170.